Jomtien Immigration asked me for 10,000 Baht for change from Marriage to Retirement Extension

[The Deerhunter]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Because they think it is more difficult to do the extension.

I am on my 11th extension based upon marriage and I do not think it is that hard to do.

But that may well be with a "marriage extension friendly" office, or with staff who know who you are and dare not put a foot wrong.

[sumrit]

1 hour ago, ratcatcher said:

As you probably know, visas are not issued by agents or immigration offices.

That is done outside the kingdom in order for people to enter on a visa and convert it as desired.

What agents do is to facilitate the process of extending one's stay in the country by "working with an IO at the office."

What you see from people living miles from Jomtien is extensions of stay.

 

Not necessarily true.

 

If you enter Thailand on either a 30-day visa exempt or a tourist visa you can convert those to a non O visa at Jomtien (without having to leave the country) then that non O is subsequently extended to a retirement/marriage extension of stay.

[Kalasin Jo]

Not on visa or extension topic, but is about cash demand by government officer. My Thai wife recently sold some land, bought before we were married so in her family name. Subsequently, after we married she legally changed her family name to mine. At the local land office to process the sale her ID was questioned at the officer level above the processing clerk's desk. She had produced her ID in my family name, change of name certificate, marriage certificate. This officer then asked to see my passport, but not me ... I was outside waiting, which I had with me and was produced. She was still not happy, saying the sale could not be legally finalised because my wife did not look the same as her ID photo, saying that her skin looked much whiter in the ID photo. To get the thing done my wife had to hand over 7k baht cash. So this kind of thing is everywhere and Thais have to put up with it too. My wife just shrugged and said, normal and otherwise no sale. 

[Kalasin Jo]

10 hours ago, Wallander4 said:

I want to change cause it a gigantic hassle to do extension based on marriage at Jomtien Immigration

Yes, extensions based on marriage are a gigantic hassle :specific photos with wife at home every time, wife present for every application, wife's ID and house book, letter from village leader, witness in person on first occasion ( but not even spoken to by IO) possible home visit from IO, tea money( the 100 baht change from the official fee) and have to be done at your regional IO which for me is nearly a 3 hour drive away, there is one much nearer but not my region. The nearer one could only do a retirement xtension. I go through this annually because it's half price!

[Maestro]

12 hours ago, Wallander4 said:

So went to Jomtien Immigration with wife and wanted to change my extension based on marriage to a extension based on Retirement.

 

All papers ready from TM86, TM7, TM6 etc. etc.

This is what is called information overload. TM.86 and TM.6 were superfluous.

 

Quote

 

When we come home my wife call Immigration and ask what we can do to make this change and get the info that we should go to counter 8 in stead and not show TM86 but only TM7 ...

 

Gonna go again in afternoon - to be continued ….

 

Good of you to have had your wife call immigration. Was it their hotline 1178 she called?  

 

How did it go in the afternoon when you went back and followed the advice given by immigration?

[totally thaied up]

11 hours ago, JackThompson said:

 

I cannot say I "recommend" reporting it, because it is not my hide on the line - but I would certainly celebrate if that desk is cleaned-up.  It's absolutely sick what is being done - reported many times here regarding the same personnel - and as I experienced, personally.

This is the main reason I use an agent. I hate using an agent but I just don't need hassles anymore. I have had a few issues over the years and since using an agent, these problems stopped. In a few weeks, I need to transfer over some stamps. I said to my wife for her to do it herself. She just rolled her eyes at me and said, "You want trouble again"...

 

I would never report. I have to live here long term and if I was living in the West, yes I would deal with it differently but we are not and that is something I GOT to remember and learn to keep my mouth shut even though if this would have happened to me, I would be very unhappy. Still, I would silently celebrate like JackThompson suggests if it got cleaned up.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by totally thaied up

[Monkeyrobot]

Why do you want to change?? Now you will need 800K instead of 400K in the bank. 

