Visa extension : overcrowd coming, or am I missing something?

[Mike Teavee]

2 minutes ago, Hiane said:

 

I got it from 

https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/important-announcement/

Was it a 1 year extension ? 

Thanks, I was blissfully unaware of this when I went to see my agent asking to do it as early as possible (would have done it on Thurs 12th if it hadn't have been a Public Holiday) due to me wanting it done before I move from Bangkok 

 

Happy to post the contact details for my Agent if a Mod says it's ok, I've used their service for my last 3 extensions (and my 1st TM30/90 Day Address Report) and highly recommend them, not going to get into a debate as to whether the 7,000 THB they charge is worth it or not as clearly it is to me.  

[Misty]

6 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

I didn't have an appointment (apparently the system is broken) but I do use an agent so they were there to assist me & spoke with the lady checking documents & the immigration officer. 

 

I was extending my Non-Imm O (> 50) 

Thank you. I was there with all my documents the same as every year for Non-Imm B, and had an appointment that Immigration refused to honor.

 

My work permit has already been renewed for the next year.  I wonder what is up with M-counter?

[Mike Teavee]

15 minutes ago, Misty said:

Thank you. I was there the same as every year for Non-Imm B, and had an appointment that Immigration refused to honor.

Thanks to @Hiane for the topic & the heads up, I will let all my mates know as a number of them do their own extensions & like me are blissfully unaware that they can't do it 1 month in advance as usual. 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by Mike Teavee

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Misty said:

First thing in the afternoon and I was the first one in the door after lunch when the doors opened. 

Senior officials often have meetings. An afternoon meeting explains the initial delay of hours. The official wanting to leave after the meeting would explain your subsequent rejection.

 

Keep proof of your appointment and (if any) proof you tried to keep it but were rejected. It may help you get priority on September 24th.

[mokwit]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

An idiotic suggestion on a par with those on various other threads stating that we should go back to our home countries for our COVID-19 jabs, I think!

 

So precisely what grudge do you have against those living in Bangkok who need to apply for annual extensions of stay?

 

Here let me help you out.

 

The point I was making is that the Immigration authorities seem to think we can just go back to our own country which we might have left 25 years ago if we are unable to renew our visa either because they have changed the deal on us after Thailand has promoted itself as a retirement destination, or more specifically if they reinstate the appointment system and you are unable to renew your extension as there are not enough appointments available and you would go onto overstay.

 

I live in Bangkok and have renewed my extension annually for a number of years, I was able to do this as I could just turn up, whereas with an appointment system I might find I am unable to renew on a day I want to if they continue with this 3 rather than 45 days before rule and reinstate the appointment requirement. It would be easy to go onto overstay. I am not on an OA, but wonder how it will be possible to line up the insurance required for an OA precisely with the day of your extension as required by Immigration when you don't know what day you can get an appointment.  I am sure they thought this through as always.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, mokwit said:

It would be easy to go onto overstay. I am not on an OA, but wonder how it will be possible to line up the insurance required for an OA precisely with the day of your extension as required by Immigration when you don't know what day you can get an appointment.  I am sure they thought this through as always.

Unless it was the first extension the new year of coverage can start on the day a person's extension ends.

For the first extension if could start before the extension is applied for and the extension would be issued to that day.

 

[John Drake]

On 8/14/2021 at 9:49 AM, Mike Teavee said:

I didn't have an appointment (apparently the system is broken)

I might be wrong. But I think it was Richard Barrow who caused them to take down the reservation system. He started spraying all over twitter that there was a security breach (a minor one IMO) and then Immigration took the system offline. Oh, well, Barrow got his clicks and, of course, he already had his extension. 

Edited August 15, 2021 by John Drake

[Mike Teavee]

22 hours ago, mokwit said:

I am not on an OA, but wonder how it will be possible to line up the insurance required for an OA precisely with the day of your extension as required by Immigration when you don't know what day you can get an appointment.  I am sure they thought this through as always.

Your extension starts from the date that your current permission to stay ends so a Non-OA holder should be looking to line up the insurance with that.

 

E.g. My permission to stay was due to end 26th Sept 2021, I extended on 13th August 2021 and my new permission to stay runs to 26th Sept 2022, I'm Non-O but if I were on a Non-OA I would have adjusted my insurance so the current policy ended & a new 12 month policy started on 26th September 2021.  

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by Mike Teavee
Typos

[John Drake]

On 8/14/2021 at 10:42 AM, BritTim said:

Keep proof of your appointment and (if any) proof you tried to keep it but were rejected. It may help you get priority on September 24th.

Good idea. I have an appointment coming up in less than two weeks. If they don't want to honor the appointment, maybe I'll ask them for a letter confirming that I showed up on my appointment date but was denied service. Wonder what the response will be?

[Misty]

On 8/13/2021 at 12:16 PM, Hiane said:

Hi,

It recently came to my attention that long-term visa extensions could now only be requested for 3 days prior to expiration date, supposedely to reduce congestion at Chaeng Watthana government complex (not sure how that works).

