Retirement Extensions Phuket - Big Changes Since Last Year

[exppenang]

Hello,

First off I apologize if this post repeats anything from other reports. So much has changed so quickly now it is hard to keep track of things. Here is the latest report from Phuket on retirement extension of stay.

1. From 2011 to 2014, the following was sufficient to establish residence:

1) Copy of current rental contract (House book or Chanote for those that own)

2) Last rent receipt

3) Utility bill, bank statement, phone bill showing my name and address

2. Also from 2011 to 2014, the above documents along with the following copies were taken upstairs to apply for the retirement extension:

4) Passport cover page

5) Original visa on which the extension is based (example: Non-Immigrant O)

6) Current retirement visa or extension

7) Departure Card (TM 6)

8) Passport page showing latest entry stamp

9) Proof of income/savings

2015 Retirement Extension changes since last year: (as of March 6)

To establish residence, 1-3 above is needed PLUS:

A) Copy of house book. Copy must be signed.

Copy of ID Card of person whose name is on the house book. Copy must be signed.

The residence documents must be processed downstairs BEFORE proceeding upstairs and re-queuing to apply for the extension. Instead of issuing a chopped paper with your photo and particulars as in the past, a 1/3 page slip titled 'RECEIPT OF NOTIFICATION' is stapled in your passport. The info given for your residence cert is now entered directly in the computer by the immigration officer while you wait - result is it takes a lot longer.

With this slip in your passport re-queue upstairs and submit your extension docs/form to the volunteer for a queue number. Extension applications received in the morning will be available for pick up at 2:30 PM. Applications received in the afternoon will be available for pick up the next business day.

Hope this helps anyone trying the 'new' system. Any mistakes on forms or missing docs can bump you from the queues, for me all it took was one 'strike' and it took 2 days to get.

[NativeSon360]

Thank you, for taking time to share that info update. Cheers

[phuketrichard]

you also need copies of every retirement extension u have had in the current passport

Never had to show these;

2) Last rent receipt (In 20 odd years of paying rent i have never had a rent receipt)

3) Utility bill, bank statement, phone bill showing my name and address

[crazykopite]

I sure as hell won't be moving to Phuket I have never had to do anything like that just show my letter from the embassy , updated bank book with letter from the bank so it will be interesting to see what happens when I go this June to my local immigration maybe the time has come to look at pastures green if they insist on making staying difficult I would have thought they need to keep us Falangs here to boost the economy !

[bridge2bridge]

you also need copies of every retirement extension u have had in the current passport

Never had to show these;

2) Last rent receipt (In 20 odd years of paying rent i have never had a rent receipt)

3) Utility bill, bank statement, phone bill showing my name and address

I have NEVER shown a rent receipt or utility bill.

[yellowboat]

In Cambodia, you just pay around B10,000 a year. No lines. No reporting.

[Suradit69]

I sure as hell won't be moving to Phuket I have never had to do anything like that just show my letter from the embassy , updated bank book with letter from the bank so it will be interesting to see what happens when I go this June to my local immigration maybe the time has come to look at pastures green if they insist on making staying difficult I would have thought they need to keep us Falangs here to boost the economy !

"I would have thought they need to keep us Falangs here to boost the economy ! "

Given the number of farangs desperately seeking ways to stay here one way or another, there seems to be plenty of supply. Losing a few who can't bother with some fairly simple documentation isn't going to bring down the economy.

"maybe the time has come to look at pastures green "

Cutting ties with friends here, selling property owned & furnishings and shipping all your household goods to another country doesn't seem likely to be easier or cheaper than getting a few photocopies made ,,, or else it implies you're living out of a suitcase and haven't really spent much to boost the economy while settling in.

"if they insist on making staying difficult"

Not feeling loved? Imagined perceptions of loss of face?

[jpinx]

The OP needs to caveat his post with "At Xxxxxx immigration office......et seq." because every immigration office is different.

