The annual pilgrimage to Phuket Immigration

[LivinginKata]

Thought members would like a snapshot of Immigration today.

 

Tricky one this year as need to transfer to a new UK passport. Copied every page of each passport (not unused pages), bank letter and copy bank pages (I do retired these days as married too much hassle), letter from UK passport office, photo in front of house number, google street map.

 

Rolled up to Immigration  about 10.30 after visit to bank for letter.  Street full of cars, full of people on the seats, go straight to IO pre-processing paperwork outside, I know him well for more than 10 years,  Pushed my papers on him to get a number card, 2 papers to fill and sign (one more than last year), one seems to be affidavit for house photo, the new one to self register address in Thailand. So I get my card 23, next one called 17. Soon 23 called but senior IO need for passport tansfer so I have to wait. Get called about 11.30 to senior officer (don't know him but he was more than OK), immediate says need 2 steps, transfer passport and new one year extension. Fine. Moves along well unless he catches me for an extra set of old and new passport copies ... oh well ... I never thought of that.  13 copies later and all was well. Wait another 20 minutes for clerk to get through the pile and take my photo buy 12.00. Collect passport tomorow 13.00.        

[KarenBravo]

I pity the people who have to do their extension during Peak season.

Mine's not too bad; late May.

[Psimbo]

Nice to read something positive and the process seems quite smooth given the extra bits you had to do.

 

I see you mention a new self registration form- is this an update from the one you highlighted on the other thread? Maybe a different circumstance if you have your own place as opposed to renting like me.

[LivinginKata]

19 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Nice to read something positive and the process seems quite smooth given the extra bits you had to do.

 

I see you mention a new self registration form- is this an update from the one you highlighted on the other thread? Maybe a different circumstance if you have your own place as opposed to renting like me.

 

Yes, I think it went well. Officers were all efficient and with humour.

 

This 'new' form nothing to do with my accomodation circumstances. Same 2 papers given to everyone. The new form was just asking passport number and address here in Phuket. I am just guessing it had something to do with self registration.  Officers just thrust  papers to sign, I sign, and just go with the flow. Last years paper I asked and was told something to do with self certifing the home photo by just a simple signature and nothing else.

 

[Bob12345]

Too bad i am not close to retirement because it sounds much more efficient than the dreaded extension based on marriage.

[pagallim]

I did the same routine back in August (the new passport scenario).   They transfer your last 3 extensions into the new passport, as well as your last entry date stamp.   Got caught with the page copy requirements also, i.e. copies for passport transfer, copies for new extension.   Really no hassle though, and as the Retirement extensions aren't really affected by high/low season, it shouldn't make a great deal of difference with what month they're to be renewed.

[Inepto Cracy]

I did the Permit to Stay and Multiple entry stamp from an older passport in September in Phuket.

In at 8:30 out at 8:50, collect passport next day.

Quick, polite and efficient.

Pagegallim said they transfer the last 3 extentions into your passport, I only got last years extention transfered, entry stamp and new 90 day report form, which was still due to be done, after my extention.

Saved a good few pages in the new passport.

Still not my favorite place to visit on Phuket, been going there for 11 years now.

[phuketrichard]

1 hour ago, pagallim said:

I did the same routine back in August (the new passport scenario).   They transfer your last 3 extensions into the new passport, as well as your last entry date stamp.   Got caught with the page copy requirements also, i.e. copies for passport transfer, copies for new extension.   Really no hassle though, and as the Retirement extensions aren't really affected by high/low season, it shouldn't make a great deal of difference with what month they're to be renewed.

my new passport has on the first 2 pages

a block stamp filed out, that states i held previous passport number xxx, dates, signed

under that original entry stamp on the O visa

next page

block stamp showing how long my extension is valid for  and  "Retirement"

 

Nothing else. ( not previous 3 extensions)

 

Phuket very efficient  AVOID PATONG

Someone wrote on FB the other day that they went away for a few days and came back, went in to do their 90 day report in PATONG an the officer charged them 1,000 baht for failing to report within 24 hours!!!

 

SO BEWARE:   if you live in Phuket  Do NOT use PATONG immigration.

[RandG]

16 hours ago, KarenBravo said:

I pity the people who have to do their extension during Peak season.

Mine's not too bad; late May.

What's February going to be like? Will be our first "proper extension" based on retirement. Last February we only had to do a multi re-entry of our initial visa issued at the embassy in London. Thanks

[phuketrichard]

doing Retirement extensions is the same any day of the year as its not affected by tourists in town, as we have our own room  :-)

Now re entry permits is a different matter  LOL

[KarenBravo]

8 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

doing Retirement extensions is the same any day of the year as its not affected by tourists in town, as we have our own room  :-)

Now re entry permits is a different matter  LOL

True. I consider getting my multiple re-entry permit as part of the whole process.

