rwilem

With an appointment only the date and time of the appointment is good, if you want to get your extension done without much waiting time. You make an appointment for a date and time. The six times available are 9, 10, 11 AM and 1, 2, 3 PM. You are advised to show up early on the appointed day and time to have your documents checked before you proceed.

Along with the completed form I submitted the basic passport page copies and TM-47 copy. The clerk didn't even look at my passport. No rental contract asked for, and I didn't have one, anyway. When my number was finally called I was at the desk for about two minutes. That's it. A quick check of the copies, confirm the address was good for the mailing of the certificate, pay 200 baht and whoosh, I was done. That's why I was wondering what was going on with the long waits; most of the people were taking long amounts of time to get their business done. There must be other things being handled at the four B desks. There was one guy who was up there for almost an hour.

Indeed, that seems to be the case, not able to make an appointment for that. The last time I tended to immigration I managed a 'trifecta' of sorts; extension, re-entry permit and residence certificate. Had appointments for the first two, which went OK except for a 50-minute wait to get my passport returned after the extension interview. The re-entry permit took ten minutes tops after I had run off a copy of the fresh extension. The residence certificate took almost two hours from getting the initial number to finish. That was my first time to get one at CW. Lesson learned: If you are wanting to get one at extension time, grab a number at the front counter before or just after you're done with the extension interview. Seems like more than just residence certificates are being handled at those B desks. Some folks were in front of the desks for long periods, and the backlog of numbers took a while to get through.

I can only tell you about the online appointment system for retirement extensions in Bangkok (CW). You want to make an appointment for soon after April 15, so look to book online soon after March 15. Slots open a month in advance. The daily number of appointments has been reduced with the system's resumption from the time it was shut down during some of the covid-19 peak time. I believe there are six appointments a day for retirement extensions. My understanding is online appointments for marriage extensions may now be available at CW as well.

OK, can't help with CM, and don't know if the following applies there. But this does for Bangkok, and should be useful for residents there viewing this topic. (And perhaps other offices? But always check for your locale.) Appointment slots for the online appointment system become available a month in advance. Since the time of the online appointment system's resumption, as it was either shut or went down for a while from a couple years back (covid), the number of retirement extension appointments per day was reduced. There are only six per day, I believe. So it's a good idea to book ahead early if you want to get in at a preferred date/time.

Yes And, did you check the status with the website? As the prior response indicated, the email notifying the Approved status was never received. The same has been experienced by me; no email received but Approved status showing on the status check website page.

Excuse me, I'm a little confused, can you elaborate on this? Entered on Aug. 26th, so if you remained in-country continually, would you not have reached a stay of 90 days around Nov. 24th, and in theory supposed to have made a report? Additionally, a 90-day report due date of Feb. 1st would mean the 'clock' on it was started Nov. 4, if I calculate correctly. Did you do anything at immigration on that day? Received a fresh reset on the 90-day report calendar, perhaps?

A person's 90-day reporting, due date, whatever, has nothing to do with one's extension application. They are independent of each other. I am surprised that many posters make this error, assuming that because they are doing an extension they get their 90 day report requirement automatically handled. Unless you are given a new report slip you are still on your current 90-day clock. And if unsure about it, ask for clarity at that time.

Your 90-day report due date has passed, and you've received a REJECTED response to your online submission. Best you go in and do the 90-day report, before seven days have passed from the due date. For the most part, extensions and 90-day reporting are independent of each other, though some offices seem to process a fresh 90-day report, to replace a current one, for the applicant at extension time. If you don't do anything, you are probably looking at a fine at some point down the road. But give them a call tomorrow, to get clarity.

Yes, sir...you got it down, and are good to go until the next time.

Yes, exactly. A few passport renewals back, as a traveler in-country here, I picked up the new passport from the embassy and on departure at the airport presented the expired passport with its current entry stamp and new passport, explaining I had acquired a new passport for the old one, which was set to expire in about a year. (Don't want to have a passport with less than a year's life on it.) The officer, from what could observe, was transferring all the entry/exit history of my old passport to the account of my new passport. (New passport number, new issue/expiration dates, new photo, etc ) That took just a few minutes, then my new passport was stamped out and I was on my way. No visit to immigration needed.

