I'm surprised nobody has posted about this yet, but 30 Day Extensions can only be done 3-4 days prior expiry. I've been doing 30 days extensions for nearly 8 years in both BKK and Jomtien but now Jomtien is saying that you can only do it 3-4 days prior to the expiry of your stamp in your passport. I was told this at the queue ticket counter by the girls at the desk and I asked her why & said I've always done it a month prior to the expiry stamp date. She said I can ask at Counter 1. So I went to Counter 1 where they do 30 day extensions and the man said the exact same thing & "very sorry, now is high season".

 

Is everyone else experiencing this at all different immigration offices or is this another Jomtien only BS they've recently introduced? (The last one was every time you enter on the same visa and stay at the exact same address already reported, you need to still report your same address AGAIN)

 

Btw, this was for a multiple entry Tourist Visa, not a visa exempt stamp.

There was never a fixed rule on how early you can do.

(in contrast to one year extension where 30 days is usual)

So you are dependent on the mood of the individual office.

I remember rule of thumb one week ahead.

 

11 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Jomtien is saying that you can only do it 3-4 days prior to the expiry of your stamp in your passport

That's  because Jomtien operates under Jomtien rules.

Farcical immigration office. 

Changes every month it seems. My last 30 day extension was 6 weeks ago at Jomtien and that was 18 days before my expiry date

OP, didn't you comment on this in March..

Why surprised.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1289219-how-soon-can-i-get-a-visa-extension/

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, didn't you comment on this in March..

Why surprised.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1289219-how-soon-can-i-get-a-visa-extension/

 

I see OP said Jomtien told him 7 days in advance required in March in that thread. I received a 30 day extension from Jomtien in April which was 16 days in advance and did another in October which was 18 days in advance so not sure why he keeps getting told different?

 

15 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, didn't you comment on this in March..

Why surprised.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1289219-how-soon-can-i-get-a-visa-extension/

 That time the front desk ladies (I didn't question further any immigration officers) told me 7 days max in advanced & you commented "Nup....just a other ridiculous immigration officer making your life difficult."

 

Now both the front desk ladies and the immigration officers who are actually the ones doing the 30 day extensions are both saying 3-4 days in advanced max.

Deleted

14 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Now both the front desk ladies and the immigration officers who are actually the ones doing the 30 day extensions are both saying 3-4 days in advanced max.

It's just modus operandi for Jomitien.

They may want you to use an agent.

Ridiculous immigration office 

18 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

There was never a fixed rule on how early you can do.

Probably stems from the fact that at one time short term extension was at the discretion of the IO and completely arbitrary. On one occasion around 2006 I was given 5 days.

Can't quite remember, but think it was following the immigration crackdown in 2014 when they were told to be a bit more flexible that 30 days became the norm for short term extensions.

Jomtien has applied this rule during high season for many years. For some funny reason, they seem to think it helps them at those times when their office is super busy.

I'm at Jomtien right now and it's rammed. Can't blame staff for being a little inflexible. People are turning up to info desk asking for a 30 day extension with just their passport (no pic or passport copies, nevermind TM30)

 

Btw, they've change TM30 process again so that you have to line up with everyone else in info desk queue to get ticket for desk 10 (in 90 day report building). 

 

4 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

Btw, they've change TM30 process again so that you have to line up with everyone else in info desk queue to get ticket for desk 10 (in 90 day report building). 

 

A month ago they changed it to doing TM30 right there at the info desk. The ladies at the info desk were both handing out queue numbers for everything else and doing your TM30 at the info desk. Gotta say, it was a lot quicker & better because there was no need to get a queue number and wait in the opposite room for your number to be called. They should've stuck to this new system because it was more time efficient for everybody. Shame they've gone back to their old ways.

7 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

It's just modus operandi for Jomitien.

They may want you to use an agent.

Ridiculous immigration office 

 

Yep, it's bloody sleazy.  

 

My agent sure got them "in the mood".  I submitted my passport for a retirement extension on Thursday afternoon and just picked it up from the agent's office an hour ago.  Good until mid January 2025. 

 

A friend of mine used the same agent for a 30 day extension last year and was able to have it done well before the last week. 

 

I'm not here to schill for agents, it's just that I've been well served since Jomtien ignored the law about embassy income letters.   The interest on the 800k at home more than covered the 12,500 baht in agent's fees.  

Korat Immigration have always required 30 or 60 day extensions to be applied for during the last week before your stamped departure date.  The reason being is that they are supposed to be unplanned, spur of the moment things. 

I had admittance till 15 November 2023. 30 day extension was made in Jomtien on 7 November (8 days before end of allowance) by agent Maneerat without any problem. New deadline 15 December 2023. So is it really up to the local IMO, no rules?

6 minutes ago, vangrop said:

So is it really up to the local IMO, no rules?

In the case of some immigration offices (eg Jomtien)....Yes 

In any event you used Maneerat so rules are flexible.

BTW what was cost. ...5-6k ? 

Nothing new at Jomtien office. I went on I think it was a Thursday or Friday when my stamp expired on Sunday and he put a little note in my passport and told me to come back Monday after it had ran out!