Non-immigrant O visa based on marriage immigration officer problems

[tstcman]

I am waiting to get my marriage visa extension here in Thailand and part of the process is immigration police is supposed to come out to my house to do an interview with family friends neighbors blah blah blah. 

Immigration officer decides he don't want to come see me. Now we have to come see him  and by the way I have to bring the guy that's in charge of the place where I live . The leader .
The Village leader with me, who I don't even know, good luck. 
So now I have 2 days to try to successfully schedule the Village leader to come with me and my father-in-law to immigration office as a witness. 
On top of that I don't know if I have to pay anybody money or what the hell's going on because this dude is just lazy and decided he didn't want to do his job.

 

UPDATE:

Thank God my father-in-law knows the village leader and was able to contact him and if he has time he will go with us today. My wife is a lifesaver.

[YetAnother]

well, if we all listed our own negative experiences with various immigration offices here over the years, we would have an impressive list indeed;

just lower your expectations and endure them (little other option)

[tstcman]

I know, but it's combination of blowing steam off and letting people know that here in Thailand ,things don't go as expected or as the rules State they should. Also as people to go into these things, by posting our experiences it allows new people to go into these things with an open mind.

[Morch]

Glad to hear things sorted out.

 

Asking for a family member living nearby and acting as a witness to be present in immigration office is one thing. Think there was one time this may have come up, and was dropped once pointed out MiL is  elderly (she's fume if she'd know about this excuse).

 

Neighbors or Headman - doubt this is sanctioned by law but obviously could be wrong. The closest we came was having to sign people on papers and present these. Can't imagine it would be easy getting them to immigration for something they got little interest in, and paying up isn't a good way to go.

 

Unless running into a total moron, face saving officer, I find that most such nonsense can be dealt with if one doesn't lose his cool and offers a face-saving reasonable alternative.

[JackThompson]

Sounds like a way to get 2 envelopes out of you instead of one.  Or maybe the cop realized he wasn't going to get an envelope (you mentioned your wife's connections could circumvent this).  If your father in-law is a buddy of the head-man, his "fee" may be settled with drinks at the bar, or similar thing.

 

When the fees are reasonable, I am willing to accept "how things are" here.  It's only when things get 10x+ more than the official cost, that my mind goes into the mode of, "They can <unspoken colorful expression>...," and I look for an alternative - all the while, keeping the polite mask on, of course.

[Tanoshi]

Is this your first application for an extension of stay based on marriage (not a Visa).

 

It's quite common on the very first application for some Immigration offices to request 'witnesses' who can vouch your relationship is genuine and you are co-habiting.

[ancharee]

I had similar problem when changing from retirement to marriage the immigration officer wanted 12,000b when I refused he then asked for 3,000b again I refused, because I would not pay he said I had to bring various people to the immigration office which I said was no problem, the next day I got a call saying they would come to my home the village boss and father in law also neighbour the usual photos were taken and on the officers departure 500b was asked and paid.

Glad you got it sorted out.

[tstcman]

 yeah it's my first time getting the visa extension. And I don't think they're going to be trying to get an envelope out of me. That would piss my father-in-law off to no end. He's retired Border Police who is on the board of the police savings and loan bank here in Chiang Mai. I don't think he would let that s*** go down without getting somebody fired

[Tanoshi]

3 minutes ago, tstcman said:

 yeah it's my first time getting the visa extension. And I don't think they're going to be trying to get an envelope out of me. That would piss my father-in-law off to no end. He's retired Border Police who is on the board of the police savings and loan bank here in Chiang Mai. I don't think he would let that s*** go down without getting somebody fired

Me thinks a phone call from your FIL to the IO could pave the way for a smooth extension application.  

[glegolo]

50 minutes ago, tstcman said:

I know, but it's combination of blowing steam off and letting people know that here in Thailand ,things don't go as expected or as the rules State they should. Also as people to go into these things, by posting our experiences it allows new people to go into these things with an open mind.

I am with you on that 100%... I personally blow off my steam on my homesite and try to post here my experiencies bad and good. So well done, do as you have done. There will always come new guys, who we should NOT suggest to go with the flow, and pay off their troubles (imm.officers) instead of dealing with them and try to learn stuff here in this country.. 

