Seems you need a master’s degree to handle Thai immigration rules

[aussiexpat]

Glad this is not in the visa section where newbies go to get real facts on how things work.

 

So many obvious inaccurate statements, pointed out by so many, and yet no corrections made to the article?

[Orinoco]

The only thing that's consistent in Thailand.

Is inconsistency, and immigration gets first prize.

Don't be lazy,  don't give agents and immigration officers money.

as that's what your doing using an agent.

very few people,  truly need an agent but i understand some do.

[brianthainess]

No masters degree needed or agent, money in the bank with 1.275% interest after tax, no agent fees/bribes to immigration, one day a year to get a marriage extension or 1/2 day for retirement 1,900B, no probs, no changes in requirements for donkeys years 'cept home visits, caused by people having sham marriages, and time to keep money in the bank for the 800,000b the only thing that I really think needs changing is Immigration scanning docs. instead of reams of A4s, and do away with 90 days. An agent recently told me I can not get a letter of residence from my IO for driving licence, Total BS ! 

[WebGuy]

5 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

I have a PHD and I'm still having problems navigating Thai immigration rules....

 

Working on my dissertation and still of opinion this topic is for post doctoral research studies.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, Onerak said:

The 15K that I pay to agents helps lots of people, including IOs, who are not fortunate enough to be born in a Western country to earn dollars.

Here we go again. Thais are poor. The fact that they might earn far less than in the West is balanced by the fact that they pay far less than those in the West for life's essentials and more. Thais also do not need to be 'fortunate enough' to earn dollars as they have their own currency, which (sadly) is far more stable than many western currencies.

 

There are many poor people in Thailand, sure, but that is the case in any country. In my native UK many are choosing between heating their home or eating. Almost all of those are single parent families, but that is a topic for another day and not relevant to this forum.

[LivingNThailand]

40 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

I can say with 100% certainty that if you legally work here (holding the correct visa/extension and a valid work permit) you can use your S/S number/card on the thai pass application and NOT need to buy the 10K USD insurance. Too many people have done it and gotten in just fine.

Hey thanks.  I didn't make myself clear.  I meant returning expats (without work permit) like retires.  I have an Non-O visa based on retirement and would like to (finally) take a short trip out of the country.  Do I have to get an insurance policy and if so, for how long.  Age is concerning as most insurance companies won't insure me for a regular policy.  If you have any info I'd appreciate it.  

[thonglorjimmy]

3 hours ago, Onerak said:

For me it's a win win situation.

An interesting concept, I never really thought about encouraging corruption as being a "win win situation".
Maybe it works for you and you're happy to feed it, but if it becomes the norm it will no doubt cause problems for those of us that abide by the actual rules, and expect the IO's up and down the country to apply the rules consistantly.

[brianthainess]

15 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

I just unleash a very clever Mrs to ferret out any info it works for me ????

Immigration are all smiles when my missus walks in, they even give HER gifts, she's no hi-so but she 'aint scared of 'em and will yak yak them in a  polite pleasant humorous manner  if she feels the need. For me I count out loud how many times I sign my name, 59 finished Miss ! always leave with them having a laugh with us.

[ezzra]

To start with we all know too well that the immigration department has serious problems with corruption, how are you suppose to run a strait department when 'visa agents and visa fixers' can come and go and do as they please with the right greased palms of course, 

on top of which a bunch of dunces sits somewhere in the immigration ministry and come up with new regulation almost on a weekly bases and what one dunce dose 10 wise men can't undo and we are all stuck with this $hit and has to deal with it like it or not...

[apetryxx]

Clear as mud.

[dingdongrb]

Use an agent.....

 

That's the stupidest and funniest thing I have read on this website.

[Resident Alien]

"Seems you need a master’s degree to handle Thai immigration rules"

 

Think what is meant here is a master's degree on the level used in Thailand. Not a master's degree as used in other countries.

Most kids here go to university, but the level cannot be compared to a real university, like in EU or US.

 

There are always some unusual cases, but most immigration rules are not that difficult to follow.

