Retirement Extension: an interesting experience

[jeab1980]

6 minutes ago, dennism53 said:

If, like me, you arrived on a one way ticket!

Even on a one way ticket which has nothing to do with a TM6 you would still have had a depature side of the TM 6 stapled or placed in your passport. However if not or youve lostb it its no big deal. 

Edited July 20, 2017 by jeab1980

[dennism53]

10 hours ago, Mattd said:

Would have thought it was obvious you should still have the departure part of the TM.6, why wouldn't you?

If, like me, you arrived on a one way ticket!

 

When I arrived I left that side blank and the immigration lady didn't put it in my Passport. Since that time every time it is asked for or info off it is requested I simply leave blank. This includes a number of 90 day's and a multiple entry O-A renewal.

[khunPer]

You friend got the easy task – others also need Health Check certificate from a hospital, not more than a week before applying for extension of stay; and Google map showing location and co-ordinates of the place one lives; and a hand drawn map of same – the complete process may take more than one day, i.e. »Come back tomorrow«...

[wisdomwizard]

So surprised how few either missed or refused to comment on the corruption in the OP.  I have had others living in Chumphon complain about this extra "express fee" but are afraid to complain. Maybe the officials recently in the news talking about stamping out corruption in the immigration department will catch this posting and go have a talk with the culprit in that office. Everybody knows the official's name there that demands this fee. My fingers are crossed but not very hopeful.

[4evermaat]

8 hours ago, Jim7777 said:

What in the world is this guy going on about?  You don't have to bring bank statements to immigration in fact they don't even want to see them.  It's really simple you just go to your embassy and get a Proof of Income Affidavit and that's all immigration needs to see.  

Actual experience.  Depends on the immigration office and how you wish to satisfy the income requirement.  If you go the 800k THB in Thai bank, they wanted

• copy of updated Thai bankbook (first page + updated page with ending balance >800k)
• bank letter verifying current balance
• 3+ month bank statement to verify seasoning.

If you use the income affidavit that you make 65k THB/mo, you must make the trip to the embassy (usually Bangkok) to get letter and all the travel expenses that go with that (USA embassy charge $50 USD for EACH notarized document).  Then you also needed some additional proof that you bring the money from outside thailand....such as

• copy of thai bank atm card (don't ask me.....you can block out some numbers of the card if you want)
• 3+ month bank statement (was unclear exactly what they wanted here, but I think it was to see wire transfer or such from overseas)
• possible atm receipts if they were legible.

 

We were told twice that if a different office does things differently to go there instead.  She was polite about it.

 

8 hours ago, joebrown said:

I always thought a 30 day 'under consideration' period only applied to marriage extensions. The longest I've ever had to wait for the return of my passport was  the next day, at Jomtien, when I applied on the basis of income/bank balance.

The offer of an express turnaround for 3,000bht sounds like a scam the corruption busting PM will stamp out in the next 20 years, as promised! 

After the new immigration boss came, 30 day review periods seem to be the norm for all new retirement and marriage extensions.  Not clear about ED or B long-term extensions.  

They don't keep the passport as far as I know.  You come back after the review period and they put the stamp into the passport at that point.

 

6 hours ago, YetAnother said:

please, please tell me you are joking; added to all the other nigglies of immigration here, we have to assume intelligence

It was trivial, but then again we were heading back to the bank anyway for the 3 month statement....so we just did the income verification letter again at the same time.

Edited July 20, 2017 by 4evermaat

[4evermaat]

1 hour ago, wisdomwizard said:

So surprised how few either missed or refused to comment on the corruption in the OP.  I have had others living in Chumphon complain about this extra "express fee" but are afraid to complain. Maybe the officials recently in the news talking about stamping out corruption in the immigration department will catch this posting and go have a talk with the culprit in that office. Everybody knows the official's name there that demands this fee. My fingers are crossed but not very hopeful.

It seems that because technically there is an option for those that do not pay for express service (and wait the review period), then it is not a huge deal.  I was surprised how many people pay it, but I suppose it's a question of how much your time is worth?  It's priced just high enough to where you ask whether it's worth the hassle.   I've met expats on both sides of the fence "...It's the principle..." vs "...I just wanna get on with my life..." and I respect both sides.

