Hat Yai Hell

[MyFriend You]

16 hours ago, ukrules said:

Do you feel welcome in this country ?

 

I do because I always have the paperwork they want.........and don't try to talk my way into an extension..........yes sir/ma'am no sir/ma'am three bags full.........I get what I want.   Life is simple.

[murraynz]

interesting post, and replies.

Yet again- im soo glad that im not married- i dont  have to put up with this sort of crap....

surely, it would be better to pay an agent, thus avoiding all this degrading rig ma roll...

the goalposts are always moving...  

nobody knows what they will next dream up....

 

[Rastaputin]

Doing my marriage extensions in Jomtien now with Agent several Years. Last time i tried on my own, the officer first softly hinted that a contribution of 15000 Baht into his coffer would smooth the proceedings. We (wife and me) decided to not hear it, so he gradually got louder so we had to answer. „Any problems with our application?“ He ran through the paper stable two or three times,and finally came up with „Passport Photo wrong size!“ Needless to say the size matched the requirements given to us in writing, but I decided to open an envelope in my attaché case where i have several recent Passport Photos in all possible sizes, leftovers from several Visa I applied for in the months before. So he now reverted to being unable to read one of my documents ....

Went to my agent next morning and had the „Under consideration“ Stamp the same day, with the same paperwork ...For less money than the „Officer“ requested as bribe.

[Mansell]

11 hours ago, johnwf1963 said:

How would the local Amphur know if you were divorced or not, what a load of rubbish....!

I got married in Sara Buri but divorced in Bangkok.....the Amphur thing has to be nonsense from one IO with their own odd agenda. 

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, Mansell said:

I got married in Sara Buri but divorced in Bangkok.....the Amphur thing has to be nonsense from one IO with their own odd agenda.

If you tried to get a Kor Ror 2 marriage registry if married here or Kor Ror 22 foreign marriage registry and divorced at a Amphoe you would not be able to get one. That is what immigration was wanting from the Amphoe.

[Sprog71]

Thank you for the many should have done this should have done that scenarios.

 

I learnt very many years ago to avoid Thai officialdom and for more years I care to remember have successfully spent the winter months in our Thailand home and the summer months in our UK home. Always achieved on a multi entry O visa obtained in Hull. That is until this trip when I was told in error by the Hull Consulate that only single entry visas are available. Embassies/consulates also declare single entry O visas are readily extendable on a retirement/marriage basis at immigration offices in Thailand.

 

I do not want/need to live in Thailand full time but nevertheless opting for a marriage extension seemed easy and suited my purpose in the short term. BIG MISTAKE and I posted to highlight the fact.

 

I think I have proved to myself there is conflict between Thai Embassies/Consulates and Thai Immigration. i.e. Thai Embassies promote single entry O visas with extentions  at Immigration in Thailand. Thai Immigration promote leaving the Kingdom to obtain a visa at a Thai Embassy (This was the first solution suggested to me by two IOs months ago at Hat Yai Immigration and the one I am now taking).

NOT TOO OLD TO LEARN!!! (RE-LEARN)

[JackThompson]

7 hours ago, gamini said:

The reason they make it hard for marriage visa extensions is that the system is very much abused. Many marriages are just to get a Visa.  

People from which countries set up fake-marriages to get a visa?  I find it hard to believe that foreigners from higher-wage countries, who support their extensions with foreign-sourced incomes or 400K baht in the bank, are doing many fake-marriages.  It sounds like another case of "caught one - turn it into a big media story, and we can put the screws to another batch for payoffs." 

 

And even if many were doing fake marriages, most of the hoops set up would do Exactly Nothing to prevent that - intended only to humiliate and discourage honest, in-person applications.  The ONLY requirement beyond the basics (wife, marriage-cert, home-address), which has any merit, is the home-visit - which I respect.

 

Has anyone considered how much supporting a fake-marriage would cost, vs just paying an agent for a retirement extension?  The guy was (well) over 50.  I was close to 50 when they jerked me around.  An agent (openly advertised) is far cheaper per-annum than a Thai wife (even a fake "part time" one) - but a Thai wife doesn't pay a commission to immigration, which is distributed up the chain.
 

Quote

The guy said he spent so many millions in Thailand, then why doesn't he get a retirement Visa as you suggest. It's very easy and there are never any problems. 

Sometimes there are problems in some areas - even with retirement.  But in this case, one reason he did not go for retirement, is because he inquired at the office, was told what he was doing was fine, and later found out he was misinformed.  He had 800K, so no reason he couldn't have put that in a non-joint account to season, IF he had known what they had in store for him on the marriage route.

