Retirement extension

[Bazle 1,449]

If you don't have the funds for the time required, there's at least one "middleman" to get an approval..

 

The only way I see doing it without a "middleman" is to have the funds and do it legally.

 

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TIT. With the right contact who, in turn, has a contact with the branch of a well known bank, all can be sorted.

 

I think this is what the visa agencies do. But if you have the same access they have, you can cut out their fees.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

Immigration likes to see you use the 800,000 baht throughout the year and then top it back up well before the three month seasoning date. The first year I used the 800,000 requirement, I didn't touch the money. I was questioned how I lived without any money. I had two bank accounts, one I lived off of and the other I didn't touch. THey are very touchy about this. I had the bank letter dated the day before I went to immigration. I had to leave the immigration office and go to a SCB bank and make a transaction showing that days date. Chicken shit for sure but we have no choice except to jump through their hoops.

 

You were lucky! In Nackon Sawan they insisted that it had to come from your own branch.......A 3 hour round trip when I lived oooop North...

[Bullfrog 2,224]

TIT. With the right contact who, in turn, has a contact with the branch of a well known bank, all can be sorted.

 

I think this is what the visa agencies do. But if you have the same access they have, you can cut out their fees.

 

The cost of which is between 11,000 and 13,000 depending on which agency and how far up the management structure Santa's little helper is..

 

Interestingly the cost hasn't risen much in 10 years because 10 yeas ago it cost 10,000 with an agency recommended by Whitespider in a thread on here ....

[Idefix 2,275]

The cost of which is between 11,000 and 13,000 depending on which agency and how far up the management structure Santa's little helper is..

It's far more than that in Pattaya. I think all agencies are over 20'000 here now.

 

 

And don't forget: An Extension obtained this way is an illegal one...!

[Gary 4,100]

Years ago I got my one year visas from a Bangkok company named Thai Visa. Everything went well for several years. The last time I went there, the doors were chained shut. After asking a lot of people I was told that the owner was deported because that business was illegal. I seriously considered leaving Thailand because there were lots of rumors that the people who used that service would be prosecuted. I decided to face the music and went to Bangkok immigration. The immigration officer carefully examined my passport. He told me the stamps were authentic government stamps but since I had never been to Brisbane, Australia, they were obtained illegally. I was greatly relieved when he told me that he would straighten the problem out., which he did. I was then warned that wherever my passport went, I would have to go with it. The immigration office had a large stack of passports from different countries that were confiscated when the Thai Visa office was closed. I have no idea what happened to the people those passports belonged to. Since then I have jumped through the hoops and have been one hundred percent legal.

 

I had a friend here upcountry who used a Pattaya company for his retirement extensions. He paid 10,000 baht per year and did this for a number of years. He is now dead and gone so he no longer has to worry about being caught. He didn't have the bank balance or the income to be legal.

[9cisco999 107]

Well, to conclude. Picked up the passport today, they sat me down, stamped 'Good Guy' on my forehead, took my picture, patted me on the bottom and said 'behave yourself' and sent me on my way.

 

Its been a while so I forgot Jomtiem requires the passport be picked up the following day. Our local outlet provides that we walk out the door with processed passport in hand.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

It's far more than that in Pattaya. I think all agencies are over 20'000 here now.

 

The figures I quote are accurate.. a bloke down the pub told me so.....

[Idefix 2,275]

Hi. Lot of rumors end of last week about the fact Retirement Extensions could be soon more difficult to get...

Seems in fact Immigration would now target people who don't have enough money, so they lie to their Embassy or they use "agencies". I saw nothing written on this subject though.

 

From what I heard today, Jomtien Immigration already got a first visit from Bangkok Immigration last week, and I bet that at least one officer must not sleep well now...

 

Stickman published Sunday a good summary of the situation:

https://www.stickmanbangkok.com/weekly-column/2016/12/uncontrolled-migration-in-the-land-of-smiles-part-2/

including parts:

- Retirement Visa Requirements To Be Reviewed

- Elimination Of Dodgy Agency-Acquired Retirement Visas

 

Interesting...

[VPI78 11,474]

555, Stickman the Kiwi Bangkok Oracle

 

That is sort of like relying on LOLDusa for travel to Thailand advice.

