Today I go to Jomtien Immigration for renewing my retirement visa. This is my 3rd renewal. Other than those required documents and passport copies, the officer asks for a hand drawing map which indicates the location of my condo (no google map print out is accepted anymore), and 4 photos printed on a piece of paper for which I need to present in each of the photos:

1. The area outside my condo where it shows the name of the condo complex;
2. The front door of my condo which shows the room number;
3. Two photos inside my condo.

Wow. 

I've never needed to give them any kind of map. 

Do you own or rent? 

<deleted>! And they wonder why expats are leaving or are at least considering it. I've renewed my 1 yr Visa there many time and don't recall them asking for this? 

BTW..were you wearing a Singha tank top and swimming trunks ? lol

Sounds like you've been here for a couple years. Whats going on?

Anything else we should know?

 Don't get me started on the 90 day report. A couple decades ago I went with my ex Thai wife to the Canadian Immigration office to officially check her into Canada and he said to her" see you in 5 years to get your Canadian passport!

Yeah, I've been asked for a map. And it has to be hand-drawn. You can't just print out a google map. Weird.

Is this another case of pushing people down the agent route ? 

 

Immigration make nothing from your 1900 Baht fee, they want real spondoolicks provided by people using agents.

 

Food for thought ???? 

Thats very new...Jomtien are renowned for keeping things simple. Sounds like an inexperienced IO confusing marriage extension requirements

The OP's experience, coming as it does on top of the absurd requirement for those using the 400k/800k bank balance method to return after 90 days with their passbooks, means that Jomtien can now IMHO be safely regarded as a rogue office these days when it comes to retirement extensions.

46 minutes ago, Roy Baht said:

Yeah, I've been asked for a map. And it has to be hand-drawn. You can't just print out a google map. Weird.

My guess is they want to see if you can on the fly truly know where you say you live... My guess is a number of people applying for extensions in Pattaya/Jomtien do not actually live there... 

Edited January 6, 20206 yr by sfokevin

40 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Sounds like an inexperienced IO confusing marriage extension requirements

Agree. First time I read about that. Very probably a mistake.

Are you sure you were at Immigration? 
I was asked the very same question down Soi 6 by a very attractive lady who wanted to visit for long time.

but then again, I am a very hansun man.

OP, an extension based on retirement and they wanted pics you mention?

Is it your own condo. Sounds weird. 

BTW did you need tm30.

 

1 hour ago, jaideedave said:

A couple decades ago I went with my ex Thai wife to the Canadian Immigration office to officially check her into Canada and he said to her" see you in 5 years to get your Canadian passport!

"Ex"? What happened?

 

Let me guess after she got her Canadian passport, she asked for a divorce?

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

The OP's experience, coming as it does on top of the absurd requirement for those using the 400k/800k bank balance method to return after 90 days with their passbooks, means that Jomtien can now IMHO be safely regarded as a rogue office these days when it comes to retirement extensions.

Jomtien only require proof of funds once on 90 days after extension

...other offices are apparently asking proof every 90 days for the whole period...jomtoin is not a rogue office...its one of the few Thai bodies that is run professionally, the amount of people they have to service everyday, they do a fantastic job.

22 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Jomtien only require proof of funds once on 90 days after extension

...other offices are apparently asking proof every 90 days for the whole period...jomtoin is not a rogue office...its one of the few Thai bodies that is run professionally, the amount of people they have to service everyday, they do a fantastic job.

CW require nothing post extension as per majority of other imm offices. Can you provide names of any that are asking for bank book every 90 days. Also provide offices that require show bank book post extension approval. Jomtien is most "our rules" imm office out there.

Having said that need to state I deal with CW.

Edited January 6, 20206 yr by DrJack54

2 hours ago, snoopy21 said:

(no google map print out is accepted anymore)

What about a Google Map with hand drawn annotations on it? Works for me.

It is not just Jomtien.  I was asked for both map and photos of house (with me in front of it) when I did my retirement extension at Prachinburi last July.  First time ever asked for these things in 15 years of extensions.

 

I beleive Parchinburi and Jomtien fall under the same Immigration sub-division. Likely something came down the line from the head honcho of that sub-division.

 

The really absurd parts: they insisted the picture of me at my house had to shoe the house number. There is no house number on the house. So at their advice I hand printed a sign. !!!

 

Add to that: they do not need any of this to find me as they know exactly where I live, in fact one of the IOs is a neighbor,

9 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

CW require nothing post extension as per majority of other imm offices. Can you provide names of any that are asking for bank book every 90 days. Also provide offices that require show bank book post extension approval. Jomtien is most "our rules" imm office out there.

Having said that need to state I deal with CW.

There was a thread on here about November time, can't remember which offices. 

Every time I go to Jomtien Immigration the wife takes an entire yellow pages worth of documents and photos on the off chance - do we need them - no, never. Will we probably be asked for them if we didn't take them ? 100%

12 hours ago, snoopy21 said:

Today I go to Jomtien Immigration for renewing my retirement visa. This is my 3rd renewal. Other than those required documents and passport copies, the officer asks for a hand drawing map which indicates the location of my condo (no google map print out is accepted anymore), and 4 photos printed on a piece of paper for which I need to present in each of the photos:

1. The area outside my condo where it shows the name of the condo complex;
2. The front door of my condo which shows the room number;
3. Two photos inside my condo.