But with last year's exceptional visa exemption, which lasted until september the 26th, anyone who requested their 1-year extension between August (perhaps earlier) and september 26th 2020, received a permission to stay until september 26th 2021.

Apparently all of them - at least 2 months worth of visa extensions - will have to come to Chaeng Watthana in the same 3-days window.

 

Am I missing something or are we going to have a nice overcrowd these days?

Has anyone received an update on the so-called 3 day policy?  I'm still trying to get my head around how CW Immigration could process what could be thousands of delayed visa extensions in a short 3 day window.  Are they planning to throw everyone out of the country?

[Jai Dee]

An off-topic troll post has been removed.

[John Drake]

On 8/25/2021 at 2:47 PM, Misty said:

Has anyone received an update on the so-called 3 day policy?  I'm still trying to get my head around how CW Immigration could process what could be thousands of delayed visa extensions in a short 3 day window.  Are they planning to throw everyone out of the country?

Just returned from Chaengwattana. As I think I told you, I had an appointment today at 10:45. Not knowing what to expect, I arrived there at 7:15. I was told they would not honor my appointment. But they did let me go ahead and extend using the business as usual method. That is, get in line and take a number. Plenty of other people were there as well. I assume they all had the 26 September expiration I had. By the time I got in line, I was number 21 (Bangkok Bank took an extra 10 minutes to generate my bank letter, although I was first in line for the bank when it opened at 8:30--about 7 people in line for the bank). I got back in immigration around 8:45 and waited until just after 10 am to get into the counter. Everything went quickly and I got my passport with the new expiry date at 10:45.  I don't know if the three day rule is still in place. Clearly, today, it wasn't. Two counters were processing people with agents. Two other counters were processing people individually.

[John Drake]

On 8/25/2021 at 2:47 PM, Misty said:

Has anyone received an update on the so-called 3 day policy?  I'm still trying to get my head around how CW Immigration could process what could be thousands of delayed visa extensions in a short 3 day window.  Are they planning to throw everyone out of the country?

Oh, one other thing. They reset my 90 day report to today. I was due on October 15. But the  immigration officer issued me a new one along with the extension. Maybe it was because I could not do mine online since getting a new passport in 2019. She now says I'll be able to submit the 90 day report online. 

[Misty]

32 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Just returned from Chaengwattana. As I think I told you, I had an appointment today at 10:45. Not knowing what to expect, I arrived there at 7:15. I was told they would not honor my appointment. But they did let me go ahead and extend using the business as usual method. That is, get in line and take a number. Plenty of other people were there as well. I assume they all had the 26 September expiration I had. By the time I got in line, I was number 21 (Bangkok Bank took an extra 10 minutes to generate my bank letter, although I was first in line for the bank when it opened at 8:30--about 7 people in line for the bank). I got back in immigration around 8:45 and waited until just after 10 am to get into the counter. Everything went quickly and I got my passport with the new expiry date at 10:45.  I don't know if the three day rule is still in place. Clearly, today, it wasn't. Two counters were processing people with agents. Two other counters were processing people individually.

Thank you very much for posting!  It sounds like this was for either a marriage or retirement visa extension, is that correct?   Any idea if Non-B's were also being processed today (would be counter M)?

[John Drake]

1 minute ago, Misty said:

Thank you very much for posting!  It sounds like this was for either a marriage or retirement visa extension, is that correct?   Any idea if Non-B's were also being processed today (would be counter M)?

I have a retirement extension off a Non-B visa. 

[harry94]

Does making an appointment before extending my retirement visa apply all over the country ? i am in Udon Thani .

[mtls2005]

On 8/14/2021 at 8:52 AM, John Drake said:

I hope people have looked at the calendar. The implication of your message is even worse than people think. If everyone must come back within three days of 26 September, then that means a one day crunch.  Why?  Because 26 September is a Sunday.  That will leave only 24 September, a Friday,

 

And Friday, 24 Sep. is a special stimulus holiday,  (in honor of Prince Mahidol).

 

 

My read on an extension expiring on 26 Sep, is that you could go as early as Tuesday, 21 Sep. 

 

 

 

 

[John Drake]

2 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

And Friday, 24 Sep. is a special stimulus holiday,  (in honor of Prince Mahidol).

 

 

My read on an extension expiring on 26 Sep, is that you could go as early as Tuesday, 21 Sep. 

 

 

 

 

If my experience today is a good indicator, you can go right now.

[mtls2005]

3 minutes ago, John Drake said:

If my experience today is a good indicator, you can go right now.

Can you expand on this comment?

 

Perhaps your extension of stay was due to expire 26 Sep 2021?  And you went today? And the 3-day rule was not enforced?

 

 

[John Drake]

Just now, mtls2005 said:

Can you expand on this comment?

 

Perhaps your extension of stay was due to expire 26 Sep 2021?  And you went today? And the 3-day rule was not enforced?

 

 

Yes, that was the case. I explained in detail right above in a reply to Misty. They not only processed my extension but supposedly reset my 90 day report to today's extension date, and will allow me to do it online. I've been doing it by mail since getting a new passport in 2019. The L 1 counter was very busy today.