[Ahab]

12 hours ago, pehice said:

hello, sorry I am new here, can you tell me what is the benefit of changing a visa from marriage to retired ?

 

Thank you.

He said getting a marriage extension at that office is a hassle and the OP thinks that getting a retirement extension is more straight forward.

[holy cow cm]

18 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

I understand how you feel but a word of caution is in order. 

 

In any Western country I'd suggest you go "full steam ahead" with your complaint.

 

Thailand  isn't a Western country so I think you would be well served to give pause to your intentions.

 

You have little chance to win a battle with immigration or any particular officer in  the immigration office.

 

Better to "turn the other cheek" and walk away while there's  still time.

 

Good luck..

 

 

 

tread careful. messing with someone's life here.

[rutteketuut]

A few years ago I had a same experience. I was a couple of days short for my 2 months 400000 in the bank. The IO told my wife if I paid 8000 Thb it could be arranged. I said no because I don't support corruption. She gave me a 60 days extension. Last year I was send back home because the photos weren't good enough. We had to make new photos in and outside the house. Same IO at c7.

[KittenKong]

8 hours ago, totally thaied up said:

This is the main reason I use an agent. I hate using an agent but I just don't need hassles anymore. I have had a few issues over the years and since using an agent, these problems stopped.

 

I've been doing my retirement extension at Jomtien myself for many years. I have never had any trouble with my paperwork (apart from an occasional extra photocopy being required - and they usually do this themselves for free), and nothing has ever been refused. This year's extension took me under half an hour in total, over two days (the second day was barely a couple of minutes). I have only ever paid the official 1900B and I always get a receipt.

I also do my 90-day reporting in person and that too takes barely a couple of minutes if I pick the right time of day.

One year I had to transfer stamps to a new passport: this was done for free on the spot as part of my extension and took a few minutes.

I live within walking distance of the office so it's easy for me to get there. I really dont feel any need to pay an agent to help with any of the above.

[marcusarelus]

29 minutes ago, rutteketuut said:

A few years ago I had a same experience. I was a couple of days short for my 2 months 400000 in the bank. The IO told my wife if I paid 8000 Thb it could be arranged. I said no because I don't support corruption. She gave me a 60 days extension. Last year I was send back home because the photos weren't good enough. We had to make new photos in and outside the house. Same IO at c7.

What office?

[marcusarelus]

4 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

I've been doing my retirement extension at Jomtien myself for many years. I have never had any trouble with my paperwork (apart from an occasional extra photocopy being required - and they usually do this themselves for free), and nothing has ever been refused. This year's extension took me under half an hour in total, over two days (the second day was barely a couple of minutes). I have only ever paid the official 1900B and I always get a receipt.

I also do my 90-day reporting in person and that too takes barely a couple of minutes if I pick the right time of day.

One year I had to transfer stamps to a new passport: this was done for free on the spot as part of my extension and took a few minutes.

I live within walking distance of the office so it's easy for me to get there. I really dont feel any need to pay an agent to help with any of the above.

Same with me although I have since moved to another town and it's the same there.  I wonder why some people have problems and others don't? 

[Wallander4]

9 hours ago, Maestro said:

This is what is called information overload. TM.86 and TM.6 were superfluous.

 

Good of you to have had your wife call immigration. Was it their hotline 1178 she called?  

 

How did it go in the afternoon when you went back and followed the advice given by immigration?

Gonna pick up my Retirement extension today from counter 8 - no problems, no bribes and very friendly staff at counter 8, not like 6 and 7.

 

Disappointing to see how many expats actually supports corruption (shills or Tourist Police staff maybe ?) at Immigration and some people - that should be experts in this area - actually think that a Marriage extension is done same same in every Immigration office … unbelievable naive

[dallen52]

19 hours ago, Wallander4 said:

Complaint will be made when we sit in Europe - safe from the thugs

I've seen it with my own eyes.

