Parental one year visa...has anything changed the last year?

[Kenny202]

Went and did my parental visa this morning. I been doing to for 5 years, have a checklist of what I need and always have my ducks in a row. The woman was asking for several ridiculous things and kept saying everything change this year. First thing she said my sons mum needed to be present. I said firstly she's been long gone and out of contact for 5 years....and I been doing this a long time never once been asked for her to be present. (I have all the correct legitimacy papers from court / Amphur). Then she was insisting my GF needed to go home (30km) and bring her Tabien Baan back. My missus has that ingrained Thai fear of anyone in govt and wont question anything and shushing me when I ask her what's going on, just accepting it all. In the end I got the gist and said to the IO what's the problem? The visa has nothing to do with her by law. IO says "she is representing you". I said who says? She hasn't filled out or signed any papers on my behalf? You can talk directly to me. She went away and had a natter with someone who obviously told her not required....(same for about 5 other manufactured issues). So then she insists GF needs to be in the photo with myself and son. I had to laugh when I saw the print out of the photo like 3 unrecognizable silhouettes lol. 

Among other issues she was asking for a bank statement as well as my updated passbook (this morning) and bank letter. In the end all got done. One of the older guys there I know quite well kept coming over and pushing her on to get past her petty attitude. 

 

Has anything officially changed to the parental visa? has anyone else had similar experience lately. Normally it is just a formality for me. 

[BritTim]

7 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

Went and did my parental visa this morning. I been doing to for 5 years, have a checklist of what I need and always have my ducks in a row. The woman was asking for several ridiculous things and kept saying everything change this year. First thing she said my sons mum needed to be present. I said firstly she's been long gone and out of contact for 5 years....and I been doing this a long time never once been asked for her to be present. (I have all the correct legitimacy papers from court / Amphur). Then she was insisting my GF needed to go home (30km) and bring her Tabien Baan back. My missus has that ingrained Thai fear of anyone in govt and wont question anything and shushing me when I ask her what's going on, just accepting it all. In the end I got the gist and said to the IO what's the problem? The visa has nothing to do with her by law. IO says "she is representing you". I said who says? She hasn't filled out or signed any papers on my behalf? You can talk directly to me. She went away and had a natter with someone who obviously told her not required....(same for about 5 other manufactured issues). So then she insists GF needs to be in the photo with myself and son. I had to laugh when I saw the print out of the photo like 3 unrecognizable silhouettes lol. 

Among other issues she was asking for a bank statement as well as my updated passbook (this morning) and bank letter. In the end all got done. One of the older guys there I know quite well kept coming over and pushing her on to get past her petty attitude. 

 

Has anything officially changed to the parental visa? has anyone else had similar experience lately. Normally it is just a formality for me. 

Nothing has officially changed, but you managed to get an official who took a dislike to you for whatever reason, possibly because you made her lose face over the "ex wife must be present" opening gambit. Avoiding an adversarial relationship with Thai officials is important, but sometimes (in spite of efforts to remain polite and friendly) it happens. Your girlfriend (who you interpret as scared of officialdom) was more than likely aware of this and hoping to deescalate the situation by giving your unpleasant official a win. You were lucky other officials were on your side, possibly because they do not like her either.

[Kenny202]

22 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Nothing has officially changed, but you managed to get an official who took a dislike to you for whatever reason, possibly because you made her lose face over the "ex wife must be present" opening gambit. Avoiding an adversarial relationship with Thai officials is important, but sometimes (in spite of efforts to remain polite and friendly) it happens. Your girlfriend (who you interpret as scared of officialdom) was more than likely aware of this and hoping to deescalate the situation by giving your unpleasant official a win. You were lucky other officials were on your side, possibly because they do not like her either.

Not my first time at the rodeo and I am not one of these bombastic people who go into immigration demanding my rights or with a chip on my shoulder. I am well aware that there will only be one loser in a smarty pants competition with officialdom here. I have seen abusive and obnoxious foreigners (who were clearly in the wrong) in action at IO several times and it is cringeworthy. I never lose my cool and never had a problem before. Quite friendly with a few of them. And who said the wife thing was an opening gambit? Was about number 5 in her long list of issues. I think the first one was she was insisting a bank statement along with the other bank letter and passport. And very dismissive about it too like it was all over and we needed to come back with said statement. Next one was questioning my original OA visa from 10 years ago in my old passport. Couldn't seem to get her head around that either without assistance. Like she had never done a visa application before. It wasn't in anyway like you described but nice poetic license. There was no way I was going to do a 60km round trip to get a TB when I knew it wasn't required. Would you without question? I didn't get aggro about it though or talk down to her.

 

I am certain her workmates didn't like her.....by the way they were raising their eyebrows every time she turned around and asked them yet another question. My main interest is has anything changed....really made me straighten up when she was claiming his birth moth needed to be present. She could be in Timbuk2 for all I know. I suspect she was mistaking the new rules for the 12 month ME family visa people used to get at the border, mum no needs to be present. Never fails to amaze me every year when I do my visa, like it is the first one they have ever done. Sit there for 2 hours while they shuffle the same papers like they are trying to remember if they have all the required documents (and there are a LOT of them) Like using a check list would be a loss of face or something. I use a checklist to get my own paperwork together. All done fragmented in no apparent order...usually results in further contact requesting this and that. last year I had to copy and send every page of my passport, including the blank ones. 

[Red Phoenix]

The only thing that changed, was that you were 'serviced' by a new Imm Officer with an attitude.  Which is a deadly combination when at same time they are inexperienced and not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

[Kenny202]

11 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

The only thing that changed, was that you were 'serviced' by a new Imm Officer with an attitude.  Which is a deadly combination when at same time they are inexperienced and not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

She was actually quite senior, or had a senior looking rank. Maybe she was working in the field before. Mind you I asked one of them once, I think her desk ID said something like Captain lieutenant major something or other and she told me she was quite low ranked lol  

[john donson]

what immigration office please ?

 

my personal hell is SAMUT PRAKARN