Pattaya Immigration: Soi 5 Jomtien: A Warning!

[libya 115]

Pattaya Immigration refuse without any leniency or tractability to transfer existing visas in old/full passports to new passports without an original letter request issued by your embassy.

This fact is especially important because:

The British Embassy does not automatically issue such a letter, citing that 'a receipt is adequate'.

It is not.

Edited March 1, 2007 by libya 115

[davethailand]

Pattaya Immigration refuse without any leniency or tractability to transfer existing visas in old/full passports to new passports without an original letter request issued by your embassy.

This fact is especially important because:

The British Embassy does not automatically issue such a letter, citing that 'a receipt is adequate'.

It is not.

I know.

My new passport came back and my lawyer said "where the letter"? No have i said so he rang and they apologised and sorted it.

I'm now stamped and legal till next feb.

[Artisan]

So what does this really mean?

[scooterboy]

Got a new passport from the embassy May 2006 (and no letter!). Went to

Pattaya Immigration and the friendly guy (counter 9, methinks) transferred the visa info from old to new passport in a matter of hours - no hassle of any kind. But maybe new rules in force since then.

[monty]

Welcome to the Republic of Pattaya, with our own set of rules and regulations

Almost anything apart from the most basic things, I just go down to Soi Suan Phlu main immigration office in Bkk.

Simply don't bother going to the Jomtien office anymore....

[Mobi]

I nearly got thrown out of the country a year ago, as I foolishly tried to change from a retirement visa to a visa based on marriage, and although I should have known, nobody told me to maintain (the then) 400k requirement in my bank account during the 'under considertation' period. Even though I was was subsequently given 2 monthly extensions, (after showing my bank account with less than 400K in it), on the third occasion I was given 24 hours to leave the country. This was even though I had been in Thailand for several years on a retirement visa, and had over a million Baht in other bank accounts. My passport was marked in Thai : 'insufficient funds'

Fortunately, by a quick to and fro-ing from the bank to get the necessary paperwork, I re-applied in the afternoon for a retirement visa, and was given one the same day. I put the whole episode down to my own stupidity and ignorance, but there was no doubt the that guys at Jomtien took great pleasure in watching me squirm. At any point tin the process they could have told me that I had not followed the rules, but they just let me go on, assuming all was OK until they delivered their 'coup de grace'

This year, I was extremely nervous about going back to Jomtien, but gave myself 10 days leeway, so if there was any problem I could re-apply at Bangkok. So I turned up with all documents for a renewal of my retirement visa, and it was processed, without comment in about 40 minutes.

I will always be nervous about these places, and after my experiences last year (when I went alone), I have now determined to always have a Thai with me, even though I speak pretty good Thai, if for no other reason, so that someone will know if I am hauled off to jail, or so that the immigration officer has a Thai person there who he can tell how much bung he requires to stamp my passport, as for sure as h..ll he will not tell me.

I tend to agree with Monty. Treat Jomtien immigration with great care.

[Phil Conners]

Someone once told me there is an immigration office in Sattahip which is much nicer to deal with and much less busy than Pattaya. Anyone know more about that?

[libya 115]

So what does this really mean?

It means 'Artisan' that if you wish to transfer a visa from an old/full/cancelled passport at Pattaya immigration you must present an official original letter from your embassy.

Land border crossings are now not permitted unless visa stamps have already been transferred into a new passport from the old/full/cancelled passport.

I was advised by the British Embassy in Bangkok that tranfer of visa/stamps is the responsibility of the passport holder, and that departure by airport with un-transferred visa stamps is possible in 99% of cases.

However if you have not transferred stamps you should have a good reason for not doing so, as departure from Thailand could, in theory be disallowed.

[astral]

Someone once told me there is an immigration office in Sattahip which is much nicer to deal with and much less busy than Pattaya. Anyone know more about that?

There is also one in Sri Racha,

on the beach road, near the causeway to the Floating Island.

[Artisan]

So what does this really mean?

It means 'Artisan' that if you wish to transfer a visa from an old/full/cancelled passport at Pattaya immigration you must present an official original letter from your embassy.

Thank you libya......As your original post stated that the British Embassy does not automatically issue such a letter, citing that 'a receipt is adequate', I assume that "automatically" is the operative word here and so you have to make a specific request. Am I correct?

Thank you again.

[Phil Conners]

Someone once told me there is an immigration office in Sattahip which is much nicer to deal with and much less busy than Pattaya. Anyone know more about that?

