Any ways to legally speed up renewal extension at CW?

[homeseeker]

In the next week or two I need to go to renew my retirement extension for 1 year at CW, Bangkok based upon 800,000 baht in bank method. All paper work is in order and I have renewed multiple times

Last year it took me 4 hours+ travelling(2 hours each way). I arrived in the morning and 4-5 hours later it was my turn. Finished later in the afternoon and returned next day for obtaining re-entry permit.

I was unwell for several days after my visits to immigration.

For those of us who ain't so young and as we are all aware of the spread of infections in large public places(Corona Virus etc) can anyone suggest any legal way if at all to speed-up my application?

Which may be the best time and day to go to immigration when it might be less crowded?

If I employed an agent or lawyer are they able to fast track my application legitimately?

And if so, can you recommend a reliable agent?

Any other ideas?

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Pib]

Arriving before the 0830am opening time is recommended....the later you arrive the longer you generally have to wait when doing an extension of stay.  I would avoid Monday's as they tend to also get those people who waited to the very last minute or just realized something was expiring on a Saturday or Sunday and should have went on Friday latest.  

 

For a decade I've done retirement extensions of stay at CW.  I show-up around 8am....get a "stand outside the immigration doors" queue number...when the doors open I go in and get my queue number for the L1 Long Stay Extension Section.  That queue number is always high enough to give me at least an hour to go downstairs to my bank to get the Bt800K bank letter.....then back up to immigration to wait for my queue number to be called around 9:30am to 10:30am....and then the rest goes pretty fast.  Each I was done....going home by around 11am. 

 

However, there was an exception last year when I had to get a TM30 issue cleared up before they would finalize the retirement extension of stay.  This is the August 2019 timeframe when the TM30 issue was BIG NEWS....immigration offices like CW wanting to see a TM30 receipt from the past.  It took me around 4 hours that day just to clear up the TM30 issue as there were "hundreds ahead of me in the B area which handles TM30."  Got that cleared up....with TM30 receipt in hand I went back to the L1 section and they finalized my retirement extension in about 30 minutes....it was now almost 4pm.  It turned in a full day for me because of the TM30 BS.  Oh well, that's now water under the bridge.

 

Can't recommend an agent/lawyer to handle it for you....have always done everything by myself.  Even with an agent/lawyer you are going to have to be there at CW at least for a short while...maybe longer as the agent/lawyer massages the paperwork thru CW for you.

[DrJack54]

OP, my advice bit different. I have always arrived early in the past.

My last visit did it differently. Arrived shortly before lunch break. Get my L ticket and during lunch break same as post #2 obtain bank letter and deposit. 

Have lunch in food court. Worked a treat.

As for reentry permit don't waste your time at CW. Grab it at airport when you travel. Easy quick process.

 

[BritTim]

Some agents can arrange VIP queuing. This is not illegal, but some members who see nothing wrong with VIP lines at airports will object to you paying to avoid the queues at immigration.

[homeseeker]

I appreciate the very helpful replies above, and any more input welcome....

[Curt1591]

Because we wanted to avoid traffic, we arrived just after 7 am last Friday, our queue for the 8am entry was 159. After entering, our queue for the extension was 12. Unfortunately, at the L1 stations, we were preceded by a few numb-nuts, making our wait a bit longer than we had hoped.
 

However, having everything in order, we were done just after 10am.

[mtls2005]

I have observed agent-accompanied folks, at the L desk at CW, swan in (no queue) with their customer, a quick wai and the customer leaves. ~ 1 minute post-wai. I have even been seated with the initial IO at her desk when an agent+customer interrupted her to drop off paperwork. So the right agent can speed things up considerably. Some agents provide pick-up/drop-off, retun the passport via courier to your home, and do 90-day reports (online). The fees for these services can be quite high.

 

Getting both the ext stay and MREEP in one day can be challenging. In days of old it could be completed before the noon lunch break, but now? Maybe, but you'll have to arrive ~ 06:00 for the pre-pre-pre-queue at 07:00, re-queue at 08:00, enter at 08:20 should yield a ticket number of L10 or lower. Even doing this (L5), I didn't get my passport+bankbooks back until close to 10:30. The nice things about going early: no traffic, easy parking.

 

Have all the TM8 stuff ready, maybe get a MREEP ticket as you observe others before you getting their passports back (while monitoring the MREEP desk/queuing), then go down and make the copies (new ext stay) needed for the MREEP. There's a chance you could finish before noon.

 

The ext of stay applications seemd to be batched, in groups of three - five after initial review/payment. Then they move through the two-three tier review process together, and then the intern hands out that group of passports. I think this batch process extends the total duration?

 

The MREEP process actually seems a bit more streamlined these days. In earlier years it seems like it took ages between sitting down and paying, and getting the passport back. My most recent one took 30 minutes in total. 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2020 by mtls2005

[scottiejohn]

18 hours ago, homeseeker said:

For those of us who ain't so young

In CM IO I understand they have an "over 70's" facility.  Do they not have the same at CW that you could use if you are over 70?

