Retirement extension 2016 - latest requirements

[Sooo Upto Me]

^^^ Nice guy!

Yes why bother to come on here if it pisses u off so much. :-)

[mgjackson69]

My retirement extension is due for renewal in June-I am going to Phuket Immigration late next month to do it as per last year.My question(s) are in regards to:

1/I have a new passport with one extension and a transfer of original visa in it-do I have to present copies of previous extensions and the original visa in my old passport?

2/Notification of my address as it is same as last year?

Thanks.

I would at least have the old passport along. It would not hurt to have photocopies of at least the old passport photo page and any pages with extension stamps.

I made a new passport about 5 years ago. The past two times i have done the Extension of Stay, Immigration wanted copies of every extension that I have done (8 so far) as well as the original Non-O visa (the original visa and 3 extensions of stay are in the old passport).

Why that old information is so interesting I have no idea...every year's extension should be in my "file" anyway. But, governments run in paper, and the Immigration Officer is never happy unless they can send you for a photocopy of <something>.

Every extension of stay seems like one is doing it for the first time.

[johnatong]

My retirement extension is due for renewal in June-I am going to Phuket Immigration late next month to do it as per last year.My question(s) are in regards to:

1/I have a new passport with one extension and a transfer of original visa in it-do I have to present copies of previous extensions and the original visa in my old passport?

2/Notification of my address as it is same as last year?

Thanks.

1. You just need copies of the current passport IF you have had the information transferred from the old passport.

2. If you have a receipt stapled in the passport which relates to you previously reporting your address nothing more needs doing unless you have moved.

[mgjackson69]

My retirement extension is due for renewal in June-I am going to Phuket Immigration late next month to do it as per last year.My question(s) are in regards to:

1/I have a new passport with one extension and a transfer of original visa in it-do I have to present copies of previous extensions and the original visa in my old passport?

2/Notification of my address as it is same as last year?

Thanks.

1. You just need copies of the current passport IF you have had the information transferred from the old passport.

2. If you have a receipt stapled in the passport which relates to you previously reporting your address nothing more needs doing unless you have moved.

See Post #34....I did not make that up.

Now, it may be that since I had the old passport along and the officer saw it, perhaps that is why they asked...and perhaps if they were not aware of the old passport it would not have been asked for. Perhaps next time I will keep the old passport out of sight and see if the subject comes up.

Do as you like...but having the old passport along might save you a trip.

[theoldgit]

Flame removed.

[Somtamnication]

Also, next Thursday is Coronation Day, so expect closures.

[Somtamnication]

^^^ Nice guy!

Yes why bother to come on here if it pisses u off so much. :-)

I know. How strange to keep information that is valuable to everyone here so close to his chest. He ain't that special.

We all know that immigration rules change by the position of the moon and tide, so saying how it went in that hell hole is better than nothing.

[smotherb]

If by proof of address you mean the form filled in by your landlord and stapled into your passport then I was of the belief that it does not need to be done every year, but I haven't renewed mine yet so could well be wrong.

Two answers both conflicting. Typical.

Someone out there must have renewed so can provide a definitive answer to this one.

I am on my tenth retirement extension.I have never given more than my say so in their forms as to where I live.This last time--March 2106--they asked for a lease, so I gave them the ten year old one--in Thai, of course. Everything was fine.

[Suradit69]

"Another member posted useful information, a while back, about being refused an early application although he was working offshore." - I'm under 50 years of age, so have not researched the ever changing retirement visa regulations, but I was under the belief you could not receive a retirement visa if you are still working, either in Thailand, or abroad.

In my experience Immigration won't consider processing an annual expension more than 30 days before the expiry date. Even within the 30 day window they are reluctant (read lazy) to deal with the application.

A retirement visa and subsequent extensions only preclude work in Thailand. Thai Immigration don't care about work outside Thailand. The criteria is at least 50 and woth the financial resources.

" Even within the 30 day window they are reluctant (read lazy) to deal with the application."

I've been doing annual extension renewal 30 to 45 days early for many years (read no one appeared lazy or reluctant). Maybe in some cases they sense an attitude.

