Udon Thani Immigration Office

Today the 8th of Feb went a couple of days early to renew my 1 yr extension, as I had heard that maybe just maybe, on the odd occasions the correct staff were not in attendance.
However the p[roceedure went Ok, but a few new pointers need to be noted.
1. The embassy letter ( those of us who use that proceedure ) will NO longer last 3 years, you will need a new one every year, as they took my original stating new one every year ( this was its first year before anyone comments).
2. In order to make the matter easier after your passport details pout every page in chronological order starting from your first arrivasl whenever that was and put in order up to your current visa date.

3 I also added a internet exchange rate printout, saves hassle and helps them to see the current exchange rate. ( why they do not access that, is beyond me , but there it is.
I was there at approx 0820 was done and out by 0855, they did not start until 0840, but then I was dealt with swiftly.
4 Two new stamps are also used, a stamp which shows the Immigration Book entry number and one which also now shows the number of times you have had your visa extended. Why this is now done is beyond me, at some time I will ask, but I do feel it is for their administrative use not for you, but that means every retirement will now take up a whole page so count your pages until your expiry date and plan ahead .

I hope this will be of some use to you all, no hassle, no problems very pleasant and if I maight add a pleasure to be dealt with in such a polite and pleasant manner. Such a change from NK

That seem's easy enough one question do they still require the letter from your bank?

I had experienced the Embassy letter last year in Nong Khai so that I was ready for.

Thanks

To clarify -- Paul's one-year extension was based on retirement.
An extension based on supporting a Thai spouse is much, much different.

Letter from the bank....question asked.....
Answer...If you are using bank ( cash in hand ) AND a letter of Income from a pension or the like from the embassy then ITS IS MUST, a letter from the bank will be needed to sustantiate the bank deposit / amount ( don't forget three months in the account)

Yes my extension was for retirement... I had previously gone down the route for a marriage Visa but to be quite honest the first time they ( Immigration ) poo pooed it.
Second time Bangkok Immigration flatly refused siting proceedural problems
Third Time well I had a serious thought and decided to hell with it, I am no longer playing their game.
To be honest the retirement route if one has the income or cash is much much simpler and hassle free. I agree that there are some of us that go down the route of the marriage visa due to finacial or other reasons, to those I have no information if you have succeeded in getting a marriage visa you know the requirements far better than I do.

You also gotta be 50. Not all of us are geezers.

Khun Paul wrote:Letter from the bank....question asked.....
Answer...If you are using bank ( cash in hand ) AND a letter of Income from a pension or the like from the embassy then ITS IS MUST, a letter from the bank will be needed to sustantiate the bank deposit / amount ( don't forget three months in the account)

I extended my retirement visa quite recently, using a COMBINATION of money in the bank and the Embassy pension letter.
I argued with Udon Immigration that with this option, the money in the bank does NOT have to have resided in the account for 3 months - it only needs to show on the day of application. They, finally, accepted this.
My understanding is that if you're using money in the bank ONLY to reach the required 800,000 baht then, yes, it needs to have been there for 3 months.
I certainly had only recently transferred a top-up amount into my account and if they'd said no to above, I would have been forced into applying for a marriage visa based on my pension letter alone(400,000 baht ).

Who knows what the interpretation will be next year!

Thanks Paul just clarifying a rumor. I have never have never used the 800K method. I use the monthly deposits, for the total of 800K key is the bank letter. But not a problem in seven years.

I have left my visa on a single status, breakups do happen. If it does no change to your visa status is needed.

Please refer to page 16 for the entry I made on Nov. 23, 2009...Just add that I also needed one passport photo...NOLA

Notd all the comments regarding NO letter if one is using the combination, however as many of us are aware, they can and will impose whatever restrictions they like, so although arguing your case MAY be rewarded you can bet your bottom dollar that someone will make a COMMAND decision and your argument will then fall on deaf ears. One must never forget that the Immigration officers decision is Final there is NO , I repeat NO other person who will gainsay whatever he/she said.

So in order to have a hassle free visit one should always try to look beyond the norm and attempt to out-think them .
In relation to the passport pages being in order I did check and that is the way they wouyld like all the passport pages put in order starting from the first entry to the last, it could be quite a weighty tome if one is on ones 2nd or 3rd passport.

While I do agree that on occasions one could argue a mute point about letters, copies or whatever, they do have the final word and to spoeak as it were tongue in cheek, a little contriteness goes a heck of a long way, do not forget they only see you really once a year, but they do have incredible long memories.

In reading over Paul's letter really not much different then I have always done. Although in the past I have only copies the first entry and the last renewal of my Passport. But iIhave only been out of country once since coming here. They want the rest no problem I can still afford ten baht.

The three month thing in the end it is always in the Officers discretion a real good reason not to tick them off. Truthfully there is no way I would the job they do. We get stressed doing just one, they do heck of a lot more then that. English and Thai language is only a part of what the deal with, many other languages as well. Short fussed stressed people would be the norm from what I have seen in the past. So once a year if they want something else and it's possible I will follow the directions.

Your right Jack but so is the officers discretion. Which in my mind could mean if there was a good reason it may have been waived once. Not, that it will be again.

I agree entirely with jackspratt. I still had to produce a bank letter showing balance ON THE DAY, as well as a new Embassy confirmation of pension letter. I try to be diplomatic when I go to Immigration, but I have a thing about consistency between different offices and officers. I ‘argued’ my point politely, because to have to go the alternative marriage visa route would have meant greater hassle – for me and seemingly the office too.

I did refer to my English translation of Police Order 777/2551 which, I understood, to be valid still. Indeed, the second-in-charge? Officer referred to his Thai version on his desk, before agreeing with me.

From previous thread,
The current one year extension of stay rules are available in English from the Issanlayers site http://www.isaanlawyers.com/images/New% ... edited.pdf
See section 2.22(retiree), then note (5) – “Annual income plus bank account deposit totaling not less than 800,000 as of the filing date of application.