Retirement extension

[JonnieB]

for the benefit of anyone applying for an extension of their visa for one-year under the retirement clause, here is my recent experience getting the same from the Pattaya immigration office.

i will try to describe all the details so that if will be a reference for anyone applying for one in the near future.  this visa was applied for yesterday and received today.  for financial viability test, used monthly income test rather than B800k deposit in thai bank.

current passport/visa status:

USA citizen

female

over 50

non-imm O visa, issued at penang, expires 4 november

documents submitted (in duplicate, with any copies signed):

passport pages

 face page, visa stamp, tm card (front and back)

 medical certificate (certifying you have a pulse and are therefore free of any communicable diseases) [original and copy]    

 US embassy certification of pension income ($30 at embassy, no proof required, just go to consular services and tell them want income verification notarization form for a retirement visa.  fill it out and put whatever your pension is (you can say anything as they don't ask to see any documention...you are swearing before the counsel that what you say is true) [original and copy].

bangkok bank savings book showing balance of B100,000+...copies of inside cover page and last entry page.

copy of thai bank ATM card.  front and back.

bangkok bank "certification letter"  don't ask me what this document says as it's all in thai.  the bank prepares it and you sign it and it has some writing on it and the amount on deposit for your account as of the date of the letter.  maybe it says the funds were transfered from outside thailand.  the bank will need your passport copies to prep this document.  go to your branch and tell them you are applying for retirement visa and show them your application papers and they will know what you need.  fee is B200. [original and copy]

copy of usa bank statement.  summary page and checking summary page showing $ 1,000,000+ on deposit and monthly pension deposit of $2,000+ [original and copy]

2 2x3 cm passport photos

B1900 visa extention fee

there is a special retirement visa desk at pattaya immigration.  just ask for it or look for the sign.  personnel are moderately friendly and helpful considering how busy they are.  certainly no hostility or inqisitorial looks you get at some embassies or counslates when applying for the visas themselves.  smile and submit all these documents to the retirement visa clerk.  he will check them all over and note anything that is missing [in my case, the bangkok bank letter that i had to go out and get].  if all looks good, he will take your B1900 and then you wait while the whole stack of docs is passed on to a higher-up for a look-see.  you wait.  in my case, about 45 mins and then get called over and a nice matronly lady reviews the application with you and asks you some strange questions, like:

do you have any brothers or sisters?

where do they live?

are you the eldest, middle, youngest?

home phone number?

this pleasant lady then completes a form document on her computer (all in thai) that appears to document your address and income, etc and prints it out.  you sign it.

she then puts several stamps in your passport and nicely explains and shows you the new expiration date one-year hence and explains the 90-day reporting requirement and when the date for your 1st 90-day report on is.

you then get your receipt for payment and a number stub and pick-up the passport the next day.

all in all, really quite painless.  just have all your documentaion in order, like when dealing with any gov't bureauracracy around the world.

::  

[lopburi3]

copy of usa bank statement.  summary page and checking summary page showing $ 1,000,000+ on deposit and monthly pension deposit of $2,000+ [original and copy]

You may have a cool million USD in your checking account but I don't think that is yet a requirement.

Don't forget you now need a re-entry permit if you travel anywhere outside of Thailand.  Best to get a multi entry one each time you extend for a year to be safe.