Must Read Good news for Expats: New visa extensions online will take only three minutes - first for Thailand

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, joecoolfrog said:

5 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Another great opportunity for Thaivisa whingers to rant and speculate negatively about something that is a positive improvement.   Go for it, fill yer boots!

Yet you are happy to speculate that this will be ' a positive improvement ' , hypocrisy in a nutshell.

I blocked Liverpool Lou but still have to see his ****. Is there no escape ????

[marcho]

1 hour ago, sambum said:

And does an extension based on marriage to a Thai national come under the banner of "resident families" 

Yes, I would love to know that too. 

[Don Chance]

Cambodia here i come. Only $30 visa fee. Then i think Sri Lanka looks nice for some surfing!

[Cake Monster]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

However, they must still show up in person to verify their identity and get a visa sticker at the main IB office at the Government complex on Chaeng Wattana Road. 

So what is the point of filing online exactly ? when you still need to get your butt down the IO for a " sticker "

3 mins online and 4 Hours to get the sticker

What a nonsense.

[damo1967]

6 hours ago, bluebluewater said:

Yeah sure.  Anyone think they have the IT people who can put this together anytime soon?  The 90 day report took years and I'm not sure it is working on a regular basis even now.

Ever thought about actually finding out whether the online 90-day reporting is working or not properly before you spread your negativity?

I can tell you it works perfectly for me, and I get notification within 24 hours... 

[ubonjoe]

Just now, marcho said:

Yes, I would love to know that too. 

The resident families is for family members of person that has permanent residency.

I replied to the same question on page one.

[macxxxx]

Only 3 minutes? Must be a thai watch!

[connda]

7 hours ago, MickTurator said:

So an extension based on retirement is not covered with this new online service.

So, it looks like being married to a Thai woman for 16 year fails to meets the criterion either. 

Remember - A foreign man married to a Thai woman... and with children to boot? 
You're only a temporary visitor farang.  You've been gaming the system for 15 years farang - we'll get you this year for your criminality.   No better than Al Bundy baby.  We'll kick you out at our convenience.

A foreign woman married to a Thai man - you're golden sweet woman and the heart of a lotus flower of all Thai families!  Citizenship coming up...

 

[connda]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I think that is extensions for family members of a person that has permanent residency.

Those of us with families and married to a Thai woman are essentially dog meat.

[bubblebob]

Typical Thai information. 

A full explanation, 

As clear as mud.

[Graham8888]

6 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Another great opportunity for Thaivisa whingers to rant and speculate negatively about something that is a positive improvement.   Go for it, fill yer boots!

You still have to go to the office in chaeng wattana- wheres the improvements? Fact -not whingeing about whingers 

[Elkski]

I'm wondering if the extra fees go to some sub contractor who developed and or is running the website? Common in USA.  Example is Utah hunt draw system. 5$ fee per .

3 million additional profit is pretty nice bonus for someone.   Reduced paper and labor costs .  Is an improvement concept but I will still bash Thailand.   It must be related to Apex. 

[SunsetT]

7 hours ago, In the jungle said:

If decisions are made within three minutes why are there fees for "express service" and "super urgent service"?

Express service = 2mins 59secs.

Super urgent service = 2mins 58secs.

[GroveHillWanderer]

7 hours ago, In the jungle said:

If decisions are made within three minutes why are there fees for "express service" and "super urgent service"?

It doesn't say decisions will be made in three minutes, it says that the application time will be three minutes.

 

They're talking about how long it takes to submit the application online, not how long it takes to be approved.

[tandor]

7 hours ago, RandiRona said:

Thailand loves technology!!

Hates Intelligence!!!

steady...one thing at a time!

[Morakot]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

the new process will reduce application process times from one hour to three minutes

One hour, currently?

 

Truth is that (without bribing an officer to get fast-tracked) one usually spends about six hours at the IO to get one's extension. ????

[marcusb]

No mention of extensions for those who arrive and receive  Visa exempt. 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, connda said:

So, it looks like being married to a Thai woman for 16 year fails to meets the criterion either. 

