CM Immigration Q&A (2018)

[Maybole]

I too did a 90 day report today. I waited 3 mins at the info desk for a Q no. and got no 43 at 0943. As I sat down, I heard no 46 being called (the Info screens were not working). I got to the desk to find nos 46 and 52 in front of me. My appliation was checked by a girl in mufti and the uniformed officer beside her issued my reciept at 0948. Well done immigration!!

[Hugh Jarse]

On 12/21/2018 at 5:07 PM, EricTh said:

 

Less than one hour! I never had that luxury.

 

I still remember queuing up in the dreadful early morning at Promenada for hours sometimes sitting on the floor.

 

As miserable as hell , I also recall, and previously at the former dwelling equally unpleasant. As mentioned in an earlier despatch above  the   current team and management at the new site  overall, are doing a great job and ought to be congratulated on this. It is to be hoped that the current management can introduce more on line bookings in order to make life easier for staff as well as the many people who genuinely wish to extend their stay in Thailand and enjoy the pleasures of life here.

[EricTh]

11 hours ago, Lizard2010 said:

I can not believe that it is soooo quiet in Chiang Mai Immigration at lunch time today

 

Most people have gone back to their hometown for their one week holiday starting from Christmas until New Year day. Chiang Mai is a migrant city.

 

It's like a ghost town in the village where I am staying.

 

So anyone who wants to do any immigration stuff should do it this week.

Edited December 26, 2018 by EricTh

[chingmai331]

Arrived this morning at the Immig headquarters, 7:39 am.  Except for one parking space, the lot was full.  I took the final spot.  

Presented my docs, "Consideration for application" stapled into my psprt and the clerk suggested i sit down.  I sat and waited 35 mins. Was called up to sign a doc, was given my psprt with needed ONE YEAR stamp and trotted out the door at 8:24 am. Easy peasy.

 

 

[Samuel Smith]

2 hours ago, chingmai331 said:

Arrived this morning at the Immig headquarters, 7:39 am.  Except for one parking space, the lot was full.  I took the final spot.  

Presented my docs, "Consideration for application" stapled into my psprt and the clerk suggested i sit down.  I sat and waited 35 mins. Was called up to sign a doc, was given my psprt with needed ONE YEAR stamp and trotted out the door at 8:24 am. Easy peasy.

 

 

so it should be.  you weren't applying for anything.  Just picking up a stamp.

[Thailand]

Here is a strange one.I have just been told of someone aged 70- using the old priority lane form to jump the queue today for 90 day reporting! I queried it and was told 100% factual.

 

How in the world is that happening when others have reported that the priority lane form no longer works and even when it did it was for over 75 and only for extensions of stay? 

So add yet another way to do 90 day reports for old farts, at least today. ????

[Sparkles]

54 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Here is a strange one.I have just been told of someone aged 70- using the old priority lane form to jump the queue today for 90 day reporting! I queried it and was told 100% factual.

 

How in the world is that happening when others have reported that the priority lane form no longer works and even when it did it was for over 75 and only for extensions of stay? 

So add yet another way to do 90 day reports for old farts, at least today. ????

Just another case of who you speak too.

 

The day,Dec 12, I,at age 76, tried to use the Priority Lane I asked 3 officers and 2 interns.I got everything from a laugh to a" no more" to a "don't know", As previously posted it was not until the kind lady,now doing some PR, got me a chair and directed me to an available officer on the volunteer visa desk otherwise I might have been there for the day.

 

In my 12 years experience at CM Imm the staff obviously dont hold staff meetings to all get on the same page.

 

How many times does it have to be mentioned that there is absolutely no reason to go to Imm for 90 day reporting, do online or mail.

 

Of course if the officers at the 90 day desk advised of those methods it would reduce crowding.Thai Visa apparently is not viewed by the majority of residents 

 

[NancyL]

It was probably just easier for Immigration to let the guy waving around the old Priority Lane application form jump the queue for his 90 day report.  By all accounts that queue hasn't been very long recently and this week is one of the quietest at CM Imm, even during the bad years.