[NanLaew]

3 hours ago, Dan O said:

The main source of rumors and confusion is the pathetic quality of media reporting going on today. Its now just media spin or info just regurgitated by the media outlets without follow up..  Its hard to decide if it its more useless due to lack of fact checking and just running with any info available so they have a story to post or to interview any govt official that has no authority to comment on issues and then presenting it as facts in a story or option 3 which is to never fact check anything, create a sensationalized Headline and throw it against the wall as click bait.  With either of the 3 options the one follow on thats consistant is the claim that the govt continually changes the decisions, rules or regs. Whatever happen to real news reporting, fact checking and following up on stories?

Blame it all on the local media. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the vast majority of foreigners who can't tie their own shoelaces before going down the pub to gossip and spread rumors are unwilling to try and learn or speak just a little of the local language and rely solely on imprecise foreign-language translations of local news and government edicts before logging onto internet forums to post gossip and rumors and gurn about their own inadequacies.

[Andre0720]

2 hours ago, Tod Daniels said:

I don't mean to rock the boat (especially as I just became a Mod on this web-forum) BUT a BIG cause of misinformation could be articles like this that have bad info in them which are read by and parroted as gospel by thousands of foreigners here but..

How about we just address the most noticeably bad and erroneous information in this article ????

The covid extension program has already been extended another 2 months until July 25th. With that being said some offices are getting more strict in issuing the 60 day covid extension with other offices telling people they can't get one and to leave the country (so your mileage may vary)
 

 

100% totally not correct, you can most definitely exit/re-enter the same day at land borders

The borders with Cambodia were enforcing a mandatory stay overnight in Cambodia when you exited thailand but now at Ban Pakard at least if you have covid extensions in your passport they're just charging you a "special fee" of 1000baht and letting you come right back to thailand. There are no issues at all bouncing out and back in Malaysia OR Lao by land the same day
 

Again, totally NOT correct. You can indeed apply for a thai pass while inside thailand as long as you select where and when you're going to enter the country.
Funny enough AT the borders with Cambodia they will apply for a thai pass FOR you (for a special fee) if you didn't do it before you decided to bounce out and back.

I didn't want to nit-pick that article to pieces just correct the most obvious stuff that I know for fact is not correct.

As far as needing a degree to navigate immigration extension procedures, it is my experience that all to many foreigners here don't put the required time into the oh-so important task of knowing what they need to get the extension they are after. Face it, most long-stay people apply for an extension (usually) ONCE a year.
With over 70 offices in the country things can and do change office to office as far as what they want year to year. So get off your butt, go to your immigration office a month or so before your current extension is gonna expire, get the latest hand out, ASK them if anything not on the list is required, so you have at least a general idea of what you're doing when you go back to apply. Another thing you need to stop saying is "I don't understand why I need to give them xxx, or yyy". Unfortunately (for you) the fact you don't understand why they need document x or y doesn't even factor into the equation. The immigration officers are low level, passport stamping, paper pushing, box ticking government workers, if you tick the boxes you get the extension, if you don't you don't and understanding why you need a document or copy isn't gonna help you get your extension one bit. 

Getting an extension of stay at any of the immigration offices in the country is not brain science or rocket surgery, it takes time, patience and planning but trust me, the most clueless foreigner here CAN get thru the process if they put their mind to it

"The immigration officers are low level, passport stamping, paper pushing, box ticking government workers, if you tick the boxes you get the extension,".

 

This is so CORRECT, it is priceless. I refer to IO's as CLERKS,  typically cannot make a decision on their own.

 

But I went to the process of obtaining retirement extensions.. And saying that "-if you tick the boxes you get the extension,". That is definitely not always the case. These IO's have hidden agendas. They do their best, if at all possible, to make it difficult, if not impossible to obtain, within the time allotted, a retirement visa.

 

For example, when I was told by the local IO to get this papers filled and come back, that it should be OK. Friday it was. We have time he said. So I fill in all the papers as explained, and go back. Monday it was. As I am waiting to show my papers, I see the IO discussing with a French guy about his retirement extension request. I hear him say, "But you did not use the most recent forms.". That is their tactic no 1. These forms are purposely NOT DATED, So no way to know. So off this French goes again, with a copy of other UNDATED forms.

