Retirement Visa - Is This The New Practice?

[poochai]

I was at the Immigration Office in Chaengwattana the other day submitting all the papers as well as the accompanying originals for the application of the retirement visa. After verifying that my application papers were all in order, the immigration officer handed me a light blue color receipt. In addition to stating the amount of the visa application fee that I had paid, there was a phrase that was quite disturbing. It said: "Get the results on 12 May 2011".

Is it the norm for retirement visa applicants to wait for 15 days to obtain the results?

What is the probability of having my application rejected?

What shall I do if my application is rejected? Any ideas?

[theoldgit]

How strange, I extended my stay based on retirement at Chaengwattana last Wednesday and I was in and out, with my extension, in about 30 mins.

[JAS21]

So, judging from your other posts you must have managed to get proof of 65000Baht+ income/month or used a dubious agent. Just out of interest which one was it? It might be helpful to others in the same position.

Anyway good luck with the application and let us know how you get on.

[lopburi3]

As you were here on a tourist visa entry in March wonder how you can be making application for retirement on a non immigrant visa entry (required) in April? Also wonder how you count 15 days when you could not have visited Immigration later than 22 April and the time from then to May 12 is definitely not 15 days.

Perhaps if you explain exactly what you are doing. What form did you submit and how much did you pay? Do you have a non immigrant visa entry now? How did you get it? When does it expire?

There has not been any change in processing that we are aware of.

[Lite Beer]

Also as said did you use the dodgy agent you were talking about?

[merijn]

As you were here on a tourist visa entry in March wonder how you can be making application for retirement on a non immigrant visa entry (required) in April? Also wonder how you count 15 days when you could not have visited Immigration later than 22 April and the time from then to May 12 is definitely not 15 days.

Perhaps if you explain exactly what you are doing. What form did you submit and how much did you pay? Do you have a non immigrant visa entry now? How did you get it? When does it expire?

There has not been any change in processing that we are aware of.

Don't forget that it is not necessary any more to enter Thailand on a Non-O visa before you get the 1 year extension based on retirement.

You can enter Thailand on a visa exemption and at the immigration office you apply for a Non-O visa ( TM 87 ) which gives you 3 months for 2000 Baht and at the same time you do the 1 year extension ( TM 7 ) for 1900 baht.

So for 3900 Baht you get 15 months and no need to go to a Thai embassy before you go to Thailand.