Trip Report - Marriage Extension Renewal at CW/Bangkok Immigraton 20 Sep/Monday.

[Pib]

 

End result….no drama….approved.  I applied 41 days before my current marriage extension expires based on an old OA Visa as you can apply up to 45 days before at CW.     At 9:55am I was done….had received a stamp to come back on 1 Nov to pick-up final one year stamp (i.e., the under consideration period).  When I come back I must bring my passport for one year stamp entry and my bank passbook to ensure I still have the minimum Bt400K deposit as I use the large deposit method vs monthly income method.  

 

Yeap, no real drama….things went pretty fast…in-the-grass details below…the details may be of interest to those who use the CW immigration office....stop reading now unless interested in the in-the-grass details.

 

The wife and I drove to CW from western Bangkok…traffic was light…surprisingly,  major ongoing BTS construction on CW Road had little impact like it had last year when I went.  We walked into  CW immigration building approx 7:40am.  Immigration  Office opening time is 8:30am although they start allowing people into the office to get a “specific queue number” at 8am.  Before 8am they hand-out “preliminary queue numbers” to control the flow into the office at 8am vs having a stampede at the doors.  I think they issue 200 preliminary queue numbers (my number was 114) and then you set in area outside the office doors where they have around 200 chairs spaced a meter apart.  For those who arrive after all the preliminary queue numbers are given out those people just have to wait with no queue number until all for those people with preliminary queue numbers get into the office. 

 

Once allowed into the office to the “main queue issuing counter” to get your “specific queue number” (like to renew a marriage/retirement extension of stay in the Long Term Section (a.ka., L Section)) you then proceed to the appropriate section.  With my preliminary queue number of 114, I got to the main queue issuing counter around 8:25am.   My specific queue number issued was L21.  So out of the first preliminary 114 queue numbers 21 of them were for the L Section….that is, people applying for a 1 year type extension.   However, but, I was not immediately handed the L21 number because the immigration officer (IO) first quickly reviewed my application package and apparently wanted to ensure my bank passbook had already been updated for today which I hadn’t been able to do yet…that was going to be my next step after getting a queue number.  After giving the IO a puppy dog frustrated look she agreed to printout the queue number, lay it to the side on her counter desk, I was then to run down to the bank to get an update, and then come back to get that L21 queue ticket.  

 

I go downstairs to the Krungsri Bank branch to update my passbook. The Krungsri bank current/reduced hours are 8:30am – 3:30pm….before the latest COVID restrictions they stayed open to 4:30pm.  I already had the bank letter which I got issued a few days earlier at a Krungsri branch close to my home (the bank letter can be up to 7 days old….I confirmed with the immigration officer), but you still need to do an update of  your passbook (and make a copy) on the day of your extension application.  I got the passbook updated which first requires a deposit or withdrawal (Krungsri don’t do Balance Forward B/F transactions which do not required a deposit/withdrawal to get a same day update).  Got the passbook updated….dashed over to the copy shop which I think opens at 8:30am also to copy the passbook update….then back up to immigration main queue counter were I was now handed that L21 queue ticket.  It’s now around 8:40am.   By this time everyone with preliminary queue tickets and those without preliminary queue tickets were pretty much into the immigration office….have been issued specific queue numbers.

 

OK, I go to the L Section where the first office/cubicle wants to do a review of your extension application “before” your queue number is called.  This review is just to ensure you have everything (like a passbook update, etc)…put all the docs in the desired order for later review by the IO that processes your package when your queue number is called.  After that initial review I was given my package back, four simple forms to fill out,  and directed to wait in L Section waiting area until my queue number to be called.   The four forms given were easy, simple ones….one just acknowledging overstay penalties,  one for the wife and I to complete that was saying the wife is my sponsor of sorts, another simple form I forget specifically for what, and a TM47 90 day address report form.  The first three forms were basically writing in your name, address, maybe checking a few blocks, and sign….and then completion of the fourth form which was a new 90 day address report.  My current 90 day report was not due until the last few days of next month/until late October.    At around 9:35am our L21 queue number was called.

