Non immigrant visas can be renewed up to three days in advance at Chaeng Wattana, says immigration

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Region one immigration spokesman Pol Col Phakhapong Sai-ubol said that his chef Maj-gen Piti Nithinonthaset was concerned about foreigners and Thais contacting immigration at the Government Complex what with the spike in Covid-19 cases. 

 

To alleviate overcrowding and possible spread of the virus he had instructed that visa extension applicants using counters J,L,M and N (for long term non immigrant visas) could come in up to three days before the expiration of their visas. 

 

If there is any change to this the spokesman promised that the chief will let you know. 

 

The measure started from yesterday, Tuesday 20th July, reported Thai Rath. 

 

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[david555]

I hope for those in BKK  they mean full  3 "working " days , the could be more specific i would say .

[tonray]

1 minute ago, david555 said:

I hope for those in BKK  they mean full  3 "working " days , the could be more specific i would say .

Wasn't it possible to come in up to 30 days in advance already ?

[sucit]

It sounds like this is cw specific, but can anyone confirm this?

[Crossy]

4 minutes ago, tonray said:

Wasn't it possible to come in up to 30 days in advance already ?

 

Yup, that's now reduced to 3 days.

[tonray]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Yup, that's now reduced to 3 days.

How is limiting the time before renewal going to prevent crowding ?

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, tonray said:

How is limiting the time before renewal going to prevent crowding ?

 

When you find out please let us know.

[Crossy]

6 minutes ago, sucit said:

It sounds like this is cw specific, but can anyone confirm this?

 

Currently this does seem to be the case.

[mtls2005]

5 minutes ago, tonray said:

How is limiting the time before renewal going to prevent crowding ?

 

Full disclosure I am not a mathematician, nor a queuing theory expert.

 

I think the logic is that they will only be serving "three days worth" of customers, on any given day, and they have examined that data and feel that this is one way to control flow. Without this (30-day window) they might be serving more, or fewer, customers on any given day, and thus outside their control.

 

It makes sense to me, so that should be worrying.

 

Holidays, no shortage of those including "additional stimulus holidays" like 24 Sep, have a slight effect if only by taking away service days.

 

 

Controlling appointments might be better? But that system is down, and may not return.

 

 

We'll see how it goes.

 

Three days gives very little time to resolve issues, so hope they give some sort of temporary extension in cases like this.

 

Time to get agent on speed-dial?

 

 

[mtls2005]

20 minutes ago, sucit said:

It sounds like this is cw specific, but can anyone confirm this?

 

Confirmed, in the article, and everywhere else,

 

 

[tonray]

Just now, mtls2005 said:

 

Full disclosure I am not a mathematician, nor a queuing theory expert.

 

I think the logic is that they will only be serving "three days worth" of customers, on any given day, and they have examined that data and feel that this is one way to control flow. Without this (30-day window) they might be serving more, or fewer, customers on any given day, and thus outside their control.

 

It makes sense to me, so that should be worrying.

 

Holidays, no shortage of those including "additional stimulus holidays" like 24 Sep, have a slight effect if only by taking away service days.

 

 

Controlling appointments might be better? But that system is down, and may not return.

 

 

We'll see how it goes.

 

Three days gives very little time to resolve issues, so hope they give some sort of temporary extension in cases like this.

 

Time to get agent on speed-dial?

 

 

I understand in theory if their data has shown that the majority (> than 75% always wait until final day)...but if you had 1000 people who could theoretically be spread over 30 days and now you have 1000 people spread over only 3 days ? As you stated the only real way is an appointment system...not sure why that is so difficult to maintain.

[bobandyson]

35 minutes ago, tonray said:

As you stated the only real way is an appointment system...not sure why that is so difficult to maintain.

Appointments? Computers? They can't even get the online system up.

 

Thais + technology = ?

????

 

[SooKee]

Actually at CW you could go in up to 45 days before.  This change is all well and good until they find an issue with a document or a missing document (such as an additional bank statement or credit advice) that takes 7 days to get from your bank.  What will happen then?  Hopefully they will have some kind of temporary stamp they can give people who try to keep up with the ever changing interpretations of individual IOs so they can get it sorted.  Like many other things, not well thought through unless they've only announced half the story.

[Karma80]

It's nice they care enough in these challenging times to make things just a little bit harder.

