No Volunteers in Phuket Town Immigration Anymore?

[Psimbo]

Just as a matter of interest and maybe one for @Merjin. A friend was in last week to do a 90 day report (please don't start with the 'why doesn't he just do it online stuff) and there were no volunteers around- this was in the afternoon.

 

This morning another friend went in to report their address as they had been out of the country (again- see above) and there were no Volunteers around. Without the Vols she described it as chaos and more time consuming.

 

I always had a lot of time for the Vols and found them far more impressive than the Tourist Police and other Volunteers-have they been done away with? If so its a sad day for Immigration and expect a lot of delays.

[phuketrichard]

Double thumbs up,

Things were better before they started, "helping" found out

Back than you found out what you needed an had it with you

if u didn't, immigration sent u to get it fixed.

Adults should not have to have their hands held...

PS: heard the Tourist POLICE vol's in Patong were all let go cause one of them was doing things illegal. 

[Valentine]

I was there Tuesday afternoon & there was a Chinese looking volunteer handling people with masses of paperwork & doing it well. There were several of those in front of me so I said 90 day report & he immediately gave me a number without skipping a beat. I was out the door in about 5 minutes.

[Tapster]

I was there on Tuesday and was helped by a young Thai guy.

 

I had to go again yesterday and there was an older Thai guy who looked like an immigration officer.

 

????

[Valentine]

7 minutes ago, Tapster said:

I was there on Tuesday and was helped by a young Thai guy.

 

I had to go again yesterday and there was an older Thai guy who looked like an immigration officer.

 

????

Must have been the guy I saw & assumed he was Chinese as was speaking it

[Tapster]

Wow!

His English was very good as well.

 

????

[merijn]

The immigration volunteers are working in Room 204 (second floor) on a daily basis.

Room 101 (down stairs) only have most of the time some dedicated volunteers to help people in that room with handing out numbers and forms etc.

This change was introduced a few months ago on request of the IO officers in room 101 to avoid delays in handing out numbers.

Only room 204 have the trained volunteers to help people with all immigration related problems.

They have also the immigration volunteer website where almost all the information can be found. (  www.piv-phuket.com )

 

[Psimbo]

Thanks for the update @Merijn apparently there was a bit of chaos glad you guys are still about. I guess on those two occasions no one was about to hand out numbers (I actually like the University girls on work experience doing it ????), maye a pee break or something.

[Psimbo]

4 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

Double thumbs up,

Things were better before they started, "helping" found out

Back than you found out what you needed an had it with you

if u didn't, immigration sent u to get it fixed.

Adults should not have to have their hands held...

PS: heard the Tourist POLICE vol's in Patong were all let go cause one of them was doing things illegal. 

Personally I find they make the process far less painless as they are able to keep us updated and things were far slower before they started assisting punters.

 

It's not about having hands held- its about constantly changing rules and trying to keep up with them. The Vols cut to the chase instead of the 'you should know' attitude of some IOs. They also prevent delays by sorting out the doorknobs that go in there totally unprepared. Less time getting knocked back by IOs means quicker processing times for the rest of us.

 

Do your 90 day reports online by all means- sometimes it suits to slip it a few days by taking advantage of the 7 day window of a personal visit.

[merijn]

8 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Thanks for the update @Merijn apparently there was a bit of chaos glad you guys are still about. I guess on those two occasions no one was about to hand out numbers (I actually like the University girls on work experience doing it ????), maye a pee break or something.

I understand that the change can create some confusion.

But they released that handing out full information in Room 101 was creating to much chaos and delays at busy times.

Therefore the IO decided that room 101 only would have volunteers to help room 101 issues and to hand out numbers and forms only.

For any help or problems with immigration issues people can always go to the immigration volunteers in room 204 where they have the knowledge and time to help the people correctly.

[phuketrichard]

glad i never need go upstairs  ????

