Retirement Extension, Bangkok/chiang Mai

[Sophon]

I got my first retirement extension in Bangkok i November of 2011 based on money in a fixed bank account. The plan was to go back early November this year to get a new extension, but things have now changed. I have to move to Lamphun this coming Saturday (20th of November), and will therefore in the future be under the jurisdiction of Chiang Mai Immigration.

My current extension expires on November 18th and I would prefer to go to Chaeng Wattana i Bangkok this Friday October 19th to apply for the new extension, as that would give me a whole year before I have to worry about dealing with a new Immigration office. This should normally work because I would be applying 30 days before the current extension runs out. However, the promotion for my fixed deposit bank account ended on August 1st, and although I signed up for a new promotion the same day the bank technically had to "move" the money from the old promotion to the new one. I kept the same passbook and account number, but the passbook does show a zero balance on August 1st before shooting back up to 1 mio baht the same day (within minutes).

My feeling is that Bangkok Immigration probably won't give me an extension on Friday, but instead tell me to come back in November when the money are properly seasoned. This despite that the funds have in reality been in the account for 17 months.

Does anyone believe that my extension will be granted, if I go on Friday?

My alternative is to wait until November and apply for my extension in Chiang Mai, but that brings up a whole new set of problems (and questions). As this is probably my only realistic option, I hope someone will be able to give me some Chiang Mai specific input.

I remember reading about an appointment system at Chiang Mai immigration. I have been to their website, and the earliest time I can find a vacant time slot is in January, which is obvously too late. Is it mandatory to make an appointment, or can I just show up in the morning and get a cue number?

As I have been living in Bangkok my account is obviously with a Bangkok branch (of Kasikorn Bank). Is there any Kasikorn Bank branch in Chiang Mai (or Lamphun) that will issue the bank letter for immigration for an account held in another province? I will also need them to update the account on the same date (which sounds easy enough) but unfortunately Kasikorn Bank's systems doesn't support updating an account showing the balance on a date where there is no transaction (not even by going to the teller). My own branch was clueless about how to do this, so last year I had to go to the Kasikorn Bank branch in Suan Phlu (this was during the floods), who knew how to handle it by making a credit entry of zero baht.

Having extended in Bangkok last year I assume that Chiang Mai immigration will ask me for proof that I now live in their area. Having just moved a few weeks earlier, I will have very little to satisfy such a requirement. I can show a rental contract in my girlfriends name, will that be enough if she goes with me to immigration? If everything goes smoothly I may also be able to show Truevision and 3BB bills in my name with the new address.

Is there anything else that is different when applying in Chiang Mai as opposed to Bangkok?

Thanks in advance to everyone for your input and advice. It is much appreciated.

Sophon

[lopburi3]

I believe Bangkok will likely provide the extension of stay so I would give it a try before worry about other avenues.

[Pib]

Bangkok Immigration will approve it based on my actual experience in early Sep 12/last month. I renewed my retirement extension in September at Bangkok Immigration using the B800K in the bank approach. In late August I went to Bangkok Bank to switch my matured Fixed account deposit to another fixed account deal....I transferred the entire amount (over 800K) from the old fixed promotion to the new fixed promotion. I thought I would be keeping the same account/passbook but no, my old account number/passbook was closed and zeroed out in the transfer and a new account number/passbook was provided with one entry which was the amount transferred from the old fixed account.

I wasn't expecting them to close the account/issue a new passbook but they did...and they said that's the way it is done unless you are just keeping the money in a 3 month fixed account promotion, which my matured fixed account/promotion automatically rolled over to. OK, so here I'm in the situation of the money not going to be seasoned for 3 months if just looking at the one/new passbook. The Bangkok Bank rep said there shouldn't be problem...just show the new & old passbooks and point out the new passbook amount was transferred from the old passbook same day/same minute. Of course I leave thinking, Yea, right, no problem...how would you really know. But I figured I'm still going to apply for the extension using the bank letter approach and if it don't work out I'll just go to my home country embassy and get an income affiadviat.

