good experience using thaivisa service for extension

[elektrified]

16 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

 

A few years later in Chiang Mai I produced all the necessary documents for renewal but was then asked for my lease, in order to prove my residence, it had never been asked for previously - go home and get it she said. One hour in traffic, find the lease, one hour back, hot, sweating, panicked, concerned - the visa was subsequently issued. I posted the experience here on TVF and nobody believed it, not until later when everyone realised it was the start of a crackdown on address confirmation and they too were asked for proof. So yes, a visa agent works well for me and even if Immigration was next door to my house and the cost of an agent was ten thousand baht, I'd probably still use them, at my age I need the security and service they provide.

That is a required document. I've been asked for mine for 11 years now - and always have copies with me.

[simoh1490]

43 minutes ago, elektrified said:

You must be terribly disorganized. In 11 years I've never had to leave to to "fetch some needless piece of paper". Everything is in the package I submit. I've also never spent "hours in transit" going to Immigration. How many hours away from Chiang Mai do you live?

At the time, during heavy traffic, one hour!!!

[simoh1490]

39 minutes ago, elektrified said:

That is a required document. I've been asked for mine for 11 years now - and always have copies with me.

That is a required document now, if you cast your mind back there was a time when proof of address was not a required item at visa extension time and we (you,  me and others) debated in forum the need for it when it first became a requirement.

[simoh1490]

52 minutes ago, elektrified said:

It takes me usually 60-75 minutes to get an annual visa extension. How much more expedited could it get? What - pay 5 grand THB to an agent to save 15 minutes or something?

You have a very very short memory on this subject, sure you can get in and out TODAY in one hour, but there was a time when it was required to get up in the small hours, stand in line to get a number with many doing so for a couple of days before being able to renew their visa. 

[davehowden]

9 hours ago, BuddyDean said:

My system.  Four color shaded files and one binder.  Cost:  26  THB.  Clear:  for the application and photo.  Pink:  P for passport copies, including TM30, departure card, and last 90 day report.  Blue:  B for bank letter, and stamped copies of bank book.  Yellow:  Y for Yellow Book copies and/or anything else that may prove address.

 

My interview took seven minutes.

BuddyDean:  Could you please explain what you mean by : "Blue:  B ......... and stamped copies of bank book."  I am aware of the need for a bank letter/ statement but do the bank also need to stamp copies of the bank book ? This will be my first time of using the 800,00 in the bank route.

 

[simoh1490]

38 minutes ago, davehowden said:

BuddyDean:  Could you please explain what you mean by : "Blue:  B ......... and stamped copies of bank book."  I am aware of the need for a bank letter/ statement but do the bank also need to stamp copies of the bank book ? This will be my first time of using the 800,00 in the bank route.

 

The bank has to effectively certify the copies of the bank book by stamping and initialing them.

[davehowden]

simoh1490

 

Thank you. So when getting the Bank Letter I also have to supply them with photocopies of every page in my passbook for them to stamp?

[simoh1490]

21 minutes ago, davehowden said:

simoh1490

 

Thank you. So when getting the Bank Letter I also have to supply them with photocopies of every page in my passbook for them to stamp?

That's what I've done in the past and also what my agent does currently.....they love paper copies of stuff!

[davehowden]

5 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

That's what I've done in the past and also what my agent does currently.....they love paper copies of stuff!

Every page or just the last 12 months or the last 3 months ?

[simoh1490]

11 minutes ago, davehowden said:

Every page or just the last 12 months or the last 3 months ?

From memory, it was the last twelve months. Referring back to an earlier comment on this subject, Immigration told me from the outset that they not only wanted to see the 800k but they also wanted evidence of spend throughout the year, as said previously I therefore always give them the previous 12 months of statements - one year I didn't bother and guess what, they asked for them! Others seem to not have this requirement asked of them so it seems to be yet another variable rule.

 

 

[Thailand]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

The bank has to effectively certify the copies of the bank book by stamping and initialing them.

Never done that in all the years I have been renewing our extension. I copy and sign the pages in the bank book, the bank provides the letter of proof of funds. Also make sure that a transaction of some sort appears in the bank book dated the same day as the bank letter if possible.

[simoh1490]

5 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Never done that in all the years I have been renewing our extension. I copy and sign the pages in the bank book, the bank provides the letter of proof of funds. Also make sure that a transaction of some sort appears in the bank book dated the same day as the bank letter if possible.

Yet again, different experiences by different individuals dealing with different Immigration officers at different locations, who is to say what the correct and incorrect way is - yet another good reason to leave it to an agent to muddle through. Personally, I get a little rankled after a while when an officer commands me to go do this, get that etc., I'm not well suited to being used inflate the ego's of others.

