Chiang Mai Immigration Q & A - Info and reports. (2020)

[DezLez]

46 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

Went in to Counter 3 at 0945 for Final Stamp on my Marriage Extension; normally at most a ten minute job but the place was packed with people, no Aircon, just a Wall Fan, seats all full etc and dozens standing around like me.   Eventually got out at 11.55;

As a person who uses an agent for a legal extension which takes a total of 20 minutes a year to accomplish at the agents (10 min) and IO (10 min) I am wondering if ONLY an 2hr 10 min wait at IO may indicate I might be wasting my money!

 

Oh the giddy days of 4AM arrivals at Prom!

 

EX 

[NotEinstein]

10 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Back to the bad old days yesterday after two years of peace and quiet and fast service.    Went in to Counter 3 at 0945 for Final Stamp on my Marriage Extension; normally at most a ten minute job but the place was packed with people, no Aircon, just a Wall Fan, seats all full etc and dozens standing around like me.   Eventually got out at 11.55; not good at all and what will it be like when the Chinese return in any numbers ?

 

At 10.30 they were already calling out numbers that should return after 1pm as they could not cope with the volume.  Sadly it was more like a Cattle Station and the 'new' building is nowhere big enough to cope with the throughput.

I've always been told, including this year, to get the Final Stamp after 13:00 - it seems you have given good example as to why they say that.

[stament]

On 10/26/2022 at 6:02 PM, NotEinstein said:

Extended my family visa today. A busy office, but very efficient - handed in paperwork and paid at the front desk. I had an appointment booked, so just had to wait (we got there early). 40 minutes later called to sign some papers, had photo taken, they had done a 90 report for me, and they handed over my passport. All done in one interaction, so we left 20 minutes before our appointment time. There was no walk-in queue after 13:30 from what I could see.

I didn't realise you could book an appointment. How do you do that @NotEinsteinplease?

[NotEinstein]

5 minutes ago, stament said:

I didn't realise you could book an appointment. How do you do that @NotEinsteinplease?

https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/[email protected]/bookings/

[Yorkshire Tea]

On 10/26/2022 at 6:02 PM, NotEinstein said:

Extended my family visa today. A busy office, but very efficient - handed in paperwork and paid at the front desk. I had an appointment booked, so just had to wait (we got there early). 40 minutes later called to sign some papers, had photo taken, they had done a 90 report for me, and they handed over my passport. All done in one interaction, so we left 20 minutes before our appointment time. There was no walk-in queue after 13:30 from what I could see.

With an appointment, do you still have to get your papers checked outside, under the tent, before joining the queue inside?

[NotEinstein]

3 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

With an appointment, do you still have to get your papers checked outside, under the tent, before joining the queue inside?

We didn't bother with the tent and just joined the queue.

[Raindancer]

14 hours ago, NotEinstein said:

We didn't bother with the tent and just joined the queue.

I presume you already signed the extra 2 forms of acknowledgement held in the tent, before you went directly to the appointment window?

[NotEinstein]

1 minute ago, Raindancer said:

I presume you already signed the extra 2 forms of acknowledgement held in the tent, before you went directly to the appointment window?

I grabbed the forms when passing a few weeks before.

[Raindancer]

8 minutes ago, NotEinstein said:

I grabbed the forms when passing a few weeks before.

Many thanks.  Could you clarify.....do you require copies of all passport pages?

[NotEinstein]

1 minute ago, Raindancer said:

Many thanks.  Could you clarify.....do you require copies of all passport pages?

I provided all used passport pages and bankbook pages, which meant a complete old book and a single entry in a new book to cover the 60 days.

[Raindancer]

8 minutes ago, NotEinstein said:

I provided all used passport pages and bankbook pages, which meant a complete old book and a single entry in a new book to cover the 60 days.

Many thanks.????????

[jeffandgop]

On 10/28/2022 at 7:26 AM, NotEinstein said:

I've always been told, including this year, to get the Final Stamp after 13:00 - it seems you have given good example as to why they say that.

Yeah?  I went at 1pm on my appointed day to pick up my marriage EOS stamp and still had to get a que number and waited 2 ½ hours in a totally full crowded facility just to get that stamp. 

[NotEinstein]

3 minutes ago, jeffandgop said:

Yeah?  I went at 1pm on my appointed day to pick up my marriage EOS stamp and still had to get a que number and waited 2 ½ hours in a totally full crowded facility just to get that stamp. 

All I know is what they tell me and years of doing exactly that - No queuing or getting a number, just going directly to window 3.

[jeffandgop]

3 hours ago, NotEinstein said:

All I know is what they tell me and years of doing exactly that - No queuing or getting a number, just going directly to window 3.

Which was the same instruction for me. I was quite surprised that I had to que up. So lesson is that service is not guaranteed regardless of the hour or IMM commitment 

[seedy]

32 minutes ago, jeffandgop said:

So lesson is that service is not guaranteed regardless of the hour or IMM commitment 

Unless you use an agent

[Trujillo]

Q: I have a new passport with transferred stamps from my previous one. Renewing my one-year extension, is all I need contained in the new passport, or do I need any copies from the old one? 

