Korat Immigration retirement extension. Said next year must bring wife!

[ICECOOL]

I did my first extension this year without assistance of those kind immigration officers. I downloaded a copy of the tm7 from the internet @

http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com/expats/docs/retirementvisachecklist.pdf

and then typed in as much as I could. I took that along and he just went through it and added a couple of things from my passport I missed

I took along a copy of the rental contract (through an agent in my GF name) and it was accepted

[JDGRUEN]

What's the big deal about bringing your wife with you? Retirement Visa's are for 1 year so surely bringing your wife with you one time can't be such a hassle

And if you not married ... then bring the landlord... ?

[JDGRUEN]

I took copies of everything including the kitchen sink, Cable TV Bill - paid, water bill paid, latest lease/rental contract, my last certificate of residence and a whole lot more - including photos of me 47 years ago up in deep Isaan - my U.S. Army Special Forces photos with Thai Mountain people, Thai kids, Thai soldiers and me... They talked about the photos for the majority of the time .,.. after going over all my papers they handed about 1/2 back ... but kept the photos

Edited March 13, 2015 by JDGRUEN

[Neeranam]

Once when applying for a new driver's licence they asked me where my wife was.Many of them think we are all illiterate In Thai.

[JackisBack]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form
One 4cm x 6cm photo
Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )
Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )
Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

[Anon999]

Luckily I have used Amnat Charoen for a few years now and they are excellent and I go on my own. Have also used Pattya, Mukdahan and Korat the last two proved problematical. No stupid questions or demanding or providing new documents. However, I always get my wife to call a mobile number and check for changes, to be on the safe side.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Anon999

[falkan]

If you been living here more than one year and still can't read/speak thai <deleted>? No wonder immigration get pissed!

Think how much easier and happy immigration would be if you could read/speak thai when you come for your yearly extension!

It's like VIP line as soon as they see you taking up their culture!

[MyFriend You]

What if you do not have a wife ? ! ? !

I guess you'd have to find someone else to act as intepreter.

I retain a lawyer, and if I only had to use her once a year to help me with a Retirement Visa as an Interpreter, so be it............but I don't have a retirement Visa - yet.

[jacko45k]

What's the big deal about bringing your wife with you? Retirement Visa's are for 1 year so surely bringing your wife with you one time can't be such a hassle

I doubt she would be amused by how I kill a few hours waiting time when they tell me to come back in the afternoon.

But if you are obtaining a regular retirement extension and proving 800k baht of deposit or income, why should you need to?

[Jessi]

I would like to hear from ubonjoe or another moderator about the problems we are facing at Korat Immigration.

I have had problems at this office also and it would be good if we can get some clarification on the actual rules & law.

[Ken]

Thanks for all of the informative responses. There were several that didn't offer much, like "learn to read Thai" didn't contribute a thing. My main reason for the OP was to ask what the document was about and to give a "heads up" to people who use Korat Immigration.

Who knows what will happen next year, or what they will want next year. But I don't plan to take the wife. If that same form is in the packet, now that I basically know what it is about, I will get someone to help me fill it out beforehand, sign it and have my wife sign it before I actually go to immigration.

[mxyzptlk]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

You will also need copies of the pages from your bank book with maybe show the bank book itself.

I don't have a yellow house book so I provide copies of my wifes tabbien bahn & ID card with originals for viewing as proof of residence

You may also need a map showing the location of your house. Sometimes they asked me for one, sometimes they didn't...

I always found Korat imigration to be friendly and never had a problem there....

Edited March 14, 2015 by mxyzptlk

[biggles45]

I must confess that I get a good laugh when I read these Retirement extension posts and the difficulties with Immigration. I have a LIFETIME Retirement extension in tne Philippines, no Immigration reporting every 90 days, no exit/re-entry permits, no rule changes to cope with. It is a visa for Life, you NEVER go to immigration at all. Why can't Thailand do this ??

[Ken]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

I use the income method. I don't know if Korat Immigration is still insistent on the bank letter being addressed in a certain way, but attached is the way they wanted addressed back in Nov 2014 for retirement extension.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Ken

[JackisBack]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

You will also need copies of the pages from your bank book with maybe show the bank book itself.

I don't have a yellow house book so I provide copies of my wifes tabbien bahn & ID card with originals for viewing as proof of residence

You may also need a map showing the location of your house. Sometimes they asked me for one, sometimes they didn't...

I always found Korat imigration to be friendly and never had a problem there....

Thanks for that , some thing I had not thought about

[JackisBack]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

I use the income method. I don't know if Korat Immigration is still insistent on the bank letter being addressed in a certain way, but attached is the way they wanted addressed back in Nov 2014 for retirement extension.

Sorry Double post

Edited March 14, 2015 by JackisBack

[JackisBack]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

I use the income method. I don't know if Korat Immigration is still insistent on the bank letter being addressed in a certain way, but attached is the way they wanted addressed back in Nov 2014 for retirement extension.

Thanks Ken , I will get the Wife to ring the immigration to confirm if / whats currently needed for the address , the other thought that springs to mind is this , over the past years I all ways kept reading on this forum, numerous glowing comments on how good the service received at the Korat Immigration office was , even when the immigration office moved location several times, the comments still came back , Korat immigration , no problems , great service . I wonder whats happened ?

[dick turpin]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

Jack

Just as a heads up I did a switch from marriage to retirement extension

the other day thinking this would roll-over from the end of my marriage

extension on March 31.

