Retirement Visa Renewal At Suan Plu

[rogerdee123]

Another year and another smooth and painless retirement visa renewal at Suan Plu.

This year there is a new Information desk just inside the front door where they issue number chits (for waiting your turn). This is a welcome new addition. Although the old system worked OK, for the normal farang there was in the past an appearance of chaos. The new number system probably does more in the way of helping to keep us farang from being frustrated ... than it does for improving management. But in any case it's a welcome change.

Also room 101 has been organized with a new layout. More signs (in English) which are logical and easy to understand perhaps helps to remove more of the bewildering feelings that fist time farang visitors must have.

I was at Suan Plu at 8AM and although signs said 8:30 is the starting time, the information desk and several officers in room 101 began work at about 8:20. This something that Thai immigration should also be applauded for.

I stood in line at the information desk and told the officer I was renewing my retirtement visa and showed him my passport and completed TM7 and he gave me a number chit which in addition to the "que" number had info that I was to go to desks 16-22 in Room 101.

So in room 101 I took a seat until they called my number on the loudspeaker and the LED sign flashed my number and the desk number I should go to. I didn't have to wait long because I had come early.

I gave my passport (opened to my expiring retirement visa) with my completed TM7 to the lady and after she looked them over for a second or two, I handed her the rest of my documents.

Documents I presented for my retirement visa renewal were:

TM7

Letter from Bank

Medical certificate

Photocopy of First (photo and critical info) page of passport

Phoptocopy of expiring Retirement visa

Photocopy of the passport page with my last (most recent) entry to Thailand

Photocopy of my TM6 Card (departure card stapled in the passport by airport immigration)

This year I didn't bother with a letter from my Embassy because I realized it wasn't necessary if deposits in the bank are adequate.

The lady behind the desk asked me for the visa fee and also to sign all the photocopies and then she left and came back in about 2 minutes with my last year's application. She spent a couple of minutes comparing last year's documents with this years, she sompleted another form herself, and then she stamped in the new visa and signed it and passed it with the documents and the receipt for the visa fee to the desk behind her. She asked me to wait while she talked with another visa applicant who had been called and was now sitting at the desk beside me. In about 5 minutes my passport and documents came back. She handed my passort and fee receipt to me, smiled ... and that was it. The whole process had taken about 20 minutes.

I then went to get my new re-entry (multi-entry). Now it's necessary to go back to the "information desk" first and tell them that you are applying for a re-entry permit and get a new number chit for that set of desks.

So I handed in my re-entry application (TM8) with my passport to the man behind the glass. He asked me for the multi-entry re-entry fee (Baht 3,800). Then he stapled my number chit on my copy of the receipt, gave it to me and told me to sit down and wait. About 20 minutes later another officer from behind the glass came with a handful of passports and started calling the numbers (from number chit). When my number was called, I showed him my number chit and receipt and he handed me my passport with the new multi-entry permit. Perhaps this re-entry process took another 30 minutes.

The total time taken at Suan Plu for visa renewal and re-entry permit was about an hour.

Amazingly .... while I was sitting there waiting for my re-entry permit, a group of teenagers came in wearing santa claus hats and sang Christmas caroles to those in the room. They did about 4 songs. Everyone was smiling and clapping including the immigration police.

Another pleasant experience with Thai immigration !!!!

[dutch]

No difference from my experience as I posted about 2 weeks ago.

Only I did not have Christmas carols to listen to,however I did it in 40 minutes

Shows once and forever ,if you have your documents in order there is no problem.

[beethoven79]

Another year and another smooth and painless retirement visa renewal at Suan Plu.

This year there is a new Information desk just inside the front door where they issue number chits (for waiting your turn). This is a welcome new addition. Although the old system worked OK, for the normal farang there was in the past an appearance of chaos. The new number system probably does more in the way of helping to keep us farang from being frustrated ... than it does for improving management. But in any case it's a welcome change.

Also room 101 has been organized with a new layout. More signs (in English) which are logical and easy to understand perhaps helps to remove more of the bewildering feelings that fist time farang visitors must have.

I was at Suan Plu at 8AM and although signs said 8:30 is the starting time, the information desk and several officers in room 101 began work at about 8:20. This something that Thai immigration should also be applauded for.

I stood in line at the information desk and told the officer I was renewing my retirtement visa and showed him my passport and completed TM7 and he gave me a number chit which in addition to the "que" number had info that I was to go to desks 16-22 in Room 101.

So in room 101 I took a seat until they called my number on the loudspeaker and the LED sign flashed my number and the desk number I should go to.  I didn't have to wait long because I had come early.

I gave my passport (opened to my expiring retirement visa) with my completed TM7 to the lady and after she looked them over for a second or two, I handed her the rest of my documents.

Documents I presented for my retirement visa renewal were:

TM7

Letter from Bank

Medical certificate

Photocopy of First (photo and critical info) page of passport

Phoptocopy of expiring Retirement visa

Photocopy of the passport page with my last (most recent) entry to Thailand

Photocopy of my TM6 Card (departure card stapled in the passport by airport immigration)

This year I didn't bother with a letter from my Embassy because I realized it wasn't necessary if deposits in the bank are adequate.

The lady behind the desk asked me for the visa fee and also to sign all the photocopies and then she left and came back in about 2 minutes with my last year's application. She spent a couple of minutes comparing last year's documents with this years, she sompleted another form herself, and then she stamped in the new visa and signed it and passed it with the documents and the receipt for the visa fee to the desk behind her. She asked me to wait while she talked with another visa applicant who had been called and was now sitting at the desk beside me.  In about 5 minutes my passport and documents came back. She handed my passort and fee receipt to me, smiled ... and that was it.  The whole process had taken about 20 minutes.