Guy rolls up with 600k in the bank. 

Says I only have this.

And oh, this. Cash in hand.

Told to wait and they will talk to the boss.

 

Blatant and open. No hiding it. 

 

Perhaps they are all building up the nest eggs before the Big Joke weilds his Big Sword.?

 

Jomtien. Money talks...

 

But then again. 

This is Thailand..

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

I wonder why some people have problems and others don't? 

That's a good question. Certainly some offices are renowned for being tedious to deal with - Chiang Mai springs to mind - but that doesnt explain why some find Jomtien difficult.

[JackThompson]

20 hours ago, watcharacters said:

If your post is accurate it sounds like any official complaints about corruption in the immigration/visa realm can be corrected by focusing on the Jomtiem  facility.

With a focus on that desk in particular.  The retirement desk and tourist desk in that office are not reported to deny-service to qualified applicants. 

 

After fixing the Non-O desk problem, they could work to to help people who rent their abode and need an extension from the "Family" desk - who are also frequently denied-service / forced to agents. 

 

20 hours ago, Moti24 said:

I've extended my spousal extension 5 times at Jomtien with no problem.  Doesn't take me too long to get the paperwork and photos together.  I know a couple of guys who think it's difficult, but the truth is, they just don't like doing anything above the capability of a grade 5 student.  PM me if you want more info.

Do you rent, or own your own condo?  If you rent, then it's a very different experience.  They target renters for their "agent-money" pipeline, by asking for landlord-documents which most can never obtain.  This to spite already having a valid TM-30, btw.

 

 

19 hours ago, dcnx said:

The entire immigration office must have laughed when they hung up those new NO TIPPING signs.

No, it is a very serious matter.  No tips or other bribes - outside of official agent-channels with the proper portions forwarded up the chain to superiors - will be tolerated.  If caught hoarding bribes all to oneself, punishment is assured.

 

I liked the sign in the Philippines better.  It said "No Fixers" (agents), and they meant it.  Those were some of the friendliest bureaucrats I ever dealt with in my life, in the PI.  They seemed to "get it" - that our incoming-money was helping their country, and their job was to facilitate continuing that flow, for as long as possible.

[rutteketuut]

7 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

What office?

Same immigration office at counter 7. And I've heard more people complaining about that female officer.

[totally thaied up]

8 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Same with me although I have since moved to another town and it's the same there.  I wonder why some people have problems and others don't? 

I have been traveling in an out of Thailand since I was 35. I am 49 now and was spending 3 months before here and then 4 weeks Australia, KL or the Philippines.

 

In Australia, from about 42 years of age onwards, I was getting stopped mostly every second trip asking where my income was coming from. I just showed Australian Immigration my pension letters and my bank accounts. Same started happening in Thailand at about 43. I started avoiding going home to Australia for a period of time. I had been deemed a portable pension and saw it as no ones business where my money came from.

 

I moved across to different Visas always keeping legal. I met my wife but we did not get married for a long time as I wanted to be sure I was with the right person. At 43, I started to use a Visa Service (all legal) and I just did not have any more border issues for two years and then I got married. You need to remember, I was coming in and out of Thailand a lot (three times a year) and then to other Asian destinations as well.

 

I really was just trying to hang it out till 50 and if I did not meet my wife when I did, I would have spent the last two-three years most likely between Vietnam and the Philippines instead of Thailand. I just renewed my passport this week and the Embassy Offical looked at how dog-eared it looked and that it was just plastered in stamps, he mentioned I must have been a very busy person traveling as it was only four years old. 

Edited November 21, 2018 by totally thaied up

[roo860]

 
very smart idea to change her name hahahaha, did it make you feel better ? Is she more your wife when having your name ? so funny to not even think about he consequences...
 
 

Pehice, I think you've spelt your name wrong.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Pattaya46]

9 hours ago, KittenKong said:

I've been doing my retirement extension at Jomtien myself for many years. I have never had any trouble with my paperwork  //

9 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Same with me although I have since moved to another town and it's the same there.  I wonder why some people have problems and others don't? 

