Beating the queues at immigration.

[Sunderland]

After previous visits to immigration I decided to get up early and make an effort to get to immigration earlier to beat the queues. 

 

Arrived at 5:25 a.m. and still 20th in the queue. Have to be earlier next time.

 

I asked the man who checked my passport what time the doors open. He said 5 a.m. 

 

Three hours waiting for the doors to open or three hours twiddling your thumbs inside immigration. Take your pick.

 

 

 

[gk10002000]

methinks you meant opens at 8 am, not 5 am

[ezzra]

This is the pound of flesh and the crosses we foreigners have to

endure and bear living in this country among other issues that make

us all feel like a second class people, there're ways to improve those

waist of times and needlessly hoops we have to jump through, but

sadly it is what it is....

[Kerryd]

Lol - if you were there at 5am you would have been the only person there for hours.

You didn't mention where you were though. In Jomtien (for example), if you arrive at 7:30 am there could be from 0-5 people waiting, depending if it's a Monday or Friday morning, or the morning after a long weekend. On a normal Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday you could be the first person in line.
They open the doors at 8:00 and most counters start taking customers at 08:30. 

I recall going last year after an extended long weekend (5 days long). I arrived at about 07:20 and there were a dozen people ahead of me. When they opened the doors at 8, the line up was out to the street. I was done by about 08:35 and it was standing room only inside the Immigration office and when I walked outside the line up was even larger.

I always go early and take a book with me. Time flies where you aren't looking at your watch every 30 seconds !

[jeab1980]

55 minutes ago, ezzra said:

This is the pound of flesh and the crosses we foreigners have to

endure and bear living in this country among other issues that make

us all feel like a second class people, there're ways to improve those

waist of times and needlessly hoops we have to jump through, but

sadly it is what it is....

As I dont bother jumping through there hoops. I certainly dont feel like a second class person. You are right though it is what it is. So make life easier for yourselfs. Hunt out the easier routes to life here. The path of least resistance.

[mtls2005]

If you're talking about Chaeng Watthana a lot seems to depend on the day of the week, accounting for any holidays.

 

Many people report success arriving ~ 12:45 PM, and queuing for the re-opening after lunch; that has worked for me on a 90-day report, with a much shorter wait-time. But even that is variable, depending on the actual number of desks open, and the number of runners with a stack of passports ahead of you.

 

I think the doors open at 08:30 (AM) at Chaeng Watthana? For my annual visit, I typically go on a Thursday, arrive at 07:30, and am ~ 30th in the umbrella queue - no people just physical place-holders.

[wgdanson]

In and out in Phitsanulok last Friday. 5 minutes for 90 day and re-entry permit.

[lucjoker]

In Jomtien ,it takes me normaly 10 to 20 min for a 90 day 

For an extension 30 min 

and same for a mult.entry next day..........if you pick the right day...

doing this 15 y ,and be well prepared ( foto,copies,.....and if possible :your wife !)

The 90 day's can be done by your wife ,stay in bed.

[Mattd]

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

methinks you meant opens at 8 am, not 5 am

I would imagine he means that the doors to Government Building B in CW open at 05.00hrs, to allow vendors and folks going to CW immigration in to the main building, the doors to the actual immigration office open at 08.30hrs.

[phuketrichard]

need to know which immigration;

last week went to Phuket at 9:10 am

within 20 minutes of arrival had my new 90 day report and a re entry permit in my passport

[dotpoom]

2 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Lol - if you were there at 5am you would have been the only person there for hours.

You didn't mention where you were though. In Jomtien (for example), if you arrive at 7:30 am there could be from 0-5 people waiting, depending if it's a Monday or Friday morning, or the morning after a long weekend. On a normal Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday you could be the first person in line.
They open the doors at 8:00 and most counters start taking customers at 08:30. 

I recall going last year after an extended long weekend (5 days long). I arrived at about 07:20 and there were a dozen people ahead of me. When they opened the doors at 8, the line up was out to the street. I was done by about 08:35 and it was standing room only inside the Immigration office and when I walked outside the line up was even larger.

I always go early and take a book with me. Time flies where you aren't looking at your watch every 30 seconds !

I usually go about 11 am, in the knowledge that people who think the same as the OP will have come and gone.

[Suradit69]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

that make

us all feel like a second class people,

I certainly don't feel like I'm second class and most farang enjoy a privileged existence here compared to the lives of the majority of Thais (and compared to the poor quality of life they ran away from in their own countries).

