Change to retire extension rules 2016 ?

[pazza]

Have the rules for the retirement extension changed?

The reason I ask is because I went to Nong Khai immigration on 16/11/2016 and was given the list of requirements for the retirement extension and, added to the bottom of the list was two new items.

1) photos of the inside and outside of the house (with the applicant in the photos.)

It says X3 and I am not sure if its three photos of every room or just three photos.

2) a drawn map from immigration the applicants home

Similar to the marriage extension.

Is this happening everywhere or just Nong Khai immigration?

Anybody have any ideas [emoji4]

Take care

Steve

By the way I am British.

[ubonjoe]

1. One outside showing the house number in it. And two inside the house.

2. The map just needs to be from the nearest main road or street to your home.

Not nationwide. Some office have wanted the map for some time now. Photos are fairly new but not the first office to ask for them.

[pazza]

Thank you ubonjoe for the speedy reply, much appreciated.

 

Take care

 

Steve
 

[Aquaman2016]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but in Hua His we are being told that the Embassy letter of confirmation of income now has to be additionally verified by the Thai Foreign Ministry Bangkok.  Does anyone have any knowledge of this?  Thanks.

 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Aquaman2016 said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but in Hua His we are being told that the Embassy letter of confirmation of income now has to be additionally verified by the Thai Foreign Ministry Bangkok.  Does anyone have any knowledge of this?  Thanks.

 

Them and 2 or 3 other are the only offices reported as wanting it done.

The want the consular officers signature verified by the MFA's  department of consular affairs. It is not a verification of the letter itself.

[Aquaman2016]

Thank you for clarifying.

[tutsiwarrior]

anybody know if this is the first known instance of Hua Hin wanting the MFA verification of the consular signature? maybe forlks can follow up to see if this is a permanent demand by Hua Hin...or anywhere else...

 

Ayutthaya IO wanted the same verification not long ago...I wonder if they've been consistent with this demand...

 

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by tutsiwarrior

[IMA_FARANG]

Back in 2011, applying for my first retirement visa/extension, I  was asked at CW to give them a hand drawn map tp where I lived along with a telepone number to the house.

i don't know why they wanted this, as they never showed at the house or called me or my girlfriend  who lived there. to verify if i was really there.

 

ButI I gave it to them anyhow.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

anybody know if this is the first known instance of Hua Hin wanting the MFA verification of the consular signature? maybe forlks can follow up to see if this is a permanent demand by Hua Hin...or anywhere else...

 

Ayutthaya IO wanted the same verification not long ago...I wonder if they've been consistent with this demand...

 

 

Not the first for Hua Hin.

Ayutthaya, Nonthabuburi and Nakhon Pathom are the only other report.  Not sure if it is or will be a permanent requirement at those offices.

Jomtien immigration want it for non immigrant visa applications but not for extensions.

[tutsiwarrior]

yikes!...Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya are all adjacent...looks like a regional conspiracy...

 

the new Suphanburi office is adjacent as well...and I'm goin' there to renew my extension with the affidavit inna couple of weeks...

 

[Felt 35]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Them and 2 or 3 other are the only offices reported as wanting it done.

The want the consular officers signature verified by the MFA's  department of consular affairs. It is not a verification of the letter itself.

 

So in other words, the Thai government, question the validity of a foreign diplomat's signature and are now demanding that the recipient of a letter issued by their country's embassy now is being verified by Thailand's own Ministry of Foreign affairs....right.

[tutsiwarrior]

4 hours ago, Felt 35 said:

 

So in other words, the Thai government, question the validity of a foreign diplomat's signature and are now demanding that the recipient of a letter issued by their country's embassy now is being verified by Thailand's own Ministry of Foreign affairs....right.

 

nah...it's not the thai gov't...it's some misbehaving local IOs that are causing massive inconvenience and don't care...

 

no doubt the TVF apologist brigade will be along soon: 'it's their right!...it's their right!...you are a guest in their country and it's their right!'