There is also one in Sri Racha,

on the beach road, near the causeway to the Floating Island.

Do you have personal experience with them? Do you know if they are they nicer/friendlier/less busy than Pattaya?

I haven't had any problems with Pattaya Immigration but it's true they're arrogant paper tigers who love to see farangs squirm in the chair.

[PattayaDavid]

Pattaya Immigration refuse without any leniency or tractability to transfer existing visas in old/full passports to new passports without an original letter request issued by your embassy.

This fact is especially important because:

The British Embassy does not automatically issue such a letter, citing that 'a receipt is adequate'.

It is not.

/

Thailand doesn't have the market cornered in this area.  My wife was issued a 10-year multiple entry/exit visa

from the U.S. embassy in Bangkok, unlike the 90-day or 1-year visas we are issued here here in Thailand.

Thai passports are only good for years so after my wife renewed her passport, we visited the U.S. embassy

to request that her visa be transferred to her new passport.  To make a long story short, the U.S. embassy won't transfer the visa and neither will the Thai passport office.  Their response, they staple both the old and new passports together so my wife will have to carry both passprts when she is traveling to the U.S. until she renews her visa again.

[Artisan]

Pattaya Immigration refuse without any leniency or tractability to transfer existing visas in old/full passports to new passports without an original letter request issued by your embassy.

This fact is especially important because:

The British Embassy does not automatically issue such a letter, citing that 'a receipt is adequate'.

It is not.

I am at a complete loss as to understand the logic in all of this. Doesn't the possession of a brand new passport, complete with photograph, place of issue , date of issue and date of expiry....and complete with the new "chip", offer just as much, or even more, proof than a letter from the Embassy.........supported by the expiring passport and still valid visa? Isn't this spanking new passport itself adequate?

Please don't follow up this posting with thoughts and comments about "logic". All that I'm saying is that I don't understand it.

Thank you

[wcr]

Well I got my visa transfered over from my old UK passport into my new one, last week at Pattaya Immigration, and no letter.

[libya 115]

Well I got my visa transfered over from my old UK passport into my new one, last week at Pattaya Immigration, and no letter.

I suspect that I got 'the wrong guy': I remember his eyes rolled when I said 'transfer' visa: which is a slightly tedious job {for him} to perform (free of charge) early morning with his head possibly still fuzzy. So he used the missing letter as an excuse to fob me off.

FYI this guy described above sits at A#1 and I saw him making trouble for another applicant because he hadn't attached a photo with glue or staple.

__________________________________

When I returned (with official embassy letter) I saw a different guy, who hardly looked at my documentation and was friendly, efficient and cheerful.

Job done in ten minutes!

Edited March 2, 2007 by libya 115

[dogleg]

Thailand doesn't have the market cornered in this area.  My wife was issued a 10-year multiple entry/exit visa

from the U.S. embassy in Bangkok, unlike the 90-day or 1-year visas we are issued here here in Thailand.

Thai passports are only good for years so after my wife renewed her passport, we visited the U.S. embassy

to request that her visa be transferred to her new passport.  To make a long story short, the U.S. embassy won't transfer the visa and neither will the Thai passport office.  Their response, they staple both the old and new passports together so my wife will have to carry both passprts when she is traveling to the U.S. until she renews her visa again.

I still have, as souveniers, two sets of three of the big old British passports stitched together to preserve US and Saudi visas. Like sodding house bricks!!

[Mobi]

Well back in the old , old, days, expired British passports were attached by SEAL to the new ones. I have several of these in my collection.

Here's one from 1972:

As you can see, such an arrangement obviates the need for letters, or indeed the transfer of visas from old to new.

I wonder whay they don't do this anymore?

[barryofthailand]

Their is no logic when you are deling with the government, wheather Thai, American, or British.

Barry

[Artisan]

When I first read the original post from libya, I thought "Here we go.......not another conspiracy, not another scam because, after all, these consular letters don't come cheap, do they?"

[stickyb]

Can the letter be obtained from the British Consul in Pattaya, or only the embassy in BKK?

[Gary A]

I had the visas transfered to my new passport with no letter and no problem, HOWEVER, the reason I had to get a new passport is because when immigration was in Pattaya they apparently made some mistakes they were ashamed of. I think they were afraid that I would go to a different office and they would lose face for their mistakes so the easiest way to hide the mistakes was for this farang to get a new passport when the old one still had three years left.

[wilko]

Gotmine in June last year no letter no problem....so yet another "brainwave" from the immigration office!

