CM Immigration Q&A (2018)

[Mahseer]

4 hours ago, Thailand said:

As for being "more important" at building 3, never found them anything but courteous and helpful.

I'm a frequent international traveller and must have updated the TM30 a dozen times and always at building 3 and cannot agree more. Just hope that nothing changes with this office and the good folks within once next door opens.

[tpthai2]

Going in Wednesday for the Marriage extension.

All papers to the agent today reviewed with Map required.

(Map: A specific type and rendering that I left to the agent to

produce.)

 

A CM specific TM7 this year required a redo as I relied

on 2017 form and did not have the current CM specific form.

 

Also: Bank letter and passbook update done but this year they requested

a Bank Statement of activity in the account covering a two month period. 

First time in 14 years for that one.   The details and forms from year to year always seem to have some change.  Most often there will be no published information in this regard.  Heads-up if you are doing this visa process on your own.

 

Off Topic:   Current visa assist offices pricing for the marriage extension is markedly higher than last year.   Not to mention names, I was quoted 8,500bt, 7,900bt respectively by two of the most popular companies. 

The old G4 office, now gone from Promenada is now, Best Friend Visa.

Tip: Check there rate would be my suggestion.   Regards to all.

[CMBob]

9 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Police Office where we do TM30 has always been in a separate building and apparently that won't change, as they consider themselves to be 'more important' than the other Plebs !

The boss of Building 3 told me this spring that their office will be moving into the new building when it opens; hopefully, presuming that move does occur, it won't affect the rather quick and pleasant experience of filing and updating TM30 forms that the Building 3 people have always provided in the past.

Presuming they have no real need for Building 3, some demolition would result in a bit more parking. 

Edited September 17, 2018 by CMBob

[scottiejohn]

On ‎9‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 11:41 PM, Brian92 said:

Hello everyone.

 

I hope I'm right here. My question is very simple, but the answer seems to be very hard to find for me, unfortunately. So, I hope that you nice people here might be able to help me ?

 

I am from Germany and planning to go to Thailand for 3-4 months (tourist visa + 30 day extension + maybe one visa run) for the first time in a condominium/apartment instead of a hotel. How should I report my stay at the immigration office so that I don't get any problems when extending if I live:

 

- in a condo rented via airbnb.com

- with my girlfriend who is renting a condo in a big condominium complex (so, she is not the owner)

- or something else you could recommend me?

 

Thanks a lot in advance ?

Since none of the local "experts" have responded here is a link which explains the system fairly well;

http://www.chiangmailocator.com/wiki-the-tm-30-form-all-you-need-to-know-about-it-and-why-it-matters-to-you-p172

If you are using the Immigration offices for anything ie the 30 day extension there is a good (bad!) chance that a copy of the TM30 will be required.  If you have big problems getting the condo" owner" to register you it is sometime worthwhile going to a "proper" hotel a day or two before your extension where they will register your TM30 online.  Make sure you get a copy from them before  going to Immigration. (same from the condo if they do it for you).

Hope that helps.

[narkeddiver]

On 9/17/2018 at 4:33 PM, narkeddiver said:

Last year when I did my marriage extension I had to photocopy the map I had drawn onto a special ‘map’ form

 

To get ahead of the game this year I thought I would get the ‘map’ form before hand (and pick up a TM 7)

 

When I asked the young chap outside about it today he said there is no need to draw a map anymore, all they wanted was a copy of the TM30!

 

Can anyone who has done a marriage extension recently confirm whether or not maps are still required?

 

I can confirm that the map is still required

 

The map I drew had to be photocopied onto the special map form - if they had given me one of those yesterday when I asked it would have saved everyone some time but the copy shop wouldn’t have made 9 baht I guess ?

 

Got there at 06:15 and was 4th in the queue, two people in front of me had problems and weren’t given numbers so I ended up with number 2, got my photo taken and handed my receipt at 10:20

Edited September 18, 2018 by narkeddiver

[Tracyb]

On 9/16/2018 at 11:14 AM, Tracyb said:

Hi...  This was an agent in CM.  In BKK I always did the ext. of stay myself at CW.  This is the first time I used an agent, mostly because I was just not interested in queuing up at 2am or hiring a line sitter.  The CM agent was clear that IMM would want to interview me.  They elaborated further and explained that CNX IMM have begun this inquiry process in the past month because they have found applicants in CM with Previous BKK extensions who were not “entered into the computer system.”  I got the impression after further conversations with agent that IMM was more interested in whether or not I actually did live in BKK on the date of my last ext. of stay.  Apparently some unscrupulous agents have been using someone with a stamp from the BKK jurisdiction for fake extensions. 

