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2020 BKK CW Retirement Extension trip report


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Thank you for the comprehensive post.  I will be getting my stuff in order and have scheduled my appointment two months from now.  Hopefully nothing changes after September 26th to hinder my 1st Retirement extension.

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Also... regarding my list above of requirements for the retirement extension, I should have added the additional health insurance requirement for those on O-A visas or extensions of stay based on original (even long-ago) O-A visas -- a requirement that doesn't apply to any other visa classes right now.

 

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Edited by TallGuyJohninBKK
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So retirement visas are still being dealt with at CW and NOT at Mong Thong Thani?

 

Is there such a thing as a multiple entry O visa? Or does one have to separately apply for the re-entry permit. I thought I heard the woman at Counter J mention a multiple entry visa, as I was enquiring about switching.

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17 minutes ago, uncleP said:

I did my 90 day at CW 4. weeks ago. Was rammed. Has it changed since?

 

I believe they shifted the 90-day reporting to Muang Thong Thani around July 13 onward. No more 90 day reporting in-person at BKK CW right now.

 

From my visit to BKK CW today, it certainly was overall less crowded because of the absence of the whole 90-day reporting contingent... though still lots of people in general... Made a bit better by those taking advantage of the online appointment scheduling option, which allows you to avoid the queues entirely.

 

At MTT, today midday, I had about an hour wait in queue just to do my in-person 90-day report because I hadn't made an online appointment for that piece of my business...

 

One problem with the online appointments system is, just for example, you can easily use it for an extension of stay appointment that's your first piece of business for the day.... But even so, you never know quite how long that's going to take...waiting to finally get your stamped passport back...

 

And so that makes then pre-scheduling an appointment for your 2nd or 3rd pieces of business (like a re-entry permit or a 90-day report) more difficult, because you're never quite sure going in whether you'll be able to get to those latter pieces reasonably on-time.

 

 

 

Edited by TallGuyJohninBKK
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5 minutes ago, Jackson B said:

So retirement visas are still being dealt with at CW and NOT at Mong Thong Thani?

 Correct!  

 

Annual extensions of stay and annual re-entry permits at BKK CW...

 

In-person 90-day reports and various other things at MTT...

 

976468744_MTTImmigrationGraphic2.jpg.73655d409b2162c5b1c2b05fdf9a8e9c.jpg

Edited by TallGuyJohninBKK
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1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Also... regarding my list above of requirements for the retirement extension, I should have added the additional health insurance requirement for those on O-A visas or extensions of stay based on original (even long-ago) O-A visas -- a requirement that doesn't apply to any other visa classes right now.

 

image.png.a0f4ee460d6a919ca41b68e74394a860.png

CW have previously been reported on here as adopting an extremely pedantic attitude towards the handling of retirement extension applications by those to whom the mandatory health insurance requirement applies, even to the extent of insisting on the relevant policy coming into force at exactly 4.30pm on the current permission to stay expiry date before being prepared to grant an extension! Have they, in the light of your experience, now rolled back on this nit-picking stance, particularly in the sense that a retiree subject to this requirement no longer, in practice, needs to leave it until the last minute before being able to apply for his next retirement extension, meaning that he can now lodge an application in advance (even if not by as much as the normal 45 days in CW’s case)?

 

Also, does the unexpected further 9-day extension to your current permission to stay date now mean that this is no longer in sync with your insurance policy expiry date, thus meaning possible difficulties for you this time next year?

 

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20 hours ago, OJAS said:

CW have previously been reported on here as adopting an extremely pedantic attitude towards the handling of retirement extension applications by those to whom the mandatory health insurance requirement applies, even to the extent of insisting on the relevant policy coming into force at exactly 4.30pm on the current permission to stay expiry date before being prepared to grant an extension! Have they, in the light of your experience, now rolled back on this nit-picking stance, particularly in the sense that a retiree subject to this requirement no longer, in practice, needs to leave it until the last minute before being able to apply for his next retirement extension, meaning that he can now lodge an application in advance (even if not by as much as the normal 45 days in CW’s case)?

 

Also, does the unexpected further 9-day extension to your current permission to stay date now mean that this is no longer in sync with your insurance policy expiry date, thus meaning possible difficulties for you this time next year?

 

 

Fortunately in my case, my original visa class isn't an O-A, so I'm not subject to the health insurance requirement associated with that. Thus unfortunately, can't shed any light on how BKK CW is handling that these days.... Though I've seen the same kind of member reports you're referencing above.

 

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55 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

But I never had the several junk statement forms ahead of time... So the officer every year would matter of factly hand those over to me to fill out, as she was busy doing her stamping and checking and shuffling, etc etc... So I always assumed that was the normal manner of doing such things....  But that leisurely approach apparently isn't flying with the appointments officer lady, at least not the one I drew yesterday... So be forewarned!!!

