Jomtien - don't bother trying to extend more than (1) one business day prior to expiry

[bbi1]

 Continuing on from this thread: 

 

 

 

Went to Jomtien Immigration again to try and extend for 30 days. I initially went on the 21st November and was told to come back 3-4 days prior and today I was told by the queue desk come back one (1) business day prior to stamp expiry (my stamp expiry is on a Sunday). I handed the girl my paperwork & passport without staying anything, and all was good with the paperwork. She looked at the stamp and said come back one (1) business day prior. I told her that last time in November I was told to come back one week before expiry already, that's why I'm here and she said ask at Counter 1, the exact same story as I was told last time by the other queue number girl (there are only 2 of them). Went to Counter 1 and the lady looked at my paperwork and talked to the man, and same thing they said come back one (1) business day prior to expiry. This is insane. I've got the pics to prove it, not like everyone else here on the forum that's been posting rubbish that Jomtien has no problems with extending whenever they wish or saying they saw with their own eyes that people were getting queue numbers who were there prior than a couple of days before their expiry stamp. I will believe my own experiences, and so should everyone else. Nobody else has provided any proof, but I have below.

 

This person also had the exact same experience as me. "Come back one day prior to stamp expiry":

 

 

 

[bbi1]

I'm wondering if with that yellow ticket number and 8:30am I can just go to Counter 1 or do I have to line up again with everyone else and get a queue number for Counter 1?

[ChaiyaTH]

In some places in the south its same, need to come a day before not earlier. I guess it makes sense to keep the amount of people per day reasonable because down there im usually done in 1-2 hours.

[bbi1]

1 minute ago, ChaiyaTH said:

In some places in the south its same, need to come a day before not earlier. I guess it makes sense to keep the amount of people per day reasonable because down there im usually done in 1-2 hours.

Maybe in the south but I doubt anything in Jomtien is done in 1-2 hours with the amount of people going to use Jomtien Immigration. I'd say you'd be lucky to be done in half a day there waiting for your 30 day extension.

[ChaiyaTH]

2 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Maybe in the south but I doubt anything in Jomtien is done in 1-2 hours with the amount of people going to use Jomtien Immigration. I'd say you'd be lucky to be done in half a day there waiting for your 30 day extension.

True but down south they later on further improved it by doing paperwork and photo before, then they send you home and you collect it in a minute from 4:30pm

[Woof999]

5 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

In some places in the south its same, need to come a day before not earlier. I guess it makes sense to keep the amount of people per day reasonable because down there im usually done in 1-2 hours.

 

If the same number of people are wanting to extend, it doesn't matter how many days before expiry they try to do it. Some will go earlier, some later.

 

The OP will have had to go at least 3 times for something that should take no longer than an hour. THAT (among many other things) is what causes queues.

[GypsyT]

I was laughed at when I said "I take a trip to Vn rather than going to Jomtien..."

 

Here I am - again - no stress. Enjoying beautiful Danang river front boulevard. Spending my $$ in Vietnam.

 

[Ohyesuare]

Anything to inconvenience people to push them to use agents. 

[JeffersLos]

A-G-E-N-T

 

Find out what they mean to me. 

[Pattaya57]

22 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

A-G-E-N-T

 

Find out what they mean to me. 

Yeah but how much does your agent charge for a 30 day extension?

 

A 30 day extension is one of the easiest things to do with just a passport pic and copy of passport ID page, entry stamp and TM30 which you have to give agent anyway (and go to immigration for photo to prove you were there)

 

I was quoted 4500 from agent, so ridiculous amount when only bb1 seems to keep having trouble (maybe he keeps going too early with first try 27 days before expiry and now 10 days before expiry in high season)

 

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

In some places in the south its same, need to come a day before not earlier. I guess it makes sense to keep the amount of people per day reasonable because down there im usually done in 1-2 hours.

You might expect it to balance out.... but strikes me as being extremely inflexible. There would be fewer looking for extensions if they got longer than 30 days on an Exempt entry.

One might want to get the extension done prior to some trip into the boonies, a place where immigration facilities are simply rare, rather than obtuse. 

The Russians get a better arrangement.... it appears the older established visa exempt countries can go whistle!