[Thailand]

1 hour ago, simoh1490 said:

Yet again, different experiences by different individuals dealing with different Immigration officers at different locations, who is to say what the correct and incorrect way is - yet another good reason to leave it to an agent to muddle through. Personally, I get a little rankled after a while when an officer commands me to go do this, get that etc., I'm not well suited to being used inflate the ego's of others.

No,standard procedures that myself and those I know have followed over the years with no problem.

 Have all the documents that are required, plenty of info here on the forum,treat the officers with respect and you will not have a problem. 

[Thailand]

2 hours ago, davehowden said:

simoh1490

 

Thank you. So when getting the Bank Letter I also have to supply them with photocopies of every page in my passbook for them to stamp?

No. Photocopy and sign the copied pages yourself. I usually copy all the pages even though it is only the last three months they are concerned with, it saves potential problems. Do the same with your passport. Mentioned earlier, make sure there is a transaction in your bank book preferably same day as bank letter dated.

[simoh1490]

20 minutes ago, Thailand said:

No,standard procedures that myself and those I know have followed over the years with no problem.

 Have all the documents that are required, plenty of info here on the forum,treat the officers with respect and you will not have a problem. 

That's a very arrogant response to imply that either I don't follow the known procedures and/or that I don't treat the Immigration staff with respect, especially since I've been extended my O-A visa for the past sixteen years! It's even more arrogant to suggest different banks don't follow different procedures also!!!

 

In my previous posting life on TVF I was the first to report in the CM forum that proof of address was required at the time of visa extension, many said I was wrong until shortly thereafter it became the norm, the fact that some people had already chosen to voluntarily include such information in their visa extension package doesn't change the fact the information was not a pre-requisite previously.

 

And having lived in three separate locations in Thailand for years at a time I can confirm, as can many many other forum members, that different Immigration offices and officers sometimes follow slightly different procedures and process, that is a basic throughout the visa system in Thailand which most long term expats know.

Edited December 5, 2017 by simoh1490

[Thailand]

13 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

That's a very arrogant response to imply that either I don't follow the known procedures and/or that I don't treat the Immigration staff with respect, especially since I've been extended my O-A visa for the past sixteen years! It's even more arrogant to suggest different banks don't follow different procedures also!!!

 

In my previous posting life on TVF I was the first to report in the CM forum that proof of address was required at the time of visa extension, many said I was wrong until shortly thereafter it became the norm, the fact that some people had already chosen to voluntarily include such information in their visa extension package doesn't change the fact the information was not a pre-requisite previously.

 

And having lived in three separate locations in Thailand for years at a time I can confirm, as can many many other forum members, that different Immigration offices and officers sometimes follow slightly different procedures and process, that is a basic throughout the visa system in Thailand which most long term expats know.

We are lucky to have you on the forum.

[sfokevin]

13 hours ago, Dante99 said:

I don't have a pink one, do you think a green one would be okay?  I wouldn't mind if that made it take 8 or 9 minutes.

The Immigration office has been know to REQUIRE both a light pink and ducky blue file folder... they must be opaque - to test the opacity make sure the blue background from your photo can be seen thru them...

[sfokevin]

Just curious?... how much is Assist Thai Visa charging for assisting a 1 year retirement extension?

 

The new OTian does the visa extension and one year of 90 day reporting for 5,900... but I worry they may not be around long enough to get all the 90 day reporting done...

Edited December 5, 2017 by sfokevin

[Rimmer]

A baiting /troll post has been removed also one reply to it.

[elektrified]

11 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

You have a very very short memory on this subject, sure you can get in and out TODAY in one hour, but there was a time when it was required to get up in the small hours, stand in line to get a number with many doing so for a couple of days before being able to renew their visa. 

I have never gone to Immigration before 08:30 ever to get my visa extension. I believe that once at the Airport office that I had to come back in the afternoon after a 45 minute queue - and then was out in 90 minutes.

[simoh1490]

2 hours ago, sfokevin said:

Just curious?... how much is Assist Thai Visa charging for assisting a 1 year retirement extension?

 

The new OTian does the visa extension and one year of 90 day reporting for 5,900... but I worry they may not be around long enough to get all the 90 day reporting done...

As I recall I pay them 5k baht per year which includes all my 90 day reports plus any TM30 tweaks that need making. I've also used them to compile wills for my wife and myself and they are very reasonably priced on that front with both wills being written in English and Thai for 5k baht each.

