.. RETIREMENT VISA - 1-Year Extension UPDATE

[don henley]

I don't think they are that 'joined up' here. For instance the pension income letters I get give the gross annual income figure only - no deduction for the UK tax I still gave to pay on that income.

I guess the must believe if the Embassy thinks it's ok then that's good enough for them.

 

I am also told there is no way of mixing pension income with money held in the bank. It's either one or the other.

[Billyboy294]

Can you say what Exchange Rate they used?

 

See Post #40.

 

46 baht/£ and the cost still £52. And the money was taken without them requiring the 3 password numbers on the back of the card..

 

To be clear you do not pay  the Embassy the £52 but you authorise them to take whatever the current fee (depending on the exchange rate) is at the time they deal with your application

 

But that is not to say Immigration will use that rate when they check to see if your income in £s is more than 65,000 Baht  per month.

[bobSL1]

So if someone applied using a combination of Income & Bank for example, how would they know if it added up to 800k Baht?

 

I know that the Embassy letter only deals in GBP (for Brits) but I'm pretty sure someone somewhere in Immigration applies the current ER.

You are correct Edge,last October i used a combination Pension letter (in GBP) and Bank Letter (in THB), and the the immigration officer was busy on her calculator but i don't know what exchange she was using so you gotta play it safe and work on current ER / bank rate.

[cbmgolfer]

From the OP ...you talk about having some form of multi entry visa... does this avoid having to get the visa extension ( for 1000 Bt) every time you exit Thailand?

 

If so, can this still be obtained?

 

I fear that 1000 Bt fee is going to pile up over time.... I have friends and business around the region. Currently on the retirement visa btw...

 

Thanks

[Billyboy294]

I did my renewal this week, with very pleasant surprises .

 

On Wednesday, we arrived in Jomtien at the office at 7.45, with all the required documentation.

The doors opened at 8.00 sharp, I got allocated number 807, seveth in line. The formal functions open at 8.30, but to my surprise, they started processing at 8.20, I git called at 8.35, walked out if there at 8.35

 

In previous years, I spent all morning there.

 

Next day, we were scheduked to arrive for pick up of passport at 10.30

 

We actually arrived at 10.30, picked up oassports with visa, went back to the desk with pre filled firms for the re-entry trrip, then were moved through that stage in about 25 minutes....

Both days the fastest ever growing n the 8 years I have done this...

 

Just important, get all your documentation correct

 

My compliments to the staff of the immigration office in Jomtien....

 

Fastest time ever...

For the Re-entry Visa do you just need the Form TM 8 and copy of passport.

 

And once you get your Passport back (usually next day) you have to go and get a copy of the new 'Retirement Visa'  page and then go and get the Re-entry.

 

 

Did i read somewhere that someone said he got the Retirement Visa and the Re-entry Visa together. I don't see how this is possible.

[bobSL1]

From the OP ...you talk about having some form of multi entry visa... does this avoid having to get the visa extension ( for 1000 Bt) every time you exit Thailand?

 

If so, can this still be obtained?

 

I fear that 1000 Bt fee is going to pile up over time.... I have friends and business around the region. Currently on the retirement visa btw...

 

Thanks

Yes you can for 3800 baht. see for details https://www.keyvisathailand.com/re-entry-permits-in-thailand/

[Edge]

For the Re-entry Visa do you just need the Form TM 8 and copy of passport.

 

And once you get your Passport back (usually next day) you have to go and get a copy of the new 'Retirement Visa'  page and then go and get the Re-entry.

 

 

Did i read somewhere that someone said he got the Retirement Visa and the Re-entry Visa together. I don't see how this is possible.

Me neither...separate consecutive applications.

[brutox]

For the Re-entry Visa do you just need the Form TM 8 and copy of passport.

 

And once you get your Passport back (usually next day) you have to go and get a copy of the new 'Retirement Visa'  page and then go and get the Re-entry.

 

 

Did i read somewhere that someone said he got the Retirement Visa and the Re-entry Visa together. I don't see how this is possible.

 

Me neither...separate consecutive applications.

