Retirement Visa no longer at Pattaya?

[Billyboy294]

This does not seem to be the section for posting this (seems only for Thai visas) but i cannot see any other appropriate place.

 

 

A friend told me today that a senior Police Chief concerned about corruption at Pattaya Immigration (sorry Chonburi Immigration) has decreed that from 1st  Feb  Retirement Visas can only be obtained at Bangkok.

 

Any one heard about this

 

My Retirement Visa was due 18th Feb. but luckily i renewed it on 30th Jan.

[alan1946]

Wasn't this for your first 1?

[Soi7]

The lady that has the AirAsia desk right inside the door of Tukcom told me she could make it happen here in Pattaya Bill regarding yours if it is a renewal they are allowing those here in pattaya. Supposedly those applying for the first time need to do so in Bangkok but as I say the lady said she could get it done here of course for a price which we did not discuss.

[southsidebruce]

A month ago, I asked at the Chonburi/Jomtien Immigration office about converting my ED Visa to a retirement Visa... a gal at the front desk in Jomtien Immigration gave me a document that says that I have to get this done at an immigration office in Bangkok - convert to a Non-O Visa, and later get a retirement extension... as far as I know the retirement extensions can still be done in Bangkok... 

[Garzan]

Corruption at an Immigration Office?!?  Surely not!  

 

[eanto]

The initial O visa/extension has to be done in BKK and then subsequent annual renewals can be done in Jomtien.

[filibuster]

The initial O visa/extension has to be done in BKK and then subsequent annual renewals can be done in Jomtien.

 

It's the initial conversion to an O-Type visa that needs to be done in Bangkok.  The first extension of stay (and subsequent ones) can be done locally.

[eanto]

It's the initial conversion to an O-Type visa that needs to be done in Bangkok.  The first extension of stay (and subsequent ones) can be done locally.

Yes. It makes sense to do the first extension at the same time though, you still get the 15 months.

[filibuster]

Yes. It makes sense to do the first extension at the same time though, you still get the 15 months.

 

I know that was the case with the Jomtien "one-stop" process, but Chaengwattana used to be (last year) that the extension could only be done when there was less than 30 days remaining from the conversion (90 days).  Has that changed recently?

[Billyboy294]

It's the initial conversion to an O-Type visa that needs to be done in Bangkok.  The first extension of stay (and subsequent ones) can be done locally.

 

Well so my local travel agent who gets Retirement Visas for you wont be out of business.

 

However maybe he will be because when you go to get your passport with your new Retirement Visa, they now take your photo.

[Billyboy294]

Yes. It makes sense to do the first extension at the same time though, you still get the 15 months.

 

In order to get a retirement visa I got the 3 months Non-Immigrant O Visa in UK (as you were supposed to do).  But when I later applied for my Retirement Visa it was dated effective from when i first entered the country.  I only got 12 months , not 15 months. This was many years ago.

[eanto]

I know that was the case with the Jomtien "one-stop" process, but Chaengwattana used to be (last year) that the extension could only be done when there was less than 30 days remaining from the conversion (90 days).  Has that changed recently?

I'd imagine the rules haven't changed but I've only used the Jomtien 'one stop'

[Encora]

Well so my local travel agent who gets Retirement Visas for you wont be out of business.

 

However maybe he will be because when you go to get your passport with your new Retirement Visa, they now take your photo.

They take your photo when you pick it up. He could probably still do it, but let you pick it up.

 

I can't understand why you'd use an agent, as long as you got your documents right, and have all the relevant copies, it is quite simple, took me about an hour and a half to put in the application, and the next week two hours to get the multi entry visa.

Piece of cake...

[Billyboy294]

They take your photo when you pick it up. He could probably still do it, but let you pick it up.

 

I can't understand why you'd use an agent, as long as you got your documents right, and have all the relevant copies, it is quite simple, took me about an hour and a half to put in the application, and the next week two hours to get the multi entry visa.

Piece of cake...

 

I dont use an agent, I was referring to others who may not have sufficient funds at hand. A friend of mine paid 19,000 baht to an agent in January to renew his Retirement  Visa..

 

 Despite the place being mobbed, I was in and out in under 5 minutes on 30th Jan. I asked for 'number' but was told go straight to Desk 5  where a girl (the Sergeant was dealing with the guy ahead of me) checked everything and said come back tomorrow to get Passport..

 

I have a good pension and get letter of confirmation from British Embassy.. I always have all the forms filled out, photos etc  before i go.

 

Went to  pick up my Passport next day and yes that is when they take photo.