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, BuddyDean said:

In CM, you can use fixed deposits, and most banks have no way of updating them on the day of your letter, unless you add 50K.  I get copies of my book stamped and dated along with the letter.  ATM can't attach to fixed deposit accounts, so that doesn't need to be ruled out, like it does with savings accounts.  Banking in BKK and getting extensions in Phuket may actually win this weeks Hardway Club:  Stories of Retiree Martyrdom Award for wasting a ridiculous amount of time, money, and travel.  No wonder you use an agent.

??????????????????

I use a savings account for visa money and only put 100bht in on day of extension. ZERO problems getting letter from bank in Promenada. Just had to pay a small fee, if I recall correctly.

[thaibeachlovers]

32 minutes ago, elektrified said:

I have never gone to Immigration before 08:30 ever to get my visa extension. I believe that once at the Airport office that I had to come back in the afternoon after a 45 minute queue - and then was out in 90 minutes.

You were lucky, that's all. Other people have a different experience.

[simoh1490]

19 hours ago, BuddyDean said:

In CM, you can use fixed deposits, and most banks have no way of updating them on the day of your letter, unless you add 50K.  I get copies of my book stamped and dated along with the letter.  ATM can't attach to fixed deposit accounts, so that doesn't need to be ruled out, like it does with savings accounts.  Banking in BKK and getting extensions in Phuket may actually win this weeks Hardway Club:  Stories of Retiree Martyrdom Award for wasting a ridiculous amount of time, money, and travel.  No wonder you use an agent.

The issue is the varied responses from Immigration offices/officers around the country to standard visa extension procedures, not my personal banking relationship nor the reasons for them.

[thaibeachlovers]

13 hours ago, elektrified said:

That is a required document. I've been asked for mine for 11 years now - and always have copies with me.

My first extension in C M did not require proof of residence ( many years less than 11 ), and was not a requirement in the information sheet they provided. The next time I went back they did require it. Luckily I had taken my yellow book "just in case", after reading TVF, and that was accepted. The next time, they had written in pen an addition to the information sheet that proof of residence was required.

They also required an extra line in the address, despite that requirement not being on the printed sheet.

I sometimes wonder if they just make it up to annoy, or if it's a policy to make it more difficult than necessary, by asking for additional information they don't publish, hence the requirement for us to bring everything possible whether it is required or not.

I have no problem providing reasonable information if it is published beforehand that it is required, but having to "prove" residence is a nonsense, because they have the TM 30 on computer, and where we live is nothing to do with immigration for extension purposes. The only thing that they should be concerned with is if we are legally in the country. Where we live isn't relevant to that.

Place of residence is obviously of interest in marriage extensions, but as a retiree I should be able to live anywhere and travel freely without having to stress about TM30s and such.

[thaibeachlovers]

15 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

The issue is the varied responses from Immigration offices/officers around the country to standard visa extension procedures, not my personal banking relationship nor the reasons for them.

No, it's not. The TOPIC is using an agency to get an extension.

I have no problem discussing such, but it is not the OP subject.

[simoh1490]

19 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No, it's not. The TOPIC is using an agency to get an extension.

I have no problem discussing such, but it is not the OP subject.

Yes, the topic is, but the issue I was responding to was something else entirely.

[patricia carter]

We are here for exactly 31 days; is the immigration office going to hassle us over a one day stay over?  Anyone have any advice?

[davehowden]

2 hours ago, patricia carter said:

We are here for exactly 31 days; is the immigration office going to hassle us over a one day stay over?  Anyone have any advice?

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/overstay-visa-thailand.php

[NancyL]

5 hours ago, patricia carter said:

We are here for exactly 31 days; is the immigration office going to hassle us over a one day stay over?  Anyone have any advice?

 

3 hours ago, davehowden said:

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/overstay-visa-thailand.php

Be advised that's not an official Thai government website and it's written in a rather chilling fashion.  From a practical standpoint, Patricia, not much is going to happen with a one-day overstay, if you don't do anything to attract the attention of police during that one day, like ride a motorscooter thru a police checkpoint, be on a bus that is stopped and passports checked, etc.  

 

Assuming you're flying out of the country, when you present yourself at the Thai immigration counter at the airport, your overstay will be pointed out and you'll be asked to pay a fine of 500 baht per day for an overstay of just a few days.  Allow plenty of time at the airport ahead of your flight, dress nicely and be polite.  There may be some questions, best to say "you forgot" rather than you didn't think it important.  Also paperwork to complete.   There may be a stamp placed in your passport that you overstayed.  This could cause a problem if you plan to return to Thailand in the future.  

 

In light of this, why not just go to the local immigration and get an extension ahead of the expiration date, assuming you're eligible for one?  Yes, it will cost 1900 baht, but you'll breeze thru the immigration check at the airport and no bad marks in your passport.