 

I guess they’ll look me up in the system and when they find my info they’ll approve my extension.  I also have some documents that can substantiate my prior residence in BKK.

 

 My tm30has been in place since I relocated here several months ago.  When I filed it I also tried to file the tm28. They told me that I didn’t need to and just took my tm30.  That was at the end of 2017 so I can’t vouch for what they may be asking for today...  

 

I am using income.... not seasoned funds.   I did provide further documentation to verify that my income is legit along with the consulate letter.  Everything went to immigration office for “processing” and I’m now waiting to hear back.  I’ll keep you posted as this develops.

Here’s my update...

I recd a call from my agent on Monday telling me my extension was approved.  I met my agent this afternoon (Tuesday) and recd my extension.  No interview required.  No extra documentation needed beyond my pension statement attached to my consulate affidavit and a copy of a chanote for a condo in BKK with my name on it.  All’s well that ends well.

Edited September 18, 2018 by Tracyb

[davehowden]

On 9/17/2018 at 7:38 PM, tpthai2 said:

Going in Wednesday for the Marriage extension.

All papers to the agent today reviewed with Map required.

(Map: A specific type and rendering that I left to the agent to

produce.)

 

A CM specific TM7 this year required a redo as I relied

on 2017 form and did not have the current CM specific form.

 

Also: Bank letter and passbook update done but this year they requested

a Bank Statement of activity in the account covering a two month period. 

First time in 14 years for that one.   The details and forms from year to year always seem to have some change.  Most often there will be no published information in this regard.  Heads-up if you are doing this visa process on your own.

 

Off Topic:   Current visa assist offices pricing for the marriage extension is markedly higher than last year.   Not to mention names, I was quoted 8,500bt, 7,900bt respectively by two of the most popular companies. 

The old G4 office, now gone from Promenada is now, Best Friend Visa.

Tip: Check there rate would be my suggestion.   Regards to all.

Regarding the CM specific TM7.

 

Would some kind soul please point me at a copy of this "new" form, many thanks.

[prism]

3 hours ago, davehowden said:

Regarding the CM specific TM7.

 

Would some kind soul please point me at a copy of this "new" form, many thanks.

From their website: https://www.immigration.go.th/download/1486547929418.pdf

 

Should be the right one. 

Edited September 19, 2018 by prism

[hank2800]

As mentioned earlier, whichever Imm official  completes your application will tell you what she wants. We've had the same info for years and honestly they should look at ours and yawn it's so boring,  but Yesterday they wanted my wifes Surname change (tan document with blue border). We had stopped copying it 3 years ago after previous Marriage renewals and were told they didn't want it anymore. When I dug it out at home yesterday I even had tagged it "no longer wanted, 2015" we were able to complete the Marriage renewal with her but we have to go back and  show it to her again in 10 days with 2 copies after they move to the airport in order to finish processing. Inconvenient since we live a couple hours outside of Chiang Mai and burning another couple hours at immigration has no interest to me. We arrived at 8:30 got number 9 and weren't' completed until 2:30pm, ironically my friend went there at 4am for his retirement visa got #37 and finished a half hour before us. The short answer is that there is no hard and fast rule of what you are going to be required to show(4 years ago they used to take copies of my yellowbook too) so best you bring everything you've ever had in relation to your previous renewals, old passports, name changes, letters you might have proving your divorce from somebody else, video membership cards....just play along,, bring it alll. It's easier to find it in the bag and run and copy it for them and just happily  jump thru  hoops they ask. At least after the day is shot you won't have to worry about going back again.We also provided the map on their specific form as mentioned in previous posts. Good or bad it just is what it is and unless there is a cosmic shift at the Airport location count on the same . Have fun!

[Shoeless Joe]

On 9/16/2018 at 11:27 AM, Thailand said:

Went to the new/old offices yesterday.

There seems to be quite a lot of parking allocated for visitors at the front of the building and if as they said parking is also available at the spa over the road then probably adequate.

Given that people seem now to be turning up many hours in advance, I guess it's possible that allocated parking at the front of the building will be quickly filled. Does anybody know if the alternative parking areas across the road will be open and available from maybe, 06.00am?

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

[Thailand]

8 hours ago, prism said:

From their website: https://www.immigration.go.th/download/1486547929418.pdf

 

Should be the right one. 

That's what I thought when we went two weeks ago. Front page was fine, the second page was not correct, I told the officer we had downloaded the previous day then the officer simply asked us to fill in and sign spare correct 2nd page copies he had on the desk to which he added the photos.

Maybe website updated by now.

[davehowden]

50 minutes ago, Thailand said:

That's what I thought when we went two weeks ago. Front page was fine, the second page was not correct, I told the officer we had downloaded the previous day then the officer simply asked us to fill in and sign spare correct 2nd page copies he had on the desk to which he added the photos.

