Chang Wattana Annual Extension - heads up guys. Important!

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, Kaptain Asia said:

Jeez.......take a day off pal, you're taking being pedantic to a different level 

 

The OP stated that duplicate documents were required for his extension today.

Your post stated that was not required. 

Just to remind you....you typed.

 

"No, I wasn't asked for duplicate docs".

 

That's hardly being pedantic.

So it appears ... extensions based on marriage require duplicate photocopies and those base on retirement do not. 

That's hardly being pedantic.

 

You didn't read the thread. 

You just read the title. 

 

[Kaptain Asia]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The OP stated that duplicate documents were required for his extension today.

Your post stated that was not required. 

Just to remind you....you typed.

 

"No, I wasn't asked for duplicate docs".

 

That's hardly being pedantic.

So it appears ... extensions based on marriage require duplicate photocopies and those base on retirement do not. 

That's hardly being pedantic.

 

You didn't read the thread. 

You just read the title. 

 

OMG.........this is a good example of why it's just not worth posting on forums. You try to add something that will help other people but then some clubhead wants to twist things round to suit their own narrative.  Some people really do need to get a life.

 

 

 

 

[problemfarang]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I would wait for a post regarding extension based on retirement at CW.

The OP post was regarding extension based on marriage however that was not made clear. 

 

 

 

 

i dont think need to wait for another post to make 1 extra copy for my documents... lol

its not going to hurt me... plus if they dont want the 2nd copy then i can use it next year... 

 

PS: this is thailand and we all know its full of surprises. Im also surprise someone go the IO without at least 1 extra copy of documents. And actually not go with some other extra paper work just in case. so you will carry a brown folder with full of paper 1 time in a year for you 1 year visa extension... whats the problem?!

[problemfarang]

2 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

@DrJack54Thanks. The few times that I have seen any grief at CW L desks has always been marriage extensions. Seems the burdens are way too onerous. I really have never had any issues with retirement extension but live in fear (and hope for the best). ???? 

  

ignore him. you dont need to wait for another post or report to make 1 extra copy dude.. seriously?!

if they dont want they will give you back and you can use it next year...

 

[ozfarang]

8 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Do you guys use agents to serve your wives and girlfriends as well? Use agent seems to be answer to everything...

NO. Why you asking?

 

Agents in Thailand smooth the way through the bureaucratic nightmare that is common to many government departments in LOS

[ozfarang]

10 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

One can use an agent for anything in life. What's your point?

Mainly to AVOID any personal dealings with Immigration

[Srikcir]

If you qualify and can spend 50,000THB, get a 10-year LTR Visa, extension every 5 years, residence report every 1 year, no CW, no bank statements, etc.

[mokwit]

14 hours ago, TaoNow said:

If OP is referring to an extension based on retirement with money in the bank, then the only forms I prepare are the following:

 

1. The application form with photo

2. A map to my home in Bangkok

3. A photocopy of my last 90-day report receipt

4. A photocopy of my passport photo page, and visa/latest extension pages

5. A photocopy of my updated fixed savings account bank book (pages dating back one year)

6. A bank letter verifying the balance, and

7.  A bank statement for the previous 12 months.

 

Not really "millions" of photocopies.

 

Indeed, I keep multiple copies of these documents on hand in any case when I visit Immo.

 

What's the problem?

For the last few years I have been providing this and the 4 other forms they require. Getting the extension has been a formality. I am not so sure that will be the case this year - something seems to have changed at CW.

[phetphet]

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Which immigration office requires photocopies of  ALL pages of pp 

along with medical certificate? 

 

Samui.

On my last renewal in January, even though I did photo page, visa, and last visa stamp, they still wanted all pages.

They have insisted on a medical certificate (no  more than seven days before application), and a hand drawn map, plus a Google map complete with GPS co-ordinates, for a number of years now.

 

A bit of a joke really. This year a different doctor to the usual one I see. Didn't even go into the examination room. Me and  another guy were told, "Arms out straight in front, palms down. Now turn palms up. OK done."

At least the old doctor used to use his stethoscope, and asked how I was feeling. 

[SuperSilverHaze]

January 2023 Visa O Marriage CW. I was also asked for a second copy of everything. It's a thing now and you can blame Chinese bc IO said so.

 

I was thinking about creating a second packet but will allow the IO to shuffle through and cull some docs/papers. They also stamp everything... seriously doubt IO wants to stamp your second packet 2x.

 

But yeah, it's a thing

[quake]

9 hours ago, Maybole said:

"the photo-copy booth downstairs has been doing a roaring trade"

There is the real reason for the change, extorting more money.

Nah , it's just to be nasty.