"It's now the 28th of April and my permit is due on 8th May. Hardly last minute, I have plenty of time to get my permit processed."

"I get the feeling this post was an attempt to elicit confrontation just to prove your point?"

I'm not sure what "permit" you're talking about, but it's reasonable for someone to suggest that you apply for the annual extension at least a few weeks before your current extension expires. The new extension is added on to your current extension so there is no loss of days caused by doing it early.

Also, because of holiday issues or possibly some unanticipated requirement that you would have to deal with, it makes sense to allow enough time to avoid running up against an expiration date.

[worgeordie]

I did my retirement extension on this week. I used the money in bank method.

Arrived at 8.15 and was the first in the queue.

I provided the following documents.

Completed TM7

Passport

Bank book

Letter from Bank confirming balance and statement

Photo

Copies of

Passport ID page

Passport all previous retirement extensions

Passport all previous Visas

Passport departure card

Passport notification of residence (paper stamped into passport). This was from last year.

Bank book ID page

Bank book page showing balance

My signature was required on all copies.

Fee baht 1,900

I also had copies of Thai debit card but this wasn't required. I also had copies of lease etc to prove my residence but these were not required.

Very quick was finished in 20mins. You have to pick up your passport the next day after 1pm.

I also did my extension last week up here in Chiang Mai, arrived at 3.30 in the morning,yes 3.30,

and was 3 rd in the queue ,all the places for that day were taken by 6.00,you are so lucky in Phuket.

good job its only once a year.

regards worgeordie

[KarenBravo]

The new extension is added on to your current extension so there is no loss of days caused by doing it early.

Well, that's something I didn't know. Will get my second extension earlier than I'd originally planned.

[skatewash]

Well, I just did my retirement extension at Phuket this week and I've prepared a detailed report.

You can PM me for it.

Just kidding, I think I'm down with how this whole forum thing works.

I know I've been helped tremendously by the information posted on this forum in the past and expect it to continue in the future.

Here goes. I like sonos99's format so I'm going to steal that:

I did my retirement extension this week. I used the money in bank method.

Arrived at 10 am and there was no queue to see the volunteers in Room 101 (ground floor level, same room as last year). Disappointed I didn't

get Roslyn since she's usually a hoot, but my volunteer did an efficient job and said that this year the retirement extensions are being done in Room

103 (also ground floor). He did not give me a queue number, so in theory, I guess one could skip the volunteers in Room 101 and proceed directly

to Room 103 (unless they weren't using queue numbers today because it was a slow day at the immigration office). I actually like having the

volunteers review my paperwork because one tends to get easier to understand explanations of what's missing from them than the officers

themselves so as long as there's not a huge line I'm perfectly happy to wait for them to do so. I think it's a value added service they provide.

Went to Room 103, there was no waiting, was seen right away. There were four officers in the room, I was the only applicant. One I recognized as

someone who has worked on retirement extensions before and the other two manning the front desks I didn't recognize. I didn't recognize the

other gentleman in the back either who I guess was a supervisor or manager perhaps. The one I recognized helped me with my application.

I provided the following documents.

Completed TM7 printed 2-sided on a single page

Passport

Bank book (I had two this year, same account just two passbooks)

Letter from Bank confirming balance and statement

Photo (stapled to the TM7)

Copies of

Passport ID page

Passport of my previous retirement extension (not all, just the last one)

Passport all previous Visas (only have 1 visa)

Passport departure card

Passport notification of residence (paper stamped into passport). This was from last year and by itself completely satisfied the proof of address

requirement.

Bank book ID page (didn't provide this initially but he wanted it so had to go make copies)

Bank book page showing balance (didn't provide this initially but he wanted it so had to go make copies)

So, has you can see I did have to go make copies of my bank books even though I provided a stamped account statement from my bank in

addition to the customary bank letter. One day maybe we will have to withdraw all the money from the account and take it to immigration and

count it in front of the officer. Just kidding, I hope.

