Visa Extension For Senior Citizens Over 50

[arch77778]

I wish to obtain the above extension but wish to leave after one month.They require my local Thai address but what is the best way to go about it.I qualify for the 800 000 Baht requirement.

[lopburi3]

Are you in the last 30 days on a non immigrant O visa entry? If not when you return use such a visa for a 90 day stay and during the last 30 days extend for one year for retirement at Immigration office serving the area you live using the TM.7 form and bank letter/copy of bank passbook of your account over 800k for two months prior to application.

If you are now qualified you can apply now but be sure to obtain a re-entry permit for your travel next month to keep it alive.

[wayned]

1. What is your nationality.

2. Where are you currently staying? In Thailand? Ouside of Thailand?

3. If in Thailand are you currently here on a visa or visa extension? If visa, what type and expiration date. If on extension, how long, expiration date?

4. Is the 800000 baht currently in a Thai bank? If it is how long has it been there where the daily balance has not been below the 80000 baht.

Answers to these question will help whoever wnswers give you a clearer answer.

[arch77778]

I am presently in South Africa where i am resident and will be returning to Thailand in February on a one month visa.I have a SA passport.I visited the Jomtien Immigration office earlier this month and saw an Immigration officer(not Thai but he could be from the UK) and he handed me a sheet, covering the documents required for the retirement visa.(covers the TM7 etc)He worked out the shortfall(on 800 000Baht) on my annual pension and that shortfall i had to deposit in a Bank account.He in fact mentioned Kasikornbank and i duly opened an account at the Branch between Soi1 and 2 on the Beachfront.The bulk of the shortfall i have already deposited.

I was told to bring a letter from the SA Embassy in Bangkok confirming my SA pension together with a letter from the aforementioned Bank, confirming that the shortfall is reflected in my account.(i will deposit more Baht to meet the shortfall amount)Those two letters i must bring to the immigration office ,at least two weeks before my one month tourist visa expires,together with the completed TM7 and two 4X6 cm photographs.The application fee for the retirement visa is 1900 Baht and the conversion from the tourist visa to non immigration status is an extra 2000 Baht.He also mentioned that once i have my retirement visa, i can spend the money in my Bank account.

Hence ,my question as per the sheet requirement,that i require a document, that shows my Thai address.In closing i would mention that i was told by another Immigration official, that i dont need to purchase an Apartment, to apply for the retirement visa.In fact it is my intention to purchase one when i return in February.

[TerryLH]

After you get the extension, get a re-entry permit. It will cost 1k for a single re-entry, or 3.8k for a multiple re-entry permit. It will keep your extension 'permission to stay until' date alive.

For an address, just put down where you are currently staying. That can be a hotel, if that's where you're at. You can explain your situation, if asked.

No requirement to buy a condo.

[Jingthing]

You will likely be asked for some documentation to prove your address in Thailand. Depending on where you are staying at the time of application, you may have to be creative. For example if at a residence hotel, they may be able to give you a letter documenting your contract with them. In any case, I would not recommend just going there with no documentation of your residence. Nobody can tell you exactly how strict they are going to be about this on any given day, but being as best prepared as you can can't hurt. Of course you do not have to purchase real estate!

Also note this residence proof thing isn't totally trivial. Every time you stay in Thailand for a 90 day period you must report your address to immigration, and each time you must provide some proof of your residence. Different kinds of proofs are used, leases, copies of utility bills, etc. but this issue is real.

What you are planning on doing is the two step process towards a retirement extension. The first step is the change of visa status, in your case from a tourist visa to an O visa. The second step is the annual extension based on retirement. The result of all this will be your annual extension based on retirement (not precisely a retirement visa).

As you are using the combo method (embassy letter plus bank account balance) to reach the 800K baht, the money in your Thai bank account does not need to seasoned.

If you wish to continue to stay in Thailand under this status, you must re-apply annually for a new annual extension to stay based on retirement and the financial qualifications will still apply. In other words, yes you can spend from your Thai bank account after you have your annual extension based on retirement but in the following years, you will need to replenish it again to meet the 800K baht level again prior to the new application dates.

About the bank letter needed for immigration. Make that as fresh as possible. Typically, the previous day to the application date. The balance on the letter must match your bank passbook exactly.

Edited November 26, 2011 by Jingthing

[lopburi3]

Every time you stay in Thailand for a 90 day period you must report your address to immigration, and each time you must provide some proof of your residence.

That statement is not true for many, and I suspect most, people. We submit a TM.47 for address reporting with no proof of residence required or asked.

[OZEMADE]

Every time you stay in Thailand for a 90 day period you must report your address to immigration, and each time you must provide some proof of your residence.

