Retirement extension

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puan
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by puan »

Thank you Dodger for your efforts and the posting. Much appreciated. Very clear and concise. Well done!
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Undaunted
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by Undaunted »

I noticed today in the local gold shops the highest price I’ve seen it was 20,250..this as the dollar, GBP, and Euro continue their decline. The U.K. Is in total disarray, the U.S. fed and the EU bank are signaling lower interest rates all of which will further devalue these currencies and as there is no sign of a weakening baht, the amount needed to be exchanged for Thai baht to satisfy either the 800,000 requirement for a Thai bank account or the 65,000 monthly deposits will continue to rise.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
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2lz2p
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by 2lz2p »

On Wednesday, I went to Jomtien Immigration Office to renew my retirement extension using monthly income of at least 65k. I had one hitch regarding my bank information, took care of that, and picked up my passport yesterday with my extension stamp good for another year (until July 2020). See end of this message for a listing of my documents which they accepted.

If I had seen Dodger's post as well as an email I rec'd a few days ago regarding the bank letter that shows all foreign deposits, I could have avoided the "hitch" - However, I had already arranged for Bangkok Bank statements attested to by the Bank (obtained from Bangkok Bank Customer Service at Tesco-Lotus South - had to wait one week as they obtained the statements from Bangkok HQ). I decided to give it a try with the bank statements.

Nope! As Dodger mentioned, they want a bank letter listing all foreign deposits to the account for the past 12 months. The Immigration Officer, a very nice lady, checked all my paperwork and said I still needed to get the bank letter for it to be complete. She gave me an "example" to show the bank and told me she was sure that only the Branch where I opened my account could provide me with 12 months of activity. She also gave me back my "packet" but affixed a note to it and told me to bring the letter and my "packet" back to her and there was no need to get a queue number.

I went to my Branch where I opened the account and did get it there, but it took over an hour rather than 10 minutes, but then again, I had a lot of deposits during the past 12 months (for a period, I was using both Bangkok Bank NY Branch & Transferwise - sending more than 65k through Bangkok Bank through March so I would have one deposit in each month that exceeded the minimum, then a similar 65k plus deposit from Transferwise for April - June). It seems they have to print out "credit advices" for each deposit, then enter the amount onto the required letter - fee was 500 baht for the "advices" and 100 baht for the letter.

Back to Immigration Office in Jomtien and went direct to where she sat at Desk 8 - caught her between customers so she took care of me right away. I gave her only the bank letter, not the "advices." It took only a few minutes for her to go through the letter using a highlighter on the monthly amounts that met the requirement. She then collected my 1,900 baht for the fee and told to come back on Thursday to pick up my passport.

Here is a list of the documents I provided that were accepted:

• TM.7 Application for Extension of Stay + Passport
• Photograph (obtained at shop next door)
• Photo copy of pages from passport - Identification page and all transfer stamps for information from my previous passport to my latest one, which would show information on Non-Immigrant Visa, All Extensions of Stay, and Last entry into Thailand
• Photo Copy of TM.6 Departure Card
• Photo Copy of Bank Passbook pages showing all transactions for previous 12 months up to Tuesday, the day before I went to Immigration.
• Bank Letter showing transfers from source outside of Thailand for previous 12 months (as mentioned above).

(The Pattaya City Expats Club has just posted a similar example at: http://www.pcecnews.com/permNL/Example- ... posits.pdf)

• Copy of my Rental Agreement which included copy of owner's ID card and a Housebook page
• Copy of document showing source of income - in my case obtained from online website for the US Office of Personnel Management, dated 2 February 2019

As to my bank passbook, prior to Jan 1 this year I did not update monthly, so it had a few net (combined) amounts. I also on Wednesday morning stopped at the Bangkok Bank branch close to Immigration and withdrew funds from ATM & then updated my passbook, but the Immigration Lady did not mention the need to do that or ask to see my original passbook - BUT, as Dodger mentioned, I would recommend you withdraw and update passbook on the date of application as I have rec'd several reports from folks that said they were sent by Immigration Officer at Jomtien to do this before they would process their application.
Dodger
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by Dodger »

2Lz2p.

Fabulous!

Finally someone made it through the maze since these new requirements were implemented without any major hitches.

Thank you for providing the list of documents you prepared. I have already copied this to my desktop for easy reference.

It also sounds like Immigration is being supportive rather than a barrier which should be music to all of our ears.

Much appreciated.
thewayhelooks
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by thewayhelooks »

I did my retirement visa via the B800,000 method without any problems. In and out in 10 minutes. Did it 11 days early in case of the unexpected. I would like to remind folks, if it was not clear already, the report back for the B800,000 in the bank is from the date you applied for a new visa ie today, and NOT from the actual date the visa comes into effect which would be July 8 in my case. I had made that assumption. I know others have expressed uncertainty.So I return in late September and not early October.
I also got confused when I was told to return in 90 days for inspecting the bank book. I though it was three months which could be 92 days. Anyway we now have two 90 days to report back, the old 90 days for proof of where we are living, and 90 days bank checking with the date helpfully stamped in on the bottom of the form I had to sign. I hope they don't change the rules again otherwise I might turn to drink.
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Gaybutton
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by Gaybutton »

thewayhelooks wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:39 pm I know others have expressed uncertainty.
Didn't they give you a paper telling the date you're supposed to return? They gave one to me.

As far as I know, the only immigration office requiring people to return with an updated bank passbook is Pattaya.
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by thewayhelooks »

Yes I have it. With a helpful list of what to bring next time.
Appointment form.
Passport copy - first page with your name and a photo.
Bankbook copy - Name page and last page with balance updated.
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mahjongguy
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by mahjongguy »

It's too soon so no way to prove it, but most people believe that just one return visit will be required.
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Gaybutton
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by Gaybutton »

mahjongguy wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2019 3:35 pm most people believe that just one return visit will be required.
So far I haven't heard anything different.

Another thing I'm going to do - since immigration wanted to see "activity" in the bank account on the day the extension was applied for, then on the day I go in with the updated passbook, I'm going to make a small deposit just in case they want to see "activity" this time too.

Just out of curiosity, is anyone aware of any other immigration offices requiring this?
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2lz2p
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Re: Retirement extension

Post by 2lz2p »

Pattaya Immigration is the only one I have heard that does this. It seems from reports on other Immigration Offices, they say they will check to see the 800k remained for the required 3 months when they come back the following year to renew their extension of stay. Which brings up an interesting question -- if they didn't keep it on deposit the required time, then was that an event that cancelled their permission to stay and they have been on "overstay" since then? If I recall correctly, one of the documents Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration has you sign is an acknowledgement that you have a responsibility to promptly report to Immigration any change in the circumstances that qualified you for your extension - e.g., if a marriage extension and the wife died or you were divorced.

Also, a couple of people I know who have gone back for their 90 days after application to show they still had the 800k in the bank, they only needed the copies from their passport and bank book - no bank letter and no need for any recent transaction. Also, they were not told they needed to come back.

I also noted when I was there to do my renewal this month (using 65k monthly income method), there was a sign at the desk 8 place where you pick up your passport, that noted for those returning to show they still had the 800k that they needed a copy of their face page and latest extension page from passport along with the face page and last page of their bank passbook (I would presume they would expect to see that the last page had been updated to show they still had the 800k on the date they made their return visit as that is the magic date for how long the 800k had to stay in the bank), and the appointment slip they were given showing the date to report back. As to that reporting date, a friend who told Immigration they would be out of Thailand on the report date, told me they said for him to come back to show the information as soon as he returned.
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