Immigration home visit . Charge 2000 baht ? Right or wrong ?

[glegolo]

28 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

 

My thoughts exactly but wife is scared that it might affect the application. My makeshift plan is to say I have no cash at home but will go into their office tomorrow and pay on production of receipt.

Yes, our wifes have in many cases a tendency to fall flat on their backs when it comes to authorities.. They are so used to corruption so it is just accepted. Go with your guts I have done it, and they will in most cases just back off what regards this scam-money....  The visit is free..

 

glegolo

[Grumpy one]

Look on the bright side, its only 2000 baht.

Much cheaper than numerous trips to the immigration  office to sort out misplaced papers

[holy cow cm]

7 minutes ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

Yes, you can! You can record their visit on your voice recorder.

Up to you you brave person. Life can be short lived here. For me I would just write it off as a gift without making nonsensical waves. It is not like they are trying to fleece you for a lot. And the OP said he lives 100KM away. Nobody likes corruption, but you must look at it how it could come back and bite you. 

[CharlieH]

11 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

For me in this day and age I would not risk anything as it is entirely up to them to make the judgement call of you are ok or you are not ok. It isn't right for then doing it, but then listen to your wife as they have all the points on their side and do not care about us one bit. You cannot prove they asked for gas money.

No it isnt, in most cases they submit the paperwork to an area office who makes the decision. People who submit to this nonsense just propagate the problem for everyone else.

I recorded the entire visit on cctv, and they didnt set foot inside my home either. The whole thing was conducted on the covered terrace OUTSIDE.

[Old Croc]

21 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

I will say one thing. For 40 years I have done visa runs. Not because I lacked the 400,000 but to avoid exactly this sort of thing. Now the wife is experiencing herself the exact kind of behavior I told her about. She is not at all happy with this new way of doing things.

So you've always had the 400k, but refused to put it into the bank for a couple of months to qualify for a marriage visa because of the remote possibility someone might ask for a bribe?

Where do you keep it if not in a bank?  (I can predict your answer )

 

How much has 40 years of border runs cost you? Was it worth the hassle and worry about rule changes catching you out, or a pandemic closing the borders, just to avoid maybe getting asked for a special administrative fee? 

Maybe those 40 years of using the back door is the reason they're having a go at you now.

 

Edited November 4, 2020 by Old Croc

[holy cow cm]

3 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

No it isnt, in most cases they submit the paperwork to an area office who makes the decision. People who submit to this nonsense just propagate the problem for everyone else.

I recorded the entire visit on cctv, and they didnt set foot inside my home either. The whole thing was conducted on the covered terrace OUTSIDE.

I have a mixed opinion on this. If they were visiting me in CM which is only 15 minutes drive for them, then probably not. As to date I have never had anyone visit me for permission to stay based on family (children). I also have cctv around my house. Anyway it is the person's call for what to do. It is wrong but TIT.

[Bangyai]

Well....just spent the last few minutes arguing with wife. None of her friends have turned up and she is visibly rattled.

 

She wont go with my plan and is going to pay ??  Her argument is that these are hard times and if they are not greased they have the power to mess us around coming and going to immigration to sort out mysterious glitches in the application.

She thinks that once the visa is granted ....then we have what we want and that will be the end of it.

 

Well....it wont be long now so we will see what happens. For myself, I dont have any money in the house and not going to rush out to the bank. 

[AlfHuy]

3 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

Well....just spent the last few minutes arguing with wife. None of her friends have turned up and she is visibly rattled.

 

She wont go with my plan and is going to pay ??  Her argument is that these are hard times and if they are not greased they have the power to mess us around coming and going to immigration to sort out mysterious glitches in the application.

She thinks that once the visa is granted ....then we have what we want and that will be the end of it.

 

Well....it wont be long now so we will see what happens. For myself, I dont have any money in the house and not going to rush out to the bank. 

Your wife is smart. She this ahead.

 

You don't pay, you live the country and wifey back to work on the farmland.

You pay, immigration happy, wife is happy as her future is guaranteed.

 

Smart lady you have.

[Bangyai]

15 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Maybe those 40 years of using the back door is the reason they're having a go at you now.

 

Nope, my passport is new with no records in it. Let me tell you about doing a visa run. You are right, it does actually cost more but I have never been tortured or mugged in all those years. We never rushed a run either. Always made a holiday out of it and thoroughly enjoyed every trip. Absolutely no hassle at all and no corruption either.

 

As for where the money was kept....why in the UK of course . What a dumb question. Where do you keep your money  ? In the tea caddy ?

[LennyW]

12 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

No it isnt, in most cases they submit the paperwork to an area office who makes the decision. People who submit to this nonsense just propagate the problem for everyone else.

I recorded the entire visit on cctv, and they didnt set foot inside my home either. The whole thing was conducted on the covered terrace OUTSIDE.

Exactly!

[ChipButty]

They know you will pay if not they can have you running backwards and forwards to the office, you just become part of his residual income, they did it to a friend of mine a few years back 3 times he had to go back to the immigration office because he thought he could do it alone and not pay the bribe, this was only 13km trip one way

[Will27]

30 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Up to you you brave person. Life can be short lived here. For me I would just write it off as a gift without making nonsensical waves. It is not like they are trying to fleece you for a lot. And the OP said he lives 100KM away. Nobody likes corruption, but you must look at it how it could come back and bite you. 

2000 Baht for a visit?

What if they have 4 or 5 a day.

 

Too many here jump at shadows and roll over.

[Will27]

29 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

So you've always had the 400k, but refused to put it into the bank for a couple of months to qualify for a marriage visa because of the remote possibility someone might ask for a bribe?

