Obtaining a retirement visa yearly extension using the 65k + transfer

[JAI DEE MAK]

Guys, here is a REAL TIME  account of obtaining a retirement visa yearly extension

On Wednesday  I went to my bank K bank in the avenue and asked for a printout of my account for the last 14 months ( my visa is from Dec 5th to Dec 5th )

so I would qualify regarding the 12 months 65k + transfer from outside Thailand ( HSBC UK ).

The lady did this and also made a letter stating the 14 transfers and the amount for each and the total amount deposited from overseas.

All transfers were above 65k.

I also obtained a letter stating there was over 800k in a second account I have there ( as a back up in case  the monthly transfer method was rejected ).

Both letters cost 200tb  each no charge for the 14 month summary printout.

I went to Immigration on Thursday  and presented all the usual copy of the normally required documents plus the printout of my account for the last 14 months and bank letter coffering them.

The Officer asked me were the money came from I told her it was from my pension it is payed by the MOD she than asked me if I have any documentation to prove this 

I informed her I have a letter from the Military pension Agency I receive every year stating the current  years payments and the next years payments ( it is index linked and increases every  year ).

I also told her I have a copy of the letter I obtained from the British Embassy last December regarding my pension that I have used for many years stating my pension payment she ask me to return with them for her to look at.

I asked if it was necessary for me to provied them she said yes in order that my visa application would be accepted.

I returned with them after 45 mins and she looked at them and placed them in my ever growing pile of paper work and gave me a numbered card and told me to collect the passport after 1400hrs the next day.

I collected my passport the next day I asked if the 90 day reporting starts from today I was told no it runs as is stated on the slip that is in my passport.

All good for another year lets hope no new hoops to jump through next December ?.

As a side note I had on a short sleeved shirt long trousers and shoes ( not sure it made any difference however I like to edge my bets  ).

I hope this is of some use to the BM if any have any questions post here or PM me.

I was not asked for any ( tee money ) and only payed the 1,900tb fee.

JDM

[talung66]

26 minutes ago, JAI DEE MAK said:

Guys, here is a REAL TIME  account of obtaining a retirement visa yearly extension

On Wednesday  I went to my bank K bank in the avenue and asked for a printout of my account for the last 14 months ( my visa is from Dec 5th to Dec 5th )

so I would qualify regarding the 12 months 65k + transfer from outside Thailand ( HSBC UK ).

The lady did this and also made a letter stating the 14 transfers and the amount for each and the total amount deposited from overseas.

All transfers were above 65k.

I also obtained a letter stating there was over 800k in a second account I have there ( as a back up in case  the monthly transfer method was rejected ).

Both letters cost 200tb  each no charge for the 14 month summary printout.

I went to Immigration on Thursday  and presented all the usual copy of the normally required documents plus the printout of my account for the last 14 months and bank letter coffering them.

The Officer asked me were the money came from I told her it was from my pension it is payed by the MOD she than asked me if I have any documentation to prove this 

I informed her I have a letter from the Military pension Agency I receive every year stating the current  years payments and the next years payments ( it is index linked and increases every  year ).

I also told her I have a copy of the letter I obtained from the British Embassy last December regarding my pension that I have used for many years stating my pension payment she ask me to return with them for her to look at.

I asked if it was necessary for me to provied them she said yes in order that my visa application would be accepted.

I returned with them after 45 mins and she looked at them and placed them in my ever growing pile of paper work and gave me a numbered card and told me to collect the passport after 1400hrs the next day.

I collected my passport the next day I asked if the 90 day reporting starts from today I was told no it runs as is stated on the slip that is in my passport.

All good for another year lets hope no new hoops to jump through next December ?.

As a side note I had on a short sleeved shirt long trousers and shoes ( not sure it made any difference however I like to edge my bets  ).

I hope this is of some use to the BM if any have any questions post here or PM me.

I was not asked for any ( tee money ) and only payed the 1,900tb fee.