Don't worry. Next year they'll be harping on the fact that you dared to fill them out while not doing so in their presence and issue you with new blank ones to fill out while you sit there.

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12 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

At any rate, I figured I've had enough of their junk forms, and having to beg for them at the info desk. So I got a spare, blank set of them today, took them home, scanned them as PDF files, and will now post them here for anyone else who wants to keep them in hand. As UbonJoe noted to me, this trio of documents are specifically in a format used by BKK CW, and other offices may not use the same docs or use them in different format.

Thanks for these.

 

Given the penchant for copies rather than scanned documents, do you think these will be acceptable?

 

And, where were you able to find these?

 

Last Qs:

 

How do you gain entry to Immigration desk area? Just by showing your appointment print-out?

 

Do you just walk up to any "L" desk and show your appointment? Or is there a desk number designated for appointments?

 

Were there any interns pre-screening your documents?

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10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Did my annual retirement extension via 800K bank deposit letter and accompanying re-entry permit today at BKK CW Immigration,

Really appreciate this update report thanks. I have to do mine next week and in much the same status as you.

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15 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

I love your optimism there.

 

I paid for a single use re-entry permit, and got it, just as I've always done, to cover any eventualities during the year ahead...

 

But that doesn't mean I'm realistically expecting to use it anytime soon, and still have any likely chance of being able to return to Thailand after any prospective international travel.

 

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15 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Really appreciate this update report thanks. I have to do mine next week and in much the same status as you.

 

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, in my view), because I did the online appointment approach this year, I avoided the more common and past approach of having to show up at 7 am in the morning to get an early pre-queue ticket, sit around for 90 minutes waiting for Immigration to open at 8:30, then rush inside to get a second real queue ticket, and then wait wait wait for my number to finally be called...

 

So unfortunately, I can't speak to how that part of the process is going right now in the wake of the 90-day reporting business and crowds being shunted off to Muang Thong Thani...

 

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14 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

My bank, Krungsri, opens at 8:30 am there at BKK CW, and I'd assume others are the same or similar.

 

FWIW, I was surprised to discover that Krungsri's current system involves a standard FORTY FIVE MINUTE WAIT for them to produce and issue their standard bank deposit letter, supposedly because it involves having to get the head office involved...  So even if you're there at doors opening at 8:30, you shouldn't expect to get their letter anytime before 9:15 or thereafter.... 

 

That's Krungsri (AKA Bank of Ayudhya-yellow)... A friend here I believe told me BKKB's typical time for issuing the deposit letters at BKK CW runs more in the neighborhood of an half hour wait.

 

The Krungsri branch at BKK CW has both a regular ATM machine and passbook update machine outside of the branch doors, so those are available anytime. So you can do a withdrawal and then update your bank book thereafter -- all while the branch itself it closed... But you'll still need the branch staff inside to produce the bank deposit letter.

 

I believe someone posted here lately about the SCB branch at BKK CW supposedly being closed... I'd assume temporarily for some reason.  I didn't notice yesterday whether that was still the case or not.

 

There also are branches of BKKB, Kasikorn and several others on the same level at BKK CW.

 

PS - I was told by the Krungsri bank staff there yesterday that there's some ability to use their Android mobile banking app to PRE-REQUEST the bank deposit letter for Immigration purposes, so basically it will be there waiting for you at the branch when you arrive. But as this was my first year doing the bank deposits approach, I've yet to have an opportunity to try out their Android app to see if it actually allows what they claimed yesterday.

 

Just moved my appointment time back to ensure I can get the bank book updated for my Fixed deposit account.  Does the letter have to be dated the same day, or can it be done the day before.  I am using the 800,000 Thb method and not the monthly pension transfer that I could have used.  Did not want the extra paperwork and headache of 12 months of statements, so I opened up my Fixed deposit account ensuring it was done 2 months prior to the extension needing to be done.. 

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15 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

Given the penchant for copies rather than scanned documents, do you think these will be acceptable?

The various "statement" documents they're handing out in paper form are poor resolution copies of copies with pretty muddy text. My PDF files above are high quality scans that are pretty  much indistinguishable from the originals. As long as you printed the PDF files on a good printer, I don't think there's be any problem or that anyone there would even notice. PS - That's already what many folks do now with downloading and printing out the PDF or Word TM forms off the Immigration website.

 

15 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

And, where were you able to find these?

I didn't know this before, but the front Information Desk at BKK CW has paper sets of the various statement docs available upon request.   In the past, when I've asked there, they're responded simply by giving me only a TM7 form. Yesterday, they did the same again. But when I demurred and said no, don't need the TM7, and need the statement forms, they finally came across with the other sheets.

 

15 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

How do you gain entry to Immigration desk area? Just by showing your appointment print-out?

 

Do you just walk up to any "L" desk and show your appointment? Or is there a desk number designated for appointments?

 

Were there any interns pre-screening your documents?

 

 

If you're talking about someone using the newish appointments system....

