Marriage Extension Hat Yai - Today

[Stocky]

I've now successfully switched from a Non-O multi to a 1 year extension based on marriage. The total experience of Immigration in Hat Yai was very good, I found them helpful, polite and efficient. No running around for extra bits of paper or any need for petrol money or any other inducements. A big thumbs up and a thank you from me.

 

End of last month with my existing entry stamp about to expire, my current Non-O multi not long after, and the borders closed, I decided it would be a good time to switch to a 1 year extension. The wife called in on immigration to pick up the necessary forms, as well as details (in Thai) of what supporting documents are required for Hat Yai. This I had translated and attach as a pdf. 

 

I already had over 400K on deposit, part of my emergency funds, so completed the forms and collected a Khor-roh 2 from the amphur and visited immigration a few days before my entry stamp expired. Because of CV-19 processing at Hat Yai Immigration currently takes place outside of the office under a tent. Seating is limited to twelve people as the two middle seats of each bench of four are not to be occupied. Just below the stairs leading into the office is a desk manned by two officers who review your paperwork and, once all is in order, submit to officers inside. Meanwhile you sit outside and sweat; they really could do with one or two of those misting fans. We arrived at 10:30 but didn't get called inside until after lunch at 1:30. Interview took half an hour including lots of paper signing. Paid my Bht1,900 and got my under consideration stamp. We were told they'd call to arrange the house visit, and not to come back to the office until they'd phoned to say the application was approved.

 

I've not had dealings with immigration much before, as previously I've opted for the Non-O multi visa which suited my working outside Thailand. So having read various horror stories on ThaiVisa I was pleasantly surprised to find generally smiling and helpful people, yes it was slow, yes most of the paperwork is really superfluous, and yes it was hot sitting out in the tent, but overall it was far less painful than I was expecting.

 

Two immigration officers turned up unannounced at lunchtime three weeks later. Wife was out so they had to wait until she came home. Thankfully they were all smiles and very polite, didn't take too long to complete the visit. Photos in the living room, outside the house, and standing in-front of an open wardrobe in the bedroom, completed and signed the paperwork and off they went. No requests for petrol money or anything else.

 

The under consideration final date came and went by five days before I got the call from immigration saying the application was approved and I could come and get my stamp. I called in today and it was all done in 15 minutes.

 

1 Year Ext Documents.pdf

[JackThompson]

Good report.  Glad to read about a 'friendly for marriage-based' office.  Will keep it in mind for the future.

[from the home of CC]

completed many in Hua Hin/Krabi over the last 18 yrs - never had a problem, never payed a bribe and never payed an agent..

[sherwood]

Korat office has also been mostly painless for the marriage extension.

Good report.

 

[bert bloggs]

Had my first one after 15 yrs at Jomtien ,no problems either, just a couple of things to photocopy .

[swissbie]

I've got my first extension (retirement) here in Hat Yai two years ago. It took several hours and was under consideration until two officers came to visit - they called upfront. Last year it took about an hour and they said, that i had to wait for the officers visit again, as they had to do it every year now. After waiting for 3 weeks i went to the IO again, as our daughter was giving birth to her first child in Bkk and we wanted to be there. They gave me the stamp and reminded me, that the officers had to make their visit though. They never came. This year, i got the extension plus 90-days report done in less then 20 minutes and am looking forward to do it like this in the years coming. Lots of paperwork but very friendly IO's here.

[dwagner]

What is 2.4 - memo of the Thai citizen ( 3 copies) and 2.5 - record of deputy's testimony ( foreigner? 

 

The other items were understandable.

[Stocky]

6 minutes ago, dwagner said:

2.4 - memo of the Thai citizen

Not exactly sure, but amongst the forms we collected from the Immigration Office was one in Thai that only my wife had to complete, confirming our address, marriage and that we lived together at said address; this I assumed was the 'memo' in question.

 

As for 2.5 I have no idea.

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, swissbie said:

I've got my first extension (retirement) here in Hat Yai two years ago. It took several hours and was under consideration until two officers came to visit

Rather takes the gloss off things as far as Hat Yai are concerned if they insist on going through the "under consideration"/home visit rigmarole for annual retirement - as well as marriage - extensions, I think! 

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, OJAS said:

Rather takes the gloss off things as far as Hat Yai are concerned if they insist on going through the "under consideration"/home visit rigmarole for annual retirement - as well as marriage - extensions, I think! 

I know the "home visit" is just another punishment for not using an agent, but it has some degree of validity (for marriage-based).  I will happily put up with that, if they will just NOT add "unpublished requirements" to the process - some of which are specifically designed to be unobtainable or make hell for other people you deal with  - like "impossible" documents from overseas landlords, disallowing foreign-income that isn't a 'pension', work-related you already proved to get your work-permit, etc.