Extending A Retirment Visa

[WilliamIV]

Today I extended my Retirement Visa – within 3 hours of leaving home – INCLUDING collecting the Confirmation of My Pension Letter from the British Embassy and my Bank Balance Confirmation letter from my Bank.

It is all down to organisation and thanks to Subway & Sky Trains!

Since some Members seem to think this is a difficult process, or indeed

Employ an Agent – or think they need to do so ….

I give you my Three Day Plan for renewing / extending a Retirement Visa.

I have a British Passport. I aim to minimise visits to Banks, Embassy & Immigration – just one visit each to collect documents.

First you do need evidence of your Pension

(although I have seen Americans claiming their embassy will provide

an affidavit for any amount their Citizens tell them)

And you need to have whatever amount you are required to have in

your Bank Account in Thailand. (I have more than the minimum

Pension and have Bht 250,000 in my Savings Account in Bangkok)

Day 1

a) Send a Fax to Your Embassy requesting Letter for Immigration

purposes – fax also proof of Pension.

Ask if you can collect on morning of Day 3 and say you will bring

original proof of Pension for them to see and Copy.

Include in the Fax details of your Passport & Address – these will

be detailed in the Embassy Immigration Letter.

Send a Fax to your Bank (mine is in Silom) asking them to provide

a Letter to Immigration confirming your Balance – tell them you will

like to collect it on morning of Day 3 – that you will sign their letter of Request/Authority and pay any Fee when you call to collect the Letter.

c) Get 4 x 6 cms Visa Photos – most Digital Photo shops do these

in a few minutes.

d) Visit a local Hospital for a Medical Certificate – it IS required.

I went to Ramkhamhaeng Hospital. (they are trying to attract

Medical Tourists – it is a big private hospital and I had Laser Eye

surgery there before – I thought their Fees might be a bit over

the top – but they do give immediate personal attention)

The Lady Doctor, surprisingly to me, had not been asked for

such a Cert before and was obviously on the Cautious side

– not wanting to just “sign” a certificate – and so did a brief Check

– Blood pressure – Stethoscope on front & back. She gave me two

Certs one in English One in Thai. I held my breath at the Cashier

– Bht 170 !!!!!

Day 2

In the afternoon phone the Embassy & your Bank to check

that their letters are ready for collection.

Day 3

I live in Ladprao – left home at 9.30am

Then by Subway & Sky Train to Phloen Chit

I arrived British Embassy 10.12am

Waiting Q of three – The Lady gave me the Letter & asked me

to check the details in it. - She photocopied my Proof of Pension

– collected a Fee of Bht 1,600 - And I was out by 10.22am

Back to the Sky Train – to Sala Deng and my Bank to Collect

their Letter took 15 minutes to find it – asked me to sign letter

of Authority & collected Bht 200

Then a Taxi to Soi Suan Phlu & Immigration HQ.

If you haven’t organised your photocopies yet – the several

Photocopy shops opposite Immigration are very savvy & will

tell you what pages of your passport that you need. Plus copy

of your T.6 Departure Card.

You need a Photocopy of your final page of your Bank Passbook

+ the Page with your Name & Account number.

You have to sign ALL these Photocopies.

At Immigration – collect form T.7 – Complete it

- add one Photo – pay Bht 1,900 (no longer Bht 500)

- (the officer asked to see the Letter from the Bank)

- take a seat & wait for your number.

- When your number appears collect your Receipt & Papers

& take them to Room 102.

When you enter Room 102 – check if they are using their

Number Cards – (maybe not if few applicants) and take a

seat until your number is called or you are invited forward.

To Sum up – you have to hand the Officer:

1)Completed & Receipted Form T.7

2)Your Passport.

3)Photocopies signed by you of Passport Photo Page,

Page containing your previous extension stamp,

Page containing your last Arrival Stamp.

4)Copy of your Form T.6 (Departure Card - should be

stapled in your Passport)

5)Your Bank Account Passbook

6)Photocopies, signed by you of Bank Passbook page

showing your Name & Account Number and page with final balance.

7)Letter from Bank Certifying the Balance (must be within past few days)

8)Proof of Pension from Entity paying your Pension.

9)Letter from Embassy confirming your Pension, Address,

Passport details and Citizenship.

10)Medical Certificate

The Officer checks the Documents and Completes a Statement Form

in Thai for you to sign.

He/She enters the Stamp in your Passport and you then take everything

to the Senior Officer to sign the extension stamp in your passport.

You are then Finished – in my case by 12.30pm just 3 hours since leaving home !

I then applied for a Multiple Re-entry Permit (Bht 3,800)

Single entry is Bht 1,000 – quite automatic just Completed From T.8

- with Photo Attached - and Passport – collect after one Hour.