[Headgame]

I sure as hell won't be moving to Phuket I have never had to do anything like that just show my letter from the embassy , updated bank book with letter from the bank so it will be interesting to see what happens when I go this June to my local immigration maybe the time has come to look at pastures green if they insist on making staying difficult I would have thought they need to keep us Falangs here to boost the economy !

So many here are quick to complain about a couple of pieces of paper. It's obvious you have never tried to get a visa to live in the US. Now that's a major hassle and very expensive. And certainly not a few hours at the immigration office. Those experiences make me grateful for how easy a retirement extension is in TH. At least as of this OP.

[phuketandsee]

Do you still have to provide a copy of a foreign credit card? I had to do this last November. I didn't have to show a rent recipt, utility bill or my landlord's ID card either. This new from January?

[Daniel Ingalls]

IN Chiang Mai,

The only requirement to renew my Retirement visa "0"

Front page of Passport, pages of

Date entered country

Application of Retirement via

2-pictures of myself.

Copy of old Retirement Visa

House blue book W/ wive's National ID

Thai Marriage Certificate.

Departure card.

1900 baht.

Waiting took 2-3 hours

After 20 minutes checking paper work

she stamped my Passport,

and I was on my way clicking my heals with joy.

I can't believe people pay 2,000-3,000 baht on top of

the 1900 baht to have some office staffer fill out the paperwork

for you and hand it all in. What a waste of money!

It's not that hard to do yourself!!!

[DonaldBattles]

Immigration is like the law in Thailand. It is what they decide today and every place is different. If we were wanted here they would not make it so difficult for a retirement visa. Notice during the past military trip to Japan they encouraged the Japanese to come here and retire. This was after the railroad discussion. Bloody amazing! They noted that currently there are about 1.2 million Japanese living here. Have you ever heard of them getting jacked around like this?

[Monkeyrobot]

Don't need all that for BKK

[gerry1011]

Immigration is like the law in Thailand. It is what they decide today and every place is different. If we were wanted here they would not make it so difficult for a retirement visa. Notice during the past military trip to Japan they encouraged the Japanese to come here and retire. This was after the railroad discussion. Bloody amazing! They noted that currently there are about 1.2 million Japanese living here. Have you ever heard of them getting jacked around like this?

There is a chance that they write their experiences on a Japanese language forum...

It would be very interesting to know if the Japanese forums are generally more positive, or as negative as this one... If only to analyze the difference of mentalities.

[mango66]

In Cambodia, you just pay around B10,000 a year. No lines. No reporting.

have a nice stay in Combodia !!

Sawadee Khrap !!

[paz]

In Cambodia, you just pay around B10,000 a year. No lines. No reporting.

have a nice stay in Combodia !!

Sawadee Khrap !!

Don't worry... for one foreigner that leaves, two will be coming. Many are even younger and richer than you. Some will even come to live near to your house. Accept life.

[Soutpeel]

The OP needs to caveat his post with "At Xxxxxx immigration office......et seq." because every immigration office is different.

Retirement Extensions Phuket

all in big letters at the top of the post, reproduced above to scale for your reading pleasure...

[Bignose]

As was previously posted there are not many countries who "make it easy" to live there, yes in many ways Thailand can be perceived as a third world country but they still have their requirements and laws.

In my honest opinion having to spend a morning, or even a day, at immigration to be allowed to stay in Thailand is a small price to pay, we are after all just guest's of this country and we have to conform.

I am not having a go at you personally but I hear many complaints about how it should be easier, please remember being a wealthy (by Thai standards) western guest does not in itself grant any privileges. The law is what it is and we have to provide what is required, while most offices are different in how they enforce what is required I don't believe any of them are too onerous or hard to deal with.

[Daniel Ingalls]

I agree 100%......I just hate with a passion farangs dressed like slobs asking for tourist extensions, sloppy clothes, unshaven, real dirt bags!

