Retirement Visa Annual Fees?

[chingching]

Hi,

What are the fees, if any, charged to renew a retirement visa. ? What is fee charged by Immigration? What is reasonable fee charged by agency?

thanks.

[Gary A]

A one year retirement visa will cost you 1,900 baht. There are no fees for your 90 day address verification visits. You do NOT need any agent.

Hi,

What are the fees, if any, charged to renew a retirement visa. ? What is fee charged by Immigration? What is reasonable fee charged by agency?

thanks.

[naka]

Yes, simple process, no need for an agent.

Naka.

[Noel]

Hi,

What are the fees, if any, charged to renew a retirement visa. ? What is fee charged by Immigration? What is reasonable fee charged by agency?

thanks.

The fee for a twelve month extension is ฿1,900.

Why are you considering using an agent?

[SunbeltAsia]

Hi,

What are the fees, if any, charged to renew a retirement visa. ? What is fee charged by Immigration? What is reasonable fee charged by agency?

thanks.

The fee for a twelve month extension is ฿1,900.

Why are you considering using an agent?

Depends. Some people are comfortable the second year to do it themselves. Some even are the first year. But there are a certain number that if they paid 6,500 Baht the first year and if they like, 3,900 Baht on yearly renewals, it was well worth it to have everything go smooth. Making sure that they have a passbook matching the amt stated in the letter from the bank. That the letter from the bank is not more than 72 hours old. That the letter states the money arrived from overseas. If they don’t have the money, how there are other solutions such as a affidavit from the embassy. I have heard of one firm that charges 25,000 Baht and they average 2 people a day using their service. Its all relative if you want someone to make sure everything is cool.

Here is a typical letter from a visa the other day who could not get the letter from the bank as it was in Pattaya and he was he flying out that night.

Greg,

I feel obligated to let you know how much I appreciate the assistance of

"Koy" and your professional office. The cost is worth it to know I can leave

on a moments notice should I need to attend to family matters.At times I can

be somewhat pessimistic, possible from having had a careerdealing with criminals

which seldom yielded positive results (retired Parole ofc supv.). Koy kept the faith

and her perseverance paid off in the end. Without her presence of mind I most

likely would have insulted someone and ended up in custody.

Obviously, I still have a lot to learn about the Thai bureaucracy and

expect to "obvious" to be acceptable, which appears not to be the case

here.

I will get back with you on the other matter regarding obtaining a 10 yr

USA multi-entry visa for my wife, as soon as we recover from "taxi/bus

lag".

Thank you again.

For this man, it was more than worth it, to have someone help him.

www.lawyer.th.com

[doctormann]

ChingChing

With a minimal amount of forward planning you absolutely do not need the services of an agent to renew your retirement visa.

Bear in mind that you can apply any time within the last thirty days of your current permission to stay so you have plenty of time to get the documents together - and there aren't many.

If you need a letter from your embassy, certifying your pension, this can be done well in advance as the letter will remain valid while your passport is valid. New passport needs a new letter because the number will change.

Any clinic will give you a health certificate on the spot - maybe they will examine you but probably not.

The bank (mine anyway, TMB) will write you a standard letter and update your passbook at the same time. The letter is valid for 72 hours only so if you get it on a Friday you will need to go to Immigration on the following Monday.

Otherwise you just need 1900 Baht, a TM7 and a photocopy of your passport. I tend to copy everything, just in case. This time the only copies that they needed were the embassy letter and the passport.

I extended my retirement last week in Pattaya (Jompthien) - no agent, no hassle and took all of ten minutes.

DM

[Noel]

Hi,

What are the fees, if any, charged to renew a retirement visa. ? What is fee charged by Immigration? What is reasonable fee charged by agency?

thanks.

The fee for a twelve month extension is ฿1,900.

Why are you considering using an agent?

