Answered8 months ago
What are the new requirements for extending a NON-O retirement visa in Thailand?
Some advice for do-it-yourself extensions of NON-O retirement visa. Today, I expected to routinely renew my visa at Cha-Am,
but NO. More rules make it all more cumbersome.
I hadn't received any hints from Immigration, and maybe missed some posts in groups here, so this is the new experience:
* 2 Photos required now.
* Bank statement for the 800K must start at previous application date until current application date. This could be more than 12 months. My BKKBank was not able to supply me the 13 month statement at the counter, but told me I could get it ONE WEEK LATER! I don't know yet how the missing last week will be handled when I apply again. Your mileage may vary.
* "ID card and House book of owner house", as quoted from their requirement sheet.
* Map drawing of house location.
Other documents as usual (in my case). One more tip: only 2 open passport pages on one sheet of copy paper (not 4).
When you are there, they ask you to agree and sign 6 PAGES of legalese about overstay, penalties, consent, and an explanation of the bank balance scheme. It's the criminals who are the cause of this circus, not the authorities.
but NO. More rules make it all more cumbersome.
I hadn't received any hints from Immigration, and maybe missed some posts in groups here, so this is the new experience:
* 2 Photos required now.
* Bank statement for the 800K must start at previous application date until current application date. This could be more than 12 months. My BKKBank was not able to supply me the 13 month statement at the counter, but told me I could get it ONE WEEK LATER! I don't know yet how the missing last week will be handled when I apply again. Your mileage may vary.
* "ID card and House book of owner house", as quoted from their requirement sheet.
* Map drawing of house location.
Other documents as usual (in my case). One more tip: only 2 open passport pages on one sheet of copy paper (not 4).
When you are there, they ask you to agree and sign 6 PAGES of legalese about overstay, penalties, consent, and an explanation of the bank balance scheme. It's the criminals who are the cause of this circus, not the authorities.
Answer summary
The process for extending a NON-O retirement visa in Thailand has recently become more complex with additional document requirements. Applicants must now provide two photos, a bank statement covering the entire period since the last application (which could exceed 12 months), copies of the owner's ID card and house book, a map of the house location, and ensure only two open passport pages are copied per sheet. Appointments at immigration require agreement to lengthy legal forms, and different banks may have varying processes for obtaining the necessary statements. Consistent feedback suggests that communication with immigration officers can vary greatly, impacting the application experience significantly.
42 repliesnewest first
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Sarick **********
Bangkok banks take 7 working days to get you the statement. Any other banks take 7 working minutes.
Bob **********
Been doing this for 16 years but last November they had me jumping through hoops with all that owners ID signed copy of house book and copy of company paper
Wil **********
Everything you state is correct. Nothing changed. Maybe just the map you need to draw. What you mean about the "criminals"?
Haagse *****
OPAs the chief explained, the criminals are the people who skirt the rules and overstay and fiddle with the bank balance etc. So as a counter measure, the checks are intensified and the regular foreigners who follow those rules are burdened by more and more hoops to jump through.
Sebastian ********
The easiest way to do BKK bank statements is as follows and has worked for me for many years.
Go to your local branch about a month before and ask them for a bank statement that runs from your last application date. This takes about 5 days to receive. Ask the bank to hold onto it as the day before the next application you go to the bank and ask for a 6 month statement and letter of proof. This is immediately available.
So, on that day before your application at Immigration you will walk out of the bank with 1x12 month statement, 1x6 month statement and your letter of proof of your account. Job done.
Go to your local branch about a month before and ask them for a bank statement that runs from your last application date. This takes about 5 days to receive. Ask the bank to hold onto it as the day before the next application you go to the bank and ask for a 6 month statement and letter of proof. This is immediately available.
So, on that day before your application at Immigration you will walk out of the bank with 1x12 month statement, 1x6 month statement and your letter of proof of your account. Job done.
Haagse *****
OPSebastian Barrow Sounds good, but my wife called Immig and they would not accept 2 split statements. Your case is 2 overlapping statements, and I can only guess how the Immig would react, since they are very picky now, with their new chief...
Sebastian ********
@Haagse ****
that is the only way you can get a 12 month statement from BKK. It is impossible to get an exact 12 month statement as it takes a week to get. So theoretically, you have not given them a 12 month statement. You can get it down to a couple of days short my way.Immigration were the ones to call for a 12 month when a photocopied passbook and letter sufficed before.
Jesper *******
There's noting new here....for bank statements you can get 6mths from app (email) and 6mths from counter and let the bank staff stamped the 6mths u get from email signing declaration means u fully understand the requirements of the current extensions so there's no arguments if rejected in your next extension....
Haagse *****
OPJesper Ngiam My wife called Immigration on the spot in the bank to salvage this with a 6+6 months split, but Immig would not accept that.
Stuart ***********
I used the Bkk bank app to get my 12 month statements and print them myself, then take them to the bank to get the rest of the documents required.