Same for me; no problem in Jomtien for my Retirement Extensions...

but...

It is common knowledge that, for several years, there is a big corruption problem with (only?) the lady who manages the transfer Tourist->Non-O before getting your first yearly extension.

Many reports of people being asked 10-20'000 for this transfer 

but it also seems that people who refused and insisted get their transfer at normal price, and the lady then explains that the first big price was for "express service" while the normal one can take 2 weeks... 

[JackThompson]

46 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

the lady then explains that the first big price was for "express service" while the normal one can take 2 weeks... 

Two weeks would have been fine with me.  I had an MFA-stamped embassy letter showing my income.  I was handed a list of home-made requirements that did not match the official form, and did not include a way to meet the financials by income (at all).  Then I was told the money "in the bank" (only way) would need to be seasoned - again violating the rules stated on the official form.  It was suggested I could transfer the money, then go on a series of Visa-exempt runs (if by-air, would have been very risky) during the seasoning period (unnecessary), then apply again.

[Kalasin Jo]

17 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

I've been doing my retirement extension at Jomtien myself for many years. I have never had any trouble with my paperwork (apart from an occasional extra photocopy being required - and they usually do this themselves for free), and nothing has ever been refused. This year's extension took me under half an hour in total, over two days (the second day was barely a couple of minutes). I have only ever paid the official 1900B and I always get a receipt.

I also do my 90-day reporting in person and that too takes barely a couple of minutes if I pick the right time of day.

One year I had to transfer stamps to a new passport: this was done for free on the spot as part of my extension and took a few minutes.

I live within walking distance of the office so it's easy for me to get there. I really dont feel any need to pay an agent to help with any of the above.

That you transferred stamps to a new passport for free is interesting. I had to do this at Sakon Nakhon a couple of years ago, and was charged. Can't remember how much.I was given a receipt though but I've lost that now.

[Kalasin Jo]

17 hours ago, rutteketuut said:

A few years ago I had a same experience. I was a couple of days short for my 2 months 400000 in the bank. The IO told my wife if I paid 8000 Thb it could be arranged. I said no because I don't support corruption. She gave me a 60 days extension. Last year I was send back home because the photos weren't good enough. We had to make new photos in and outside the house. Same IO at c7.

Yes, those photos: one in bedroom(!but fully clothed!) one in living room, one outside. Have to be new ones every year.

[sumrit]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

Same for me; no problem in Jomtien for my Retirement Extensions...

but...

It is common knowledge that, for several years, there is a big corruption problem with (only?) the lady who manages the transfer Tourist->Non-O before getting your first yearly extension.

Many reports of people being asked 10-20'000 for this transfer 

but it also seems that people who refused and insisted get their transfer at normal price, and the lady then explains that the first big price was for "express service" while the normal one can take 2 weeks... 

Or even three months, as happened to my mate when he declined her 'express service'.

[janclaes47]

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

there is a big corruption problem with (only?) the lady who manages the transfer Tourist->Non-O

Is this the lady married to the Dutch guy?

 

If anyone thinks there is no corruption in Jomtien immigration, I know an officer who last year paid 3 million to get transferred here. He doesn't sit at a desk though.

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post.

[Jack james]

i have a retirement visa now. thinking of changing to marriage visa for the 400,000 bank deposit. what is the hassle which you speak?

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, Jack james said:

i have a retirement visa now. thinking of changing to marriage visa for the 400,000 bank deposit. what is the hassle which you speak?

I assume you are asking about an extension of stay not a visa.

There should be no hassle to do it dependent upon the office you do it at. Just take you wife with you, the required documents and apply for an extension of stay based upon marriage when your current extension is near to ending.

[Jack james]

the person started this thread said he wanted to change because of the hassle. i was curious if marriage extension is more work.?