Power tripping and all that.

 

[SuperSilverHaze]

1 hour ago, ozfarang said:

Mainly to AVOID any personal dealings with Immigration

Because your time here as a retiree is so valuable and the knowledge you gain from diy allows you to make a proper packet and get processed in 30 minutes or less amirite???

[SuperSilverHaze]

1 hour ago, ozfarang said:

NO. Why you asking?

 

Agents in Thailand smooth the way through the bureaucratic nightmare that is common to many government departments in LOS

Every month someone posts agent lost or stolen passport. It's not you until...well, it's you. Amirite?

[Thingamabob]

Anyone who has difficulty with organizationai or self-control issues is probably best advised to pay for the use of an agent.

[expat_4_life]

15 hours ago, John Drake said:

I would like to know if anybody else at CW today submitting for a retirement extension also had to provide two copies of all paperwork.

 

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I would wait for a post regarding extension based on retirement at CW.

I was at Chaeng Wattana for retirement extension less than 24 hours ago. One copy of my documents was all that was required.

 

It was a very pleasant experience, showed up at the document checking desk 5 minutes ahead of my scheduled appointment and was done, passport in-hand, just 25 minutes later.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

15 hours ago, chippendale said:

What you don't seem to understand is that whereas until now a single copy of all documents has always been enough, the Immigration staff have suddenly foisted their demand for double copies on unsuspecting clients, causing a lot of delays and even longer queues. All too avoidable if they had either announced this well in advance or simply deemed the extra paperwork unnecessary.

Here lies the problem. There is no consistency between the Immigration Offices and even individuals in the said offices.

They change requirements with no advance warning and expect people to know?

OK this was just simple copying that was needed, it could of been worse, but its not the point?

[cliveshep]

11 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Thanks to @cliveshepfor this update. I use CW and will be going at end of March for 4th retirement extension so your notice is very useful. WhyTheF they want all this extra paper now? At least I can be prepared. Only issues before was when I got barked at by female IO for printing a scan of passport rather than a photocopy. 

 

You're very welcome. Strange an I.O complained that you scanned your passport, for 8 years now I have not only scanned and printed passport pages, but original marriage certificate, apostilled marriage certificate and also legalised translation of apostille which are all included in the Extension Application pack of former rain forest (documents). Also scanned are copies of bank passbook pages, both of our Tabien Baan books (mine is yellow of course), and anything else including the form which I scanned, put into a DTP program (MS Publisher) and edited to allow me to type in the details all of which are the same year on year with the exception of the date which I type into the template each year and my handwritten signature. 

 

The joys of a computer, MS Office Professional suite and a scanner printer/copier machine with bulk ink supply fitted cannot be over-stated in this land of extreme anal form-filling mania. We never had a complaint although my wife complains "it's in colour - should be black and white photo-copies"  - her annual litany. Anyone who has attempted to read details of a photocopied passport page - mostly unreadable - will appreciate a hi-res printed scan. Certainly the quality of copy is eminently superior and any I.O who rejected it in favour of a photo-copy would be requested to call her supervisor. In 8 years no one has complained. Thai's like my beloved are totally anal about photo-copies of everything even if they are unreadable because "that's the way we've always done it". My response - "Welcome to the 21st Century Thailand, do try and keep up at the back there!"

[cliveshep]

27 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Anyone who has difficulty with organizationai or self-control issues is probably best advised to pay for the use of an agent.

Assuming they can afford it on a pension with rising prices across the board and an inability to collate a package of required docs, most of which are the same year on year except for the Kor Ror "what's it" from the Amphur and bank book and last page with a stamp in the passport. Incidentally it is made perfectly clear on the Immigration web site, or at least was before, that they require copies of every page in the passport that bears any sort of stamp - not blank pages as they aren't that stupid.

 

As for self-control - I have never suffered fools gladly, I don't roll on my back with legs in the air when idiots make stupid or unreasonable or unfair demands, my comment is/was valid. Waiting until at the I.O's desk to advise me to go back downstairs for a book of extra copies thus wasting my time and my wife's time plus losing my place in a queue - we pre-booked - is not something to accept quietly without a complaint. It would not have hurt them to put an announcement out forewarning when booking the slot but that is the way they work - they are sacred in their own eyes it seems. They have all the power and we are just an inconvenience probably.

 

But if you are the sort to meekly roll over to stupid or unnecessary demands you go right ahead pal!