 

 

For the Multiple Entry Endorsement, I submitted the following (Immigration was already holding my passport, with the retirement visa having just been approved):

 

1.  TM-8 - "Application for Re-entry Permit into the Kingdom"

 

2.  One photograph

 

3.  Fee - THB 3,800.

.

.

Edge and others cite that their "Retirement Visa" (technically, it is merely a 1-year extension to your Non-Immigrant O-A Visa) is processed overnight .. the passport is returned the next day, after which they can process their Multiple Entry Endorsement, taking a total of two days for both.

 

I processed my retirement visa and multi-entry visa in BKK at the main Immigration office in Chaeng Wattana, where they do it all in a single sitting .. as many know, each Immigration office has their own work pace and often take frustrating liberties interpreting the regulations however they choose.

 

As everyone cites, however, the retirement visa comes first and then the multi-entry visa.

.

[Lambik]

Austrian Consulate in Pattaya,one can use, if Austrian,Belgian,Dutch,German,Luxemburger,for a proof of income,use the current exchange rate next to the amount in Euro.

[Billyboy294]

I went this morning for my Retirement Visa and did not have to wait. A lady outside the desk with the three assistants, checked my documents; decided i needed a copy of another page from my passport (pages  1 and 2) and did it on the spot. No asking me to go and get a copy.

 

Did not ask me for my Lease Document  which i had with me but asked for 'proof of address' and i had a receipt from 3BB which i handed over and everything Ok. She then handed me two forms and a pen and i started to fill in my name etc and she said no need, just sign the two forms, Evidently they were forms setting out penalties for overstay and you sign to understand and agree to them.

 

Got a number and told to pick up passport tomorrow after 10.00am,

 

Was in and out in 10 minutes although the place was busy.

 

Will get a Re-entry permit tomorrow and in the past have always had to get a copy of the new Visa page to add to the others as i always understood that as well as Form TM8 you always need copies of your passport. I think this is requires at Jomtien but perhaps not in Bangkok if you can do both at one go

[Edge]

.

Used to be if you went early enough in the morning you could get your MReP in the afternoon.

 

Might be coincidence but since they were stopped from doing conversions to O visa it became an overnight thing.

[Lambik]

Went the 7th.February,for my "Retirement Visa",despite there were 8 people before me,I was out after 35 minutes.

The 8th.February,went to pick up my passport,picture was taken,out after 5 minutes,the young lady Wai me and said :have a nice day Sir.

Impressed.It was my 10th.Visa in a row.

[Scuzz]

Just a bit of a heads up...

When you get the letter from the bank, it can be no older than 3 days when you give it to immigration.

Both my buddy and I got nailed on this one...

We never bother updating our bank books because they are a pain in the ass to carry around,

& we use ATMs all the time.

When Kasikorn, (at least) updates your bankbook for your letter, they only stick in a few lines.

Both my buddy & I got sent out to get a full statement to cover at least the last 3 months. (for another 100B) from the bank.

[Sa-teef]

I believe today was a personal best for me.

Went and got my bank draft yesterday and went between 10am and noon to Dusit Thani off the Dolphin Roundabout for my income letter from US Citizen Services. Nice bunch they have working on the road crew and I was number 205, arrived 11:35 and out before 12:00.

Stopped at the bank for my account balance letter (100 baht), stopped for lunch before wandering toward Jomtien. I went into the commercial place next door to Jomtien Immigration for my photo (50 baht) and copies of a few pages out of my passport (5 baht/copy).  They charge a few baht more but are helpful and close at hand.  They look it all over after and pointed out where I need to sign then paper clip it together with a smile which earned them a tip.

I walked into Immigration with the completed package at 2:15pm, the lady at the front desk paged through and gave me a number for desk Eight. I walk over as my number comes up, I sign a paper for the lady while she is paging through it. I give her the 1,900 baht for the annual renewal of my Non-O based on retirement and I am in the parking lot with my claim stub for Monday by 2:18pm.

Three minutes total elapsed time in the Immigration Office for renewal of my retirement visa! Incredibly easy if you just do your homework before arrival. Showing up after 2pm, 3pm is even better, also helps.