[mtls2005]

2 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Do they not have the same at CW that you could use if you are over 70?

 

I don't recall seeing such an option. You'd need one every one of the desk areas, of which there must be ~ 10+. The only streamlining at CW is the separate TM47/90-day reporting ticket machine.

 

 

[asiaexpat]

55 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

In CM IO I understand they have an "over 70's" facility.  Do they not have the same at CW that you could use if you are over 70?

No special treatment at CW unless in a wheelchair. Agents do get in ahead of others.

[Griffo63]

Over 70s get priority treatment at the multiple entry desks at CW as well as monks, disabled and pregnant women

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, homeseeker said:

I appreciate the very helpful replies above, and any more input welcome....

Maybe consider a move out of Bangkok? You would, of course, need to weigh up the pros and cons of any possible alternative location with due care and attention from the immigration office viewpoint!

Edited February 3, 2020 by OJAS

[Max69xl]

21 hours ago, Pib said:

Arriving before the 0830am opening time is recommended....the later you arrive the longer you generally have to wait when doing an extension of stay.  I would avoid Monday's as they tend to also get those people who waited to the very last minute or just realized something was expiring on a Saturday or Sunday and should have went on Friday latest.  

 

For a decade I've done retirement extensions of stay at CW.  I show-up around 8am....get a "stand outside the immigration doors" queue number...when the doors open I go in and get my queue number for the L1 Long Stay Extension Section.  That queue number is always high enough to give me at least an hour to go downstairs to my bank to get the Bt800K bank letter.....then back up to immigration to wait for my queue number to be called around 9:30am to 10:30am....and then the rest goes pretty fast.  Each I was done....going home by around 11am. 

 

However, there was an exception last year when I had to get a TM30 issue cleared up before they would finalize the retirement extension of stay.  This is the August 2019 timeframe when the TM30 issue was BIG NEWS....immigration offices like CW wanting to see a TM30 receipt from the past.  It took me around 4 hours that day just to clear up the TM30 issue as there were "hundreds ahead of me in the B area which handles TM30."  Got that cleared up....with TM30 receipt in hand I went back to the L1 section and they finalized my retirement extension in about 30 minutes....it was now almost 4pm.  It turned in a full day for me because of the TM30 BS.  Oh well, that's now water under the bridge.

 

Can't recommend an agent/lawyer to handle it for you....have always done everything by myself.  Even with an agent/lawyer you are going to have to be there at CW at least for a short while...maybe longer as the agent/lawyer massages the paperwork thru CW for you.

"NEWS....immigration offices like CW wanting to see a TM30 receipt from the past."

What do you mean? Who's got an old TM30 receipt? The few times I've done the report myself, the immigration officer replaced my old receipt with the new one, and the old receipt went into the bin. 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Max69xl

[rak sa_ngop]

Turn up with walking stick (or even better a leg in plaster) and you will find that the staff will push you to the front of the queue(s). They look pretty helpful from what I have witnessed.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, Max69xl said:

"NEWS....immigration offices like CW wanting to see a TM30 receipt from the past."

What do you mean? Who's got an old TM30 receipt? The few times I've done the report myself, the immigration officer replaced my old receipt with the new one, and the old receipt went into the bin. 

Simply "a" TM30 receipt....the last one which is one for the past...like maybe from a minute ago....like from yesterday....maybe two years ago...just a TM30 receipt. 

 

Yeap, on that August 2019 day at CW when the TM30 issue was the big news the L1 Section processing my retirement extension of stay would not finalize it until I went to the B section that managed TM30s and have them confirm I had previously complied in filing a TM30 and/or pay the fine for never filing a TM30.  I had never filed a TM30...was fined Bt800 and had to file the TM30...got the TM30...went back to the L1 section and they finalized approval of my extension of stay.  So, now I keep that TM30 receipt in my passport just like my last 90 day report and last arrival card.  

 

Now, the TM30 issue does not seem to be a big issue...big news. Maybe that's because people started complying with the TM30 requirement...or immigration offices were told to back off somewhat due to bad press.   

 

 

 

[Martyp]

This being TVF you will get every kind of story. In October I went to CW on Monday at 8:30am. I completed my extension by 10:30am. Got my multiple re-entry permit before noon. How long is a matter of chance and luck. I’ve never used an agent so I can’t comment on that.

[buick]

i think monday, feb 10 is a holiday and CW will be closed.  assuming that is true, i would avoid going thurs/fri (feb 6,7) and tues/wed (feb 11, 12).  sorry i can't recommend an agent, the one i know works with the jomtien office not CW.

 

 

[natway09]

Four hours travelling ?

Is there not an Immigration office closer to you ?

[homeseeker]

44 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Four hours travelling ?

Is there not an Immigration office closer to you ?

2 hours each way...

 

Its the only one for do 1 year retirement renewal in BKK area as far as I know.

 

Have u ever visited CW?

