Rental receipt insufficient for retirement extension!

[aarn]

So, I went to Dan SingKon office (Prachuap province) today equipped with what I assumed were adequate documents, method for extension based on money in bank + income in birth country. Five months ago I was knocked back because 'passport full' and 'no rent receipt'. Today, new passport, I thought everything was in order, but...

 

I was told rent receipts (most recent two months) were inadequate. Also need copy of house owners ID card; tabien ban (???); and a third document - all of which the house owner needs to provide phtocopies for me...

 

When I asked the officer the reason (my Thai is not total guff), the reply was 'new boss' - I presume this meant 'new policy'.

 

Is there a new policy in place? Was there another reason for me to wait for about an hour while many 'agents' handed bundles of purple (Burmese???) passport to the majority of the office staff. The passports were returned in exchange for what appeared to be 100/B passport, no receipt, not my area of interest...

 

I thought the visa crackdown was to get peope working illegally on appropriate visas, rather than throw further hurdles in the way of old codgers gone-past-use-by-date trying to live here legitimately. No wonder so may old codgers opt for the agent-fee25kB 'retirement visa' or take the Cambodgiana option $300/year multi entry visa.

 

Temporarily aggrieved, AA

[paz]

Other offices also ask these additional documents, and even before the clampdown. Local policy or as mentioned, a new boss.

You are doing no better or no worst than many many others applying for the same.

[uptheos]

Other offices also ask these additional documents, and even before the clampdown. Local policy or as mentioned, a new boss.

You are doing no better or no worst than many many others applying for the same.

 

Not in Chiang Mai, I was there today for renewal and posted on the CM thread.

Never been asked for proof of address and I've done lots of renewals.

[Suradit69]

 

Other offices also ask these additional documents, and even before the clampdown. Local policy or as mentioned, a new boss.

You are doing no better or no worst than many many others applying for the same.

 

Not in Chiang Mai, I was there today for renewal and posted on the CM thread.

Never been asked for proof of address and I've done lots of renewals.

 

 

Yes, at Jomtien I always include a 3BB or condo monthly statement when doing the 90 day address report (sometimes handed back to me unwanted), but never been asked for proof of address when doing annual extension. I've done  7 (or is it 8?) extensions.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I've done retirement extensions for years in BKK. I've never been asked for any proof of address document, and certainly not any official documents from the owner of the property we rent as our home.

[moe666]

Come on guys you will make the OP feel he is being put upon. I have never been asked in CM either. Some of these backwater towns just like to look busy

Edited August 13, 2014 by moe666

[Guest]

I've been asked every year in recent years in two different provincial bureaus to produce house holder's ID and house registration book when doing annual extension.

[chingching]

I am asked (at Jomtien) always for the lease agreement.  I tried using just a rent receipt, but that was refused.  (I think because it was lacking the address)

[jesimps]

Never been asked at Jomtien on 1 year extension. Always need for 90 day report. So far done 7 extensions.

[hkt83100]

Never been asked in Phuket for 1 year extension or 90 days, in about 15 years (rough guess).

[jpinx]

I reckon from my own experience that initial extensions need belt and braces, renewals of extensions with no changes will not.  Similarly for 90 day reports.  If everything is same-same they have nothing to look for,,,,,

[NanLaew]

First ever retirement extension at Jomtien last January and I provided the chap at the 'Residence Certificate/Proof of Address' desk my rental agreement (dual language) which also has a copy of the owners ID card and tibian bahn (blue book).

 

Next day at same office actually filing the extension, the lady asked to see the rental agreement that I wrongly hadn't brought since I reckoned the letter issued by the guy in the same office the day before was validity enough. She said OK this time but next time bring the rental agreement so she can see it as well.

 

Regardless of what has been accepted for years at your local Immigration office, it may be a good idea to check with them a week or so before renewal to see what 'new' documents they want.

[thaidel48]

They always have wanted those documents here in Khon Kaen.

 

[Mammon]

In CM I have always had to provide rental contract and receipts and at times the officials have even phoned the residence I was renting and asked them to confirm that I was staying there and for how long!

[Evilbaz]

I take everything you possibly can need.

Next "new document" will likely be proof of health insurance.

 

I once asked the volunteers for a list of required documents for extensions - the answer was we don't have because it changes every day ...

Edited August 14, 2014 by Evilbaz

[elliottm]

Ditto, in fact I had to provide the owenr's ID, tabian ban & rental agreement for 90 Days report at Nakon Sawan.

 

Their "new boss" refused to provide me a certificate of residence to renew my driving licence and I had to arrange a stay in BKK to get conformation from the Embassy using far less info than immigration signed my 90 Days off on.

[VirgoSG]

Another case of lack of consistency from office to office, as appears to have been the case since time began.

 

FYI, this is the (relatively) new notice stuck on the wall at Koh Samui Immigration.  Note the words 'from now on':-

 

[attachment=279058:Rules re address proof3.jpg]

[smedly]

Never been asked at Jomtien on 1 year extension. Always need for 90 day report. So far done 7 extensions.

 

 

it might depend on the information they already have for you on file which could be why requirements vary from person to person

[Jedsada3]

Hello,

I think that the problem we meet often is this:

We go to ask something and expect a specific answer (because a friend said it's like this or because last year it was like that). So when our interlocutor is talking, we don't really listen to him (her) because we are fixed on the answer we expect. And then, or we hear the answer we want hear and we accept it or we hear it different and it makes us a bit upset. Then we ask again and again and it makes our interlocutor loses patience and it starts to be a dialogue of the deaf.

