Is a one year lease required for a retirement visa?

[moto77]

I'd like to get a retirement visa, however I have a large enough annual income that I travel a lot and would actually only spend 5 months per year inside Thailand.

Do I have to sign a one year lease to get the visa?

Edited July 20, 2014 by moto77

[ubonjoe]

It depends upon the immigration office where you apply for the extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon retirement what you need as proof of residence or any at all.

You would not need one year rental agreement, It could be a month to month arrangement.

[moto77]

It depends upon the immigration office where you apply for the extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon retirement what you need as proof of residence or any at all.

You would not need one year rental agreement, It could be a month to month arrangement.

It would be Bangkok. Which office should I visit if I cannot provide proof of residence. I usually stay at hotels if under 30 days or serviced apartments if 30 days or more.

Edited July 20, 2014 by moto77

[rak sa_ngop]

Chaeng Wattana Bangkok did not ask for anything like that last month (i.e. house lease, condo title deeds, utility bills, house registration etc).

But that was last month. Things are changing fast. Now one TV report about needing a Criminal Record Check....still not confirmed by other posters.

[thailiketoo]

Out of the ten or so times I have gotten a retirement extension was asked 3 times for proof of residence. I got a copy of a lease from the people I was renting an apartment from and that was OK. One immigration fellow was nasty about it and I had to go and come back. He may have been looking for some cash. I don't know. I didn't ask. Now I have a house so my wife has given me a lease agreement and we change the date each year.

[thailiketoo]

Chaeng Wattana Bangkok did not ask for anything like that last month (i.e. house lease, condo title deeds, utility bills, house registration etc).

But that was last month. Things are changing fast. Now one TV report about needing a Criminal Record Check....still not confirmed by other posters.

Link for criminal record check?

[moto77]

Out of the ten or so times I have gotten a retirement extension was asked 3 times for proof of residence. I got a copy of a lease from the people I was renting an apartment from and that was OK. One immigration fellow was nasty about it and I had to go and come back. He may have been looking for some cash. I don't know. I didn't ask. Now I have a house so my wife has given me a lease agreement and we change the date each year.

What office do you use?

[thailiketoo]

Out of the ten or so times I have gotten a retirement extension was asked 3 times for proof of residence. I got a copy of a lease from the people I was renting an apartment from and that was OK. One immigration fellow was nasty about it and I had to go and come back. He may have been looking for some cash. I don't know. I didn't ask. Now I have a house so my wife has given me a lease agreement and we change the date each year.

What office do you use?

Pattaya, Rayong and Chiang Mai.

[moto77]

Out of the ten or so times I have gotten a retirement extension was asked 3 times for proof of residence. I got a copy of a lease from the people I was renting an apartment from and that was OK. One immigration fellow was nasty about it and I had to go and come back. He may have been looking for some cash. I don't know. I didn't ask. Now I have a house so my wife has given me a lease agreement and we change the date each year.

What office do you use?

Pattaya, Rayong and Chiang Mai.

All three asked for residency proof?

[ubonjoe]

Chaeng Wattana Bangkok did not ask for anything like that last month (i.e. house lease, condo title deeds, utility bills, house registration etc).

But that was last month. Things are changing fast. Now one TV report about needing a Criminal Record Check....still not confirmed by other posters.

Link for criminal record check?

There was a report of it being asked for but it was not needed to get the extension. No other reports of this happening.

[rak sa_ngop]

Chaeng Wattana Bangkok did not ask for anything like that last month (i.e. house lease, condo title deeds, utility bills, house registration etc).

But that was last month. Things are changing fast. Now one TV report about needing a Criminal Record Check....still not confirmed by other posters.

Link for criminal record check?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/744250-retirement-extension-criminal-record-check/

[MrWorldwide]

All they wanted at Jomtien was a copy of my lease and a letter from the manager of the apartments confirming that I had lived here for the ~2 months I'd been back in Thailand at the time. My initial lease was only for 3 months so this is a timely reminder that I might be asked to sign another one - at this stage I'm quite happy here, traffic notwithstanding

[Qman]

_{I just got my retirement extension two weeks ago and used a letter from condo manger/juristic person indicating I was staying there with the condo address on the letterhead. I did not provide a copy of the lease and the letter was very basic and did not state how long I was or would be there, only I was currently there. No questions from Jomtien immigration about the letter.}

[Suradit69]

All they wanted at Jomtien was a copy of my lease and a letter from the manager of the apartments confirming that I had lived here for the ~2 months I'd been back in Thailand at the time. My initial lease was only for 3 months so this is a timely reminder that I might be asked to sign another one - at this stage I'm quite happy here, traffic notwithstanding

At Jomtien I've never been asked for proof of address when applying for an extension of stay. A couple of times I was asked if I owned or rented my condo. I said that I owned it, but was not asked for any proof.