 

Even tourist visa or Visa exempt extensions....do you want the full 30 days or only 7 days?  I think the boss toned it down on those... [another thread]

[SABloke]

I believe that they purposely leave things to remind you that you are 'lucky' to be allowed to live here (putting on my tinfoil hat today - why not...it's Friday).

 

For Non-O extensions specifically all the documents that directly relate to you and the proof that you have Thai family connections are easy to get BUT then you need landlord's tabien baan/chanote/ID/Rental contract. My landlord changed his first name! Shit! Now I need his change of name document too (he was so pleased). All these documents to prove that I'm being serviced in the correct area? F me. 

 

At least at Chaeng Wattana has a very "clear" list which as a last point has "(9) Any other relevant documents which may be required for consideration" and that is where they will get you. 

[Orton Rd]

17 hours ago, Emster23 said:

I go in with the attitude "Whatever I bring, it's not enough". Usually proven correct

I always take copies of all PP pages even the blanks. They have asked for this twice, the next time I go and present them i get what are you giving me these for response, you can't win but can;t lose if you go well prepared. This year they wanted every bank book page copied thinking I'd have to go and use their copier at 3 baht a go, already had them as well 

[Ahab]

I just did my first retirement extension in Buriram, there wasn't a 30 days under consideration waiting period. We had to wait an hour and 20 minutes to be seen (next time I will not go on a Friday), but within 20 minutes of being seen I had my one year extension of stay based on retirement, with a multiple re-entry stamped in my passport. I handed over the 5700 baht and was on my way, good to go for a year.

[Orton Rd]

30 day consideration is only for marriage extensions

[Mattd]

4 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

30 day consideration is only for marriage extensions

And work extensions 

[Evilbaz]

The procedure is not the same at all Immi Offices ( may vary from day to day, even Officer to Officer).

 

So your personal experience can be only relevant to that Officer, that Day at that Office.

 

TIT - nothing is constant but change.

 

The TM6 has two parts - one part is surrendered on Arrival, the second part should be stamped with th arrival date and surrendered on departure (eventually).

A one way ticket does not change this process.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Evilbaz
addition

[YetAnother]

19 hours ago, tropo said:

It seems that Immigration has stopped stapling it (TM 6) to passports. They shouldn't be defacing passports with staples, but they staple receipts, reporting forms and most anything they want to your passport. They have no respect for your most valuable document.

 

I've always felt the attitude of immigration officers is extremely arrogant - you're lucky you can stay - don't you dare complain about anything. If you do they'll shout.

 

 

agreed, many times their attitudes suggest either they do not like their jobs or they do not like farang (or both)

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, tropo said:

My TM6 is always stapled to the inside of my passport. Do you keep it somewhere separate?

I just got back and this is something I do soon after arrival at home.... staple it in there myself.

I always pick a page where it and the entry stamp can be photocopied together too.

Ready for the multiple requirements I will need.

 

[poohy]

20 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Wouldn't know for sure.  My company has visa fairies that take my passport in to the One Stop.  If I need to show up at all, they just tell me when, show me where to sit, when to go up front, what to sign and which IO to wave at and when.  I don't recall ever giving them my TM6 to take with them, but I can't say for sure in 30 or 40 visits for extensions, WPs, and 90 day reports.  Maybe they fill one out.  Maybe I've accidentally left mine in the passport every time.

 

Since there's a good chance my WP won't get renewed this year, I have a new found curiosity about such things.

 

Visa faires are a god send ! and luckily still available  i am thankful for mine

[impulse]

Just now, poohy said:

Visa faires are a god send ! and luckily still available  i am thankful for mine

 

I'm of the firm belief that everyone should have one.  More than one if you can afford 'em.

 

 

[moe666]

18 hours ago, PhuketSarah said:

All these threads on retirement extensions have me in a constant state of nausea lately- what calamity will befall me  when I go for an extension? Why did I move here?  Huge mistake, every aspect of it  is completely unreliable when individual govt officials  can force jumping through whatever hoops of compliance  they wish.  

 

Read u on your local immigration office or go in before and ask questions. People who have problems tend to be not prepared or have their own ideas about what immigration wants or should have. I have done extensions in Bangkok and Chiang Mai never a problem with either  office.