[gerry123]

seems like catch up with the yearly marriage extension that's easy no grief from my experience so far (x 5)

[Soutpeel]

I agree 100%......I just hate with a passion farangs dressed like slobs asking for tourist extensions, sloppy clothes, unshaven, real dirt bags!

and even ones ones in the fake Hawaiian/Songkran shirts as well...

[2fishin2]

Dont know why people complain? Got there about 0830 in morning, submitted my paperwork with zero problems, came back at 1430 after lunch and was out the door by 1500. Was easier and cheaper than paying an agency 30000 baht to do same thing. The only problem people experience at immigration are ones they cause themselves. Be prepared things go fine, unprepared and things wont. It aint rocket science.

[2fishin2]

I agree 100%......I just hate with a passion farangs dressed like slobs asking for tourist extensions, sloppy clothes, unshaven, real dirt bags!

Yes you are correct guys with facial hair are "real dirtbags." I dont know what sloppy clothes are so cant comment....

[Soutpeel]

As was previously posted there are not many countries who "make it easy" to live there, yes in many ways Thailand can be perceived as a third world country but they still have their requirements and laws.

In my honest opinion having to spend a morning, or even a day, at immigration to be allowed to stay in Thailand is a small price to pay, we are after all just guest's of this country and we have to conform.

I am not having a go at you personally but I hear many complaints about how it should be easier, please remember being a wealthy (by Thai standards) western guest does not in itself grant any privileges. The law is what it is and we have to provide what is required, while most offices are different in how they enforce what is required I don't believe any of them are too onerous or hard to deal with.

Having lived and worked in many countries under visa's/work permits etc, Thailand is one of the easier ones that much is certain

Strangely enough the easiest was communist China in the late 80's simply because there was no WP/visa system, your were made an "honorary Chinese citizen" after you had done a political interview with the "secret police" and they had tested you for aids

Hardest/most drawn out - the US from start to finish process took nearly 6 months before you were given the work visa, lawyers, newspaper adds and reams and reams of paper, not to the mention cost.

[DonaldBattles]

Could it be that most of the trashy tank top dressed farangs are Euroids or could some come from a small island English speaking nation. How did their parents teach them how to dress.

[dbrenn]

Try keeping that up, as you get older and lose your mobility and / or your mind. ...

I'd sooner retire somewhere else than to go through the crap that the poor retired folks have to go through.

[nzexpat]

The " changes" were reported here

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/801218-retirement-extension-renewal-phuket/#entry9083387 By myself in a more measured, less dramatic and more objective manner.

[gchurch259]

This is one Country, not several. There should be a standard for all offices, period. The next thing is there should be an option to get a one year and/or up to five year, why this every year hassle ?? It is about money so pay one time for however long you want or can afford.

Just did mine at Bangkok, only difference is now the make you sign three additional papers, mainly warning about over stay or failure to do 90 day dance. Needed (1) Notarized Letter from US Embassy about income, (2) Copy of Passport (3) Copy of entry card and stamp (4) Copy of original Visa (5) Copy of last extension and of course the forms.

[swissbie]

Had my last extension (based on non-imm.-o) done within 15 minutes, lucky no queue. Based on marriage, but my wife has double-citizienship and does also the extensions, so no time wasted on consideration. Get all required documents ready, that makes it easy. In case of changes, always do it early (up to 30 days in advance). Even if you have to arrange some new requirements and see them another day - try to have a nice conversation - it's still much better then in most of western countries.

[paz]

Had my last extension (based on non-imm.-o) done within 15 minutes, lucky no queue. Based on marriage, but my wife has double-citizienship and does also the extensions, so no time wasted on consideration. Get all required documents ready, that makes it easy. In case of changes, always do it early (up to 30 days in advance). Even if you have to arrange some new requirements and see them another day - try to have a nice conversation - it's still much better then in most of western countries.

Where you have done that? Maybe not in Phuket.

Not all offices are the same, some have long waiting, make it difficult with documentation for no good reason, and are not so friendly. Just because your experience has been good that doesn't mean is the same for the other hundreds of thousand foreigners.