Three extensions and out; update retirement at Udon Thani

[casmeri]

Last year my application for a one-year extension of stay based on an OA visa was denied and I was told I had to go to Laos for a ninety-day non O which immigration said they would extend for one year after sixty days. I was confused as to why my O-A extension was denied as it appears many expats receive annual extensions indefinitely.

Yesterday I went to apply for a one-year extension of stay based on the non-O I received in Laos last year. I received a thirty day under consideration stamp and my passport was hand marked with a small 2 indicating this was the second year I was given an extension. It was explained that only three extensions were allowed and then I would have to go out of Thailand to obtain another visa. I appreciate the clarification as now I can plan for a trip which is difficult for me as last year was a surprise with only a few days notice.

I share this as the prevailing wisdom believes annual extensions are granted indefinitely but at the Udon Thani immigration office indefinitely is only three years.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Jomtien/Pattaya extensions are indefinite, if you meet the requirements.

[ubonjoe]

There is no rule that says you can only do 3 extensions of an entry from a visa. I don't recall anybody else reporting this being done.

I personally have done 8 of them without even leaving the country.

[Jingthing]

Strange story.

Never heard of a limit on number of retirement extensions, unless the applicant made a mistake.

[IMA_FARANG]

Strange story.

Never heard of a limit on number of retirement extensions, unless the applicant made a mistake.

----------------------------

As far as I know a non O visa can be renewed many rimes as long as you can meet the requirement as long as you met the financial requirement for each annual extension,

Note I am talking about a Non O visa.....even if that means in your third year you have to go outside of Thailand to get another 90 day Non immigrant O visa....not the O-A retirement visa.

We shall see what happens anyhow i guess....as nothing is certain forever....and everything changes.

Permanent certaincy is an illusion generated by the human mind, as any good Buddhist will try to tell you.

Edited June 2, 2016 by IMA_FARANG

[casmeri]

I would very much like to have made a mistake which I could then correct. I have mobility issues and other challenges which make leaving Thailand difficult and expensive. I am very detail-oriented in meeting the requirements and was receiving annual extensions without problems until last year. As said things change and can change back.

[Eclipse]

Absolute rubbish.

There is no limit.

[Evilbaz]

Go higher up the food chain and lodge a polite complaint.

Their ruling is not based on fact.

[Pib]

I've done 7 retirement extension of stays here in Bangkok based on my original OA visa...number eight coming up in a few months....never a problem.

Something just don't sound right about the OP's story....some details are possibly missing. Like on his first extension try, maybe the extension was denied because the OA visa had already expired and that detail was left out. And I'm not sure the OP has an OA verus just a O visa requiring border runs every 90 days.

[billphillips]

I recently extended my "O" for the seventh time, at Udonthani immigration. It would appear that you have been singled out for some special procedures! The 30 day under consideration stamp is actually for an extension based on marriage. A retirement extension is either granted or it is refused, although the stamp is commonly used in Udonthani, it actually implies that the extension has been granted.

[Jingthing]

It is true extension applications can be refused but it's fair to say there's "always" a reason, whether the applicant is told, or not.

Obvious things like applying after the permission to stay had ended, not meeting the financial requirements, not meeting any other requirement (which can vary by office and can change).

I assume they have the power to refuse for other reasons, such as criminal behavior in Thailand, etc., they don't like your face, etc. but the OP isn't talking about that.

He has introduced the issue of LIMITS on number of extensions based on retirement, assuming no other reason to reject a specific application.

I've been reading this forum for over 10 years and really that is the FIRST time I've ever heard of that.

Which is why, unless and until, there is more evidence presented, the rational response to this report is to be EXTREMELY SKEPTICAL that there are really any such limits in ANY office.

Of course that can change based on future reports.

Cheers.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Jingthing

[casmeri]

My O-A was routinely extended for years until it wasn't last year. My current non-O is being extended and is red-stamped RETIREMENT.

[Jingthing]

My O-A was routinely extended for years until it wasn't last year. My current non-O is being extended and is red-stamped RETIREMENT.

Yes, it is STANDARD in Thailand for extensions based on retirement to be stamped as you say.

I don't see how that is relevant to your assertion that there a policy of LIMITS on retirement extensions.

I suspect there is a communication issue ... that you don't fully understand what happened to you (and why) at the office.

That there are LIMITS on extensions for retirement for everyone at your office is still very hard to accept as credible info.

I will be happy to apologize if there is any more official announcement of such a change in policy, either at your office or other offices.

I don't mean to come off as rude.

I am concerned about threads like this ... a lot of people on retirement extensions are older people. They don't need the stress of worrying about major changes in policy if they are just RUMORS, as so often they are. But not always.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Jingthing

[johnatong]

My O-A was routinely extended for years until it wasn't last year. My current non-O is being extended and is red-stamped RETIREMENT.

Can you scan and post an image of this Extended " O" ?