[eddysmit]

On 7/20/2017 at 2:33 PM, Emster23 said:

I go in with the attitude "Whatever I bring, it's not enough". Usually proven correct

Always been the way it has worked for me, usually only have 'problems' when a new 'big boss' start, appears to be yearly, and the staff are on 'full alert' and must find something wrong, even if made up, they will always have the last word, I just try to 'go with the flow' and have the attitude of the less I say the better the 'experience', usually, but not always, and I enjoy the 'easy ones' when they come around.

[PhuketSarah]

6 hours ago, moe666 said:

Read u on your local immigration office or go in before and ask questions. People who have problems tend to be not prepared or have their own ideas about what immigration wants or should have. I have done extensions in Bangkok and Chiang Mai never a problem with either  office.

I did, and I got told a bunch of different thing even from the piece of paper they handed me  which states clearly the officer can demand more documents as he sees fit. Got told I must apply  before 45 days of expiry.  That didn't sound right to me and I pushed the young Thai  student worker to clarify it- politely, I was dressed polite, too. I could see the supervisor getting annoyed I was daring to question  the students authority  but it's  WITHIN  45 days of expiry  ( or is it 30  which is what I get told here? ) See what I'm getting at here- there is no consistency.

 On an individual officer's whim,  I can be told I have to leave the country  and  sell everything  within 30 days- That's unreasonable.    I regret trusting Thailand to act reasonably and the threads here are chock full of examples, I'm not imagining it. 

[PhuketSarah]

7 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I'm of the firm belief that everyone should have one.  More than one if you can afford 'em.

 

 

You mean an agent?  Well that't certainly what the officers would like,  then they get a cut, but isn't one supposed to do it one's self?  Besides is it cheap to live here, or not.  I want to know. Last agent I talked to wanted 15, 000  I think that's outrageous, if I were swimming in dough, I'd be in the south of  France, not T land.

[perthperson]

8 minutes ago, PhuketSarah said:

 I can be told I have to leave the country  and  sell everything  within 30 days-

It can be arranged much faster. 7 days or even less if an expat person really tries ! 

[impulse]

8 minutes ago, PhuketSarah said:

You mean an agent?  Well that't certainly what the officers would like,  then they get a cut, but isn't one supposed to do it one's self?  Besides is it cheap to live here, or not.  I want to know. Last agent I talked to wanted 15, 000  I think that's outrageous, if I were swimming in dough, I'd be in the south of  France, not T land.

 

Most companies that bring in a lot of expats have a department with people whose job it is to keep the expats from wasting their high $$$ time on trivialities like visas, 90 day reports and such.  They pay for themselves many times over when a $10,000-20,000 a month guy doesn't have to waste an afternoon going to immigration, and even more so when he doesn't get deported because he forgot to go to immigration.

 

We affectionately refer to them as visa fairies or visa angels.  They do the basically same thing as agents, but they do it better because they don't get paid extra if they hose us.

 

[tropo]

4 hours ago, PhuketSarah said:

I did, and I got told a bunch of different thing even from the piece of paper they handed me  which states clearly the officer can demand more documents as he sees fit. Got told I must apply  before 45 days of expiry.  That didn't sound right to me and I pushed the young Thai  student worker to clarify it- politely, I was dressed polite, too. I could see the supervisor getting annoyed I was daring to question  the students authority  but it's  WITHIN  45 days of expiry  ( or is it 30  which is what I get told here? ) See what I'm getting at here- there is no consistency.

  

7

I've asked the question a number of times at the Jomtien office. They've always told me 30 days before at the earliest.

[wpcoe]

14 hours ago, tropo said:

I've asked the question a number of times at the Jomtien office. They've always told me 30 days before at the earliest.

I don't doubt your experience one bit, but I've been *offered* to do it earlier by the staff at the retirement extension desk in Jomtien.  Example:

 

I went in November to simply ask the question "How early can I apply for an extension when my current one expires mid-January?" explaining that I was leaving on an overseas trip mid-December and not sure when I was returning.  They replied, you can do it today:  almost 60 days early!  I immediately went to the bank for a letter and got the extension the next day.

