ask
Search
Ask
Answered7 years ago

What Are the Requirements for a 12 Month Retirement Visa Extension in Thailand?

Dianne *****
asked Apr 17, 2020
1.4k
views
5
replies
11
likes
Interesting visit to Chiang Mai Immigration today to apply for 12 month extension on grounds of being over 50yrs (AKA retirement visa extension) I am Australian, thus could no longer use the stat dec/notarized letter route. I used the 12 month transfer of 65K baht for this year's financial proof. I had a problem with one international transfer (July 2019) being coded as SMT as opposed to FTT and had been warned by my bank and other expats that my visa extension application would be rejected due to this. In addition to a number of expats insisting that I would not be able to get around this without using an agent. I attended immigration a few weeks ago to pick up the list of requirements, the immigration officer at the information desk stressed at the time that I would not get my extension due to not having 12 FTT coded international transfers. I am happy to report a successful extension, with no agent. Bangkok Bank supplied the paperwork to take to Kasikorn Bank, who understood what was needed to verify that my July 2019 transfer did in fact originate in Australia. Today same information desk officer told me that I needed bank statements back to the date I renewed last year. Even through I renewed 32 days earlier than the end of my previous extension. Had I waited this time to renew closer to my retirement extension expiry date, that would mean going by his belief, that I would have had to ask Bangkok Bank for a 13 month statement instead of 12 months. And I certainly hadn't made an International transfer the month before my current extension ie May 2019 until May 2020 commenced. I think he is wrong on this requirement but he insisted that my bank records had to cover 12 months from when I last extended not the 12 month period of my visa validity! And the Immigration Officer who made the final decision re approving my extension added up all my international transfers from the past year over and over again to ensure that the final total exceed 800K which is not part of the requirement either, as I understand it. Fortunately I always transfer a little extra so I fulfilled this surprise criteria. Plus he kept mentioning "pension" which I don't have, but it was also not my understanding that the 65K a month transfered from overseas was required to come from an actual pension. All's well that ends well, I guess, but expect to be thrown a few curve balls depending on the immigration officer's interpretation of the requirements
Answer summary
An Australian expat shares their experience and challenges when applying for a 12-month retirement visa extension in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Despite encountering issues with international transfers and differing interpretations of requirements by immigration officers, they successfully received the extension without an agent. The post highlights the necessity of having proper financial documentation and the potential discrepancies in information provided by immigration officials.
5 repliesnewest first
5

Click comment and we will ask for your email, then OTP, then name.

James ********
James ********
Thanks for your report .

Glad you were successful.

Take care, stay safe.

Commenting closed.
Michael ********
Michael ********
Pardon my ignorance but what does SMT and FTT mean?
Nicholas *********
Nicholas *********
I might be wrong, but my understanding is international bank transfers are FTT and local are SMT. Because some international transfers go to the head office of your bank in Bkk first and are then re-routed to your branch, they don't appear as an international transfer- but a local one. I also believe that Transferwise doesn't actually send the money abroad eg from UK to Thailand but only to a branch in UK. Which is therefore no good for visa extensions as Immigration say the money hasn't come from abroad. But I stand to be corrected.
Robert *******
Robert *******
You need at least 12 months of monthly deposits on the date of application.

Thanks for the update.
Dianne *****
Dianne *****
OP
@Robert ******
I had that. But he was insisting that the one that was not coded FTT (as transferwise had used an intermediary bank that month) would exclude me from getting another visa extension. I had a copy of my Australian bank statement and Transferwise receipts and the certificate from Kasikorn showing that the transfer had originated in Australia. He was just rigidly applying the rule that every transfer has to be coded FTT with no exceptions-fortunately he wasn't the decision maker

Activity

5 joined
Dianne *****
Dianne *****
Dianne *****
Dianne *****
Dianne *****
5
people
Thai Visa Advice
Thai Visa Advice
...members40% approval
Member 1
Member 2
Member 3
Member 4
Member 5
Member 6
Member 7
Member 8

Related

25
What are the passport validity requirements for retiring in Thailand, and what visa should I apply for?
5.5k211264mo
What is the process for obtaining a retirement visa in Thailand for an expat with a non-o visa?
7k251648mo
What is the current process for obtaining a retirement visa in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and how can I include my dependents?
698431y
What are the requirements for a retirement visa in Thailand for expats from New Zealand?
1.2k5151y
What is the process and requirements for applying for a Non-O retirement extension of stay at Chaengwatthana?
3.5k32241y
What are the requirements and rules for the Thai retirement visa and the 800k THB deposit?
2.8k15221y
When should I ensure my bank account has 800,000 THB for my retirement visa extension in Thailand?
2.1k16191y
What are the essential tips for obtaining a retirement visa in Thailand?
2.6k18331y
What are the requirements and steps to obtain a retirement visa in Thailand for UK citizens planning to move there?
5.6k39692y
What are the steps to apply for a retirement visa in Thailand after returning on a tourist visa?
1.2k862y
What are the steps to transition from a tourist visa to a Non-O retirement visa in Thailand?
2.2k11332y
What documents are required for the initial 90-day extension for a Non-O visa in Thailand?
1.2k5162y
What are the requirements and considerations for obtaining a marriage visa in Thailand?
13.1k1031532y
What is the process for applying for a Non-O retirement visa in Chiang Mai?
4.5k14993y
What are the online application requirements for a retirement visa in Chiang Mai?
2.1k16193y
What is the process to convert a Tourist Visa to a Non-O Retirement Visa in Thailand?
4.5k19864y
What steps do I need to follow to obtain a Non-O visa for retirement in Chiang Mai after arriving on a 30-day visa-exempt entry?
3.9k22585y
What are the steps to convert a TR visa to a NON O retirement visa in Thailand?
1k776y
What is the current process for renewing a retirement visa in Thailand?
2.1k14206y
What is the process for obtaining a Non-O long stay retirement visa in Thailand, and what are the bank requirements?
12.9k124976y
What does an 'Under Consideration' stamp mean for a retirement extension in Thailand?
693196y
Can I Transfer Money for a Retirement Extension on a Non-O Visa in Thailand?
1.3k6197y
What are the latest requirements for obtaining a Non-O retirement visa in Chiang Mai?
2.6k23158y
What are the requirements and implications for volunteering in Thailand on a retirement visa?
3248y
What are the steps and requirements for applying for an O-A visa to retire in Thailand from the UK?
2.4k20169y

Resources

Need help with your retirement visa?