hellodolly Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Just wondering if any one from the States, Canada or Australia has renewed there retirement visa here in the last two weeks. I know of one fellow who did last Friday he say's they did not ask for proof of income they just excepted the deceleration from the American Consulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetlejuice Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Last I heard and that was here on Thai visa, is that it`s all been changed, meaning this option is no longer avalible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Last I heard and that was here on Thai visa, is that it`s all been changed, meaning this option is no longer avalible. If so, a very good change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 That thread here on TV, based on some report from Sunbelt Asia, at least thus far has been shown to be false... If you read the other thread toward its end and latter pages, you'll see multiple reports from various TV members from various countries who've renewed their retirement extensions in the wake of that report in BKK and elsewhere... And every one said their process and requirements were exactly the same as before.... If they were using consulate income letters to meet the income test, those were accepted without any further complication. There has been one member from an outlying province -- not an American, Canadian, Brit or Australian -- who recently has reported getting hit with a whole different set of requirements, but that single report hasn't been repeated anywhere else as yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) That thread here on TV, based on some report from Sunbelt Asia, at least thus far has been shown to be false... If you read the other thread toward its end and latter pages, you'll see multiple reports from various TV members from various countries who've renewed their retirement extensions in the wake of that report in BKK and elsewhere... And every one said their process and requirements were exactly the same as before.... If they were using consulate income letters to meet the income test, those were accepted without any further complication. There has been one member from an outlying province -- not an American, Canadian, Brit or Australian -- who recently has reported getting hit with a whole different set of requirements, but that single report hasn't been repeated anywhere else as yet. The whole thing was aimed at the American, Canadian's and Australian's. Apparently all the other countries asked for proof before they would give you a certificate. The reason I asked for the last two weeks was to see if they had just been setting up for it. Like training staff on what to look for. Being American I just went in to the counsel they asked me how much I made and they approved it with out asking for proof. Mind you I had the proof with me. I don't know what they would do if you went in with nothing in your hands. I was kind of hoping to hear from some one who had been in there lately. Edited July 12, 2011 by hellodolly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 If you read the other thread, toward the end, you'll find that Americans have been in lately for retirement extensions and their consulate income letters have been accepted as normal, without any change from past practice... Including, if I remember right, one American who just did his renewal lately in CM.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) One example from that thread... All in all, the retirement visa (extension based on retirement) is easiest to get and it has gotten a bit easier. Col. Chusak did away with the requirement that retirees using only an Embassy income letter having to also bring in a letter from their Thai bank and provide copies of their savings account passbook-- Unless they are using money on deposit in a Thai bank for all or part of the 800,000 Baht financial requirement, they no longer need the bank letter or passbook copies. He said he was aware of some recent Internet postings claiming Immigration will now want to see back up documentation for citizens of certain countries using the Embassy letter regarding income. Barry said that is not the case, at least not at Chonburi Immigration. He also said Col. Chusak and the two officers that regularly process retirement extensions were not aware of any such requirement. They said the Embassy letter is all that they require. http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4524332 And another from the same thread: New Report: Ditto for me at Chiang Mai, June 22, getting first retirement visa, using US Consul income letter. (Only difference is I needed 2 copies of relevant passport pages.) I guess the changes haven't filtered down yet. http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4505756 For those here who weren't active participants in the deathly long Sunbelt Asia/retirement extensions thread referenced above, that final comment in the quote above is a sarcastic one....and was denoted as such by the ending Edited July 12, 2011 by jfchandler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyL Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I thought I'd heard that the changes were going into effect on July 1, thus the OP's very relevant question about recent experience, i.e. since July 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hml367 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 To the orignal poster: Why don't you ask the Immigration Department? MSPain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnx355 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I do not know why the tread say Canadian were not asked for proof on income at our Canadian Embassy or Consulate. . I have been using pension income for 4 years and they always asked me to see the pension statement before issuing my proof of income letter. I know my American friends do not have to show proof. I do not know about Australian Embassy requirements to issue the proof of income letters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiMouse Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 That thread here on TV, based on some report from Sunbelt Asia, at least thus far has been shown to be false... If you read the other thread toward its end and latter pages, you'll see multiple reports from various TV members from various countries who've renewed their retirement extensions in the wake of that report in BKK and elsewhere... And every one said their process and requirements were exactly the same as before.... If they were using consulate income letters to meet the income test, those were accepted without any further complication. There has been one member from an outlying province -- not an American, Canadian, Brit or Australian -- who recently has reported getting hit with a whole different set of requirements, but that single report hasn't been repeated anywhere else as yet. The whole thing was aimed at the American, Canadian's and Australian's. Apparently all the other countries asked for proof before they would give you a certificate. The reason I asked for the last two weeks was to see if they had just been setting up for it. Like training staff on what to look for. Being American I just went in to the counsel they asked me how much I made and they approved it with out asking for proof. Mind you I had the proof with me. I don't know what they would do if you went in with nothing in your hands. I was kind of hoping to hear from some one who had been in there lately. Hello I am in KL at present doing a Non O visa. I was asked for a copy oy my bank book and all my other supporting documents. I am a South African. I think the rules have changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roamin47 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 You know, the more public discussion of the new stricter regulations, the more likely it is that immigration will be forced to enforce them. Shhhhhhhh, or God's sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Hello I am in KL at present doing a Non O visa. I was asked for a copy oy my bank book and all my other supporting documents. I am a South African. I think the rules have changed. That's the normal thing for a visa request at Thai consulates outside Thailand... The question in the thread