Retirement Visa

[Simbo]

This is not my first applicaion, but I need to know the latest equirements for retirement visa. I know they move the goal posts willynilly. I am english. Thanking you. Simbo

[lopburi3]

Your asking about one year extension of stay from Chiang Mai Immigration?

[Simbo]

I want an extension of stay for one year from Pattaya imm.

[wpcoe]

Nothing official has changed at Cholburi (Pattaya/Jomtien) Immigrations with retirement extensions since last year, so whatever you did last year should be okay. FWIW, as far as copies of documents, I just let the copy shop outside the office make them -- if you tell them "retirement extension" they know exactly what to copy (and not to copy).

The only bump in the road might be if for whatever reason you trigger some "secondary" procedures, like if they are suspicious they might ask for proof of overseas income (if using that method), or copy of lease or chanote to verify your residence, or some other additional requirement to meet. I only say that because occasionally people report needing some "extra" amount of documentation, and in the back of my mind I wonder if that is not random, but that the applicant might fit some "profile" they have for screening applicants. I'm not trying to be alarmist, but just defending in advance my suggestion that what you used last year should work this year.

One thing that might have changed in the last year -- I'm not sure of the timeline -- was that they publicly announced in the local newspaper a while ago that you could (and should ... they encouraged it) apply for a retirement extension up to 90 days in advance. That was later cut to 60 days in advance. The national standard seems to be 30 days in advance, so 60 days in advance is still relatively liberal.

[Simbo]

Nothing official has changed at Cholburi (Pattaya/Jomtien) Immigrations with retirement extensions since last year, so whatever you did last year should be okay. FWIW, as far as copies of documents, I just let the copy shop outside the office make them -- if you tell them "retirement extension" they know exactly what to copy (and not to copy).

The only bump in the road might be if for whatever reason you trigger some "secondary" procedures, like if they are suspicious they might ask for proof of overseas income (if using that method), or copy of lease or chanote to verify your residence, or some other additional requirement to meet. I only say that because occasionally people report needing some "extra" amount of documentation, and in the back of my mind I wonder if that is not random, but that the applicant might fit some "profile" they have for screening applicants. I'm not trying to be alarmist, but just defending in advance my suggestion that what you used last year should work this year.

One thing that might have changed in the last year -- I'm not sure of the timeline -- was that they publicly announced in the local newspaper a while ago that you could (and should ... they encouraged it) apply for a retirement extension up to 90 days in advance. That was later cut to 60 days in advance. The national standard seems to be 30 days in advance, so 60 days in advance is still relatively liberal.

thanks for that. puts my mind at ease. I will take my housebook and copy, just in case, because I know someone who they asked for this info

[NancyL]

Wow, we should apply for our 12-month retirement extension 60 days in advance? I've treated it like my 90-day report, i.e. note the expiration date in my calendar and make another note to go to Immigration (Chiang Mai) within the week before that date. This means that I end up doing a 90 day report about 3-4 weeks before my visa extension is due since they always start the 90 day clock on the day I report, not the date of expiration of the last 90 day report.

No wonder the Immigration officers always look at me like I'm crazy when I show up to do a 90 day report less than a month before my visa extension expires. I always tell them, I'll see you next month!

If you do the retirement visa extension early, do they (Chiang Mai Immigration) grant you a 12 month extension from the expiration date of your previous one, or is the date 12 months from when you request the new extension?

[Mario2008]

Norm is that you can do it from 30 days before your permission to stay expires, Pattaya seems to allow 60 days before. CM will do it from 30 days.

The extension always starts from the date you permisison to stay ends.

[merijn]

Phuket also accepts the retirement’s extensions from the last 30 days.

I think that the 60 day is something specific for Pattaya.

[moe666]

Simbo, where did you get this report that they change the goal post willynilly.

[FarangBuddha]

Why would anyone want to do an extension 30-60 days before their current expiry date has come. Unless one might be traveling out of country at the time, what's the rush?

I have been doing retirement extensions for over 10 years and always go about a week before expiration.

[Mario2008]

Why would anyone want to do an extension 30-60 days before their current expiry date has come. Unless one might be traveling out of country at the time, what's the rush?

I have been doing retirement extensions for over 10 years and always go about a week before expiration.

Doing it early gives you time in case you need to get some extra documents or the rules have changed.

[wpcoe]

...or if using the "money in the bank" method, there may be timing issues with having the money in Thailand at specific times.

And, some people (like moi) like to do things early, in case they forget to do them later! We are retirees, after all.

[FarangBuddha]

Understand, just seems a week to ten days should be more than enough time to cure any deficiencies.