Retirement one-year extension & multiple re-entry permit same day at Bangkok

[thaitanic]

On Tuesday I'm planning to apply for a one-year extension of stay to my non-immigrant "O" reitrement visa at the immigration department at Chaengwattana in Bangkok. As I'll be leaving Thailand at least twice during the next year, it seems wise to apply for a multiple re-entry permit and save the hassle/stress of getting it when I first leave or getting single re-entry permits each time I leave. Questions...

 

1. Can I apply for the one-year extension and multiple re-entry permit on the same day?
2. Are these applications submitted at the same time, or does one have to obtain the one-year extension then apply/queue afresh for the re-entry permit?
3. Any idea how long this will take, bearing in mind it will be a Tuesday after a national holiday?

 

Finally, the official required documents for the retirement extension (at http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/base.php?page=service# - works in Internet Explorer only for me) include "Account  deposited  (saving / fixed account) certificate issued by a bank in Thailand". Does that simply mean a letter that my bank (Kasikornbank) will have a template for, same as when I applied for the visa originally? Note that I'm using the basis of >800k in the bank for the last 90 days.

[lopburi3]

1.  Yes many people do so.

2.  No - different queue and office - you need the extension first.

3.  An hour to many hours - but holiday likely to have little effect for these items.

 

Immigration has a number of IE only quirks - if you want to use Chrome download IE Tab and that will open it fine.  There are also banks on ground floor (one floor below immigration) that can take care of letters and updates.  You will need the bank letter and copies of passbook.

[ubonjoe]

1/2. You can apply on the same day. But you will not be able to apply for the re-entry permit until you have the extension stamp in your passport so that you can get a copy of it to submit with the application. You will have to another queue number for it.

3, I would plan on being there most of the day to get both of them done.

It will be the same letter you got for the visa application. You will also need your bank book updated on the date you apply.

 

[thaitanic]

Thanks guys! Very fast and helpful replies.

[alantheembalmer]

Because of the uncertainty of how many people are going to be in front of you when you get your queue number, it is best to be mentally prepared for a 2 day saga; day 1 for your extension, and day 2 for your re-entry permit. If you manage to do both in 1 day, that will be a bonus.

[Andyfez]

I did exactly this. This week.

For me it took all day because I woke up late.

Arrived immigration Chaeng Wattana at 10.20am. Got ticket number L 107. They were already only at number 30.

Knowing there was no way I was going to be seen before lunch I went down to Laksi for a shop and a foot massage.

Immi lunch is 12-1pm

I went back at 1.30 and was seen about 2.20pm. It was very straight forward. Then waited another 45 minutes to get my passport back with all signatures and paperwork finished.

For reentry visa they wont give you your queue ticket till they see everything else is in order. So I got my ticket for C2 area about 3.20pm. They were at number 250ish and mine was 315 so I knew I had a wait, but you have to do a trek to the basement, the other end of the building to get your new visa copied with other passport details.

I got seen about 4.20. Then you have to wait for your number to come up again to collect your passport.

Finished about 5.15. One of the last.

However...... now it is rush hour, and a rainstorm outside. No taxis. Buses are full, and anyway the traffic down the mile-long road to the main road is standstill.

Most shops in the building now shut (except for Tops Market).

Didn't get home till late.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Andyfez

[realenglish1]

I just finished applying for an extension on the 18th of Sept Had the extension in about 1 hour then went to the other side of the room with my passport and applied for a

1 year multiple entry That was about an hour as well

So I would plan for half a day to get it down but no problem

[georgey]

I've done this every year for the last 6 or 7. Always completed before their lunch break if I arrive at or slightly before opening time. Otherwise may stretch into the pm, though never failed to complete in one day. 

[gamini]

In Hua Hin the whole process to get both takes about 25 minutes if you go on  wed or thur afternoon

[Tracyb]

I'll add to the previous comments by saying:

 

It's best to arrive in line well before the office opens in the morning, say... before 7:00 AM to secure a place up front in the line.  You want to get a low queue number at the desk inside for the extension and be done early so you can get the photocopy and come back for the next queue number to get your multi-entry permit.  This will pretty much guarantee that you can get both done on the same day; or as I experienced two weeks ago... both done in the morning before lunch.   Cheers!

[DogNo1]

I have decided to do them on two different days.  I used to get both the extension and the re-entry permit on the same day but just felt frazzled after two long waits and transportation problems when leaving immigration at 4:30 or later.  My patience extends to 4-5 hours but not longer than that.  I always leave on very early (7:35) morning flights so I don't like to get the re-entry permit at the airport but that is an option for the OP.

