Thai Retirement Visa

[Edge]

@timbota

Fair enough, you didn't meet the requirements so that was your best/only option.

However, that's what we were talking about i.e. someone had to falsify your financial information and if you (or the official) were investigated (unlikely perhaps) then your Extension could be cancelled and you'd be back to square one minus 22k or perhaps even worse.

As I said earlier, for those who don't meet the requirements I get it, but for those who do it doesn't make sense to me.

OK if you meet the requirements but hate the process enough to waste 20k or so on an agent it's your business and good news for the agent and/or the bent official.

[johnfb43]

For my 1 month (tourist) extension due on the 1st November - 1) I assume Immigration is open at Jomtien on the 1st? 2) What do I need to bring with me? 3) How much is it (1900?)? 4) Would it be better to go on the 30th October? Thank you
 

[RockyMtnJay]

7 hours ago, johnfb43 said:

For my 1 month (tourist) extension due on the 1st November - 1) I assume Immigration is open at Jomtien on the 1st? 2) What do I need to bring with me? 3) How much is it (1900?)? 4) Would it be better to go on the 30th October? Thank you
 

1. I don't see any holiday on Nov 1 so I assume they will be open. But no harm in going a day early in case you hose up.

2. Your passport, some passport photos, an invoice from where ever you are staying showing you actually have someplace to stay and the correct forms (filled out properly). Just before you walk into Jomtien immigration if you go straight left you will come to a shop that that will do all the paperwork (correct form and photo copies) for you for 300 baht (the place on the far left side of the link below). This service is easily worth 300 baht to me. If you don't have everything you need they will likely tell you.

3. 1900 baht

4. If you are extending a 30 day entry stamp you will get 30 days from the date you get it extended (including the day it is extended). If you are getting a tourist visa extended you don't have to wait until the last minute as you will get an extra 30 days even if you extend it early.

https://www.google.com/maps/@12.8978792,100.8713882,3a,15y,132.79h,90.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMpHNkVQ3bnHQKVK7hNhDFA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[johnfb43]

thank you, very useful summary Rocky

[KittenKong]

On 18/10/2017 at 17:57, davidge said:

You will need to have the difference between your income and 800000 baht in your Thai bank account for 2 or 3 months prior to applying for Visa and before renewal.

 

If you are using the combination method then technically there is no seasoning requirement for the deposit part.

The seasoning requirement is 2 months for the first application of an extension based entirely on deposits, and 3 months for all subsequent extensions based entirely on deposits.

Though these rules are occasionally not followed to the letter and the immigration officer on the day can ask for something else. Also some immigration offices (not Jomtien) apply more stringent rules.

Also if the immigration officer finds you in any way odd he may also ask to see a bank book that shows actual cash withdrawals for spending money. This is rare though. I have never been asked for this.

[KittenKong]

On 24/10/2017 at 20:17, socrates said:

Why not just go to an agent - pay 26500 baht get a 15 month Retirement Visa with multiple re-entry (or 22000 without) free 90 day reporting and be done with it - no proof of income, no letters no nothing

Maneerat - Soi Post Office - start to finish in under a month - renewal 15,000

 

People I know who use agents get retirement extensions (not visas) for about 14,000B. The agents deposit their own cash into your bank account and then withdraw it with your ATM card once the extension is issued. When they return your ATM card and passport you just change the PIN on the card.

Two or three days covers it.

[KittenKong]

On 28/10/2017 at 07:05, RockyMtnJay said:

Your passport, some passport photos, an invoice from where ever you are staying showing you actually have someplace to stay and the correct forms (filled out properly). Just before you walk into Jomtien immigration if you go straight left you will come to a shop that that will do all the paperwork (correct form and photo copies) for you for 300 baht (the place on the far left side of the link below). This service is easily worth 300 baht to me. If you don't have everything you need they will likely tell you.

 

Getting a retirement extension is very simple. My filled-in form is on my PC and every year I just change the date on it and print it out. Add the bank letter (free from my bank) and a few photocopies and photos. I really dont see the point of paying anyone to check your photocopies as the person at reception in immigration does this anyway before giving you your queue number, and if you need extra copies you can get them done inside immigration itself for much less than the outside shops charge.

I can think of many better things to do with 300B.

[usexpat46]

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

 

People I know who use agents get retirement extensions (not Visas) for about 14,000B. The agents deposit their own cash into your bank account and then withdraw it with your ATM card once the extension is issued. When they return your ATM card and passport you just change the PIN on the card.

Two or three days covers it.

Just curious on the above method,  are those funds deposited 2 months in advance or is part of the 14K given to immigration to look the other way?

[Edge]

@usexpat46

I think you know the answer to that.   

That's the risk you take if you or the official were ever investigated.

[usexpat46]

2 minutes ago, Edge said:

@usexpat46

I think you know the answer to that.   

That's the risk you take if you or the official were ever investigated.

I got a good idea, however being an American, myself and all my American friends only have to pay our Embassy $50 to get the job done.

[Edge]

44 minutes ago, usexpat46 said:

I got a good idea, however being an American, myself and all my American friends only have to pay our Embassy $50 to get the job done.

Americans are different.....may involve some telling fibs?    

[usexpat46]

13 minutes ago, Edge said:

Americans are different.....may involve some telling fibs?    

When I first went in 2006 I actually had proof of my federal pension from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) which the US Embassy should have been quite familiar since they are federal employees and are under OPM.  They didn't want to see my proof, only wanted me to raise my hand and affirm that the info that I had written on the form was correct and to pay them $30.

[david555]

People I know who use agents get retirement extensions (not Visas) for about 14,000B. The agents deposit their own cash into your bank account and then withdraw it with your ATM card once the extension is issued. When they return your ATM card and passport you just change the PIN on the card.
 

