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

[Gilligan In Drag]

What are they talking about? Its terrible news!  Nothing online works in Thailand.

The whole thing is a complete mess and nightmare even before they start,

just seeing the immigration official guy's photo in the article

and its like seeing the avalanche just starting

to tumble down the mountain and bury the whole town.

 

Its just another mechanism to create  confusion and excuses for nickle and diming you to death or half killing you with the stress as your case is dragged out for weeks, your application is lost in the one minute online visa renewal system.

More means at their disposal to put you into some kind of problem with them

so that you have to pay your way out of it.

 

A new online system means they'll think they don't have to deal face to face

with any applicants or problems the online "system" can't deal with.

They'll just give you a grumpy, "Use the website!" and it won't matter if everything there's  hopelessly

broken, nonsensical, totally confusing and ultimately doesn't work. "I don't know! We trying help you OK?!"

Glad they left out family visit visa renewals, hope it stays that way.
 

 

[Caldera]

23 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Where did you see this 7 day waiting period? 

Fees and processing times are outlined on their website. 

[Lemsta69]

5 hours ago, Elkski said:

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. 

did you not click on the link to the VFS website?

[NoDisplayName]

4 hours ago, Morakot said:

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. ????

How so?

 

Made an appointment at CW, took the bus across town, got the bank letter, then annual retirement extension and re-entry permit, followed by another cross-town bus.

 

Total time at CW, including the bank-getting-the-letter part, was 90 minutes.  spent twice as long on the bus.

[NoDisplayName]

11 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

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

How would it increase the IO's income?  The extra fee goes to VFS Global for running the website/application.

 

If the online system is providing an approved scan code to show at the desk, this reduces the IO's opportunities to deny applications.

[Lemsta69]

They should outsource this to 7-Eleven so I can get my extension and me beers at the same time. 

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm…. 3 minutes(dream world) = 3 hours (real world)for any online immigration applications in Thailand?

[JayClay]

While having to go to the immigration office to collect your "sticker" (I presume they mean stamp...) may make this feel semi-redundant, there are a few potential positives should this get rolled out to all visa offices for all visa types.

 

I'm assuming that VFS do the document checking when you submit the application. If there's anything missing or incorrect hopefully that can be rectified electronically, therefore avoiding multiple trips to the immigration office due to having incorrect documentation.

 

Additionally, if this is adopted at all offices, then it should be more difficult for rouge offices to deny applications made this way by requesting additional  documentation, which is a problem some people on this forum seem to suffer.

[hotchilli]

20 hours ago, MickTurator said:

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

Got it in one.

[userabcd]

Imagine some faceless person sitting behind a pc somewhere and after one submits their application, for some reason it is returned as rejected. Try submit again and it is returned as rejected.

 

Just like it is with the online 90 day reports.

Edited November 10, 2022 by userabcd

[sandyf]

16 hours ago, Jack1988 said:

it's only about money this visas. they only think to make money from foreigners

Of course they will, nothing new there.

When I went to immigration the other day there were about a hundred people milling about outside, never saw another caucasian. The majority were Burmese with some other asian nationalities thrown in.

Any move to reduce the congestion has to be welcomed.

[sandyf]

12 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

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 not the majority of visitors to immigration.

Those that use an office that has a low turnover need to spare a thought for those that have to use an office in an area with a high immigrant workforce.

A bit self centred to think that the online service is aimed at satisfying the needs of this forum.

[Ginner]

On 11/9/2022 at 9:31 AM, richard_smith237 said:

so… a lot longer than 3 mins then..,

I was thinking the same. 100 apply on line and show up on the same day at the same time to find 2 officers and the rest on computers getting stressed out over the amount on applications coming through on line. Bit like the ONE STOP, which lasted all of 2 weeks.

[Blablaat]

Something very fishy about VFS and how they manage to make money with services previously supplied by embassies and consulates and charge extra fees and frequently do not know specifics about the visa process (VFS has questionable deals with quite a few European countries). It is certainly not about improving the service. Just an extra bureaucratic front desk for immigration. Why even involve them? The Thai evisa system is afaik run by Thailand itself. Why not extend that? It actually worked although the questions/documents were a bit vague and redundant.
 

Anyway, this is completely useless because the thing that takes most time, still is in place... visit the crowded office in a crowded place and bad reachability. Seriously?

[BigStar]

On 11/9/2022 at 10:30 AM, 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.

Online 90-day always works for me. Problems are almost always with the computer illiterates and wrinklies. Took years, but here it is. It doesn't have to work now, as they still have the in-person system. Later, when it works well, don't use it if you don't want to. There's no issue here, really. They don't owe you anything.

 

B500 does seem a bit excessive, but we don't know all the costs involved; most of our Economists prefer free beer or permit a 10% profit a most over costs they haven't calculated. However, pricing is usually based on what the market will likely bear. Let all the tourists boycott and spend more time at Immigration and see if it brings down the price if they wish. 

[Jack1988]

8 hours ago, sandyf said:

Of course they will, nothing new there.

When I went to immigration the other day there were about a hundred people milling about outside, never saw another caucasian. The majority were Burmese with some other asian nationalities thrown in.

Any move to reduce the congestion has to be welcomed.

some foreigners are bored about this stressful visas and they decide to leave the country. It's the best idea, we are nothing here, only humans atm

[DezLez]

24 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

we are nothing here, only humans atm

Why are you here with that sad attitude?

Suggest you go "home" and "enjoy" yourself! 

[Jack1988]

34 minutes ago, DezLez said:

Why are you here with that sad attitude?

Suggest you go "home" and "enjoy" yourself! 

I am only realist. This is Thailand and don't worry about me, I am married here. It's up to me what I wanna do

[howlee101]

On 11/9/2022 at 4:49 PM, macxxxx said:

Only 3 minutes? Must be a thai watch!

Must be one of those "borrowed" watches Prawit has ????

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, Jack1988 said:

some foreigners are bored about this stressful visas and they decide to leave the country. It's the best idea, we are nothing here, only humans atm

If the cap fits, wear it.

[sandyf]

On 11/10/2022 at 1:01 PM, BigStar said:

 

B500 does seem a bit excessive,

I can only assume you have had very little to do with VFS.

Money grabbing on steroids.

[Jack1988]

4 minutes ago, sandyf said:

If the cap fits, wear it.

what's wrong with this people? What's this irony? Lol

[joecoolfrog]

On 11/9/2022 at 7:11 AM, Liverpool Lou said:

Until proven otherwise, it is a positive improvement, no hypocrisy at all and I'm not ranting.

That's exactly the position of the negative types that you railed against. So yes you are a hypocrite.