Retirement Visa

[kerryk]

Renewed my yearly retirement visa at Rayong Immigration today. Had all the stuff, bank letter and copies and such and my last months rent receipt. They said the receipt was not enough. They wanted to see my lease. I don't have one as I pay month to month and have for two years. I rent a condo. I went to the landlord and he gave me a lease anyway. The were still not quite happy as they wanted to see a one year lease for next year. Has this happened to anyone else? Seems silly. How about the people who travel around Thailand or stay in a hotel?

[surayu]

It seems "silly" because they are "silly", i have once been requested to produce some documents from abroad which costed me 10.000 baht, then when presented they say they didn't want it, that was an immigration captain.....

[tutsiwarrior]

what is normally required by immigration to establish place of residence when applying for a retirement extension? Can I get an affidavit from the US ACS in BKK for this purpose?...same as can be used for a driver's license?

[lovelomsak]

If they make you do that take a couple of passport size photo with you and ask them to supply you with the certificate of residence. You need this if you buy a car or motorcycle so make as well get it well you are there. you will have proof of residence so they shouldnot be able to refuse you.

[lopburi3]

I have never been asked for any such proof in Bangkok but they do have copies of my wife home register in file from previous marriage extensions of stay.

[kerryk]

It seems "silly" because they are "silly", i have once been requested to produce some documents from abroad which costed me 10.000 baht, then when presented they say they didn't want it, that was an immigration captain.....

Where did you get your visa? Rayong?

[painai2]

I went to Chonburi Immigration (Pattaya) to renew my retirement visa last week. She asked if I own or rent. I told her rent, she wanted proof. I gave her a copy of the receipt for my July rent. I pay month to month, so that's all I have. She didn't even look at on, just put in with the rest of the papers and said "See you tomorrow after 2 pm to pick up your passport."

[TaoNow]

Question regarding Lopburi3's post: Did you ever see Bkk immigration check your record of past extensions?

In visits to Suan Plu over the past three years and now CW I have not seem them access a paper file or electronic database with information about my past extensions.

Also, what is your interpretation of these requirements to show leases or other evidence of residence in other Immo offices? Couldn't a retiree live in different hotels for as long as s/he likes?

I see nothing in the Immigration regulations that require a retiree to have a fixed residence.

And, similar to your experience, I have never been asked to show any evidence of residence in Bangkok when I go to Immo for the annual extension.

[lopburi3]

The new immigration extension of stay process requires that you use your local office. The only way they can determine this is your proof of residence so expect that is the prime reason for frequent asking now. Expect they might have heartburn over a nights hotel receipt but a longer term receipt would likely be all that was required if that is where you stay.

I did indeed notice there use of computer system to access data this year (last year it was still the hard file). And I did notice a question face and explained Bangkok address has recently been changed but the same physical location and she said she understood. Am not sure she would have asked or not. No proof was required. Bangkok is now making address consecutive numbers on all sois rather than the land plot numbers previously used.

[wpcoe]

Bangkok is now making address consecutive numbers on all sois rather than the land plot numbers previously used.

Interesting bit of trivia!

[Tod Daniels]

FWIW: This used to be the application you filled out at the old Immigrations Office 'Suan Plu', when you needed a residency certificate.

Address Verification Immigrations.pdf

They'd mail you the official document about a week after. I've used for getting a thai driver's license, and other times I've had to show I'm actually living where I live .

I would imagine the new office out at Changwattana also offers it but don’t really know . Nor do I know if the other Immigrations offices scattered hither and yon across the country offer it or something comparable either . Next time I go out to Changwattana, I'll ask if they still offer the service .

It's proven time and again to be a valuable document to have in your possession. Often times this document supersedes the need for a lease, rental contracts, receipts, etc.

It was also FAR cheaper costing 100baht rather than the US Embassy's document for address verification (which is now $50US) .

[surayu]

Where did you get your visa? Rayong?

No, in Bangkok.

[kerryk]

I told them I had a years worth of receipts from my rented condo. They adamantly stated they did not want that. They wanted a years lease for next year signed and sealed by the apartment and a guarantee by the landlord or a Thai person that I was going to stay there. That’s exactly what they told me, “A guarantee.”

[Lovedog100]

I got mine while staying at a hotel. I just told them that I can not sign a lease until I have the visa allowing me to stay. Guess that made sense to them.

[prism]

Had a friend that just got his first retirement extension today at Chiang Mai. They didn't ask for any proof of residency. I guess it just depends on which office you have to use.

[Maestro]

FWIW: This used to be the application you filled out at the old Immigrations Office 'Suan Plu', when you needed a residency certificate.

Address Verification Immigrations.pdf

...

The current version of this form, same text but a slightly different layout, seems to be this one:

* Download from ThaiVisa server (Microsoft Word document):

* Download from Immigration website (Microsoft Word document): http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/res_cert.doc

* Download from Immigration website (PDF document): http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/pdf/res_cert.pdf

--

Maestro

[kerryk]

I think the attached file is what they wanted to confirm my address. Can someone tell me what it is? And why they wanted it?