[LivinginKata]

35 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

True. I consider getting my multiple re-entry permit as part of the whole process.

True, but need to go to another office once passport returned. Asked the officer about all in one service. Pointed to other office, oh well ... worth the try

[Psimbo]

17 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Yes, I think it went well. Officers were all efficient and with humour.

 

This 'new' form nothing to do with my accomodation circumstances. Same 2 papers given to everyone. The new form was just asking passport number and address here in Phuket. I am just guessing it had something to do with self registration.  Officers just thrust  papers to sign, I sign, and just go with the flow. Last years paper I asked and was told something to do with self certifing the home photo by just a simple signature and nothing else.

 

Gotcha- I know the one you mean now.

[RandG]

3 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

doing Retirement extensions is the same any day of the year as its not affected by tourists in town, as we have our own room  :-)

Now re entry permits is a different matter  LOL

Thanks PhuketRichard. Getting our re-entry last year was not too bad, even though the officer, who could not have been more helpful, had to transfer things to ny wife's new passport. He did say next year to do it in the afternoon.

[LivinginKata]

8 hours ago, pagallim said:

I did the same routine back in August (the new passport scenario).   They transfer your last 3 extensions into the new passport, as well as your last entry date stamp.   Got caught with the page copy requirements also, i.e. copies for passport transfer, copies for new extension.   Really no hassle though, and as the Retirement extensions aren't really affected by high/low season, it shouldn't make a great deal of difference with what month they're to be renewed.

 

Just got my passport back. Only the new one year extension stamp. But 2 pages for 4 stamps giving the history of my initial O visa and now 3 new passports while here in Thailand. Quite a lot of hand writing on those stamps.

[Tapster]

I did my retirement extension last week. It was a happy and smiley, pain-free process.

 

I was in such a good mood that I asked the woman in front of me why she wasn't smiling (she was looking very glum, on a lovely day). It turned out her brother had died and she was returning to the UK in a hurry.

*cue profuse expressions of condolence and silent return to the queue*......oops!

 

The Foreign National Information Form seems not to matter at all any more. I had it brushed aside last week, and last year.

 

I brought a photo of the happy couple posing in front of the house but I wasn't asked for a map as well. That's good. I didn't know I needed one.

 

 

 

[Psimbo]

19 minutes ago, Tapster said:

I did my retirement extension last week. It was a happy and smiley, pain-free process.

 

I was in such a good mood that I asked the woman in front of me why she wasn't smiling (she was looking very glum, on a lovely day). It turned out her brother had died and she was returning to the UK in a hurry.

*cue profuse expressions of condolence and silent return to the queue*......oops!

 

The Foreign National Information Form seems not to matter at all any more. I had it brushed aside last week, and last year.

 

I brought a photo of the happy couple posing in front of the house but I wasn't asked for a map as well. That's good. I didn't know I needed one.

 

 

 

They seem to have gone back to just needing it for the initial permit. I didn't need it when I renewed last Jul. Next week or next year could be a different story though. Who knows what dwells in the minds of the IOs!

[madmax2]

How do they know its your house or place of residence anyway, easy enough to stand in front of any house and take a Photo, they would never check

[Psimbo]

1 hour ago, madmax2 said:

How do they know its your house or place of residence anyway, easy enough to stand in front of any house and take a Photo, they would never check

Wrong- the cops were round Kamala one day with a list a while back- I was checked (not personally but the  checked with the office to see if my details were correct and I was living there). They found a number of anomalies with others.

[KarenBravo]

1 minute ago, Psimbo said:

Wrong- the cops were round Kamala one day with a list a while back- I was checked (not personally but the  checked with the office to see if my details were correct and I was living there). They found a number of anomalies with others.

Are you on a marriage, or retirement extension?

[phuketrichard]

2 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Wrong- the cops were round Kamala one day with a list a while back- I was checked (not personally but the  checked with the office to see if my details were correct and I was living there). They found a number of anomalies with others.

never heard about this and have lived in kamala18 years

[LivinginKata]

3 hours ago, madmax2 said:

How do they know its your house or place of residence anyway, easy enough to stand in front of any house and take a Photo, they would never check

 

We have had the BiB/Immigration round at our homes in Patong asking about guests registered as living there. Not just once, I can think of three times. They can and do check.

[madmax2]

3 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

We have had the BiB/Immigration round at our homes in Patong asking about guests registered as living there. Not just once, I can think of three times. They can and do check.

You run a  business renting flats and apartments, thats if you have not changed the properties you own recently so you would be checked, renters change the place they live in regularly as you know

We live in a private home like a lot of other expats and asking around none of these people have been checked, most own their properties anyway and have no reason to mislead immigration about where they live