WP based extension to retirement extension some finer points

[Negita43]

 

Hi I have been given advice about this before but there are some finer points I would like to be clear about.

 

I have visa extension of non immigrant  “O” which was issued in the UK (although I am not married) through a work permit for the last 6 years

 

My contract of employment (and visa extension) expires on 31/05/17. I have agreed with my employer that we will not renew this when it expires.

 

I want to convert this to a retirement visa (I am over the age requirement for this) and I have had around 1 million Baht in a Thai bank deposit account for the last 3 or 4 years (never used) I use my other bank account which gets my salary for living expenses.

 

Now to my questions.

 

1. Do I have to wait until the last date of my contract to make the conversion from a WP based extension to a retirement based extension? If not when can I do it?

 

2. Do I still need a letter from my employer stating the contract will not be renewed or will the fact that the contract expires on May 31st be sufficient?

 

3. Actually having the WP canceled, the bank letter obtained, and getting to immigration on the same day is a tall order – how far in advance can I get the bank letter?

 

4 Also the Bank  money has been in the deposit account for some time and I'm not sure where the paperwork for the transfer is - what do immigration actually need from me for this.

 

Small points I know but in a place where it is so easy to trip up in the bureaucratic process with such a tight schedule (especially if I have to do this on my last day of visa extension)  I would like to know if anyone has the answers.

 

Thanks

 

[ubonjoe]

1/2  You can do it any time. You just need a termination letter from your employer stating your last day of work so that your current extension can be canceled so that you can apply for a new one based upon retirement. You can go a few days before the date on the letter and they will post date the cancellation and start your new extension on that date.

3. You could cancel your work permit after you change the reason for your extension or before the day you plan on doing it. Immigration is not interested in you work permit cancellation.

How early the bank letter can be obtained depends upon the immigration office you will go to. Even the strictest office will accept one from the day before. At many offices though you will need your bank book updated on the date your apply for the new extension.

4. You do not need proof the funds came from abroad to apply for the extension.

[allane]

Having been through this experience myself, permit me to offer a couple of points of clarification:

Re: 

4. I take Ubonjoe's statement as being true, but that did not stop Immigration from asking me where the funds came from, with the      unspoken insinuation that with B 800,000 in the bank,  I must have been engaged in some sort of illegal activity. I provided copies of five year's income tax returns, which was enough to satisfy them.

- to the OP and anyone else who wants to establish a bank account that may be used to hold funds needed to satisfy an Immigration Dept. minimum:  Open an account as close as possible to the relevant Immigration office. It doesn't matter if that bank account is a long distance from your home or workplace. Having it close to Immigration saves a lot of headaches if one or the other starts giving you the royal runaround. This comment is most applicable in rural areas, where distances and travel times tend to be greater.

[BruceMangosteen]

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

 

3. You could cancel your work permit after you change the reason for your extension or before the day you plan on doing it. Immigration is not interested in you work permit cancellation.

 

Immigration in Chonburi is demanding the Work Permit be canceled and the applicant have proof the employer canceled it. Simply expiring isn't good enough for this office. This to convert to a Retirement VISA from a valid VISA extension granted to work.

[Negita43]

Thanks for the tips