Immigration Promenada Appointments for Visa Conversion 2018 !!!

[Kohsamida]

Can one of the really knowledgeable people on here who TRULY have some experience with this please advise on what the suggested procedure is for "getting an appointment" to make an application for a Change of Visa (from Tourist to Non-O) at the Chiang Mai Immigration Office.

 

The thread "Immigration Promenada One Stop Service 2016-2017" has become hopelessly long and contains a number of off-topic, and conflicting bits and pieces of information.  Some people seem to be saying that it can takes weeks and repeated visits to Promenada just to get an appointment!  One person talks of showing up at Midnight to start queuing, and even that not being successful. 

 

I've read a number of posts about doing this in Jomtien (Pattaya) and it all sounds so straight-forward and easy.  I know this is Chiang Mai Immigration, and things seem to be done differently than in other Immigrations office throughout Thailand, but there must be a rational way to go about applying for a Change of Visa, besides just getting an agent to do it for an exorbitant fee.

 

 

[Thailand]

You are probably suffering from information overload and getting confused with what you are trying to do.

 

I posted the requirements, not too difficult.

 

Take these documents although you will not require bank letter at this stage.,just looking for appointment.

 

 

 

Go to the floor/office where TM30's are serviced. About  8.30am go to the desk at the back of the room where there is the sign saying q here to make appointments for visa change 9-10am.  Usually a couple of officers there early, ask them if you are queuing in the right place if you are still confused.

[Kohsamida]

13 minutes ago, Thailand said:

You are probably suffering from information overload and getting confused with what you are trying to do.

 

I posted the requirements, not too difficult.

 

Take these documents although you will not require bank letter at this stage.,just looking for appointment.

 

 

 

Go to the floor/office where TM30's are serviced. About  8.30am go to the desk at the back of the room where there is the sign saying q here to make appointments for visa change 9-10am.  Usually a couple of officers there early, ask them if you are queuing in the right place if you are still confused.

LOL, Information overload is putting it mildly ?   Actually I considered your comments to be the most useful of all, and I do, in fact, understand precisely what documentation I need to provide.

 

What's got me concerned is how long it will take to simply get an appointment to submit my application. 

 

The whole notion of "getting an appointment" to submit an application sound like nonsense to begin with, but now I have been reading that the process of just getting the appointment could involve multiple trips to Promenada over a period of days because they only grant a certain number of appointments per day. 

 

Furthermore, I've read that some people have even resorted to queuing up in line outside of Promenada as early as 2am to assure they can get an appointment before they run out of slots.

 

Perhaps these people were referring to some other type of Visa applications or extensions; I'm not sure.  All I know is I don't relish the idea of repeated trips to Promenada or camping out in front of Promenada at 2am in the morning LOL!

 

So, I'd like to believe that if I show up at 8:30am as you suggest, I can walk away with an appointment.  Do you feel pretty confident about that?

 

[Kohsamida]

48 minutes ago, Thailand said:

 

BTW, regarding the 4x6 photo, the ones I have are 2"x2" passport type only.  Can I get photos taken at Promenanda that early (8:30am) or do I have to make a separate trip the day before for those?

Edited May 23, 2018 by Kohsamida

[Thailand]

The 2am q's are for other services.

The q for change of visa is where I told you and the times are open 8.30, appointment booking 9-10am. No not confident you all get a time slot.

 

Photos at a couple of places at Prom but they are not needed to make an appointment.Passport copy, bank book copy & TM 86.

[Bill97]

Somebody needs an agent.


Sent from my iPod touch using Thaivisa Connect

[Thailand]

When the office opens you DO NOT need to get a ticket at the desk just to the right inside the door.

Proceed to the back of the office as previously advised.

[Kohsamida]

57 minutes ago, Thailand said:

The 2am q's are for other services.

The q for change of visa is where I told you and the times are open 8.30, appointment booking 9-10am. No not confident you all get a time slot.

 

Photos at a couple of places at Prom but they are not needed to make an appointment.Passport copy, bank book copy & TM 86.

Thanks ?

 

[Kohsamida]

2 hours ago, Thailand said:

The 2am q's are for other services.

The q for change of visa is where I told you and the times are open 8.30, appointment booking 9-10am. No not confident you all get a time slot.

 

Photos at a couple of places at Prom but they are not needed to make an appointment.Passport copy, bank book copy & TM 86.

Not to sound obtuse, and I WILL follow your instructions since you sound like you know what you are talking about, but something doesn't sound right.  Maybe I am misunderstanding this phrase "applying for an appointment to apply for a Change of Visa" 

 

It sounds very redundant to "apply for an appointment to apply for an application", especially if submission of a TM86 (the application) is part of the process of applying for the appointment.

 

Should I be looking at this "appointment" as one in which I find out if my application has been approved or denied?

Edited May 23, 2018 by Kohsamida

[Thailand]

32 minutes ago, Kohsamida said:

Not to sound obtuse, and I WILL follow your instructions since you sound like you know what you are talking about, but something doesn't sound right.  Maybe I am misunderstanding this phrase "applying for an appointment to apply for a Change of Visa" 

 

It sounds very redundant to "apply for an appointment to apply for an application", especially if submission of a TM86 (the application) is part of the process of applying for the appointment.