 

Now I show the IO the forms that I have filled at his request. He looks at them, then says, "Oh, but you do not have an Embassy letter confirming your income." But we have time he says.  Well, news to me, and time is fleeting.  So off I go again.

I get in touch with the Bangkok embassy for my country, they explain the requirement, and the consular fees. It describes that I need such a thing as Income Tax notification from the National Revenue. Stuck in Thailand for more than 2 years, I was not able to file my Income Tax report for the required year. So I would need some other kind of proof, of course, that may or may not satisfy the IO, at his discretion I would suppose. Time was running short on me by then. Should I risk going through this additional process? After having witnessed the strategy of adding hurdles through the process.

 

So I went back to see an Agent. Paid the fee, and miraculously, all the hurdles were gone.

 

I know that for some people, it is possible, while for others, more difficult. Appeared to me the the IO looking at someone's request, sees very clearly the previous process, like the use of an Agent or not. If an Agent were used before, they will do their best to keep this windfall coming....

 

[NanLaew]

12 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

Use an agent.....

 

That's the stupidest and funniest thing I have read on this website.

You're new here?

[brianthainess]

10 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

Use an agent.....

 

That's the stupidest and funniest thing I have read on this website.

It's written here almost daily, some even use them to get a driving licence, unless you are severely disabled nobody needs an agent.

[Enzian]

Portugal is looking better all the time.

[NanLaew]

5 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

It's written here almost daily, some even use them to get a driving licence, unless you are severely disabled nobody needs an agent.

An acquaintance of mine, elderly and totally retired. He queues for 3 hours before getting to the desk where his annual extension took all of 10 minutes to issue.

 

He's retired and says he has all the time in the world. He also likes to 'people watch'.

 

On the other hand, I used an agent where I was moved ahead of the queue, my annual extension processed in the same ten minutes as above. Door-to-door from my house to immigration and back was about 45 minutes.

 

I'm retired too but I also value my time. I have also been described as a sociopath.

 

It's a personal choice.

 

Being a sociopath I mean.

[NanLaew]

8 minutes ago, Enzian said:

Portugal is looking better all the time.

Doorknob... way out... watch out for...

[grandpa]

3 hours ago, Onerak said:

The 15K that I pay to agents helps lots of people, including IOs,

And therein lies the problem!  This type of behaviour, employing an agent who bribes the IO with a little sweetener, makes it more difficult for us who do it ourselves for a fraction of the cost, i.e. the correct fee.  I learned very early on that you only give the IO the exact money for an extension, (1900THB) as they will always keep the change even if you object. As a Christian, I have always tried to be an honest person and will never get involved in the corrupt practices of agents.

[sambum]

5 hours ago, RandiRona said:

We dont need master degree , we just need @ubonjoe. He is the best !!!! @ubonjoe rocks!!!

Agreed! Very helpful guy!

[TropicalGuy]

1 hour ago, Tod Daniels said:

^ That statement (given there are OVER 70 immigration offices country wide each marching to the beat of their own drum) is the biggest frustration people face, the near total lack of consistency office to office and indeed officer to officer inside a specific office sometimes   

Same with all other Govt. Offices here like DLT -Municipal -Hospital, which should operate uniform procedures yet, of course, don’t. Only find that western- level service quality/ consistency with Ministries here. MFA, Interior etc. 

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, Harry Black said:

This smells of that Micheal Bridge chappy............

 

His usual trademark garbage ????

That was my immediate thought, too. Glad I am not alone.

[LivingNThailand]

45 minutes ago, grandpa said:

.  I learned very early on that you only give the IO the exact money for an extension, (1900THB) as they will always keep the change even if you object.

Not in phuket.  They always give the change.  At least in my experience. 

[NanLaew]

42 minutes ago, grandpa said:

And therein lies the problem!  This type of behaviour, employing an agent who bribes the IO with a little sweetener, makes it more difficult for us who do it ourselves for a fraction of the cost, i.e. the correct fee.  I learned very early on that you only give the IO the exact money for an extension, (1900THB) as they will always keep the change even if you object. As a Christian, I have always tried to be an honest person and will never get involved in the corrupt practices of agents.