 

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

This is the pound of flesh and the crosses we foreigners have to

endure and bear

Very Shakespearean and Biblical but hardly apt.

 

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

waist of times

An ever expanding waist is more to do with a lack of exercise than the fault of Thailand.

[JackThompson]

34 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

Lol - if you were there at 5am you would have been the only person there for hours.

You didn't mention where you were though. In Jomtien (for example), if you arrive at 7:30 am there could be from 0-5 people waiting, depending if it's a Monday or Friday morning, or the morning after a long weekend. On a normal Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday you could be the first person in line.
They open the doors at 8:00 and most counters start taking customers at 08:30. 

I recall going last year after an extended long weekend (5 days long). I arrived at about 07:20 and there were a dozen people ahead of me. When they opened the doors at 8, the line up was out to the street. I was done by about 08:35 and it was standing room only inside the Immigration office and when I walked outside the line up was even larger.

I always go early and take a book with me. Time flies where you aren't looking at your watch every 30 seconds !

Let me venture a guess, and say the OP was in Chaing Mai, or maybe Bangkok? 
Jomtien in high-season can be a zoo, but the queue-times are generally only long for those on Tourist Visas seeking extensions.

Agree 100% on the book - I use audio-books.

 

5 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

... depending on the actual number of desks open, and the number of runners with a stack of passports ahead of you.

Yes, the ultimate way to avoid the queues, and a good explanation for why longer queues persist - 'agent' applications get priority processing.  For a fee, applicants get to bypass the financials and don't have to wait in line. 

[Golden Triangle]

I recently did my 90 day and a re entry permit in Jomtien, got my 90 day ticket and my number flashed as I walked around the front desk, back to the counter for a number for re entry permit, all done in and out in 20 minutes.

 

I  always go mid week and get there for 1 pm.

[jeab1980]

To me the simplest way around all of this immigration offices queing/time/ need diffrent papers/ need something else lark. "Well in xxx i did mine in 5 mins" black cating. 

Immigration for foriegners should be put completley in the hands of agents. Aliens should have to go to agents who will then do the work at immigration offices for extensions of stay basrd on marriage/retire/supporting a thai ect ect ect. Leaving immigration offices quiter and easier for other more  trivial matters like 90 day repeorts or 30/60 day visa permision to stay extensions and other little things. 

 Problem solved. 

 

Edited September 19, 2017 by jeab1980

[cauldlad]

Why anyone wants to go to Immigration for a 90 day report beats me!!!

 

The online reporting system is working fine as long as you use IE which can even be found in Windows 10.

[maxcorrigan]

52 minutes ago, cauldlad said:

Why anyone wants to go to Immigration for a 90 day report beats me!!!

 

The online reporting system is working fine as long as you use IE which can even be found in Windows 10.

As far as i am aware not all offices are 90 day online enabled, Jom Thien for one!

[Suradit69]

2 hours ago, cauldlad said:

Why anyone wants to go to Immigration for a 90 day report beats me!!!

 

The online reporting system is working fine as long as you use IE which can even be found in Windows 10.

I believe if you haven't re-entered the country in many years,especially if you got a new passport since your last entry, online reporting is not available to you. 

 

If it's only the 90 day report, I send my passport with my driver to do it. He's in and out and back with the passport far quicker than if I go in person, but at Jomtien it's pretty quick those times when I go in myself.

 

Even the annual extension of stay rarely takes me more than 30 minutes. If there is a delay it's usually because the person ahead of me hasn't managed the simple task of getting his/her documents completed or organized.

Edited September 19, 2017 by Suradit69

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, cauldlad said:

The online reporting system is working fine as long as you use IE which can even be found in Windows 10.

Maybe at the moment it is. But it has been - and will doubtless continue to be - prone to prolonged downtimes.

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

To me the simplest way around all of this immigration offices queing/time/ need diffrent papers/ need something else lark. "Well in xxx i did mine in 5 mins" black cating. 

Immigration for foriegners should be put completley in the hands of agents. Aliens should have to go to agents who will then do the work at immigration offices for extensions of stay basrd on marriage/retire/supporting a thai ect ect ect. Leaving immigration offices quiter and easier for other more  trivial matters like 90 day repeorts or 30/60 day visa permision to stay extensions and other little things. 

 Problem solved. 