 

glegolo

[tstcman]

 you would think so but he wants to go in person and take care of this. he's the kind of guy that has the police memorabilia all over the house

[tstcman]

Just to update everybody, after the 3-hour run around that I just went through. Picking up the village Headmaster and then picking up my wife and going to immigration next to the airport here in Chiang Mai, I brought all the paperwork from the first time they didn't ask for anything from me they talk to my wife talk to the Headmaster looked at me a couple times that's it. Then  two copies of the headmaster's identification took pictures of us and then sent us on our way. So for all that BS I never even got to talk to them once.

[JackThompson]

39 minutes ago, tstcman said:

... looked at me a couple times that's it. ... So for all that BS I never even got to talk to them once.

I have found it rare for them to talk to you at all, when the wife is present. 

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, tstcman said:

So for all that BS I never even got to talk to them once.

They never talk to the 'tail' if the 'head' is present.

[Formaleins]

21 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Is this your first application for an extension of stay based on marriage (not a Visa).

 

It's quite common on the very first application for some Immigration offices to request 'witnesses' who can vouch your relationship is genuine and you are co-habiting.

Chiang Mai Immigration had started doing this too a few years back, but it was usually for first time applicants and applicants changing from say Retirement to Marriage - often visited and also requested the applicant to attend immigration along with uncle Tom Cobley and all. If it bugs you as much as it would bug me, why not get an immigration agent to do the application for you? They are worth the payment as you almost don't need to speak to the Immigration clerk or even have to lift your eyes up to look at them - worth the 5K alone!

[Jimbo2014]

They more or less make it up as they go to suit themselves with seemingly random requests.  Each year new hoops to jump through.  Its a game which we all manage to barely win each time if we are lucky.  

[stephehr]

Never had anyone come to check on me and I have been doing this for 14 years  guess I am lucky

[RayD]

They are supposed to visit you but if you live too far from they office they can't be bothered and ask you to bring the village to them. In my case they just glanced at the old couple I'd bribed to come along and never spoke to them. My impression is they hate doing marriage extensions because they are a lot of work and interfere with elevenses and the afternoon nap. If you're over 50 they mess you around and then suggest you get a retirement extension instead which is much easier to process.

[French mate]

I got to provide witness at my immigration office AND got a visit at my home for my first extention of stay.

Now they keep ask me 2 witness for every renew, this because i dont have children with my wife (who cant have), but as their start to know me and my wife (its a small office) they accept, we just make sign the  paper to my neigboughs and provide them a copy of the id and tan bien ban, they not asked anymore to get them at the immigration office.

 

[GOLDBUGGY]

Actually it may look that way to you, but it really isn't what is happening here. 

 

In the past I have applied for several extensions to stay based on marriage and each time I had to bring a witness to the Immigration Office (or two) from the village I was staying in. They never requested the Head Man of the Village, but that wouldn't have mattered to me because my Wife's Father is that. My point being that this is the standard protocal for getting an extension this way. 

 

The Police background check on you is just an added option they can use to see for themselves if you actually live there with your wife, as your Extension based on Marriage makes this a requirement. But they don't have to do this if they chose not to, and in fact are saying you time and trouble by not coming out there. 

 

In all my Extensions based on marriage they never came out to my place even once. But this did not stop my requirement to still bring in a witness, and whether they came out to check for themselves or not. I switched to a Retirement Extension now because I can, and there is a lot less fuss and bother as I don't need a witness anymore. My age on my Passport is now my proof.   

[Russell17au]

I have applied for a change from retirement to marriage extension and the Investigating Officer is fantastic but his new Superior Officer is a complete moron, all the correct paperwork has been submitted and the inspection has been done, but now the Superior Officer wants a letter from the District Officer to supply verification that our marriage is correct. He is implying that the wedding certificate and the Khor Ror 2 are in fact not correct even though they have the District Officers signature and the official red stamp on them.

This is the new Superior Officer at the Khon Kaen Immigration Investigation Office not the actual Investigating Officer

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

I have applied for a change from retirement to marriage extension and the Investigating Officer is fantastic but his new Superior Officer is a complete moron, all the correct paperwork has been submitted and the inspection has been done, but now the Superior Officer wants a letter from the District Officer to supply verification that our marriage is correct. He is implying that the wedding certificate and the Khor Ror 2 are in fact not correct even though they have the District Officers signature and the official red stamp on them.