Statement.pdf

[mahtin]

FWIW: This used to be the application you filled out at the old Immigrations Office 'Suan Plu', when you needed a residency certificate.

Address Verification Immigrations.pdf

...

The current version of this form, same text but a slightly different layout, seems to be this one:

* Download from ThaiVisa server (Microsoft Word document): http://www.thaivisa....te-in-thailand/

* Download from Immigration website (Microsoft Word document): http://www.immigrati...ad/res_cert.doc

* Download from Immigration website (PDF document): http://www.immigrati...df/res_cert.pdf

--

Maestro

This form is strange, in that it has no field to enter the street name.

Tod's has both lane and street.

On Wednesday am doing 90 day report at Nonthaburi, and have filled in both, with a manual addition of soi name to the Word doc.

Will report back.

[kerryk]

I thought maybe I should have put it in as a JPG. What is it? Why would they want it for a retirement visa extension?

I think this is what the immigration at Mataput (Rayong) wanted.

[Tod Daniels]

I thought maybe I should have put it in as a JPG. What is it? Why would they want it for a retirement visa extension?

I think this is what the immigration at Mataput (Rayong) wanted.

This statement is one of what I refer to as the 'three secret documents' which Immigrations at Changwattana has you fill out AFTER you process your yearly extension of stay based on retirement .

It's NOT a verification of address, and as you don’t get to keep a copy, (instead it’s put into your file); it’s valueless as providing any one else proof that you live here .

It seems that it's more a guarantor letter saying you're who you say you are, you live where you say, and you acknowledge you have the financial means to stay in thailand. Even so, it's quite ambiguous in its real meaning .

In reality it’s just another piece of nearly meaningless paperwork for the file Immigrations keeps on you ; but we all know how much thai government officials love paperwork and documentation .

[lopburi3]

It has always been required but format has changed a bit. The interviewing officer also signs that as proof you have satisfied them that this is where you actually live and in turn these forms are presented to the commissioned officer to approve your extension of stay.

[mark45y]

I have gotten yearly extensions in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Rayong (Maptaput) and have never been asked for this form before. Is it just a Bangkok thing? And perhaps Maptaput got an officer from Bangkok as I did not recognize him. Anyone else been to Maptaput (Rayong) and been asked for the form or is it only me?

[lopburi3]

Often the officer will fill it out for you but there should be several pieces of paper you sign each year during application and that is one of them.

[mahtin]

FWIW: This used to be the application you filled out at the old Immigrations Office 'Suan Plu', when you needed a residency certificate.

Address Verification Immigrations.pdf

...

The current version of this form, same text but a slightly different layout, seems to be this one:

* Download from ThaiVisa server (Microsoft Word document): http://www.thaivisa....te-in-thailand/

* Download from Immigration website (Microsoft Word document): http://www.immigrati...ad/res_cert.doc

* Download from Immigration website (PDF document): http://www.immigrati...df/res_cert.pdf

--

Maestro

This form is strange, in that it has no field to enter the street name.

Tod's has both lane and street.

On Wednesday am doing 90 day report at Nonthaburi, and have filled in both, with a manual addition of soi name to the Word doc.

Will report back.

The 90 day report was no problem.

For the driver's license application address verification...

Although they accepted Tod's application form, at first they wanted my wife's Tabien Baan, then when they realized that was not appropriate, a copy of the rental agreement, which fortunately I had.

There was then much photocopying and creation of new forms, which my wife had to sign. My signature was required only for the photocopy of my passport.

The officer then informed my wife that we would have to return on Monday, as they would have to confirm that we did in fact live where we had stated.

More next week.

[gregchambers]

completely at a loss over this address thing as the Thai government already runs a database containing farang and their place of residence, details have to be supplied to the police by the landlord... and this database is accessible at most government offices.

[mahtin]

See tod-daniels' reference to 3 secret documents?

[lopburi3]

There are no "secret" documents. There are several documents that are filled out and signed in presence of interviewing officer and this has been the case for all the years I have been extending. The only change is that we often are asked to fill out now but in earlier years we just signed after officer had done so. The exact forms change a bit year to year and may also be determined by your extension of stay reason/method. tod was nice enough to provide copies so you now know what you have signed and deserves thanks for so doing.

[mahtin]

First a big Thankyou to tod-daniels for providing the Address Verification form.

Actually I don't think they'd ever seen one, as the girl had to go and consult with another officer.

So back we came after the weekend, not sure if anyone had done any real verifying in the meantime, but am now the proud possessor of a document which supposedly verifies my address.

Well, it does now that we got it corrected, as although the first version had the house number, it didn't have the Soi number.

Good thing the wife was there to help get it sorted.

Armed with this can now go on to apply for Thai driver's license.