[thaitanic]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

As I understand it, my bank book update needs to be done the same day, right? So I'm planning on being at Kasikornbank downstairs at 8:30 when they open, make an ATM withdrawal, get the book updated and copied, get the bank letter, then to immigration. So I guess the earliest I could enter the queue system would be 8:45.

[thaitanic]

A quick report about how it went today...

 

It took 90 minutes to get from On Nut BTS to Chaengwattana Immigration by BTS and taxi as it was the first day after a national holiday and there had been heavy rainfall during the night. So I didn't get to Kasikornbank at level 1 until 9am. There was a queue so it took me 30 minutes to get the bank book updated and copied (5 Baht) and the letter (100 Baht), so I didn't join the immigration queue until 9.30am. I was finally seen at 1:30pm and got my passport back at 2:00pm (1900 Baht). Went back to level 1 to get a copy of the extension and joined the next queue for the multiple re-entry permit (3800 Baht). Got that back at 4:30pm. So all together 7 hours at Immigration to get it both done. I guess if I had got there 30 minutes earlier this morning it might have all been over a good 2 or 3 hours earlier.

 

Other things:

1. The visa extension process involved seeing 4 different officials at 4 different desks and filling in 3 more forms (at the first desk) in addition to my TM7.
2. I asked if I could do the 90-day reporting online but they told me I could not. I have to go to Immigration. Perhaps in the future I will be allowed to do it online?
3. I didn't realise that the first 90-day report would be 90 days after today's extension. I assumed it would be 90 days after the original visa expiry. So actually I have messed up by going today, because I am planning to temporarily leave Thailand 95 days from now, and now I have to make a trip to Immigration just 5 days before that trip. If I had known then I would have done my extension next week and saved myself the extra trip to Immigration.

For future reference, can anyone tell me what the earliest and latest days one can apply for a one-year extension (retirement) at Chaengwattana? Officially they seem to say it's "30 days" but I assume there must be some sort of window such as 45-15 days before the visa expires.

[lopburi3]

1.  Normal to have the additional forms to fill out at desk - used to be 2 but believe another added this year.  Normally you can do while officer checks your paperwork.  Used to be 2 officers but now the senior officer also has to sign off so an extra step or two.

 

2.  Believe first report needs to be done in person.  Just the TM.47 and you can do at that office or either of the two extra offices in shopping centers for adjacent country nationals (only 90 day reports accepted from others).

 

3.  Yes - first extension of stay acts as your initial 90 day reporting date.    Normally they accept extension applications up to 45 days early up to last day of current extension.

Edited October 26, 2016 by lopburi3

[thaitanic]

Thank you very much as always for those replies, lopburi3.

 

One year on and my renewal is coming up. My extension of stay expires on 21st November. When planning application dates, I have next week's national holidays to consider, along with presumed increased business at Chaengwattana on the days after those holidays. Four questions:

 

1. What is currently the earliest day to do a new one-year extension at Chaengwattana? I read conflicting reports of 45 and 30 days before the last extension expires.
2. What is currently the latest day to do a new one-year extension at Chaengwattana? I read conflicting reports of 15 days and 0 days (i.e. right up to the last day).
3. Will my next 90-day report be (a) 90 days after my new extension of day is processed, or (b) 90 days after the expiry date of my last extension of stay? I asked before but not 100% clear on the answer. If the answer is (a) then it seems beneficial to leave it late to apply, so that I can do my 90-day reporting later and perhaps even avoid one during the course of the forthcoming year. Right?
4. Is there a fillable new TM.8 anywhere? I found a fillable new TM.7 but could only find a regular new TM.8.

 

 

 

 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, thaitanic said:

Thank you very much as always for those replies, lopburi3.

 

One year on and my renewal is coming up. My extension of stay expires on 21st November. When planning application dates, I have next week's national holidays to consider, along with presumed increased business at Chaengwattana on the days after those holidays. Four questions:

 

1. What is currently the earliest day to do a new one-year extension at Chaengwattana? I read conflicting reports of 45 and 30 days before the last extension expires.
2. What is currently the latest day to do a new one-year extension at Chaengwattana? I read conflicting reports of 15 days and 0 days (i.e. right up to the last day).
3. Will my next 90-day report be (a) 90 days after my new extension of day is processed, or (b) 90 days after the expiry date of my last extension of stay? I asked before but not 100% clear on the answer. If the answer is (a) then it seems beneficial to leave it late to apply, so that I can do my 90-day reporting later and perhaps even avoid one during the course of the forthcoming year. Right?
4. Is there a fillable new TM.8 anywhere? I found a fillable new TM.7 but could only find a regular new TM.8.