Several years ago Immigrations required condo managers (and maybe hotels, guest houses, etc) to make copies of residents' passports, extensions of stay or visas, to turn over to Immigrations. Supposedly they were kept on record at Immigrations for reference for future extension applications, but there never seemed to be any follow-up.

The only proof of address I've ever been asked for at Jomtien was (sometimes) when doing the 90 day report and then I just show them a copy of my 3BB monthly bill or the monthly condo utility bill.

[ukrules]

All they wanted at Jomtien was a copy of my lease and a letter from the manager of the apartments confirming that I had lived here for the ~2 months I'd been back in Thailand at the time. My initial lease was only for 3 months so this is a timely reminder that I might be asked to sign another one - at this stage I'm quite happy here, traffic notwithstanding

At Jomtien I've never been asked for proof of address when applying for an extension of stay. A couple of times I was asked if I owned or rented my condo. I said that I owned it, but was not asked for any proof.

Several years ago Immigrations required condo managers (and maybe hotels, guest houses, etc) to make copies of residents' passports, extensions of stay or visas, to turn over to Immigrations. Supposedly they were kept on record at Immigrations for reference for future extension applications, but there never seemed to be any follow-up.

The only proof of address I've ever been asked for at Jomtien was (sometimes) when doing the 90 day report and then I just show them a copy of my 3BB monthly bill or the monthly condo utility bill.

There is a national database of who is staying where in Thailand and anyone who rents out houses / apartments is meant to update this constantly as people move in.

I know this because I logged into a government website and entered my own details on behalf of the lady who I rented the house I'm living in right now from.

This was about 18 months ago so they have been doing it for some time. Normally her son does it but he wasn't around so she asked me to do it.

If they don't do this there is a fine to pay, I'm not sure how much it's enforced but she was pretty quick to do it when I moved in.

I have no doubt that immigration have full access to this database and can cross check any applications we make while we're sitting in the immigration office waiting for our extensions, etc.

[stoli]

No. If you have applied for a retirement visa from your home country before you got here, you do not need to show any lease. How would you lease a space if you have not been here? If you convert to a retirement visa while here, you do not need a one year lease, as you still have to report every 90 days. During these visits you inform them if you have moved. Immigration seems to work pretty smoothly if you follow their rules. Just don't ask them to follow yours, and everything works well.

[moto77]

No. If you have applied for a retirement visa from your home country before you got here, you do not need to show any lease. How would you lease a space if you have not been here? If you convert to a retirement visa while here, you do not need a one year lease, as you still have to report every 90 days. During these visits you inform them if you have moved. Immigration seems to work pretty smoothly if you follow their rules. Just don't ask them to follow yours, and everything works well.

I wonder what happens if you never stay for 90 days?

[ubonjoe]

No. If you have applied for a retirement visa from your home country before you got here, you do not need to show any lease. How would you lease a space if you have not been here? If you convert to a retirement visa while here, you do not need a one year lease, as you still have to report every 90 days. During these visits you inform them if you have moved. Immigration seems to work pretty smoothly if you follow their rules. Just don't ask them to follow yours, and everything works well.

I wonder what happens if you never stay for 90 days?

Nothing because you do not need to make the reports. There are a lot of people on extensions that never stay more than 90 days. It is not a problem.

[Pattaya46]

At Jomtien I've never been asked for proof of address when applying for an extension of stay.

//

The only proof of address I've ever been asked for at Jomtien was (sometimes) when doing the 90 day report

Rather funny because I use Jomtien Immigration too and

- they asked me for a proof of address when I renew my Retirement extension in June: 3BB bill was ok. I had Electric & condo bill in case of.

- they don't ask document any more for the 90-days reports since they got the new computerize system. They clearly told documents will not be needed the first time if got the document with the barcode.

[umbanda]

I am not totally sure, but I think that a bank book showing the address is enough for proof of residence. That is what I used last time was asked...but my city's immigration office is very friendly.

Edited July 21, 2014 by metisdead
Bold font removed again. Please stop using bold font when posting.

[metisdead]

A post containing overly derogatory generalizations toward Thais has been removed.