Retirement Extension At Bangkok July 20, 2010

[mojaco]

Report of Extension of Non-O for Retirement at Bangkok, July 20, 2010

(1) We (husband and wife) are both foreigners (USA)

(2) This is about 10th time extending for retirement

(3) Today (July 20, 2010) we needed to do three things:

A. 90-day report (LATE unfortunately - first time ever in 16 years.)

B. extend Non-O for retirement

C. obtain multi-re-entry permits

Left National Stadium BTS at 7:45 AM. 30 minutes to MoChit BTS. Another 35 minutes via traffic jam plus expressway to Immigration. Our taxi driver at the MoChit BTS knew the way to the closest door to Immigration of the new government building (ChaengWattana). I suspect all drivers at the BTS now know the route also.

At Immigration I tried to get queue numbers for all three needs, but they said "No, choose one". So we took the 90-day first. Had number 43 and number 11 was showing. About 20 minutes later we submitted our report, plus 2,000 Baht each (for being 30 days late), then went back to wait for our passports. However about 10 minutes later we were led to a different section to process the fine. There we waited another 15 minutes for someone to show up. Finally an officer along with a trainee officer came and spend another 15-20 minutes filling out the various forms for the fine plus the new 90-day report date paper. When we were called up to sign, the officer apologized for making us wait so long because she was teaching the trainee how to do the report, fines, etc. (Can you imagine? We were in the wrong, but the officer apologized for making us wait!)

The new 90-day paper stapled into the passport shows that we were late and paid a 2,000 Baht fine, plus they stamped (in red) the same information into our passports. I don't have a way right now to scan the stamp, but I have typed it verbatim (both in verbiage and appearance) and am attaching it to this report for those interested.

Back to pick up a queue number for the Non-O extension. Number 16 was showing and we had 41. Took about an hour to get through those numbers, but then only 10 minutes for the officer to process us for a new extension. They only wanted:

(1) For passport: Copy of photo page, last year's extension stamp, date of last entry, departure card (and all copies signed)

(2) For $$$: We had the USA Embassy affidavit of monthly income sufficient for the 65,000 Baht per month (it wasn't questioned). I gave them the original one I had done a few days ago. I don't know if they would have accepted a copy instead or not.

(3) Other: They only wanted a copy of the marriage license and a copy of the Thai translation. They didn't ask to look at the original license or translation.

They were not interested in a medical certificate (good thing as we didn't have one), not interested in address verification, not interested in looking at bank passbook, or anything else.

(4) They had us sign forms attesting to our address, and knowledge of the 800,000 Baht requirement (if we do that sometime.)

(5) They took digital photos again like last year and digital scans of index fingers of both hands (like last year).

She placed the stamps in the passport and we were done.

(As in the past "The wife follows the husband" or perhaps "One spouse follows the other spouse"? In this particular extension, the husband had the 65,000 Baht needed monthly and once his extension was approved, the wife was approved as his dependent. She did not need to give any financial information.)

Back to pick up a number for the multi-re-entry permit. Got number 133 and 81 was showing. Got up to 126 when everyone broke for lunch. So went downstairs and wandered around the various shops and restaurants and had some coffee. It was a very relaxing way to kill the one hour wait for lunch.

Back up at 1:00 and 10 minutes later our number was called for submitting the passport for the multi-re-entry permit. Another 20 minute wait and the passport was returned with the permits. Left the place abut 1:30 via taxi (meter) back to BTS back to central Bangkok.

So, in summary, a very nice immigration office, and all of the officers seemed to be stress-free (in comparison to Suan Plu). And not a mad-house for we foreigners like Suan Plu was. Plenty of places to sit, air conditioned, new, pleasant, and most officers were pleasant when working with us. ALL of the foreigners were dressed nicely-conservatively (no tank tops, cutoffs, raggety jeans, dirty flip-flops and etc. And please don't start taking me to task for "Who are you to tell us what is nice or conservative!" I am thinking of how the Thai king dressed when he traveled around in Thailand and that is my concept of "nice" or "conservative" in Thailand, which most Thai would agree with I think. What the Thai call "Riap-Roi") We are actually looking forward to our next extension there next year after such a pleasant experience this year.

Edited July 20, 2010 by mojaco

[Irene]

Just to congratulate you on your patience in waiting and also thank you for sharing with us your experience in which both of you seem so pleased.

I really admire you two. For many others, the experience would have brought out sarcasm on the"inefficiency" of the immigration office. It is a good example to follow and enjoy our stay here.

By the way, that stamping is in Thai. Thais would have taken the wordings lightly like a parking offence. But if it is translated in English, it would not be that complimentary. So keep it in Thai.