 

If you've made the online appointment, they'll email you an appointment confirmation letter shortly after you complete that process online. You print out and take the appointment sheet with you. 

 

When I went to BKK CW, I just walked right in to the office itself (it was after the early morning queue rush) and went straight to sit down right outside the L desk cubicle that's handling appointment customers, which was L32 yesterday. (The appointment confirmation letter will indicate the specific L desk you're being directed to).

 

When my appointment time came, and the prior customer had exited the cubicle, I just walked up, poked my head in, showed my appointment letter, and the officer waved me on in.

 

No one reviewed or pre-screened any of my docs yesterday before I went in to see the appointments IO.

 

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Just received my e-mail regarding my appointment, and noticed this information on the bottom in small print. Answers my question above regarding the bank letter.

 

สำหรับการขออยู่ต่อด้วยเหตุผลเพื่อใช้ชีวิตบั้นปลาย กรุณาทำตามคำแนะนำดังนี้
Extension Visa for Retiement Please follow the instructions below:
1.
ท่านต้องอัพเดตสถานะเงินฝากและ นำสมุดบัญชีธนาคารของท่านมาแสดงต่อเจ้าหน้าที่ตรวจคนเข้าเมืองในวันที่มายื่นด้วย You have to deposit and status updates and bring your bank book to show to the immigration officer in the coming days
2.
หนังสือรับรองยอดเงินฝากจากธนาคาร สามารถใช้ย้อนหลังได้ไม่เกิน 7 วัน
A certificate of deposit from a bank. Can be used to back up to 7 days
3.
สามารถรับบริการ เฉพาะผู้ที่จองคิวออนไลน์เท่านั้น ไม่รวมครอบครัว
Available Only those who booked online. Excluding family
Retiement visa
https://division1.immigration.go.th/content/Visa_Extension22

สำหรับ การฟังผลวีซ่า กรุณานำหนังสือเดินทาง และอัพเดตสถานะเงินฝากและ นำสมุดบัญชีธนาคารของท่านมาแสดงต่อเจ้าหน้าที่ตรวจคนเข้าเมืองในวันที่มาฟังผลด้วย For Visa results Please present your passport and update your deposit status and bring your bank book to the Immigration officer on the day of listening to the results

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15 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Just moved my appointment time back to ensure I can get the bank book updated for my Fixed deposit account.  Does the letter have to be dated the same day, or can it be done the day before.  I am using the 800,000 Thb method and not the monthly pension transfer that I could have used.  Did not want the extra paperwork and headache of 12 months of statements, so I opened up my Fixed deposit account ensuring it was done 2 months prior to the extension needing to be done.. 

 

I know the same day letter is good at BKK CW... I've heard, but can't confirm, they'll also accept the letter itself being dated the day before. But the bank book itself has to be updated the SAME DAY of the application at BKK CW, as far as I'm aware.

 

As far as your situation, take note of my comments in my original post about my IO yesterday getting off to a bad start with me because in looking at my bank book, she saw only 2 months of 800K deposit history, and wanted to know where the rest was...  She obviously wasn't aware and hadn't bothered to check to see that I had done an income affidavit last year, and thus wasn't subject to the 400K yearround minimum that will apply for the future.

 

So it sounds like you'll be in a similar situation.   She just presumed I was under an obligation to have had 400K minimum on deposit for the entire past year, which was a wrong assumption to make... But it had me nervous, when she kept asking to see my older bank book history from a prior bank book that I hadn't bought with me...

 

Edited by TallGuyJohninBKK
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11 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I arrived to Immigration at 9:10 am for a 9:15 to 9:30 appointment slot, was in to see the officer by 9:20 am, and was done with her by 9:35 am, and had my stamped passport back by 10:15 am. Sweet!!!

Sounds great.

 

I am wondering using the online booking system (which I have yet to try) does one get a receipt to print out and take, and is this shown at the normal check counter close to the immigration cubicles?

 

Also the timing of yours for 9.15-9.30 seems to be cutting it tight because don't you have to go to the bank that opens at 8.30 first to get the letter before even checking in at the IO desk now? In the past I checked in and expected a wait for 2-3 hours so went to bank after checking in but now I am thinking I need to get bank docs sorted first if IO is processing things so quickly using the online check in system?

 

Based on above I am considering picking a IO online time around 10.30-10.45 and hopefully get pp back before lunch?

 

 

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10 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

I am wondering using the online booking system (which I have yet to try) does one get a receipt to print out and take, and is this shown at the normal check counter close to the immigration cubicles?

 

Yes. Booking No., Counter No. (L1-32 in my case), booking date and time

 

And they send you an email. There may even be an SMS notification, not sure, I haven't received one yet.

 

You can show either for entry.

 

http://203.151.166.132/immigrant_queue/booking/

 

 

For those without an appointment I think there is a mobile app to track the traditional queuing system chits/numbers.

 

 

 

 

Edited by mtls2005
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