 

The wife and I are now setting in front of the IO processing the package.   The processing went fast….only took about 10 minutes.  And the IO processed a new 90 day address receipt even though current one was only halfway thru its 90 day cycle.  So, instead of a late Oct due date for my next 90 day address report I now have a mid-December due date.   Cool….this is only the 1^st time (or maybe the 2^nd) over a dozen or so years of retirement/marriage extensions that immigration processed/gave me a new 90 day address date “during the extension application process.”   The IO did ask why I didn’t apply for a retirement extension/why I switched to a marriage extension last  year since my bank acct has over Bt800K in it year round.  I expect the IO asked this as the application package requirements for a marriage extension require more paperwork (for the individual and immigration) in comparison to a retirement extension.   I said because of no medical insurance requirement since I had an underlying OA visa and the lower income requirements…and I said I have outstanding home country medical insurance that covers the wife and I here in Thailand.  The IO just nodded her head and told us to go back to the L Section waiting area while my passport stamp was finalized which required another officer (probably a supervisor) to initial off on.   In about 10 minutes at 9:55am the passport stamp was finalized with a 1 Nov date to come back to get the final one year stamp....out the door the wife and I go.  As mentioned earlier on 1 Nov I also need to show/update my bank passbook again to ensure I still have/maintained the minimum Bt400K on deposit during the under consideration period.  Then I can take the bank balance to zero if desired until two months before apply next  year.   Yeap, done at 9:55am.

 

Below is what I included in my marriage extension application package.  Note: Depending on your IO they may not want the 90 day report or TM30, but I always include them…if the IO doesn’t want/need them they will  just remove them from the package.  But for me the last few years the IO had not removed them from my packages so I’m assuming they are required “or desired.”
- TM7 application form
- Copy of relevant passport pages showing the main page,  long expired/underlying OA visa stamp, and last extension stamp
- Copy of  TM6 Arrival/Departure, last 90 Days Address Receipt, and last TM30 from about two years ago
- Four  pictures of the wife and I in/around the house.  One close-up picture of us standing under the house number while pointing to the house number (house number clearly visible)…one picture of us in front of the house…one picture of us setting on the bed in the bedroom…and one of us in the kitchen.  Same kind of pictures as last year’s extension.  I took along a two more pictures just in case they wanted more/different pictures but they didn’t.
- Kor Ror 3 Marriage Certificate and Kor Ror 2 Marriage Registration.  The KR2 was about a week old.
- Copy of wife’s Thai ID card
- Copy of wife’s blue book
- Bank letter I got four days earlier (bank letter can be up to 7 days old…I confirmed this with the IO) and copy of bank passbook with current day update (the bank letter which just basically confirms you have a bank acct can be up to 7 days old but CW immigration wants the passbook updated on day of application)
- Map to our home

 

Yeap, the extension application went fast….no drama.  Every CW immigration person the wife and I interfaced with was professional and polite.  While waiting in the queue areas I watched from a distance other immigration personal going about their work….helping customers….and the immigration personal all seemed happy and in a good mood.    Didn’t see any upset customers either.   The immigration office is strictly enforcing the proper wearing of a mask….a few times I saw some customers not wearing their mask over their nose and an immigration person politely telling the customer to properly wear the mask.   Pretty much done for another year.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2021 by Pib

[Conquerbrqvilok]

How much is the required amount in the bank statement? and for how long must be old?

Thanks

[Pib]

11 minutes ago, Conquerbrqvilok said:

How much is the required amount in the bank statement? and for how long must be old?

Thanks

Generally, Bt400K for two months before the day you apply "and during the under consideration period" which lasts approx. 30 to 45 days.   So, for a total of 3 to 3.5 months you would need to maintain a minimum of Bt400K.  Or said another way for two months before application and until you get the final one year stamp.

[Conquerbrqvilok]

This financial requirement is so much hamulating my wife she is a master degree in economy and she earns 200k a month what kind of support she need from me, moreover this is a private matter between a men and his wife 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Conquerbrqvilok said:

This financial requirement is so much hamulating my wife she is a master degree in economy and she earns 200k a month what kind of support she need from me, moreover this is a private matter between a men and his wife 

The financial proof is not to support your wife. It is for you to live on. There is nothing in the rules stating it is to support your wife.

[Conquerbrqvilok]

@ubonjoe Some embassies state clearly Bank statement to support your wife ! and in the other hand why they have to decide how much i have to spend i may spend a million per year or 100k per year if you are happy with this milking rules I'm not and the new law passed by a group of Italians to urge the Italian government to treat Thai people in a reciprocal way in all matters the Rome cabinet approve it and will be effective on December 2022 , the first EU country to say enough and stop , but as Italy is the 6th largest economy in the world the required amounts will be enormous even those rich Thais can't afford Ah before i leave Belgium, Nl, France and Spain are studying the same project a Thai women willing to marry with Italian citizen will be forced to prove that she is financially stable independent 

I'm sad for you Thais .....i seen your comments here for last 5 years always in favor of unfairness 

[Saraburi121]

Ubon Joe is the pillar of good information on visa matters on this site. He just states the facts, he doesn’t make the rules.  Helped me out more times than I can count. 