 

 

 

 

[DimasUSA]

On 7/14/2017 at 4:08 PM, Sa-teef said:

I believe today was a personal best for me.

Went and got my bank draft yesterday and went between 10am and noon to Dusit Thani off the Dolphin Roundabout for my income letter from US Citizen Services. Nice bunch they have working on the road crew and I was number 205, arrived 11:35 and out before 12:00.

Stopped at the bank for my account balance letter (100 baht), stopped for lunch before wandering toward Jomtien. I went into the commercial place next door to Jomtien Immigration for my photo (50 baht) and copies of a few pages out of my passport (5 baht/copy).  They charge a few baht more but are helpful and close at hand.  They look it all over after and pointed out where I need to sign then paper clip it together with a smile which earned them a tip.

I walked into Immigration with the completed package at 2:15pm, the lady at the front desk paged through and gave me a number for desk Eight. I walk over as my number comes up, I sign a paper for the lady while she is paging through it. I give her the 1,900 baht for the annual renewal of my Non-O based on retirement and I am in the parking lot with my claim stub for Monday by 2:18pm.

Three minutes total elapsed time in the Immigration Office for renewal of my retirement Visa! Incredibly easy if you just do your homework before arrival. Showing up after 2pm, 3pm is even better, also helps.

 

 

 

 

Thanks. It seems easy. Eases my mind.

[Sa-teef]

On 2/9/2017 at 6:24 PM, Edge said:

.Used to be if you went early enough in the morning you could get your MReP in the afternoon.

Might be coincidence but since they were stopped from doing conversions to O Visa it became an overnight thing.

I can never roll out of bed early enough, 555. And I am a little gun shy of using a bank letter that isn't from today's date so that negates heading to Jomtien until after the banks on my side of town open.

I just noticed something:  three out of the last four years the one year extension of my permission to stay has been signed by the same two immigration officers.  Good professional crew at Jomtien IMO.

--------------------------------------------------

EDIT:

DimasUSA posted:

"Thanks. It seems easy. Eases my mind "

You're welcome.  One thing I neglected to mention has been stated above: you need some evidence of where you reside. Sometimes an invoice with your name and address will suffice but a few years back they would no longer accept a copy of my original lease and the most recent receipts so I just got a letter from my landlord. Since I have the condo now a copy of the yellow book has been accepted without question.

[Edge]

6 minutes ago, Sa-teef said:

I can never roll out of bed early enough, 555. And I am a little gun shy of using a bank letter that isn't from today's date so that negates heading to Jomtien until after the banks on my side of town open.

I just noticed something:  three out of the last four years the one year extension of my permission to stay has been signed by the same two immigration officers.  Good professional crew at Jomtien IMO.

I've got nothing but praise for them also..........so far.

Mine is coming up again soon and there is a flaw in my visa history which sometimes causes a hiccough.
I'm OK on the database but there's a strange conversion in my Passport.
There's no point trying to pre-empt the problem, it has to run it's course, resulting in much thumbing through my Passport until finally it gets to the guy on the far left, who I think must have signed all of mine.
So far, once he checks it he gives the all clear.....so far.
I really need to get a new Passport, it's been through the washing machine twice.

[Sexyfarangman]

On 9/23/2016 at 2:21 PM, brutox said:

Current process, as at 2016-09.

 

THIS IS IMPORTANT:  The above extension does not include a Multiple Entry Endorsement to your Non-Immigrant "O-A" Visa.  This is very important if you plan to depart and return at any time during the validity of your retirement Visa.  If you do not have the Multiple Entry Endorsement, your Non-Immigrant "O-A" Visa cancels the moment you depart.

 

For the Multiple Entry Endorsement, I submitted the following:

 

1.  TM-8 - "Application for Re-entry Permit into the Kingdom"

 

2.  One photograph

 

3.  Fee - THB 3,800

.

 

In

 

Late appointments are similarly fast when doing my 90-day report at Chaeng Wattana.

.

I thought the retirement visa was automatically multiple entry. However, you are saying that additional steps are involved. I got my retirement visa  form the New York office of the Thai Consulate, and it is multiple entry. My impression has been that they automatically come like that.

