went to Surin immigration on Monday to re new my 1 year retirement visa and got told off by the lass on the infomation desk for not keeping the full amount of 800,000bt in my bank for the full term of my visa , i always understood as long as you made a withdrawl three months after the visa had been issued and kept the balance at 400,000 and put the balance back to 800,000 3 months before issuing new visa all should be ok, this seems now not to be the case , what a load of old bollocks keeping that amount of money in your account and been unable to use it. anybody got any ideas if there is any way around this.
Surin immigration possible new rules on retirement visa's
- Thread starter Russ
- Start date
Coffee
You chose a custom title
Russ, are you legally married in Thailand to a Thai citizen ?
If so you can roll with THB 400,000 dropping to 200,000 after three months.
Caveat: I know marriage isn't always the best solution to a problem.
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
The first thing to acknowledge is that @Russ is being told a load of old bollocks.
There has been no rule change that affects the 2 months prior/3 months after requirement to maintain a minimum 800k balance. 400k for the other 7 months (apologies, I may have mentioned 8 months in the shout box).
Usual caveat, as @Coffee and @Rice pointed out, each Immigration office - nay, each Immigration officer, often have their own 'rules'.
Write it off to experience, carry on as normal and just st avoid that bitch next year.
There has been no rule change that affects the 2 months prior/3 months after requirement to maintain a minimum 800k balance. 400k for the other 7 months (apologies, I may have mentioned 8 months in the shout box).
Usual caveat, as @Coffee and @Rice pointed out, each Immigration office - nay, each Immigration officer, often have their own 'rules'.
Write it off to experience, carry on as normal and just st avoid that bitch next year.
Yup. For what? 2 months before and 3 months after? Freakin scam. 5 months for the banks to play with. Total horseradish.
recently,there was a short video on youtube integrity legal regarding this, and it seems you do have to keep the 800,000bt in the bank i think its something to do with how much you deposit into the bank over the period of the visa, it was all rather complicated and i'm not sure if i understood it properly.
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
Hi @Russ , are you sure the Integrity Legal video was about visas/extensions? If you have a link that would be great because I couldn't find anything on their website.
Whilst I like Benjamin Hart he is a bit full of piss and wind. I can live with that because his heart (no pun intended) is in the right place and he always tries to give best advice. He has been prolific with his videos - which have mainly been about the re-statement of the tax treatment of incoming funds.
You have (unintentionally) added to the confusion by mentioning money deposited into the bank. That is irrelevant in the case of retirement extensions based on 800k in the bank.
It takes time to get your head around the procedures/rules which can be changed/misapplied at the drop of a hat. There are some very good posts in the Visa section of the forum but here is a quick run through...
Long-term expats usually stay in Thailand by extending their 'permission to stay" each year.
They don't have a VISA. A visa is something that says you meet the criteria to enter Thailand (it doesn't guarantee entry - that is down to the Immigration Officer at the point of entry). The visa is usually either multiple entry, which means you can enter and leave Thailand as often as you like up the expiry date of that visa. Each time you enter you are granted 'permission to stay' for 90 days (you must leave within 90 days) - or it is single entry. That is now the most common visa for retirees wishing to live in Thailand; a single entry Non-Immigrant 'O' visa is usually obtained in your own country. You then enter Thailand at which point the visa is 'used' and your permission to stay is stamped in your passport for 90 days. That gives time to get your ducks lined up ready for an application to extend your stay for 12 months - usually done in the last 30 days of your permission to stay.
The 90 days allows you to transfer in the necessary 800k to satisfy the 2 months seasoning requirements.
Note....the original visa is dead, it is deceased - it has been 'used'. What we all have are 'extensions of permission to stay' ...note the heading of the TM7 form.
Note.. please don't tell the IO in Surin that co-co says you don't have a visa.... Immigration staff will often refer to visas/renewal of visa (you can't renew a visa, it is used, you can only apply to extend your permission to stay)......this only adds to the confusion for us mere mortals.
It sounds like you have successfully applied to extend your permission to stay for another 12 months (albeit with an unwarranted bollocking)......enjoy your life in the knowledge that you are stamped in until Spring 2025 and just keep the bank balance above 400k (800k for the 2 months before your permission expires - erroneously referred to a your 'renewal' date).
I deal with Jomtien Immigration who are far worse than Surin. This year I decided to use the services of a local, long-established, reputable agent. The main reason (because of international travel) is that I wanted to 'renew' 3 months before my extension date. The earliest you can usually apply - according to the rule book - is 45 days, but most offices say 30 days.
My expiry date was 19th June, I (the agent) applied 19th March and I had to have the 800k in the bank by 19th January. The good news is that there is no monitoring of the 800k/400k after approval so I get away with only maintaining 800k for 2 months. Cost me 6,500 Baht to have the pleasure of not having to deal with Immigration.
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CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
Just be aware that switching involves the 'double whammy' of satisfying BOTH income of 65k AND 800k in the bank in the same year.
If the extension was approved last January then the first thing an IO will check (next January) is that you have complied with the terms of that approval. ie 800k for 3 months after approval then not dropping below 400k after that.
To meet the requirements for an extension based on income you will need to evidence 12 x 65k in the proceeding 12 months.
co-co, thanks for the message, my thoughts exactly , i'm going to do exactly what i'v been doing in the past and stuff them, regarding the video posted by integtity legal i can't find it again either, in the post mr hart referred to an artical in the pucket post in which a local immigration officer was giving his thoughts on the topic, anyways thanks again for the message and your detailed explanation
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
Deerculler
Surin relic
Not easy to avoid that bitch.
She is usually the first one you meet when you go in there.
Prakhonchai Nick
You chose a custom title
I am fortunate in that my immigration visits are few and only when a re-entry permit is needed.
However, if the "Surin Bitch" is spouting bollocks to all and sundry who visit for extensions, is it not time to report her misdeeds to the top boys in Bangkok? Anonymously perhaps.
However, if the "Surin Bitch" is spouting bollocks to all and sundry who visit for extensions, is it not time to report her misdeeds to the top boys in Bangkok? Anonymously perhaps.
Married legally in Thailand. All paperwork translated to English. Can't remember if it was needed. Back then I thought a legal marriage of a Yank to a Thai citizen needed to be reported/registered to the US Embassy. I don't think that was the case though. Long ago and memory is faulty these days.
Rice
Resident Smart Arse
I hope folk are not disparaging the young lady that was on the counter when I went there. Sure she pulled me up on some points on my family photos but I felt her approach was all above board and following policy. Not like KCI where they pulled stuff from the never regions and gloated when they made things difficult all the while throwing insults at you and your wife. That older women at KCI now there lays a true "Bitch" in the full sense of the word.