That statement is not true for many, and I suspect most, people. We submit a TM.47 for address reporting with no proof of residence required or asked.

lopburi3. I beg to differ. The last time I went to the Immigration office in Jomtien, I was reporting for my 90 days and was asked for proof of address. The address I have stayed at for 9 years. They accepted my Thai drivers and riders licence and my Internet bill which was made out in my name and the address I am living.

[mijan24]

Every time you stay in Thailand for a 90 day period you must report your address to immigration, and each time you must provide some proof of your residence.

That statement is not true for many, and I suspect most, people. We submit a TM.47 for address reporting with no proof of residence required or asked.

lopburi3. I beg to differ. The last time I went to the Immigration office in Jomtien, I was reporting for my 90 days and was asked for proof of address. The address I have stayed at for 9 years. They accepted my Thai drivers and riders licence and my Internet bill which was made out in my name and the address I am living.

OZEMADE - Surely this is just a local requirement on the whim of the immigration officer at the time. eg. if you had reported by mail would they assume that the address on the back of the envelope is proof of residence?? Not doubting you in any way but as we all know different rules on different days by different officers just to show they hold the hoop that you must jumo through.

[OZEMADE]

Every time you stay in Thailand for a 90 day period you must report your address to immigration, and each time you must provide some proof of your residence.

That statement is not true for many, and I suspect most, people. We submit a TM.47 for address reporting with no proof of residence required or asked.

lopburi3. I beg to differ. The last time I went to the Immigration office in Jomtien, I was reporting for my 90 days and was asked for proof of address. The address I have stayed at for 9 years. They accepted my Thai drivers and riders licence and my Internet bill which was made out in my name and the address I am living.

OZEMADE - Surely this is just a local requirement on the whim of the immigration officer at the time. eg. if you had reported by mail would they assume that the address on the back of the envelope is proof of residence?? Not doubting you in any way but as we all know different rules on different days by different officers just to show they hold the hoop that you must jumo through.

I agree fully with your comments, however some people may have to travel 100Ks or more to report and if no proof of address, to return and get it the trip would turn into 400Ks. Better to be sure than sorry. Take proof of address with you.

[NancyL]

While we're talking about potential pitfalls and whims of various Immigration officials, haven't there been reports of some offices requiring that Thai bank account funds be "seasoned" even if the applicant is using the combination method -- income letter for part of the financial requirement and Thai bank account balance for the shortfall?

After all, it does seem to be a bit of a "loophole" that funds must be seasoned (60 days initial extension, 90 days subsequent extensions) if using only a Thai bank account for the financial requirement, yet it's OK to use freshly deposited funds if a portion of the financial requirement is fulfilled with the income method.

[Jingthing]

Every time you stay in Thailand for a 90 day period you must report your address to immigration, and each time you must provide some proof of your residence.

That statement is not true for many, and I suspect most, people. We submit a TM.47 for address reporting with no proof of residence required or asked.

lopburi3. I beg to differ. The last time I went to the Immigration office in Jomtien, I was reporting for my 90 days and was asked for proof of address. The address I have stayed at for 9 years. They accepted my Thai drivers and riders licence and my Internet bill which was made out in my name and the address I am living.

I was speaking about the address documentation requirement as it stands NOW for walk in address reports at Chonburi Immigration (Jomtien office) as the OP indicates that will be his office. Of course I don't know the policies at every office.

As far as mail in 90 address reports for this office, I can't speak to their current rules. Can someone else? Their website certainly doesn't speak to it as clicking the 90 day report link shows Not Found.

http://www.immchonburi.go.th/eng/home.php

Edited November 27, 2011 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

While we're talking about potential pitfalls and whims of various Immigration officials, haven't there been reports of some offices requiring that Thai bank account funds be "seasoned" even if the applicant is using the combination method -- income letter for part of the financial requirement and Thai bank account balance for the shortfall?

After all, it does seem to be a bit of a "loophole" that funds must be seasoned (60 days initial extension, 90 days subsequent extensions) if using only a Thai bank account for the financial requirement, yet it's OK to use freshly deposited funds if a portion of the financial requirement is fulfilled with the income method.

Not a loophole per se, it's the national rule. At Jomtien seasoning not required for the combo method as per the national rule. Yes there have been some reports from provincial offices with variant enforcement as you describe. However, its pretty clear to me that most Thai immigration offices are following the national rule on this. I can see how this might be seen a loophole if your income letter reflects a very small portion of the total 800K but usually people are documenting a substantial pension.

[TerryLH]

"...haven't there been reports of some offices requiring that Thai bank account funds be "seasoned" even if the applicant is using the combination method -..."

I believe KKC was doing this. That was reported several weeks ago.