Line at the Immigration...

[funcat]

I am going to the immigration tomorrow...what time the line starts forming these days and are there any news for marriage visa renewal? ...thanks

[Matzzon]

The line starts when they open. Regarding changes, I am not much of a help. Sorry for both.

[Lacessit]

Best to get there about 7 am, even though they open at 9 am. CM immigration is a bunfight.

Might help to also get information on when marriage visas are processed. CM has allotted days for some types of renewals.

[thaibeachlovers]

11 hours ago, funcat said:

are there any news for marriage visa renewal? ...thanks

I suggest you go and ask them, before you have to go to do the renewal. They know what they want, more than us on here.

OR you could ask your good wife to find out for you.

 

PS, are you referring to an extension based on marriage or actually getting another visa?

Edited January 8, 2020 by thaibeachlovers

[LomSak27]

OP, love to hear of your experience if you have time.

 

They supposedly just put in a new queuing system this week, that by first accounts was a disaster. I would like to think that was just fake news, yet ...

[Hugh Jarse]

There is an ocean of info. on this topic. Just search Chiang Mai Immigration on this forum.

I recommend you roll up at about 10.30 am with wifey in tow and dont forget to update your bank book beforehand.

[LivinLOS]

On 1/9/2020 at 12:15 AM, LomSak27 said:

OP, love to hear of your experience if you have time.

 

They supposedly just put in a new queuing system this week, that by first accounts was a disaster. I would like to think that was just fake news, yet ...

I too was sent some images of folks in a crowd mashed up outside the building.. Cant verify how bad it was but told people angry and messed about just trying to achieve a 90 day. 

 

I thought the new place had improved all that ??

[cerox]

Reading here in the Forum I was convinced everybody had left CNX and it would be a ghost town. How can there be a line at Immigration 555

 

On a serious note, when I went to Immigration to get an extension stamp (visa exempt) last month I had to wait longer than usual and it took about 2 hours. It seems they reduced their longer opening times they had for a while.

[trevoromgh]

Took me 6 hours today and I nearly lost the will to live!

[jonwilly]

Pay a Visa agent, little personal hassel, their staff know how to approach the Immigration Police Officers, in a manner better than frangs do.

 

john

[Sparkles]

11 hours ago, jonwilly said:

Pay a Visa agent, little personal hassel, their staff know how to approach the Immigration Police Officers, in a manner better than frangs do.

 

john

With due respect its not a matter of how to approach Immigration its a matter of doing your home work of what's required ie keeping up to date through various sites such as this or a myriad of fb sites. Choosing a time to go, not Mondays or Fridays or before and after holiday breaks.Be polite ,dress respectfully. I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw but have managed 13 retirement extensions, re entry visas, 90 days reports etc without spending money on someone holding my hand.

[Sparkles]

On 1/10/2020 at 8:13 AM, LivinLOS said:

I too was sent some images of folks in a crowd mashed up outside the building.. Cant verify how bad it was but told people angry and messed about just trying to achieve a 90 day. 

 

I thought the new place had improved all that ??

Its been said a 1,000 times you can do 90 day online or by mail.Absolutely no need to go anywhere near Immigration. 

[LomSak27]

I limit my IO trips as much as possible; mail 90 day etc. That said  on a facebook site this week it was stated by more than a couple people, the queue system had been changed, with massive lines. Plus other changes had been made, the effect of which makes the waiting process less "comfortable". BTW, I do not doubt the posters. 

 

Who knows if this is permanent. However given the past MO (Modus Operandi) of this IO, to make it as difficult & time consuming as possible. To encourage the use of Visa AGents. One is justifiably concerned and suspicious. ????

[deej]

12 hours ago, jonwilly said:

Pay a Visa agent, little personal hassel, their staff know how to approach the Immigration Police Officers, in a manner better than frangs do.

 

john

Yes 

@ approx 15 baht a day 

I  prefer  Cindy at  The Colonel visa agency (directly opposite Immgr Dept ) to hold my hand and free car park on door step.

But entirely ones freedom. of choice.

[jonwilly]

30 minutes ago, Sparkles said:

With due respect its not a matter of how to approach Immigration its a matter of doing your home work of what's required ie keeping up to date through various sites such as this or a myriad of fb sites. Choosing a time to go, not Mondays or Fridays or before and after holiday breaks.Be polite ,dress respectfully. I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw but have managed 13 retirement extensions, re entry visas, 90 days reports etc without spending money on someone holding my hand.

I have watch folks upset annoy Thai Immigration Police officers who are only doing their duty.

Many frangs have no idea of how to address people doing an official job.

The mentality of Fighting City Hall is induced into some folk.

I stopped doing my own visas/90 day reporting the year Thailand and the surrounding Asian countries accepted each others nationals. 

This was when the numbers attending immigration went through the roof.

I have done and could do my own paperwork but at my age I do not need the hassle and discomfort of standing/sitting around immigration in CM.