1. Not sure, and might vary. Suggest going 20-30 days before expiry, other things being equal.

2. Last day is allowed, but not recommended.

3. The 90-day report is completely separate from the extension. This often catches people out. It is due 90 days after the last report. This is a possible reason you might leave the extension until close to the last day (so you can do the 90 day report and extension in the same visit to immigration).

4. Do not know.

[Mattd]

1 hour ago, thaitanic said:

Will my next 90-day report be (a) 90 days after my new extension of day is processed, or (b) 90 days after the expiry date of my last extension of stay? I asked before but not 100% clear on the answer. If the answer is (a) then it seems beneficial to leave it late to apply, so that I can do my 90-day reporting later and perhaps even avoid one during the course of the forthcoming year. Right?

Your next 90 day report will be either 90 days after your last 90 day report, or 90 days after your last entry in to Thailand, remembering that the last report or entry day count as day one.

The first extension of stay counts as a 90 day report, subsequent extensions do not.

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, thaitanic said:

One year on and my renewal is coming up. My extension of stay expires on 21st November. When planning application dates, I have next week's national holidays to consider, along with presumed increased business at Chaengwattana on the days after those holidays. Four questions:

1. What is currently the earliest day to do a new one-year extension at Chaengwattana? I read conflicting reports of 45 and 30 days before the last extension expires.
2. What is currently the latest day to do a new one-year extension at Chaengwattana? I read conflicting reports of 15 days and 0 days (i.e. right up to the last day).
3. Will my next 90-day report be (a) 90 days after my new extension of day is processed, or (b) 90 days after the expiry date of my last extension of stay? I asked before but not 100% clear on the answer. If the answer is (a) then it seems beneficial to leave it late to apply, so that I can do my 90-day reporting later and perhaps even avoid one during the course of the forthcoming year. Right?
4. Is there a fillable new TM.8 anywhere? I found a fillable new TM.7 but could only find a regular new TM.8.

1/2. You can apply up to 45 days early at Chaeng Wattana. There is no minimum number of days to the application. You could do it on the last day if you wanted to.

3. Your 90 day report date will not change. Only the first extension application counts as a report.

You have do the 90 day reports every 90 days unless you leave the country on or before you are in the country for 90 consecutive days. If you leave the country you report is due 90 days from the date you enter the country.

4. Package of fillable forms linked together. Fill out one and it will complete the others. BlankFillableFormsPackageTM7-Overstay-TM8-TM47-TM30 (1).pdf

 

 

[ChouDoufu]

Edited October 16, 2017 by ChouDoufu

[ubonjoe]

23 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

???  is that 90 days from the date you return ???

Edited so it says enter the country now. Thanks

[oldwelshman]

is it not less fuss to get a non imm O A multi entry?

[ubonjoe]

6 hours ago, oldwelshman said:

is it not less fuss to get a non imm O A multi entry?

Not if you include having to make a trip to your home country to apply for a new OA visa and having to get a new criminal background check and a medical certificate signed by a doctor to apply for it.

After you get a non-o visa and get the most out of it you then have to decide whether to apply for a one year extension or go home to apply for a new visa.

[thaitanic]

Thanks for the replies. I had no idea that my visit to apply for a one-year extension wouldn't somehow automatically count as a "90-day report". The timing doesn't fit to do that as well on the same day so I'll do that later, and hopefully the online reporting will be working.

[ChouDoufu]

i believe it does count as your first 90-day report.

along with the extension stamp, you get a l'il

slip of paper - notification of next 90-day report

due 90 days from date of extension.

 

then you can mosey on over to the re-entry desk

and apply for a re-entry permit valid until the

expiration of the extension.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

i believe it does count as your first 90-day report.

along with the extension stamp, you get a l'il

slip of paper - notification of next 90-day report

due 90 days from date of extension.

Only the first application for an extension of stay is considered equal to doing a 90 day report. The first 90 day report is due 90 days from the date you do the application. Some offices do put a notice slip in your passport to inform you of the date your first report is due.

For the 2nd extension application and onward they do not count as a report unless your local office does a new 90 day report slip for you when you do the application. I would say there are very few offices that do a new report when you apply for an extension.