[soi3eddie]

53 minutes ago, cliveshep said:

You're very welcome. Strange an I.O complained that you scanned your passport, for 8 years now I have not only scanned and printed passport pages, but original marriage certificate, apostilled marriage certificate and also legalised translation of apostille which are all included in the Extension Application pack of former rain forest (documents). Also scanned are copies of bank passbook pages, both of our Tabien Baan books (mine is yellow of course), and anything else including the form which I scanned, put into a DTP program (MS Publisher) and edited to allow me to type in the details all of which are the same year on year with the exception of the date which I type into the template each year and my handwritten signature. 

 

The joys of a computer, MS Office Professional suite and a scanner printer/copier machine with bulk ink supply fitted cannot be over-stated in this land of extreme anal form-filling mania. We never had a complaint although my wife complains "it's in colour - should be black and white photo-copies"  - her annual litany. Anyone who has attempted to read details of a photocopied passport page - mostly unreadable - will appreciate a hi-res printed scan. Certainly the quality of copy is eminently superior and any I.O who rejected it in favour of a photo-copy would be requested to call her supervisor. In 8 years no one has complained. Thai's like my beloved are totally anal about photo-copies of everything even if they are unreadable because "that's the way we've always done it". My response - "Welcome to the 21st Century Thailand, do try and keep up at the back there!"

The printed scan was clear but scaled slightly larger than real life. That is likely why, as usually they would be unable to tell. It was clearly readable though.

 

[SuperSilverHaze]

1 hour ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

They change requirements with no advance warning and expect people to

..deal with the aftermath 

 

 

This is always what I've found most frustrating and even infuriating. If you are going to change the largely unwritten requirements to different or additional unwritten requirements why can't we make note of the change and follow the instructions the following year? Most of these documents are filed in duplicate for YEARS.

 

Then, the indifference to often serious complication they themselves create

 

Another wholly insane thing is why documents are not pre-approved and archived. Passport, marriage certificate, etc.

 

Really, all that is needed for marriage application is KR2, proof of residence and money. The rest is just stupidity along with 90 day report.

[Digitalbanana]

12 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I use dedicated bank account and there were some months with zero activity. 

Wouldn't there only be two months with activity, when they add the interest on every 6 months? FWIW my friend did his ret ext at CW in February and just used bank book photocopies as usual with no issues.

[Hamus Yaigh]

3 hours ago, ozfarang said:

Mainly to AVOID any personal dealings with Immigration

OK, my apologies, I was interpreting as another attempt to derail a thread for others who prefer not to use agents and get answers to the op.

[John Drake]

The only answer to sudden immigration changes at Chaengwattana?  Always make sure you come to this forum and start reading through CW topics a couple of weeks before your appointment or deadline for extension.

[homeseeker]

1 hour ago, expat_4_life said:

 

I was at Chaeng Wattana for retirement extension less than 24 hours ago. One copy of my documents was all that was required.

 

It was a very pleasant experience, showed up at the document checking desk 5 minutes ahead of my scheduled appointment and was done, passport in-hand, just 25 minutes later.

Thank you for clarifying. In other words as I said above this thread is misleading as it applies ONLY to those asking for annual marriage extension. NOT retirement extensions.

The OP should ask the moderator to change the misleading thread title if he can't do it himself.

Or a moderator should simply correct it.

 

 

[Mad mick]

Gee l get more happy every day since picking Philippines over Thailand,  presently residing Vietnam only monthly visa runs are the pain in As_ HCMC to Moc Bai out of here in May back Phili 3 year tourist visas & renew inside local immigration office 2 monthly or 3 monthly onto 6 monthly up to you =$30.US per month approx that's me no more Vn mainly visa runs are exy ! & definitely  Thailand out long term visa hassle can't be bothered with the dramas 

[The Theory]

18 hours ago, cliveshep said:

requirement that no one told us about

IMO They don't want you to get it by 1st approach, always go back for something else. Recently it has become a common imm strategy. 

[foreverlomsak]

17 hours ago, cliveshep said:

Back on topic - extension based on marriage Dr Jack, but if you think it won't also apply to one based on retirement

In a way you've been lucky, when I was on married extensions (not at CW though) it was always 2 copies as far back as 2006, at that time my father was doing "retirement" at the same visit, he was providing 2 copies as well.

[AAArdvark]

14 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Thanks to @cliveshepOnly issues before was when I got barked at by female IO for printing a scan of passport rather than a photocopy. 

 

What is the difference? 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Digitalbanana said:

Wouldn't there only be two months with activity, when they add the interest on every 6 months? FWIW my friend did his ret ext at CW in February and just used bank book photocopies as usual with no issues.

I think at CW the bank book without statements is acceptable as long as there are no consolidated transaction entries that make it impossible to check whether the balance ever dropped below the required minimum.

[daejung]

I got an extension based on Non-O retirement at Chaengwattana in january and they asked for one copy, not two.