Edited December 6, 2016 by VPI78

[helloitsme 234]

Question regarding proof of income for a Brit....

 

I understand the 65k baht a month income needed for a retirement visa, but HOW do I proove it?

 

Copies of statements from UK bank? Records of monthly transfers to thai bank? (How many months needed?). Letter from embassy, but how do I proove income to them??

[pattysteve 34]

Question regarding proof of income for a Brit....

 

I understand the 65k baht a month income needed for a retirement visa, but HOW do I proove it?

 

Copies of statements from UK bank? Records of monthly transfers to thai bank? (How many months needed?). Letter from embassy, but how do I proove income to them??

You need 2 mnths copies of your UK bank account.

 

I actually used Key visa,they go to the British embassy once a week,costs 3500 B.(this incudes the embassy fee)The reason i used them was i didnt

like the idea of posting off all my debit card details.

Edited December 8, 2016 by pattysteve

[InternationalTraveler 282]

You need 2 mnths copies of your UK bank account.

 

I actually used Key visa,they go to the British embassy once a week,costs 3500 B.(this incudes the embassy fee)The reason i used them was i didnt

like the idea of posting off all my debit card details.

I know 2-guys who recently have gone the back door route through agents.

One who has very little pension paid 19,000 baht.

The other who screwed up with the amount of pension and money in the bank paid 16,000 baht. He came up around 70,000 baht shortfall and the woman down immigration gave him no way out and told him to go out the country and start the process again.

 

You know In some ways I actually agree that a foreigner should have funds of 800,000 baht but on the other hand it is dead money.

My funds have diminished well below the 800,000 mark and I am going to run them down further sooner than transfer money over at the present rate of 43 baht/pound.

Having used Darren at Key Visa a few years ago, I thought this time as I have time on my hands, I will do it myself.

 

I sent off for the evidence of pension / income letter from the British Embassy on Tuesday (EMS Tracking) It came back today, Saturday...4-days later.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-bangkok

Notorial and document services

Other services

Info about procedure to obtain letter.

 

Obviously to go this route you will need a printer.

Need a Passport photo, a bank statement showing pension/income and fill in a credit card form.

 

Cost 52 pounds

At the present rate that is 2236 baht

[ichy2 429]

I'm considering becoming a retired expat in next 5 to 10 years.

 

Can someone post a link to the Thai statute/rules on this? I want to start research now so I can get myself lined up well in advance.

 

Thanks!

[jacko 8,766]

I'm considering becoming a retired expat in next 5 to 10 years.

 

Can someone post a link to the Thai statute/rules on this? I want to start research now so I can get myself lined up well in advance.

 

Thanks!

Well, other than us not really knowing what the rules could be in the future (they seem to change), it is not too difficult.

You need to be over 50 years of age.

You could try to obtain a Non Imm O visa in your own country, or even arrive with a retirement visa already, Non-Imm O-A.

 

I suggest you simply look up the requirements/qualifications for these on your local Thai Embassy website.

 

Most will arrive with the former, or even with a visa waiver or tourist visa, and convert it locally to a Non-Imm O within Thailand, then apply for an extension of stay, based on retirement. There are a few different ways to proceed from here but, most straight forward, is to put 800,000 Thai baht (currently) in a Thai bank account, and do not let the balance fall below that for 2 months (known as seasoning), then you can apply to immigration for a one year extension based on retirement, various copies of passport, bank books etc will be required.

 

Check this out...

Edited February 12, 2017 by jacko

[ichy2 429]

Well, other than us not really knowing what the rules could be in the future (they seem to change), it is not too difficult.

You need to be over 50 years of age.

You could try to obtain a Non Imm O visa in your own country, or even arrive with a retirement visa already, Non-Imm O-A.

 

I suggest you simply look up the requirements/qualifications for these on your local Thai Embassy website.

 

Most will arrive with the former, or even with a visa waiver or tourist visa, and convert it locally to a Non-Imm O within Thailand, then apply for an extension of stay, based on retirement. There are a few different ways to proceed from here but, most straight forward, is to put 800,000 Thai baht (currently) in a Thai bank account, and do not let the balance fall below that for 2 months (known as seasoning), then you can apply to immigration for a one year extension based on retirement, various copies of passport, bank books etc will be required.