Paying professionals who know their job is my easy way of life, one of the reasons I chose to live in Thailand.

 

john

[BritManToo]

12 hours ago, trevoromgh said:

Took me 6 hours today and I nearly lost the will to live!

Just for comparison ........ (CM immigration started making me feel suicidal a few years back)

I want to HCMC earlier this week, I arrived at consulate 8:15am (first in queue), doors opened at 8:30am (queue was now 6 people), was out by 8:35am.

Collected my VISA next day, arrived at 1:15pm (5th in queue), doors opened at 1:30pm (queue now 10 people), was out with my new VISA at 1:35pm.

If I'd gone at any time later than the opening 30 minutes, I doubt I would have seen any other customers.

 

Office appeared to be operated by 3 female Thai university (work placement?) students wearing their university uniforms.

[sfokevin]

Are they still handing out cake if it's your birthday?...

[deej]

2 hours ago, jonwilly said:

I have watch folks upset annoy Thai Immigration Police officers who are only doing their duty.

 

Perhaps with very good reason???? 

From my near 2 decades of experience. Never Ever. saw or heard any Expat upset any Immgr police officer in any shape or form and anywhere.

Perhaps your experience.s is a one off.????

Edited January 11, 2020 by deej

[jonwilly]

The first time I went to CM immigration I witnessed one guy telling 2 police Sgts,words to efect of 

No No you're not listening what I want is, they let him put his point of view over than smiled and handed back his documents and told him to return following day.

I don't think he understood why he was being sent on his way.

That was back in 2001.

So many frangs tend to talk down to Thai folk and fail to understand that we are guests in their country and it is for us to conform to their culture and rules/laws.

Pay a Thai to deal with a fellow Thai, they understand the local traditions and culture.

 

john

[LomSak27]

12 hours ago, jonwilly said:

So many frangs tend to talk down to Thai folk and fail to understand that we are guests in their country and it is for us to conform to their culture and rules/laws.

Pay a Thai to deal with a fellow Thai, they understand the local traditions and culture.

In 15 plus years, I was trying to think about one time I saw farangs getting angry and talking down to immigration officers. Angry yes, talking down to or even angry AT an I officer, no.

 

As for ordinary tourists talking down to Thais .. I'm sure it exists but I rarely see it. I have seen them angry when getting ripped off, natch. And they do raise their voice sometimes in other situations but that is a reaction to not being understood, and not speaking Thai. They magically think if the repeat louder and slower, their language will be understood. 

 

As for thais,  making nasty comments in Thai about farangs, hear it all the time. One of the downsides of learning the language is discovering justy how snarky/catty many Thai s are. This also runs in direct relation to status in society. Higher status, the more likely to dump on lower classes & outsiders, knowing it is their right to do so. However as you would say this is just "local traditions and culture."

 

Certainly as a guest here I conform to behavior but just as certainly I do not have to accept any of it. Deal with it, behave in appropriate manner, yes, accept it no.

 

Good advert for Visa Agents, BTW., They should give you a commision.

 

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by LomSak27

[scorecard]

19 hours ago, jonwilly said:

I have watch folks upset annoy Thai Immigration Police officers who are only doing their duty.

Many frangs have no idea of how to address people doing an official job.

The mentality of Fighting City Hall is induced into some folk.

I stopped doing my own visas/90 day reporting the year Thailand and the surrounding Asian countries accepted each others nationals. 

This was when the numbers attending immigration went through the roof.

I have done and could do my own paperwork but at my age I do not need the hassle and discomfort of standing/sitting around immigration in CM.

Paying professionals who know their job is my easy way of life, one of the reasons I chose to live in Thailand.

 

john

On the first 2 sentences.

 

The worst I've heard of, from a close friend, at Pattaya city hall. 

 

Suddenly a farang in running shorts and no top comes in with his very young gf in tow scantily dressed.

 

He arrived and approached the first officer in his sights demanding loudly that he wanted a Thai ID and now. Several officers and customers tried to explain to him that Thai ID cards are not issued at that office.

 

He then started to kick and damage office furniture and became abusive to everybody around him and his gf also abusing people and he was insisting he would not leave until he got a Thai ID card.

 

The police arrived soon after and quickly put both in handcuffs and into a police vehicle.

 

 

[roo860]

20 hours ago, sfokevin said:

Are they still handing out cake if it's your birthday?...

Yes, but no it's called Humble Pie.

[roo860]

On 1/10/2020 at 8:13 AM, LivinLOS said:

I too was sent some images of folks in a crowd mashed up outside the building.. Cant verify how bad it was but told people angry and messed about just trying to achieve a 90 day. 

 

I thought the new place had improved all that ??

Went last Tuesday at 10.30am, needed to do 90 day report (rejected online), people were queing outside the building. I walked through the door to 90 day section, handed form in and was out in 15mins.

