New (?) requirement for retirement visa extension

[Gaybutton]

I don't know if this applies to everybody or for some reason just me. Yesterday I went to immigration to do my annual retirement visa extension. I had already gone to the bank, gotten the "letter for immigration", and updated the passbook - all the usual procedures. I use the 800,000 baht method.

I thought I would be in and out of immigration in about 10 minutes since I had all the required paperwork. WRONG! The officer who inspects all the paperwork told me I must have a certified copy of every transaction from my 800,000 baht account for the entire year, including this current month. So, it was back to the bank. There was no problem getting the bank to come up with what immigration wants. They even called the agent and spoke to him to be sure they are giving him what he needs.

After that it was back to immigration. He inspected the bank's paperwork very thoroughly and only then approved my application for the visa.

I told the officer that in all the years I have been doing these extensions, I was never asked for this and there is nothing on their web site saying this was necessary. He said my paperwork was satisfactory for him, but not for his boss - the one who makes the final approval and issues the visa.

So, whether this would apply to you or not, when you go to the bank to complete the paperwork, I would also get the same transaction list, just to make sure you won't have to go to the bank a second time - and don't forget you have to sign every individual sheet of that list and everything else the bank issues.

Aren't you glad they continually make things so much easier for farang?

By the way, I did not get a tax ID or file a Thai income tax return and I have not heard a thing about it. It was not even mentioned by the immigration officer, so that is not an immigration issue.

[BKKDreamer]

Hi GB,

Thanks for this important update.

GB, thanks to you many years ago, I use Mots Services for 90% of my bureaucracy needs in Thailand - including the non-O retirement visa extensions.

When you went to the bank the 2nd time - what were the words that you used to request this additional list/document from the bank? Could its name be: certified transaction list for immigration?

thanks

[Jun]

Is this national, or unique to Jomtien ?

Aren't you glad they continually make things so much easier for farang?

Immigration officials probably spend all day thinking of ways to make the service worse, so more trade goes to the agencies, who grease the wheels with your money.

[Gaybutton]

Immigration officials probably spend all day thinking of ways to make the service worse, so more trade goes to the agencies, who grease the wheels with your money.

It certainly feels that way. It could also be a way of trying to get people to buy one of those highly expensive visas. They gave me a hard time last year too. Prior to that I never had any problems with extending the retirement visa.

I can't think of a legitimate reason why they should be demanding documents I never was asked before to produce. I don't think it has to do with money laundering. I thought trying to put a stop to money laundering was the purview of the banks, not immigration. In any case, I'd at least like to be suspected of being a criminal before having to prove I'm not one. To me, this makes about as much sense as the 90-day address reports.

[Gaybutton]

When you went to the bank the 2nd time - what were the words that you used to request this additional list/document from the bank?

It is probably better that I not repeat the words I wanted to use . . .

Actually, I used no words at all. The immigration officer had attached a note specifying what he wants and also wrote his phone number. That's how the bank knew who to call.

[BKKDreamer]

Thanks GB,

Hopefully, Mots will know what to ask the bank (BBL) when my renewal comes up so that we can also avoid 2 trips to Jomtien soi 5.

[Jun]

Hopefully, Mots will know what to ask the bank (BBL) when my renewal comes up so that we can also avoid 2 trips to Jomtien soi 5.

It would be interesting to check what documents are submitted.
One hypothesis is that as your application involves agency "fees", immigration will try to be efficient and ask fewer questions than for non-agency customers.

[Gaybutton]

Hopefully, Mots will know

I hope so too. Please keep track of what documents and anything else Mots wants from you, what you will have to do including whether you have to go to immigration yourself and if you do whether a Mots representative goes with you, whether they succeed in getting you the visa, and how much it all costs.

Please let us know all the details you can.

[Dodger]

The officer who inspects all the paperwork told me I must have a certified copy of every transaction from my 800,000 baht account for the entire year, including this current month.

Am I correct in thinking that the list of transactions the bank provided you was a mirror image of the transactions shown in your bank book?

[Gaybutton]

Am I correct in thinking that the list of transactions the bank provided you was a mirror image of the transactions shown in your bank book?

Maybe it should have been, but I only rarely update my bank book because the closest branch of this bank is nowhere near me and I hardly ever think about it anyway, so I suppose there was not sufficient information in the bank book. Also, it is a fairly new bank book. He asked to see the old bank book, which I didn't have. When I got the new bank book I threw out the old one as I have always done when I get a new bank book. I didn't know there was any reason to save it and this was the first time an immigration officer ever asked to see it. From now on, whenever I get a new bank book with this account, I'll save the old one and bring it with me.

I suppose if I had kept the bank book updated maybe that would have been enough. However, the officer kept the transaction list and gave back the bank book, so your guess is as good as mine. Unless your bank gives you a problem about providing the list, I would get it anyway and bring it along in case your bank book is not enough for the immigration officer no matter how regularly it is updated. Better to have it, but not need it than to find out the hard way immigration wants it.

The problem is you never know what pleasant little surprises may await you when you go to immigration.