Retirement visa in Bangkok

[Lumbini]

What is the difference between doing a retirement visa extension at immigrations in Jomtien and Bangkok ? When I did one in Jomtien you must come back next day for passport but the process is quick and efficient . Is it the same at the big Imigrations office in Bangkok . After moving I wonder how much different the process is or does one need more paperwork or anything ? Any advice would be helpful and what is best time to arrive ? Thanks

Edited March 21, 2016 by Lumbini

[metisdead]

Moved to the Visas forum.

[dddave]

If you mean a renewal of a retirement extension, it can be accomplished in a day.

I renewed mine last week; arriving at 1pm and departing about 4:30 but that was an especially slow day for some reason.

Edited March 21, 2016 by dddave

[timber]

Mine took an hour last year and an hour this year.

[Lumbini]

Many thanks for replies ( so I guess you can leave with passport and stamp same day unlike Jomtien ) . What is the earliest one could arrive when least amount of people or line ? So many times I have gone to this office and found it closed for some reason looking for a link with hours ?

Edited March 21, 2016 by Lumbini

[Lumbini]

Is there a way to make copies of things at this office or should one make copies before they go ?

[ubonjoe]

There are bank branches, a food court. copy and photo shops and etc at the ground floor of Chaeng Wattana immigration.

[bill1369]

For my annual retirement visa extension, I arrive Chaeng Wattana about 08.00. That usually puts me 20 or 30 back from the door. At 08.30 when door is opened i head to the check-in counter and get my queue slip and am usually something around 4th to 6th to be called. I am always finished in about an hour. But the key to that is have all paperwork completed and all required photocopies from your passport ready to be handed over, as well as your income or saving documentation.

It happens coincidentally that my 90-day reporting comes up at same time as my visa extension. If, on your initial contact with Immigration, you ask for queue slips for both extension and 90-day rpt, Immigration will tell you that you cannot have both. But, if you take the extension queue slip and go sit down in the designated area, you can watch the Immigration queue and when it dwindles down, take your 90-day form up to counter and get a slip for that report. It will usually be numbered in the lower 100s of the queue. Go back and wait again to be called for your extension and by the time that is finished and you have the new stamp go over to the 90-day report section and you should see there are not many in front of you in the queue.

If you want a single or multiple entry stamp, get that queue slip while you are waiting for 90-day rpt. However - note that for the reentry stamp you will need a copy on the extension stamp you just received so you will need to make a dash down to the copy services to copy.

By arriving early with all documentation prepared you should make it out of there in less than 2-hours.

[Lumbini]

Here over two hours and number is 130 and they are on 60

Hope my number comes up before they close . Miss the speed of Jomtien [emoji38]

[tonray]

There are bank branches, a food court. copy and photo shops and etc at the ground floor of Chaeng Wattana immigration.

Also a government pharmacy with the lowest prices in BKK in my experience. I always stock up on scrips when there.

[johnno2]

For my annual retirement visa extension, I arrive Chaeng Wattana about 08.00. That usually puts me 20 or 30 back from the door. At 08.30 when door is opened i head to the check-in counter and get my queue slip and am usually something around 4th to 6th to be called. I am always finished in about an hour. But the key to that is have all paperwork completed and all required photocopies from your passport ready to be handed over, as well as your income or saving documentation.

It happens coincidentally that my 90-day reporting comes up at same time as my visa extension. If, on your initial contact with Immigration, you ask for queue slips for both extension and 90-day rpt, Immigration will tell you that you cannot have both. But, if you take the extension queue slip and go sit down in the designated area, you can watch the Immigration queue and when it dwindles down, take your 90-day form up to counter and get a slip for that report. It will usually be numbered in the lower 100s of the queue. Go back and wait again to be called for your extension and by the time that is finished and you have the new stamp go over to the 90-day report section and you should see there are not many in front of you in the queue.

If you want a single or multiple entry stamp, get that queue slip while you are waiting for 90-day rpt. However - note that for the reentry stamp you will need a copy on the extension stamp you just received so you will need to make a dash down to the copy services to copy.

