ImageDude

I have a Non Immigrant ME O Visa based on Marriage to a Thai, it expires this month. I will be applying for a 60 day extension next week before my visa expires. Is TM7 the correct form for this application? Having already been refused a Residency Cert. because my permission to stay expired at the end of May. I am not expecting a positive result.

Just now, Saltire said:

Yep that would help.

 

Then I would only have a 300km round trip to the nearest DHL office, much easier. Maybe I could DHL it to VSF.

DHL will collect the package from your home. When you book their service online they will give you a date for collection. The online booking form is very good, when completed DHL send you a PDF shipping label for you to print off and give to the courier. When I used the service they collected on the Thursday evening and it was delivered to HMPO the following Monday morning. The cost was 1,598 baht by bank transfer. Not cheap but an otherwise excellent service.

https://www.dhl.com/th-th/home/contact-us.html

Just now, pontious said:

Has your complaint been resolved?

Not yet, I have only received an acknowledgement. They are crystal balling it!

Just now, EricTh said:

Grab is not cheap. It is better to use the big regular buses.

 

You only need Grab if you have heavy luggages etc.

I suits me to use grab taxi's and I find them cheap and reliable. I only offer my opinion, others may differ. It is of no consequence to me.

Just now, hotandsticky said:

 

 

It is normal to have to carry 2 passports (for traveling) until you get your next visa. 

Yes, because the new passport is just blank, ie. no entry stamp. The Immigration Office wouldn't  transfer the stamp from my old passport because my permission to stay has expired (90 days) at the end of May, although my Visa is valid until August, no flexibility. It was the IO that suggested I carry 2 passports to avoid any possible problems. The same thing happened 10 years when I renewed my passport in Thailand. I showed 2 passports when I did my border bounce and everything was fine. When I got my new visa it was just put into the new passport and I was able to ditch the old one. This time I can't do a border bounce, all I can do is wait and see what happens with the amnesty!

Just now, CorpusChristie said:

When the Green buses are fully booked for the day , they have red cars that do the journey from outside CM bus station and they leave when theres 10 people in the red car for 300 Baht per person .

   Horrendous journey though 

Grab Taxi 70 baht to the ThaPae gate. Be aware that currently there are lots of touts at CM Bus Station waiting to rip off the unwary.

Just now, jphasia said:

Yes. This is my case. I am on Non O Multi Entry (because I live in Thailand normaly work in neighbor country) and supposed to leave country every 90 days. I should have left End of May but postponed due to the Covid. If the amnesty stopped end of this month, I will need to do the a border run. But with the actual restrictions, where and how will i be able to come back? I will have the option to get a 60 days extension, hoping that by that time, crossing the borders and re-entry will be easier but with an extension of the amnesty, I would on safe side...

I would check the viability of the 60 day extension. I am in the same boat as you. I should have done a border run before May 29th, but as we know that was not possible. My visa is valid until August, but my local Immigration Office has told me that the visa amnesty only covers you not to pay the fine. For everything else I am an over-stayer because the permission to stay (90 days) has expired

Just now, Isan Farang said:

Can you let me know if i am correct here  - FYI i have never been in CM before

 

When i arrive at the airport i need to get transport to take me to the green bus station, around how far is this ?

 

I am in CR at present and i assume i would be able to go to the green bus station office and purchase the required tickets for my return trip around 1st Aug. 

There are two bus stations in Chiang Rai. Number 1 is in the centre of town next to the Night Bazaar. the Number 2 is on the left of the super highway heading south from Chiang Rai Town. There is good signage and traffic lights at the entrance. You can book at either station. Or you can book online. When I arrive in Chiang Mai, I just call a Grab Taxi, very cheap to everywhere. Remember to book in advance of your travel.

29 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Try it again with a different IO, i guess she just doesn't know what she is talking about.

No choice of IO's unfortunately, I was directed to her, apparently she deals with residency letters. It was obvious in her eyes that she got an immense amount of pleasure from refusing me. She did it because she can, and there was little point in trying to argue with her. As they say "never mind".

