Retirement extension New rules ?

[lavender19]

In Chumphon immigration for a new retirement extension and was told that now you have to leave your paperwork with them for 30 days to be checked or you can pay 4900 bht for them to do it straight away .

Has anyone else come across this as I think this office just makes things up as they as they go along.

Any info greatly appreciated.

Edited August 7, 2016 by lavender19

[Ronuk]

Are they are very busy centre that is offering an 'Express' service? Maybe they have seen an outlet to earn an extra few bob. Happens everywhere in Europe these days for all sorts of things....Pay your money and jump the crowd.

[lavender19]

Just now, Ronuk said:

Are they are very busy centre that is offering an 'Express' service? Maybe they have seen an outlet to earn an extra few bob. Happens everywhere in Europe these days for all sorts of things....Pay your money and jump the crowd.

No the place is deserted most of the time.I think it's more to do with revenue but would like to find out if they can do this.

Silly question .It's immigration they can do as they feel.

[Ronuk]

I doubt there is any written rule on how long they have to process an application. I suppose it all depends if you live nearby and can go back if your not in a hurry or if you live miles away and want to get it done on the day, as to whether you pay them to get it done quickly. 

[elviajero]

They have the right to put the application under consideration for 30 days at it's done at some other offices. But I am not sure that charging 4,900  (an extra 3,000) baht for an immediate decision is an 'official' charge.

[lavender19]

3 minutes ago, Ronuk said:

I doubt there is any written rule on how long they have to process an application. I suppose it all depends if you live nearby and can go back if your not in a hurry or if you live miles away and want to get it done on the day, as to whether you pay them to get it done quickly. 

 A couple friends did there's a month ago and no problem but this has just happened out of the blue ,they are making up other stupid regulation also like your landlord has to accompany you when you do the where you stay cr-p.

 

[thaibeachlovers]

What are they going to do if you turn up 1 week before visa expires and won't pay the "you know what"? The fee is 1900. However, it's cheaper than paying an agent. OTY.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, lavender19 said:

 A couple friends did there's a month ago and no problem but this has just happened out of the blue ,they are making up other stupid regulation also like your landlord has to accompany you when you do the where you stay cr-p.

 

I have been saying that they are making up new "rules" everytime I go, but there are still those that say everything is just peachy.

[lavender19]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

What are they going to do if you turn up 1 week before visa expires and won't pay the "you know what"? The fee is 1900. However, it's cheaper than paying an agent. OTY.

I know and another friend has to do his next week and is then leaving the country the following week for a couple of months

[Ronuk]

2 minutes ago, lavender19 said:

I know and another friend has to do his next week and is then leaving the country the following week for a couple of months

Looks like he may have to shell out 4900 baht.

[elviajero]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I have been saying that they are making up new "rules" everytime I go, but there are still those that say everything is just peachy.

Don't blame immigration. Blame all the foreigners/agents/corrupt immigration officers that are complicit in fraudulent extension applications. Immigration are usually reacting to local or national challenges caused by foreigners.

[lavender19]

6 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Don't blame immigration. Blame all the foreigners/agents/corrupt immigration officers that are complicit in fraudulent extension applications. Immigration are usually reacting to local or national challenges caused by foreigners.

OK but when you have been on an retirement visa for the last 12 years and been legal and have adequate funds you think they could see that I am not one of the bad guys.I would like to know what checks they do and why it takes a month when if you pay it takes 30 mins.It all sound like another money making load of cr-p to me.

[Ronuk]

Just now, lavender19 said:

OK but when you have been on an retirement visa for the last 12 years and been legal and have adequate funds you think they could see that I am not one of the bad guys.I would like to know what checks they do and why it takes a month when if you pay it takes 30 mins.It all sound like another money making load of cr-p to me.

Unfortunately it is how it is. At the end of the day, Thailand makes it relatively easy to live here legally and some people do it not so legally. I only wish it was as easy to live in my place full time in Florida as easily as here. Fact is, there is no provision to do so even as a retiree from the UK that can prove enough money to be totally self funded and no burden what so ever on the US.  Unfortunately, it is harder to live here now hastle free as has been mentioned in post 11. There are ways to live easier here but it is more expensive than a retirement visa. That is exactly why I chose that route.

[elviajero]

1 minute ago, lavender19 said:

OK but when you have been on an retirement visa for the last 12 years and been legal and have adequate funds you think they could see that I am not one of the bad guys.I would like to know what checks they do and why it takes a month when if you pay it takes 30 mins.It all sound like another money making load of cr-p to me.

I agree. There are many of us that play by the rules that are being inconvenienced by those that don't.

 

Immigration are in their right to put any application under consideration. I think that the offices that put extensions based on retirement have to do so because their authority has been taken away and the application needs to be agreed at a regional level. How this official/unofficial fast track fee fits in I do not know.

[Evilbaz]

It's bleeding obvious that if a 3000 Baht "service fee" can result in immediate processing that it is not going to the regional level ...

[tropo]

59 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I have been saying that they are making up new "rules" everytime I go, but there are still those that say everything is just peachy.

Are they trying to stink us out of Thailand?

Edited August 7, 2016 by tropo

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thailand enacted an actual law recently that states that Thai government agencies can ONLY charge the fees that are specifically spelled out in their regulations, and nothing else.

 

Supposedly, if some Thai government agencies tries to charge you a unofficial fee that not the norm, you could file a complaint and they'd supposedly get in trouble. The problem, of course, is what would happen to your retirement extension application after that...