[mojaco]

Just to congratulate you on your patience in waiting and also thank you for sharing with us your experience in which both of you seem so pleased.

I really admire you two. For many others, the experience would have brought out sarcasm on the"inefficiency" of the immigration office. It is a good example to follow and enjoy our stay here.

By the way, that stamping is in Thai. Thais would have taken the wordings lightly like a parking offence. But if it is translated in English, it would not be that complimentary. So keep it in Thai.

Hi, and thanks for your comments. Having gone through the "Suan Plu" experience so many times, I thought the new office was very efficient and much more relaxed! But some people cannot wait. I once saw a foreigner in a Chiang Rai hospital get angry with the nurses because he had waited for all of 10 minutes and had not yet been called to see a doctor. Made me a little embarrassed to be a "farang". Some such foreigners should try going to a Thai government hospital and see how long they wait, and see the wonderful patience of most Thai people.

Morris

[Pib]

I must be unlucky when doing my 90 day report at Bangkok/Cheang Wattana (or previously at Bangkok/Suan Plu) as I've never been able to get one done faster than about one hour and 30 minutes, regardless of the day of the week or time of day. Now my retirement extension and re-entry permit have always went pretty fast (knock on wood for the future ones). Good to hear you had a good experience...you definitely got a lot done today in minimum time...maybe Tuesday's are the day to go.

[mojaco]

I must be unlucky when doing my 90 day report at Bangkok/Cheang Wattana (or previously at Bangkok/Suan Plu) as I've never been able to get one done faster than about one hour and 30 minutes, regardless of the day of the week or time of day. <snip>

I almost always do my 90-day report by mail, but because I wrongly thought the reporting date coincided with my visa extension renewal date, I decided to do everything at once (I mis-read JUN 20 as being JUL 20 on the reporting date.) So even though many people always said "Bangkok people cannot mail in their 90-day report", I have been doing that for years and never had a problem. Saves a trip to Immigration that way. Plus saving the cost of travel (I live in central Bangkok - long way from CW).

Morris

Edited July 20, 2010 by mojaco

[wpcoe]

mojaco: Did one of you apply for a retirement extension and the other as a dependent of the first? If so, were you able to only queue up once for the extensions? In the past, I thought the first spouse had to go through the complete process to completion, and then the second spouse could initiate the dependent extension process, but your report sounds like they were done simultaneously which would be a lot better.

[mojaco]

mojaco: Did one of you apply for a retirement extension and the other as a dependent of the first? If so, were you able to only queue up once for the extensions? In the past, I thought the first spouse had to go through the complete process to completion, and then the second spouse could initiate the dependent extension process, but your report sounds like they were done simultaneously which would be a lot better.

We just get a single queue ticket for "retirement extension" - not two tickets. My TM7 form says as reason for extension "Retirement", my wife's says "Dependent of husband on retirement extension". And when that single queue number is called we go up at the same time to talk to the officer. We have always done it that way at the Bangkok Immigration - at the same time. We submit both of our TM7 forms and all of the rest of the documentation they want at that time. They process us together at the same time. So there is no need to do it in sequence.

Morris

[wpcoe]

Thanks, mojaco, for the clarification. Good to know it's only a one-shot process. (At least in Bangkok!)

[Raesum]

I must be unlucky when doing my 90 day report at Bangkok/Cheang Wattana (or previously at Bangkok/Suan Plu) as I've never been able to get one done faster than about one hour and 30 minutes, regardless of the day of the week or time of day. Now my retirement extension and re-entry permit have always went pretty fast (knock on wood for the future ones). Good to hear you had a good experience...you definitely got a lot done today in minimum time...maybe Tuesday's are the day to go.

Last Thursday was pretty quiet as well. My first visit to CW office. So much more space than Suan Plu and there seemed to be hardly any people compared to SP. I received a number and it came up immediately to apply for a Retirement visa. All paperwork and having to go and get a few pages photo-copied completed within 45 minutes-they didn't even ask for house photos, bank accounts. I need to go back in 14 days to have visa put into passport

[lopburi3]

Please advise exactly what you did as they do not issue retirement visas at Immigration. Did you convert to a non immigrant visa entry for 2,000 baht or did you extend your stay for retirement for 1,900 baht (or do you do that at next visit)?

Retirement extensions of stay are done in minutes and there is no return required so trying to figure out why you are going back in two weeks. And you always require bank accounts or Embassy letter of pension income (or both).

[Raesum]

I guess its a non immigrant visa then as the price was 2000 baht

[lopburi3]

In that case when you return you will likely have to supply a TM.7 form for extension of stay for one year and pay 1,900 baht for that.