As someone said earlier, the immigration officers just don't seem to feel that they're doing their jobs properly unless they send you to make copies

of something. Maybe he wanted me to do it because I had two passbooks but really the bank account statement contained exactly the

same information that I photocopied and it was stamped by the bank itself. Oh well, easy enough to do so no complaints.

My immigration officer was very quick and I was really happy to see him stamp my new extension into the passport. It had only been about 10

minutes and that includes the time I had spent getting copies of my passbook made. Things were super efficient at immigration! It was,

dare I say it, an almost pleasant experience! He told me to wait to have my photo taken (in the same room). My photo was taken shortly

thereafter and I then given the bad news. I would have to return the next day and pick up my passport at 1 pm. My passport has never had to stay

overnight at immigration so I was a bit disappointed that I would have to return the next day. At first, I thought that it was because the

person who needs to sign the extension was out of the office, but I get the impression (bolstered by someone else's experience reported in this

thread) that it's standard procedure now. That's unfortunate, I really liked getting everything done in one day before (albeit a long day perhaps).

My signature was required on all copies. (I'd been lax about doing this in previous years, but they seem to want it done now. Again, easy enough

to do so no complaints.)

Fee baht 1,900 (for which I received a receipt to be used to pick up the passport the next day)

Elapsed time was about 20 minutes (very quick!).

Comments about things that seem new to me:

1) I might have been lucky going in the middle of the week in the off-season but it was not crowded at all. Didn't have to wait in line to see the

volunteers, didn't have to queue for the immigration officer. It was kind of nice. I like the new office (Room 103) for long-term extensions.

2) Not thrilled that it's now a 2-day operation. Apply the first day, get your passport back the second. But, actual time spent at immigration office

waiting was cut drastically. So maybe it's a tradeoff. Or maybe it was just a really slow day and I got lucky.

3) Arrived before 1 pm the next day to pick up my passport and was waiting outside in the shade for the office to open. One of the officers

returned early from lunch and invited me to wait inside the air conditioned office. Once inside I was given my passport back within about 2 minutes. Nice!

I'm not used to this kind of service. But I could get used to it The level of service at Phuket immigration office was so nice this year it makes me wonder where I'd been getting my extensions at all those previous years. If the good feeling was entirely due to it not being crowded I will have to pick when to visit as carefully next year, too.

4) Copied my new extension and queued for the volunteer to check my re-entry permit paperwork. Turns out that when asked for my previous

visa, I had entered my original visa (only one I have ever had). She said that was incorrect, what they really wanted was the current extension

which was issued at Phuket the previous day. I admitted that made sense but I was thrown by them asking for a visa, when what I had really

received was an extension of stay. Anyway, she corrected my form (issued at) and (date) fields to reflect my having received a new

extension of stay from Phuket the previous day. Turns out she was right, I was wrong since the immigration officer subsequently accepted my

application with her correction. So here's an example of a volunteer providing a really useful service. My hats off to them.

5) Queue number was called after about 10 minutes. Immigration officer accepted my re-entry application and fee. About 10 minutes later my passport

was returned to me. Total elapsed time to pick up my passport and get my re-entry permit the second day about 20 minutes. Overall, retirement

extension and re-entry permit about 40 minutes (albeit over 2 days).

6) I was directed to sign one additional document during the retirement extension stage having to do with receiving notice of the new overstay

requirements and not being allowed to work on a retirement extension. I was NOT asked to fill out the intrusive 3-page questionnaire that some

have reported being asked to fill out at the one-stop shop in Bangkok. Thank goodness!

7) It seems to be the case that if you establish your residence (TM 30) at a previous extension and have not changed anything that you can use

your receipt from that report that has been stapled into your passport to satisfy the residence requirement for subsequent extensions. I had a trip

outside Thailand about a month before my extension was due to be renewed and in an abundance of caution actually filed a TM-30 at the

immigration office within 48 hours of returning to Thailand. He asked me whether the address had changed and I said no I was just reporting it

again because I had re-entered the country. The immigration officer seemed a little surprised I was doing that but he humored me and gave

me a new receipt of notification for my passport. Although he didn't say it I got the distinct impression that what I was doing (reporting my address

after returning from outside Thailand when nothing had changed about the address) was completely unnecessary. Cool, won't do that again, just

didn't want any glitches in my retirement extension.

