I was told about rule change

I went this morning to apply for my retirement visa and now you need

copy of house lease

copy of house book

copy of house owner ID card

this is for single person not married I do not know what the rule is for married couple

As I had all this new info have now my new visa

Good luck

I assume the extra does away with the need for a residence certificate. Maybe they are doing away with the residence altogether as no dept really wants to hand them out.

This would remove a source of irritation for us expats.

Presumably a letter from the Juristic Person at the condominium will suffice as an alternate?

Are household registration (thabian ban) booklets (yellow) issued to expat condo owners?

As I had all this new info have now my new visa

Presumably Chiang Mai Immigrations has not started issuing visas? Maybe you have a new extension.

In the past when I was renewing my extension, at Jomtien, I was asked whether or not I owned or rented my condo. When I told them I owned, that seemed to satisfy them. As someone else said, maybe this is serving as a proof of address that is required at some Immigrations offices when applying for a new extension.

I was also at Chiang Mai Immigration this morning and renewed my Retirement visa without the need for proof of renting. I'm single.

It only took 25 minutes from paperwork to door - excellent.

Are people talking about getting a Retirement Visa or extending an existing one.

two different animals.

Are people talking about getting a Retirement Visa or extending an existing one.

two different animals.

"Retirement visas" are never offered at immigration offices in Thailand -- period.

Are people talking about getting a Retirement Visa or extending an existing one.

two different animals.

"Retirement visas" are never offered at immigration offices in Thailand -- period.

I changed my marriage visa to a retirement version when I turned 50 at the local immo office. Worth doing too.

In all fairness, just about everyone, including the Thai employees at Immigration call the process "renewing the retirement visa" when in fact what you do each year is "extend your permission to remain for 12 months due to retirement" i.e. "do your annual extension", so it's not fair to jump all over people about terminology.

They've always had the ability to ask for proof of where you live and now it looks like they're either enforcing it across the board, or just deciding to make the request of the OP and asked the question in such a way that they created the impression is was some sort of policy change. It's not.

Always a good idea to bring proof of where you live, if for no other reason than to show you've come to the right office to do your business. They never ask me for proof of address, but I'm the one in our family who always comes to do 90 day reports and they're used to seeing my bright, smiling face at Immigration. They always ask Hubby for proof of CM residency because he's a total stranger when he pops in once a year for the appointment for his retirement extension.

I reported this two years ago when I renewed/extended my visa in CM and I was asked for a copy of my lease agreement, that seems to have been one of the earliest occurrences for this request and it sounds as though the OP's experience is merely an extension of that and not really anything new. If it helps any, having provided a copy of my lease two years ago I have not been subsequently asked for proof of address.

In all fairness, just about everyone, including the Thai employees at Immigration call the process "renewing the retirement visa" when in fact what you do each year is "extend your permission to remain for 12 months due to retirement"

At the Jomtien Immigration office I told the front desk officer " extension permission of stay for 12 months, please" ,blank look from the officer, I told him than "retirement visa please", he hand me a number. Since then I always use the term "retirement visa".

Are people talking about getting a Retirement Visa or extending an existing one.

two different animals.

"Retirement visas" are never offered at immigration offices in Thailand -- period.

Well, I wish they'd stop stamping 'Retirement Visa' in red on the top of my annual extension.

.......period seems not to have the same clout, after this year.

Are people talking about getting a Retirement Visa or extending an existing one.

two different animals.

"Retirement visas" are never offered at immigration offices in Thailand -- period.

Well, I wish they'd stop stamping 'Retirement Visa' in red on the top of my annual extension.

.......period seems not to have the same clout, after this year.

Out of curiosity, I checked my passport which is only 5 years old and the official blue stamp for my 2010 to 2014 extensions does not show the word "visa" or "extension". Only the number 2.22 explains the reason for the extension. For 2012 and 2013 only, they did stamp the additional word "retirement" next to the "good until" date and not "visa". I did have the same female officer for 2012 and 2013 who was not there when I arrived for my 2014 extension appointment. Perhaps there is another "retirement visa" stamp floating around.

