retirement extensions under increased review now?

[4evermaat]

There is a new immigration boss at Chumphon immigration office near the bus station. According to an expat couple that has been in Thailand for 6+ years, they went to renew their extension by reason of retirement and were now requested along with the affidavit of income signed by embassy to show some proof that the money is being spent in thailand. What was supposed to be like a 20 minute trip took 3+ hours. So they gave a copy of their atm card with some of the numbers blocked out [sic]. Then their application was put under a 30 day review. So they must go back next month to get the remaining 11 months. Normally the retirement extension is issued immediately.

They are not too worried, but it made for some interesting table talk last couple of days. I was wondering if it was solely due to new immigration boss getting settled in, or is this more common occurrence that extras are being required.

These expats do not use any visa agents or pay anything extra. They go themselves to the office with all of their paperwork.

[mango124]

Acqaintance handed in his passport to Pattaya office 3 weeks ago and has yet to get it back. He's young been here for ten yrs and I don't know what visa he is on, but it supports your increased review comment.

[ubonjoe]

Asking for back up proof for proof of income is not all that unusual.

The 30 day under consideration is perhaps unusual for that office but there are others that have done it.

More than likely a new boss.

[ubonjoe]

Acqaintance handed in his passport to Pattaya office 3 weeks ago and has yet to get it back. He's young been here for ten yrs and I don't know what visa he is on, but it supports your increased review comment.

There is certainly something wrong with his passport being kept by immigration. Are you sure it was not an agent that has it.

It does not support what the OP wrote.

[tropo]

How would giving them a copy of an ATM card with blacked out numbers prove anything?

[mango124]

Acqaintance handed in his passport to Pattaya office 3 weeks ago and has yet to get it back. He's young been here for ten yrs and I don't know what visa he is on, but it supports your increased review comment.

There is certainly something wrong with his passport being kept by immigration. Are you sure it was not an agent that has it.

It does not support what the OP wrote.

Sorry not to have specifics. I inferred he dealt directly with immigration as he said never had problems before re renewal of whatever visa he uses. Said that he still hadn't got his visa back today, though he doesn't anticipate problems. I might have leapt to wrong conclusion that they were reviewing his records or possibly financials too, though not exactly the same reasons as above. If confusing and/or off topic, please delete post.

Edited July 23, 2016 by ubonjoe
Moved reply to quoted text

[mango124]

He now lives in Bangkok, though has always renewed at Pattaya where he lived mainly....maybe that could be explanation for holding passport....he needs to go back there to collect it when notified. Maybe he's changing to another type of visa as we did touch on the different types.

[ubonjoe]

Acqaintance handed in his passport to Pattaya office 3 weeks ago and has yet to get it back. He's young been here for ten yrs and I don't know what visa he is on, but it supports your increased review comment.

There is certainly something wrong with his passport being kept by immigration. Are you sure it was not an agent that has it.

It does not support what the OP wrote.

Sorry not to have specifics. I inferred he dealt directly with immigration as he said never had problems before re renewal of whatever visa he uses. Said that he still hadn't got his visa back today, though he doesn't anticipate problems. I might have leapt to wrong conclusion that they were reviewing his records or possibly financials too, though not exactly the same reasons as above. If confusing and/or off topic, please delete post.

Now you have written visa that I assume means an extension. There are some extension applications that are put under consideration and a stamp stating that is done in the passport but they don't keep the passport.

It seems possible his passport is not at immigration and he waiting for approval of his application.

[mango124]

Oops, bad slip of critical word....should have been he has not yet received his PASSPORT back. Would have said extension renewal if we had not discussed the options of 500k elite or investment type visas, suggesting he has hitherto been on 1 or 2 month visas which work well as as he travels a lot.

[ubonjoe]

Oops, bad slip of critical word....should have been he has not yet received his PASSPORT back. Would have said extension renewal if we had not discussed the options of 500k elite or investment type visas, suggesting he has hitherto been on 1 or 2 month visas which work well as as he travels a lot.

The point I am trying to get confirmed is that immigration is actually holding his passport. If they are he has a serious problem because as far as I know they only do that if they don't want you to leave the country while they do an investigation.

[OMGImInPattaya]

How would giving them a copy of an ATM card with blacked out numbers prove anything?

For someone renewing a retirement extension with the income method, why would they want proof the monthy income was being spent in Thailand? Isn't the fact the couple are residing in the country, and presumebly have to at least pay for food, shelter, and utilities, "proof" enough that the money is being spent? Or do they suspect they might be working and earning an income in Thailand and spending that money and not their pension...what am I missing here?

[gandalf12]

Oops, bad slip of critical word....should have been he has not yet received his PASSPORT back. Would have said extension renewal if we had not discussed the options of 500k elite or investment type visas, suggesting he has hitherto been on 1 or 2 month visas which work well as as he travels a lot.

The point I am trying to get confirmed is that immigration is actually holding his passport. If they are he has a serious problem because as far as I know they only do that if they don't want you to leave the country while they do an investigation.

Shouldn't they have a court order to hold the passport anyway? It is after all a document of a sovereign country

[OJAS]

Can't really say that my latest retirement extension application was subjected to particularly increased review at Maptaput the week before last.

As already stated this is probably a local issue in the OP's case.

[mango124]

Will get facts when next I see him....he's ok with it all and doesn't anticipate any hassles...as said, I might have jumped to wrong conclusion that matter linked To above....he mentioned it casually and in passing earlier in month.

[Rhys]

Hmmmm.immigration can keep your passport for 30 days...seems...how shall we say, not proper protocol.

[ubonjoe]

Hmmmm.immigration can keep your passport for 30 days...seems...how shall we say, not proper protocol.

Immigration doe not keep your passport while an extension application is under consideration. You get your passport back with a under consideration stamp that allows you to stay until the application is approved.

[Issanman]

Referencing the original post about proving the money is being spent in Thailand:

The same thing happened to me about a year and a half ago in Beung Kan.

The boss wanted me to prove that the 800,000฿ was being spent in Thailand.>>> LINK to my topic about this.

I ended up moving only 15 minutes away, out of Bueng Kan.

Maybe the old boss from Bueng Kan is now the new boss in Chumphon?

[IMA_FARANG]

I haven't heard that.....but it wouldn't bother me that much.

I live in a residence here in Bangkok on a 3 month rental agreement, and get a monthly pension from the U.S. government sent directly to my Thai bank account.

And each month when I pay the rent I get a signed and dated payment receipt for the previous month's rent.

That should be enough proof I would think.

[OMGImInPattaya]

I haven't heard that.....but it wouldn't bother me that much.

I live in a residence here in Bangkok on a 3 month rental agreement, and get a monthly pension from the U.S. government sent directly to my Thai bank account.

And each month when I pay the rent I get a signed and dated payment receipt for the previous month's rent.

That should be enough proof I would think.

I could dump a fistful of Foodland receipts on his desk ?

[tropo]

I haven't heard that.....but it wouldn't bother me that much.

I live in a residence here in Bangkok on a 3 month rental agreement, and get a monthly pension from the U.S. government sent directly to my Thai bank account.

And each month when I pay the rent I get a signed and dated payment receipt for the previous month's rent.

That should be enough proof I would think.

I could dump a fistful of Foodland receipts on his desk ?

I pay for most of my stuff with debit/credit cards, so I would have a mountain of slips to provide if needed. I didn't know that we actually have to spend 65K per month, or 800K per year in Thailand. I'm sure many expats spend less.