Maybe website updated by now.

Presumably that site has the TM7 that the rest of Thai Immigration uses and not the Special one that CM IO uses ?

[Thailand]

1 hour ago, davehowden said:

Presumably that site has the TM7 that the rest of Thai Immigration uses and not the Special one that CM IO uses ?

No idea if Chiangmai have their own form but on page 2 next to the photo there is "NOTICE". On the downloaded form there are 2 "NOTICES"

on the one the officer provided there was 3,possibly 4. 

It was no big deal for the officer or us.

[CMBob]

Updated my TM30 an hour or so ago at Building 3 (as usual, process took 5 minutes).  The Building 3 office is 90% cleared of equipment and they told me they'd be in full operation at the new building on Monday.  Building 3 people (Investigation Section) will be on the third floor of the new building.

 

All the visa/extension services we falang will normally have will be handled on the first floor of the new building.  The second floor is for administrative offices.  And (geez, isn't this the 21st century?) there is no elevator in the new building (the few staff in Building 3 mentioned this unhappily). 

[Tracyb]

21 hours ago, Lungstib said:

All’s well that ends well..... at a price!  I'm assuming Tracy that you are a bona fide, all documents in order type of stayer in Thailand. But you used an agent, and one assumes that this came from the necessity or desire NOT to spend all day hanging around at Immigration. And for that you paid a decent fee that we can assume was shared between that agency and Immigration. And such is the situation at C Mai immigration that we are pleased at having resorted to unnecessary payments to get a service completed that should be a simple formality.

You are correct in your assumptions.  I’ve done my past four extensions in Bangkok, on my own, with no help from agents.  Then, I moved to CM and opted not to sit outside immigration from 2 AM onward to wait for a queue number.  

 

I wouldn’t say that I’m pleased at having paid an agent.  I WOULD, however, say that I have more respect for my time and gratefully, sufficient resources, to enable my finding a workaround the current situation irrespective of the reasons for which they exist.  I try to find serenity by simply accepting the things I cannot change.

[CharlieH]

Nonsense posts removed.

 

This is not a topic for "fun" or stupid quips or a place to try out poor attempts at humour.

Any further instances in this topic and they will be dealt with harshly.

 

This is an important topic for many members and should be a helpful resource and not be subject to frivilous banter.

 

Your co-operation is appreciated.

[Lungstib]

Here is something to cheer up other posters. I read on this site (and for that I am grateful) that C Mai Immigration is now asking for a map on a special form and a TM7 that is special to this office. To do my best to ensure I have all the right info and to spare my wife what she calls the yearly nightmare I called in to Promenada to collect forms and the airport office to see the layout. Thats a 200kms m'bike trip from the far side of Tha Ton, 8.15 - 12.30 on a bike and after a night on my sons couch I will ride back tomorrow. I am 67. When they ask me to 'come back tomorrow' because the queue numbers are all gone I tell them thats an 8 hour return trip and they think I'm lying. If I left at midnight I could do the early morning queue. Chiang Rai has a quiet, easy to access immigration office and is half the journey but you must come to the provincial one and I live in C Mai province, just. We often need 3 days here to do a marriage visa. There is an Immigration office in Fang but not allowed to complete this task. I've been here 31 years, it only ever gets worse.

[holy cow cm]

On ‎9‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 7:38 PM, tpthai2 said:

Going in Wednesday for the Marriage extension.

All papers to the agent today reviewed with Map required.

(Map: A specific type and rendering that I left to the agent to

produce.)

 

A CM specific TM7 this year required a redo as I relied

on 2017 form and did not have the current CM specific form.

 

Also: Bank letter and passbook update done but this year they requested

a Bank Statement of activity in the account covering a two month period. 

First time in 14 years for that one.   The details and forms from year to year always seem to have some change.  Most often there will be no published information in this regard.  Heads-up if you are doing this visa process on your own.

 

Off Topic:   Current visa assist offices pricing for the marriage extension is markedly higher than last year.   Not to mention names, I was quoted 8,500bt, 7,900bt respectively by two of the most popular companies. 

The old G4 office, now gone from Promenada is now, Best Friend Visa.

Tip: Check there rate would be my suggestion.   Regards to all.

I have never paid anyone to do my paper work after all of these years and years. Did have one of my wife's employees a couple of times sit in at airport, but I always normally do that with my time. That's when airport was just ridiculous as everyone lining up at 1am. I still met the person at 1am to set them up and then went home. The wife goes with me, so employees have paid day off, but I still paid extra on top of that for sitting. I think if you keep tabs on TV of posts you will always be current on the IO's new practices for the year. This year I had to give copies of my kids id's and 2 different pics inside and outside, not just one of each. But it was so easy. 