[EricTh]

Does anybody know what is the latest timeline to get a residence certificate at CM immigration now that the waiting time has been reduced in general?

 

A few months ago, it was one month waiting time.

Edited January 4, 2019 by EricTh

[SiamAndy]

33 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Does anybody know what is the latest timeline to get a residence certificate at CM immigration now that the waiting time has been reduced in general?

 

A few months ago, it was one month waiting time.

There's a thread called Residence Certificates - Chiang Mai in which HaleySabai said on December 16th that the free one now has a 2 month wait. An expedited one would cost 1000 baht.

 

 

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, SiamAndy said:

There's a thread called Residence Certificates - Chiang Mai in which HaleySabai said on December 16th that the free one now has a 2 month wait. An expedited one would cost 1000 baht.

 

 

Two months wait? I thought waiting time would be improved and not worsen.

 

 

[Maybole]

3 hours ago, EricTh said:

Two months wait? I thought waiting time would be improved and not worsen.

 

I applied on 11 Dec and have been given a collection date of 9 Jan.

[EricTh]

21 minutes ago, Maybole said:

I applied on 11 Dec and have been given a collection date of 9 Jan.

That's one month so it was the same waiting time.

[CMNightRider]

On 1/4/2019 at 6:21 PM, EricTh said:

Two months wait? I thought waiting time would be improved and not worsen.

 

 

They could provide this the same or next day.  They want your money and are not concerned with what you want or need ????

[amexpat]

On 1/4/2019 at 6:21 PM, EricTh said:

Two months wait? I thought waiting time would be improved and not worsen.

 

 

Wait time is the same - price has doubled.  When I got one at the office with the sign that says

"there are no fees" it was 500 baht. Maybe someone needs a new car. 

[EricTh]

7 hours ago, CMNightRider said:

They could provide this the same or next day.  They want your money and are not concerned with what you want or need ????

 

I went there today and noticed that shop 'Tian' (from old Promenada) has moved just across the road. Business is booming there with a long queue.

 

So much for the 'no tips' sign.

 

They purposely made it difficult to get residence cert. I mean there's still  the window of 8 am to 10 am just to put in your application which I find ridiculous.

 

All other visas application don't have this ridiculous rule.

 

The wait for 1 month is also ridiculous when it's just a piece of paper printing our name, passport and address.

 

Edited January 7, 2019 by EricTh

[Mapguy]

Sounds like Chiang Mai immigration is getting tired of all the new business.  Otherwise, the process has been streamlined in the past several years after much experimentation.  Those who obtained residence certificates years back will remember the little old man adding new certificate information into a ledger at a desk located behind the multi-entry application counter at the old AIrport Office on the right of the new building. Now that was archaic!  Also rather fascinating (as unbelievable) to watch!  Others will recall the situation when much Immigration work was done in the smaller building on the left of the new building.

 

Where is it official, by the way, that Immigration is responsible for issuing residence letters?  I wonder if Immigration even has a budget for that business.  My impression (from chatting with Immigration officers in Chiang Mai over the years from time to time) is that's it's an annoying function.  Now they seem to have really farmed it out as a very moderate price, really.

 

Do Immigration offices do it elsewhere in Thailand?  If so, where else?

 

When did it become acceptable or official that foreigners' consulates could issue residence letters?  Which consulates provide the service: at what price, with or without appointments, in person or not? (That's three questions.)

Edited January 7, 2019 by Mapguy

[EricTh]

9 hours ago, Mapguy said:

 

Where is it official, by the way, that Immigration is responsible for issuing residence letters?  I wonder if Immigration even has a budget for that business.  My impression (from chatting with Immigration officers in Chiang Mai over the years from time to time) is that's it's an annoying function.  Now they seem to have really farmed it out as a very moderate price, really.