[Bogbrush]

Regarding Valentine’s experience: I believe the 90 day reporting is an in/out job in Phuket Town requiring nothing more than a passport swipe only if the proceeding 90 day period wasn’t generated by an exit/re-entry. Otherwise (because of the subsequent address notification that the re-entry entails) I think the usual gumph (main page/visa page/last entry stamp/TM 30) is still required and might require the help of a volunteer more the more confused amongst us.

 

I might of course have it totally wrong and beg forgiveness in advance..

[Tapster]

@Bogbrush

 

I did my and my wife's 90-day reports on Wednesday.

 

No paperwork needed, only passports.

 

The receipt and notification of the next date was printed by the immigration officer while i waited.

 

It's a pain to have to report every 90 days, but at least it can be quick. The online service sometimes works for me but never seems to work for my wife.

[merijn]

1 hour ago, Bogbrush said:

Regarding Valentine’s experience: I believe the 90 day reporting is an in/out job in Phuket Town requiring nothing more than a passport swipe only if the proceeding 90 day period wasn’t generated by an exit/re-entry. Otherwise (because of the subsequent address notification that the re-entry entails) I think the usual gumph (main page/visa page/last entry stamp/TM 30) is still required and might require the help of a volunteer more the more confused amongst us.

 

I might of course have it totally wrong and beg forgiveness in advance..

No copies are required as long you have a old 90 day reporting in your passport.

Therefore never remove the old 90 day reporting slip even you left the country so the IO can see that you did the reporting previously.

Make sure that the address registration slip is in the passport. (don't let the airport IO remove it from your passport when leaving the country)

 

[zaZa9]

On 9/27/2018 at 8:38 AM, phuketrichard said:

Double thumbs up,

Things were better before they started, "helping" found out

Back than you found out what you needed an had it with you

if u didn't, immigration sent u to get it fixed.

Adults should not have to have their hands held...

PS: heard the Tourist POLICE vol's in Patong were all let go cause one of them was doing things illegal. 

 

Geez , a post from an expat in Phuket I have always taken note from...

 

Is it that time of the month or what ?

 

Any help from a vol BEFORE you sit there for a half hour is surely better than sitting down with the IO  and finding out that the rules have ( yet again ) changed and  you will have to come back and do it all again tomorrow.

The vols  tell you that things are  not worth persuing UNTIL you have all the current papers , for FREE , but you advocate you should have somehow "Found out" BEFORE you turned up ?

Really?

If you want a 'case'  to demonstrate , take the ''on return to Thailand 24 hour report".

I went to PT Imm. earlier this year and 2 weeks before I went O/S and asked ,  and they gave me a small piece of paper with a checklist of what  the IO were requesting for  when I showed  up  to them  once I came back.

 

When I came back with the listed documents , it was the vols who said , "Unfortunately , and while you were obviously away , the powers that be here have decided you also need a Power of Attorney  from your landlord , plus a tax stamp on it , but only stapled on it ,  and not stuck on it , or you are wasting your time .."

 

Where do you propose I could have learnt about this while not "in" country then ??

If theres a website  listing Phuket specific Immigration news , the DONT HOLD BACK... put it on here.

 

Or are you really proposing we all , one by one , sit down and learn all new information  Individually?

 

Why are we even posting on here in the first place if its somehow "better" to all line up to be told each and everyone of us , of why we have all wasted ours , and the Immigration Officers  time ?

 

Its a dinosaur post harking back 10 years or more and imagining some golden period .

A period , I might add ,   to when there were all of 20 of us sitting there that  didnt have a number , and were left not  even knowing if we would have a turn  on that day as everyone just hassled forward to the desk... including agents with 30 passports in their hands .

It was the Vols who put some sense of order to a previously ambivalent office , and it was the Vols who got it so everyone saved time by seeing every 'customer'  had their turn and that the newb actually learnt what they needed BEFORE they sat down..

 

To indicate to anyone that reads this thread that it was somehow "better"  has to be taking the p....

Worse still it diminishes the invaluable efforts of the Vols , the same people whose efforts I and many others roundly applaud !!

 

Im really surprised at this post.

 

[zaZa9]

"PS: heard the Tourist POLICE vol's in Patong were all let go cause one of them was doing things illegal. "

 

I will refrain from saying , "Wrong" because so much that one hears in this country can be misinformation.