 

bosh...

 

 

[Felt 35]

I'm not personally so convinced that that is the case. But anyway, political diplomacy usually goes both ways and with causing foreign retirees unnecessary bureaucracy, pensioners who usually are not a burden but an economic plus, small or large for Thailand this could backfire on their own citizens residing abroad and who look forward to lucrative pensions to take "home" to Thailand when in retirement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by Felt 35

[paz]

8 hours ago, Felt 35 said:

 

So in other words, the Thai government, question the validity of a foreign diplomat's signature and are now demanding that the recipient of a letter issued by their country's embassy now is being verified by Thailand's own Ministry of Foreign affairs....right.

 

There is nothing strange with that, many countries have had similar requirements for centuries. it's called "  Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents "

To simplify this, many countries signed a convention decades ago already. Thailand did not sign. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostille_Convention  

Edited November 17, 2016 by paz

[Felt 35]

The strange thing is not the legalization in itself but that after 20 years in this country we again and again have to prove who you are. Btw,  should not Thailand by now consider to adopt immigration policies on a par with the West where you have to prove yourselve qualified with legalization and the whole package before being issued any visa or residency and not come up with more crap for elderly people  living here for years and who have all the paper work needed. If the goal is to keep undesirable elements out there are very little prevanties to let people in and and first ask for documentation after coming here, btw, a documentation which often can be arranged and bought here.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2016 by Felt 35

[Emster23]

As part of decentralization and meeting unique needs at each office of immigration, they can require any darn thing they want.

[georgemandm]

What a  absolute joke just to live here , now you all know why so many man are going back home to live , I for one would not put up with that  rubbish to live in thailand .

like I have said this place is getting worst by the minute.

it is so much better to go back to your home country and do that visa as you get two years out of it but the big problem is most man not all sell the lot to come here before  researching how to live in thailand.

[khomlong1]

21 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. One outside showing the house number in it. And two inside the house.

2. The map just needs to be from the nearest main road or street to your home.

Not nationwide. Some office have wanted the map for some time now. Photos are fairly new but not the first office to ask for them.

Just extended at Lopburi Immigration. None of the above required.

[colinneil]

Reading this brings me to comment on immigration officers.

Some good some bad some very bad.

In my case 3 years ago when i was on a ventilator in Khonkaen hospital, i was on overstay.

Wife went to immigration was treated like dirt by 1 officer. Fined us 20..000 baht for  35 days overstay ( WRONG AMOUNT)

Would not listen to anything my wife said, he will have to go to Vientienne to get a new non imm o visa.

My husband is on a ventilator, he said a do not care that is the law, if he does not go we will deport him.

Forum rules prohibit me from posting on here my thoughts about that man.

I was given a 30 day extension, after 30 days my wife went back to KK immigration, saw a lady who was the complete opposite of the a....... she saw before.

This lady could not do enough to help us, she was fantastic.

My point being, some officers think they have the power to do whatever they want.

Other officers do not abuse their powers and will help if and when they can.

 

Last comment officer who verbally abused my wife and wanted me deported is no longer  at KK.

Since this incident my wife has done both my extentions, and 90 day reports and has always been treated polite

and with respect.

[joskeshake]

and how they can explain, when go some office soi buakao in Pattaya can have retirement visa without any papers at all, if you pay 19.500 baht

[Retiredandhappyhere]

It does seem that in some Immigration Offices, there are new hurdles to cross each time you go and often you only learn about them when you get there. If a letter proving income (based on documentation presented) is obtained from the applicant country's Embassy, what possible purpose is served by having to send that letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?   It just seems that there are some people working in these offices who do not really want us here, despite all the protestations by TAT and are doing their best to make life as difficult as possible.