Are folks able to go online and make an appointment for a re-entry permit with Jomtiem immigration? Can do at CW, don't know about Jomtiem. That would be the convenient way of getting it on your own from an immigration office.

Or maybe it was just a wind up ???? Seems like it, 'stressful situation' and all. Weird.

OP, what's happening with getting your passport back?

Ah, so that's it. Whew, I was lucky, for my last extension. I was going to do the same, ask the IO to process the 90-day report. I had submitted online six days prior to 'extension day', but it had been in pending limbo.. The day before my appointed extension day, in the afternoon, my submission became APPROVED. I was even thinking to just skip doing it online, taking it for granted that at desk time with the IO I'd be able to get it done then and there. Now I know not to plan for that. Thanks for the explanation.

I don't how the above text ended up bold, and tried unsuccessfully to get rid of it. No emphasis intended.

Well, interesting... A year ago I was in the same situation at CW, the 90-day due date window was 'open' at extension time. During the processing of the extension I informed the IO my 90-day report was coming due. I handed an already-completed TM-47 form to the IO, asking if she would handle that as well. She accepted it, took about a minute or so to process it, and handed me back the 'next due date' slip. I don't believe it's the first time that's happened for me, either.

Not clear about for which country we are talking about. But with a ten year validity on U.S. passports, trying to get full-length use of it before its expiration is a consideration, sure. But more critical these days for people living here, travelling there, etc., is the timing of a passport renewal. This info applies to U.S. passport holders. In the U.S., stateside renewals are jammed up, the backlog is taking months to process a renewal there. Even the State Department advises renewals are taking 8-10 weeks. But one can pay for an expadited renewal, though I don't know the turnaround time on that. For U.S. passport holders in Thailand, renewals by mail with the embassy are much faster. Reports here on the forum indicate the process is taking anywhere from just around two-and-a-half weeks to a bit more than three weeks at the outside of the time frame. So that is a big plus to consider when planning to renew.

Very strange, indeed. The tip: After getting passport and and shuffling from the booth, take a look inside the passport and check and confirm the correct entry/admitted until dates in the entry stamp. Best time for correction of any mistake is right then.

If I have calculated correctly, your 90-day due date was right around the date of your extension. So for convenience you could do it on the spot with the IO. It generally seems that the 'due date soon' email is associated only with the online reporting system. But the good news is now you are back on 'the system'.

Actually, dropping off the passport in person would save the two, three, four (or more?) days from the time you would post it and it accepted and readied for initial processing/forwarding to State Dep't. And being as there is a Thailand Post office in the citizen's service section, that is convenient. Just get the correct envelope, pay the postage (cash still OK?), is something I wouldn't mind doing, even if I have to wait. The embassy has long required an online appointment to visit. And it no longer accepts in-person passport renewals, since the start of or even prior to the covid-19 outbreak. Just trying to square how you could get in there and drop it off in person. That's how I'd like to do it.

I'm fully aware that many people use agents for convenience, time-saving, favorable handling of outstanding issues, etc. But your passport is critical. I don't allow anyone (other than immigration or embassy) to take possession of it. Fortunately, I am able to handle my not-so-onerous immigration affairs on my own. If one is in a dodgy spot and has to go to an agent, the OP shows things can go haywire.

Yes..... On an exempt entry and needing to get a 30-day extension? It's got to be among the easiest of issues to take care of. Lesson: DIY the simple things, leave using agents for the hard ones.

This is the crux of the issue. "i went to immigration, and they......" First, which office are you dealing with? Application, interpretation, practices of immigration offices vary wildly throughout the country. No one can be expected to know the situation everywhere. The best one can do is become aware and knowledgable about what 'the rules' are at the office(s) you deal with. And why it's the almost the first thing a poster should inform, the particular immigration office in question.

Just did my extension a few weeks back; CW, retirement, 800K savings banked. Account balance letter and bank book pages copy accepted, and no request for statements (I'm assuming you mean the 12 months of account activity statement.) Have never been asked for that, no mention of it this past occasion. I am aware, though, that some people in the same situation have been required to provide it.