8) One unexpected thing was that I received a new 90-day report notification stapled in my passport. I don't remember that happening

before, it may have, I just don't remember it. Nothing was said about it, I just noticed a new form had been stapled into my passport. I was going to need to

do an online 90 report in a month or so, but now I've got 90 days to do that.

9) One last thing, for those going to the Phuket Immigration Office from the southwest area of Phuket (e.g., Karon, Rawai) you can now use Sakdidet Soi 7,

which has finally been completed, to directly connect from Chao Fa (West/East) roads to Phuket Road where the immigration office is located. Nice new road, saves time. Sorry if this is old news, but it was new to me.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=6852384

[Pakaty]

@ Skatewash, thanks for that very detailed report.

My photo was taken shortly thereafter and I then given the bad news. I would have to return the next day and pick up my passport at 1 pm. My passport has never had to stay

overnight at immigration so I was a bit disappointed that I would have to return the next day.

I have to do mine mid-May. I'm thinking I might get a prepaid EMS envelope from the post office and ask if they can drop my passport in the mail. If they can mail 90 day reports maybe they can mail a passport as well. If they say no it's no big loss and if they say yes I will have saved an extra trip to town. I'll post here if they are willing to do it. Then again if someone is going sooner and wants to try I may not have to waste 100 Baht at the post office.

Last year when I did it they told me come back after lunch on the same day and the extension was still done upstairs, but I have seen people reporting lately that it is the next day now to pickup.

Seems every time I go there is a change in procedure. It's nice we have this forum to keep up with the changes.

[Old Croc]

"It's now the 28th of April and my permit is due on 8th May. Hardly last minute, I have plenty of time to get my permit processed."

"I get the feeling this post was an attempt to elicit confrontation just to prove your point?"

I'm not sure what "permit" you're talking about, but it's reasonable for someone to suggest that you apply for the annual extension at least a few weeks before your current extension expires. The new extension is added on to your current extension so there is no loss of days caused by doing it early.

Also, because of holiday issues or possibly some unanticipated requirement that you would have to deal with, it makes sense to allow enough time to avoid running up against an expiration date.

Extensions of stay are normally processed by Immigration Phuket in one day. I have plenty of time to apply, I am not leaving it to the last minute. I just queried when the public holidays fall next week to assist me to organise visits to my bank and then Immigration.

Because of my query, another poster found it necessary to flame me, not make a reasonable suggestion, he called me unorganised, lazy, crazy and more in another deleted post.

I'm not sure why you feel the need to also lecture me about when I apply. If you wish to apply 4, 6 or 10 weeks before the due date that is your prerogative. I don't make judgements on your choices in this matter.

A permit is a stamp in your passport containing the date of arrival, or extension, plus the date of allowable stay and sometimes conditions of stay. Many wrongly refer to it as a visa.

[Badrabbit]

"It's now the 28th of April and my permit is due on 8th May. Hardly last minute, I have plenty of time to get my permit processed."

"I get the feeling this post was an attempt to elicit confrontation just to prove your point?"

I'm not sure what "permit" you're talking about, but it's reasonable for someone to suggest that you apply for the annual extension at least a few weeks before your current extension expires. The new extension is added on to your current extension so there is no loss of days caused by doing it early.

Also, because of holiday issues or possibly some unanticipated requirement that you would have to deal with, it makes sense to allow enough time to avoid running up against an expiration date.

Extensions of stay are normally processed by Immigration Phuket in one day. I have plenty of time to apply, I am not leaving it to the last minute. I just queried when the public holidays fall next week to assist me to organise visits to my bank and then Immigration.

Because of my query, another poster found it necessary to flame me, not make a reasonable suggestion, he called me unorganised, lazy, crazy and more in another deleted post.

I'm not sure why you feel the need to also lecture me about when I apply. If you wish to apply 4, 6 or 10 weeks before the due date that is your prerogative. I don't make judgements on your choices in this matter.