 

Check this out...

Thank you Jacko!

 

That was informative and has me started considering the possibilities.

[unclebuck 4]

How old can your stat. dec. from embassy about your income be? Will immigration accept an emailed copy of proof of income from your own country, how many weeks before retirement visa expires can you apply to renew. ( i know thats not its propper name, but who cares, i dont)

[jacko 8,766]

How old can your stat. dec. from embassy about your income be? Will immigration accept an emailed copy of proof of income from your own country, how many weeks before retirement visa expires can you apply to renew. ( i know thats not its propper name, but who cares, i dont)

Well you may not but it just makes things a little confusing... you cannot renew a visa in country.

You can renew your retirement extension up to a month early, I often do else I would be going to Jomtiem during the New Year spell when it is busy and there are many holidays.

 

Sorry cannot help wrt proof of income.... I prefer to use the bank deposit method.

[Chang_paarp 253]

How old can your stat. dec. from embassy about your income be? Will immigration accept an emailed copy of proof of income from your own country, how many weeks before retirement visa expires can you apply to renew. ( i know thats not its propper name, but who cares, i dont)

 

I think the proof of income thing has to be stamped or verified by the relevant embassy. So a trip to BKK is needed there. Thai bureaucracy does not like copies or emailed things, everything has to be original, any copy has to be signed.

[nkped 1,208]

So a trip to BKK is needed there.

Unless your embassy consular section makes outreach road trips. Folks from the U.S. Embassy were in Pattaya on 3 March.

[Gary 4,100]

The 800,000 baht in the bank is not dead money. In fact immigration likes to see you using that money for living expenses through the year. You just have to make sure you top up the bank account three months before your extension expires.

 

The first year that I used the 800,000 baht requirement, I didn't touch the money. The first question immigration had was "where did you get the money to live"? Fortunately I had another bank account that I used for living expenses. That satisfied them. You are better off using that deposit money throughout the year.

[unclebuck 4]

 

I think the proof of income thing has to be stamped or verified by the relevant embassy. So a trip to BKK is needed there. Thai bureaucracy does not like copies or emailed things, everything has to be original, any copy has to be signed.

Thanks. Signed by who? Relying on a letter from my pension mob overseas getting here is a bit of a risk. May only have emailed proof of overseas pension.

[pattysteve 34]

Thanks. Signed by who? Relying on a letter from my pension mob overseas getting here is a bit of a risk. May only have emailed proof of overseas pension.

Print off,2 months bank statements,showing your pension income and send them off to Embassy.

Edited March 7, 2017 by pattysteve

[nkped 1,208]

How old can your stat. dec. from embassy about your income be? Will immigration accept an emailed copy of proof of income from your own country, how many weeks before retirement visa expires can you apply to renew. ( i know thats not its propper name, but who cares, i dont)

Last year I used an income declaration which was six weeks old. Others report that it can be up to 90 days.

 

Thanks. Signed by who? Relying on a letter from my pension mob overseas getting here is a bit of a risk. May only have emailed proof of overseas pension.

Depends on your nationality. From those of us from the U.S., the only thing the embassy is verifying is your identity and your signature. They have no interest in seeing proof of income. That has worked with Thai immigration so far. I have proof of income but immigration hasn't asked for it yet. There is always a first time.

 

I have seen reports that it is not as simple with other embassies.

[Chang_paarp 253]

Thanks. Signed by who? Relying on a letter from my pension mob overseas getting here is a bit of a risk. May only have emailed proof of overseas pension.

 

Signed by someone they think is important. If you are an Aussie they embassy may accept the emailed information, then ask you sign a stat dec to say you have an income of XXX000THB and then write the treasured income letter.

[unclebuck 4]

Last year I used an income declaration which was six weeks old. Others report that it can be up to 90 days.

 

Depends on your nationality. From those of us from the U.S., the only thing the embassy is verifying is your identity and your signature. They have no interest in seeing proof of income. That has worked with Thai immigration so far. I have proof of income but immigration hasn't asked for it yet. There is always a first time.

 

I have seen reports that it is not as simple with other embassies.

Immigration now want proof of income from Ozzies, new rule. It may only be in an email from Oz Govt.