OK, about 3 weeks late I come back to apply for my retirement extension renewal. I first go to to the Bangkok Bank branch on the ground floor of Bangkok Immigration and get my bank letter (cost B100). The letter only reflects the new account number and amount....and as you probably know bank letters don't say anything about how long the money has been seasoned. About 30 minutes later I'm setting in front of the immigration officer and I intentionally only include a copy of the new passbook with the letter to see if they catch the account is only about 3 weeks old and don't meet the seasoning requirement. She does spot it immediately and that is when I hand her my old/closed passbook, a copy of it also, and explain what happened---that is, I opened a new fixed account by using the money from another fixed account which is now closed and the money in the old account have been in that account for way over the required seasoning period....no break in time for the seasoning requirement.

End Result: absolutely no problem....retirement extension approved...apparently immigration is just looking to ensure there is no broken period where there was not at least 800K in my accounts for the required seasoning period.

[Sophon]

Thank you to both of you for the encouraging information. Since it sunds like I will have a good chance of being accepted, I will go to Chaeng Wattana Friday and try for the extension.

I will report the result, but it might be a while before I have internet connection in Lamphun.

Sophon

[Pib]

You should be fine. Just be sure to provide a copy of your new and old passbook with the one bank letter that only addresses your current passbook. And if the immigration officer asks point out how the money was transferred from the old account to the new account same day/same minute....I even did the finger motion of pointing out on each passbook where the amount was transferred from here to there on same day/same minute. As soon as I did that the immigration shook her head up & down to indicate understanding and continued on.

[Sophon]

You should be fine. Just be sure to provide a copy of your new and old passbook with the one bank letter that only addresses your current passbook. And if the immigration officer asks point out how the money was transferred from the old account to the new account same day/same minute....I even did the finger motion of pointing out on each passbook where the amount was transferred from here to there on same day/same minute. As soon as I did that the immigration shook her head up & down to indicate understanding and continued on.

As mentioned, I only have one passbook. The new promotion was continued under the same account number and in the same passbook.

Sophon

[Pib]

You should be fine. Just be sure to provide a copy of your new and old passbook with the one bank letter that only addresses your current passbook. And if the immigration officer asks point out how the money was transferred from the old account to the new account same day/same minute....I even did the finger motion of pointing out on each passbook where the amount was transferred from here to there on same day/same minute. As soon as I did that the immigration shook her head up & down to indicate understanding and continued on.

As mentioned, I only have one passbook. The new promotion was continued under the same account number and in the same passbook.

Sophon

I would think you would still be fine...instead of having to look at two passbooks, one active and one closed, which they had to do for me; in your case, it's all on one passbook. Just explain to the immigration officer what occurred....show the separate transfer/deposit slip used to transfer the money...the agreement you signed for the new promotion, etc.

[Sophon]

Just a quick update.

As everyone thought having the balance dip to zero and back up again immediately because I had to change to a new promotion during seasoning period didn't turn out to be a problem. The officers did examine the passbook a little more closely, and I had to explain what had happened, but the account was happily accepted. Thanks to everyone for your advice.

Everything didn't go smoothly though, as I had one of those senior moments. Before leaving home I picked up my folder with all the carefully prepared paper work, and left for Chaeng Watthana. One hour and 45 minutes later (traffic is always bad early in the morning) I stepped out of the car at the government complex, only to discover that I had left the folder at home when I sat down to put on my shoes. So back in the car for another hour and 45 minutes to get back home followed by an hour and a half back to Chaeng Watthana (by now the traffic had eased slightly). I arrived (the second time) during the lunch break so had time to get the bank letter before they opened again. I left with my extension at around 15.45 for another trip back home through Bangkok traffic.

So I ended up spending a total of around 6 and a half hours driving to and from Chaeng Watthana. Next time I will check an extra time that I have everything I need before I leave home

Sophon