JDM

? proof on insurance ( new rule)

[usexpat46]

3 hours ago, JAI DEE MAK said:

Guys, here is a REAL TIME  account of obtaining a retirement visa yearly extension

On Wednesday  I went to my bank K bank in the avenue and asked for a printout of my account for the last 14 months ( my visa is from Dec 5th to Dec 5th )

so I would qualify regarding the 12 months 65k + transfer from outside Thailand ( HSBC UK ).

The lady did this and also made a letter stating the 14 transfers and the amount for each and the total amount deposited from overseas.

All transfers were above 65k.

I also obtained a letter stating there was over 800k in a second account I have there ( as a back up in case  the monthly transfer method was rejected ).

Both letters cost 200tb  each no charge for the 14 month summary printout.

I went to Immigration on Thursday  and presented all the usual copy of the normally required documents plus the printout of my account for the last 14 months and bank letter coffering them.

The Officer asked me were the money came from I told her it was from my pension it is payed by the MOD she than asked me if I have any documentation to prove this 

I informed her I have a letter from the Military pension Agency I receive every year stating the current  years payments and the next years payments ( it is index linked and increases every  year ).

I also told her I have a copy of the letter I obtained from the British Embassy last December regarding my pension that I have used for many years stating my pension payment she ask me to return with them for her to look at.

I asked if it was necessary for me to provied them she said yes in order that my visa application would be accepted.

I returned with them after 45 mins and she looked at them and placed them in my ever growing pile of paper work and gave me a numbered card and told me to collect the passport after 1400hrs the next day.

I collected my passport the next day I asked if the 90 day reporting starts from today I was told no it runs as is stated on the slip that is in my passport.

All good for another year lets hope no new hoops to jump through next December ?.

As a side note I had on a short sleeved shirt long trousers and shoes ( not sure it made any difference however I like to edge my bets  ).

I hope this is of some use to the BM if any have any questions post here or PM me.

I was not asked for any ( tee money ) and only payed the 1,900tb fee.

JDM

I don't understand why you went to the trouble of showing the transfers if you also had over 800K baht in the bank.  That letter only cost me 100 baht from my Thai bank and all I have to do is show them  the bankbook or didn't you have the 800K in your account the necessary time prior to going to immigration?

[dave01]

3 hours ago, talung66 said:

? proof on insurance ( new rule)

Only guessing, but my guess would be he has a Non Imm O, that he is basing his extension on...so far, for that class of visa no insurance required.

15 minutes ago, usexpat46 said:

800K in your account the necessary time prior to going to immigration?

800K not needed using the 65K per month method.. it is another option to the 800K method,  that Immigration allows.

[usexpat46]

45 minutes ago, dave01 said:

 

800K not needed using the 65K per month method.. it is another option to the 800K method,  that Immigration allows.

I understand there are 2 options as I used the 65K option my first 3 times in 2006 thru 2008, since 2009 I went with the 800k in the bank.  However he stated that he had 800k in a Thai bank and even got that letter from the bank so why mess around showing 14 months of transfers?

[davidge]

Good to know the monthly transfers do actually work as there have been a few reports of some IOs not really liking them. Having to prove the source of funds is from pension etc could be a bit of an issue I guess. Some people have various sources of income/savings/investments and wouldn’t be able to show one income source.

The OP wrote in another thread that he wanted to see if the monthly income route would work so the 800k was just a back up this time just in case. 

Safe to assume his original visa was a Non-O so the insurance isn’t an issue.

 

[dave01]

Just now, usexpat46 said:

I understand there are 2 options as I used the 65K option my first 3 times in 2006 thru 2008, since 2009 I went with the 800k in the bank.  However he stated that he had 800k in a Thai bank and even got that letter from the bank so why mess around showing 14 months of transfers?

Again, guessing, but he explains why.  He has a back up account with 800K in it, INCASE things went south with the 65K PM option. The 65K PM option is different this year. IN the past blokes could say I am earning $XYZ per month, get a letter from their Embassy and all would be good. You never actually had to prove your earned $XYZ per month, you just had to SAY you did... This is no longer available to many ex pats. The 65K PM has replaced that old set up, that frankly, many were abusing. If you bring 65K per month every month from O/S, and can show it, Immigration are satisfied.. TBH, I like it..