[thaitanic]

A report on how it went today obtaining my visa-extension and re-entry permit at Chaengwattana. I hope it's useful. At least it will be for me next year when my softening brain has forgotten everything...

 

Left On Nut BTS at 07:00 and after BTS & taxi was first in the queue at Kbank in the Chaengwattana basement at 08:10 ready for them to open at 08:30. Made a withdrawal at the ATM so a new entry would show up in the bank book. The ATM printer messed up my girlfriend's bank book so I got mine inside at the desk instead. After the usual application form (just name & signature), the balance-guarantee letter was straightforward. Last year the bank sold me a copy of the latest page of my book for 10 baht but refused this year (cheers Kbank). We were out at 08:40, passed by the copy shop, and joined 100m queue upstairs at 08:45. Grabbed a couple of forms for future use from the desk on the right and got into the visa-extension system at ticket L32. When I was seen after a wait I had to fill in 2 or 3 forms at the first desk behind the glass (I think one was to declare address and another was to acknowledge charges if I overstay). After another wait I had my passport and bank book back with the extension stamp at 10:40.

 

These were the exact documents I submitted for the visa extension:

 

• TM.7 filled in from the fillable form in ubonjoe's link. Printed double-sided on one page.

• 1 x passport photo glued to the form

• Passport

• Copy of passport photo page

• Copy of passport original visa page

• Copy of previous extensions/re-entry permit pages

• Departure card TM.6

• Copy of departure card TM.6

• Bank book

• Copy of bank book front page

• Copy of bank book transaction/balance pages (I guess only last 6 months necessary?)

• Guarantee letter for bank balance

• 1900 Baht

Down to the copy shop to copy the visa-extension, back upstairs, into the re-entry permit system at 10:45 with ticket C2 147. They were up to C2 90. Submitted my documents just before they closed for lunch at 12:00. Kept the same ticket number and after lunch and a wait I got my passport back at 14:30. Back at On Nut by taxi at 15:35. Worth noting that by getting going 30 mins earlier in the morning, I was home 2 hours earlier than last year. Every minute counts in the morning.

 

These were the exact documents I submitted for the multiple-entry re-entry permit:

 

• TM.8 filled in from the fillable form in ubonjoe's link. Printed double-sided on one page.

• 1 x passport photo glued to the form

• Passport

• Copy of passport photo page

• Copy of passport original visa page

• Copy of previous extensions/re-entry permit pages

• Copy of new extension stamp page

• Departure card TM.6

• Copy of departure card TM.6

• 3800 Baht

I usually try to avoid the days immediately before and after weekends and national holidays for obvious reasons, but a guy I chatted to claimed it's also quieter early in the month and busier later in the month. Anyone know if there any truth in this?

[goegoe]

On 10/21/2016 at 5:41 PM, ubonjoe said:

1/2. You can apply on the same day. But you will not be able to apply for the re-entry permit until you have the extension stamp in your passport so that you can get a copy of it to submit with the application. You will have to another queue number for it.

3, I would plan on being there most of the day to get both of them done.

It will be the same letter you got for the visa application. You will also need your bank book updated on the date you apply.

 

 

hello,

 

Can you tell me if you know anyone who met very smart immigration people ? who made problems to issue both extension and multi reentry permit the same day ?

 

And no difference between immigration offices ? So it shouldn't be a problem anywhere ?

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[goegoe]

Also, does somebody who paid for a multiple reentry permit still need to do 90 days report if leaving the country before 90 days ? Or is it just like non-o visa (for mariage) and leaving the country avoids to have to meet immigration every 3 months ?

 

Thanks a lot.

[Phuket Man]

The requirement is to report after 90 days of continuous stay.

It makes no difference what you have in your passport.

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, goegoe said:

Can you tell me if you know anyone who met very smart immigration people ? who made problems to issue both extension and multi reentry permit the same day ?

I have not seen a report of anybody having a problem doing both on the same day. But if late in the day when you get the extension stamp there would need to be enough time left in the day to get it done.

If doing it one the offices that have you come back the next day to pickup your passport with the extension stamp in it would not be possible.

 

5 hours ago, goegoe said:

Also, does somebody who paid for a multiple reentry permit still need to do 90 days report if leaving the country before 90 days ? Or is it just like non-o visa (for mariage) and leaving the country avoids to have to meet immigration every 3 months ?

 

You do not need to do 90 day report unless you stay in the country for more than 90 consecutive days.