A permit is a stamp in your passport containing the date of arrival, or extension, plus the date of allowable stay and sometimes conditions of stay. Many wrongly refer to it as a visa.

My quote about being unorganized possibly lazy was a generalization and not aimed at anyone in particular(if you think the word "people" is you that's your problem not mine, your comment about me posting in order to cause confrontation was definitely "crazy" please tell me what this "and more in another deleted post is" fed up with these forums where 99% of threads turn into insults and rudeness, are you a child or are you an adult? My posts have been deleted yet yours which could cause an argument stay, beggars belief!!

Can't say I blame posters for not wanting to post within the open forum, I got all the information I needed by pm from a nice decent guy who now like me will avoid these forums!

Edited April 28, 2016 by Badrabbit

[phuketrichard]

My retirement extension is due for renewal in June-I am going to Phuket Immigration late next month to do it as per last year.My question(s) are in regards to:

1/I have a new passport with one extension and a transfer of original visa in it-do I have to present copies of previous extensions and the original visa in my old passport?

2/Notification of my address as it is same as last year?

Thanks.

new passport, only need show extensions in that passport.

I have had 3 passports since i started getting extensions

Hopefully notification is good but i am taking the docs from my landlord in june , just in case :-)

[skatewash]

Hopefully notification is good but i am taking the docs from my landlord in june , just in case :-)

Good idea, Phuket Immigration is definitely a belt and suspenders type place ;-)

[baggies666]

great experience today, nipped in to ask about Monday if open he asked to see my passport, my extension is June 1st so Monday was the day I was planning to go in, asked if I had all my paperwork I said yes he said I can do it now, its only a couple of days early but he could of told me to come back next week.

[sandyf]

The new extension is added on to your current extension so there is no loss of days caused by doing it early.

Well, that's something I didn't know. Will get my second extension earlier than I'd originally planned.

That may depend on the immigration office. My extension started the day it was done, 9 days before the previous extension expired.

[LivinginKata]

The new extension is added on to your current extension so there is no loss of days caused by doing it early.

Well, that's something I didn't know. Will get my second extension earlier than I'd originally planned.

That may depend on the immigration office. My extension started the day it was done, 9 days before the previous extension expired.

Incorrect - all extensions are dated from the day the current visa or extension expires. No days are ever lost ... period

[mgjackson69]

great experience today, nipped in to ask about Monday if open he asked to see my passport, my extension is June 1st so Monday was the day I was planning to go in, asked if I had all my paperwork I said yes he said I can do it now, its only a couple of days early but he could of told me to come back next week.

Once in a while a person gets lucky, where common sense overrides officiousness.

[Old Croc]

great experience today, nipped in to ask about Monday if open he asked to see my passport, my extension is June 1st so Monday was the day I was planning to go in, asked if I had all my paperwork I said yes he said I can do it now, its only a couple of days early but he could of told me to come back next week.

Are they open on Monday?

Interesting they said you were early at just over four weeks, considering a couple of members have stated on this thread they've been getting their extensions six weeks ahead of time for years!

[mgjackson69]

great experience today, nipped in to ask about Monday if open he asked to see my passport, my extension is June 1st so Monday was the day I was planning to go in, asked if I had all my paperwork I said yes he said I can do it now, its only a couple of days early but he could of told me to come back next week.

Are they open on Monday?

Interesting they said you were early at just over four weeks, considering a couple of members have stated on this thread they've been getting their extensions six weeks ahead of time for years!

I read baggies666 post to mean, the Immigration officer said "Yes I can do it now", I think the "couple of days early" was the poster's comment, not the Immigration officer's

[baggies666]

great experience today, nipped in to ask about Monday if open he asked to see my passport, my extension is June 1st so Monday was the day I was planning to go in, asked if I had all my paperwork I said yes he said I can do it now, its only a couple of days early but he could of told me to come back next week.

Are they open on Monday?

Interesting they said you were early at just over four weeks, considering a couple of members have stated on this thread they've been getting their extensions six weeks ahead of time for years!