[NotEinstein]

2 hours ago, Trujillo said:

Q: I have a new passport with transferred stamps from my previous one. Renewing my one-year extension, is all I need contained in the new passport, or do I need any copies from the old one? 

The transfer stamp has all the information they need, but take the old passport to show if asked for.

[Trujillo]

That's what I suspected. Thanks. 

 

 

[CMBob]

4 hours ago, Trujillo said:

Q: I have a new passport with transferred stamps from my previous one. Renewing my one-year extension, is all I need contained in the new passport, or do I need any copies from the old one? 

Just renewed my annual extension based on retirement at CM Immigration the week before last.  I too had a new passport that only had the transfer stamps in it.   I do believe they'll want a copy of the page showing your entry stamp from your old passport but, other than that, nothing else; nevertheless, as Not Einstein said, take the old passport with you as one never knows what a given IO will request.

 

 

[CMBob]

1 minute ago, CMBob said:

Delete...double post

 

 

 

[amexpat]

On 10/15/2022 at 9:39 AM, amexpat said:

Does CM IMM allow the combination income/bank account method now?

 

Some years gone by, they didn't.  Search engine no help on this one. 

Actually search engine just as helpful as forum members. 

 

[Thailand]

On 12/14/2022 at 5:20 PM, amexpat said:

Actually search engine just as helpful as forum members. 

 

Probably links you back to the the Chiang Mai forum immigration information thread?

[sqwakvfr]

For the first time I went to the Central Festival Immigration Office and I was impressed.  I arrived at 1115 to get a ReEntry Permit and I was out by 1145.  Not many people there and most were there for 90 Day reports or ReEntry Permits.  On of the young ladies at the front counter made the copies and took the photo.  The copies were only 2 Baht per page and the photos for the application were 120 Baht.  I was expecting to be told to come back after lunch but to my pleasant surprise the entire process took 30 minutes.  

[Mahseer]

Returned from overseas a month ago and completed the online TM30 just to be safe.

 

Went to immigration to renew retirement extension and was told online TM30 not acceptable and should have reported to immigration to update. No fine or anything but had to file a TM30 there before extension granted.

 

Enquired as to purpose of online TM30 but no reply given.

Oh well.

 

[brommers]

My latest visa extension appointment was switched at 24 hrs notice from Sanambin Rd office to Central Festival, same date different time. When I arrived it was bustling but well organised and the whole process took only 20 minutes. I did my last 90 day report at Central 3 weeks ago and since then the whole office has been totally revamped to offer what looks like a full range of services. The staff complement has increased dramatically, the layout is completely different and there is even a left - luggage area. A very welcome set of improvements to what was initially an excellent but limited service office.

[CMBob]

2 hours ago, brommers said:

My latest visa extension appointment was switched at 24 hrs notice from Sanambin Rd office to Central Festival, same date different time. 

To assist understanding, you are saying that the Central Festival IO office now does annual extensions (based on retirement/marriage)?

I'm also presuming you had an appointment and that Immigration sent you a new email telling you to go to Central Festival versus the airport office.

[Raindancer]

I have just been to Immigration Central Festival.  They do NOT process marriage or retirement visa extensions.

This has to be done at the Airport office.

[jeffandgop]

Been successful in using the CMI online 90-day report tool for many times.  Next 90-day being due 26 Feb, I submitted my report online 15 Feb...absolutely all data being exactly the same as prior reporting...in response, auto-generated email acknowledging "We have received your information successfully..."

Yesterday 19 Feb, received an auto-generated email from CMI "Your application for STAYING LONGER THAN 90 DAYS has been rejected"; and in the next line below in bold the words "Already Informed".

 

Anybody knows what "Already Informed" means?  And No, I only submitted my latest report online once.

[Raindancer]

The first thing that strikes me is that you received a reply on a Sunday.  To my knowledge, immigration do not work over the weekend.  So, I would suspect something is suspicious.   Normally a rejection does not give any explanation.   Have you been hacked??

 

I would log onto 90 day reporting and check the status of your application.  It will either say, "pending, approved or rejected.

 

I know you said that you only applied once.   But the status will show whether you inadvertently applied twice.  

 

If it states pending, I would be suspicious of the email and its sender. 

 

Perhaps you should go to immigration drive through and get a new 90 day report.  Or go to Central Festival and renew and take the email with you.

[CMBob]

54 minutes ago, Raindancer said:

The first thing that strikes me is that you received a reply on a Sunday.  To my knowledge, immigration do not work over the weekend.  So, I would suspect something is suspicious.   

Last approval for the 90-day address reporting was sent to me by CM Immigration at 6:15PM on a Sunday and previously I have received an emailed approval on a Saturday.  Am guessing some of them do work over the weekend and/or at least some interns do.