Chiang Mai Immigration refused to extend my visa

[ELMqgp]

Today I been there, They needed an airline ticket to leave Thailand and a letter from  the consulate.

Don't waste your time going over there, please just go to another immigration office for an extension.

The agency requires 9,000 baht before they will extend it for you.

Edited November 16, 2020 by ELMqgp

[darrendsd]

You're not the 1st one to post about CM doing this

 

I'm sure some posters have advised to go to the Immigration Office at or near the Airport?

[ELMqgp]

1 minute ago, darrendsd said:

You're not the 1st one to post about CM doing this

 

I'm sure some posters have advised to go to the Immigration Office at or near the Airport?

Chiang Mai immigration office near the airport

 

updated today.

[glegolo]

OMG - They are that stupid at Immigration in Chiang Mai, stealing 9.000 baht just for the "service" of doing an extension.

I suppose all of you guys are reporting this to Immigration, for further action against these BAD officials there employed by Thailand????

 

glegolo

[ELMqgp]

1 minute ago, glegolo said:

OMG - They are that stupid at Immigration in Chiang Mai, stealing 9.000 baht just for the "service" of doing an extension.

I suppose all of you guys are reporting this to Immigration, for further action against these BAD officials there employed by Thailand????

 

glegolo

Please all foreigners refuse to bribe 9,000 baht to Chiang Mai Immigration, I would rather help the beleaguered Thai Airways and go to Bangkok for an extension.

[ELMqgp]

My Thai friend was so shocked when he knows about this story that he just called immigration is stupid.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, ELMqgp said:

My Thai friend was so shocked when he knows about this story that he just called immigration is stupid.

Call the 1178 helpline. They know what the requirements for the 60 day extension are. I know somebody that asked them about it.

Edited November 16, 2020 by ubonjoe
fixed typo

[theoldgit]

23 minutes ago, ELMqgp said:

My Thai friend was so shocked when he knows about this story that he just called immigration is stupid.

 

What was their response?

[Pilotman]

Pay up, It is what it is.  Try to fight the system and you lose.   Sad but that's life here. I will add my own emoji, save others the bother ☹️

Edited November 16, 2020 by Pilotman

[GeorgeCross]

17 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Pay up, It is what it is.  Try to fight the system and you lose.   Sad but that's life here. I will add my own emoji, save others the bother ☹️

 

my experience has been the opposite. if you act like a doormat here, you'll be forever treated as one.

 

things have always got easier for me once those that sought to take advantage of my family or i realised it wasn't going to happen and more than that we are just as happy to bite back.

 

caveat: if you are in the wrong though just take your medicine!

 

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by GeorgeCross

[OJAS]

There appears to be serious competition for the 2020 Rogue Immigration Office Of The Year award. In addition to Chaengwattana (in view of their pedantic enforcement of the TGIA-approved insurance requirement for those seeking retirement extensions based on original OA visas) and that faithful old chestnut Nonthaburi, we now have Chiang Mai entering the fray.

[DrJack54]

I think Jomtien "inventing" the return to immigration 3 months post extension approval to show the 800k still in bankbook is a sound nomination for "we do it our way" imm office.

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

I think Jomtien "inventing" the return to immigration 3 months post extension approval to show the 800k still in bankbook is a sound nomination for "we do it our way" imm office.

Does the Law not say that the 800k must be in the bank for 3 months, then 50% for 7 months, then back to 800k for the last 2. So why moan about having to show them that you have abided by their Law, whether you agree with that Law or not?

[Pilotman]

18 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

my experience has been the opposite. if you act like a doormat here, you'll be forever treated as one.

 

things have always got easier for me once those that sought to take advantage of my family or i realised it wasn't going to happen and more than that we are just as happy to bite back.

 

caveat: if you are in the wrong though just take your medicine!

 

 

its not a case of being a doormat, it is fitting in with a Third World culture, while acknowledging that unless you have PR, or a longer term Elite visa, you are a temporary visitor for no more that a maximum of 12 months. People seem to wish to ignore this very obvious fact. Fit in or don't, up to you, but I like an easy life and I am prepared to pay a little administrative  grease for it. 

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

I know somebody that asked them about it.

Don't understand.

[OJAS]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I think Jomtien "inventing" the return to immigration 3 months post extension approval to show the 800k still in bankbook is a sound nomination for "we do it our way" imm office.

Plus, on reflection, Hua Hin given their insistence on British, American and Australian retirees using the 65k monthly pension income method providing a credit advice note for each and every 65k+ transfer, as I gather from @theoldgit

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Does the Law not say that the 800k must be in the bank for 3 months, then 50% for 7 months, then back to 800k for the last 2. So why moan about having to show them that you have abided by their Law, whether you agree with that Law or not?

You assume a trip to immigration is like going to the corner for a coffee. For some it's a many hour round trip.

Also why don't the other 78 imm offices have this rogue requirement.

Edited November 16, 2020 by DrJack54

[thaibeachlovers]

10 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Does the Law not say that the 800k must be in the bank for 3 months, then 50% for 7 months, then back to 800k for the last 2. So why moan about having to show them that you have abided by their Law, whether you agree with that Law or not?

Exactly. It's their country and they can do whatever they like. People that don't like it should have stayed home, IMO.

Try getting a Thai girlfriend a visa for a western country for a visit to see what real BS is, IMO.