33 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is nonsense IMO. I think she was just making an excuse for not doing it.

As far as I know you do not need to renew your license now. I can recall them allowing several months before you have to renew them.

If you are married to or the parent of a Thai you could apply for a 60 day extension to visit them.

You are correct, she is not known for being helpful. I wanted to renew my licence before my visa expires next month. However, I am married to a Thai and I will apply for the 60 days extension before my visa expires. I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if she refuses that on the same grounds. Incidentally, I just got a new passport last week and Immigration wouldn't transfer the stamp because I am officially on overstay, actually that's not correct, the young guy did transfer my stamp to the new passport, but madam over-ruled him and scored 2 lines through the stamp.

I have a Multiple Entry Non Immigrant “O” Visa. My latest 90 day permission to stay expired at the end of May because I am unable to do a border hop during this current phase of the lockdown. Yesterday I attempted to renew my driver licence. I went to Immigration to get a residency cert. and was refused. The lady officer explained that because I was officially on overstay she wasn’t permitted to give me the letter. I queried it because of the amnesty, but she said the amnesty only covers not being fined, for everything else I am on overstay, no flexibility. A first for me in 17 years and I already had 3 x 5 years licences. C'est la vie.

I collected my new passport from VFS Chiang Mai last Thursday. It is not the new blue colour, but that doesn't concern me. The Bio pages are now at the the front of the passport instead of the back. I went to Immigration on Friday but they wouldn't transfer my stamp. My visa is in date but of course I didn't get my border bounce at the end of May because of the closed borders and my passport in Liverpool. I will just have to carry 2 passports, no big deal, I didn't expect any flexibility from Immigration so I wasn't disappointed.

Photoshopping is, of course, in contravention of HMPO's "no software altering" rule, but how strictly they enforce this in practice - or, indeed, whether they have any means of detecting artificial background colouring in the first place - is, I think, the big unknown.

The shop I used also changed the background from white to light blue and it seems that was ok. My guess is that HMPO could detect it. I use photoshop quite a lot for playing around with my photos. I did change a background for a friend who was applying for a Chinese visa and they rejected the photos. I think HMPO would be more serious about altering of the facial features rather than backgrounds. What is the worst that could go wrong? They could reject them, and you send them more, and they could lose them, and you would complain and . . . you see where I'm going . . I have cause to be cynical about HMPO. Peace. I'm sure everything will be fine with your photos.

14 hours ago, OJAS said:

And, in addition to the appallingly shocking treatment which you have received at the hands of HMPO's Liverpool office, it should not be forgotten that the root cause of the whole passport renewal debacle for you and several others on here was the Home Office's ridiculous decision to order the complete closure of the VFS offices in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. To justify this decision solely on the grounds of the coronavirus pandemic, as the Home Office appear to have done, is IMHO absolutely pathetic, bearing in mind that banks, post offices and even immigration offices here have still been able to keep going with necessary layout adjustments for social distancing reasons. I am sure that, had VFS been left to their own devices, they would have been able to modify the layout of their Bangkok and Chiang Mai offices as necessary overnight without these needing to close for several weeks!

 

Maybe the Home Office bigwig who ordered these office closures needs gently reminding that passport renewal for those of us in Thailand with imminently-expiring passports is an essential activity and not a luxurious optional extra, even in times of crisis!

In addition to the above. HMPO offices, because of measures introduced as a precaution to stem the spread of Covid-19, were running on minimum manning (volunteers I do believe), maybe the cleaning lady handled my application. Also HMPO staff were in dispute with the Government, because they (their Union) decided that their members were not key workers and therefore should not have to go to work at all until Covid-19 was history. I wonder what the Union will have to say about their little treasures when negotiating at the next round of pay talks! Chaos was inevitable at HMPO and unfortunately I got caught up in it. However, the fat lady has yet to sing!  Peace

22 hours ago, blackcab said:

 

I think it would be worth asking HMPO where you're new passport is now. It might be at VFS Trendy.