[DrJack54]

OP, just a suggestion for next year.

You don't need to go early.

Go when banks are open. Give bank clerk 100 for deposit into account. That gives update and shows activity on day of application.

Also give her 100b for bank letter. Ask for her to photocopy last page of your bb showing the 100b deposit.

 

Some of your post to me is making easy difficult.

 

Edited September 21, 2021 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

54 minutes ago, Conquerbrqvilok said:

Some embassies state clearly Bank statement to support your wife !

We were discussing immigrations requirement not a non-o visa from a embassy.

This from clause 2.18 of immigration order 327/2557 states.

"(6) In the case of marriage to a Thai woman, the alien husband must earn an average annual income of no less than Baht 40,000 per month or must have no less than Baht 400,000 in a bank account in Thailand for the past two months to cover expenses for one year."

 

[Pib]

40 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, just a suggestion for next year.

You don't need to go early.

Go when banks are open. Give bank clerk 100 for deposit into account. That gives update and shows activity on day of application.

Also give her 100b for bank letter. Ask for her to photocopy last page of your bb showing the 100b deposit.

 

Some of your post to me is making easy difficult.

 

Yeap...you are right....a person go later in the day to get a bank letter and/or passbook update...no need to apply when immigration first opens.  But that also means applying at immigration later in the morning/day....possibly also getting caught up with CW immigration lunch break when they shut donw....turning the application day into a longer affairs. 

 

Additionally, with Krungsri Bank you can't get your bank letter "quickly" as the letter requires HQ Krungsri coordination before the local branch can printout the letter which means it typically takes around 45 minutes or longer to get a letter with Krungsri.  Now at Bangkok Bank they can do a letter in around 15 minutes as they don't require their HQ coordination to generate the letter.   Best to get that bank letter a few days before application date.....just have to deal with getting the passbook update on application day. 

 

Unfortunately, the Krungsri branch at CW will no longer do a copy of your updated passbook for you (they use to be no longer)....even have such signs on their copying machines... they tell you to go to the nearby copy shop.  Guess they got tired of doing free copies since I expect the bank branches in the immigration building get a lot of bank letter and passbook update requests. 

 

Yes, if a person wanted to take it slower on application date by getting the bank letter and passbook update in the morning and then going to immigration later on they sure could, but that's going to turn it into a longer day.   I'll just continue in getting the passbook update early as possible on application day, the bank letter a few days earlier, and applying at immigration at opening time.

 

 

[Conquerbrqvilok]

@ubonjoe

I totally Understand that you are talking about rules and i know it 

what I'm saying is not every rule is a good thing! following rules against you willing is too painful for this reason some one EU countries they made a move with Covid pandemic the law was delayed but will be effective 

You ask me 400K for one year and married ...i will ask you 12x 3900 EURO and that's it , 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, Pib said:

Yeap...you are right....a person go later in the day to get a bank letter and/or passbook update...no need to apply when immigration first opens.  But that also means applying at immigration later in the morning/day....possibly also getting caught up with CW immigration lunch break when they shut donw....turning the application day into a longer affairs. 

 

Additionally, with Krungsri Bank you can't get your bank letter "quickly" as the letter requires HQ Krungsri coordination before the local branch can printout the letter which means it typically takes around 45 minutes or longer to get a letter with Krungsri.  Now at Bangkok Bank they can do a letter in around 15 minutes as they don't require their HQ coordination to generate the letter.   Best to get that bank letter a few days before application date.....just have to deal with getting the passbook update on application day. 

 

Unfortunately, the Krungsri branch at CW will no longer do a copy of your updated passbook for you (they use to be no longer)....even have such signs on their copying machines... they tell you to go to the nearby copy shop.  Guess they got tired of doing free copies since I expect the bank branches in the immigration building get a lot of bank letter and passbook update requests. 

 

Yes, if a person wanted to take it slower on application date by getting the bank letter and passbook update in the morning and then going to immigration later on they sure could, but that's going to turn it into a longer day.   I'll just continue in getting the passbook update early as possible on application day, the bank letter a few days earlier, and applying at immigration at opening time.