By arriving early with all documentation prepared you should make it out of there in less than 2-hours.

say what? if you are getting an extension of stay today, your next 90 days report is in 90 days from today i thought.

[johnno2]

i usually arrive at chaeng wattana at 10am and usually finish by 3pm. nice lunch, a couple of coffees and doughnuts and its a nice day out

[brewsterbudgen]

For my annual retirement visa extension, I arrive Chaeng Wattana about 08.00. That usually puts me 20 or 30 back from the door. At 08.30 when door is opened i head to the check-in counter and get my queue slip and am usually something around 4th to 6th to be called. I am always finished in about an hour. But the key to that is have all paperwork completed and all required photocopies from your passport ready to be handed over, as well as your income or saving documentation.

It happens coincidentally that my 90-day reporting comes up at same time as my visa extension. If, on your initial contact with Immigration, you ask for queue slips for both extension and 90-day rpt, Immigration will tell you that you cannot have both. But, if you take the extension queue slip and go sit down in the designated area, you can watch the Immigration queue and when it dwindles down, take your 90-day form up to counter and get a slip for that report. It will usually be numbered in the lower 100s of the queue. Go back and wait again to be called for your extension and by the time that is finished and you have the new stamp go over to the 90-day report section and you should see there are not many in front of you in the queue.

If you want a single or multiple entry stamp, get that queue slip while you are waiting for 90-day rpt. However - note that for the reentry stamp you will need a copy on the extension stamp you just received so you will need to make a dash down to the copy services to copy.

By arriving early with all documentation prepared you should make it out of there in less than 2-hours.

say what? if you are getting an extension of stay today, your next 90 days report is in 90 days from today i thought.

No. It's 90 days from your last report or from when you entered Thailand.

[NoshowJones]

You are doing the right thing by asking Mr OP.

Different IOs have different rules here in Thailand.

Hope you get what you want OK.

[almodeller]

Slightly off topic has anyone tried the online 90 day reporting recently All I got was internet address certificate not valid or managed to get through to Bangkok which does not apparently do online 90 day reporting for people in Korat? please help if you can thanks

[sunnyjim5]

Slightly off topic has anyone tried the online 90 day reporting recently All I got was internet address certificate not valid or managed to get through to Bangkok which does not apparently do online 90 day reporting for people in Korat? please help if you can thanks

Just click past the security message.

This has been debated many times and the site is safe.

There is not a site specific to Korat or anywhere else.

[bustit997]

I live in Jomtien and went to Bkk a few months ago to renew my retirement visa. I lived in Bkk and moved to Jomtien. They said i can only renew it at Jomtien immigration since that is now where I live. I did my 90 day reporting at Jomtien, so the address of course reflected that. So I now have to drive from Jomtien to Bkk to get my income statement notorized at the US Embassy then drive back to Pattaya immigrration for the visa. Big pain. Terrible system .

[sunnyjim5]

I live in Jomtien and went to Bkk a few months ago to renew my retirement visa. I lived in Bkk and moved to Jomtien. They said i can only renew it at Jomtien immigration since that is now where I live. I did my 90 day reporting at Jomtien, so the address of course reflected that. So I now have to drive from Jomtien to Bkk to get my income statement notorized at the US Embassy then drive back to Pattaya immigrration for the visa. Big pain. Terrible system .

You do not have a retirement "VISA" because visas cannot be renewed !

You get nothing "notorised" but you might swear an affidavit!

Sorry for the BIG PAIN but it was your choice to move to terrible Pattaya.

Edited March 22, 2016 by sunnyjim5

[bustit997]

Your an idiot. I did get a new retirement visa. I did get my income statement notorized at the American embassy and I think your an azz for commenting the way you did about my move to Pattaya.

[sunnyjim5]

Your an idiot. I did get a new retirement visa. I did get my income statement notorized at the American embassy and I think your an azz for commenting the way you did about my move to Pattaya.

