Retirement Extension via monthly income at Bangkok - August 2015

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Completed my annual retirement extension renewal at BKK Chaengwattana Immigration the other day. Nothing especially new or different involved in the process. U.S. Consulate monthly income affidavit accepted without question.

Same documents as always:

Present actual/original passport/departure card

Completed double-sided, single sheet TM.7 with attached 4x6 cm color photo and your phone number handwritten on back side of the form below your signature.

Consulate monthly Income affidavit showing at least 65,000 baht monthly income, with affidavit dated not more than 6 months old

100% size photocopy of passport face-data page with your handwritten signature

100% size photocopy of original visa or extension transfer information from previous passport, with your handwritten signature

100% size photocopy of your current/expiring extension, with your handwritten signature

100% size photocopy of your arrival/departure card, with your handwritten signature. (My card always has a blank back side, so I've never been asked for anything other than the front size copy)

1,900 baht retirement extension fee

At the initial officer's desk, required to fill out three single-page forms only handed out by the officer, mostly involving your name, address, phone number, passport number and various other details repeated in various versions.

Photo taken by webcam.

The only difference I experience this year was after completing the initial documents check with the first Immigration officer, I was sent as usual to a much younger supervisor officer sitting alone at the rear of the same cubicle area. Normally in the past, IME, that second officer gave the final sign-off.

But for me this time, for reasons I don't know, the second supervisor spend a few minute checking over all the work of the first officer, initialed off on my various papers, and then instead of signing and authorizing the extension stamp, this supervisor then told me to wait outside and took my passport and all my documents to a 3rd officer/supervisor at an adjoining cubicle before returning to her own desk..

So, I cooled my heels in the waiting area for a another good 20 more minutes wondering if there was some problem or what was going on... Then finally after the time had passed, the original supervisor/2nd officer wandered back out of her own cubicle and back over to the adjoining cubicle of the 3rd officer/supervisor where they talked for another 5 minutes or so, before finally coming back out again to hand over my stamped passport. No idea what was going on with all that.

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Edited August 21, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[jacksam]

OP.....your experience sounds strange. Have they changed attitude towards income affidavit. You didn't mention you offered supporting info. However they did not ask to see same.

I'm going for my first 12 month extension based on retirement and your check list is helpful. Did you need to show proof of where you live.

[pmarlin]

It must be normal procedure now because the same thing happen to me back in March.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

OP.....your experience sounds strange. Have they changed attitude towards income affidavit. You didn't mention you offered supporting info. However they did not ask to see same.

I'm going for my first 12 month extension based on retirement and your check list is helpful. Did you need to show proof of where you live.

Re income, I always bring backup material for my income, if they ever ask for it. In many years here, I've never been asked. And I never show or produce anything I'm not specifically asked for.

Re proof of where you live, some Immigration offices will ask for something. And I gather most or all will when handling marriage extensions (such as photos of you and the wife showing the exterior of your home including the house number). But for retirement extensions, BKK has never asked me. However, as with income, I always bring a paper printout of a Google map showing my home location, just in case I'm ever asked.

BTW, credit due to Lopburi, since I adapted the list above using as a starting point his 2014 CW retirement extension trip report...

Edited August 22, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It must be normal procedure now because the same thing happen to me back in March.

Do you mean the part about three different officers now being involved in the retirement extension process? Or something else? In all my prior extension visits to CW, I only recall two officers being involved each time, the initial officer and then the younger supervisor in the rear area.

FWIW, earlier this week, I got my retirement extension and a re-entry permit. I started the process in Immigration right at 9 am (they open at 8:30 am) and completing both approvals took until about 11:30 a.m. And that was with nothing wrong, nothing needing to be redone or any other complications.

[pmarlin]

It must be normal procedure now because the same thing happen to me back in March.

Do you mean the part about three different officers now being involved in the retirement extension process? Or something else? In all my prior extension visits to CW, I only recall two officers being involved each time, the initial officer and then the younger supervisor in the rear area.

FWIW, earlier this week, I got my retirement extension and a re-entry permit. I started the process in Immigration right at 9 am (they open at 8:30 am) and completing both approvals took until about 11:30 a.m. And that was with nothing wrong, nothing needing to be redone or any other complications.

Yes about the three officers and like the OP I had to wait 15 to 20 minutes for the Third officer. also, noticed others had to wait the day I went.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thanks for the info on that... I had started sweating that day after they kept me waiting, wondering if they were going to come up with some half-a****ed new policy interpretation to hassle me about. But it didn't go that way. And now I'm glad to hear, I wasn't the only one kept sitting around while folks were chit-chatting or playing with their mobile phones...