 

 

You can lead a horse to water.

My Kasikorn bank does my two accounts (one FD and one savings) on the same letter. Also provide me with photocopy of each bankbook showing update. 

 

In any event continue with your trips arriving at 7.40am.

Whatever suits you best.

[Pib]

Getting a passbook update along with getting a copy made before entering the immigration office (regardless of what immigration office you use) is a chokepoint if wanting to visit immigration when they first open at 8:30am especially when even the immigration officer issuing the queue number looks for the passbook update before they will issue a queue number.  I was surprised that occurred that even the queue-issuing official want to see the passbook update before issuing a queue number...that had never occurred before.  And actually if you show up exactly at 8:30am or later your queue number will probably be a high one extending your time at the office.

 

Since bank branches typically don't open until 8:30am (or later)....or the nearest bank branch might be kilometers away from the immigration office....or the branch don't have an operational passbook update machine outside the branch forcing you to wait till branch opening time....and then also needing to make a copy of your updated passbook at some copy shop that don't open to 8:30am (or later) if the bank don't provide a copy, the getting of that final piece of bank paper for your extension application package can be chokepoint if wanting to apply for your extension when immigration first opens.

 

Too bad immigration offices--or at least the CW immigration--will not accept a passbook update/copy from the previous day even though they will accept the bank letter being up to 7 days old.  But I realize the bank letter is just validating you indeed have an acct with the bank and it's the passbook or statement that the proof regarding  balances during the entire seasoning period.  But I guess immigration has their reasons....maybe to comply with the letter of the regulation....maybe to minimize income scam attempts....etc.  

 

But hey, even with this passbook update issue I'm happy with my CW results...walk into the immigration building at 7:40am...spend some queue time and getting the passbook update...then being done & dusted with a new extension at 9:55am...just a little over two hours.  

 

But if someday my bank does not have a branch right in same building as the immigration office then I just have to seek-out another branch/ATM/Deposit Machine/Passbook Update Machine on the way to immigration which is easier said than achieved with many bank branches being in malls that don't open until 8:30am or later...and even the standalone branches in their own branches don't open till around 8:30am along with their machines not be available until that time also. 

 

Yeap, too bad immigration offices generally will not accept a previous day update of your passbook although every other piece of documentation in your application package can be X-days old.

 

 

[Tony125]

22 hours ago, Conquerbrqvilok said:

@ubonjoe Some embassies state clearly Bank statement to support your wife ! and in the other hand why they have to decide how much i have to spend i may spend a million per year or 100k per year if you are happy with this milking rules I'm not and the new law passed by a group of Italians to urge the Italian government to treat Thai people in a reciprocal way in all matters the Rome cabinet approve it and will be effective on December 2022 , the first EU country to say enough and stop , but as Italy is the 6th largest economy in the world the required amounts will be enormous even those rich Thais can't afford Ah before i leave Belgium, Nl, France and Spain are studying the same project a Thai women willing to marry with Italian citizen will be forced to prove that she is financially stable independent 

I'm sad for you Thais .....i seen your comments here for last 5 years always in favor of unfairness 

You are soooo wrong saying even those rich Thai will not be able to afford the new requirements in Italy.  You obiviously have no idea what Hi-so = rich Thai make or own.  My wife's family are not Hi-so  but fairly well off middle class family whose  father, aunts ,uncles own multible homes , apartments (they rent out) and farms.  My sis-in law owns a company and travels to Italy, EU, Asean and US to broker deals and took her workers to Japan for vaction 2 years ago.  But Hi-so dwarf thier income. I met a Hi-so when I was in US, her parents bought her a condo and a restaurant to run while she was going to school in the US.  She stayed till finished (5 years) then sold condo/busiess and came back to BKK opened a club Hi-so's like the Red Bull heir litterally have money to burn and drive all the hi-powered cars like Laborginnis, Ferari's, Porche ect you see in BKK and around Thailand. Some of the Thai families are amonth the richest in the world.  Maybe you should see the movie "Crazy Rich Asians"

 

[Pib]

I've seen the Crazy Rich Asians movie about some HiSo families in Singapore.  I've also seen several Star Trek movies.

[overherebc]

Strange how things are never consistent.

First time at CW last week had to supply two copies of 'everything'. All pages of passport and bank book pages showing money had been there for a year.

