What is the process and approximate cost of renewing a retirement visa in Thailand with the help of an agent?

Easy now,

@Pa**

, I didn't say you did :/ ,

I said the conversation seemed to be heading towards that outcome.

You have received almost step by step instructions on how to get your 90 day Non-O visa and then your yearly extension of stay after that.

It's a three step process to do it all inside the country OR you can pull a 90 day Non-O visa from a thai consulate before you come into the country and then just apply for the year extension once you're here which cuts out two steps ;) .

@Pa**

, (y) good to know ;)

What are the financial requirements for the 90 day ?

and thus we see the perils of using an agent to push paper :/

If you're out of the country when your current extension expires you're back to square one.

Once you come back you'd

First you would go to the immigration office and apply for a 90 day Non-Immigrant Type O visa. You would need to have 15 days left on what ever stamp you entered thailand on because applications go under review for 14 days before you go back and get the Non-O visa and the new 90 day stamp inked into your passport. That costs 2000baht at the immigration office

Then you'd wait until you have 45 days or less left on that new 90 day stamp and go back to the immigration office to apply for a yearly extension of stay. That is issued on the spot and costs 1900baht.

If you're going to travel after you get the yearly extension you'd buy a re-entry permit 1000baht for a single or 3800baht for a multiple.

When you apply for the 90 day Non-O you need to meet the financial requirements and when you apply for the yearly extension you would need to meet them again.

In Chiang Mai they want to see your tm 30 .

Thanks Tod. All this information is invaluable. Was spending 45k to have this done!!!

@Gi***

, if you're in bangkok you go to Chaengwattana. It's busy but it cranks people thru if you have all the documentation right when you show up there.

Plus Bangkok doesn't care if you have a TM.30 or not, and if you're using the same address as before they don't require a lease or the landlords thai i/d or anything.

Thanks Mark

And of course proof of savings/income

CM only require copies of passport, visa and last extension, departure card, 90 day and TM30

Ok guys. Thanks again. Guess that means going there in person. Heard nightmare stories about the office in BKK. Any less crowded options than CW in BKK? Cheers

My Imm office in Krabi is relatively easy going on this aspect - but read here that other offices are more stringent. So best to clarify at your local office.

Again - check with the local immigration office - they will have a list sheet and instruction sheet.

Owe a beer(s) JD. Thanks

Normally for an Extension of Stay - over age 50 (Retirement) depending on the Immigration office - the most proof I know of is a lease - rental agreement, photocopy of the landlord's ID Card, and photocopy of the Tambien Ban for the house. Some want a hand drawn map to your house from a relevant landmark. If the house (condo) is owned by the Extension Applicant copies of the House Book - Tambien ban. Other members may have to clarify this.

@Pa**

, If you're using income from abroad, you would get the affidavit of income from your consulate here in bangkok. That's ALL that the immigration office will accept, they don't take anything else for it.

@Pa**

,, you go to your bank here, get them to write the "bank letter" to the immigration office (most branches know what it is), then you update your bank book on the day you apply for the extension so that it shows the balance.

For your first yearly extension you need to have the 800K baht seasoned for 60 days and for every subsequent year you need it seasoned for 3 months

Okay bad guess on my part

@Paul *********

nope, you either bank 800K baht in a thai bank account in your name the requisite period of time required before your application

OR

You use a notarized affidavit of income from abroad letter from your consulate stating you get 65K baht in income a month

OR

You use a combination of the two that equals 800K baht for the year.

Those are the options ;

Paul - it seems you are an American and all you have to do it the sworn Income Affidavit and in most cases that will be all that us needed.

Sadly some consulates here just won't issue the income affidavit letter for their citizens :/

Also there was a report last year of the Nong Khai immigration office making people who used the income affidavit for their extensions sign a paper stating they would bring proof of 65K baht a month in ATM withdrawal slips or bank transfers showing they brought the money into the country :O Even though there is no rule that I have to bring in a single baht of money into the country using the income affidavit method. :/

This is a bad scan but it's what people were signing up in Nong Khai

The declared income is to be income from outside Thailand

I say no also

@Pa**

, nope,

It is a shame that it is not understood better

If it's so easy to get an income letter from Non-British and Canadian Embassies/Consulates, it makes you wonder why so many people are paying through the nose to get the extension based on 800K in the bank from an agent if you know what I'm saying....

Mark Bannon - I never thought you were disagreeing - just my way of saying things. I agree with you. But in practice I read many posts and it seems that few Immigration Offices ask for backup financial records.

Right now only the two consulates I know of that require people submit documentation to get the income affidavit letter written for them are the UK one and the Canadian one. The rest just let you put down what ever you want on the letter and actually only notarize that your name was on the top and you signed it in front of them.

@JD ******

I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was just pointing out that although they invariably accept the income affidavit at face value, they do have the right to request to check the supporting documentation. As always, it is easier to take additional documentation to immigration and not need it, than not have it, and possibly have problems (e.g. if the immigration office is not nearby your home and/or you have left extension until the last day etc.)

Again - the inconsistency factor sets in. Using an EWAG - Educated Wild Assed Guess. I say the majority of Immigration Offices accept the Income Affidavit on its face value and do not ask for back up documentation. One can ask here for a show of hands for a particular Immigration Office.

@JD ******

Although in practice, they don't ask to see the supporting documentation, they do have the right to ask. I always take my supporting income documentation with me just in case, but as mentioned for Brits, we are required to provide some evidence in support of our statement for the Embassy.

For Americans to get an Income Affidavit /Embassy Income Letter (a sworn statement) for use as proof of Financial ability to meet requirements in the application process for a One Year Extension of Stay for an O Visa - that American only had to swear that they have income of some source outside Thailand stated in USD to meet or exceed the equivalent of 65,000 Baht per month. No documents of any kind are needed to be presented to prove the validity of this income. Furthermore this Income Affidavit is the only document that needs to be presented to Thai Immigration in support of their Extension Application.

You have to make the appointment on line at the US Embassy Website

The American Embassy charges $50

The UK Embassy costs about £50 for the certificate and takes about a week. All done by post. They do request to see evidence of basis/source of income though

@JD ******

Does he mean the cost of getting the letter from national Embassy?

Get the local immigration office list of requirements - check in here for clarifications. Once you do this successfully one time - then it is a snap the next time

Time involved depends on the workload of your immigration office. Wait time varies greatly - process time once you are in front of the officer could be 30 minutes to one hour. Fee is 1900 Baht. This type of Extension of Stay is very common. In most offices if you are missing something they think is serious... Most times you would be just asked/told to go get it - come back later or next day. These Extensions have become routine.