 

Several other times, I've renewed more than 30 days in advance, too, without asking for any special favor.

 

I think it depends on the moon phase, or more likely, which side of the bed they got up from.  The consistency is the inconsistency?

[JackThompson]

8 hours ago, wpcoe said:

I don't doubt your experience one bit, but I've been *offered* to do it earlier by the staff at the retirement extension desk in Jomtien.  Example:

 

I went in November to simply ask the question "How early can I apply for an extension when my current one expires mid-January?" explaining that I was leaving on an overseas trip mid-December and not sure when I was returning.  They replied, you can do it today:  almost 60 days early!  I immediately went to the bank for a letter and got the extension the next day.

 

Several other times, I've renewed more than 30 days in advance, too, without asking for any special favor.

 

I think it depends on the moon phase, or more likely, which side of the bed they got up from.  The consistency is the inconsistency?

December and January are their busiest months - might have been a factor to shift the work out of the mad-rush.

[tropo]

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

December and January are their busiest months - might have been a factor to shift the work out of the mad-rush.

Do they think that much?

[FARANG KIWI]

This week 1st Extension of Stay based on Retirement was issued from the Korat Immigration  office  >   Applied between the 30 days and 45 days time period before my Non Imm 'O' Visa expired.

 

I was very pleasantly surprised that the 1 Year Extension of Stay started for the day the Non Imm 'O' expires.....  

   

Actually giving a 13.5 month stay from the day the Extension of Stay was granted.

 

It took 75 minutes all up including a Multiple Re-entry Permit.  

 

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, FARANG KIWI said:

I was very pleasantly surprised that the 1 Year Extension of Stay started for the day the Non Imm 'O' expires.....  

   

All extensions of stay start from the date your current permit to stay ends.

[GroveHillWanderer]

On 7/20/2017 at 3:56 PM, Jim7777 said:

What in the world is this guy going on about?  You don't have to bring bank statements to immigration in fact they don't even want to see them.  It's really simple you just go to your embassy and get a Proof of Income Affidavit and that's all immigration needs to see.  

That only works if you have some form of income. If you don't (like myself and several other people I know) then Immigration most certainly does want to see a bank statement and letter from the bank - in fact it is the only other available option.

[Jim7777]

On July 23, 2017 at 2:25 PM, GroveHillWanderer said:

The That only works if you have some form of income. If you don't (like myself and several other people I know) then Immigration most certainly does want to see a bank statement and letter from the bank - in fact it is the only other available option.

I think it just depends on which embassy you apply for your visa at.  I've heard that some ask for them and others don't.  I got my visa at the Thai Consulate in New York and they're awesome the NY Thai Consulate provides great service and they make it easy.  I still had to show all the required documents but my visa was ready for pickup the very next day.  It was so much easier than I ever expected.  

 

Whenever we went to the Thai Embassy in DC to get my wife's Thai passport and Thai ID Card renewed it took over 2 months, but the staff there was still pretty nice and helpful.  Probably because they're so busy in DC.  I remember when the Thai Embassy in DC used to be in the Georgetown part of DC but last time we were there in I think March of 2014 they had moved all the way to the other side of DC.  At least the new location in DC is closer to the Metro Station.  When it was in Georgetown I remember having to walk a long way from the train station.  Back then I technically wasn't allowed to go into foreign embassies because of my job, I always had to report it whenever I did as a foreign contact and as if I had traveled abroad on personal travel.  

 

In the job I had anytime I visited a foreign country on personal travel I always had to fill out a foreign travel request form before going and wait for it to get approved before going.  Pain in the ass, and I had to report all of the names of my wife's family members as foreign contacts on my SF-86 form every 5 years.  Although when I was stationed in Tokyo visiting Thailand from Japan wasn't a big deal.  If you're asking to go on holiday to someplace like Russia or China then they ask a lot more questions about your trip before approving the travel request.  If they find out that you've ever traveled to any country without informing them they might revoke your security clearance and then it's back to the regular conventional Army back in uniform and the dumb looking haircuts again.  

 

Now I'm retired and we live in Thailand permanently.  Living here on a pension is nice.  My wife is also a United States Permanent Resident so we can travel back home anytime we want we get to have it both ways.