[southsidebruce]

been checking around on how to go from ED Visa to Retirement Visa and it appears that if you want to do it a correct way, and not pay off an immigration official, or have money deposited into your bank account temporarily by an agent, etc - and assuming you have the age and income/bank account requirements... 

 

1) CANX the ED Visa at Jomtien... you need a letter from your school saying you completed classes on a date that jives with/is close to when you are CANX'ing the ED Visa... you can also get a 7 day extension while doing that - which will give you time to get out of the country if you need it... however that 7 day Visa extension will cost you 1,900 THB

 

2) head to another country... Vientiane seems to be one that works OK... get to the Thai embassy, get a tourist Visa (probably want the 60 day Visa to give you plenty of time when you get back to Thailand)... or you can get a retirement Visa there, but there are additional paperwork requirements that you don't have in Bangkok and you only get a 90 day Visa this way for some odd reason (thought that the one you get in Bangkok is a 1 year Visa, not sure)...

 

3) go to Bangkok immigration in Chaengwattana and apply for the retirement Visa... they can't change an NON-O ED to a NON-O Retirement Visa for some strange (IMHO) reason, but they can change a tourist Visa into a NON-O retirement Visa... and you need at least 15 days left on your tourist Visa (which is why I am opting for the 60 day tourist Visa if I can get one, as it gives me extra time after the Laos trip to head to Bangkok... 

 

that is the path that I plan to take in the not too distant future - will let my ED Visa run out before I head to Laos since I paid good money for it, might as well get good mileage out of it...

 

the above info was verified by two Immigration officials via telephone calls to the 1111 number, who spoke pretty decent English and seemed to know what they were talking about... maybe it will work out... backup plan is to try living in Phnom Phen for awhile in my retirement, as getting a long term visa there seems to be much easier than in Thailand at the present time... prefer to live in Thailand, so that is what I will try for first... 

[Ron Rat]

Assumption can be the mother of all fuck ups. I went to the Thai consulate in Melbourne last October and asked for a non -o. Told can only do in Canberra now.  but can give you multiple entrance tourist. So I went with that. Stayed  as long as I could then flew to Phnom Pehn . Last week went to Australian Embassy and had stat dec signed. Next day went to Immigration in Bangkok and went straight through.  Police lady there said you go Jomtiem number 12 and they give you Non O there and give you extension.,She gave me a receipt for 2000 baht and off I went. So got sent to counter 5. Tourist volunteer asked me where Non 0 stamp was. I said I was hoping to get it done here. No, you have to  leave the country . WTF? So I went to Key Visa. Told same thing, have to go Cambodia. ????? 

 

Anyway a friend of mine rang a contact at Immigration who came over and at no cost spent 30 minutes going through my documents and the receipt and rang Bangkok. It appears I was supposed to go back to Bangkok and as long as I did it before my tourist visa ran out no extra. 

 

So now I have to go back to Immigration in Bangkok before the 21st. If falang goes postal next monday at Immigration in Bangkok  it may well be me. Moral is always get a second or third opinion. 

[sexy man]

renewed my retirement visa at jontien on monday in and out in fifteen mimutes came back next day to pick up passport and YES they did take my photo

[Captain Courageous]

In an Australians case does a retirement Visa make it easier to set up a Thai Bank account ?

[sexy man]

yesi think so

[Cnut the lesser]

Assumption can be the mother of all fuck ups. I went to the Thai consulate in Melbourne last October and asked for a non -o. Told can only do in Canberra now.  but can give you multiple entrance tourist. So I went with that. Stayed  as long as I could then flew to Phnom Pehn . Last week went to Australian Embassy and had stat dec signed. Next day went to Immigration in Bangkok and went straight through.  Police lady there said you go Jomtiem number 12 and they give you Non O there and give you extension.,She gave me a receipt for 2000 baht and off I went. So got sent to counter 5. Tourist volunteer asked me where Non 0 stamp was. I said I was hoping to get it done here. No, you have to  leave the country . WTF? So I went to Key Visa. Told same thing, have to go Cambodia. ????? 

 

Anyway a friend of mine rang a contact at Immigration who came over and at no cost spent 30 minutes going through my documents and the receipt and rang Bangkok. It appears I was supposed to go back to Bangkok and as long as I did it before my tourist visa ran out no extra. 

 

So now I have to go back to Immigration in Bangkok before the 21st. If falang goes postal next monday at Immigration in Bangkok  it may well be me. Moral is always get a second or third opinion. 

 

pretty sure you recall what Clint said about opinions

[Cnut the lesser]

In an Australians case does a retirement Visa make it easier to set up a Thai Bank account ?

 

Probably depends on bank - Kasikorn are quite happy with visa (4 accounts opened) - Bangkok wanted a residency certificate - but that was a while ago so could've changed.