 

Should I be looking at this "appointment" as one in which I find out if my application has been approved or denied?

Yes

 

[Kohsamida]

4 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Yes

 

OK ?  Now it makes a little more sense.  Thanks.

[EricTh]

7 hours ago, Kohsamida said:

BTW, regarding the 4x6 photo, the ones I have are 2"x2" passport type only.  Can I get photos taken at Promenanda that early (8:30am) or do I have to make a separate trip the day before for those?

 

It's better to take your photo outside Promenada eg. Kad Suan Kaew. The photos are cheaper there. I had my photo and copying taken at Kad Suan Kaew before i go to immigration,

 

The photos at Promenada is more expensive and the queue can be long so is the photo-copying service.

 

The photo and copying shop is the same shop and you don't want to queue there. It is madness.

[Kohsamida]

14 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

It's better to take your photo outside Promenada eg. Kad Suan Kaew. The photos are cheaper there. I had my photo and copying taken at Kad Suan Kaew before i go to immigration,

 

The photos at Promenada is more expensive and the queue can be long so is the photo-copying service.

 

The photo and copying shop is the same shop and you don't want to queue there. It is madness.

That's a great idea!  DO you happen to know where such a copy shop would be at Kad Suan Kaew?  

[NancyL]

You don't need to have all your documents and photo, bank letters, etc lined up in order to request an appointment.  Get after it NOW to request your appointment.  The clock is ticking and you need to have 21 days remaining on your permission to stay.  Get the appointment and then run around getting your photo and other documents together.

 

The 2 am queuing is for when you are ready to seek a one-year extension of your permission to stay due to retirement during the final 45 day life of your 90-day O visa.  

[Kohsamida]

12 minutes ago, NancyL said:

You don't need to have all your documents and photo, bank letters, etc lined up in order to request an appointment.  Get after it NOW to request your appointment.  The clock is ticking and you need to have 21 days remaining on your permission to stay.  Get the appointment and then run around getting your photo and other documents together.

 

The 2 am queuing is for when you are ready to seek a one-year extension of your permission to stay due to retirement during the final 45 day life of your 90-day O visa.  

This is SO CONFUSING.  I am getting conflicting information.  I have been told by several knowledgable people that at the time I "apply the appointment" I do, in fact, have to submit TM86, Notification of receipt of TM30, 4x6 photo, photocopies of passport.  Bank info NOT required until day of appointment.

 

THEN, on day of appointment, I submit bank letters.  At end of appointment I am either granted or denied Change of Visa.

Edited May 24, 2018 by Kohsamida

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, Kohsamida said:

That's a great idea!  DO you happen to know where such a copy shop would be at Kad Suan Kaew?  

1.Go to the basement of Kad Suan Kaew.

 

2.Go pass Tops supermarket at basement. 

 

3.The photo taking shop and the document photocopying shop is on same floor and very near each other. The prices here are cheaper than Promenada. Tell them what size of photo you need and for what purpose.

 

Of course, I assume you stay near Kad Suan Kaew or else petrol cost to go there is more expensive. 

Edited May 24, 2018 by EricTh

[NancyL]

8 hours ago, EricTh said:

1.Go to the basement of Kad Suan Kaew.

 

2.Go pass Tops supermarket at basement. 

 

3.The photo taking shop and the document photocopying shop is on same floor and very near each other. The prices here are cheaper than Promenada. Tell them what size of photo you need and for what purpose.

 

Of course, I assume you stay near Kad Suan Kaew or else petrol cost to go there is more expensive. 

Have you been to KSK recently?  The basement is being remodeled and the shops have played musicals chairs, with some gone missing.

[sfokevin]

29 minutes ago, NancyL said:

Have you been to KSK recently?  The basement is being remodeled and the shops have played musicals chairs, with some gone missing.

Two questions?...

1. Are they actually doing renovations behind that temporary wall?... Or did they discover a really bad crack and evacuated/abandon the lower level...

2. Has anyone seen Elvis?...

Edited May 24, 2018 by sfokevin

[NancyL]

1 hour ago, sfokevin said:

Two questions?...

1. Are they actually doing renovations behind that temporary wall?... Or did they discover a really bad crack and evacuated/abandon the lower level...

2. Has anyone seen Elvis?...

1.  I've heard some construction-type noises, but not very many.  You'd think they want to be working around the clock, but that doesn't appear to be the case.  I thought I smelled paint the other day.

2.  Friends report Elvis sightings at the Lotus Hotel, attached to KSK, where he used to split his time between the Blue Food Court and Lotus.  Some of his former KSK fans tried to follow him to Lotus Hotel, but discovered they charge 200 baht for a beer and want you to drink one beer per hour.  Or so I've been told.  Several years ago, Hubby and some friends went to Lotus and listened to Elvis and said he was better at KSK.  Just the right atmosphere for his talents.  Maybe I'll suggest that Hubby get his posse together and do another Elvis reccie mission soon.

 

 

[Pronto2]

I was in Kad Suan Kaew yesterday.  They have re-opened the Food Court of the lower level.  Additionally, just beyond Tops, there are a number of clearly presented signs indicating where the other various shops have been moved and are now located.  Another sign indicates another section of the lower level will re-open again soon.