Last Year they took Copies of the Past Years entries in my Bank Passbook

– I handed these to the Officer today – but she returned them to me – an indication they are now concerned with only the current balance.

That was MY experience at Suan Phlu TODAY.

I hope it helps!

Bill

Edited May 12, 2005 by WilliamIV

[patricktan]

/edit by RDN: long quoted text removed

That very kind of you to put thing in detail and this will help anyone which need.

Thank you on behalf for everyone.

Edited May 12, 2005 by RDN

[RDN]

Yes, thanks very much Bill IV.

Very similar to my experience in Phuket, except that I keep a stack of photocopies of my passport for various purposes, and a stack of different sized photographs! So no need to go to the photo shop or photocopy shop!

I also keep a stack of spare TM7, TM8 and TM47 forms.

One tip that I would like to give is this: after preparing all documents, photocopy all of them so you have an exact copy of everything you have presented to Immigration. This makes life much easier next time - you don't have to think about what to write on the forms or what you need to present, just get updated documents identical to the photocopies.

[WilliamIV]

Hi RDN,

I agree with what you say.

I have a supply of Forms T.8 - they are freely available on the Counter

But Forms T.7 are only handed out one at a time after officers

verify that you know what you are doing - at Suan Phlu.

But even then - after completing the Form & attaching the photo

- I go across the road and make a Copy of it - before submitting it.

And yes - I keep a copy of everything ready for reference next year.

Certainly makes things easy.

Bill

[shotover]

Excellent reference material William. Thanks very much for the thought and organization you put into this.

One question? If your embassy provides proof of pension income exceeding the annual required amount (800,000 baht?), do you still have to have a confirmation letter of your balance in your Thai bank account?

[WilliamIV]

Excellent reference material William.  Thanks very much for the thought and organization you put into this.

One question?  If your embassy provides proof of pension income exceeding the annual required amount (800,000 baht?), do you still have to have a confirmation letter of your balance in your Thai bank account?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shotover

In my Experience the answer is YES

Whilst the Regulations say Income, Savings or a Combination of the two

I do not believe that Income alone is an accepted option.

You must show some savings and that will only be accepted

if you have the Proper Documentation - Savings Passbook AND

very recent Letter of Confirmation from the Bank.

My Personal Experince:

When I applied for extension in 2004

- I deliberately submitted only Proof of Income.

My Pension is TWICE the required minimum.

They refused to give the one year extension.

I was given a 15 day extension to get the Savings

account documentation - I asked How Much should

I have in the account - Answer "It is up to you" !!!!!

Well I already had Bht 240,000 in the Bank

so I got the required letter - returned after one week

and got my one year extension.

A simlilar amount was in my account this year and

was accepted.

My retirement visa was originally granted in Sept 1988.

Thai Visa guidelines (it needs UPDATING) at :

http://thaivisa.com/318.0.html

says:

"Pensioners arriving before Oct 1998 with unbroken

records while living here only need 200,000 baht in

a Thai Bank when they apply for an extension. "

I THINK I have seen postings that say this no

longer applies - MAYBE as a Savings ONLY option.

But again MAYBE it was used as a Guideline as to

what Savings amount was acceptable for me in

combination with my Pension.

General

I think it is important to mention - yet again -

That Immigration Officers do seem to have a great

deal of Discretion - they are able to give different

applicants - individual treatment ...

My Experience might be different to yours

So please treat my posting as Guidelines.

My Past experience.

Last year I did not submit a Medical Cert.

As I said I was given an original 15 day extension

to get a Bank Letter. When they subsequently

gave me my one year extension - I was told

that at THAT time a Medical Cert was REQUIRED

- but they would overlook it - but I must have it

next time (ie this year)

Previous year my Bank Letter was a couple of

weeks old - I was told it was not really acceptable

- but they would accept it at that time - next year

it must be more current.

I think these personal decisions can easily depend

on the applicant's demeanour & attitude.

In both cases they would have been within their

rights to insist I comply with the requirements.

All the above at Room 102, Immigration HQ,

Sathorn Road, Soi Suan Phlu.

Bill

[harpman88]

Excellent reference material William.  Thanks very much for the thought and organization you put into this.

One question?  If your embassy provides proof of pension income exceeding the annual required amount (800,000 baht?), do you still have to have a confirmation letter of your balance in your Thai bank account?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shotover

In my Experience the answer is YES

Whilst the Regulations say Income, Savings or a Combination of the two

I do not believe that Income alone is an accepted option.

You must show some savings and that will only be accepted

if you have the Proper Documentation - Savings Passbook AND

very recent Letter of Confirmation from the Bank.

My Personal Experince:

When I applied for extension in 2004

- I deliberately submitted only Proof of Income.

My Pension is TWICE the required minimum.

They refused to give the one year extension.