And in case of conflict, the loser is always the one who needs something, not the one who has to give it.

When I read here about visa, I read many different ways to get it, depending of the city where we live. So when I need a visa renewal or anything else, I go a few days before to the official and ask what exactly I need. I know, I have to queue 2 times, but it helps me to have all documents ready and to not feel upset if I miss some.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Re Jomtien. I was just asked this morning at Jomtien for a proof of address for my retirement extension request. Never been asked before and I just did my 90-day report two weeks ago. So here I am at my building waiting for the staff to produce an official statement  so I can ride all the way back to Jomtien from Noen Pub Waan. I will look for a posted notice at the office. 

Edited August 14, 2014 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[sgtsabai]

I always had to had proof of residence, signed copy of owners blue book etc. Draw a map from house to immigration office, you couldn't find my house with that map if your life depended on it, wife is not a map maker...lol. Wife now provides blue book, her ID for my proof of residence. Each office does make up the rules as they go along. All the required papers are on file, immigration knows us but we still have to do. They are very polite and helpful with no changes, yet, in the past few years. Once we work our way through the wait list (sometimes bumped up) usually takes about 15 minutes, according to how busy the head honcho is, he has to sign. 1st time I did extension wife and I went in several weeks early just to get the correct info on what we needed. The lady behind the desk gave us a list, proceeded to process what we had, we got the rest and were done. Always go early just in case the requirements have changed.

[jacko45k]

I've done retirement extensions for years in BKK. I've never been asked for any proof of address document, and certainly not any official documents from the owner of the property we rent as our home.

 

I think I had to provide a copy of my rental agreement once (Jomtiem), more recently I have an copy of an invoice from a utility, original handy too, which sometimes they keep, sometimes give me back as unnecessary. They like to keep us on our toes!
 

[Just1Voice]

For first Marriage Extension in CM, they wanted proof of residence, proof in the way of pics of me and wife together in the house, and even came out to see and talk to neighbors to verify.  Following year switched to Retirement,  Have never been asked since for proof of residence, even though I have yellow book.

[garyinhuahin]

Always seems to vary a bit year on year. This year, I had to bring my blue book for the first time ever. In some past years, I had to provide a copy of every page of my bank book. Then the next year it was "What did you bring that for?"

 

Mai penh rai.

[Tchooptip]

I was not asked anything of that in Samui 2weeks ago, I had a one year rental agreement,  given to me by my owner 11month ago by the way, with no proof of nothing!

No doubt  I could have done it my self with any printed form.

[connda]

What we're really discussing is that the only constant with Thai immigration is the inconsistency of service from one region to another; a topic that I thought was on the table with the Thai Visa George/Immigration Commissioner discussion. 

[LivinLOS]

Other offices also ask these additional documents, and even before the clampdown. Local policy or as mentioned, a new boss.
You are doing no better or no worst than many many others applying for the same.

 
Not in Chiang Mai, I was there today for renewal and posted on the CM thread.
Never been asked for proof of address and I've done lots of renewals.

I have been asked every year for these when doing my extensions based on marriage in chiang Mai.

Rental contract, Owners ID, tabien baan.

By renewal you do mean extension not just 90 day report ?

[IMA_FARANG]

 For a retirement visa/extension at Chaengwattana they have only asked me before for a telephone number of my residence.

Normally they ask to have it written on the back of the 90 day reporting form also.

But they have never called that number to verify I am actually there as far as I know.

By strange coincidence I wanted to change my Social Security mailing address in Thailand last year at the Social Security office wen I was there for a visit in April

They asked me then for proof of my Thai address/residence in Bangkok.

I happened to have the last quarterly rental receipt. They accepted as proof of my Thai residence and changed my Thai mailing address there based on that receipt, even though much of it was written in Thai.

Just goes to show you, you never do know.

 

 

[Suradit69]

First ever retirement extension at Jomtien last January and I provided the chap at the 'Residence Certificate/Proof of Address' desk my rental agreement (dual language) which also has a copy of the owners ID card and tibian bahn (blue book).

 

Next day at same office actually filing the extension, the lady asked to see the rental agreement that I wrongly hadn't brought since I reckoned the letter issued by the guy in the same office the day before was validity enough. She said OK this time but next time bring the rental agreement so she can see it as well.

 

Regardless of what has been accepted for years at your local Immigration office, it may be a good idea to check with them a week or so before renewal to see what 'new' documents they want.

"Regardless of what has been accepted for years ..."

 

Never been asked for it, but always bring along proof of my condo ownership. A couple of times I was asked if I own or rent, but just saying that I owned, was sufficient.

 

Better to have it and not be asked then to be asked and not have it.

[Suradit69]

What we're really discussing is that the only constant with Thai immigration is the inconsistency of service from one region to another; a topic that I thought was on the table with the Thai Visa George/Immigration Commissioner discussion. 

 

Immigrations officers have the responsibility & authority to ask whatever they feel is appropriate.

 

Dealing with immigrations people in any country, you can see 10 people dealt with quickly and without much apparent interest from the officer and the 11th person grilled extensively. It's what they do. On their part it could be attributed to years of experience or intuition or a stomach ache.