Arrived but received no stamped Form TM6 - problem for future?

[TerraplaneGuy]

I'm on a retirement extension of stay based on a non-OA visa.  I arrived back this week at the Phuket Sandbox.   Immigration procedures were totally different than usual.  They took my Form T6 but did not return it stamped to me as in past, they just tore off the Arrival portion, kept it and handed me back the blank Departure stub (I hadn't completed it yet), unstamped.  I was too exhausted to take note.  So now I have no stamped TM6.  As I recall, in past I've needed it when I apply for my extension/multiple re-entry permit and file my 90 day report.  What should I do?

[GroveHillWanderer]

As far as I'm aware, TM6 forms are no longer required either for entry or exit. The information is all computerised now.

 

Immigration Overhaul – TM6 Disappearing

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

As far as I'm aware, TM6 forms are no longer required either for entry or exit. The information is all computerised now.

That never happened. They are still being used.

[ubonjoe]

Not having a arrival stamp on your TM6 card should not be a problem.

Immigration should have a record of the the TM6 card number in their system to prove it was used for entry.

 

[FritsSikkink]

Why would they stamp a blank departure card?

[skatewash]

You should be OK.  The primary purpose of having a TM-6 is assigning a unique number to designate your entry into Thailand.  Both the arrival and departure parts of the TM-6 have this number right below the bar code.  It consists of 2 letters followed by 5 numbers (e.g., AB12345).  Use that number when asked for your TM-6 number during your current entry to Thailand.  Staple the blank TM-6 departure card into your passport.

[TerraplaneGuy]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That never happened. They are still being used.

So what if any issue do you see me facing, not having a stamped card?

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

So what if any issue do you see me facing, not having a stamped card?

None

But you do need to complete the departure card.

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Not having a arrival stamp on your TM6 card should not be a problem.

Immigration should have a record of the the TM6 card number in their system to prove it was used for entry.

 

 

[bikestorm]

That happended to me some time ago too. If you are still in Phuket I suggest that you return to the airport and contact the immigration.

When I had my problem I realised it when I was far away from my point of entry (BKK) and I wanted to extend my visa in Chiang Mai.

My data luckily where in the IT-System but they refused in Chiang Mai and sent me to the immigration at Chiang Mai airport. I did not mange to get it solved at the airport because Chiang Mai wasn't my point of entry and they suggested to me: make a boarder run to Lao - which I finally did.

So I guess if you manage to contact the immigration at your point of entry they will manage to help you - cross my fingers for you.

[mtls2005]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Why would they stamp a blank departure card?

 

No clue, probably something that's part of their standard procedures? Or maybe this is optional? Or maybe they stopped doing it? Or maybe they forgot for the OP?

 

I think the departure portion gets the same stamp as was done in your passport on entry, done on the reverse side over the Important Notice text. And then when you leave, they must stamp it with your departure date (triangular stamp, matching the one in your passport over the rectangular entry stamp) in the blank box as they retain the form for "filing"?

 

I always include a front and back copy of the TM.6 when it is requested (TM.47 mail-in, TM.7).

 

 

Edited August 28, 2021 by mtls2005

[Gsxrnz]

In 12 years I have never been asked for a copy of the reverse side of the departure card (bearing  a date-stamp), nor have I seen any officer of any immigration office or airport staff even look at the back of the card.  Twice I have lost my card and when departing BKK, simply grabbed a blank arrivals/departures card and completed the necessary section.  Never had a problem.

 

[TerraplaneGuy]

On 8/29/2021 at 7:28 AM, Gsxrnz said:

In 12 years I have never been asked for a copy of the reverse side of the departure card (bearing  a date-stamp), nor have I seen any officer of any immigration office or airport staff even look at the back of the card.  Twice I have lost my card and when departing BKK, simply grabbed a blank arrivals/departures card and completed the necessary section.  Never had a problem.

 

What kind of visa or extension are you on?  It may be that for some kinds they want to see this.  I know it's on the list I have for a retirement extension done at the Samui immigration office.

[skatewash]

I don't think the OP has to worry about an unstamped TM-6 Departure Card as long as he has an entry stamp in his passport with the correct permission to stay until date.  My own TM-6 Departure Card is also unstamped and I have received two retirement extensions since then and it has never been mentioned.  I actually used to find it strange that they stamped your departure card with the same permission to stay date that they stamped your passport -- seemed redundant to me.

[TerraplaneGuy]

36 minutes ago, skatewash said:

I don't think the OP has to worry about an unstamped TM-6 Departure Card as long as he has an entry stamp in his passport with the correct permission to stay until date.  My own TM-6 Departure Card is also unstamped and I have received two retirement extensions since then and it has never been mentioned.  I actually used to find it strange that they stamped your departure card with the same permission to stay date that they stamped your passport -- seemed redundant to me.