So how has my agent-enabled, 45-minute all-in stop-n-go at my local immigration office made your experience at your local immigration office more difficult?

 

As for the 100 baht 'tip' tip, that's not exactly an Einstein-level revelation is it? I'm Scottish and I've been giving exact change and refusing to tip anywhere since before I started living the dream in Thailand.

 

There you go, sociopathic AND frugal. Nothing to do with religion at all.

[Tod Daniels]

1 hour ago, LivingNThailand said:

I meant returning expats (without work permit) like retires.  I have an Non-O visa based on retirement and would like to (finally) take a short trip out of the country.  Do I have to get an insurance policy and if so, for how long. 

EVERYONE no matter the stamp they come back on (which means retirees on extensions with re-entry permits too) needs a minimum of 30 days of the 10K USD insurance to get a thai pass approved it's just people who legally work here can use the their S/S number/card to show they meet the requirement. 

You can look at Thai Visa Centre's link here for insurance comparison
https://asq.in.th/

[worrab]

4 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

WIN/WIN for you & the IOs maybe, but it's a LOSE for us guys that keep the 800K in the bank as we now have to keep it there for at least 5 months & a minimum 400K for 7 months.   But even more of a hassle is the messing around with Bank Statements showing it's been there all that time especially when you rarely update your bank book so need additional statements.    

 

I keep the 800K in the bank & use an agent because I can't be bothered keeping up with the latest regulations & would rather pay somebody else to do this for me (use an accountant in the UK to file my tax return for exactly the same reason)  costs me an additional 6,000 THB on top of the 1,900 THB immigration fee but worth it to me as it makes my life easier & I like an easy life ???? 

It is really not a hassle as you state! I keep just over 800k in what I call my Immigration Account at Bangkok Bank. Pop to my local branch  a few weeks before my renewal date and ask for a yearly statement from my last renewal then as that does not come fully up to date, a 6 monthly to cover that. Collect the day before I go to Hua Hin and job done. So easy to be honest. 

[spidermike007]

Immigration here is one of my least favorite aspects of living here. I recently switched from a marriage visa, to a retirement visa, as it was rather obnoxious having to prove I was married every single year, and jumping over some rather stupid, foolish, and extremely arrogant hoops. I think they make the retirement visa easy, as they are semi-sponsored by the banks, who love having money on deposit, without any interest payments. 

 

I believe immigration is one of the areas that make it evident that the authorities really do not want us living here. We corrupt the women, by encouraging them to be curious about the world, to ask questions, and most importantly (and likely most intolerable for the authorities) we encourage them to question authority. 

[RafPinto]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Maybe because the real moderators didn't want move it?

I sent my CV to become a Mod.
Not for the salary but for the status.
Imagine me, wearing my ASEAN Now badge, wondering the BKK streets, going to immigration, police etc.
Even Pr-a-jut would send me warm regards.

Still waiting for feedback. Can't sleep properly and very anxious. 
I check my email every 12 seconds.

[RafPinto]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Immigration here is one of my least favorite aspects of living here. I recently switched from a marriage visa, to a retirement visa, as it was rather obnoxious having to prove I was married every single year, and jumping over some rather stupid, foolish, and extremely arrogant hoops. I think they make the retirement visa easy, as they are semi-sponsored by the banks, who love having money on deposit, without any interest payments. 

 

I believe immigration is one of the areas that make it evident that the authorities really do not want us living here. We corrupt the women, by encouraging them to be curious about the world, to ask questions, and most importantly (and likely most intolerable for the authorities) we encourage them to question authority. 

And the old farangs take away many young cuties. You think those old thais working at the government like this?

 

Johnny S.  plumber from Essex, 69, wife from Roi Et, 26

Pete K., bricklayer from Liverpool, 72, married to lucky, 31 from Khon Kaen

Simon P., lorry driver from Adelaide, 68, married to Nina, 36 from Nong Khai