[thpitsch]

I have had the impression on several occasions that the woman at the first counter in the building on the right does not like farangs. She makes everything complicated.

[GypsyT]

11 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

A 30 day extension is one of the easiest things to do with just a passport pic and copy of passport ID page, entry stamp and TM30 which you have to give agent anyway (and go to immigration for photo to prove you were there)

 

All true what you say but it can be very hi stress situation for many;

- you have booked your flight 30 ahead assuming you get extension

- you have paid the hotel/condo in advance for next 30 days

- you have planned & paid trips during next 30 days

- etc

 

What if you don't get extension?

Plus feeling they don't want you to be here.....

[thecyclist]

3 hours ago, GypsyT said:

All true what you say but it can be very hi stress situation for many;

- you have booked your flight 30 ahead assuming you get extension

- you have paid the hotel/condo in advance for next 30 days

- you have planned & paid trips during next 30 days

- etc

 

What if you don't get extension?

Plus feeling they don't want you to be here.....

Yes, you often get that feeling. Also,Thais can be extremely illogical and inconsistent. Things are simply not well planned and thought through. 

[Harry Om]

Hi, this thread is now a few months old but I'm wondering if things have changed.

I'm used to getting extensions in Chiang Mai and normally go to Immigration two weeks before stamp expiry.

 

At Jomtien is it still the case that extensions on a 30 day exempt entry can only be done the day before expiry?

 

 

[Pattaya57]

39 minutes ago, Harry Om said:

Hi, this thread is now a few months old but I'm wondering if things have changed.

I'm used to getting extensions in Chiang Mai and normally go to Immigration two weeks before stamp expiry.

 

At Jomtien is it still the case that extensions on a 30 day exempt entry can only be done the day before expiry?

 

 

I've done 3-4 30 day extensions a year at Jomtien for the last 6 years and all were done with at least 2 weeks left on exit stamp. Maybe only the OP seems to have this problem as he's raised about 5 threads about it but no-one else has

 

[bbi1]

21 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

I've done 3-4 30 day extensions a year at Jomtien for the last 6 years and all were done with at least 2 weeks left on exit stamp. Maybe only the OP seems to have this problem as he's raised about 5 threads about it but no-one else has

 

Did you read all the posts in all those threads? If you did, there were others who commented they were shown the door too, if they came earlier than 1 business day to extend and posts about others that saw others in the queue turned away to come back later.

 

When exactly was the last time you went for a tourist visa / visa exempt extension at Jomtien? In the past prior to Covid there were no issues with extending a few weeks prior, but since at least near the end of last year until now they will show you the door and tell you to come back one (1) business day prior.

[bbi1]

54 minutes ago, Harry Om said:

Hi, this thread is now a few months old but I'm wondering if things have changed.

I'm used to getting extensions in Chiang Mai and normally go to Immigration two weeks before stamp expiry.

 

At Jomtien is it still the case that extensions on a 30 day exempt entry can only be done the day before expiry?

 

 

You can try your luck and report back, but the last time I tried again was in February and was shown the door again when I tried to extend 3-4 days early and told to come back one (1) business day prior yet again. I decided to try my luck as I planned to stay in the Jomtien area even if they were to show me the door, which they did yet again.

[Pattaya57]

5 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

 

When exactly was the last time you went for a tourist visa / visa exempt extension at Jomtien? In the past prior to Covid there were no issues with extending a few weeks prior, but since at least near the end of last year until now they will show you the door and tell you to come back one (1) business day prior.

My last extension was in November last year, 17 days before expiry

[bbi1]

Just now, Pattaya57 said:

My last extension was in November last year, 17 days before expiry

Did you go through an agent & what exact visa were you on?

 

I find that very hard to believe you could've gone by yourself and not been shown the door when trying to extend nearly 3 weeks prior to stamp expiry of a tourist visa / visa exempt.

[Pattaya57]

Just now, bbi1 said:

Did you go through an agent & what exact visa were you on?

 

I find that very hard to believe you could've gone by yourself and not been shown the door when trying to extend nearly 3 weeks prior to stamp expiry of a tourist visa / visa exempt.