 

The point being if there is someone to sign for deliveries there should be someone to hand out the passports.

I did as you advised and sent off emails to HMPO yesterday, I sent them to the two people who advised me that my new passport had been delivered to VFS. No replies as yet. Thanks again for the advice.

34 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

UK in Thailand

1 hr · 

ภาษาไทยอยู่ด้านล่าง

???? Chiang Mai VAC will reopen on 22 June for both ????????UK #visa and ????????UK #passport applications.

Everyone entering the UK should be aware of new health measures at the UK border. Please check https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control before travelling.

...See more

See Translation

Thank you for that information. Although you are not renewing a passport at this time. Your input has been useful and much appreciated.

1 hour ago, blackcab said:

 

I think it would be worth asking HMPO where you're new passport is now. It might be at VFS Trendy.

 

The point being if there is someone to sign for deliveries there should be someone to hand out the passports.

As it says in their email, they are aware that VAC's are closed. I will wait a few more days and then contact them and my agent in Chiang Mai. That will give me some time to get everything together. I am currently asking HMPO for an official supporting letter from them stating the loss of my old passport, so, at least I will have something to show Immigration, they have not yet replied. Surprise Surprise.

7 hours ago, blackcab said:

 

One of my passports was printed on the 1st June and was delivered to VFS Trendy on 5th June. VFS called me the same day my passport arrived to arrange a collection date and time.

 

I also got two separate tracking SMS messages from DHL giving an online tracking link.

 

Did you put your phone number on your application?

 

If you are in Bangkok I would take a chance and pop into Trendy Floor 28. You will need your application receipt and also a police report covering the loss of your old passport. When I attended there were about 10 VFS staff and myself.

 

You are supposed to have an appointment, but try explaining they have your passport but nobody had called you for a few days. Worth a try.

I submitted my application in Chiang Mai, which I believe is still closed for passports. However according to HMPO it has been delivered and signed for. Also I received confirmation that mt old passport is definitely lost!

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

Words fail me!

 

Could you please remind us of your current immigration status here (and apologies if you have already mentioned this in this and other relevant threads)? If, say, you were a retiree or spouse of a Thai national, then I wonder whether it might be worth your while exploring with your local immigration office the possibility of them granting a non-O visa conversion in your new passport, to enable you to start afresh with annual extensions in due course?

 

I have already made extensive enquiries at the Local Immigration. At best they were unhelpful. Without my old passport, unless they are instructed from above they will view it for what is. No passport, No help. End of.

12 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Well, if it does transpire that your old passport has disappeared down some black hole in HMPO's Liverpool office never to be seen again, then the very least that those bungling incompetent cretinous clowns should IMHO do is proactively to intercede with Immigration here, through the Thai Embassy in London, to get your stay here regularised.

 

Latest news from HMPO: I made further enqiries about the whereabouts of my OLD passport last night and received the following email. I am now convinced that HMPO employ people with reading difficulties.

HM Passport Office <[email protected]>

1 hour ago, pontious said:

HMPO signed the DHL to say they had received your passport so it is there somewhere. As they have sent your new passport they probably think there is no urgency to find it. Have you still got time to email Abi,s office to ask them to urgently find your passport. They will not be aware of the immigration mess they have got you into. If found the corners can be cut so there is no security problem to sending it top priority by DHL to your home address. There incompetence has got you into this complete nightmare.. Find your passport and send it direct to you.

I received an email last night from the customer resolution team stating that so far my old passport has not been found however a 'Full Office Search' is still ongoing. Bear in mind that this search has been going on since last Friday, how difficult can it be?  I have sent out further emails today and am awaiting replies. They are well aware of the problems I will face at Immigration, I repeatedly informed them about those consequences in almost every email. It became clear early on in the proceedings that I was dealing with incompetents, so I made it my business to ensure they knew all about it. But you already are aware that they just disregarded everything I told them. I have kept a log of all correspondence and I am compiling quite a damning report that will be submitted to all concerned, whatever the final outcome is.