 

 

If the banks, transport ministry etc would accept the visas printed on our passport, we really don't need to apply for this residence certificate. 

 

They only trust the government residence certificate even though most of the information on the cert is already in our passport except the address. So if the immigration don't issue this, who else can verify and authorize that the visa stamp is authentic and not a fake? 

 

It's funny because the immigration is the one who gave us the visa but the banks, transport ministry etc don't accept them.

 

Is it because our visa is printed in English but they don't understand?

Edited January 7, 2019 by EricTh

[EricTh]

I went this morning at 8 am amid heavy rain to apply for residence cert.

 

I have to go up to second floor where previously it was on the ground floor. They have a makeshift table setup and began giving out queue numbers.

 

I saw some people being turned away before 10 am because the queue numbers have all been handed out. 

 

The waiting time is still 1 month. Apparently, this is the only service that has not improved but worsened at CM immigration. Two years ago, the waiting time was 2 weeks.

Edited January 8, 2019 by EricTh

[Sparkles]

1,000 baht for residence letter ,call it for what it is a money making scam.Takes all of 3 mins to enter name ,address date on the template and  print out.

 

Years back one of Imm's staff,who now works for another agent, did it while I waited and he was on his lunch break.         I Tipped him 100 baht for his consideration but now no tips are allowed but you pay 1,000 baht !

 

Imm office at Hua Hin & Jomtien friends tell me charge 500 baht.

 

If you went to a hospital and were charged 1,000 baht for a 3 min consultation with a specialist how would you react ?

 

Today I was at Bangkok Bank, KSK to get the print out of tax paid on investment account,took around 3 mins,done  with a smile, no charge.

Edited January 8, 2019 by Sparkles

[cusanus]

1 hour ago, Sparkles said:

1,000 baht for residence letter ,call it for what it is a money making scam.Takes all of 3 mins to enter name ,address date on the template and  print out.

 

Years back one of Imm's staff,who now works for another agent, did it while I waited and he was on his lunch break.         I Tipped him 100 baht for his consideration but now no tips are allowed but you pay 1,000 baht !

 

Imm office at Hua Hin & Jomtien friends tell me charge 500 baht.

 

If you went to a hospital and were charged 1,000 baht for a 3 min consultation with a specialist how would you react ?

 

Today I was at Bangkok Bank, KSK to get the print out of tax paid on investment account,took around 3 mins,done  with a smile, no charge.

Odd, in 2005 I went to the small building to the left of the old main building and was in and out in a few minutes, no fee that I remember, but I probably did pay something. The heavy influx of farangs since then surely has something to do with it. Anyway, yes, we get dinged here and there, but the overall COL is still reasonable enough.  Just hope you don't get tangled up in the court system, the sharks will strip you to the bone in no time. 

[SiamAndy]

3 hours ago, EricTh said:

I went this morning at 8 am amid heavy rain to apply for residence cert.

 

I have to go up to second floor where previously it was on the ground floor. They have a makeshift table setup and began giving out queue numbers.

 

I saw some people being turned away before 10 am because the queue numbers have all been handed out. 

 

The waiting time is still 1 month. Apparently, this is the only service that has not improved but worsened at CM immigration. Two years ago, the waiting time was 2 weeks.

That's because they want you to capitulate and pay the crazy 1000 baht fee for the expedited one.

[amexpat]

23 hours ago, Mapguy said:

Where is it official, by the way, that Immigration is responsible for issuing residence letters?  I wonder if Immigration even has a budget for that business.  My impression (from chatting with Immigration officers in Chiang Mai over the years from time to time) is that's it's an annoying function.  Now they seem to have really farmed it out as a very moderate price, really.

Farmed what out?  Can I get a job signing and stamping forms for 1,000 baht each?

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, amexpat said:

Farmed what out?  Can I get a job signing and stamping forms for 1,000 baht each?

Surprisingly, I saw the two girls filling out forms for foreigners free of charge just outside the entrance.  