Where do you keep it if not in a bank?  (I can predict your answer )

 

How much has 40 years of border runs cost you? Was it worth the hassle and worry about rule changes catching you out, or a pandemic closing the borders, just to avoid maybe getting asked for a special administrative fee? 

Maybe those 40 years of using the back door is the reason they're having a go at you now.

 

TBF, a lot of people do/did border runs just to avoid dealing with Immigration officials.

 

Obviously now, that's not the case.

[Bluetongue]

Opinion seems about 50/50, I can't give you any advice either. Think you'll be up for 2k every year on though. Also it seems like a large amount to me, I would have thought 500 would cover it, but I am a dinosaur. 

[holy cow cm]

4 minutes ago, Will27 said:

2000 Baht for a visit?

What if they have 4 or 5 a day.

 

Too many here jump at shadows and roll over.

That's ridiculous being more than 1 time. Also I never fall over or jump at shadows. Just try to use common sense what will and will not affect me.

[Will27]

5 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

That's ridiculous being more than 1 time. Also I never fall over or jump at shadows. Just try to use common sense what will and will not affect me.

Not 4 or  5  times for you obviously.

Multiple customers.

[darrendsd]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

do you honestly not know what an 'administrative fee' actually means in Thailand? 

 

Come on - you have been caught out and are now trying to backtrack

[KC 71]

what's that expression about 'Molehills' and 'Mountains'

[puck2]

It would be interesting to know where this happened, where these foul apples came from. Maybe some members experienced the same.

 

I would ask for their office-passports/ID-cards, would copy them and tell them I would inform the higher police office -  and all would be documented in a video.

 

About 14 years ago, we had just finished the building of our home, a policeman came up here and asked for money. I told my wife if you pay him I'll leave you at once. He never returned.

 

This bad apple was later transfered to Pai. Once I read in the news that this ploceman did the samet here . Result: He had to leave the polive, for ever.

[Bangyai]

Well, that's done and dusted. Only one bloke and the wifes witnesses turned up. I stayed indoors and they all sat outdoors at the brother in laws concrete table. Apparently , the bloke told my wife that my application was under consideration and if anything was amiss I would have to re apply. I think this was a nudge to justify the grease being paid. Whatever. I was called to be in a couple of pictures outside the house with the witnesses and that was my only involvement. When witnesses left wife handed over the money ( which had been on the table throughout ) and the bloke left. Wife is happier since although she agrees with my principles she reminded me that TIT and          ' ...you're not in England now , so comparisons are a waste of time.'

 

There ends my first and hopefully last experience of corruption.

 

All that remains now is for the wife to hit me up for the 2000 .

[GreasyFingers]

2 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

Yes, you can! You can record their visit on your voice recorder.

You are obviously not on a marriage extension.

[GreasyFingers]

2 minutes ago, Bangyai said:

Well, that's done and dusted. Only one bloke and the wifes witnesses turned up. I stayed indoors and they all sat outdoors at the brother in laws concrete table. Apparently , the bloke told my wife that my application was under consideration and if anything was amiss I would have to re apply. I think this was a nudge to justify the grease being paid. Whatever. I was called to be in a couple of pictures outside the house with the witnesses and that was my only involvement. When witnesses left wife handed over the money ( which had been on the table throughout ) and the bloke left. Wife is happier since although she agrees with my principles she reminded me that TIT and          ' ...you're not in England now , so comparisons are a waste of time.'

 

There ends my first and hopefully last experience of corruption.

 

All that remains now is for the wife to hit me up for the 2000 .

Only one from IM. We had five of them so the 2000 was to pay for lunch and beers on their way home.

 

You will get along fine listening to your wife in these circumstances because one day you might need some help from them.

[Harveyboy]

2 hours ago, Bangyai said:

Went to immigration yesterday to apply for 1st 1 year extension based on marriage. They phoned 30  minutes ago saying they will be here within the hour. Amongst other things they say we will have to pay 2000 for the home visit which is 100 k from their office.

 

Are we about to get ripped of or not ?

 

Thanks in advance

hello mate NO don't pay i had this last year when my marriage visa was done ..they phoned me at home said the same..and i live a few hundred metres from imm. i called my wife at work who called and  said NO anyway they came all went well ..my wife then spoke to the chief..who was actually a nice bloke polite ..even turned a blind eye to an issue which got us out of the Poo  Then my wife mentioned the 2000 What 2000 he asked ..few red faces with a couple of the lower  ranks .. so say no mate its s scam..if they come offer them a drink a snack ..no cash ..good luck 

[whiteman]

you bet he will be back next year and it will be 2500  bhat

[Harveyboy]

3 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Only one from IM. We had five of them so the 2000 was to pay for lunch and beers on their way home.

 

You will get along fine listening to your wife in these circumstances because one day you might need some help from them.

the help finished with the last payment  you need help ..Pay again for sure these guys don't know the meaning of favours

[Harveyboy]

5 minutes ago, whiteman said:

you bet he will be back next year and it will be 2500  bhat

exactly mate

[evadgib]

2 hours ago, Pilotman said:

your still here aren't you, so you were not ripped off.  You paid an administration fee, live with it. 

Did he get a receipt?

[2long]

Did I read right that the OP has been doing visa runs for FORTY YEARS and is now on here asking if a 2,000B bribe is acceptable? If I'm right, everyone replying to this needs to wake up and smell the coffee. ????????????

[2long]

2 hours ago, Bangyai said:

For 40 years I have done visa runs. 

????????????

[fondue zoo]

Pay it in 1 baht coins in 2 separate bags.