here is about renewing retirement Extensions of Stay (not visas) inside Thailand with Thai Immigration. Two entirely different things with entirely different procedures and requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 (edited) I thought I'd heard that the changes were going into effect on July 1, thus the OP's very relevant question about recent experience, i.e. since July 1. If you read the very recent report I quoted above from the Immigration chief in Chonburi, you'll see he's saying nothing new is in the works... Likewise, I've neither heard nor seen anything anywhere about any change in rules for retirement extensions taking effect July 1, which is now two weeks past. If you have something more substantial than "I thought I'd heard" re something changing as of July 1, post a link or copy of it.... I will add, though, I empathize with the concerns... I too have a retirement extension coming up very soon.... So if any change was occurring, I'd absolutely want to know about it... Unfortunately, the other thread on this subject created a tremendous amount of confusion and, at least thus far, misinformation that left many people adrift... Thus far, there has been no documented, substantiated report of any broad policy change by Immigration. Edited July 13, 2011 by jfchandler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 I thought I'd heard that the changes were going into effect on July 1, thus the OP's very relevant question about recent experience, i.e. since July 1. If you read the very recent report I quoted above from the Immigration chief in Chonburi, you'll see he's saying nothing new is in the works... Likewise, I've neither heard nor seen anything anywhere about any change in rules for retirement extensions taking effect July 1, which is now two weeks past. If you have something more substantial than "I thought I'd heard" re something changing as of July 1, post a link or copy of it.... You miss the whole point. The question is has any one had experience . The rules have not changed they always did require proof they just never asked for it. The post you are hung up on has nothing to do with My origanal post. Not sure why that upsets you but it should not. Obviously no one has experience with renewing it in the last two weeks. I will post this at the end of July maybe by then some one will have had experience with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 The rules have not changed they always did require proof they just never asked for it. Yes... the Immigration rules for retirement extensions of stay have not changed, at least not thus far.... For Americans, the U.S. consulate has never required proof of income by those seeking consular income letters... For Thai Immigration, they typically have not asked for proof of income beyond accepting the consulate income letters... Though, Immigration certainly has the right to ask for backup documentation...and have done so in individual, isolated cases. As you so eloquently put it in your original post: they just excepted the deceleration from the American Consulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomahawk Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 American friend just got retirement visa extension last week and everything is same as before. Only need letter from consulate. Immigration officer says there is no plan to change this as far as anyone here is aware of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Tomahawk.. thanks much for that real-time update.... What Immigration office was involved with your friend's case? Chiang Mai? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joop50 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 My American friend went up to immigration in Chiang Mai today, no problem. The years before he had 800k on the bank, this year for the first time a consulate pension letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elektrified Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I was there on the 4th for my extension. No change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomahawk Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Yes JF it was Chiang Mai office where friend got visa extension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Thanks to all for the various confirmations that was was reported in the other thread was what we've now confirmed it to be in various ways.... RUBBISH... Rubbish before July 1... Rubbish after July 1.... Just pure rubbish. There have been no broad policy changes relating to qualifying for retirement extensions of stay... So I hope (but am not optimistic) that all the rumor-mongering will settle down a bit now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Many thanks to the few who took time to reply to the OP.:jap: Being the curious type and suspicious to boot. I will ask this question in a month or so just to make sure. I presume that one need not prove it at there consulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimoMax Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 (edited) Went with friend (America) for Retirement Extension at Mae Sai Immigration on July 11 this year. Income letter accepted no questions. Only new requirement was having to sign a form stating that the applicant will abide by the rules of their Visa Classification and not partake in any activity prohibited by that particular Visa. This may have been a Mae Sai Immigration requirement only. Not really a big deal or any change. Just another paper to hold someone to the rules of their Visa. A side note: Be sure to make your 90 day report even if making an extension. Immigration says an extension does not mean you have met the reporting address requirement. So be sure to get the new 90 report form signed and stamped and attached to the passport. Edited July 14, 2011 by KimoMax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSan Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 The OP has formerly declared that he has 3 incomes. Perhaps he had a certain need to have the nice folks at Immigration kowtow properly upon his impressive presentation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 The OP has formerly declared that he has 3 incomes. Perhaps he had a certain need to have the nice folks at Immigration kowtow properly upon his impressive presentation... It took me three to meet the ridicules requirement for a single man. That aside I do not like to take chances when I go to the counsel I take them with me and when I go to get the retirement visa. I take them with me. They never ask and I never volunteer but if they ask it will be dealt with post haste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnTarpon Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 That thread here on TV, based on some report from Sunbelt Asia, at least thus far has been shown to be false... If you read the other thread toward its end and latter pages, you'll see multiple reports from various TV members from various countries who've renewed their retirement extensions in the wake of that report in BKK and elsewhere... And every one said their process and requirements were exactly the same as before.... If they were using consulate income letters to meet the income test, those were accepted without any further complication. There has been one member from an outlying province -- not an American, Canadian, Brit or Australian -- who recently has reported getting hit with a whole different set of requirements, but that single report hasn't been repeated anywhere else as yet. The whole thing was aimed at the American, Canadian's and Australian's. Apparently all the other countries asked for proof before they would give you a certificate. The reason I asked for the last two weeks was to see if they had just been setting up for it. Like training staff on what to look for. Being American I just went in to the counsel they asked me how much I made and they approved it with out asking for proof. Mind you I had the proof with me. I don't know what they would do if you went in with nothing in your hands. I was kind of hoping to hear from some one who had been in there lately. If you just went in to the Consulate, odd that you'd be asking to hear from someone who had been there recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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