Didn't see the point in arguing the case so just went with the flow.

Maybe because it was first time to use CW.

Married extension renewal after moving area.

Edited September 22, 2021 by overherebc

[Conquerbrqvilok]

1 hour ago, Tony125 said:

You are soooo wrong saying even those rich Thai will not be able to afford the new requirements in Italy.  You obiviously have no idea what Hi-so = rich Thai make or own.  My wife's family are not Hi-so  but fairly well off middle class family whose  father, aunts ,uncles own multible homes , apartments (they rent out) and farms.  My sis-in law owns a company and travels to Italy, EU, Asean and US to broker deals and took her workers to Japan for vaction 2 years ago.  But Hi-so dwarf thier income. I met a Hi-so when I was in US, her parents bought her a condo and a restaurant to run while she was going to school in the US.  She stayed till finished (5 years) then sold condo/busiess and came back to BKK opened a club Hi-so's like the Red Bull heir litterally have money to burn and drive all the hi-powered cars like Laborginnis, Ferari's, Porche ect you see in BKK and around Thailand. Some of the Thai families are amonth the richest in the world.  Maybe you should see the movie "Crazy Rich Asians"

 

I never called corrupted people rich , only mine workers 

[Lite Beer]

On 9/21/2021 at 11:07 AM, Conquerbrqvilok said:

This financial requirement is so much hamulating my wife she is a master degree in economy and she earns 200k a month what kind of support she need from me, moreover this is a private matter between a men and his wife 

If you were a foreign Lady married to a Thai Man your would not have to have any money in the bank.

That is even more unfair.

Edited September 22, 2021 by Lite Beer

[chilly07]

So glad Jomtien Immigration is using QueQ. You just pick an appointment time and confirm it on the day. This gives you a appointment number which appears on their electronic display. No queueing at all. Gives you plenty of time to do the banking business. Don't understand why Chang Wattana doesn't use this as it reduces Covid risk for staff and customers

[ElZorro]

On 9/21/2021 at 12:51 PM, Pib said:

Yeap...you are right....a person go later in the day to get a bank letter and/or passbook update...no need to apply when immigration first opens.  But that also means applying at immigration later in the morning/day....possibly also getting caught up with CW immigration lunch break when they shut donw....turning the application day into a longer affairs. 

 

Additionally, with Krungsri Bank you can't get your bank letter "quickly" as the letter requires HQ Krungsri coordination before the local branch can printout the letter which means it typically takes around 45 minutes or longer to get a letter with Krungsri.  Now at Bangkok Bank they can do a letter in around 15 minutes as they don't require their HQ coordination to generate the letter.   Best to get that bank letter a few days before application date.....just have to deal with getting the passbook update on application day. 

 

Unfortunately, the Krungsri branch at CW will no longer do a copy of your updated passbook for you (they use to be no longer)....even have such signs on their copying machines... they tell you to go to the nearby copy shop.  Guess they got tired of doing free copies since I expect the bank branches in the immigration building get a lot of bank letter and passbook update requests. 

 

Yes, if a person wanted to take it slower on application date by getting the bank letter and passbook update in the morning and then going to immigration later on they sure could, but that's going to turn it into a longer day.   I'll just continue in getting the passbook update early as possible on application day, the bank letter a few days earlier, and applying at immigration at opening time.

 

 

I just transfer any amount in or out of the account when I arrive in CW using the krungsri app or the website, then update the passbook on the ATM. No need to wait for the branch to open.

[Pib]

9 minutes ago, ElZorro said:

I just transfer any amount in or out of the account when I arrive in CW using the krungsri app or the website, then update the passbook on the ATM. No need to wait for the branch to open.

Yea... but if you arrive at immigration before/at the opening 8:30am opening time (like many people do such as myself) you still need to get a copy of the passbook made for your application.   Or at least that's what happened to me this year when the queue-issuing IO would not issue me a queue number without the updated passbook with copy,

 

Where do you get a copy made since the copy shop don't open to 8:30am but you are entering the immigration office as early as 8:00am with your preliminary queue number and then getting issued a specific queue number at the main queue counter before the official office opening at 8:30am.  And in my case the IO at the main queue desk wouldn't hand me the L section queue ticket since I hadn't got my passbook update and "with a copy of that update in my application."   

 

In all my previous years of extensions the queue-issuing IO had never required seeing the passbook update before giving a queue ticket.  Some might glance at the package, but didn't specifically look/require a passbook update at that point in time. 