[Sa-teef]

On 2/9/2017 at 2:24 PM, brutox said:

Edge and others cite that their "Retirement Visa" (technically, it is merely a 1-year extension to your Non-Immigrant O-A Visa) is processed overnight .. the passport is returned the next day, after which they can process their Multiple Entry Endorsement, taking a total of two days for both.

I processed my retirement Visa and multi-entry Visa in BKK at the main Immigration office in Chaeng Wattana, where they do it all in a single sitting .. as many know, each Immigration office has their own work pace and often take frustrating liberties interpreting the regulations however they choose.

As everyone cites, however, the retirement Visa comes first and then the multi-entry Visa.

.

I just noticed this and found it interesting. My first two extensions to stay based on retirement were at the old Bangkok office at Suan Plu and while I could get both the extension to stay and the multiple re-entry permit the same day, it was two distinct operations at different locations within the building.

-In the large room at the back on ground floor you obtained your one year extension to stay based on retirement.

-You then had to go to a teller like arrangement in the office immediately to the left as you entered the building for the multiple re-entry permit.

It was a sometimes long wait in a building with no apparent aircon but yes, you could get it done all in the same day.  Living in Bangkok you go to the  Chaeng Wattana site but since about 2010 I think expat's are required to go to the assigned immigration office for the province in which you reside. Luck of the draw that I live in Chonburi Province and have an office with good staff and new air conditioning, 555.

---------------------------

Sexyfalangman:  it is two separate stamps in your passport and definitely two operations. You get the one year extension to stay and then a re-entry permit if you are planning to exit Thailand during that one year.

Read the bottom lines on your permission to stay.

You can buy a single re-entry for 1,000 baht or a multiple re-entry permit for 3,800 baht which allows an endless number of passes through the turnstile during that particular year stated on your permission to stay..

 

[Edge]

11 minutes ago, Sexyfarangman said:

I thought the retirement Visa was automatically multiple entry. However, you are saying that additional steps are involved. I got my retirement visa  form the New York office of the Thai Consulate, and it is multiple entry. My impression has been that they automatically come like that.

For a Retirement Visa from your homeland, yes it's Multi-entry, but this thread is about One Year Extension of Stay (Retirement) from Immigration in Thailand, for which Re-entry Permits are applied for separately.

[Sa-teef]

8 minutes ago, Edge said:

For a Retirement Visa from your homeland, yes it's Multi-entry, but this thread is about One Year Extension of Stay (Retirement) from Immigration in Thailand, for which Re-entry Permits are applied for separately.

I didn't know that.

I got my original 90 day Non-immigrant "O" while I was in Thailand and then made application for the one year extension to stay based on retirement in the last 30 days of that original Non-0.

[Edge]

6 minutes ago, Sa-teef said:

I didn't know that.

I got my original 90 day Non-immigrant "O" while I was in Thailand and then made application for the one year extension to stay based on retirement in the last 30 days of that original Non-0.

I bet you knew, getting a Retirement Visa in your homeland is quite a hassle.

One advantage however, is that the multi bit allows you to time a border run towards the end and thus get 2 years out of it.

[Sa-teef]

12 minutes ago, Edge said:

I bet you knew, getting a Retirement Visa in your homeland is quite a hassle.

One advantage however, is that the multi bit allows you to time a border run towards the end and thus get 2 years out of it.

Yes, on both counts. I lived way out in the boonies In the States and everything had to be done by mail with money orders so I opted for the 90 day Non-O  option on second floor of Suan Plu instead. For the most part a painless operation as long as you brought a 5 foot body guard.

[Sa-teef]

I did a couple single entry tourist visas to Thailand and one to Vietnam by mail.  But the last Thai single entry took nearly three weeks to get back to me.,,,,about 48 hours before I was scheduled to be on a plane.  So I avoid passports in the mail if I can.

[Sexyfarangman]

4 hours ago, Edge said:

For a Retirement Visa from your homeland, yes it's Multi-entry, but this thread is about One Year Extension of Stay (Retirement) from Immigration in Thailand, for which Re-entry Permits are applied for separately.

Thanks for that information. I would have learned it the hard way had I attempted in the future to extend my visa and then exited the country.