Jesper *******
@Haagse ****
well thats amazing that you can get through immigration by phone line lolHaagse *****
OPJesper Ngiam Hihi, my wife has the private number of one of them 😜
but still no result 😢
but still no result 😢
Malcolm **********
The number of photos sometimes varies dependant on the officer, the bank statement is normally 12 months for me but then I always apply at the same time (1 month before expiry of old extension), I live with my Thai wife so just get copies of her housebook & ID card plus I get here to sign a statement (in Thai) that we live together and she goes with me. I did get the extra forms to sign last time as well but as there were no documents needed I did it when I applied. All in it took me less that 10 minutes to do it and I keep all the forms pre-filled in on the computer so next year I just print them out, sign & date them and get the documents from the bank on my way to Immigration. I use Kasikorn and they can print the 12 month statement in the branch unlike Bangkok Bank that has to get it from head office if it's over 6 months (so I've heard). So what you describe sounds normal to me as it's what I've had to supply in both Pattaya & Khon Kaen with the slight differences due to housing documents.
Haagse *****
OPWell, for me it was an 8-year routine task, until today, when they started to become quite picky and more precise than before. Quite a shock and then running into the bad luck of the difficulty of a 13 month statement at BKKB. All nasty surprises...
Malcolm **********
@Haagse ****
sometimes it's just one officer's interpretation of the rules, I had it before where they suddenly want more photos & multiple copies of document and when I've gone back and seen a different officer he just handed all the extras back and said I didn't need themHaagse *****
OPMalcolm Whitlock Yes, I saw there's a new chief in town...
Stephen ********
All of that has been standard at Bangkok for as long as I remember. If you apply for extension 13 months after the previous application it stands to reason you provide statements for the entire period. I use the 65k transfer method and have to show the full year. I only have to show the landlord's ID on my 12-month lease. I don't have to show his ownership papers.
Haagse *****
OPStephen Howell This 13 month check had not been done by the Cha-Am branch. Only the 2 months before. Sh between us - I wondered why they did not check the other period, but now the new sheriff has apparently enforced every last rule.
Andrew ********
Have you tried doing the monthly income requirement for the visa? Seems not many people do it
Stuart ***********
I use the monthly 65,000 method. It's very simple, but you have to ensure a payment is made every month.
Angela *********
Stuart Chiverton a payment? Do you mean a transfer of
*****
Bhat from your US bank to your Bangkok bank every month is necessary for the 1 yr?Stephen ********
Andrew Romine I've done it for years. Absolute no-brainer. Why tie up 800k earning 1% interest?
Haagse *****
OPAndrew Romine Some time ago, but it is more hassle. One untouched account is easy (apart from the mentioned recent bank difficulty).
Rudi ***********
@Haagse ****
ik heb slechts 1 bankrekening bij kasikornbank, zorg dat er meer dan genoeg op de rekening staat, dan heb je sowieso nooit problemen. Ik heb in december vorig jaar mijn 1 jaar verlenging aangevraagd zonder enige hulp. 1u later ging ik immigratie buiten met mijn verlenging en zelfs met mijn multiple re entry. In februari mijn 90 dagen report gedaan zonder enig probleem, 10 minuten later terug buiten
Steve ******
Andrew Romine I've just started the monthly 65,000 this month,my retirement renewal is August so I'm going to use the agent then next year I will have 18 months of depositing 65,000 in my account 🙏🙏
Stephen ********
Steve Lowe When you switch to 65k transfers you have to show the 800k from the year before so you cannot use an agent to cover the money
Ian ********
The last paragraph probably refers to the SM forms which I believe are new this year
Nongnuch ********
Ian Carman I do remember, I started signing the STM11 and STM2 forms three years ago
Haagse *****
OPNongnuch Kamdee I got them in Cha-Am for the first time today.
Rob **********
@Haagse ****
the STM 11 and STM 2 forms have been used at Cha-am immigration for nearly 3 years, for extension of stay based on marriage anyway.Ian ********
Ok
John **********
I guess you didn't visit immigration and ask for a list of their requirements prior to applying? And also that you probably used income certificates in the past? This all seems totally normal to me as I renew every year based on the 800k baht method. The missing week will be covered by your bank book, you need to make a transaction and update the book on the day you go to immigration with your application
Haagse *****
OP@John *********
I did this for 8 years and it became quite routine, but this time they became real picky. Together with the bank difficulty it was a double whammy.On one of these forums I saw a post that mentioned that they newly want more passport page copies for a 90-days visit. They were relaxed for some years. I am doing those online now, after 2 failed attempts, for reasons not mentioned on their website. Many unwelcome surprises there.
You mentioned making a transaction and updating the bank book, but I doubt that that will suffice. They want 2 sheets with stamps and all., date of application.
Rob **********
@Haagse ****
it’s mainly because they have a new head of immigration in Cha-am, the old boss moved to Chiang Mai apparently.John **********
@Haagse ****
you really need to check every year, every time the staff at an immigration office change the rules change which I can personally attest to. Normally you need the print out of statements and the guarantee letter from the bank which normally be up to 7 days old but the bank book must be on the day. As you've discovered it's impossible to get the required statements on the day from Bangkok BankHaagse *****
OP@John *********
It indeed looked like they have a new chief at Cha-Am, wanting to bring everybody up to date on all the rules.Activity
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