[lopburi3]

1.  As said the window was 45 days in Bangkok. 

 

2.  This will provide a month or so of fewer applicants for extensions (as many have already done them).  But once that period of 30-45 days is over it will be of no use.

 

3.  There has been no change in 90 day reporting - even with an online system that has been offline and seems to reject a large number of people since working again.  People are not moving so any 20 year old justification for this process seems to be long gone - we report when we move. 

[smedly]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

Wasn't it possible to come in up to 30 days in advance already ?

I don't think this is for those on 12 month extensions - TBH I am not sure who this applies too - it could be those that are here on tempory visa's that were extended again last week - people who are supposed to be stranded and have been since last year 

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, smedly said:

I don't think this is for those on 12 month extensions - TBH I am not sure who this applies too - it could be those that are here on tempory visa's that were extended again last week - people who are supposed to be stranded and have been since last year 

It is indeed for those on 12 month extensions of stay.

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, smedly said:

I don't think this is for those on 12 month extensions - TBH I am not sure who this applies too - it could be those that are here on tempory visa's that were extended again last week - people who are supposed to be stranded and have been since last year 

This announcement states the desks and they are all the lonstay extension desks.

 

[grandpa]

 

I just love penultimate sentence of this! "Immigration Division 1 apologizes for any inconvenience if the situation improves." 

[david555]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Currently this does seem to be the case.

Let us hope so it has no following immigration offices to do same ????

[Denim]

If they were so concerned they might have another try at fixing the glitches with online reporting and keeping it fixed. Currently seems to work for some people sometimes but for others not.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, Denim said:

If they were so concerned they might have another try at fixing the glitches with online reporting and keeping it fixed. Currently seems to work for some people sometimes but for others not.

This topic is about extensions not 90 day reporting.

In Bangkok they are not done at Chaeng Wattana. The are done at the temporary office at Muang Thong Thani.

[DrJack54]

If the original rule had been "applications can be made up to 3 days prior" and was changed to "application can be made up to 45 days prior" ....then that would make LOT of sense. 

The reverse makes zero sense.

[userabcd]

Usually go to renew extension of stay about 30 days in advance at CW. Last year it took the usual 3 to 5 hours to submit my application and then on collection 30 days later for the renewal stamp it was about a 2 hour wait. CW then was crowded.

 

Guess going to CW in August 2021 to renew extension is going to be extra crowded due to this 3 day limitation.

[david555]

40 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

If the original rule had been "applications can be made up to 3 days prior" and was changed to "application can be made up to 45 days prior" ....then that would make LOT of sense. 

The reverse makes zero sense.

Yes! as it shall only becomes worse (the infections )for some time until it slow down (if ever ?)

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

If the original rule had been "applications can be made up to 3 days prior" and was changed to "application can be made up to 45 days prior" ....then that would make LOT of sense. 

The reverse makes zero sense.

I think this post gives some good reasons for why they did it.

 

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

1.  As said the window was 45 days in Bangkok. 

 

2.  This will provide a month or so of fewer applicants for extensions (as many have already done them).  But once that period of 30-45 days is over it will be of no use.

 

3.  There has been no change in 90 day reporting - even with an online system that has been offline and seems to reject a large number of people since working again.  People are not moving so any 20 year old justification for this process seems to be long gone - we report when we move. 

 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, userabcd said:

Guess going to CW in August 2021 to renew extension is going to be extra crowded due to this 3 day limitation.

The 3 days might of ended by the time you do your extension.

They may have the online appointment site working by then and make them mandatory.

[smedly]

43 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

This announcement states the desks and they are all the lonstay extension desks.

 

cheers for clarification - never been to CW

[Cuchulainn]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

It makes sense to me, so that should be worrying.

Nice one!!

[grandpa]

38 minutes ago, userabcd said:

Usually go to renew extension of stay about 30 days in advance at CW. Last year it took the usual 3 to 5 hours to submit my application and then on collection 30 days later for the renewal stamp it was about a 2 hour wait. CW then was crowded.

 

Guess going to CW in August 2021 to renew extension is going to be extra crowded due to this 3 day limitation.

Wow, what an ordeal!  At KK Immigration, I do my annual extension 30 days in advance like you, usually takes about 30 minutes, then IO hands to superior who approves it immediately and passport stamped, pre-dated for yearly extension date! Usually no more than an hour if you go at 08:30 a.m. ????