I'm DONE with these VISA policies!!! CEBU here I come!!

[Olmate]

18 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

What? I mean didn't you get married? I let my wife do that, the kitchen is only there for her.

 

  It's a fair deal, I make the money and she keeps the house clean, washes clothes, etc..

 

 

 

Is that a casserole?

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, Banana7 said:

That's ridiculous. Although it is house owner's responsibility according to law, Thai Immigration chooses to fine the renter/foreigner for no TM30. Thousands of foreigners who rent have paid the fine. Go read the posts on this website and get educated.

 

Thousands on this sit?. Maybe a couple of dozen. Stop exaggerating.

 

[Isaanbiker]

19 minutes ago, kellersphuket said:

first came here as a tourist in '83. got married to a local girl in '88. divorced in '93 and been living here on and off since then. been here permanently since 2010 with two recent trips back to the states.

I hope that you'll enjoy their tasty chicken, especially the chicken a la' recycle. And for Filipina women, please be careful.

 

Don't make the same mistakes again. Best of luck!!!

 

  

[Peterw42]

1 hour ago, Banana7 said:

That's ridiculous. Although it is house owner's responsibility according to law, Thai Immigration chooses to fine the renter/foreigner for no TM30. Thousands of foreigners who rent have paid the fine. Go read the posts on this website and get educated.

 

Its the House master, owner or "possesor". A long term rental on a property and you are the possesor, and just as responsible for TM30 and fines.

Edited July 20, 2019 by Peterw42

[vogie]

Anybody requiring in depth information about relocating to the Philippines could check out a thread started by ExpatPH.

[Orton Rd]

I am more bothered about having to wait up to 2 hours to get through immigration than the silly visa rules, can't stand for that long!

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

 

 

 

When I walked into the Lao Immigration office yesterday, all 3 officers waied me, (and I waied back of course). Then they all made jokes about me leaving Thailand to live in Laos because Lao girls are prettier, (which is probably true, judging from my previous experiences when I lived there).

 

Never had a Thai immigration officer wai me ????

 

I've made 3 overnight trips to/from Laos in as many weeks.  Have I reported to immigration each time to report my TM30 details?  Have I hassled my landlord to go and do the TM30 report each time? Not a chance!  They can fine me on my final trip out from Thailand - I'm not wasting my time reporting like a prisoner out on bail.

My wife is Lao and we have a house there.  But because we had our son before we married, our marriage is not recognised by the Lao authorities and technically we are breaking the law by being there. I have to bribe the village Headman every time I, and my son, visit and living there permanently for both us is virtually impossible.

 

Thailand doesn't have quite such "unfriendly" policies and I fail to recognise the Lao Immigration officials you describe!

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

and been talking to a girl online for the last few months so got a place to stay ????

are you ready to meet all the (extended) family because they will all come for a share.... had an acquaintance/friend moved there last month, met a (so called) sweet girl on line arrived there and within a week get scammed with all extended family, his back in Germany to recuperate from the "surprise"

[GalaxyMan]

1 hour ago, kellersphuket said:

expect a fine at your next extension then. time to cough up brother.

Nonsense. I've never done a TM30 and I travel away from home all the time, out of the country, too. I've never had a problem renewing my extension. Turn in the paperwork, come back the next day. No big deal.

[mike787]

3 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Another it seems who sadly cannot afford it here.

Good luck with that online Phils girl they are the biggest scammers in Asia make Thai girls look like saints..

 

Be careful everywhere.  Some countries, one can generalize by describing women as being better or worse, and everything is skewed based on so many different testimonials.  I say good luck, apply as much common sense as you have gathered. 

 

[ThaiPauly]

1 hour ago, Olmate said:

Haha u too, no generally green I guess, but guns on hips of security in bars, folk living in horrible poverty, strong bar girl scene, flooded Manila all added up.Mind you I was 22 and solo.

My cousin told my Dad that his Dad (my uncle) died from being poisoned in PI. Who by I don't know I don't keep in touch with him.

 

Don't think I'll go there

[holy cow cm]

2 hours ago, Yinn said:

You confused.

Foreigner do not do the TM30.

The hotel or owner, boss where you stay must do it. Not your problem. 

At the hotel I work before we do it for the guest.

Don’t even tell the guest, we do it all for them. Just take passport copy.

 

Good luck in Cebu.