[tropo]

50 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Don't blame immigration. Blame all the foreigners/agents/corrupt immigration officers that are complicit in fraudulent extension applications. Immigration are usually reacting to local or national challenges caused by foreigners.

That was one of the most apologetic posts I've seen in a long while. Of course!... always blame the foreigners.

[elviajero]

7 minutes ago, tropo said:

That was one of the most apologetic posts I've seen in a long while. Of course!... always blame the foreigners.

I'm not apologising for anything just stating an opinion on the reason for "new rules". Read the post I was replying to.

@ thaibeachlovers, "I have been saying that they are making up new "rules" everytime I go, but there are still those that say everything is just peachy."

 

I didn't just blame the foreigners!

[tropo]

5 hours ago, elviajero said:

I'm not apologising for anything just stating an opinion on the reason for "new rules". Read the post I was replying to.

@ thaibeachlovers, "I have been saying that they are making up new "rules" everytime I go, but there are still those that say everything is just peachy."

 

I didn't just blame the foreigners!

It seems to me like you're batting for the other side.

 

IMO someone in that office doesn't like foreigners and has too much time on his hands, OR is just looking for express payment tea money.

 

That's a deserted office: Lavender19(OP): quote: "the place is deserted most of the time".

 

There's a clause that they can hold extension applications for a 30 day review period, so they do it. There's no logical reason to hold an application for 30 days. If they want to review it they just ask the applicant for further information and it's done. What could they do which requires 30 days to complete, in a deserted office?

[elviajero]

2 minutes ago, tropo said:

It seems to me like you're batting for the other side.

 

IMO someone in that office doesn't like foreigners and has too much time on his hands, OR is just looking for express payment tea money.

 

That's a deserted office: Lavender19(OP): quote: "the place is deserted most of the time".

 

There's a clause that they can hold extension applications for a 30 day review period, so they do it. There's no logical reason to hold an application for 30 days. If they want to review it they just ask the applicant for further information and it's done. What could they do which requires 30 days to complete, in a deserted office?

My comment was nothing to do with the OP's issue and I've never batted for the other side!

 

This could be a straight forward case of corruption or an official directive. Who knows.  But the OP should not pay and let them sit on it for 30 days. That's no big deal, it will be agreed either way.

 

Maybe if the person pays the extra fee the IO's in that office get approval from the regional office on the day. Again, who knows. Fast track services are not unknown. 

[tropo]

24 minutes ago, elviajero said:

My comment was nothing to do with the OP's issue and I've never batted for the other side!

 

This could be a straight forward case of corruption or an official directive. Who knows.  But the OP should not pay and let them sit on it for 30 days. That's no big deal, it will be agreed either way.

 

Maybe if the person pays the extra fee the IO's in that office get approval from the regional office on the day. Again, who knows. Fast track services are not unknown. 

I disagree with you that "it's no big deal". People have lives to get on with. People who have been on retirement extensions for years have usually settled in and invested quite a bit here. Going for an extension and having to wait 30 days for approval is a big deal and would be stressful for most applicants. So stressful in fact that it would prompt many to just pay the express fee. I probably would too. Better to know the outcome quickly than wait a month for the possibility of a slow no and then having to plan to move to another country.

[elviajero]

Stressful for most applicants or are you applying your own paranoia to others. IMO it's just an inconvenience. If an application is accepted at the local office, and is legitimate, there is no reason why it will not be approved. Those on marriage extensions are equally, if not more, invested in this country and they have to go back after 30 days so why shouldn't the retirees.

 

It wouldn't be a slow no. If there was a problem they would let you know during the 30 days.

[muzmurray]

13 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Thailand enacted an actual law recently that states that Thai government agencies can ONLY charge the fees that are specifically spelled out in their regulations, and nothing else.

 

Supposedly, if some Thai government agencies tries to charge you a unofficial fee that not the norm, you could file a complaint and they'd supposedly get in trouble. The problem, of course, is what would happen to your retirement extension application after that...

 

Do you have a link for this "new law"?

[muzmurray]

14 hours ago, elviajero said:

Don't blame immigration. Blame all the foreigners/agents/corrupt immigration officers that are complicit in fraudulent extension applications. Immigration are usually reacting to local or national challenges caused by foreigners.

 

Confused?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

45 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

 

Do you have a link for this "new law"?

 

The Licensing Facilitation Act of 2015.

 

 

Edited August 8, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The Licensing Facilitation Act of 2015.

 

 

Good luck trying to get immigration to accept that the law mentioned applies to them.

IMO is does not. It is meant to be for business licence applications, building permits and etc.

[muzmurray]

Having read the actual document, I can not see it mention Immigration at all, it would appear to be geared towards companies that require licencing ?

 

http://www.opdc.go.th/uploads/files/2558/LICENSING_FACILITATION_ACT_2015.pdf

Edited August 8, 2016 by muzmurray
add a link

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

You may be right. But if you read the description, it seems to apply to all different kinds of government approvals that people have to apply for. It also doesn't specifically mention any other individual departments either.

 

 

And Tilleke and Gibbins have a similarly broad description of it, including things such as work permits and marriage registrations.

 

"The Act is also expansive. With a few notable exceptions, the law applies to all licenses granted in Thailand. Everything from work permits and marriage registrations to drug approvals and foreign business licenses are covered by the law. The exceptions include natural resources and environmental-related licensing (such as mining concessions and Environmental Impact Assessments); the courts; the National Assembly and Council of Ministers; and the armed forces."

 

No mention of Immigration as being one of the specified exceptions.

 

http://www.tilleke.com/resources/new-transparency-licensing-overview-licensing-facilitation-act

 

Edited August 8, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TheFishman1]

TIT