Retard Extension
- Thread starter nomad97
- Start date
Deerculler
Surin relic
Very sorry G/L. Letter from the New Zealand Embassy confirming my income.
gotlost
Kap Chong R Us Member
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
Deerculler
Surin relic
And it cost me nothing.I knew that.Just stirring the pot.
nomad97
Resident Geek
Do you think your Embassy would give me a letter too?
Deerculler
Surin relic
R
robert1200
Guest
I'm no expert on visas & have asked many questions on on this site regarding the subject but having spent time in Pattaya & listening to many visa experts in the bars i feel that now I know all the answers to all the questions that might ever be asked. I am amazed at the number of different visas & conditions of visas that are available. I have never seen these visas on the embassy website but they must exist because, I have been told! I do wonder how many of these guys end up with an overstay fine when they finally leave???
C
Coffee
Guest
Very hard for IMM to collect any fines from over-stayers when some of these fellas finally leave...via the chimney at the neighborhood wat...through a border hole in Cambojia...or out to sea.
Surely there are many wonderful tales and stories told throughout Pattaya's expat fountains of knowledge (bars) and wonder (pussy emporiums), eh.
(Stay safe Robert. Talk to Nick.)
Surely there are many wonderful tales and stories told throughout Pattaya's expat fountains of knowledge (bars) and wonder (pussy emporiums), eh.
(Stay safe Robert. Talk to Nick.)
Prakhonchai Nick
You chose a custom title
Plenty of tales that could be told Coffee. but don't know much about visas.
Moo Ban
BANNED
If you tell us some of these stories of Visa's you've never seen on a Embassy Website ,then maybe we can tell you if they're true or not
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
If you have an immigration "Permission to stay stamp" in your passport, you can't be on overstay.
gotlost
Kap Chong R Us Member
They are bar stool experts only as that bar stool blocks the air flow to what brain they may have.
R
robert1200
Guest
one guy in particular went through a travel agent who told him she would renew his visa & he would receive a 1 year retirement visa, he needed to leave his bank book & atm card with her, she would then put the required amont in his account for the purpose of getting his visa, after a week she called him and asked for his pin number ( which he gave) a week later he picked up his passport, bank book & atm card. No evidence of money in or out of his account. Some sort of stamp in his passport (nothing like my visa) & told he needs to return to immigration after 2 months to resubmit evidence of financial requirements. Has cost 19,000bht so far.If you tell us some of these stories of Visa's you've never seen on a Embassy Website ,then maybe we can tell you if they're true or not
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
If you have an immigration "Permission to stay stamp" in your passport, you can't be on overstay.
So, first question Robert.................. do you have a visa or an extension ?
The guy you are talking about has an 'extension' based on retirement. A 'bought' one and in theory not 'legal'.
However, the immigration stamps in his passport are as kosher as the ones in the passports of those who have evidenced 800,000 Baht in the bank or income of 65,000 Baht per month (for an extension based on marriage 400,000 Baht or income 40,000 per month).
R
robert1200
Guest
yes I have a visa.
would his extension visa be acceptable if he returned to the UK briefly then back to LOS without an onward flight?
Moo Ban
BANNED
Yes ..but only if he gets a re-entry Permit before he leaves
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
Robert, Robert, Robert...................... you have got your terminology tangled (or you are taking the Mickey, which I don't think you are).
Visas 101:-
A visa is (pretty much) ONLY obtainable outside of Thailand - they are typically Tourist Visas or Non-Immigrant 'O' visas (there are a whole host of others but let's concentrate on the 2 most common ones).
A visa allows you to enter Thailand. Subject to the immigration officer allowing you in at the point of entry he/she will stamp your passport with a permission to stay stamp. For a Non-Immigrant 'O' visa this will be 90 days.I won't bother going into single entry and (a rarity) multiple entry.
For those of us stay here permanently, or long-term, it is usual to apply for a 12 month 'extension' of the permission to stay. This requires various criteria to be satisfied depending on the reason for extension; the most common being marriage or retirement.
Having obtained an 'extension' the only requirement is to report your address to the immigration office every 90 days. Should you leave Thailand at any stage your permission to stay is cancelled. HOWEVER, anyone with an extension can obtain a 're-entry permit' - this is what your friend would require (if he has an extension) - the re-entry permit can be single, for one journey out of Thailand and return (1,000 Baht) or multiple (3,800 Baht).
My latest experience at Surin Immigration 15 Feb 2017 for 'O' visa extension based on retirement.
This is not a rant
To give you a picture, I should say I'm a single male living in a rented apartment and have a Thai girlfriend with whom I do not live, but I invited her just in case I needed some interpretation on the spot. She had instructions to sit at the back as I would handle it
1pm on arrival, dressed reasonably as befits a Government Office and duly smiling to everyone. Only one customer and straight to the lady who checked my papers and immediately to a chair to be dealt with by Mother Demdike. You may not be familiar with the term if you are not from the UK or Lancashire in particular. Google it.