I've never used an agent. Always done it myself and always at least 2 weeks in advance

[bbi1]

5 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

I've never used an agent. Always done it myself and always at least 2 weeks in advance

And was it a SETV, METV or visa exempt entry that you were extending?

 

Again, I find it very, very hard to believe the girls at the information counter looked at your application & stamp date in your passport and didn't show you the door when trying to extend yourself nearly 3 weeks prior to stamp expiry.

[Pattaya57]

1 minute ago, bbi1 said:

And was it a SETV, METV or visa exempt entry that you were extending?

 

Again, I find it very, very hard to believe the girls at the information counter looked at your application & stamp date in your passport and didn't show you the door when trying to extend yourself nearly 3 weeks prior to stamp expiry.

Just as I find it hard to believe you were told to come back one day before. Maybe because my application was perfect and I didn't ask any questions like you seemed to always do as per your threads?

[bbi1]

3 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Just as I find it hard to believe you were told to come back one day before. Maybe because my application was perfect and I didn't ask any questions like you seemed to always do as per your threads?

My applications are perfect each time I go there, as I've done many, many 30 day extensions over many years already. I don't say anything, just hand over the application form. They look over it. Look at my passport. Then the girls say come back one (1) day prior to stamp expiry date and they staple a ticket with the date on it, as was proven in the pics I added to one of my past threads. I have the proof, not just some heresay. When I post proof with pics of the dates in my passport of my stamp expiry, the stapled ticket to my application form they put there with the date one business date prior, what's so hard to believe? Do you think I Photoshoped something to try and prove that it's real? lol

[bbi1]

7 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Just as I find it hard to believe you were told to come back one day before. Maybe because my application was perfect and I didn't ask any questions like you seemed to always do as per your threads?

 

 

Do you think all the proof in the post below is all fake and made up, all done in Photoshop? lol

 

  

On 12/7/2023 at 2:06 PM, bbi1 said:

 Continuing on from this thread: 

 

 

 

Went to Jomtien Immigration again to try and extend for 30 days. I initially went on the 21st November and was told to come back 3-4 days prior and today I was told by the queue desk come back one (1) business day prior to stamp expiry (my stamp expiry is on a Sunday). I handed the girl my paperwork & passport without staying anything, and all was good with the paperwork. She looked at the stamp and said come back one (1) business day prior. I told her that last time in November I was told to come back one week before expiry already, that's why I'm here and she said ask at Counter 1, the exact same story as I was told last time by the other queue number girl (there are only 2 of them). Went to Counter 1 and the lady looked at my paperwork and talked to the man, and same thing they said come back one (1) business day prior to expiry. This is insane. I've got the pics to prove it, not like everyone else here on the forum that's been posting rubbish that Jomtien has no problems with extending whenever they wish or saying they saw with their own eyes that people were getting queue numbers who were there prior than a couple of days before their expiry stamp. I will believe my own experiences, and so should everyone else. Nobody else has provided any proof, but I have below.

 

This person also had the exact same experience as me. "Come back one day prior to stamp expiry":

 

 

 

 

[Pattaya57]

5 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

I guess it must be the same as all the others who reported here they were also shown the door or the ones who saw others shown the door to.

 

I'm sure you went to extend a retirement visa, as you have 2 times refused to answer what you were extending. Seems retirement visas are treated differently. Can come early if you wish on that one.

I've never had a retirement visa. All 30 day exempt extensions except last one was for SETV

 

[cdnvic]

Removed a post that made a valid point but included an unwarranted personal attack on another member. Feel free to repost without the name calling.

[Felton Jarvis]

Does anyone know whether this also applies to one-year extensions? I've always extended my Non_O Retirement visa at Jomtien, several weeks before expiry.

[Pattaya57]

12 minutes ago, Felton Jarvis said:

Does anyone know whether this also applies to one-year extensions? I've always extended at Jomtien, several weeks before expiry.

No it doesn't, OP is claiming it's for 30 day extensions only

 

[Pattaya57]

OP links one of his previous threads that this started for him in October last year.

 

Here's my October extension applied 10 Oct with expiry 27 Oct so 17 days before as I've always done last 6 years. This is why I think it's just him as he's been on back to back visa exempts for a year so may be treated differently?