travelerjim
August 25th, 2007, 18:18
Gay Thailand board has an informed discussion about the coming changes
in the Retirement Visa effective October 1, 2007
http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/index ... topic=1856 (http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1856) .
The discussion about the new requirement for a stamp - effective October 1st
certifying the Embassy Letters of Annual Income is helpful...
Gaybutton posted:
"Changes to Retirement Visas Heralded
The Thai ministry of foreign affairs has indicated that, effective October 1 this year, foreign applicants for the one year retirement visa, or those renewing, must take their embassy letter guaranteeing their income to the ministry of foreign affairs in Bangkok for a stamp of confirmation.
They then return to the local immigration bureau with the letter and process the application as now. The ministry emphasized that applicants need journey to Bangkok to do this only once and not annually. The letter they take to the ministry must be an original from the embassy and must not be more than 12 months old. This means that most applicants for a retirement visa, or a renewal, from October 1 this year will need a new letter from their embassy concerning his or her income."
GaySacGuy posted his experience:
"I have just received "the stamp" from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The best seems to be to ride the sky train to the end of the line nearest the old airport (Don Muang), and take a cab from there...about a 20 minute cab ride.
When you arrive, go into the lobby either from the front or the parking area, and then up the escalator. Angle to your left, and go up another floor by stairs. This is the "Legalization" department. Take you passport, a copy of passport, and your letter from the embassy.
The reception table will give you a form to fill out...very simple..and then a number. You will be called very quickly, where they will collect the forms and 400 baht for expedited service...two hours. They will call you back in a few minutes for your receipt, and then tell you that they will call you name or come back in two hours. We waited, and it was just under one hour when they called my name, and I picked up my embassy letter, now with there stamp and note on the back. All total from Silom area and back was about 2-1/2 hours...not too bad...considering our embassy only took about 15 minutes."
and the entry today about getting your renewed retirement visa
up to 3 months in advance of its expiration date can also be helpful to many...
2lz2p posted:
"The Managing Director of Pattaya Today is also the Honorary British Consul in Pattaya. In addressing the Pattaya City Expats Club about the new requirements, he also mentioned that Pattaya Immigration would process renewals up to 90 days early (I have done it as much as 3 weeks early). A close friend of mine had a renewal date in October. So, he went to Pattaya Immigration a couple of weeks ago to see if he could renew his retirement visa without the hassle of going to Bangkok to get a Ministry stamp on his Embassy letter. Pattaya Immigration renewed his visa without any questioning of why he was doing it a couple of months early. They accepted his Embassy letter, which was about 4 years old - they did take the original this time (previously they were accepting photocopies and giving back the original). His visa was renewed to October 2008 (one year from it's expiration date).
So, if anyone is due to renew in October and November using their Embassy "income" letter, they may want to try to renew early to avoid the hassle of getting the ministry stamp. Of course, this is Thailand, so the rules could change at anytime."
--------------------------------------
Thanks fellas for sharing your experiences...
I will do my annual retirement visa renewal in the coming weeks
TravelerJim
in the Retirement Visa effective October 1, 2007
http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/index ... topic=1856 (http://www.gaythailand.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1856) .
The discussion about the new requirement for a stamp - effective October 1st
certifying the Embassy Letters of Annual Income is helpful...
Gaybutton posted:
"Changes to Retirement Visas Heralded
The Thai ministry of foreign affairs has indicated that, effective October 1 this year, foreign applicants for the one year retirement visa, or those renewing, must take their embassy letter guaranteeing their income to the ministry of foreign affairs in Bangkok for a stamp of confirmation.
They then return to the local immigration bureau with the letter and process the application as now. The ministry emphasized that applicants need journey to Bangkok to do this only once and not annually. The letter they take to the ministry must be an original from the embassy and must not be more than 12 months old. This means that most applicants for a retirement visa, or a renewal, from October 1 this year will need a new letter from their embassy concerning his or her income."
GaySacGuy posted his experience:
"I have just received "the stamp" from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The best seems to be to ride the sky train to the end of the line nearest the old airport (Don Muang), and take a cab from there...about a 20 minute cab ride.
When you arrive, go into the lobby either from the front or the parking area, and then up the escalator. Angle to your left, and go up another floor by stairs. This is the "Legalization" department. Take you passport, a copy of passport, and your letter from the embassy.
The reception table will give you a form to fill out...very simple..and then a number. You will be called very quickly, where they will collect the forms and 400 baht for expedited service...two hours. They will call you back in a few minutes for your receipt, and then tell you that they will call you name or come back in two hours. We waited, and it was just under one hour when they called my name, and I picked up my embassy letter, now with there stamp and note on the back. All total from Silom area and back was about 2-1/2 hours...not too bad...considering our embassy only took about 15 minutes."
and the entry today about getting your renewed retirement visa
up to 3 months in advance of its expiration date can also be helpful to many...
2lz2p posted:
"The Managing Director of Pattaya Today is also the Honorary British Consul in Pattaya. In addressing the Pattaya City Expats Club about the new requirements, he also mentioned that Pattaya Immigration would process renewals up to 90 days early (I have done it as much as 3 weeks early). A close friend of mine had a renewal date in October. So, he went to Pattaya Immigration a couple of weeks ago to see if he could renew his retirement visa without the hassle of going to Bangkok to get a Ministry stamp on his Embassy letter. Pattaya Immigration renewed his visa without any questioning of why he was doing it a couple of months early. They accepted his Embassy letter, which was about 4 years old - they did take the original this time (previously they were accepting photocopies and giving back the original). His visa was renewed to October 2008 (one year from it's expiration date).
So, if anyone is due to renew in October and November using their Embassy "income" letter, they may want to try to renew early to avoid the hassle of getting the ministry stamp. Of course, this is Thailand, so the rules could change at anytime."
--------------------------------------
Thanks fellas for sharing your experiences...
I will do my annual retirement visa renewal in the coming weeks
TravelerJim