What I can say is that the Volunteers were working there yesterday , as I spoke to one of them !

And my buddy did his 90 day report with a specific  tall lady who we have all had help us there .

 

Please THINK about what you write ... the main young man there is corrupt as hell ( he demanded 1,000 baht from me to hand over a "Proof of Residence" paper I applied for so as I could put a motorbike in my name  ) and his crew let the Vols go because one did something 'illegal' ??

 

Yeh ... ok ...

[merijn]

8 hours ago, zaZa9 said:

If theres a website  listing Phuket specific Immigration news , the DONT HOLD BACK... put it on here.

 

The Phuket Immigration Volunteers created a dedicated website for Phuket immigration information at www.piv-phuket.com

Edited September 29, 2018 by merijn

[phuketrichard]

8 hours ago, zaZa9 said:

"PS: heard the Tourist POLICE vol's in Patong were all let go cause one of them was doing things illegal. "

 

I will refrain from saying , "Wrong" because so much that one hears in this country can be misinformation.

What I can say is that the Volunteers were working there yesterday , as I spoke to one of them !

And my buddy did his 90 day report with a specific  tall lady who we have all had help us there .

 

Please THINK about what you write ... the main young man there is corrupt as hell ( he demanded 1,000 baht from me to hand over a "Proof of Residence" paper I applied for so as I could put a motorbike in my name  ) and his crew let the Vols go because one did something 'illegal' ??

 

Yeh ... ok ...

I mentioned Tourist police Vol, NOT Immigration volunteers> ????

PS;  the immigration Vol in Phuket town told me i needed do a tm30 after i stayed in a hotel, Went and asked the Thai immigration officer, whom knows me, told me only needed report if i left the country.

Edited September 29, 2018 by phuketrichard

[scorecard]

On 9/27/2018 at 8:38 AM, phuketrichard said:

Double thumbs up,

Things were better before they started, "helping" found out

Back than you found out what you needed an had it with you

if u didn't, immigration sent u to get it fixed.

Adults should not have to have their hands held...

PS: heard the Tourist POLICE vol's in Patong were all let go cause one of them was doing things illegal. 

 

IMHO the bottom line is that the country should permenantly employ adequate numbers of trained people who have the correct knowledge of the various matters at hand.

 

This should apply to immigration, the police, etc etc. 

 

 

[LivinginKata]

25 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

<snip>
PS;  the immigration Vol in Phuket town told me i needed do a tm30 after i stayed in a hotel, Went and asked the Thai immigration officer, whom knows me, told me only needed report if i left the country.

 

That was bad information. If the hotel registers you at the hotel with Immigration then that cancels your home address registration. I know this first hand as when I applied for my one year extension I was told that I was not registered at my home address. I found that I was registered at a hotel I had stayed in for a couple of days.

[merijn]

31 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

PS;  the immigration Vol in Phuket town told me i needed do a tm30 after i stayed in a hotel, Went and asked the Thai immigration officer, whom knows me, told me only needed report if i left the country.

Like so many times it depends which IO you ask. Some will say don't bother and others will follow the rules very strict.

 

[zaZa9]

Im am not asserting that what I learnt is 'gospel' , but two different PT Immigration Officers have told me that their office is not interested in 24 hr reporting after domestic holidays.

And also that they consider a 24 hr deadline too harsh , and allow 2 or 3 days.

 

"I mentioned Tourist police Vol, NOT Immigration volunteers>"

 

I stand corrected - sorry.

[dick dasterdly]

On 9/27/2018 at 12:57 PM, merijn said:

The immigration volunteers are working in Room 204 (second floor) on a daily basis.

Room 101 (down stairs) only have most of the time some dedicated volunteers to help people in that room with handing out numbers and forms etc.

This change was introduced a few months ago on request of the IO officers in room 101 to avoid delays in handing out numbers.

Only room 204 have the trained volunteers to help people with all immigration related problems.

