Retirement extension

[DragonMaster]

I went to Jomtien immigration today to extend my permission to stay for another year since my OA visa was about to expire. Arrived around 9:30am this morning and was out the door at 10:00. Most of the wait was for the six other people in front of me in the queue. The whole process was painless and the immigration officer was very polite. In fact, all three who were dealing with customers today were answering questions and trying to be as helpful as possible.

On that note, I did observe a few things and will offer a few suggestions for those of you getting ready for this joyful occasion.

There is a .PDF file on the Pattaya Ex-Pats Club website that is very concise which I used to double check what was needed. I used the 800,000 Baht method which is the simplest as most of you know. Here is the link to the form for those interested.

http://www.pattayacityexpatsclub.com/ex ... cklist.pdf

Now a few helpful suggestions, take'm or leave'm.

Out of the six people in front of me this morning, not a single person had glued their photograph to the TM-7 application. It is a minor thing, but it means the immigration officer has to stop checking your documents and do for you what you should have already done. They also require that you include your phone number below your signature on the TM-7 application.

Sign ALL photocopies that you bring to immigration. The officer will require this as your certification that the photocopies are genuine to the originals. This will also save you time when you are sitting with the officer.

If you are renting a house or condo from a Thai owner, make sure you bring a copy of the owners Thai ID card and the Tabian Baan for the property as well as a copy of your lease. The ID copy and Tabian Baan should be signed by the owner and attached to the copy of your lease. That will save you another trip.

Make sure to take your "updated" passbook from the bank with you as well as your letter from the bank and photocopies of your bank book front page with your name and account number as well as a photocopy of the page that shows the date of the update and that the 800,000 has been there for the required amount of time. When the bank issued my letter yesterday, they also updated my bank book to show yesterdays date. Immigration did indeed check that date, but there was no mention of having to make a deposit.

If you take your Thai boyfriend/girlfriend or whatever with you to immigration, tell them to be quiet unless they are spoken to. There were a couple of instances observed where not following this advice caused more problems for the applicant than needed. All of the immigration officers I have dealt with over the years are able to speak English pretty well.

Immigration is closed tomorrow for a holiday 5/9/2019 and will reopen on Friday 5/10/19 in case any of you were planning to go to immigration tomorrow.

[Geezer]

Note that is the Pattaya CITY expats club. There is also a Pattaya expats club.

[RichLB]

If you are renting a house or condo from a Thai owner, make sure you bring a copy of the owners Thai ID card and the Tabian Baan for the property as well as a copy of your lease.

The owner of the condo I rent is farang. I assume the Thai ID and Tabian Baan has no parallel for foreign ownership of a rental condo - at least I hope not since my owner lives out of the country. Actually, I've never been asked for any such documentation over the years of living here, but if this is something new a heads up is appreciated.

[2lz2p]

Thanks for the report.

However, a caution, the linked checklist is out of date for using the income method or combo method - does not include the new rules (it shows it was last updated in April 2018). The person that keeps the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) information up to date has removed links to the checklist from their Newsletter and webpage on retirement extensions until it can be updated for the new rules, but does not expect to do it until the process becomes more clear on how Jomtien Immigration is handling retirement extension applications under the new rules, especially for those using the 65k monthly income method.

However, as noted it is still generally adequate for those using the 800k in the bank method as the documentation is the same as it has always been. Their website on retirement extensions has been updated for the new rules, but has notation that some of the process for using the 65k income method is still in a flux and requests they be provided with reports on people's experience to help them keep their website up to date.

[ceejay]

If you are renting a house or condo from a Thai owner, make sure you bring a copy of the owners Thai ID card and the Tabian Baan for the property as well as a copy of your lease.

The owner of the condo I rent is farang. I assume the Thai ID and Tabian Baan has no parallel for foreign ownership of a rental condo - at least I hope not since my owner lives out of the country. Actually, I've never been asked for any such documentation over the years of living here, but if this is something new a heads up is appreciated.

Generally, where Thais are asked for Tabian Baan and/or ID card, Thai authorities will accept a copy of the ID page of a foreigner's passport as an equivalent. Often, this is supposed to be signed so if a copy is requested by immigration you might need to get the owner to sign a hard copy of their passport and mail it to you.
Or maybe you won't be asked at all. The best advice, as Gaybutton has often repeated is to do your renewal the first day you can so that you have time if there are problems.

[Gaybutton]

My advice is very simple. Just bring everything you've got, even if you're convinced you won't need it. Let the immigration officer be the one to tell you that you brought documents that are not necessary.