 

In previous years I would get the queue number issued (the queue issuing officer didn't require the passbook update with copy...didn't really look at my application package) and then I immediately went down to the bank to withdraw/deposit Bt100 in the ATM/CDM and use then use PDM...or go into the branch if the machines aren't working and then go to the copy shop about 50 meters which opened at 8:30am away to make a copy of updated passbook page....then back up to immigration to wait for my queue number to be called which has never occurred before 9am for me.  Yea...get a queue ticket...run down stairs to get the passbook update with copy and then back to immigration before our queue number is called.

 

Doing what you are doing works fine arriving after 8:30am, spend a few minutes to update the passbook/get a copy, and then go to immigration to get a queue ticket.  But by then a couple hundred people have already been issued queue tickets since they arrived before the 8:30am official opening time.     

 

Maybe I just got unlucky this year with a nit-picking IO who was issuing the queue tickets....or maybe it's just their policy now to look for an  passbook update before even issuing a queue number.  

 

 

[Mansell]

8 hours ago, chilly07 said:

So glad Jomtien Immigration is using QueQ. You just pick an appointment time and confirm it on the day. This gives you a appointment number which appears on their electronic display. No queueing at all. Gives you plenty of time to do the banking business. Don't understand why Chang Wattana doesn't use this as it reduces Covid risk for staff and customers

This is my first time extending here in Jomtien and I’ve never heard of this…..so how does this work?

[Lacrimas]

On 9/21/2021 at 11:52 AM, Conquerbrqvilok said:

@ubonjoe Some embassies state clearly Bank statement to support your wife ! and in the other hand why they have to decide how much i have to spend i may spend a million per year or 100k per year if you are happy with this milking rules I'm not and the new law passed by a group of Italians to urge the Italian government to treat Thai people in a reciprocal way in all matters the Rome cabinet approve it and will be effective on December 2022 , the first EU country to say enough and stop , but as Italy is the 6th largest economy in the world the required amounts will be enormous even those rich Thais can't afford Ah before i leave Belgium, Nl, France and Spain are studying the same project a Thai women willing to marry with Italian citizen will be forced to prove that she is financially stable independent 

I'm sad for you Thais .....i seen your comments here for last 5 years always in favor of unfairness 

6th economy in the world in 2004 perhaps, and I'm Italian. Italy is a bankrupted country.

[lamyai3]

5 hours ago, Pib said:

Maybe I just got unlucky this year with a nit-picking IO who was issuing the queue tickets....or maybe it's just their policy now to look for an  passbook update before even issuing a queue number.  

 

I went on Tuesday afternoon to extend non O-A, the place was mobbed. Perhaps because of this, when I arrived around 1.30pm and went straight to the ticket desk I was only asked for the TM7 and then given a queue number right away (119 ahead of me in the queue, last year there were less than 20 queueing at the same time of day). I popped downstairs to Krungsri which was very quiet, made a deposit and got the book updated was told to come back in 40 minutes for the letter, which gave me time to fill out the additional forms. Then got copies made, and hung around getting coffees etc. Finally got seen after 6pm, unusually by a senior officer who checked my forms and stamped my passport all at her desk.

 

Very smooth trip, but surprised at the queue length in front of me, took over 5 hours in all. The QR code provided on the ticket was great though, showing queue number status, and freeing me up to wander all over the building rather than sit glued to the screen in L section. 

[Pib]

4 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

I went on Tuesday afternoon to extend non O-A, the place was mobbed. Perhaps because of this, when I arrived around 1.30pm and went straight to the ticket desk I was only asked for the TM7 and then given a queue number right away (119 ahead of me in the queue, last year there were less than 20 queueing at the same time of day). I popped downstairs to Krungsri which was very quiet, made a deposit and got the book updated was told to come back in 40 minutes for the letter, which gave me time to fill out the additional forms. Then got copies made, and hung around getting coffees etc. Finally got seen after 6pm, unusually by a senior officer who checked my forms and stamped my passport all at her desk.

 

Very smooth trip, but surprised at the queue length in front of me, took over 5 hours in all. The QR code provided on the ticket was great though, showing queue number status, and freeing me up to wander all over the building rather than sit glued to the screen in L section. 

It may be because a lot of people have a 26 Sep 2021 due date (this Sunday) on their current extension because of the COVID extensions/adjustments immigration started issuing around this time last year.....not only for people with short term visas but also for some people on long stay/1 year extensions. 