You need to learn a bit more on this issue rather than spouting hotel's and what they do. I have always had to do my own TM30 when back at the place I rented or even now at my bought house. And I have been fined before for not doing it for the owner of the rented place. If I did not pay the fine, then I would have faced being kicked out of the place because the owner would have said, You go... Not like... Too much problem!

[GalaxyMan]

1 minute ago, mike787 said:

Be careful everywhere.  Some countries, one can generalize by describing women as being better or worse, and everything is skewed based on so many different testimonials.  I say good luck, apply as much common sense as you have gathered.

I'm from Palm Beach, Florida, and I really don't see any difference between the behavior of the women there and the Thai women. Truth be told, the Palm Beach biatches aren't worth the effort. They're all looking for the same thing for the most part, a free ride, just different styles.

[mike787]

I can't blame you, Vietnam is another cheaper and easier place to acquire 1 year MEV.  Thai immigration is "consistently inconsistent".  As I have said before, Thailands immigration polices are more effective than China's and Trump's wall combined at keeping and kicking people out.  As soon as we get off the plane into BKK you are a fugitive. 

 

[sfokevin]

A traveler came upon an old farmer hoeing in his field beside the road. Eager to rest his feet, the wanderer hailed the countryman, who seemed happy enough to straighten his back and talk for a moment.

"What sort of people live in the next town?" asked the stranger.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer, answering the question with another question.

"They were a bad lot. Troublemakers all, and lazy too. The most selfish people in the world, and not a one of them to be trusted. I'm happy to be leaving the scoundrels."

"Is that so?" replied the old farmer. "Well, I'm afraid that you'll find the same sort in the next town.

Disappointed, the traveler trudged on his way, and the farmer returned to his work.

Some time later another stranger, coming from the same direction, hailed the farmer, and they stopped to talk. "What sort of people live in the next town?" he asked.

"What were the people like where you've come from?" replied the farmer once again.

"They were the best people in the world. Hard working, honest, and friendly. I'm sorry to be leaving them."

"Fear not," said the farmer. "You'll find the same sort in the next town."

[flexomike]

4 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

what???

 

having to report your presence to immigration everytime you return home from an overnight trip to another town is beyond ludicrous. enjoy it though yeah.

I have reported two times in five years, and that was only because I changed address

 

[highland66]

I lived in the Philippines for years and my girlfriend is from Cebu. A few things to be aware of: 

 

- You've heard the internet in the Philippines is bad? It's worse than you've heard.  You can get good internet installed in your home, but when you're out and about, you will get barely (if any) service on your phone. And unlike Thailand, most bars and restaurants do not have Wi-Fi, or keep their Wi-Fi password a secret so that employees won't use it. 

 

- Weather in the Philippines is far from a year-round sunny tropical paradise. Unlike Thailand, they are slammed every year by a months-long rainy season (a REAL rainy season) and typhoons. This also causes mass electricity and internet outages than can last for days. This is a real difference between life in Thailand and the Philippines that rarely gets mentioned. 

 

- I can tell you from first-hand experience that the age-old debate about the "Philippines having a lower cost of living" is nonsense. Philippines offers lower quality across the board (food, rent, internet, etc) and a lot of daily headaches and frustrations. Yet prices are basically the same as Thailand, no matter the minor differences here and there. And if you are used to living a higher-end lifestyle and aren't concerned about living cheap, Thailand has tons of options that don't exist in the Philippines.  

 

The Filipina women can be wonderful. No argument there! But the lifestyle in the Philippines is very limited compared to what Thailand offers. And the poverty is much more in-your-face...the child beggars and old women in rags constantly hassling me, people grabbing for my pockets, etc. I could never really get used to that aspect. After a while, it began to wear on me. 

 

 

 

 

[mike787]

4 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Retirement extension took me 12 minutes this year - same as last 15 years no more paperwork - easy.  I don't imagine you have ever applied for any kind of Thai visa.  If so, tell us what your problems were and we will tell you where you went wrong.  

I am so happy and impressed at how flawless your extension process is.  I wish for so many expats on TVF they new what your secret recipe is to have such an amazingly simple and expedient visa renewal consistently.  I congratulate you, to some of us, you are a Unicorn.

[fishtank]

4 minutes ago, mike787 said:

I am so happy and impressed at how flawless your extension process is.  I wish for so many expats on TVF they new what your secret recipe is to have such an amazingly simple and expedient visa renewal consistently.  I congratulate you, to some of us, you are a Unicorn.