This is the new Superior Officer at the Khon Kaen Immigration Investigation Office not the actual Investigating Officer

Did you submit a updated Kor Ror 2 from an Amphoe (20 baht) with your application? Some offices want a updated one for every application. If not that may satisfy him your marriage is valid.

[Russell17au]

19 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Did you submit a updated Kor Ror 2 from an Amphoe (20 baht) with your application? Some offices want a updated one for every application. If not that may satisfy him your marriage is valid.

everything was up to date the Kor Ror 2 was only 1 month old

[Koratjohn77]

9 hours ago, Formaleins said:

Chiang Mai Immigration had started doing this too a few years back, but it was usually for first time applicants and applicants changing from say Retirement to Marriage - often visited and also requested the applicant to attend immigration along with uncle Tom Cobley and all. If it bugs you as much as it would bug me, why not get an immigration agent to do the application for you? They are worth the payment as you almost don't need to speak to the Immigration clerk or even have to lift your eyes up to look at them - worth the 5K alone!

That's exactly why I use an agent.  I've been using an agent for years now and my visa always gets done fast in only a few days and I never get hassled either.  Did you say that your agent only charges 5,000 baht?  You said 5K did you mean 5K in baht?  My agent charges more than that but they're really good though.  

[Koratjohn77]

6 hours ago, GOLDBUGGY said:

Actually it may look that way to you, but it really isn't what is happening here. 

 

In the past I have applied for several extensions to stay based on marriage and each time I had to bring a witness to the Immigration Office (or two) from the village I was staying in. They never requested the Head Man of the Village, but that wouldn't have mattered to me because my Wife's Father is that. My point being that this is the standard protocal for getting an extension this way. 

 

The Police background check on you is just an added option they can use to see for themselves if you actually live there with your wife, as your Extension based on Marriage makes this a requirement. But they don't have to do this if they chose not to, and in fact are saying you time and trouble by not coming out there. 

 

In all my Extensions based on marriage they never came out to my place even once. But this did not stop my requirement to still bring in a witness, and whether they came out to check for themselves or not. I switched to a Retirement Extension now because I can, and there is a lot less fuss and bother as I don't need a witness anymore. My age on my Passport is now my proof.   

Police background check?  I've never been asked for a police background check in all the years I've been here on a marriage visa.  Did you have to get a police background check done?  

[Number 6]

Move to Bangkok. Problem solved.

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, Koratjohn77 said:

The Police background check on you is just an added option they can use to see for themselves if you actually live there with your wife, as your Extension based on Marriage makes this a requirement. But they don't have to do this if they chose not to, and in fact are saying you time and trouble by not coming out there. 

The police back ground check is not required for an extension of stay based upon or any other extension of stay.

See the requirements for an extension based upon marriage here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_18

[GOLDBUGGY]

1 hour ago, Koratjohn77 said:

Police background check?  I've never been asked for a police background check in all the years I've been here on a marriage visa.  Did you have to get a police background check done?  

Sorry! My Poor Choice of Words. 

 

I did not mean a Police Criminal Background Check. I mean the right for the Police to come to your Residence to check that you actually live there with your wife and to question other people in your community. I did not mean that you needed to provide proof that you do not have a Criminal Record.

 

Again sorry for the confusion. 

[JackThompson]

13 hours ago, Russell17au said:

I have applied for a change from retirement to marriage extension and the Investigating Officer is fantastic but his new Superior Officer is a complete moron, all the correct paperwork has been submitted and the inspection has been done, but now the Superior Officer wants a letter from the District Officer to supply verification that our marriage is correct. He is implying that the wedding certificate and the Khor Ror 2 are in fact not correct even though they have the District Officers signature and the official red stamp on them.

This is the new Superior Officer at the Khon Kaen Immigration Investigation Office not the actual Investigating Officer

It can be crazy where I am for marriage-related at immigration, but questioning Thai-produced official docs is a new low.

 

Sounds like a car-payment or similar is coming due for someone, maybe?  And/or maybe this fellow doesn't approve of "mixed-marriages" - unless he gets a little-sweetener, annually, to give permission for it to continue in his domain. 

<removed>

[4evermaat]

The title of this thread should be updated to "non-o EXTENSION based on marriage...".  There is no problem with the visa.