I read baggies666 post to mean, the Immigration officer said "Yes I can do it now", I think the "couple of days early" was the poster's comment, not the Immigration officer's

Yes that was my comment I have always done it a month early not had the experience of getting it 6 weeks before maybe try my luck next year, he told me open monday, I asked twice as he told me come back after 1pm Monday to collect my passport

Edited April 29, 2016 by baggies666

[Psimbo]

^^^ Nice guy!

Yes why bother to come on here if it pisses u off so much. :-)

I know. How strange to keep information that is valuable to everyone here so close to his chest. He ain't that special.

We all know that immigration rules change by the position of the moon and tide, so saying how it went in that hell hole is better than nothing.

Thanks for the character assessment- sort of sums up why I can't be bothered to pander to the likes of yourself.The people who DID contact me seem perfectly happy with the information provided but I guess that doesn't suit your agenda. (Sits back and waits for the 'gee ,he only has x amount of posts comments'. )

[Guest]

As stated, my permit is due for renewal in just over a week, Sunday 8 may.

I believe that Thursday the 5th and Friday the 6th are public holidays and Immigration will be closed.

Can anyone confirm?

Also, Monday 2nd may is Labour day and is also a possible holiday.

Will banks and Immigration be open on Monday?

Monday, May 2nd is a national public holiday (substitute for Labor Day, which falls on Sunday this year). Banks and Immigration are closed on national public holidays. It looks like your only opportunity next week will be Tuesday and Wednesday.

I do not know about the other offices but Khon Kaen immigration is open Monday 2nd

[DrDave]

As stated, my permit is due for renewal in just over a week, Sunday 8 may.

I believe that Thursday the 5th and Friday the 6th are public holidays and Immigration will be closed.

Can anyone confirm?

Also, Monday 2nd may is Labour day and is also a possible holiday.

Will banks and Immigration be open on Monday?

Monday, May 2nd is a national public holiday (substitute for Labor Day, which falls on Sunday this year). Banks and Immigration are closed on national public holidays. It looks like your only opportunity next week will be Tuesday and Wednesday.

I do not know about the other offices but Khon Kaen immigration is open Monday 2nd

I was incorrect in my assumption that Phuket immigration would be closed on Labor Day.

My confusion was a result of seeing "Closed on Official Holidays" on Immigration's website. AFAIK, Labor Day is an official national holiday (just like Coronation Day - May 5 and 6), but the link to holidays provided on Immigration's website does not include Labor Day in their list of holidays. (Note that the heading on the list of holidays says 2014, not 2016, but given that the days of the week are correct for 2016, it appears they just forgot to update the year).

Banks are most definitely closed, as earlier this week I tried to setup an automated transfer to occur on Monday, and the system would not allow Monday May 2nd as a valid transfer date (Friday Apr 29 was OK, but not Saturday Apr 30, Sunday May 1 or Monday May 2).

Sorry for the confusion!

[Somtamnication]

^^^ Nice guy!

Yes why bother to come on here if it pisses u off so much. :-)

I know. How strange to keep information that is valuable to everyone here so close to his chest. He ain't that special.

We all know that immigration rules change by the position of the moon and tide, so saying how it went in that hell hole is better than nothing.

Thanks for the character assessment- sort of sums up why I can't be bothered to pander to the likes of yourself.The people who DID contact me seem perfectly happy with the information provided but I guess that doesn't suit your agenda. (Sits back and waits for the 'gee ,he only has x amount of posts comments'. )

You only have 16 posts. Grow up, mate. Forums are to help people, not play poker.

[sandyf]

The new extension is added on to your current extension so there is no loss of days caused by doing it early.

Well, that's something I didn't know. Will get my second extension earlier than I'd originally planned.

That may depend on the immigration office. My extension started the day it was done, 9 days before the previous extension expired.

Incorrect - all extensions are dated from the day the current visa or extension expires. No days are ever lost ... period

Of course, my passport must be lying.

Edited April 30, 2016 by sandyf

[Eclipse]

That must have been a mistake as extensions are always added to the expiry date of your current permision to stay.

You should have pointed out the mistake to them and they would have changed it.