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

But they did let me go ahead and extend using the business as usual method. That is, get in line and take a number.

 

So they didn't push back on the 3-day thing, just the appointment?

 

I wonder if this only applies to the "special" 26 Sep. group?

 

 

[John Drake]

11 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

So they didn't push back on the 3-day thing, just the appointment?

 

I wonder if this only applies to the "special" 26 Sep. group?

 

 

No, they had the area in front of Immigration roped off and people were sitting there I'm not sure for what. Probably for getting inside the office. I was given a number when I first arrived but when I got back from Bangkok Bank I just walked right on to the registration desk and got an L 1 number. The place was very busy. When I first arrived, the Immigration officer manning the desk in front of the roped off area did check my passport for the expiration of my extension. But she looked at it and just gave me a packet of papers and said go on.

Edited August 27, 2021 by John Drake

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, harry94 said:

Does making an appointment before extending my retirement visa apply all over the country ? i am in Udon Thani .

No

There is no nationwide appointment system. It is done by individual offices.

[mtls2005]

On 8/13/2021 at 12:16 PM, Hiane said:

But with last year's exceptional visa exemption, which lasted until september the 26th, anyone who requested their 1-year extension between August (perhaps earlier) and september 26th 2020, received a permission to stay until september 26th 2021.

 

I didn't recall the details and complexities of this second amnesty (announced in mid-July 2020), a quick search/review seems to indicate that this was for short-term visas. And that long-term stayers were supposed to renew on their anniversary.

 

Can anyone point to a thread that details this? Or provide a refresher/summary?

 

Maybe some sub-set was granted a new first-time one-year extension of stay during this period (1 August - 26 Sep), and now all of them have a smaller window to renew. Just trying to gauge how big the balloon might be.

 

 

I found this in an article:

 

Those foreigners with visas or extensions of stay for a year or more should renew at the usual time as stated in their passport. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Drake]

15 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Maybe some sub-set was granted a new first-time one-year extension of stay during this period (1 August - 26 Sep), and now all of them have a smaller window to renew. Just trying to gauge how big the balloon might be.

My extensions have always come on 16 September. They did so for 10 years, first on a Non-B with a work permit  extension and for the last five years on a retirement extension. Then, last year immigration added ten days when I came in to extend, which I did on 17 August last year. So, I was made good for 26 September, instead of 16 September. There was a red message stamp in Thai right at the bottom of my visa. It referred to Covid, I believe. Frankly, I just wish they had left it alone and let me keep extending on 16 September. Because, now I'm thinking that there is going to be this extra big blob of people extending around 26 September for years to come, until we all die off, move, or forget where we are.

Edited August 27, 2021 by John Drake

[mtls2005]

2 minutes ago, John Drake said:

So, I was made good for 26 September, instead of 16 September.

 

Thanks for this detail.

 

I missed, or more likely forgot, this last year.

 

 

[Misty]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

My extensions have always come on 16 September. They did so for 10 years, first on a Non-B with a work permit  extension and for the last five years on a retirement extension. Then, last year immigration added ten days when I came in to extend, which I did on 17 August last year. So, I was made good for 26 September, instead of 16 September. There was a red message stamp in Thai right at the bottom of my visa. It referred to Covid, I believe. Frankly, I just wish they had left it alone and let me keep extending on 16 September. Because, now I'm thinking that there is going to be this extra big blob of people extending around 26 September for years to come, until we all die off, move, or forget where we are.

Similar situation, except a Non-B visa extension. For the last 14 years mine has always came due on 5 Sep. Last year we went to Immigration on 6 August 2020, but the extension was made until 26 Sep 2021. 

 

Edited to add that I think the "balloon" may be very big.

[mtls2005]

This begs the question...

 

If all those from 1 August 2020 - 26 September 2020 have extensions to 26 September 2021, and the three-day limit is being enforced, does that mean that no extensions are being processed now? I mean other than first-timers?

 

 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

This begs the question...

 

If all those from 1 August 2020 - 26 September 2020 have extensions to 26 September 2021, and the three-day limit is being enforced, does that mean that no extensions are being processed now? I mean other than first-timers?

Also, a few agent assisted extensions. However, in general, you raise a very good question.

[Misty]

On 8/30/2021 at 6:08 PM, mtls2005 said:

This begs the question...

 

If all those from 1 August 2020 - 26 September 2020 have extensions to 26 September 2021, and the three-day limit is being enforced, does that mean that no extensions are being processed now? I mean other than first-timers?

 

 

Based on my experience, I would say that no extensions are being processed, or at least for Non Imm B work related (John Drake posted that his retirement extension was processed).

 

My experience:  In June, I scheduled online an appointment for my extension to be processed on 13 August at CW.  I called the Immigration hotline x1178 prior to the appointment to confirm that it would be honored.  I showed up ontime, and was the first person in the door at 1pm.  After 3 hours of passing my paperwork around, it was returned to me saying they wouldn't process it, I needed to come back 3 days prior to the stamp date, 26 Sep.