Visas are never extended.

A stamped "Retirement" is only an indication of why an extension(which is not a visa) was granted

Further there is no limit on the number of extensions of stay. As long as the requirements are met an extension will be issued.

.

[casmeri]

I am not looking for an apology; I am only relating my experience. For my sake and for others I hope this is absolute rubbish. There is always the possibility of a communication issue which I have been trying to clarify for a year. I had no confidence that they would grant an extension this time so I applied a week early. The IO was clear when explaining the note in my passport and stating the 3 extension limit.

So here's hoping this is only me and no one else will experience this surprise.

[Jingthing]

OK.

I'm really sorry to hear that happened to you.

I don't think any of us understand WHY it did though.

Perhaps there is important information we don't know that you haven't shared or you don't know that it would be relevant to getting an explanation.

Why did you lack confidence of getting an extension?

I've been getting extensions for many years and when I properly prepare my application, I go in very confident of getting approval.

There is always the chance of a rejection, but again, we haven't heard a valid REASON for rejection being there are LIMITS on numbers of extensions.

There are no such limits ... under current laws, extensions can be for life, as long as the applications meet the requirements.

I should also add, in future, you should consider going in ONE MONTH early (which is fully allowed) so that if there are any fixable problems in the applications, there is time to address them. There is no penalty for doing that ... the new extension starts from the end of the current extension's expiration.

Best wishes for resolving this situation.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Jingthing

[elviajero]

I am not looking for an apology; I am only relating my experience. For my sake and for others I hope this is absolute rubbish. There is always the possibility of a communication issue which I have been trying to clarify for a year. I had no confidence that they would grant an extension this time so I applied a week early. The IO was clear when explaining the note in my passport and stating the 3 extension limit.

So here's hoping this is only me and no one else will experience this surprise.

"I had no confidence that they would grant an extension this time so I applied a week early."

• If you are leaving your applications to the last minute it is possible that last year you were too late. You can apply within the last 30 days (45 at some offices) so it is aways better to apply as early as possible. The new extension will start from the end of the current extension regardless of how early you apply.

[MrMuddle]

I completed my retirement extension at Phitsanulok recently, and noticed the Immigration officer noted down how many extensions I have had, which was 9, without leaving the country. No idea why they have suddenly started counting them, they've never down it before, to my knowledge.

[Jingthing]

I completed my retirement extension at Phitsanulok recently, and noticed the Immigration officer noted down how many extensions I have had, which was 9, without leaving the country. No idea why they have suddenly started counting them, they've never down it before, to my knowledge.

Interesting. If it's a newer passport I suppose they could look it up in their system. Don't see the point of writing it.

[bluesofa]

I'm on year 3 at the moment in Udon, athough last week I saw someone's passport with a Non 'O' and 14 years worth of extensions of stay from Udon.

There must be someone trying it on with you for whatever reason.

edit: Just looked at the photocopy I have and it's 16 years, not 14.

Edited June 3, 2016 by bluesofa

[bluesofa]

I completed my retirement extension at Phitsanulok recently, and noticed the Immigration officer noted down how many extensions I have had, which was 9, without leaving the country. No idea why they have suddenly started counting them, they've never down it before, to my knowledge.

Interesting. If it's a newer passport I suppose they could look it up in their system. Don't see the point of writing it.

It seems standard to list the extension year number you're on when granting a one year extension.

All mine have them. In fact one year I mentioned to the IO that the previous IO had written year 2 on the year 1 extension. The IO at that time changed the 2 to a 1, then correctly stamped year 2 on that current extension.

That's how I know about the long extension of stay I mentioned earlier - it has year 16 (in Thai) stamped on it.

[puchooay]

I recently extended my "O" for the seventh time, at Udonthani immigration. It would appear that you have been singled out for some special procedures! The 30 day under consideration stamp is actually for an extension based on marriage. A retirement extension is either granted or it is refused, although the stamp is commonly used in Udonthani, it actually implies that the extension has been granted.

Some immigration offices are now giving 30 day stamps for retirement. That now make house visits too.

[sgtsabai]

I'm in Udon, never heard of this before. I go back #17 for stamp extension of OA based on retirement stamp, under that 30 day thing. I've been here since 2010 full time so this will be my 6th. I've never had any of my friends, some of them renewing extension of stay recently mention anything like this. I do leave and reentry for trips occasionally. Are you sure you have OA based on retirement or marriage?

[Suradit69]

I'm on year 3 at the moment in Udon, athough last week I saw someone's passport with a Non 'O' and 14 years worth of extensions of stay from Udon.

There must be someone trying it on with you for whatever reason.

edit: Just looked at the photocopy I have and it's 16 years, not 14.

"... last week I saw someone's passport with a Non 'O' and 14 years worth of extensions of stay from Udon."

Since visas are not transferred when a new passport is issued, are you saying this person had an actual visa in a single passport that was over 14 or 16 years old and contained all those extensions? Extensions are extensions of permission to stay, not extensions of visas.