[2lz2p]

Agree with GB, especially while the "new" rules are being sorted out. I usually do this, but don't hand everything to the IO and will have it in case he should ask for it - so far that has not happened, but who knows what the future will bring.

[Gaybutton]

Today, May 10, I renewed my retirement visa. I decided to just use the 800,000 baht method, primarily because since at this point we have no idea whether there will be any more rule changes, then I wouldn't withdraw any of that money anyway.

Along with the usual paperwork, to use the 800,000 baht method you have to show an updated bank passbook, updated the same day you apply for the visa, and the bank letter. They also want to see activity in the bank account the same day. A 100 baht deposit into the account will suffice. The immigration officer was only asking people if at least 800,000 baht is in their account. No mention was made of it having to already be in the account for 2 months or 3 months. Whether that was actually checked - your guess is as good as mine. The officer seemed to be much more interested in whether the money is in the account, but didn't seem concerned about how long it has been there.

Just as Undaunted said in an earlier post, Pattaya immigration is requiring applicants to sign two additional documents. One shows the penalties for immigration law violations. The other gives you a date three months later when you have to go back to immigration and show an updated passbook, using the same account where the 800,000 baht is. I would imagine you can go a few days early, but I don't think it would be a good idea to go a few days later than the date they give you. Just make sure you don't forget the date. I have no idea what would happen if you go late or don't go at all. I didn't see anything about it in the document. However, I have a feeling if you don't show up when they tell you to show up, whatever happens next won't be pleasant.

They didn't say, but it would probably be a good idea to bring the document that specifies the date with you.

Today immigration, including people renewing retirement visas, was very crowded, so the officer didn't have time and was obviously in no mood to be answering a lot of questions, so I didn't ask any. I had to wait the better part of an hour and a half until it was my turn. However, I did overhear one applicant who was applying using the 65,000 baht method. He was asked for his updated bank passbook, proof of a pension that transfers funds into his Thai bank account from abroad - and of course the pension must be at least 65,000 baht, and a letter from his Thai bank. He did have those documents and his application was accepted.

That's good news for those of you who are going to use the 65,000 baht per month method.

The fee for the visa is still 1,900 baht.

My house is rented from a Thai owner. All I brought was the lease. I was not asked to produce the owner's ID card, Tabian Baan (whatever that is) or anything else, so I don't know what DragonMaster is talking about.

I'm sorry, but I have no information regarding trying to get the visa using the combo method.

[2lz2p]

Thanks for the report GB. As to your question, the Tabian Baan is usually referred to as the House Book - My landlady attaches a copy of her ID card to the lease agreement. When I first moved in, I asked for and received a photo copy of the House Book for my address which I needed for True Vision when I had them move the satellite dish and set me up at what was then my new address. So, I kept a copy and make another to attach with the lease documents. Documentation for proof of residence appears to be whatever the Immigration Officer checking the deposit decides they want - so some want it and others apparently do not -- or maybe because the guy was so busy, he didn't want to bother with it.

Anyway, glad things went smoothly. My time will be next month, using the 65k monthly income method - hope it also goes smoothly and will report on my experience in how it went.

[Gaybutton]

My time will be next month, using the 65k monthly income method - hope it also goes smoothly and will report on my experience in how it went.

I'm looking forward to your report. As far as I know, you will be our first board member to try getting the visa using that method. Based on what I saw and heard today, as long as you have the documentation, there shouldn't be a problem.

I have to admit that despite being certain I would be approved for the visa, I still was a little bit apprehensive when I went. As I've been saying, without rules being specific and so much still at the whim of the immigration officer, you just can't be absolutely sure there won't be any problems. I had no problems. I'll pick up my passport and visa Monday. I hope they won't come up with any problems over the weekend . . .

The man whose turn it was just before my turn was not there to get the visa for himself. He was there to get it for his 91 year old mother. He had only the USA embassy affidavit for proof of income for her. Despite that, as I recall, immigration had said previously they would accept the affidavits for the first 6 months of 2019, but the officer did not accept it. Of course, the man was very upset and asked the officer to please make an exception. He said his mother has been living legally in Thailand for 12 years. And now, since she is too old and sick to personally come to immigration, how is she supposed to leave the country to get another visa elsewhere? The officer seemed sympathetic, but couldn't help him. He was sent to see another officer, apparently of a higher rank. I did not see the man after that, so I don't know the outcome.