 

 

[EricTh]

3 hours ago, SiamAndy said:

That's because they want you to capitulate and pay the crazy 1000 baht fee for the expedited one.

Imagine the money earned which is quite lucrative.

 

50 customers per day X 1000 baht = 50,000 baht per day.

 

When I went there at 8 am, I was told to wait on the ground floor while the girl was having her breakfast (and also chit-chatting) on the ground floor. But the official hours was supposed to be 8 am to 10 am. Then another guy B told me it's supposed to be 8:30 am but that's not what guy A told me.

 

All the while, this counter 4 guy just sit there (twiddling his thumb) to wait for people to come and collect the residence certs.

 

It takes only a few secs to give the cert.

 

Why can't counter 4 be also used to receive application for the whole day instead of restricting to just 2 hours per day?

 

Let's hope when Big Jok comes around the next time, somebody can highlight this problem to him.

 

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by EricTh

[Maybole]

I tried to collect my certificate of address today ( the correct appointed day) at approx 1330. After a desultery search through a sheaf of about 100 uncollected certificates (one of at least five sheaves ) the boy at the desk announced "not ready, come at 3pm."

I came back just after 3pm. and was told to sit down and wait. I sat down and waited and waited until 10 mins to 5 when I approached the counter again. Again I was told to sit down. At 5pm a girl called my name and handed me the certificate, only one. On previous occasions I have been given two.

 During my wait I saw no more than 10 certificates being given out and I estimate that there were about about 500 unclaimed when I left. Does that indicate than many people give up?

Also, I get the impression that Immigration staff would rather not have to do this job.

I think also that a certificate of address could be better handled by a local police station.

 

[cusanus]

9 hours ago, Maybole said:

I tried to collect my certificate of address today ( the correct appointed day) at approx 1330. After a desultery search through a sheaf of about 100 uncollected certificates (one of at least five sheaves ) the boy at the desk announced "not ready, come at 3pm."

I came back just after 3pm. and was told to sit down and wait. I sat down and waited and waited until 10 mins to 5 when I approached the counter again. Again I was told to sit down. At 5pm a girl called my name and handed me the certificate, only one. On previous occasions I have been given two.

 During my wait I saw no more than 10 certificates being given out and I estimate that there were about about 500 unclaimed when I left. Does that indicate than many people give up?

Also, I get the impression that Immigration staff would rather not have to do this job.

I think also that a certificate of address could be better handled by a local police station.

 

Just curious, but why would you need one a second time? I remember getting one in 2005 for a driver's license. Five years later I had to renew that but by then had a yellow book. I do clearly remember about three years ago going to a special office across the highway from Promenada but can't recall why I went there or if I actually needed a certificate of residence. I vaguely recall that I didn't end up doing anything. Maybe I'll ask my little wife about it. 

[Maybole]

On all previous occasions (in Promenada) I have been given two certificates without asking for them. I do not always need two, but I assumed that it was standard pratice and I was surprised to recieve only one. I do not need a second so I did not query it.

[bloody tiger]

Are procedures for yearly visa ext still much the same at the new CM imm as they were at Promenada and old CM imm prior to that? ie. get in early to get a ticket to get a queue number. Previously the initial ticket numbers would be handed out around 7:30 AM...still the same?

[EricTh]

18 hours ago, Maybole said:

 

 During my wait I saw no more than 10 certificates being given out and I estimate that there were about about 500 unclaimed when I left. Does that indicate than many people give up?

 

 

 

1. It is normal for them to give only one cert. If you need two certs, we have to apply two times, that is what I was told.

 

2. Many people could have given up or forgotten about the collection date because they waited too long. It would be great if they can give out on the same day that we apply just like most visas there. I just don't understand why they need 1 month just to print something that is already on our visa.

 

3. That 'boy' in counter 4 always give contradictory statement and seems to be quite raw. He should have sorted the certs in alphabetical order for easy searching.

Edited January 10, 2019 by EricTh