Good to hear.  But as you know it always depends on the specific Immigration office, they are very inconsistent in their requirements.  Which office do you use?

 

[skatewash]

3 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Good to hear.  But as you know it always depends on the specific Immigration office, they are very inconsistent in their requirements.  Which office do you use?

 

Phuket.  What you say about inconsistency is true among immigration offices.  In this case I've just never understood what additional information was conveyed by stamping the TM-6 departure card in addition to the entry stamp in the passport.  Same information in both places as far as I can see.  But then I'm not an immigration officer.

[problemfarang]

this happened to one of my friends years ago.

he went to the local immigration office and told them about the situation. They said its ok and actually they stamped it with a short note on it explaining the situation. the date they stamped was the entrance date and exit date. But i think only the stamp was saying Khon Kaen immigration and that was why the explanation was for. So all ok. 

[Gsxrnz]

7 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

What kind of visa or extension are you on?  It may be that for some kinds they want to see this.  I know it's on the list I have for a retirement extension done at the Samui immigration office.

On a retirement O/A. Extensions done at Chonburi.

 

For clarity, I am talking about the reverse side of the TM6, not the front. It's necessary to provide a copy of the front of the TM6 but never been asked for a copy of the reverse which bares the date stamp from the airport immigration officer upon your arrival. In fact my TM6 is now not even in my passport when I go for extensions because the two times I lost them was while my passport was in the hands of the IO overnight.  Probably a Chinese staple or more likely a dog-eared passport page from a thousand stapled documents being removed over the years.

 

Muppets.

 

 

[TerraplaneGuy]

1 hour ago, Gsxrnz said:

On a retirement O/A. Extensions done at Chonburi.

 

For clarity, I am talking about the reverse side of the TM6, not the front. It's necessary to provide a copy of the front of the TM6 but never been asked for a copy of the reverse which bares the date stamp from the airport immigration officer upon your arrival. In fact my TM6 is now not even in my passport when I go for extensions because the two times I lost them was while my passport was in the hands of the IO overnight.  Probably a Chinese staple or more likely a dog-eared passport page from a thousand stapled documents being removed over the years.

 

Muppets.

 

 

So what I have after arriving in Phuket is the Departure Card portion of the TM6, blank, with the reverse side ("For Official Use") unstamped.  In short, a completely blank half of the form.  I can now fill in the front (name, date of birth, etc.) although not the "Flight no./Vehicle no." since of course I don't know what that will be until I depart.  Is that all I have to do and then provide a copy of that to Immigration when I go for my extension?  If so it's easy but I must say it seems quite pointless since all the information is already in my passport. 

[skatewash]

52 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

So what I have after arriving in Phuket is the Departure Card portion of the TM6, blank, with the reverse side ("For Official Use") unstamped.  In short, a completely blank half of the form.  I can now fill in the front (name, date of birth, etc.) although not the "Flight no./Vehicle no." since of course I don't know what that will be until I depart.  Is that all I have to do and then provide a copy of that to Immigration when I go for my extension?  If so it's easy but I must say it seems quite pointless since all the information is already in my passport. 

I have exactly the same thing after having arrived in Phuket for my TM-6 Departure Card.  But all TM-6 Arrival and Departure cards have one important number on them.  Found under the barcode consisting of two letters followed by five numbers, for example: AB12345.  It is the record ID for your entry into Thailand.  Every time you have entered Thailand is associated with a unique TM-6 number.  All information recorded about you concerning this entry into Thailand is stored associated with this record ID number.  I don't know how the other information on the card is used, or whether it is really used at all.  I seem to remember a story of there being a warehouse full of TM-6 forms in storage, to what end I don't know (back when there were articles in the media about possibly doing away with the TM-6).

This may also explain why it's not the end of the world if you lose your TM-6.  I think they may be able to lookup your TM-6 number in the system based on your passport number and date of entry.  People are sometimes given a new TM-6 with a different TM-6 number if they have lost their original one.  The TM-6 number is used to file a 90-Day Report as well or to get an extension of stay.  The TM-6 Departure Card is the only form that you get that comes with it's own unique ID number (that I know of).

[Gsxrnz]

14 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

So what I have after arriving in Phuket is the Departure Card portion of the TM6, blank, with the reverse side ("For Official Use") unstamped.  In short, a completely blank half of the form.  I can now fill in the front (name, date of birth, etc.) although not the "Flight no./Vehicle no." since of course I don't know what that will be until I depart.  Is that all I have to do and then provide a copy of that to Immigration when I go for my extension?  If so it's easy but I must say it seems quite pointless since all the information is already in my passport. 

That is correct. And yes it is pointless, but get used to it. If you question every pointless bureaucratic requirement in LOS you will go nuts - there is plenty of observable evidence of this in many TV posts.