I then went to get my new re-entry (multi-entry). Now it's necessary to go back to the "information desk" first and tell them that you are applying for a re-entry permit and get a new number chit for that set of desks.

So I handed in my re-entry application (TM8) with my passport to the man behind the glass. He asked me for the multi-entry re-entry fee (Baht 3,800). Then he stapled my number chit on my copy of the receipt, gave it to me and told me to sit down and wait. About 20 minutes later another officer from behind the glass came with a handful of passports and started calling the numbers (from number chit). When my number was called, I showed him my number chit and receipt and he handed me my passport with the new multi-entry permit. Perhaps this re-entry process took another 30 minutes.

The total time taken at Suan Plu for visa renewal and re-entry permit was about an hour.

Amazingly .... while I was sitting there waiting for my re-entry permit, a group of teenagers came in wearing santa claus hats and sang Christmas caroles to those in the room.  They did about 4 songs. Everyone was smiling and clapping including the immigration police.

Another pleasant experience with Thai immigration !!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[buadhai]

I'll ask again....

Has anyone out there recently renewed a retirement visa using only proof of income and no significant bank account in Thailand?

I have sufficient income and can get an embassy letter, but I only have about 30K baht in my Bangkok Bank account and do not have the means to deposit more at the moment.

TIA

[oopapasan]

I'll ask again....

Has anyone out there recently renewed a retirement visa using only proof of income and no significant bank account in Thailand?

I have sufficient income and can get an embassy letter, but I only have about 30K baht in my Bangkok Bank account and do not have the means to deposit more at the moment.

TIA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just renewed had 400k they asked me how much I made a month.I told them and that was all that was to it.

[Krub]

I'll ask again....

Has anyone out there recently renewed a retirement visa using only proof of income and no significant bank account in Thailand?

I have sufficient income and can get an embassy letter, but I only have about 30K baht in my Bangkok Bank account and do not have the means to deposit more at the moment.

TIA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just renewed had 400k they asked me how much I made a month.I told them and that was all that was to it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was that in Bangkok or ?

Was it for extension on retirement or Thai wife support ?

[Maestro]

Another year and another smooth and painless retirement visa renewal at Suan Plu.

I've got a question. Is it necessary to report to Immigration in person for the annual extension based on retirement, or can it be done by a proxy?

And how is it with the extension based on investment?

I know that one has to go in person for the extension for support of Thai wife and bring one's wife along, but I'm not sure about the other types.

---------------

Maestro

Edited December 30, 2005 by maestro

[Noel]

Another year and another smooth and painless retirement visa renewal at Suan Plu.

Documents I presented for my retirement visa renewal were:

TM7

Letter from Bank

Medical certificate

Photocopy of First (photo and critical info) page of passport

Phoptocopy of expiring Retirement visa

Photocopy of the passport page with my last (most recent) entry to Thailand

Photocopy of my TM6 Card (departure card stapled in the passport by airport immigration)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So I take it they no longer require copies of your bank book in Suan Plu?

Just for info, as of three weeks ago in Pattaya they still wanted a copy of every page with entries.

[Nomad97]

I'll ask again....

Has anyone out there recently renewed a retirement visa using only proof of income and no significant bank account in Thailand?

I have sufficient income and can get an embassy letter, but I only have about 30K baht in my Bangkok Bank account and do not have the means to deposit more at the moment.

TIA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi, to answer your question Buadhai, about three months ago I checked with my friendly Immigration Officer in Kap Cheown (Surin Province) and asked what paperwork was required for renewal of my 12-month retirement visa. Apart from the usual paperwork I was particularly interested in the proof of income letter from the Embassy and how much they expected on the bank account. I was told that the existing letter from the Embassy would be fine (Nov 2004) and that somewhere over 100K to 150K would be fine on the bank account. Interestingly, they said I did not need a bank statement for the year and just a copy of the bank book and a letter from the Bank Manager would do.

I returned three days before the Christmas weekend to renew (extend) my visa. To my surprise everything was in order except the letter from the Embassy. "I am very sorry," she said, "the rules have changed and you will need an up-to-date copy of the letter from the Embassy. Too many people have been 'cheating' the system and using an old letter after their income had dropped from the previous year." Mai pen rai I said, secretly cursing under my breath, and a two-day rapid trip to Bangkok just before Christmas was planned as I exited Immigration.

On return this week, three days ago, I received my new extension of the visa without further ado. The staff were as cooperative and friendly as always. I had 140K on the bank account. My annual income is considerably in excess of the 800K required. I get the impression, rightly or wrongly, that provided you have an annual income well in excess of the minimum 800K that they are not too interested in what you have on the bank account. However, I would also recommend that you have in excess of 100K on the bank account too.

[oopapasan]

I'll ask again....

Has anyone out there recently renewed a retirement visa using only proof of income and no significant bank account in Thailand?

I have sufficient income and can get an embassy letter, but I only have about 30K baht in my Bangkok Bank account and do not have the means to deposit more at the moment.

TIA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just renewed had 400k they asked me how much I made a month.I told them and that was all that was to it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was that in Bangkok or ?

Was it for extension on retirement or Thai wife support ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bangkok 1yr. retirement--3rd renewel

[JimGant]

I'll ask again....

Has anyone out there recently renewed a retirement visa using only proof of income and no significant bank account in Thailand?

I have sufficient income and can get an embassy letter, but I only have about 30K baht in my Bangkok Bank account and do not have the means to deposit more at the moment.

Lop answered you on 12-12. See:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2997

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