[linglop]

Pattaya Immigration refuse without any leniency or tractability to transfer existing visas in old/full passports to new passports without an original letter request issued by your embassy.

This fact is especially important because:

The British Embassy does not automatically issue such a letter, citing that 'a receipt is adequate'.

It is not.

This is a scam! The immigration office must be short on bottles of black label and contributions to its computer fund.

[banchang]

Someone once told me there is an immigration office in Sattahip which is much nicer to deal with and much less busy than Pattaya. Anyone know more about that?

I think you will find its at Maptaput on the industrial estate about 30k from sattahip, although I havent used it I hear it is very friendly. They tend to deal with expat workers for the local petro chem works.

[wilko]

BtW - I now do all my immigration stuff at Sri Racha. The place is usually nearly empty and the staff are very helpful and polite. No sign of any backhandedness either.

[wilko]

BtW - I now do all my immigration stuff at Sri Racha. The place is usually nearly empty and the staff are very helpful and polite. No sign of any backhandedness either.

[Luckydog]

Well I got my visa transfered over from my old UK passport into my new one, last week at Pattaya Immigration, and no letter.

I suspect that I got 'the wrong guy': I remember his eyes rolled when I said 'transfer' visa: which is a slightly tedious job {for him} to perform (free of charge) early morning with his head possibly still fuzzy. So he used the missing letter as an excuse to fob me off.

FYI this guy described above sits at A#1 and I saw him making trouble for another applicant because he hadn't attached a photo with glue or staple.

__________________________________

When I returned (with official embassy letter) I saw a different guy, who hardly looked at my documentation and was friendly, efficient and cheerful.

Job done in ten minutes!

I have never had any trouble with Immigration in Soi 5. So just because some berk made a fuss don't get all excited and start running off elsewhere, please!

But if a letter is requested of you in future, I am sure that the Hon Consul in Pattaya will write one for you.....No big deal Guys!

Edited March 25, 2007 by Luckydog

[PMK]

I originally had a married-to-Thai visa issued in Bangkok. Years later I reapplied in Pattaya. That necessitated starting again from scratch - in essence canceling the original visa. Therefore switching offices was not something to be done casually. Does anyone know if that is still the case on these non-immigrant visas?

Peter

Someone once told me there is an immigration office in Sattahip which is much nicer to deal with and much less busy than Pattaya. Anyone know more about that?

[jeffrosner]

I had no trouble tranferring my visa stamps on a non-o with 1 year marriage extension. I took it to the desk for marriage extensions and he took all of 15 minutes to transfer the information.

I had a letter from my embassy but was never asked for it so I never showed it.

JR

[Mobi]

I originally had a married-to-Thai visa issued in Bangkok. Years later I reapplied in Pattaya. That necessitated starting again from scratch - in essence canceling the original visa. Therefore switching offices was not something to be done casually. Does anyone know if that is still the case on these non-immigrant visas?

Peter

I'm by no means an expert on this, and been wrong footed many times myself. However, if I understand you correctly, then what transpired is no surprise to me, and I don't see how you can criticise Pattaya immigration in this instance.

I assume you are not talking about the transfer of current visas from an old to a new passport (which is what this thread is about).

You are talking about re-applying for a marriage visa, when the existing one expired.

Well first and foremost they are not 'visas' as such, but permission to extend your stay in Thailand for a further 12 months. This has to be done every year, and every year there is a fresh consideration of your status - be it married to a Thai, retirement or whatever. Obviously if you reapplied in Bangkok, they would have your file to hand, and the extension for another year should be a formality, provide you still fulfilled their conditions - including any modifications thereof.

Now, if you decide to go to another immigration office, it is hardly surprising that they would wish to start from scratch. After all they don't have your previous case history, and my understanding on marriage extensions is that provincial immigration officers are required to carry out standard checks on applicants, and then pass the file to Bangkok for final approval. OK I suppose they could have requested your file from Bangkok, and checked the details - but I think that is expecting a bit too much, and in any event, as you are now applying at a different location, how are they to know that your circumstances - vis a vis your marriage - haven't changed in some way?

Retirement visas are not referred to Bangkok and can be approved on the spot by any office. But that doesn't alter the fact that each year is a new consideration, and the fact that you may have been stamped up for several years at that office or any other office has no bearing on their decision on whether to let you stay for another year.

By all means have a go at immigration when justified - but in this instance, I think not.

Edited March 26, 2007 by Mobi D'Ark