 

a backwater in the middle of nowhere....

[BritTim]

5 minutes ago, homeseeker said:

2 hours each way...

 

Its the only one for do 1 year retirement renewal in BKK area as far as I know.

 

Have u ever visited CW?

 

a backwater in the middle of nowhere....

Indeed, by public transport from some areas, two hours is credible. It ought to be less than an hour by car/taxi and expressway.

[CraigInBangkok]

41 minutes ago, homeseeker said:

2 hours each way...

 

Its the only one for do 1 year retirement renewal in BKK area as far as I know.

 

Have u ever visited CW?

 

a backwater in the middle of nowhere....

yep its roughly a 4 hour round trip by taxi from where I am ... to get there at a reasonable time I hit all the rush hour(s) traffic and I don't even want to guess how long it would take by public transport.

Edited February 3, 2020 by CraigInBangkok

[heretostay]

You can shorten your time at CW by booking your re-entry appointment online, thus avoiding the queue for the re-entry permit, plus getting the re-entry permit in under ten minutes.

 

I book the re-entry appointment late in the day, and if I finish up at the extension desk early, the re-entry people have always taken care of me immediately, even hours before the booked appointment time.  I arrive at CW at about 8:30 and have always gotten out before noon, except last year with the TM30 fine, which cost me two extra hours.

 

[mtls2005]

21 minutes ago, heretostay said:

the re-entry people have always taken care of me immediately, even hours before the booked appointment time.

 

Thanks. Good to know.

 

I've avoided scheduling the appointment for the MREEP as you never know when you'll finish with the ext stay, but if they'll take you anytime then this is an awesome hack.

 

 

[Pib]

2 hours ago, heretostay said:

 

I book the re-entry appointment late in the day, and if I finish up at the extension desk early, the re-entry people have always taken care of me immediately, even hours before the booked appointment time.  I arrive at CW at about 8:30 and have always gotten out before noon, except last year with the TM30 fine, which cost me two extra hours.

 

Never knew you could book any type of appt of CW...like some online system...getting an appt in advance except in those cases where immigration just tells you to come back on a certain day to pickup something.  Why don't you give us the link to the CW appt system.  Give us more details on how your "book a re-entry appt."

[ubonjoe]

35 minutes ago, Pib said:

Why don't you give us the link to the CW appt system.

It is only for re-entry permit applications.

https://extranet.immigration.go.th/qrepsonline/online/queue/REPSAction.do?cmd=term

[Vascoda]

On 2/2/2020 at 7:11 PM, mtls2005 said:

The fees for these services can be quite high.

HIgh is a relative thing. For some who could afford it, it is worth the money. I alwasy use agents for all my transaction with Thail govenment offices - DL< buyng/selling cars, immigration, etc. Never wait in line or run fom office to office for silly docs. Agents take care of every thing, including filling my application. I just sign and show up. Sometimes they even ferry me in their so called 'limo" (basically a Toytoa cameri). I travel first/business class but for some people it is very high. Pass through immigration priority lane and it is all worth becuase I have the money. I have to only focus on one and one thing only - make money

Edited February 4, 2020 by Vascoda

[Pib]

22 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It is only for re-entry permit applications.

https://extranet.immigration.go.th/qrepsonline/online/queue/REPSAction.do?cmd=term

Thanks...never knew it existed. 

 

I sure wish immigration would make "one" website or app to integrate their different services. 

 

Like for smartphone apps they now have a separate app (Section38) just for TM30 reporting, a separate app (etm6) for TM6, and another one (ImmeService) for 90 day reporting.  

 

I guess the one website where immigration shows various online services is at the weblink below (and the sublinks at that page)

https://www.immigration.go.th/content/online_serivces

Edited February 4, 2020 by Pib

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, Pib said:

I guess the one website where immigration shows various online services is at the weblink below (and the sublinks at that page)

The division 1 website also shows the re-entry permit site. https://division1.immigration.go.th/content/online_serivces

I assume it is only shown on it since it is only for Chaeng Wattana immigration.

[asiaexpat]

17 hours ago, BritTim said:

Indeed, by public transport from some areas, two hours is credible. It ought to be less than an hour by car/taxi and expressway.

Depends on starting location. It takes 1.5 to 2 hours from my house near Swappy. No other choice.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, asiaexpat said:

Depends on starting location. It takes 1.5 to 2 hours from my house near Swappy. No other choice.

I live in western Bangkok....not uncommon for my drive from my home to CW to take 1.5-2.0 hrs one way early in the morning during rush hour....about 1.0 hr one way midday.   So, best case for me is around 2 hrs round trip and maybe 4 hours if getting caught in early morning/late afternoon rush hour traffic.  And the ongoing BTS line construction down the middle of CW Rd just makes things worst.

 

Heck, in some cases I could drive from Bangkok to Pattaya faster since most of that trip is on a toll road/good highway doing 90-120Kmh than I could across the breath of Bangkok in heavy traffic.

Edited February 4, 2020 by Pib