 

And, as I pointed out earlier, based on what he wrote, they hadn't even gotten around to the other "extra requirements" which are presented the 2nd time you go in, after you have met their 1st set of particulars - as they drag you closer and closer to your "permitted until" date, until you finally have to pay them off via an agent (as intended), or give up.

Edited January 23, 2019 by JackThompson

[Psimbo]

6 hours ago, murraynz said:

interesting post, and replies.

Yet again- im soo glad that im not married- i dont  have to put up with this sort of crap....

surely, it would be better to pay an agent, thus avoiding all this degrading rig ma roll...

the goalposts are always moving...  

nobody knows what they will next dream up....

 

This is exactly what they want you to do so they can take a cut of it.

 

I see people getting urined off then fobbed off by the IOs and having to go down the agent route as they know they are going to get messed around. 20-25k later through an agent they finally get what they were after (as does the IO for getting hassle). 

 

A cool head, a bit of patience and kow-towing and Richard's your father's brother for another year for B1900.

[baansgr]

On 1/22/2019 at 10:42 PM, elviajero said:

YOU WERE NOT PREPARED.

 

Having the original marriage certificate is always required.

 

Not uncommon.

 

Some offices do accept joint accounts, but it's supposed to be your money to support yourself for the 1 years permission to stay.

 

Unreasonable, but nothing a photocopier can't sort out.

No 4 is totally unreasonable. I wouldnt even be able to provide that as doubt many could and if I could would probably be over 5,000 pages or more to copy...that is madness

[vinegarbase]

On 1/22/2019 at 10:40 AM, JackThompson said:

At some offices, even if you meet their last list of demands, they could change them once or twice more, adding more to each visit. 

Exactly. It means one of a few things.

 

1. They just want to make your life miserable and get off on the power trip.

2. They don't want to see your face anymore and would rather you just leave, either to another province or leave Thailand all together.

3. They are looking for a bribe and hope you go through an agent if they give you too many problems.

 

Thai immigration is some of the most miserable people I have ever met in my life. No amount of propaganda will ever lead me to believe things will get better or to recommend to anyone to come to Thailand for more than a week or two vacation once or twice a year, even then I would suggest Malaysia before Thailand if they had to come to SE Asia.

 

Thailand was great 10 years ago and has gone downhill ever since. It's amazing it still gets so much hype. You can only fool most people for so long though. 

[elviajero]

49 minutes ago, baansgr said:

No 4 is totally unreasonable. I wouldnt even be able to provide that as doubt many could and if I could would probably be over 5,000 pages or more to copy...that is madness

They were almost certainly just asking for every page of the current passbook (which happens to go back to 2011) containing the 800K to be copied. Not every passbook going back to 2011.

[baansgr]

8 hours ago, elviajero said:

They were almost certainly just asking for every page of the current passbook (which happens to go back to 2011) containing the 800K to be copied. Not every passbook going back to 2011.

Duh....thats not so bad and easily done

[Sprog71]

Point is.

1 Why copy 8 years of passbook never with a balance of less than millions when the only balance relevant is on the day.

2 Why copy years of O visas when the only relevant one is the last one.

 

[elviajero]

10 minutes ago, Sprog71 said:

Point is.

1 Why copy 8 years of passbook never with a balance of less than millions when the only balance relevant is on the day.

2 Why copy years of O visas when the only relevant one is the last one.

I agree that both are completely pointless. The point is that if we want an extension we have to give them whatever they ask for, and there’s no point whinging about it.

[Wallander4]

Amazing how much Thai apologist nonsense have to read here when people are being truly harassed and extorted by these disgusting IO's ...

[elviajero]

Just now, Wallander4 said:

Amazing how much Thai apologist nonsense have to read here when people are being truly harassed and extorted by these disgusting IO's ...

How was the OP “extorted”?

 

[Wallander4]

40 minutes ago, elviajero said:

How was the OP “extorted”?

 

Just go down to Jomtien IO and put on your uniform and get the bribes while there's any expats left - in a few years this dump will be empty for both tourists and expats

[elviajero]

12 minutes ago, Wallander4 said:

Just go down to Jomtien IO and put on your uniform and get the bribes while there's any expats left - in a few years this dump will be empty for both tourists and expats

I asked; “How was the OP “extorted”?

 

People with your mindset cannot differentiate between corruption/extortion — that undoubtedly exists — and unnecessary bureaucracy, which is the OP’s issue.

Edited January 24, 2019 by elviajero

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

The point is that if we want an extension we have to give them whatever they ask for, and there’s no point whinging about it.

While I agree that such a "suck it up" attitude is often required when dealing with the officialdom in countries like Thailand, this is an expat forum and sharing one's bad experiences is by no means "whinging". It's useful, if only for other (potential) expats to learn what to expect.