[usexpat46]

3 minutes ago, dave01 said:

Again, guessing, but he explains why.  He has a back up account with 800K in it, INCASE things went south with the 65K PM option. The 65K PM option is different this year. IN the past blokes could say I am earning $XYZ per month, get a letter from their Embassy and all would be good. You never actually had to prove your earned $XYZ per month, you just had to SAY you did... This is no longer available to many ex pats. The 65K PM has replaced that old set up, that frankly, many were abusing. If you bring 65K per month every month from O/S, and can show it, Immigration are satisfied.. TBH, I like it..

As I stated I went with the 65k a month from 2006 thru 2008 and I'm American and had to raise my hand and affirm at my Embassy that the monthly amount I wrote on the form was true.  He was initially rejected and had to make a trip to gather more data.  800 K in a Thai bank along with the letter from the Thai bank would have satisfied the financial requirement, I've done it 11 consecutive years without a problem and I go there in shorts and sandals.  

[davidge]

11 minutes ago, usexpat46 said:

As I stated I went with the 65k a month from 2006 thru 2008 and I'm American and had to raise my hand and affirm at my Embassy that the monthly amount I wrote on the form was true.  He was initially rejected and had to make a trip to gather more data.  800 K in a Thai bank along with the letter from the Thai bank would have satisfied the financial requirement, I've done it 11 consecutive years without a problem and I go there in shorts and sandals.  

You are missing the point - probably because you haven’t read the OPs posts from a few weeks ago when this was discussed. He wanted to see if the monthly transfers would work now - as it’s no longer possible to get the UK Embassy letter. To avoid being caught out, he had the 800k in the bank THIS TIME but doesn’t really want to do that each year if he can help it.

[kane666]

15 minutes ago, usexpat46 said:

As I stated I went with the 65k a month from 2006 thru 2008 and I'm American and had to raise my hand and affirm at my Embassy that the monthly amount I wrote on the form was true.  He was initially rejected and had to make a trip to gather more data.  800 K in a Thai bank along with the letter from the Thai bank would have satisfied the financial requirement, I've done it 11 consecutive years without a problem and I go there in shorts and sandals.  

Maybe because he can go and spend the 800k on whatever he wants whenever he wants instead of leaving it (or at least 400k of it) sitting there doing nothing. Imo the 65k method is far superior as it ties up 0 baht in the bank.

[ex-pat]

5 hours ago, talung66 said:

? proof on insurance ( new rule)

I thought that did not apply to retirement visa (?)

[usexpat46]

11 minutes ago, davidge said:

You are missing the point - probably because you haven’t read the OPs posts from a few weeks ago when this was discussed. He wanted to see if the monthly transfers would work now - as it’s no longer possible to get the UK Embassy letter. To avoid being caught out, he had the 800k in the bank THIS TIME but doesn’t really want to do that each year if he can help it.

No, I only read his posts in this topic.

[davidge]

16 minutes ago, ex-pat said:

I thought that did not apply to retirement visa (?)

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A RETIREMENT VISA!!!!!

Sorry, but this is what confuses everyone. The term ‘Retirement Visa’ is used by expats, agents, Immigration Officials BUT it doesn’t actually exist.

You start out with either a Non-immigrant O-A visa (only obtained in your home country and given on the basis of retirement) or you start out with a Non-immigrant O visa (which can be obtained in any country[theoretically] and can be given for many reasons including retirement).

The initial visa ends. After that you do not have a valid visa. You cannot renew the visa. 
You stay in Thailand from then on by getting an Extension of Stay (you are extending the permission to stay in Thailand that you were initially given).

Now to come to the issue of insurance. They are only requiring insurance if you started off with a Non O-A visa. They are requiring it for Extensions of Stay even if the original visa was issued several years ago. (This wasn’t clear initially and has been the main point of debate about this issue).

So, you need to look in your passport and find the original visa you used to enter Thailand. If it is a Non-O visa then no insurance is needed. If it is a Non O-A then you won’t get another Extension of Stay without insurance from one of the approved Thai companies.

Edit:

Here’s an example of a visa. This one is an O-A.

 

And here’s an example of an Extension of Stay stamp, given on the basis of Retirement. It is NOT a visa.