The officer immediately called for my 'interpreter' and proceeded to discuss everything and presumably anything with her during which time I repeatedly asked (nicely) if she could deal with me directly please as it was in fact my application. Ignored. My proof of finances in the bank were not in order. I must say I am grateful for you guys who have provided info recently as to the need for the bank letter to be on the same day as the application. In the morning I had done this for my Fixed Term Deposit account showing 800k which does not have an entry as of today. Completely by coincidence, it did show yesterdays entry with the end of term interest paid in and the terms for the following period of twelve months. No good. I explained I do not take money out (no debit card) as that defeats the object and I do not put in as there is no benefit. Not interested - must got to the bank and do as she said. I flourished my up to date Savings Account book (and older books) for day to day transactions over the last 12 years with photocopies of the last 12 months. Her gruff superior came over - let's call him Adolph, and I tried to explain via my 'interpreter' that this is how banking works. I asked if they could please check with a higher power as this methodology had been perfectly acceptable for x years. She went to see the 'top man' during which time I learned that today there was no staff that spoke English due to sickness/shortage or whatever. Back in 5 mins and grudgingly said 'It'll do'. Fantastic I thought.
Next the residence info no good as I had no contract. I have a 'contract' in as much as I had today's letter from the owner stating I have resided there since xxxx well over 3 years ago and pay on a month by month basis at x ThB/month (receipts proffered) plus signed copies of house book and ID all good enough for the last 3 visits to SI. The conversation went..... No good - not legal. Who's not legal? The apartment owners. Not my problem - owner's problem. You must have a contract. They not give me one. They must issue a contract. Their business - you tell tell owners. At this point my interpreter whispered - you must get a contract 'or else'. I said I'll deal with it. She was shown a contract from another farang to photo to assist my landlord. So everything satisfactory and my application approved at speed, together with re-entry permit and out of there in just over an hour which was excellent, but feeling drained and not impressed with their surly attitude. Job done - out for a few beers tonight to celebrate.
The following day (16th) my girlfriend came round and said I must get a contract. WTF. I said it may be nice - if you wish to go to the owners who are good friends and help them to get legal so they don't fall foul of the law and end up paying a fine. OK. 2 hours later later she waved a contract (in Thai) for me to sign. WTF. Conversation: It's got 6 months and I'm moving out in 2 months or so cos we're getting married and going to live in your house. SI say got to be 6 or 12 month contract. WTF. I've got my extension and job done. No - you got to take the contract to Immigration (or maybe photo SMS to Mother Demdike will do). Who said? They did ..........yesterday. It's lunchtime by now and she got a terse SMS from SI demanding the contract. WTF. Only now do I get the full story ........that if you don't do today SI will visit you, take your passport and cancel the extension. WTF!!! OK - let me sign it and do what you have to do. First got to get it authenticated, accompanied by the landlord. WTF. Who by? Local Ampur Estates Department. WTF. OK. An hour later the document arrived with lots of official stuck on stamps and signatures and rubber stamps. Very impressive and it was photoed and sent to SI who sent SMS message back all OK.
Phew. Sorry long story but sent for your info
It may sound like a rant, but it's not. I jump through all the hoops willingly as I'm a guest in a foreign country. I have sufficient money to have a great life here when it would not be so in the UK. I keep legal and don't have the need to fake my address or buy under the counter extensions/driving licenses/degrees or work illegally et.al. like lots of folk all over Thailand. Right now I feel almost persecuted in this country by Immigration (maybe when I get my name in a house book it will help). Not so in daily life as I know personally and socialize on occasion and am accepted as friends by many Thai people in the area courtesy of my girlfriends business and social connections. I know that's no big deal but do contribute and fit into the local scene the best I can. It's just as it seems more difficult every year and for that reason I'm continuing with my 12 month Cambodia Ordinary Visa (some say business visa) as a Plan B
This is not a rant
To give you a picture, I should say I'm a single male living in a rented apartment and have a Thai girlfriend with whom I do not live, but I invited her just in case I needed some interpretation on the spot. She had instructions to sit at the back as I would handle it
1pm on arrival, dressed reasonably as befits a Government Office and duly smiling to everyone. Only one customer and straight to the lady who checked my papers and immediately to a chair to be dealt with by Mother Demdike. You may not be familiar with the term if you are not from the UK or Lancashire in particular. Google it.