Coming up to 32 years for me, and yet again I have to go to immigration this month to pay the government for permission to 'visit' her. Fill in the same forms, produce the same documents, prepare photos that prove nothing. My sister-in-law has gone to live with her Dutch husband in Hungary. Five-year visa, no 90 day reports, no visit by immigration police, no filling in forms every year. Just a welcome, thank you for coming to our country to make your life and spend money to support our economy.

 

But in Thailand you are an alien and always will be, tolerated but never welcome.

[Morakot]

Quote

must still show up in person to verify their identity and get a visa sticker at the main IB office

Since when are stickers issued for visa extensions? Currently there are outdated stamps with a signature and legible handwriting about the type of extension.

[Thingamabob]

Being on a retirement visa I will continue to apply for annual extensions in person as I have always done. This announcement does not appear to relate to either retirement or marriage extensions.

 

[Onerak]

In jomtien it takes me 30 minutes to extend my tourist visa. The office next to the immigration office fills up my form, takes pictures and make copies of all necessary documents for 200 baht. I then go and take a ticket and wait. Of course, the wait time may be different depending on the number of people waiting. But never more than 2 hours. Why somebody will pay 500 baht for e-Visa processing fees? Wait for 1-7 day blah blah blah....

[Aforek]

1 hour ago, damo1967 said:

Ever thought about actually finding out whether the online 90-day reporting is working or not properly before you spread your negativity?

I can tell you it works perfectly for me, and I get notification within 24 hours... 

Yes, for me it works perfect too , 5 times already notification in a few hours ( more or less 5 hours  ) 

[brucegoniners]

What are the odds the system doesn't work?

 

The record of the Thai government and websites isn't good.

 

Hopefully we don't need to have IE anymore, lol

[Orinoco]

Very nice thank you.

Nothing more to say !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Onerak]

7 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

It sounds more like it's going to make things easier for immigration officers and increase their income.

The fees (except extension fees 1900) will be taken by the VFS visa services. I don't like VFS visa services. Heard all the horrible things about them. Glad USA does not use them. 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Graham8888 said:

8 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Another great opportunity for Thaivisa whingers to rant and speculate negatively about something that is a positive improvement.   Go for it, fill yer boots!

You still have to go to the office in chaeng wattana- wheres the improvements? Fact -not whingeing about whingers 

If applications can be completed in a much shorter time period isn't that an improvement?   If it is, the whingers are whinging...fact.

[Caldera]

As so often, a great idea in principle, but ruined by a horrible implementation.

 

Express fees if you don't want to wait 7 business days (almost two weeks).

 

And the icing on the cake, once approved, you still have to travel all the way to immigration. I wouldn't call that "online".

[alex8912]

What does " in the future " mean in Thailand? 
The article says that all IM offices will offer this " in the future ".  So for now all the tourists who usually arrive in BKK now have to go back to BKK a week or so before their 45 days is up ( or their 60 day visa is almost up) to get this express service , so now a simple extension will be at least 2,400 baht. Then all new visitors and even many returning ones will find out that Bangkok Immigration is not even close to ANY tourist or central area in Bangkok and arrange transport there. It's easier to stay in Phuket ( I just walked 5 minutes from my hotel to Phuket Immigration right near the beach last April ) or Hua Hin or somewhere and get TM 30 copy from hotel and take your application and picture to local IM office hand in , wait and pick up passport 45 min to 60 min later. Oh yah they will never tell you Bangkok Immigration and others all close for an entire hour everyday for lunch. They still haven't figured out staggering lunch hours to prevent this and speed things up.  I will def pass on this glorious opportunity.  

[alex8912]

47 minutes ago, Caldera said:

As so often, a great idea in principle, but ruined by a horrible implementation.

 

Express fees if you don't want to wait 7 business days (almost two weeks).

 

And the icing on the cake, once approved, you still have to travel all the way to immigration. I wouldn't call that "online".

Where did you see this 7 day waiting period? 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 hours ago, Guderian said:

About as much use to the vast majority of expats living here as the foreign land ownership scheme was.

 

Correct!

 

Especially since as mentioned by several others above... absolutely NO INDICATION that this new online service is available for either retirement or marriage extension holders,  which I assume are the majority of long-stay types.

 

But if I worked for a local foreign embassy or was a news media reporter, I guess I'd be happy.... :--