Here's my story.
I went to Mahachai last Friday and as luck would have it, they'd moved office! I finally found the new premises and submitted my documents. I was a few trees short of the required doc's so off I went to find a photocopier. Returned to new offices with supporting documentation.
The Lady put the papers into two piles and then asked me why I hadn't gone to Huahin to apply? I explained that I had been dealing with Mahachai for the last two years etc..... Phone call later...As your stamp doesn't run out until Monday, you can go to Huahin Immigration on Monday!
Long story short....I went to the new Immigration office on soi 102 today, everything was accepted and am again "under consideration."
Just for the ones who don't know the score...I have "grandfathered" rights and require 400,000 baht in the bank.
Hope this helps.
Onlyme.
As a final unhappy ending to all this, I went back to Imm a few days ago, this time armed with the missus, marriage certificate, bank statements from the UK etc etc. and tried to argue my case again.
No way. "We want to see 40k a month coming into a Thai bank account" and all your bank statements from the UK and an Embassy letter confirming the amount.
The lovely lady got a bit peeved when I asked where on the Police Order it said that 40k had to be transferred? She threw my papers around a bit and pointed to a copy of the order on her desk.
"Fine. I've got that too. But where does it say the 40k needs to be in a Thai bank?"
"Here!!!!"
"Excuse me, but it clearly states that the Thai bank book and supporting letter from the bank is necessary for those who can still apply on the basis of 400k savings. These do have to be in a Thai bank for 3 months prior to application. If the application is being made on joint income of 40k per month, then you just need proof of that, which is evidenced from these bank statements and a letter from my Embassy, which I can get from BKK any time I want".
She really didn't like that and started spouting off at my wife, who suggested it was time we left.
Before we did so, I checked that if, at a later date when I turn 50 and apply for a retirement extension, did the 65k a month income have to be transferred to a Thai bank account.
"No. Your bank statements and Embassy letter will suffice then".
"So, why are you interpreting it differently for a "marriage extension?"
Fireworks and something like "P... off" in Thai led to our hasty retreat.
Oh well. No-one can say I didn't try. Roll on the big 50 is all I can say. Bet they'll have changed the goalposts by then!!!!
Malaysia or Vietnam seem more attractive by the day.
Rant over.
One thing I have learnt over the years here is never argue with bureaucrats, especially ones in immigration. We had problems after the tsunami when the government said "any foreigners with lost or damaged passports do not have to worry about visas" - yeah right, try getting an immigration officer to swallow that one: "you pay fine now".
Now imagine what they're gonna be like with you when you do your retirement visa! I would take a trip to Bangkok and do it there, I have always found it a lot easier and the officers a lot more helpful.
Maybe Hua Hin immigration has a quota and once they exceed this they have to reject or make it difficult for the rest of the farangs?
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Good suggestion on going to BKK. I'm just not sure if they'll allow an application there when they realise I live in HH. The obvious question is "why don't you do it there?"
Despite the above post, I didn't really argue too much - honest. It was more like me coming at the problem from a different angle on a number of occasions. It naturally didn't help matters that the woman recognised me from a month before when I'd been trying do do the same thing, but with out the missus and paperwork that time.
lomu,
You could just be ecomomical with the truth in BKK and say that you are up there all the time visiting family or some such - really they would only say something aiming to be helpful I would imagine. However I don't know if they would be any more accommodating than the boys in HH. I guess you didn't try the suggestion of showing proof that you were bringing cash into Thailand through ATM withdrawals, either by showing the ATM slips or those entries highlighted on your UK bank statement? I was told that has been sufficient in the past.
Yes, we sort of did that. The Officer asked my wife what we were living off if I wasn't bringing money over here. She said ATM withdrawals and I pointed to them on the statements saying that in the case of all the months I brought with me, the monthly spend had averaged 41k.
"No good. Too difficult to check" etc etc etc.
I've thought about BKK, but at the moment can't be arsed with the hassle. Will have to travel up and spend at least two nights there - one to get the letter from The Embassy and probably another to get through Imm at Soi Suan Plu. The letter alone costs 2,500 from the Emb. I'll mess about with my Non O till Xmas then get by for 8 months with Tourist Visas/ single entry Non Os and 30 day runs till I turn 50. In fact, that's what the woman said - just go to Penang and get 3xsingle entry Non O's and you'll be ready for the retirement extension.
However, it would be nice to walk into HH Imm again and say I'm not there to ask about an extension, I'm there to do my 90 day reporting. I got the extension in BKK. Wishful thinking.