Edited September 21, 2018 by holy cow cm

[Mapguy]

TM7 Form Application for Extension Form for Chiang Mai Immigration

 

The correct form is attached.  Seems to me that it has been in use for almost two years now. Note the information about handicapped on the second page.  It isTM7 Form (2.2017).pdf apparently unique to Chiang Mai.

[CharlieH]

Post removed. and a response to it. 

 

Please try to keep posts "factual" in this topic for the benefit of others.

 

 

 

 

[metisdead]

A nonsensical troll post has now been removed. 

[Thailand]

90 day online approved same day, by post for er indoors only 6 days return even with the move pending.

Maybe there will be improvements at the new/old location.

I guess there will soon be a few reports coming in on the first day.

[Vacuum]

On 9/11/2018 at 11:38 AM, Mapguy said:

6.  Copy of current TM30 (Residence report)

Don't have it. Would the "Receipt of Notification" that they stapled in my passport do?

[Thailand]

1 hour ago, Vacuum said:

Don't have it. Would the "Receipt of Notification" that they stapled in my passport do?

That is it unless it's receipt of notification of 90 day report! Should have both.

[Bill97]

Don't have it. Would the "Receipt of Notification" that they stapled in my passport do?

Yes, that has always worked in the past.


Sent from my iPod touch using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Bournville]

90 day online approved same day, by post for er indoors only 6 days return even with the move pending.
Maybe there will be improvements at the new/old location.
I guess there will soon be a few reports coming in on the first day.

I'm still waiting for my 90 day to be returned. This is Day 6 for me. Fingers crossed. Did those 6 days included weekend days?

Be happy

[Mapguy]

That is it unless it's receipt of notification of 90 day report! Should have both.

This is correct. Indeed, the receipt is all that you will have for your passport, not a report per se. On your next report the current procedure after a return “home” is normally just to “date stamp” the receipt you already have in your passport. Sometimes the officer’s initials, not a stamp, and the date alone have been used to confirm that a report has been made.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[CMBob]

25 minutes ago, Bournville said:

I'm still waiting for my 90 day to be returned. This is Day 6 for me. Fingers crossed. Did those 6 days included weekend days?

Be happy
 

No big deal, I've had them come back (new Receipt of Notification for 90-day reports) as early as 4 days and as late as 14 days.  They suggest you don't worry about it (or go to Immigration to inquire about it) until at least 2 weeks after your 90-day report would have been due in person.  Presuming you have your EMS receipt that you sent it to Immigration, you have nothing to worry about.

 

Based on my history of doing the 90-day reports by mail, I've guessed that the staff (or interns?) only get to these mailed-in 90-day reports one day a week and I've somewhat guessed that's on a Saturday.  I could be wrong there but that seems to be the pattern for me (i.e., if I send by EMS on a Thursday, I tend to get the Receipt back early the following week whereas it takes a lot longer if I've mailed on a Saturday or Monday.

[Mahseer]

5 hours ago, Thailand said:

 

I guess there will soon be a few reports coming in on the first day.

Updated my TM30 this afternoon all pretty painless. Arrived at 1400 and out the door by 1425 which considering this was day 1 and also a Monday I consider decent.

 

Desk is number 1 on the ground floor to the right (2 is 90 day) just queue up then hand your passport over. The young lady simply stuck on a post it note with assigned number which you should take note off then take a seat. Passport returned by adjacent lady calling out numbers in batches or an officer showing passports and calling the name. I didn't hear my number but heard others beyond so enquired at the desk and was handed an American passport which being British I obviously declined! 

 

Parking? The compound was packed out with lateral parking everywhere but after 2 laps found a vacant spot. 

 

Place was packed but TM30 and 90 days were being processed rapidly so no complaints.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bournville]

No big deal, I've had them come back (new Receipt of Notification for 90-day reports) as early as 4 days and as late as 14 days.  They suggest you don't worry about it (or go to Immigration to inquire about it) until at least 2 weeks after your 90-day report would have been due in person.  Presuming you have your EMS receipt that you sent it to Immigration, you have nothing to worry about.
 
Based on my history of doing the 90-day reports by mail, I've guessed that the staff (or interns?) only get to these mailed-in 90-day reports one day a week and I've somewhat guessed that's on a Saturday.  I could be wrong there but that seems to be the pattern for me (i.e., if I send by EMS on a Thursday, I tend to get the Receipt back early the following week whereas it takes a lot longer if I've mailed on a Saturday or Monday.

Interesting. Thanks for that insight. Mine was sent EMS last Monday.

Be happy