OP, they have never asked for maps other than your report of a new requirement,  How can they no longer accept google maps when they never asked for maps prior. Are you saying in previous years you (only you) have been asked for google maps to your condo ?

 

1. The area outside my condo where it shows the name of the condo complex; 
2. The front door of my condo which shows the room number;
3. Two photos inside my condo.
    

The requirements themselves are trivial. Just add them to the checklist. The problem is if they weren’t announced and you show up without them.

 

When I see reports like this In other provinces I just add them to my checklist of things to do for my next extension. They are easy and no cost. They are not at all in the same category as, say, financial requirements.

Two years ago I also had to draw a map at the request of the CW IO. My address is an easy one to find near a very busy sky train station the soi clearly marked off a major road not down some side alley etc. In fact I have taken the trouble of producing a name card in Thai and English for the purpose of deliveries and on the back is a map showing the exact location again in Thai and English which I produced for the IO but that was unacceptable, she needed me to draw it out. At the end of last year I got a further 1 year extension and that experience along with the medical insurance requirement has convinced me not to apply for any further extensions. I have always had more than the required funds to support my visa extension and also an additional fund in a Thai bank to cater for any medical emergencies certainly far more than is required for this medical cover. However this place is getting like a bureaucratic North Korea but with the smile of course.

13 hours ago, baansgr said:

Thats very new...Jomtien are renowned for keeping things simple. Sounds like an inexperienced IO confusing marriage extension requirements

I also just heard of Jomtien asking for TM30 compliance during a 90 day report for someone on a long stay Permit. They had previously been loose on this....  strangely they never spoke of any fine for not submitting. It is as if they have been told to 'tighten up'. I wonder if the piggy tailed thief or some other miscreant is behind this.  

I don’t understand why drawing a map is such an inconvenience. Insurance requirements? Yes. Financial requirements? Yes. But drawing a map and a couple of selfies? 

  

I can not understand why Immigration needs proof of residence. Can anybody see any advantage in making a false report of residence? 

26 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

  

I can not understand why Immigration needs proof of residence. Can anybody see any advantage in making a false report of residence? 

The OP was applying for a 1 year extension. If you are going to update your address then a once a year application for an extension is a reasonable time to do it. People move around, in Thailand and everywhere else. It sucks that it is difficult to impossible to get permanent residence. However, if you are here year by year then updating your residence is hardly unreasonable. Not to mention how easy it is.

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

I also just heard of Jomtien asking for TM30 compliance during a 90 day report for someone on a long stay Permit. They had previously been loose on this....  strangely they never spoke of any fine for not submitting. It is as if they have been told to 'tighten up'. I wonder if the piggy tailed thief or some other miscreant is behind this.  

If true, this is more grist to the mill of Jomtien now being a rogue office, I think - on top of hand-drawn maps & photos for retirement extensions plus a compulsory return trip after 90 days for retirees using the 400k/800k bank balance method.

Edited January 7, 20206 yr by OJAS

Imv being asked to return and show bank book after 3 months from annual retirement extension is unnecessary.

 

The only action if all financial rules not followed would not occur until next annual extension when they check bank book transaction page. Then if 800/400k rules not observed they don't renew or whatever. The annual extension is valid for a year until renewal - unless at this 3 month interval they would cancel the remaining 9 months? So unless the rules result in early cancellation for breach being checked 3 months after, then the 3 month bank book check is simply another hurdle without a logical requirement or need and in any event it could simply be checked annually via updated transaction page.

Edited January 7, 20206 yr by twix38

I needed photos in and around the house and a hand drawn map for my last extension, which was my first extension based on marriage. My previous twelve retirement extensions at Jomtien, never needed photos or map. 

5 hours ago, pitrevie said:

Two years ago I also had to draw a map at the request of the CW IO. My address is an easy one to find near a very busy sky train station the soi clearly marked off a major road not down some side alley etc. In fact I have taken the trouble of producing a name card in Thai and English for the purpose of deliveries and on the back is a map showing the exact location again in Thai and English which I produced for the IO but that was unacceptable, she needed me to draw it out. At the end of last year I got a further 1 year extension and that experience along with the medical insurance requirement has convinced me not to apply for any further extensions. I have always had more than the required funds to support my visa extension and also an additional fund in a Thai bank to cater for any medical emergencies certainly far more than is required for this medical cover. However this place is getting like a bureaucratic North Korea but with the smile of course.

"However this place is getting like a bureaucratic North Korea but with the smile of course."

 

You got a smile? Lucky lucky beggar.

I did my 90 day report last Thursday at Jomtien. Put 100 baht in bank to get book updated that same day. Had to wait 10 min or so, then to desk. Had bank book out, didn't need it or ask for it. Wham bam and out of there.

Friend went this morning, no wait, no bank book check for same 90 day report.

Maybe those with problems need to dress a little neater? Long pants?