They have also the immigration volunteer website where almost all the information can be found. (  www.piv-phuket.com )

 

Am I the only one who didn't have a quiet laugh at the main immigration room being -  'Room 101' ???? ??

Edited October 1, 2018 by dick dasterdly

[lowprofile]

I find the whole issue completely bewildering....

Could anyone advise me, please:

I just got back to Thailand after 4 months away. I have a Retirement Visa due in October.

Before I left Thailand in May I had a stay at Wat Suan Mok (where my presence was passed to Immigration). I then returned to my place of residence in Phuket to collect bags and left the country. I did not inform Immigration of my return as it was over a weekend.

Now I have returned, do I need to go to Immigration to re-register my place of residence (copy of passport, visa, stamps, arrival card, lease, etc) because Suan Mok was my last notified, or can I just show up to do my Retirement renewal?

It is quite a drive in to town so I want to make sure I have what is needed in advance.

Cheers

[sebastion]

The cranky German is still on the 2nd floor.
He really loves sending people away to correct stuff.

Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk

[LivinginKata]

24 minutes ago, lowprofile said:

I find the whole issue completely bewildering....

Could anyone advise me, please:

I just got back to Thailand after 4 months away. I have a Retirement Visa due in October.

Before I left Thailand in May I had a stay at Wat Suan Mok (where my presence was passed to Immigration). I then returned to my place of residence in Phuket to collect bags and left the country. I did not inform Immigration of my return as it was over a weekend.

Now I have returned, do I need to go to Immigration to re-register my place of residence (copy of passport, visa, stamps, arrival card, lease, etc) because Suan Mok was my last notified, or can I just show up to do my Retirement renewal?

It is quite a drive in to town so I want to make sure I have what is needed in advance.

Cheers

 

Based on my experience I would say you should immediately registr at your Phuket address. It can be done online. Easy enough online process. But all in Thai so need Thai reader help. Done it myself for my home and a friend's home. 

[Coconut Kidd]

15 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Based on my experience I would say you should immediately registr at your Phuket address. It can be done online. Easy enough online process. But all in Thai so need Thai reader help. Done it myself for my home and a friend's home. 

So in a nutshell, Mrs Kidd should be able to sign up and re-register me if we stay at a hotel in country which we will be doing soon?

 

Also, has anyone had experience having guests in your house, not registering and those people having problems with immigration when leaving Thailand? I could only imagine the backups if that were necessary.

[merijn]

30 minutes ago, Coconut Kidd said:

So in a nutshell, Mrs Kidd should be able to sign up and re-register me if we stay at a hotel in country which we will be doing soon?

 

Also, has anyone had experience having guests in your house, not registering and those people having problems with immigration when leaving Thailand? I could only imagine the backups if that were necessary.

No, If your wife can setup a account for alien registration that will then only for the address where she lives or has her business.

The online registration is in general only for commercial businesses and private registration is discouraged by immigration,

If you stay at a hotel and you provide them with your passport they (the hotel) will register you with immigration.

 

If you have (short time) guest in your house they should be officially registered within 24 hr but i never heard of any problems when this was not done.

Airport immigration does not check or care for the address registration.

 

[LivinginKata]

33 minutes ago, Coconut Kidd said:

So in a nutshell, Mrs Kidd should be able to sign up and re-register me if we stay at a hotel in country which we will be doing soon?

 

Also, has anyone had experience having guests in your house, not registering and those people having problems with immigration when leaving Thailand? I could only imagine the backups if that were necessary.

 

Yes. It's been described on another thread how to register @ https://extranet.immigration.go.th/fn24online/

 

It's all self declaring land lord/owner name and address with email address. In a day or so they reply with user name and password. Use that to log in and input passpot details for 'guest' staying.

 

Don't think Immigration check registration on exit Thailand, only for extension here in Thailand. Tourist or year extensions.

[LivinginKata]

2 minutes ago, merijn said:

<snip>

The online registration is in general only for commercial businesses and private registration is discouraged by immigration,

 

 

I disagree with that. Online registration is automatic system. No-one will discourage. Done it for 4 properties now. 3 declared as private. No problem.