Retirement Extension

[hgma]

Just came back from immigration nongkhai

as usual i apply about 10 days before my year expires

All these years never had a real problem...not even now... but..............

It seems in my case that there has been made some changes at least for nongkhai

when applying on the "income" extension it has been notified to me that I need to have an 2011 embassy certification.

Change?

No more 4 year valid (with MOFA THAI stamp= not needed any more)

NO need for bank letter

NO need for bank copy's

I had my 2010 certification with me and need to certify again for 2011 (income 2010)

Handling as usual....friendly but firm.

No problem with that.

if only i could have prepared myself by knowing this( for certain)

NOW i know

hgma

[lopburi3]

This has been policy at all offices lately - no more using the same letter more than one year (believe 3 months from issue is often cited for time frame). The good news in regards to that office seems to be the removal of there unique MFA requirement.

[thomdixon]

I just did my retirement extension and at my immigration office they refused an American with a certificate from his embassy stating they wanted to see his money in the banque.

I only presented my banque book and a letter from my banque and all was done in 5 minutes.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I just did my retirement extension and at my immigration office they refused an American with a certificate from his embassy stating they wanted to see his money in the banque.

I only presented my banque book and a letter from my banque and all was done in 5 minutes.

And at what Immigration office was this??

Mac

[Prajak]

Would be great news. Monday I will be there for my 90 days and I will check it for my next extension in August.

[Maestro]

I just did my retirement extension and at my immigration office they refused an American with a certificate from his embassy stating they wanted to see his money in the banque...

Consider the possibility of a misunderstanding. There have been reports by members that some immigration offices want to see a bank book in addition to the embassy letter, but without any specific account balance required. Therefore, it would be useful if you indicated the immigration office where this happened, so that other members using the same office may be aware of it.

[Prajak]

No change Nongkhai

I was there today for my 90 days and I asked about the new rules. There are none. They just printed the 3 Dec 2008 letter on a new sheet in a small font so I used my +4 reading glasses.

TM7 filled, with picture.

1. Photo copies of … your passport and stamps as usual.

2. Valid visa non O

3. 50 y or more

4. In case of having monthly income, prove of … 65k baht/month. Thai evidence must include a letter of certification issued by embassy/consulate. (…stamp verified by Thai Min of For Aff Consular Dept at CW Road BKK). Income could be pension, interest, investment payoff etc. (Evidence and letters etc only accepted in English and/or Thai, alle other languages must be translated and verified).

5. (deposit 800 k, 3 months rule, not spoken about 2 months rule)

6. Bankletter etc balance of savings deposit acct. same day, copies of all pages of saving deposit acct passbook, must be from a Thai bank

7. In case of the combination, 12 months income plus current balance 800 k, evidence as in 4 and 6 too.

8. Photo 4x6 cm etc

9. Copy House registration book (bring original too)

10. 1.900 baht

11. Other documents as informed by the Imm Officer

May be some guys have all the luck they forgot these rules one day. These are the current rules so follow them.

I am willing to make a copy of this letter if somebody wants to copy it into this forum. In that case let me know and I send it to you by post.

[Somrak]

.... having monthly income, prove of … 65k baht/month. Thai evidence must include a letter of certification issued by embassy/consulate.

(…stamp verified by Thai Min of For Aff Consular Dept at CW Road BKK).

IF YOU HAVE YOUR EMBASSY PAPER FROM BANGKOK, YOU DO NOT NEED THE MIN OF FOR AFF.

and i never did hear that somebody was askd about this.

[Prajak]

Maybe you never heard of but we do. The OP writes about it and it is in their paper I got yesterday. I asked about it yesterday. No, your embassy letter must be verified at the MOFA office Chaeng Wattana. Those are the rules in NK. I do not like them but live with them for many years now. Believe it or not, or send me your address and I will post the leaflet to you.

[Maestro]

...The OP writes about it and it is in their paper I got yesterday. I asked about it yesterday. No, your embassy letter must be verified at the MOFA office Chaeng Wattana...

The way I read it, the OP wrote that the "MOFA THAI stamp" is not needed any more.

[Prajak]

The OP was there April 19; I was there May 3. It IS confusing the way they work there. But their leaflet is clear to me and I will follow their rules. It will be my 8th extension for retirement, am not a beginner in this country.

[lopburi3]

The handout is information from several years ago when they tried to start that process. MFA had no desire to perform this function from reports here and AFAIK it is not required at any office now.

[Prajak]

It is not nice to read here that the first hand information I got in the Imm Office at May, 3, 2011 is not considered true. And I have the feeling now that posters here consider me a lyer. I rest my case about this subject.

[lopburi3]

Understand your feeling but nobody is trying to say that in any way - what we are trying to do is reason it out. What is published and current in print and on web is often not what is actually required by current policy - and that extends to many areas (and not just immigration).

[Prajak]

So, my Bangkok lawyer, a Thai national, called the NK Imm Police and asked them about is. About the income statement from the embassy, do you want it verified by the Consular Section at Chaeng Wattana ?

"It depends, we look at it when you are here for an extension"

"It depends on what ?"

"We can not tell you on the phone"

"So what do I advice my clients ?"

"We can not tell you, we make a decision about it once you are here".

So, go there without the CW stamps and get refused ? I always go 30 days ahead of.....than I have time to consult someone who is willing to queue up at CW.

Confusing.

[joealx]

No change Nongkhai

I was there today for my 90 days and I asked about the new rules. There are none. They just printed the 3 Dec 2008 letter on a new sheet in a small font so I used my +4 reading glasses.

TM7 filled, with picture.