OK

Post a scan of this "Visa", lets see what you have !

[Lumbini]

The posts that said to arrive early , get the number , have your papers totally together then just be prepared to wait and not be in a rush were accurate . I have been so use to getting in and out of these procedures quick but in Bangkok plan to be there awhile and get there early with everything you need . It may go quick but that place was so packed today and possibly there is no way to know what to expect . Thanks for all the feedback .

[lkv]

@sunnyjim5

Was that absolutely necessary?

You expect everybody posting here to be an Immigration guru? People are posting here because they want advice, not because they want to hear a patronizing explanation about the difference between a visa and an extension.

I will explain it in a nicer way for bustit997, which is what you should have done from the beginning.

@bustit997 What you have is an extension of stay, your original visa was the one issued at an Embassy or a Consulate outside of Thailand. Immigration Offices in Thailand do not issue visas, they only issue extensions of stay for the original visas. In your case, you got a 1 year extension.

Now that sounds better doesn't it, sunnyjim5?

Edited March 22, 2016 by lkv

[Estrada]

I live in Jomtien and went to Bkk a few months ago to renew my retirement visa. I lived in Bkk and moved to Jomtien. They said i can only renew it at Jomtien immigration since that is now where I live. I did my 90 day reporting at Jomtien, so the address of course reflected that. So I now have to drive from Jomtien to Bkk to get my income statement notorized at the US Embassy then drive back to Pattaya immigrration for the visa. Big pain. Terrible system .

You do not have a retirement "VISA" because visas cannot be renewed !

You get nothing "notorised" but you might swear an affidavit!

Sorry for the BIG PAIN but it was your choice to move to terrible Pattaya.

If he left the country and came back on a tourist 30 day permission to stay, he would be then be applying for a new retirement VISA in Country. Therefore, to him he regards it as a renewal.

You are completely wrong as regards swearing an Affidavit, an Affidavit should be notarized. You are confused with a sworn declaration which does not require notarization. Let us try to give factual and helpful information in this forum.

[Estrada]

@sunnyjim5

Was that absolutely necessary?

You expect everybody posting here to be an Immigration guru? People are posting here because they want advice, not because they want to hear a patronizing explanation about the difference between a visa and an extension.

I will explain it in a nicer way for bustit997, which is what you should have done from the beginning.

@bustit997 What you have is an extension of stay, your original visa was the one issued at an Embassy or a Consulate outside of Thailand. Immigration Offices in Thailand do not issue visas, they only issue extensions of stay for the original visas. In your case, you got a 1 year extension.

Now that sounds better doesn't it, sunnyjim5?

Wrong information, Thai immigration can issue one type of Visa in country. Retirement VISAs, type "Non - O" (stamped Non - O "For life(cheewit)" in Thai language are issued in Country by Thai immigration, as was mine. I came in on a tourist visa exempt entry on a 30 day permission to stay. I had B800,000 in a Thai Bank, Time deposit account and then went to Thai Immigration at Chaengwattana and applied for a retirement visa. They gave me a 90 day extension and told me to come back in 60 days, which I did. I got a statement from Bangkok Bank downstairs and gave this to the immigration officer. I then went to a senior officers desk and she issued me with the Non-O Visa based on Retirement. I then joined the queue at another desk where it was stamped "USED" and they gave me a 1 year extension back dated to my original application.

[ubonjoe]

I live in Jomtien and went to Bkk a few months ago to renew my retirement visa. I lived in Bkk and moved to Jomtien. They said i can only renew it at Jomtien immigration since that is now where I live. I did my 90 day reporting at Jomtien, so the address of course reflected that. So I now have to drive from Jomtien to Bkk to get my income statement notorized at the US Embassy then drive back to Pattaya immigrration for the visa. Big pain. Terrible system .

You do not have to go to Bangkok to get your income affidavit. The have several outreach visits to Pattaya during the year. See: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/consular_outreach.html

Immigration will accept an affidavit that is up to 6 months old so it should not be a problem getting it at one of the outreach visits.