@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.)

@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.

The obligation may in theory be on the landlord, but if you can't get a visa extension because you(r landlord) haven't filed one, you might not be feeling so smug. In BKK, this apparently isn't an issue. In CM, however, it is

And of course proof of savings/income

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

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?

When I went for my extension, I turned up at CM immigration at 4am and was 5th in queue. I was finished at around 11am. My friend paid for visa assistance and had an appointment at 2pm and was in and out within 20 mins (and chauffeured from the visa agent's office in town and back).

In CM, there seem to be two categories of visa assistance for retirement extensions (and significantly different costs). One for providing the financial proof (no comment...), and the other simply for visa assistance (i.e. filling in your form, and giving you an appointment at immigration, which is otherwise impossible, and if required taking you there and back from their offices). I understand that the first is 23k or something and the second is about 7k

There is some debate about the length of validity of an IDP, but generally, if you are here longer than 3 months, you should get a local (i.e. Thai) DL, which is easy to get if you already have a foreign DL. If you are driving on a foreign IDP as a resident, and need to make a claim, you may find that your insurance company (if they check and/or know the rules) may refuse to cover you for not having a 'valid' DL