The officer immediately called for my 'interpreter' and proceeded to discuss everything and presumably anything with her during which time I repeatedly asked (nicely) if she could deal with me directly please as it was in fact my application. Ignored. My proof of finances in the bank were not in order. I must say I am grateful for you guys who have provided info recently as to the need for the bank letter to be on the same day as the application. In the morning I had done this for my Fixed Term Deposit account showing 800k which does not have an entry as of today. Completely by coincidence, it did show yesterdays entry with the end of term interest paid in and the terms for the following period of twelve months. No good. I explained I do not take money out (no debit card) as that defeats the object and I do not put in as there is no benefit. Not interested - must got to the bank and do as she said. I flourished my up to date Savings Account book (and older books) for day to day transactions over the last 12 years with photocopies of the last 12 months. Her gruff superior came over - let's call him Adolph, and I tried to explain via my 'interpreter' that this is how banking works. I asked if they could please check with a higher power as this methodology had been perfectly acceptable for x years. She went to see the 'top man' during which time I learned that today there was no staff that spoke English due to sickness/shortage or whatever. Back in 5 mins and grudgingly said 'It'll do'. Fantastic I thought.
Next the residence info no good as I had no contract. I have a 'contract' in as much as I had today's letter from the owner stating I have resided there since xxxx well over 3 years ago and pay on a month by month basis at x ThB/month (receipts proffered) plus signed copies of house book and ID all good enough for the last 3 visits to SI. The conversation went..... No good - not legal. Who's not legal? The apartment owners. Not my problem - owner's problem. You must have a contract. They not give me one. They must issue a contract. Their business - you tell tell owners. At this point my interpreter whispered - you must get a contract 'or else'. I said I'll deal with it. She was shown a contract from another farang to photo to assist my landlord. So everything satisfactory and my application approved at speed, together with re-entry permit and out of there in just over an hour which was excellent, but feeling drained and not impressed with their surly attitude. Job done - out for a few beers tonight to celebrate.
The following day (16th) my girlfriend came round and said I must get a contract. WTF. I said it may be nice - if you wish to go to the owners who are good friends and help them to get legal so they don't fall foul of the law and end up paying a fine. OK. 2 hours later later she waved a contract (in Thai) for me to sign. WTF. Conversation: It's got 6 months and I'm moving out in 2 months or so cos we're getting married and going to live in your house. SI say got to be 6 or 12 month contract. WTF. I've got my extension and job done. No - you got to take the contract to Immigration (or maybe photo SMS to Mother Demdike will do). Who said? They did ..........yesterday. It's lunchtime by now and she got a terse SMS from SI demanding the contract. WTF. Only now do I get the full story ........that if you don't do today SI will visit you, take your passport and cancel the extension. WTF!!! OK - let me sign it and do what you have to do. First got to get it authenticated, accompanied by the landlord. WTF. Who by? Local Ampur Estates Department. WTF. OK. An hour later the document arrived with lots of official stuck on stamps and signatures and rubber stamps. Very impressive and it was photoed and sent to SI who sent SMS message back all OK.
Phew. Sorry long story but sent for your info
It may sound like a rant, but it's not. I jump through all the hoops willingly as I'm a guest in a foreign country. I have sufficient money to have a great life here when it would not be so in the UK. I keep legal and don't have the need to fake my address or buy under the counter extensions/driving licenses/degrees or work illegally et.al. like lots of folk all over Thailand. Right now I feel almost persecuted in this country by Immigration (maybe when I get my name in a house book it will help). Not so in daily life as I know personally and socialize on occasion and am accepted as friends by many Thai people in the area courtesy of my girlfriends business and social connections. I know that's no big deal but do contribute and fit into the local scene the best I can. It's just as it seems more difficult every year and for that reason I'm continuing with my 12 month Cambodia Ordinary Visa (some say business visa) as a Plan B
Thanks for your post Big A.
Like you I enjoy my life in Thailand but it can be very frustrating when you do the right things and are confronted by officials who sometimes seem to be deliberately obstructive.
For what it is worth I don't think it is any different to officialdom in the UK.
The last 12 years of my working life were spent in Local Government where the majority of the people in the office went out of their way to help and assist the public, there was one guy whoever who seemed to delight in trying to show how superior he was and making life difficult for people who needed his assistance.
My turn early next month for an annual extension at SI hope it is a bit easier than your experience. I've got to hope Mother Demdike is in a good mood or has decided to visit Pendle Hill.
Like you I enjoy my life in Thailand but it can be very frustrating when you do the right things and are confronted by officials who sometimes seem to be deliberately obstructive.
For what it is worth I don't think it is any different to officialdom in the UK.
The last 12 years of my working life were spent in Local Government where the majority of the people in the office went out of their way to help and assist the public, there was one guy whoever who seemed to delight in trying to show how superior he was and making life difficult for people who needed his assistance.
My turn early next month for an annual extension at SI hope it is a bit easier than your experience. I've got to hope Mother Demdike is in a good mood or has decided to visit Pendle Hill.