Edited November 16, 2020 by thaibeachlovers

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Exactly. It's their country and they can do whatever they like. People that don't like it should have stayed home, IMO.

Try getting a Thai girlfriend a visa for a western country for a visit to see what real BS is.

Your missing the point. I am happy to abide by the "rules". The issue is that many offices make their own rules.

This very thread is about CM not issuing 60 extensions. 

MTT does! Why is that.

[polpott]

13 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Plus, on reflection, Hua Hin given their insistence on British, American and Australian retirees using the 65k monthly pension income method providing a credit advice note for each and every 65k+ transfer, as I gather from @theoldgit

Not the case in Jomtien. I provide a 12 month bank statement showing 12 transfers. Happy with that. The problem with Jomtien is them wanting you to prove it came from a pension. I took in 3 months of bank statements showing pension entries into my UK bank. happy with that.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by polpott

[thaibeachlovers]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Your missing the point. I am happy to abide by the "rules". The issue is that many offices make their own rules.

This very thread is about CM not issuing 60 extensions. 

MTT does! Why is that.

Every office makes up its own rules to make it more difficult, IMO.

[OJAS]

25 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Does the Law not say that the 800k must be in the bank for 3 months, then 50% for 7 months, then back to 800k for the last 2. So why moan about having to show them that you have abided by their Law, whether you agree with that Law or not?

But why force retirees back after 3 months armed with volumes of supporting evidence just to prove that their bank balances haven't dipped a single satang below 800k during this period? Jomtien are alone among the immigration office fraternity in adopting this particularly pedantic approach. If retirees have not abided by the law in this regard then all that their offices need to do is to reject their following year's extension applications!

Edited November 16, 2020 by OJAS

[silverhawk_usa]

It is difficult to understand the OP.  He says "The agency requires 9,000 baht before they will extend it for you. "  I interpret this as the fee paid to a Visa Agent to do the process for you.  Not Immigration.  I could be wrong, but it isn't clear.

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Don't understand.

Look at it again. I edited my post.

[NanLaew]

What was the OP wearing?

[TheFreqFlyer]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

its not a case of being a doormat, it is fitting in with a Third World culture, while acknowledging that unless you have PR, or a longer term Elite visa, you are a temporary visitor for no more that a maximum of 12 months. People seem to wish to ignore this very obvious fact. Fit in or don't, up to you, but I like an easy life and I am prepared to pay a little administrative  grease for it. 

I agree.

 

When there is a will there is a way. It's a third world country and while I don't like or condone corruption - IF I can pay some money that guarantees things will be made easy for me, then so be it. Especially during a time like this. Why waste time going on a run around. By the time you've exhausted all avenues, you might have spent 9000 Baht or more already and then you'll be faced with the same predicament. And of course, flying to Bangkok and back for your visa will cost you well over 9000 Baht. Even driving up to Chiang Rai or Mae Hong Son will cost something and be a hassle, better just to pay an agent and be done with it. 

[TheFreqFlyer]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Your missing the point. I am happy to abide by the "rules". The issue is that many offices make their own rules.

This very thread is about CM not issuing 60 extensions. 

MTT does! Why is that.

Given the global situation right now, there should not be any fuss with visa extensions. They should be granted automatically. Over time, fewer and fewer people will be affected anyway, as people transition to long-term visas or go home. So I don't understand why some offices are still playing this game. 

[darrendsd]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Exactly. It's their country and they can do whatever they like. People that don't like it should have stayed home, IMO.

Try getting a Thai girlfriend a visa for a western country for a visit to see what real BS is, IMO.

 

While it doesn't really annoy me to pay extra to Immigration you are missing the point

 

The point being that some Immigration make their own rules up with the sole intention of making it so difficult to obtain what you require you end up going down the agent route - going down this route means of course that the Immigration staff get money in their pockets

 

This is corruption and nothing to do with getting a visa for a Thai for another country

 

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

Given the global situation right now, there should not be any fuss with visa extensions. They should be granted automatically. Over time, fewer and fewer people will be affected anyway, as people transition to long-term visas or go home. So I don't understand why some offices are still playing this game. 

Agree.

I was flying the flag from very start (not just about Thailand) that all governments should make it easy (automatic) for folk to remain where they currently are at least until borders open up. That might not happen until vaccine available.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Exactly. It's their country and they can do whatever they like. People that don't like it should have stayed home, IMO.

Try getting a Thai girlfriend a visa for a western country for a visit to see what real BS is, IMO.

 

The ‘if you don’t like it go home response’.....  original... 

 

But to take on your comments: Laws are in place so they ‘can’t do what they like’ those who are impacted by the failure to work within the rules have every right to complain. 

 

Onto your next comment: Obtaining a Visa for the UK is simple if the requirements are met. In the past my Ex girlfriends have taken care of any Visa requirement them self, all that was required of me was an invitation letter. The same for my Wife (GF at the time), all visa requirements easily handled by herself, I provided an invitation letter - Never an issue for any of them. 

 

The requirements for my Non-O were pretty easy too. We just have to get exactly what’s required. 

BUT, if Immigration were to turn around and say I have to pay 9000 baht and use an agent I’d be very annoyed - there is no need to use an agent for something I am perfectly capable of doing myself. 

 

Its clear that the CM Immigration requirements to use an agent is for nothing else other than graft - money that goes into the Immigration Officers pockets rather than a government coffer.