 

The "agent system" is how we got into this mess.  It's around 25K and up for a 1-year extension (please correct me if there are cheaper options - I'm not an agent-customer) - and I would rather spend that dough supporting Thai businesses.  Granted, you don't have to meet the financials with an agent, since they bribe their buddies to overlook things, so you can keep your money invested - but still a rip-off, unless a couple hours of your time is worth that much. 

 

Also, different personnel handle different services, so outsourcing some services to agents would not translate to everyone being available for tourist-extensions, etc. 

 

30-day extensions and 90-day reports should be done at 7-11 or online - or just give tourists from higher-wage nations 90-days to start with (like Malaysia, Singapore, etc) with no 'extension' process / overhead. 

A better solution for the less-trivial tasks, would be similar to how the Singapore Thai Consulate handles things:  You submit copies of your docs online, and if they check-out ok, you get an appointment time.  Then, you show up and show the originals, and the job is done.   All documents should be screened in Bangkok, and the local-office only responsible for ensuring the originals match the submitted-copies, and stamping your passport (thus cutting out any opportunity for corruption).  No haggling, explaining and re-explaining in broken-English / talking only with the Thai Wife, adding new requirements, or being purposefully-slow - often to encourage agent-use and brown-envelope payoffs.

Edited September 19, 2017 by JackThompson

[cauldlad]

''As far as i am aware not all offices are 90 day online enabled, Jom Thien for one! ''

 

If you mean Jomtien they certainly are, that is who I used this morning.

 

As the online reporting is centralised at Bangkok I would not have thought it makes any difference which office you are based at.

 

You are accessing the Immigration website, not and individual office.

[jeab1980]

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

The "agent system" is how we got into this mess.  It around 25K and up for a 1-year extension (please correct me if there are cheaper options) - and I would rather spend that dough supporting Thai businesses.  Granted, you don't have to meet the financials with an agent, since they bribe their buddies to overlook things, so you can keep your money invested - but still a rip-off, unless a couple hours of your time is worth that much. 

 

Also, different personnel handle different services, so outsourcing some services to agents would not translate to everyone being available for tourist-extensions, etc. 

 

30-day extensions and 90-day reports should be done at 7-11 or online - or just give tourists from higher-wage nations 90-days to start with (like Malaysia, Singapore, etc) with no 'extension' process / overhead. 

A better solution for the less-trivial tasks, would be similar to how the Singapore Thai Consulate handles things:  You submit copies of your docs online, and if they check-out ok, you get an appointment time.  Then, you show up and show the originals, and the job is done.   All documents should be screened in Bangkok, and the local-office only responsible for ensuring the originals match the submitted-copies, and stamping your passport (thus cutting out any opportunity for corruption).  No haggling, explaining and re-explaining in broken-English / talking only with the Thai Wife, adding new requirements, or being purposefully-slow - often to encourage agent-use and brown-envelope payoffs.

I was not talking about the agents out there now.  It would be veey easy to set up a network of agents who would be paid by the goverment. That way currupt IO's no longer get there hands on a steady supply of farangs to fleece. Currupt agents would be a thing of the past. Getting an Extension without the correct documents and correct money in banks would be confined to the past (or at least they will not have a direct line to Immigration) (never going to be able to stop the people paying for certain things to facilitate getting an extension.) 

Put the price up to 7k this would cover Extension/multi reentry (do away with single entry and no reentry) and would pay for the legitimate agents employed by the goverment. 

 

[smotherb]

9 hours ago, ezzra said:

This is the pound of flesh and the crosses we foreigners have to

endure and bear living in this country among other issues that make

us all feel like a second class people, there're ways to improve those

waist of times and needlessly hoops we have to jump through, but

sadly it is what it is....

Try living somewhere other than the farang ghettos; immigration offices are much less crowded.

[JackThompson]

8 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

I was not talking about the agents out there now.  It would be veey easy to set up a network of agents who would be paid by the goverment. That way currupt IO's no longer get there hands on a steady supply of farangs to fleece. Currupt agents would be a thing of the past. Getting an Extension without the correct documents and correct money in banks would be confined to the past (or at least they will not have a direct line to Immigration) (never going to be able to stop the people paying for certain things to facilitate getting an extension.) 

Put the price up to 7k this would cover Extension/multi reentry (do away with single entry and no reentry) and would pay for the legitimate agents employed by the goverment. 

 

That would be better, if including the ME-Permit - which would prevent countless "But I thought my extension was a 1-year visa," sad-stories.  I'd prefer that the whole "re-entry permit" system was done away with for anyone with a Visa or year-extension, though.  What is the point / purpose in adding that extra-step?  It seems more like a trick than a sane policy.