Although the O/P says he was told there were a limited number of annual extensions allowed before he needed to obtain a new visa, I expect there's something missing from the story.

Yesterday I went to apply for a one-year extension of stay based on the non-O

The basis for an extension is retirement, marriage to a Thai, to visit wife, etc. It is not based on a long expired visa.

I had no confidence that they would grant an extension this time so I applied a week early.

There had to be some reason why you lacked confidence that something routinely done, would not be done for you. Waiting until the "last minute" to apply wouldn't have left much time to correct a problem if it existed.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Suradit69

[Evilbaz]

I'm on year 3 at the moment in Udon, athough last week I saw someone's passport with a Non 'O' and 14 years worth of extensions of stay from Udon.

There must be someone trying it on with you for whatever reason.

edit: Just looked at the photocopy I have and it's 16 years, not 14.

"... last week I saw someone's passport with a Non 'O' and 14 years worth of extensions of stay from Udon."

Since visas are not transferred when a new passport is issued, are you saying this person had an actual visa in a single passport that was over 14 or 16 years old and contained all those extensions? Extensions are extensions of permission to stay, not extensions of visas.

Although the O/P says he was told there were a limited number of annual extensions allowed before he needed to obtain a new visa, I expect there's something missing from the story.

Yesterday I went to apply for a one-year extension of stay based on the non-O

The basis for an extension is retirement, marriage to a Thai, to visit wife, etc. It is not based on a long expired visa.

I had no confidence that they would grant an extension this time so I applied a week early.

There had to be some reason why you lacked confidence that something routinely done, would not be for you. Waiting until the last minute to apply wouldn't have left much time to correct a problem if it existed.

That's one point of view.

However, my local Immi office (Phuket) always requires a copy of the Non Immi O or OA on which you last entered the Kingdom no matter how many Extensions you have.

So that VISA is still relevant regardless of new passports.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Evilbaz

[bluesofa]

I'm on year 3 at the moment in Udon, athough last week I saw someone's passport with a Non 'O' and 14 years worth of extensions of stay from Udon.

There must be someone trying it on with you for whatever reason.

edit: Just looked at the photocopy I have and it's 16 years, not 14.

"... last week I saw someone's passport with a Non 'O' and 14 years worth of extensions of stay from Udon."

Since visas are not transferred when a new passport is issued, are you saying this person had an actual visa in a single passport that was over 14 or 16 years old and contained all those extensions? Extensions are extensions of permission to stay, not extensions of visas.

I didn't say there were all those extensions in one passport. I said there were 16 years worth of extensions. That was my post #20.

If you see my next post #21, there was some discussion about immigration counting the number of extensions of stay each year writing it on each extension. That was where I mentioned the year 16 stamp in the passport I saw, showing it was 16 continual extensions of stay from the original visa.

I apologise for missing the word "permission" when I said "extension of stay", although I didn't say extension of visa.

[elviajero]

That's one point of view.

However, my local Immi office (Phuket) always requires a copy of the Non Immi O or OA on which you last entered the Kingdom no matter how many Extensions you have.

So that VISA is still relevant regardless of new passports.

• The only relevance the original visa has is to show your entry to the country was using a non immigrant visa. That fact is available on the computer system.
• Although they will ask for a copy of the original visa, for the paper record, they don't need it.
• If someone has lost the original visa it wouldn't be replaced and they would still be granted an extension of stay.

[lkv]

Ok, back to this maximum 3 extensions thing, because some are saying "bulls##t", there is no such rule."

Are there any written rules that state, for example, that for a non ED visa, after 1 year you have to get another one?

Because I don't believe there are, so they can make up their own rules as they wish. Point being, I would wait for more reports to see if it becomes a general thing rather than calling it nonsense.

Edited June 3, 2016 by lkv

[Thaidream]

If I had to venture a guess I would say the issue is the OA Visa- It is multiple entry for one year. However- if one leaves the country prior to the last day of Visa validity and re-enters- a person will get another year- thus having a 2 year total. Normally, one can then apply for year 3 extension of stay based upon the validity of the original OA Visa.That has to be done before the 2nd extension of stay- the valid until date is reached. However it sounds as if something was lost in the explanation of what the Udon IO is saying and what the OP understands. To get a complete picture we need to see the stamps in the passport and how each years 'extension' was handled or just prior to the end of year 1 did the OP leave and return and get another stamp for another year or after year 1 did he go to Immigration and they told him to leave and get another one year stamp upon re-entry at the border.. Herein lies the issue.

[Laza 45]

Jomtien/Pattaya extensions are indefinite, if you meet the requirements.

What are the requirements? ..for extension.. I have OA multi entry.. have been getting 2 years by doing border run just before end of first year .. then renewing in OZ.. can I just get another extension? .. what documentation is required.. if you can help.. Thanks..