Only 7-day extension on one year retirement extension request

[peter37]

Udon Thani immigration - September 10^th

Requesting my third extension of non-O immigrant on basis of retirement today. I met with a surprise.

I provided the same papers as last year, naturally updated (on the basis of 100% money properly seasoned in Thai bank by the way), and there was no request from the officer for anything extra while he conducted his paperwork. Then as the process seemed to be very nearly finished there was a very long discussion between him and his supervisor while they consulted the computer screen, another officer and at different times seemed to make various changes to their keyboard input. When all was finished I was told I would get a 7-day extension and would have to come back in seven days bearing only my passport because there were new regulations. I was asked to pay the 1,900 baht for a year's extension. I tried initially to point out that I was paying for 365 days but only being guaranteed 7 days. Considering the language gap I soon let that drop, paid the fee and will return in 7 days. I have no other embellishments in my passport other than the visa and previous two extension stamps.
Can anybody shed any informative light on this?

[carstenp]

Yes other people saying the same. New rules from the 28 august. Only one person is allowed to sigh you visa

She stamped my passport like:

RETIREMENT

UDON THANI IMMIGRATION

APPLICATION OF STAY IS UNDER THE CONSIDERATION OF

THE IMMIGRATION ???? APPLICANT MUST CONTACT

THIS OFFICE AGAIN IN PERSON ON 2 OCT

More info from him

A new law came into effect on 28 August this year. All retirement visas are under review until reviewed and signed off by an Inspector.

The problem is Udon is a small station and as such only has one Inspector. If that Inspector is busy, in a meeting, taking a potty break or otherwise unavailable you will get a stamp like I got and have to come back.

She did say they realize this can be a problem for the falang community and they have a meeting set for tomorrow to discuss the best way to comply with this new requirement.

[ubonjoe]

I will not even venture a guess about what the problem was unless there was possibly was a computer glitch.

There have been no changes to the rules for extensions of stay based upon retirement.

[carstenp]

I will not even venture a guess about what the problem was unless there was possibly was a computer glitch.

There have been no changes to the rules for extensions of stay based upon retirement.

When are the answers from the meeting getting public.. Long times since TV told it will take a week or so

[ukrules]

I will not even venture a guess about what the problem was unless there was possibly was a computer glitch.

There have been no changes to the rules for extensions of stay based upon retirement.

When are the answers from the meeting getting public.. Long times since TV told it will take a week or so

There's been a lot of changes since then including comments from the new PM regarding teachers, I think any information that came out of that meeting if it's the same one I think you're referring to will now be invalid.

[Macclad]

Its true that now only one person can authorise the extensions based on retirement in the Udon office.

If he/she is unavailable for any length of time you will get a temporary extension in your passport and be told to return later,usually within 7 days.

Hopefully this will only be for a short time and things will return to normal soon.

[noahvail]

Does this apply to extensions based on marriage as well?

[ubonjoe]

Does this apply to extensions based on marriage as well?

Those always have a 30 day under consideration stamp so there would be no difference.

[noahvail]

Does this apply to extensions based on marriage as well?

Those always have a 30 day under consideration stamp so there would be no difference.

Thank you, UbonJoe.

[Macclad]

The extensions based on marriage have to be sent for authorisation in Bangkok.

The process generally takes a week or two to complete so you will get a temporary extension in your passport,also.

[ubonjoe]

The extensions based on marriage have to be sent for authorisation in Bangkok.

The process generally takes a week or two to complete so you will get a temporary extension in your passport,also.

Applications done in Udon are sent to division 4 headquarters in Korat for approval not Bangkok. It has been done that way for many years. The only ones sent to Bangkok are those that are in division 3's area of responsibility.

It is a 30 day under consideration period not an extension.

[OJAS]

Hopefully we are here only talking about a local change which Udon Thani have recently introduced with presumably the sole and avowed aim of causing the maximum inconvenience and hassle to their retiree punters (which will, of course, enable the officers there to rub their hands in ecstatic glee at all the disruption that they are now able to cause).