Depends. Some people are comfortable the second year to do it themselves. Some even are the first year. But there are a certain number that if they paid 6,500 Baht the first year and if they like, 3,900 Baht on yearly renewals, it was well worth it to have everything go smooth. Making sure that they have a passbook matching the amt stated in the letter from the bank. That the letter from the bank is not more than 72 hours old. That the letter states the money arrived from overseas.

I have done it myself from the beginning, as has everyone I personally know who has applied.

I found it to be a very straightforward task.

Btw, the letter issued by the bank has never stated that the money arrived from overseas (albeit it had anyway) and Immigration have never queried the letter.

When I applied for the first time, all I did was ask Immigration what was required and produced it.

Oh well, I suppose some people need help tying their shoelaces...

[SunbeltAsia]

Btw, the letter issued by the bank has never stated that the money arrived from overseas (albeit it had anyway) and Immigration have never queried the letter.

Just depends on the Immigration Dept/ Province and even the officer inside the Dept.

Some officers in fact have been known to ask for two letters. One letter stating the current balance and this must match with the bank book. The second letter from the bank stating that the money came from overseas. Some cases are different because the officer is different than one that you may of had.

This where the frustration lies as they are missing a doc. If the officer doesn’t ask for anything else, then it is very smooth.

[naka]

Chingching.

For the first one year extension, the immigration officer gives you a short

face to face interview and types some personal info into the computer.

So you need to do that yourself anyway.

It's really a simple process and there is no need to have someone

hold your hand. Unless you've had a personal assistant and a manservant all your life.

Naka.

[WilliamIV]

I have always extended my Retirement visa personally

for the past 8 years.

The process takes about 10 mins with the Officer.

Although there was a long Queue and I did have to wait

to be served when I extended in early June this year.

If the Officer asks for an extra document -

just be ready to provide it - there is no need for an Agent

- he is only going to ask you to get it anyway.

And if you are already near your expiry date they will give you

a temporary extension of a week or 10 days.

As someone said ...

It is just a matter of being organised.

Last time I was still overseas on a holiday

a few days prior to my expiry date.

From India I faxed a letter to the British Embassy in Bangkok

and to my Bank telling them I would be coming to collect the

neccessary letters on a given date PRIOR to going to Immigration.

The day after I returned to Bangkok

First I went to British Embassy

then to my Bank

then to immigration

I had my Extension by 2pm

I never go to the Embassy to ask for the Letter

even when I am in Bangkok - I Fax to them

the requirements and ask them to have the Letter

ready for collection by me on a given date.

How anybody - no matter how rich - could contemplate

paying Bht25,000 for such a service is incredible

[Cassandra]

ChingChing

With a minimal amount of forward planning you absolutely do not need the services of an agent to renew your retirement visa.

Bear in mind that you can apply any time within the last thirty days of your current permission to stay so you have plenty of time to get the documents together - and there aren't many.

If you need a letter from your embassy, certifying your pension, this can be done well in advance as the letter will remain valid while your passport is valid. New passport needs a new letter because the number will change.

Any clinic will give you a health certificate on the spot - maybe they will examine you but probably not.

The bank (mine anyway, TMB) will write you a standard letter and update your passbook at the same time. The letter is valid for 72 hours only so if you get it on a Friday you will need to go to Immigration on the following Monday.

Otherwise you just need 1900 Baht, a TM7 and a photocopy of your passport. I tend to copy everything, just in case. This time the only copies that they needed were the embassy letter and the passport.

I extended my retirement last week in Pattaya (Jompthien) - no agent, no hassle and took all of ten minutes.

DM

The question of whether an agent is needed arises from time time in respect of many immigration procedures in Thailand.Like so many questions on this forum the answer depends on your own circumstances.The literal truth is that you do not NEED an agent, but many would find the use of a knowledgeable agent a time saving and useful service.I have known farangs who have achieved PR entirely on their own but the majority would use agents (to be precise, immigration lawyers).

For more routine visa work most legit expats ( ie holders of work permits etc) still tend to use company officials and possibly immigration specialists (agents/lawyers).If you are a retiree or someone else with time on your hands, trogging down to Suan Plu may be a welcome distraction in your day.