 

@KittenKong

Until the moment arrives an officer ask you to go ATM to print out your balance just to check if  YOU still have your card in possession .....(that is the only reason and day that my big deposit  card leaves the safe in a year ....)

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, usexpat46 said:

Just curious on the above method,  are those funds deposited 2 months in advance or is part of the 14K given to immigration to look the other way?

 

The funds are only deposited for a matter of hours and the whole process only takes a couple of days. So basically the immigration people are just ignoring the seasoning requirement as there is no requirement that the money actually be your own. An envelope will be changing hands, of course.

[Edge]

@usexpat46

So some are not just telling fibs but committing perjury?  

@david555

You have to leave a space between @ and whoever for it to work.    (saving cyberspace)

[KittenKong]

52 minutes ago, david555 said:

Until the moment arrives an officer ask you to go ATM to print out your balance just to check if  YOU still have your card in possession .....(that is the only reason and day that my big deposit  card leaves the safe in a year ....)

The people I know who use an agent never go to immigration at all: the agent handles everything. So they never see an immigration officer and can never be asked anything.

Besides which, my deposit money (which is entirely my own and entirely legit) is in an account which has no ATM access. They only proof of its existence is the bank book. Of course when I do my extension I show the original and photocopies of the bank book, and the bank letter. No one has ever asked me for anything more, or for any evidence of other spending money, but the amount on deposit is somewhat larger than the 800k required and has been on deposit for several years.

[david555]

15 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

The people I know who use an agent never go to immigration at all: the agent handles everything. So they never see an immigration officer and can never be asked anything.

Besides which, my deposit money (which is entirely my own and entirely legit) is in an account which has no ATM access. They only proof of its existence is the bank book. Of course when I do my extension I show the original and photocopies of the bank book, and the bank letter. No one has ever asked me for anything more, or for any evidence of other spending money, but the amount on deposit is somewhat larger than the 800k required and has been on deposit for several years.

My remark was only for those who a sudden have the total amount and not the full 3 months ...and meeting" a not in the gang officer "   (if they exist ...?)

.I never had some extra asked as the amount is always there & growing , no asking even for tm 28 or 30 which I do not have  (7 years same address

BTW: the young guy at the corner counter desk outside sitting , is very efficient and handles all at double speed than the ones behind the desks ....speed service..! 

[Oukiva]

33 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

The funds are only deposited for a matter of hours and the whole process only takes a couple of days.  //

Different agents may have different operating modes. I never used any of them, but spoke with guys who did. One of them told me he never had any money transferred on his account; he not even has been asked for his account reference/number, but apparently the agent obtained a letter from a bank attesting he had the required money on his account during more than 3 month... 

[Scuba+]

 
People I know who use agents get retirement extensions (not visas) for about 14,000B. The agents deposit their own cash into your bank account and then withdraw it with your ATM card once the extension is issued. When they return your ATM card and passport you just change the PIN on the card.
Two or three days covers it.

So they withdraw 800k at the ATM? Seems unlikely. I'm not sure you can withdraw that much? Usually there is a card daily limit, I can change mine. If they withdraw at the counter they'd need a passport and possible bank book.

[usexpat46]

2 hours ago, KittenKong said:

The people I know who use an agent never go to immigration at all: the agent handles everything. So they never see an immigration officer and can never be asked anything.

Besides which, my deposit money (which is entirely my own and entirely legit) is in an account which has no ATM access. They only proof of its existence is the bank book. Of course when I do my extension I show the original and photocopies of the bank book, and the bank letter. No one has ever asked me for anything more, or for any evidence of other spending money, but the amount on deposit is somewhat larger than the 800k required and has been on deposit for several years.

When I renewed my retirement extension this past August I noticed that my Bangkok Bank time deposit had terminated the day before so while I was at Bangkok Bank getting my letter for immigration I told them to start a new one for 9 months.  They did and I went home for lunch before heading down to Jomtien Immigration.  Everything was going smooth until they looked at my bankbook and saw the date in the bankbook which was that day. Even though I had the Bangkok Bank letter and those funds had been in Bangkok Bank since 2009 they wanted to see the old Bangkok Bank passbook so I had to make a quick  trip back to my condo.

[soi16]

19 hours ago, KittenKong said:

The people I know who use an agent never go to immigration at all: the agent handles everything. So they never see an immigration officer and can never be asked anything.

When YOU pick up the Passport they take a photo of YOU!

[Oukiva]

46 minutes ago, soi16 said:

When YOU pick up the Passport they take a photo of YOU!

True when you get your extension the normal (and legal) way, but I agree with KittenKing on this point: When you do it using an agent to bypass the law, then you don't need to go to the Immigration Office.

[forcebwithu]

1 hour ago, soi16 said:

When YOU pick up the Passport they take a photo of YOU!

I noticed them taking a photo for some, but not all. Not sure what triggers the photo when picking up a passport, but in my case they didn't bother. First was picking up the passport after transfer of stamps from old to new, second was after getting an extension to stay. Both within the last two weeks.

[soi16]

9 minutes ago, forcebwithu said:

I noticed them taking a photo for some, but not all. Not sure what triggers the photo when picking up a passport, but in my case they didn't bother. First was picking up the passport after transfer of stamps from old to new, second was after getting an extension to stay. Both within the last two weeks.

Maybe Im a hansum falang?

[soi16]

2 hours ago, Oukiva said:

True when you get your extension the normal (and legal) way, but I agree with KittenKing on this point: When you do it using an agent to bypass the law, then you don't need to go to the Immigration Office.

Legal and "illegal" visas. Little bit scary way. No photos of "scam" visa holders?