 

For your sake, I hope your IO will never ask you to jump off the roof before granting your extension. I fear you might just comply without questioning the wisdom of it.

Edited January 24, 2019 by Caldera
Typo

[ramr]

19 hours ago, gamini said:

The reason they make it hard for marriage visa extensions is that the system is very much abused. Many marriages are just to get a Visa.  

 

You'd have a point if you were talking about ED visas or endless VOA's, both of which have been seriously tightened up in the past couple years anyway.

 

But widespread marriage visa fraud?  Pull the other one, and then try reading Jack Thompson's response to your assertion.  No need for me to reinvent the wheel.

[wobalt]

If you tried to get a Kor Ror 2 marriage registry if married here or Kor Ror 22 foreign marriage registry and divorced at a Amphoe you would not be able to get one. That is what immigration was wanting from the Amphoe.

My foreign marriage has never been registered at a Amphoe.


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[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, wobalt said:

My foreign marriage has never been registered at a Amphoe.
 

If you ever wanted to apply for a one year extension based upon marriage it would have to be registered to get a Kor Ror 22 that immigration requires.

[Chippy151]

On 1/23/2019 at 12:30 AM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

FWIW, in many years of dealing with them, I've never ever seen a printed list of requirements of what BKK CW wants for their various applications.

That would be just too logical.

A printed list of requirements that you can tick when you have them. Everything would be so easier.

[wobalt]

If you ever wanted to apply for a one year extension based upon marriage it would have to be registered to get a Kor Ror 22 that immigration requires.

At the time we got married we had to register that at the Thai Embassy


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[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, wobalt said:

At the time we got married we had to register that at the Thai Embassy

Things have changed since then. Not sure if immigration would accept it or not. You might still have to do it at a Amphoe.

[wobalt]

How did the Amphoe know you are divorced or not. do they know german divorce laws?


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[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, wobalt said:

How did the Amphoe know you are divorced or not. do they know german divorce laws?

They wouldn't know about it unless you had registered your marriage at one and filed for the divorce at a Amphoe.

[whitefarang]

I have had the same problem as you have  . You go to the nearest Ministry of Foreign Affairs . Songkhla I believe that is. Explain them your problem . Give them your translated marriage certificate and tell them you want a Thai marriage certificate . At the Ministry they will probably tell you that they cant help you . After some utmost poIite pressure from my side I was given some sort of statement  , an excerpt  that I am married to a Thai ( 27 plus years btw ) . I handed that in at the local town hall in Songkhla and 20 minutes later I had an official Thai marriage certificate in my hands . Next day back at immigration . Handed in the Thai marriage certificate . Did not need hand in my translated marriage certificate since they considered that not valid enough anymore . Done . Save your original translated marriage certificate carefully . Thai immigration will probably ask for that again when you apply again for the 3rd time for your visa . Just to piss you off. You can fix that all at your local police station . That is what I did . Good luck .

[wobalt]

They wouldn't know about it unless you had registered your marriage at one and filed for the divorce at a Amphoe.

A divorce filed in Thailand at a Amphoe doesn’t make you divorced in Germany


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[tgeezer]

Thank you for the many should have done this should have done that scenarios.

 

I learnt very many years ago to avoid Thai officialdom and for more years I care to remember have successfully spent the winter months in our Thailand home and the summer months in our UK home. Always achieved on a multi entry O visa obtained in Hull. That is until this trip when I was told in error by the Hull Consulate that only single entry visas are available. Embassies/consulates also declare single entry O visas are readily extendable on a retirement/marriage basis at immigration offices in Thailand.

 

I do not want/need to live in Thailand full time but nevertheless opting for a marriage extension seemed easy and suited my purpose in the short term. BIG MISTAKE and I posted to highlight the fact.

 

I think I have proved to myself there is conflict between Thai Embassies/Consulates and Thai Immigration. i.e. Thai Embassies promote single entry O visas with extentions  at Immigration in Thailand. Thai Immigration promote leaving the Kingdom to obtain a visa at a Thai Embassy (This was the first solution suggested to me by two IOs months ago at Hat Yai Immigration and the one I am now taking).

NOT TOO OLD TO LEARN!!! (RE-LEARN)

I post for the benefit of others because as you say you made a mistake.

I have been spending five months in Thailand and seven in UK since 2005. Retirement seemed the best option since it required only the 800000bt in the bank. This requires me to renew the extension, obtain one re-entry stamp at the Government Center and post one 90 day report each time I am here.

For those who have not had enough of travelling a multi re-entry would be the only extra requirement and for those who want to stay in Thailand surely much more simple than using marriage as a basis for staying in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

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