[JAI DEE MAK]

On 01/12/2019 at 12:10, talung66 said:

? proof on insurance ( new rule)

 

On 01/12/2019 at 17:04, davidge said:

You are missing the point - probably because you haven’t read the OPs posts from a few weeks ago when this was discussed. He wanted to see if the monthly transfers would work now - as it’s no longer possible to get the UK Embassy letter. To avoid being caught out, he had the 800k in the bank THIS TIME but doesn’t really want to do that each year if he can help it.

Bingo correct.

JDM

[JAI DEE MAK]

On 01/12/2019 at 16:33, davidge said:

Good to know the monthly transfers do actually work as there have been a few reports of some IOs not really liking them. Having to prove the source of funds is from pension etc could be a bit of an issue I guess. Some people have various sources of income/savings/investments and wouldn’t be able to show one income source.

The OP wrote in another thread that he wanted to see if the monthly income route would work so the 800k was just a back up this time just in case. 

Safe to assume his original visa was a Non-O so the insurance isn’t an issue.

 

Again you are correct.

JDM

[JAI DEE MAK]

On 01/12/2019 at 17:06, kane666 said:

Maybe because he can go and spend the 800k on whatever he wants whenever he wants instead of leaving it (or at least 400k of it) sitting there doing nothing. Imo the 65k method is far superior as it ties up 0 baht in the bank.

You are correct.

JDM

[JAI DEE MAK]

On 01/12/2019 at 17:32, davidge said:

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A RETIREMENT VISA!!!!!

Sorry, but this is what confuses everyone. The term ‘Retirement Visa’ is used by expats, agents, Immigration Officials BUT it doesn’t actually exist.

You start out with either a Non-immigrant O-A visa (only obtained in your home country and given on the basis of retirement) or you start out with a Non-immigrant O visa (which can be obtained in any country[theoretically] and can be given for many reasons including retirement).

The initial visa ends. After that you do not have a valid visa. You cannot renew the visa. 
You stay in Thailand from then on by getting an Extension of Stay (you are extending the permission to stay in Thailand that you were initially given).

Now to come to the issue of insurance. They are only requiring insurance if you started off with a Non O-A visa. They are requiring it for Extensions of Stay even if the original visa was issued several years ago. (This wasn’t clear initially and has been the main point of debate about this issue).

So, you need to look in your passport and find the original visa you used to enter Thailand. If it is a Non-O visa then no insurance is needed. If it is a Non O-A then you won’t get another Extension of Stay without insurance from one of the approved Thai companies.

Edit:

Here’s an example of a visa. This one is an O-A.

 

And here’s an example of an Extension of Stay stamp, given on the basis of Retirement. It is NOT a visa.

I think most see the wording RETIREMENT on the stamp and assume it is  a RETIREMENT visa.

JDM

[JAI DEE MAK]

On 01/12/2019 at 15:17, usexpat46 said:

I don't understand why you went to the trouble of showing the transfers if you also had over 800K baht in the bank.  That letter only cost me 100 baht from my Thai bank and all I have to do is show them  the bankbook or didn't you have the 800K in your account the necessary time prior to going to immigration?

My bank is kasikornthai and the charge was 200b for the 800k letter and 200b for the over 65k letter if your bank is k bank please inform me I will go ask for 200b back.

I put 800,429B in that account on the 1st of August.

JDM

[usexpat46]

3 hours ago, JAI DEE MAK said:

My bank is kasikornthai and the charge was 200b for the 800k letter and 200b for the over 65k letter if your bank is k bank please inform me I will go ask for 200b back.

I put 800,429B in that account on the 1st of August.

JDM

I read your post incorrectly, thought it was 200 baht for the both of them as Bangkok Bank charges me just 100 baht for the 800 K letter.  

[montycrab]

I get the embassy letter each year proving my pension covers the 800k per annum required. Today i thought use the 65k per month scheme to prove income. Got the letter from my bank-kasikorn- and hit immigration. Paperwork checked and all ok until i did not have the embassy letter. I am told the 65 k per month only applies to the 4 countries that will not give out the embassy letter of proof of income.

So off i have to go to Bangkok to get said letter next Monday.