He probably turns up with the correct documents and has no problems, as do many others.

Edited July 20, 2019 by fishtank

[CharlieH]

Just now, mike787 said:

I am so happy and impressed at how flawless your extension process is.  I wish for so many expats on TVF they new what your secret recipe is to have such an amazingly simple and expedient visa renewal consistently.  I congratulate you, to some of us, you are a Unicorn.

It aint rocket science, either 800k/400k (married), if that applies to you, its dead easy and straight forward ! 

[mike787]

Just now, CharlieH said:

It aint rocket science, either 800k/400k (married), if that applies to you, its dead easy and straight forward ! 

I understand, however why are so many people angry, and experiencing so much difficulty and failure.  Your status is 'Global Moderator", surely you have as many or far more posts describing hellish visa experiences.  Or maybe you haven't.

[marcusarelus]

3 minutes ago, mike787 said:

I am so happy and impressed at how flawless your extension process is.  I wish for so many expats on TVF they new what your secret recipe is to have such an amazingly simple and expedient visa renewal consistently.  I congratulate you, to some of us, you are a Unicorn.

No secret.  Get there first in line.  Never take your wife.  Have all of your paperwork in order.  Read Thai visa and have a folder titled, "Thai Visa rumor paperwork and keep all of the rumor paperwork there, I've never been asked for anything in that file but I have it just in case." Big wai the Immigration officer that you see.  Be polite but don't speak Thai.  Wear long pants and white shirt and socks and shoes/not sandals.  Clean shaved and short hair cut.  Listen to what is going on around you.  Have correct change.  Listen to people who have positive extension experiences because they can help you have a positive extension experience.  

[GalaxyMan]

6 minutes ago, fishtank said:

He probably turns up with the correct documents and has no problems, as do many others.

Exactly. Be polite. Always wai. It doesn't cost you anything and it means a lot to them to express what in Thailand is basic courtesy. Some of the ladies that work in Immigration recognize me and always smile, happy to see me, and make sure that things go smoothly. But that's Samui. I'm sure that it's different at every immigration office in the country.

[CharlieH]

3 minutes ago, mike787 said:

I understand, however why are so many people angry, and experiencing so much difficulty and failure.  Your status is 'Global Moderator", surely you have as many or far more posts describing hellish visa experiences.  Or maybe you haven't.

Naturally there are and will always be those that have problems, circumstances for individuals vary, but is entirely based on those individual circumstances. Many simply do not meet the financial requirements and have to find alternate ways to remain, that in many cases leads to the complaints and moans as they have to find alternate methods/means to fit their individual circumstances.

[Mavideol]

4 minutes ago, mike787 said:

I understand, however why are so many people angry, and experiencing so much difficulty and failure

don't believe everything they post, for some complaining it's the high light of their day

[giddyup]

17 minutes ago, mike787 said:

I am so happy and impressed at how flawless your extension process is.  I wish for so many expats on TVF they new what your secret recipe is to have such an amazingly simple and expedient visa renewal consistently.  I congratulate you, to some of us, you are a Unicorn.

He's not Robinson Crusoe, there are probably thousands of expats whose immigration experiences are just as trouble free. Mine has been the same in 9 years of being here.

[Just Weird]

4 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

all of them. it's alright bro, keep jumpin through those hoops,, they need someone to laugh at ???? 

I think we've got someone!

[Just Weird]

4 hours ago, kellersphuket said:

i'm leaving for good yall, i aint jumpin through no more hoops for those tyrants at immigration. they love watching us suffer every day. just got my 1 year visa for phils and been talking to a girl online for the last few months so got a place to stay ????

 

good luck everyone, times is gonna get tough here, hope you can ride the storm better than I can.

We're going to miss you.

[Just Weird]

4 hours ago, vogie said:

Surely the Philippines does have some advantages over Thailand, the main one being you are not required to have this 800,000 baht tied up in a bank, no 3 month reporting and only costing around $130 a year to renew your extension and the cost of living is much cheaper AFAIK.

Good luck to the op.

Edit: Also the Brits living there don't have their pension frozen.

On the other hand, it's the Philippines.

[Just Weird]

4 hours ago, transam said:

Some folk live nowhere near an immigration office...

That's not Thailand's fault!