[Sparkles]

22 hours ago, jonwilly said:

I have watch folks upset annoy Thai Immigration Police officers who are only doing their duty.

Many frangs have no idea of how to address people doing an official job.

The mentality of Fighting City Hall is induced into some folk.

I stopped doing my own visas/90 day reporting the year Thailand and the surrounding Asian countries accepted each others nationals. 

This was when the numbers attending immigration went through the roof.

I have done and could do my own paperwork but at my age I do not need the hassle and discomfort of standing/sitting around immigration in CM.

Paying professionals who know their job is my easy way of life, one of the reasons I chose to live in Thailand.

 

john

You have every right to use an Agent if that's your choice but its misleading to anyone who might be new to this forum, or not even commenting, that going to Immigration is some sort of magical mystery tour or horror show,its simply not.

 

Agents simply do what most of us choose to do ourselves,present the necessary paperwork which is listed ad nauseam on web sites and forums.They are only more "professional" in that you pay for their "service" and they can,I presume, still jump the queue

 

The 6,000 baht or whatever it cost now for an Agent to assist with your extensions & additional for 90 day reporting may be pocket money to you but over 13 years I am probably 100,000 baht +  better off and with a sinking currency exchange that a significant issue for my wife and I.

I would suggest that I am not alone in that though proces with 100's of long term stayers who do the same every week.

In all my 17 years here and in Bangkok I have never seen any verbal dispute at an Immigration office.

Its rewarding we all have choices but lets get the "fear" or "confrontation" factor off the table.

 

[chokrai]

2 hours ago, roo860 said:

Went last Tuesday at 10.30am, needed to do 90 day report (rejected online), people were queing outside the building. I walked through the door to 90 day section, handed form in and was out in 15mins.

Forgot to mail my 90 day in so have to go there this week. You just need the form and your passport? No copies needed?  Thanks.

[roo860]

11 minutes ago, chokrai said:

Forgot to mail my 90 day in so have to go there this week. You just need the form and your passport? No copies needed?  Thanks.

Only the form and passport. 

[BigStar]

21 hours ago, deej said:

From my near 2 decades of experience. Never Ever. saw or heard any Expat upset any Immgr police officer in any shape or form and anywhere.

I have, recently too. True story, no exaggeration: Waiting to apply for my extension I saw a big imposing farang bully hovering over the retirement extension checker, yelling, waving his bank book and papers, and demanding they be accepted after the rejection. IO kept saying, "No, no, no" and trying his best to check the current applicant while ignoring the harassment. Finally the idiot gave up with a parting shot and the IO called out after him, "Go back to your own country!"

 

21 hours ago, deej said:

Perhaps your experience.s is a one off.????

Perhaps the ending of the bank letters and general tightening have led to more overt utterances of frustration by our primadonnas. No telling how much of this the IOs have to put up with. I mean, you're only there for brief periods, not camped out there all day every day.

 

Then you have to take into account what the farangs have, in general, determined for themselves constitutes  polite manners and dress. Then consider the usual communications difficulties, especially w/ the senile old farts who "don't understand" and want to fight and act incredulous over every requirement.

 

Given all this, the IOs do a remarkable job just preserving their sanity. Cut 'em some slack.  

 

That said, I've always been treated well and can't imagine throwing away money on an agent. That's cause I'm careful to find out and meet all the current requirements, have my forms neatly typed right down to the "extra" phone number at the bottom (takes 10 min to change a few dates on the computer, print, and sign), hit the bank on the way over, and have the manners and appearance down.

 

Yeah, I'm outta there quickly. If there'll be a long wait in the queue, it's a good time to have a snack and a beer nearby while catching up on the news. ???? Shorter wait, I read and listen to music. Piece o' cake, really. All this sturm und drang . . . .

 

17 hours ago, jonwilly said:

Pay a Thai to deal with a fellow Thai, they understand the local traditions and culture.

Oh, just learn them yourself. Sorted.

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by BigStar

[brianthainess]

On 1/11/2020 at 12:16 PM, deej said:

Yes 

@ approx 15 baht a day 

I  prefer  Cindy at  The Colonel visa agency (directly opposite Immgr Dept ) to hold my hand and free car park on door step.

But entirely ones freedom. of choice.

Is that 365 x 15 = 5475 baht a year ?

[deej]

27 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Is that 365 x 15 = 5475 baht a year ?

The Colonel ret visa  including 4 x 90 day reports

is 7300 baht also

includes Immgr dept fee(1900baht) so

5400 nett with service / execution impeccable.

 

 

[piewarmer]

22 hours ago, deej said:

Perhaps with very good reason???? 

From my near 2 decades of experience. Never Ever. saw or heard any Expat upset any Immgr police officer in any shape or form and anywhere.

Perhaps your experience.s is a one off.????

I have seen a farang shouting and throwing chairs TWICE at CM Immigration, maybe the same guy.... different visits