But no, because I was switching, the new retirement extension would start

on day of application March 11, and end same date 2016.The upshot being

that I effectively lost three weeks on my extension.....so perhaps don't apply

too early.

[KhunBENQ]

I use the income method. I don't know if Korat Immigration is still insistent on the bank letter being addressed in a certain way, but attached is the way they wanted addressed back in Nov 2014 for retirement extension.

All about bank letter addressing incl. your contribution:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/774940-korat-immigration-bank-letter-must-be-addressed-in-a-specific-way/#entry8644198

Edited March 14, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[Fullstop]

There is nothing on the form about being married. I think the officer really meant "bring someone who can translate".

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Can anybody read it well enough to tell me what the document is about?

Have you tried asking your wife?

Nope. Typically, she will say "cannot explain in English".

Out of luck there.

[KhunBENQ]

Unfortunately the attached scan in the opening post is quite blurry, hard to read.

Keeps me away from trying to write down the text (and then feed it to the dictionaries).

[mxyzptlk]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

Jack

Just as a heads up I did a switch from marriage to retirement extension

the other day thinking this would roll-over from the end of my marriage

extension on March 31.

But no, because I was switching, the new retirement extension would start

on day of application March 11, and end same date 2016.The upshot being

that I effectively lost three weeks on my extension.....so perhaps don't apply

too early.

Dick,

this has happened to me twice @ Kap Choeng. Once when I changed from marriage to retirement and my last extension when I changed back from retirement to marriage....It never happened to me @ Korat when I changed from retirement to marriage though...figure that one out

[Neeranam]

Unfortunately the attached scan in the opening post is quite blurry, hard to read.

Keeps me away from trying to write down the text (and then feed it to the dictionaries).

There is a new personal assistant service available that will translate this for you if your wife can't be bothered. There is a thread on General about it,

[JackisBack]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

Jack

Just as a heads up I did a switch from marriage to retirement extension

the other day thinking this would roll-over from the end of my marriage

extension on March 31.

But no, because I was switching, the new retirement extension would start

on day of application March 11, and end same date 2016.The upshot being

that I effectively lost three weeks on my extension.....so perhaps don't apply

too early.

Thanks Dick, yet another thing I never thought about , I was going to apply for my first ever retirement extension ( currently on a married to a Thai ) one week before the renewal date , and I was thinking that if there was a problem , it would leave me one week to sort things out .

[dick turpin]

I think I read some thing about when applying for a retirement visa extension at Korat immigration and the bank account letter confirming that the bank balance was 800,000 Baht , had to be properly address to some specific immigration officer / immigration address .

Can any one confirm this is still a requirement , and if so whats the required officer name / address

do you think that the flowing will suffice for a first time retirement visa extension at Korat Immigration ( last yearly extension was '' Married to a Thai " )

One completed TM7 form

One 4cm x 6cm photo

Bank confirmation letter showing 800,000 Baht ( one day old and addressed correctly )

Yellow House Book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam )

Thai Wife

Cheers Jack

Jack

Just as a heads up I did a switch from marriage to retirement extension

the other day thinking this would roll-over from the end of my marriage

extension on March 31.

But no, because I was switching, the new retirement extension would start

on day of application March 11, and end same date 2016.The upshot being

that I effectively lost three weeks on my extension.....so perhaps don't apply

too early.

Dick,

this has happened to me twice @ Kap Choeng. Once when I changed from marriage to retirement and my last extension when I changed back from retirement to marriage....It never happened to me @ Korat when I changed from retirement to marriage though...figure that one out

<removed>

By the way this happened to me at Lop Buri.

Edited March 14, 2015 by ubonjoe
inflammatory comment removed

[kannot]

What's the big deal about bringing your wife with you? Retirement Visa's are for 1 year so surely bringing your wife with you one time can't be such a hassle

Im in Pranburi my Wife is in BKK most of the time working....................do you see the hassle yet?

[JackisBack]

A few days ago I went to Korat immigration office to apply for my first retirement visa extension , previously I used the married to a Thai route.

On entering the front door I was asked by a male immigration officer sitting at a desk on the right hand side, what I had come for , I handed over my prepared paperwork and sat at the desk with my Thai wife

The paperwork I handed over to the immigration officer was

Completed form TM 7 , with a photo attached

My passport and signed photo copy's of every page

My Yellow house book ( Tor Lor Sip Sam ) and signed photo copy .

Thai Bank book + signed photo copys and a confirmation letter from the bank showing 800,000 Baht

My Thai wife's ID and signed photocopy

The male immigration officer went through the paperwork and then handed us three extra forms which we had to fill in .


Once all the paperwork was checked we were then told to go and sit on the seats facing the main counter and wait for my name to be called .

About twenty minuets later my name was called and then we both sat in front of a female immigration officer , she went through all the paperwork and did not ask any extra questions but did take my photograph with a computer web cam


On one of the extra forms that the male immigration officer asked us to fill in , I had to show any income from a pension etc.

The first male immigration offer who checked my paperwork was helpful and courteous .

The female immigration officer who issued the new retirement visa extension was helpful and had fairly jovial attitude.


My wife had telephoned the Korat immigration a few days before our visit to confirm what had to be shown on the banks confirmation letter regarding the immigration office title and address .

All in all a straight forward positive experience with no problems or un happy situations , turn around time just over an hour .

This is the immigration office address / details that the immigration officer told my wife to put on the bank confirmation letter

Theses are the 3 extra forms the male immigration offcer gave us to fill in ( first was a double sided form A+B )

And this sign out side the main door