 

I know that some posters on here will tell us that if we do not like the system we should go back home (presumably abandoning all assets and family here), but I am merely highlighting the fact that regulations and conditions for expats are changing bit by bit in a way which makes us feel much less welcome.  The MFA requirement, the 90 day reporting requirement with the online promise not working for many of us after nearly two years, the Personal Information form, and the need now in my case to travel to Phetchaburi to do my 90 day report instead of doing it in the nearby Hua Hin office are just a few examples. 

 

I now await a poster telling me to go home after 14 years here as I am apparently a typical  "farang whinger" in his eyes. Pre-empting that, I will say that overall I am happy here, but that does not mean that I cannot have an opinion on certain matters, even though  criticism of any kind does tend to be frowned upon.

[Dan5]

22 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Them and 2 or 3 other are the only offices reported as wanting it done.

The want the consular officers signature verified by the MFA's  department of consular affairs. It is not a verification of the letter itself.

If its not a verification of the letter, what is it a verification of? And what do you have to provide them to get it?

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, Dan5 said:

If its not a verification of the letter, what is it a verification of? And what do you have to provide them to get it?

As I wrote it is a verification of the consular officers signature on it. It is to confirm it is not a fake letter.

You fill out a form and pay a fee to have it done.

[avvocato]

Pazza:

In reply to your initial inquiry, I just did a visa extension - retirement in Khon Kaen. Neither of your two "new requirements" was asked for.

Good luck.

[HHTel]

23 hours ago, Aquaman2016 said:

Sorry to hijack the thread, but in Hua His we are being told that the Embassy letter of confirmation of income now has to be additionally verified by the Thai Foreign Ministry Bangkok.  Does anyone have any knowledge of this?  Thanks.

 

I've extended mine recently using an income verification letter.  I'm told that the additional verification doesn't apply to the British Embassy as the letter details the proof of income.  The US on the other hand does not supply any proof of income and only states that an affidavit was signed at the embassy.  I have heard US citizens in HH have to supply proof although Brits don't.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, HHTel said:

I've extended mine recently using an income verification letter.  I'm told that the additional verification doesn't apply to the British Embassy as the letter details the proof of income.  The US on the other hand does not supply any proof of income and only states that an affidavit was signed at the embassy.  I have heard US citizens in HH have to supply proof although Brits don't.

As far as I know it the same for all letter that the signature of the consular officer has to be verified.

As I wrote before it is not a verification of what is on the letter, affidavit, statutory declaration and etc.

Immigration might want backup proof of the income shown but that is not same as what is being discussed.

[poohy]

1 hour ago, joskeshake said:

and how they can explain, when go some office soi buakao in Pattaya can have retirement visa without any papers at all, if you pay 19.500 baht

15 k at my local "agent"...... worth every baht

[Felt 35]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

As far as I know it the same for all letter that the signature of the consular officer has to be verified.

As I wrote before it is not a verification of what is on the letter, affidavit, statutory declaration and etc.

Immigration might want backup proof of the income shown but that is not same as what is being discussed.

 

I think it would be fair if Mfa informed us their process in verification of a foreign consular officers signature?

[tutsiwarrior]

18 minutes ago, Felt 35 said:

 

I think it would be fair if Mfa informed us their process in verification of a foreign consular officers signature?

 

I've had the signature verification done already at the MFA as I had to go there for another purpose...you go upstairs and queue up and wait for them to call yer number... then you submit yer document for signature verification, pay and take yer receipt and then must return 3 WORKING DAYS LATER to collect your document...I had the misfortune of submitting my document on a Friday...

 

'fairness' and 'thainess' as demonstrated by this indefensible waste of peoples time you shall find are mutually exclusive...if it were otherwise then the rogue IOs that insist upon this farcical exercise would be down the market selling bbq chicken out of a handcart where they belong...

 

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2016 by tutsiwarrior

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, Felt 35 said:

 

I think it would be fair if Mfa informed us their process in verification of a foreign consular officers signature?

They already have the info for every consular officer that is sent to them by an embassy or consulate. They just have to compare the two signatures, stamps and etc.