 

Your suggested process could even be done by mail with the agent for 50 Baht return-postage on document-originals (marraige-certs, etc) not kept by Immigration.

 

I think the corruption-angle would be unaffected by this change (the new-agents would still play the same-game as the old-agents for people w/o the financials), but would still be an improvement, overall.

[jeab1980]

47 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

That would be better, if including the ME-Permit - which would prevent countless "But I thought my extension was a 1-year visa," sad-stories.  I'd prefer that the whole "re-entry permit" system was done away with for anyone with a Visa or year-extension, though.  What is the point / purpose in adding that extra-step?  It seems more like a trick than a sane policy.

 

Your suggested process could even be done by mail with the agent for 50 Baht return-postage on document-originals (marraige-certs, etc) not kept by Immigration.

 

I think the corruption-angle would be unaffected by this change (the new-agents would still play the same-game as the old-agents for people w/o the financials), but would still be an improvement, overall.

Not the new agents but i did say people would still pay old currupt agents to season money for them, thats then up to individuals and agents outside the Immigration loop.

[Pilotman]

I have decided in my new retirement quest,  to be more chilled and relaxed about everything, that I'm not going to get at all bunched  about immigration office queues.  They will be what they will be and I will pitch up when it is convenient for me, rather than to try to minimise  the inevitable queuing. At least I may get a seat to sit on , rather than BKK immigration, which is standing for ages and which does wind me up somewhat.  But the VIP fast track service has solved that issue for me.  

[mtls2005]

6 hours ago, cauldlad said:

Why anyone wants to go to Immigration for a 90 day report beats me!!!

 

Well, the on-line system has been down, off-line, disabled etc. a few times, for lengthy periods, which affected me twice. I honestly didn't want to rely on the mail option, nor pay a third-party, so opted for in-person visits.

 

I did successfully (already approved) use the on-line 90 day reporting today.

[Sig]

6 hours ago, cauldlad said:

Why anyone wants to go to Immigration for a 90 day report beats me!!!

 

The online reporting system is working fine as long as you use IE which can even be found in Windows 10.

I was thinking the same thing!
I haven't been to BKK immigration for about a year. But when I did spend time going there, it wasn't hardly ever bad at all. I would usually arrive between 2:00-3:00 (so I could get back before traffic started getting bad) and I would be in and out between 10-25 minutes. Once I was in and out in 6 minutes! Yes, I timed it. I almost always did. I could have just asked the taxi to wait for me! But there are always plenty there anyway.
Even though I nearly always got in and out in that short time period, I don't see the point in going down there when it can be done from the comfort of my own comfy place.

[Grumpy Duck]

8 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

To me the simplest way around all of this immigration offices queing/time/ need diffrent papers/ need something else lark. "Well in xxx i did mine in 5 mins" black cating. 

Immigration for foriegners should be put completley in the hands of agents. Aliens should have to go to agents who will then do the work at immigration offices for extensions of stay basrd on marriage/retire/supporting a thai ect ect ect. Leaving immigration offices quiter and easier for other more  trivial matters like 90 day repeorts or 30/60 day visa permision to stay extensions and other little things. 

 Problem solved. 

 

I will not pay some <deleted> agent to fill out simple documents. I survive on a meager pension & benefits I will not waste money paying any agent fees. I show up when the lines are gone. I am retired I have all day, and anticipate a full day but the longest I have waited was 5 hrs for my retirement visa renewal, I showed up at 10:30 and believe I was done at 15:30. I bring a battery, and play solitaire or blackjack while waiting. 

[jeab1980]

22 minutes ago, Grumpy Duck said:

I will not pay some <deleted> agent to fill out simple documents. I survive on a meager pension & benefits I will not waste money paying any agent fees. I show up when the lines are gone. I am retired I have all day, and anticipate a full day but the longest I have waited was 5 hrs for my retirement visa renewal, I showed up at 10:30 and believe I was done at 15:30. I bring a battery, and play solitaire or blackjack while waiting. 

Your not going to be paying an agent to fill anything in. If you understand my post you pay 7k for that you get the stamp 1.9k multi re-entry permit  3.8k =; 5.7k so 1.3 k goes twds the salary of the agent.could probably cut it to 6k 300bht given the amount of expats getting extensions would easily cover thevsalaries òf appointed Agents. So they dont get confused with the currupt agents call them immigration go betweens or facilitators.