Lets face it. They make it up as they go along. Here today gone tomorrow.

Are people talking about getting a Retirement Visa or extending an existing one.

two different animals.

"Retirement visas" are never offered at immigration offices in Thailand -- period.

Of course yes

I assume the extra does away with the need for a residence certificate. Maybe they are doing away with the residence altogether as no dept really wants to hand them out.

This would remove a source of irritation for us expats.

The last three years here on a marriage visa I have needed everything mentioned . When I had a lease I did not need the home owners ID card just the lease. I never produced a resident certificate only the lease . Now I give them copies of both Blue and yellow book .. and then the normal documents ...

Just done mine in Jomtiem, just a signed copy of my phone bill needed.

Never ever needed a residence certificate.

Seems extreme in CM!

Stamp with the mention "Retirement" in my passport since 2007 till now ( blue - date in red )

I did mine 2 weeks ago for me and my wife who is my dependent and I was not asked for any proof of residency. I just provided the usual copies of passport pages plus original and copies of my marriage documents for my wife's dependent extension.

As has been said, it is important to know if it was the OP's firt extension of stay or not. With the first extension of stay it is not uncommen to ask for this information, to determine which immigration office the applicant should apply to.

As has been said, it is important to knwo if it was the OP's firt extension of stay or not. With the first extension of stay it is not uncommen to ask for this information, to determine which immigration office the applicant should apply to.

Excellent point.

Same thing here in Pattaya. I had to present a copy of my apartment lease. I didn't have

it, so they accepted a copy of the electric bill with my name on it as proof of residence. Next

year I will be sure to take the electric bill copy with me. (in addition to the rest of the copies

of passport, entry card, last years visa, picture, and on, and on, and on.) Well, it's only once

a year and I have lots more time on my hands than money anyway 555555555555555555

Are people talking about getting a Retirement Visa or extending an existing one.

two different animals.

"Retirement visas" are never offered at immigration offices in Thailand -- period.

When I turned 50 the local immigration officer kindly changed my 30 day visa on arrival into a retirement visa.

why is it so hard for a foreigner with their own money to retire in thailand? its not like we are going to use their government to get money or take one of their jobs etc. Come to australia they will take anyone no questions asked and you can go on the dole for years, get government housing and then go straight on the pension and live happily ever after. Its a joke

Hmmmm - no fun.

My retirement extension is due early February - I can provide my original chanote lease, the blue house book (never bothered to get the yellow version as most seem to find it a waste of space), and my TOT internet/phone bill. The owner/lessor of the land on which my house is built is a local, older Thai lady married long-term to an American and spends a good deal of time in the USA. So, getting a copy of her ID card in time may be difficult if not impossible.

If the new rules are going to apply to those who've leased land and had a house built by a local developer as well as to those renting, there may be heartbreak ahead for many whose lessors don't live locally or who spend time out of the country.

It would have been good to have had some notice of the changes.

What if you just stay with a friend who ownes the place (no lease contract).

Would a copy of his/hers house book and id suffice as proof of address?

NancyL and Mario2008 have been helpful. No change in the requirements and good advice provided.

Immigration can ask for anything they want. Whether or not you have to provide it is a different story. No one I know has been denied a retirement visa extension by failing to provide evidence of a pension or a housing document. They have all been told to be sure to bring it "next time."

Just done mine in Jomtiem, just a signed copy of my phone bill needed.

Never ever needed a residence certificate.

Seems extreme in CM!

Been here for 7 years never never been asked for a proof of residency on my yearly extension of stay here in Thailand. As a previous poster said and a fellow who lives in the building here said they do issue retirement visa's here.

Maybe you need it maybe you don't I woulden't know as I have never been asked for it. Perhaps the fact that my Thai wife is always with me helps. I do not have a marriage retirement visa I have one based on proof of income. Maybe that makes a difference as there is a business I have heard of where you can get the extension with a bank account of 800,000 baht in the bank which is actually borrowed money and you pay some thing like 35,000 baht to borrow it. Maybe they are cracking down on that.