But this thread makes disturbing reading if it turns out that we are, in fact, talking about a fundamental procedural change in the processing of retirement extensions, which is not in the rule book, is shrouded in secrecy and will very shortly be adopted at all immigration offices across LOS.

Perhaps the OP could clarify how long in advance of the expiry of his previous extension of stay he applied for his renewal today. If more than 7 days, it is clearly absurd that he has now only been stamped in until a date before his previous extension was due to expire! That said TIT of course.

[peter37]

To satisfy OJAS's curiosity there was no "in advance" of the application. I applied on the last day of the previous extension.
Many thanks to all of you who have made informative posts.

[gamini]

Yes other people saying the same. New rules from the 28 august. Only one person is allowed to sigh you visa

She stamped my passport like:

RETIREMENT

UDON THANI IMMIGRATION

APPLICATION OF STAY IS UNDER THE CONSIDERATION OF

THE IMMIGRATION ???? APPLICANT MUST CONTACT

THIS OFFICE AGAIN IN PERSON ON 2 OCT

More info from him

A new law came into effect on 28 August this year. All retirement visas are under review until reviewed and signed off by an Inspector.

The problem is Udon is a small station and as such only has one Inspector. If that Inspector is busy, in a meeting, taking a potty break or otherwise unavailable you will get a stamp like I got and have to come back.

She did say they realize this can be a problem for the falang community and they have a meeting set for tomorrow to discuss the best way to comply with this new requirement.

You can renew your retirement visa at least one month before it expires. Then you will not have these problems. If you have agood excuse you can sometimes renew it 2 months before.

[Suradit69]

Sometimes at Jomtien you can get the extension entered in the passport the same day, sometimes you come back the next day. It sounds like it's just a matter of processing the application. Smaller offices are more likely to experience delays, especially if information is checked against past applications and if the information is increasingly only accessible by computer with inherent glitches in the early stages of use.

A new law came into effect on 28 August this year. All retirement visas are under review until reviewed and signed off by an Inspector.

Every time I've done an extension it had to be reviewed by a different officer from the one who processed the application. I think in 2013 I got the passport back while I waited. Sometimes I talked to the inspector, she signed off on it all and I was then told to come back to collect the passport later in the day or the following day. Recently after the processing officer checked everything I was just told to come to collect the passport without having to talk to the other officer.

What new law are you talking about?

I tried initially to point out that I was paying for 365 days but only being guaranteed 7 days.

I don't think there was any doubt you'd get the year extension, the 7 days was just an under-consideration or processing period.

[bprinceuk]

Hopefully we are here only talking about a local change which Udon Thani have recently introduced with presumably the sole and avowed aim of causing the maximum inconvenience and hassle to their retiree punters (which will, of course, enable the officers there to rub their hands in ecstatic glee at all the disruption that they are now able to cause).

But this thread makes disturbing reading if it turns out that we are, in fact, talking about a fundamental procedural change in the processing of retirement extensions, which is not in the rule book, is shrouded in secrecy and will very shortly be adopted at all immigration offices across LOS.

Perhaps the OP could clarify how long in advance of the expiry of his previous extension of stay he applied for his renewal today. If more than 7 days, it is clearly absurd that he has now only been stamped in until a date before his previous extension was due to expire! That said TIT of course.

I renewed my extension of stay based on retirement at the Khon Kaen Immigration Office on the 9th September. In and out within 30 minutes and that includeed applying for a multiply re entry visa

Brian

[peter37]

Simply to round off the story (and this thread?):

As was correctly anticipated by a number of you my extension for one year was duly granted today – the day they asked me to return. I received one year from the date of my initial application and not one year from today although the 90 day reporting was shifted along one week. There was no further explanation nor did I ask for one. I do note, however, that another full page has been used in my passport, in other words a page for last week’s extension and another page for today’s year extension.