1. Photo copies of … your passport and stamps as usual.

2. Valid visa non O

3. 50 y or more

4. In case of having monthly income, prove of … 65k baht/month. Thai evidence must include a letter of certification issued by embassy/consulate. (…stamp verified by Thai Min of For Aff Consular Dept at CW Road BKK). Income could be pension, interest, investment payoff etc. (Evidence and letters etc only accepted in English and/or Thai, alle other languages must be translated and verified).

5. (deposit 800 k, 3 months rule, not spoken about 2 months rule)

6. Bankletter etc balance of savings deposit acct. same day, copies of all pages of saving deposit acct passbook, must be from a Thai bank

7. In case of the combination, 12 months income plus current balance 800 k, evidence as in 4 and 6 too.

8. Photo 4x6 cm etc

9. Copy House registration book (bring original too)

10. 1.900 baht

11. Other documents as informed by the Imm Officer

May be some guys have all the luck they forgot these rules one day. These are the current rules so follow them.

I am willing to make a copy of this letter if somebody wants to copy it into this forum. In that case let me know and I send it to you by post.

I need clarification on item 9 (for Rayong immigration). Do I need a letter, by the owner of the house, saying that I reside there, and the letter should have copies of the owner's ID information and the house registration book? Anything more in that letter? If I stay in this province for a second year, would I have to give this information again?

Edited May 17, 2011 by joealx

[Prajak]

Joeaix, I can not speak for Rayong but in NK I bring all stuff every year again and again.

[sms747]

9. Copy House registration book (bring original too)

10. 1.900 baht

11. Other documents as informed by the Imm Officer

May be some guys have all the luck they forgot these rules one day. These are the current rules so follow them.

I am willing to make a copy of this letter if somebody wants to copy it into this forum. In that case let me know and I send it to you by post.

I need clarification on item 9 (for Rayong immigration). Do I need a letter, by the owner of the house, saying that I reside there, and the letter should have copies of the owner's ID information and the house registration book? Anything more in that letter? If I stay in this province for a second year, would I have to give this information again?

Done extensions for the last 3 years in bkk and never been asked for house registration, don't even know what this means as I rent, also bank letter always from the day before as it takes them so long to do it at the bank, same day would mean getting to CW late. is it getting more difficult, are they asking for house registration at cw now?

[merijn]

.... having monthly income, prove of … 65k baht/month. Thai evidence must include a letter of certification issued by embassy/consulate.

(…stamp verified by Thai Min of For Aff Consular Dept at CW Road BKK).

IF YOU HAVE YOUR EMBASSY PAPER FROM BANGKOK, YOU DO NOT NEED THE MIN OF FOR AFF.

and i never did hear that somebody was askd about this.

All embassy's and most of the consuls are certified by the Thai government to issue those income certification letters.

The statement(…stamp verified by Thai Min of For Aff Consular Dept at CW Road BKK) means that the income certification letter ( from embassy or consul ) has to be stamped with a official stamp which is verified by the Thai Min.

Not all consuls ( one consul at Phuket for example ) are allowed to issue those income certification letter as they don't have a stamp which is recognized by the Thai Min.

This explanation is given to me by one of the consuls.

[lopburi3]

The letter is to Immigration not MFA and does not normally require any certification by MFA if in English or Thai.

[Ahnsahn]

The letter is to Immigration not MFA and does not normally require any certification by MFA if in English or Thai.

No change Nongkhai

I was there today for my 90 days and I asked about the new rules. There are none. They just printed the 3 Dec 2008 letter on a new sheet in a small font so I used my +4 reading glasses.

TM7 filled, with picture.

1. Photo copies of … your passport and stamps as usual.

2. Valid visa non O

3. 50 y or more

4. In case of having monthly income, prove of … 65k baht/month. Thai evidence must include a letter of certification issued by embassy/consulate. (…stamp verified by Thai Min of For Aff Consular Dept at CW Road BKK). Income could be pension, interest, investment payoff etc. (Evidence and letters etc only accepted in English and/or Thai, alle other languages must be translated and verified).

5. (deposit 800 k, 3 months rule, not spoken about 2 months rule)

6. Bankletter etc balance of savings deposit acct. same day, copies of all pages of saving deposit acct passbook, must be from a Thai bank

7. In case of the combination, 12 months income plus current balance 800 k, evidence as in 4 and 6 too.

8. Photo 4x6 cm etc

9. Copy House registration book (bring original too)

10. 1.900 baht

11. Other documents as informed by the Imm Officer

May be some guys have all the luck they forgot these rules one day. These are the current rules so follow them.

I am willing to make a copy of this letter if somebody wants to copy it into this forum. In that case let me know and I send it to you by post.

I need clarification on item 9 (for Rayong immigration). Do I need a letter, by the owner of the house, saying that I reside there, and the letter should have copies of the owner's ID information and the house registration book? Anything more in that letter? If I stay in this province for a second year, would I have to give this information again?

....also about item 9: I rent a bungalow and only have a 1 page (yearly) rental agreement form that only bears the signature of the farang who, himself, does the yearly 'marriage' extension but lives in his wife's house.

Would this rental agreement - in english - be sufficient for these current rules?

[Prajak]

"...does not normally require ..."

Please keep in mind.....you never know in this country.

[rayinkrabi]

"...does not normally require ..."

Please keep in mind.....you never know in this country.

Interesting thread..I've been on the retirement extension for a few years also, before then I recall my local Immigration office insisting you must show both the 800k PLUS the income..wrong of course but they insisted. They changed this later to how it should be (either or combination) which implies someone there had misunderstood their own rules!

I only mention this to highlight the fact 'misunderstandings' on the officials part may be common & repeated elsewhere, I advise against arguing with them tho, stay cool & diplomatic, and as another poster suggests..take all your paperwork with you. I don't think it necessary to go more than a day or so early however but watch out for public hols etc.

Btw, the updated yearly 'Proof of Income' standard letter has been the rule here for ages..makes sense really.