 

I saw quite a few ThaiVisa posts around this time last year where people were doing their annual extension renewal in Aug/early Sep 2020 timeframe and instead of being given an Aug/early Sep 2021 new extension date they were given a 26 Sep 2021 date...basically given around a 13 to 14 month extension.  Same thing happened to me last year.

 

Last year my  OA retirement extension was due 2 Oct 2020 but I was going to switch to a marriage extension to avoid the medical insurance requirement for an underlying OA visa   Now when you switch extension types, like retirement to marriage, you will lose time on your extension.  Instead of being extend to 2 Oct 2021  a person would be extended from the "date of application."   I applied on 15 Sep 2020 (about two weeks early) for the switch to a marriage extension  to avoid losing too much time but still leaving me a couple weeks on my current retirement extension to fix any problems preventing approval of the marriage extension.

 

I didn't run into any problems on 15 Sep 2020  with the marriage extension application, got my under consideration stamp till 12 Oct 2020 when I was to come back to get the final one year stamp which would have been to 14 Sep 2021 in normal times.

 

OK, I go back on 12 Oct 2020 to get my 1 year stamp....fully expecting a stamp to 14 Sep 2021, but no, I was given "two stamps."  And the IO had me sign a couple of forms and she explained both dates were two COVID related date adjustments to my due date.   She made a point of this to ensure I wasn't confused by or think the stamps were a mistake.   First stamp was to 26 Sep 2021 approved on 12 Oct and then another stamp to 31 Oct 2021 also approved on 12 Oct 2021. 

 

Heck, that made me happy as I didn't end up losing any time in the retirement to marriage extension switch and actually ended up gaining about six weeks based on the application date...instead of getting a 14 Sep 2021 date if it had been in normal times I end up with a 31 Oct 2021 date.    

 

And it may be that along with a bunch of people who got a 26 Sep 2021 date there is also a bunch of people who got a 31 Oct 2021 date.  If so I expect the week before those two dates will be busier than normal at CW as many people wait to the last week before a due date to get their extension. 

 

 

 

[Pib]

Just to close-out my trip report to renew my marriage extension of stay of CW, today/1 Nov I went back to get the 1 year stamp as instructed by immigration on 20 Sep when I applied for renewal....see the opening post.

 

Arrived CW around 8:20am...the long pre-queue line was still snaking into the office to be issued a queue number for what reason you went for.   Since I was told to come back on 1 Nov with my passport and "updated" bank passbook I went and withdrew Bt100 and updated my passbook using the machines in front of the Krungsri branch downstairs and then went and made a copy of my update passbook main page and last page at the copy/photo shop which is open from 7:30am to 4:30pm. 

 

Got up to immigration around 8:30am...the pre-queue was gone....I got a queue ticket of L2 36.  L2 is the Long Term section that issues out the final marriage 1 year stamps....it's more of a cubicle where one immigration officer and two admin reps do everything.    My queue number was called around 9:15am,  A L2 rep took the passport and bank passbook copy and told me to go back to the queue area while they finished the processing.  About 10 minutes later I got called back...but not to receive my passport back with 1 year stamp but I was told I needed an updated/current picture for my TM7 form as I had used the same picture this year as I did last year.   The rep show even showed me my TM7 from last year....yeap, same picture.

 

For the last dozen or so years I have "not" got a new photo for the TM7 form each year (yes, I know you are suppose to)....normally I get a new one every 3 years or so.  After doing around a dozen retirement/marriage extensions this is the first time they compared the photo for this year's TM7 to last year's TM7 photo.  Years back when they started taking a digital picture of you while you were applying with the immigration officer I just figured the photo on the paper TM7 form wasn't that important anymore.

 

I then went to the copy/photo shop downstairs and got a new photo....you get 4 for Bt100....just take a few minutes.   

 

Took the new photo back to the L2 section rep....and then about 20 minutes later I was given my passport back with 1 year stamp....good for another year.  From start to finish today's immigration office time was around 1 hour 20 minutes with about 98% of in waiting in the queue area, updating my bank passbook, getting a copy, getting a new photo, etc.  Only around 2 minutes was actual time interfacing with an immigration office rep.

 

This is my second marriage extension of stay after switching from a retirement extension of stay with underlying OA.  A home visit during the under-consideration period for the 1st or this 2nd marriage extension did "not" occur.    

 

Yeap, done for another year.