I was given a 15 day extension to get the Savings

account documentation - I asked How Much should

I have in the account - Answer "It is up to you" !!!!!

Well I already had Bht 240,000 in the Bank

so I got the required letter - returned after one week

and got my one year extension.

A simlilar amount was in my account this year and

was accepted.

My retirement visa was originally granted in Sept 1988.

Thai Visa guidelines (it needs UPDATING) at :

http://thaivisa.com/318.0.html

says:

"Pensioners arriving before Oct 1998 with unbroken

records while living here only need 200,000 baht in

a Thai Bank when they apply for an extension. "

I THINK I have seen postings that say this no

longer applies - MAYBE as a Savings ONLY option.

But again MAYBE it was used as a Guideline as to

what Savings amount was acceptable for me in

combination with my Pension.

General

I think it is important to mention - yet again -

That Immigration Officers do seem to have a great

deal of Discretion - they are able to give different

applicants - individual treatment ...

My Experience might be different to yours

So please treat my posting as Guidelines.

My Past experience.

Last year I did not submit a Medical Cert.

As I said I was given an original 15 day extension

to get a Bank Letter. When they subsequently

gave me my one year extension - I was told

that at THAT time a Medical Cert was REQUIRED

- but they would overlook it - but I must have it

next time (ie this year)

Previous year my Bank Letter was a couple of

weeks old - I was told it was not really acceptable

- but they would accept it at that time - next year

it must be more current.

I think these personal decisions can easily depend

on the applicant's demeanour & attitude.

In both cases they would have been within their

rights to insist I comply with the requirements.

All the above at Room 102, Immigration HQ,

Sathorn Road, Soi Suan Phlu.

Bill

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This bank acct.experience also echoes a recent quote from a high ranking

Imm officer in Cmai in which he states that even those who qualify on a pension

should indeed show bank acct balance/and acct. activity. He also states the acct.should not be closed if one is using it to facilitate the OA extension process.

[shotover]

William, Thanks again for the interesting information. I'll post a report when I renew my retirement visa.

[Steve2UK]

If it's the case (in practice, anyhow) that Immigration Officers can/are likely to still look for substantial savings and activity through that account each year (on top of even a fully-qualifying pension income), is the reverse true? - i.e. that having 800,000 baht in the account at the time of processing the renewal is not enough to keep them happy and they would they also be looking for regular pension payments?

I ask this because I'm 55 and won't have a pension payment coming in for 10 years. I don't see a problem in maintaining the 800,000 baht balance for the renewal period - I would run it down in the course of the year for living expenses and replenish the Thai account towards the end of the year from a decent interest-paying savings account in the UK - thus showing both account activity and funds coming in from outside Thailand.

As I've understood the rules previously - which was very much that it's an either/or - my plan should be fine. Is that still the case?

[lopburi3]

If it's the case (in practice, anyhow) that Immigration Officers can/are likely to still look for substantial savings and activity through that account each year (on top of even a fully-qualifying pension income), is the reverse true? - i.e. that having 800,000 baht in the account at the time of processing the renewal is not enough to keep them happy and they would they also be looking for regular pension payments?

I ask this because I'm 55 and won't have a pension payment coming in for 10 years. I don't see a problem in maintaining the 800,000 baht balance for the renewal period - I would run it down in the course of the year for living expenses and replenish the Thai account towards the end of the year from a decent interest-paying savings account in the UK - thus showing both account activity and funds coming in from outside Thailand.

As I've understood the rules previously - which was very much that it's an either/or - my plan should be fine. Is that still the case?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That should still be fine. Enjoy.

[Steve2UK]

If it's the case (in practice, anyhow) that Immigration Officers can/are likely to still look for substantial savings and activity through that account each year (on top of even a fully-qualifying pension income), is the reverse true? - i.e. that having 800,000 baht in the account at the time of processing the renewal is not enough to keep them happy and they would they also be looking for regular pension payments?

I ask this because I'm 55 and won't have a pension payment coming in for 10 years. I don't see a problem in maintaining the 800,000 baht balance for the renewal period - I would run it down in the course of the year for living expenses and replenish the Thai account towards the end of the year from a decent interest-paying savings account in the UK - thus showing both account activity and funds coming in from outside Thailand.

As I've understood the rules previously - which was very much that it's an either/or - my plan should be fine. Is that still the case?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That should still be fine. Enjoy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks as ever, lop!

Edited May 15, 2005 by Steve2UK

[WilliamIV]

I agree - I consider Savings only IS an option.

However I would reiterate that in MY case THIS year

they were not interested in Activity on the account.

Previous year they required photocopies of pages of

the Passbook for the whole year.

This year, I submitted copies of pages for the whole past year

- but only the page with the Current Balace was kept

- the copies of other pages were returned to me.

It could be for a Savings only applicant that activity

would be scrutinised ...

Bill