Jomtien Immigration - still same? 30 Day extensions can only be done 1 business day prior?

[bbi1]

Anyone else recently did a 30 day extension of a tourist visa in the past few weeks able to shed some light if things are the same as in December at Jomtien Immigration? Is it still the same that 30 day extensions can only be done one (1) business day prior as in the past?

 

Only comments from people dealing with Jomtien Immigration only, no other immigration offices.

 

 

[Georgealbert]

Sorry can not answer your question, but had a few friends get extensions this week through agents at Jomtien.

 

They had about 10 days left on exempt entry meet agent at immigration, quick picture taken, hand over passport, TM30 copy and fill form. About 15 minutes at immigration and passport returned next day. Total cost 4000 baht, which includes the 1900 baht extension fee.

 

They reported that immigration was very busy.

[pomchop]

I went to immigration last monday for a 30 day extension of my toursist visa.  Have been there several times before so as usual expect the worst and hope for the best.

 

Get there at 8;15 as opens at 8;30...big line already there.  I had made double sure to have all the proper copies of this and that a recent pic etc along with TM30 done direct with immigration and given to me which was all on immigration stationary in thai that my landlady provided me.

 

1.  Get in line one for 45 mins.  Finally get my turn hand them the packet.  They give me a que number and send me to other building.

2.  Go to that building which is packed.  Display says i am about 40 numbers from my turn.  Sit there for about 45 minutes til my turn.  Hand them the packet again.  They take the letter from immigration and copy down and give me another small white sheet of paper to staple in back of passport.  Then tell me to go back to original line to get another que number.  Makes no sense so i ask couple other people to make sure i understand.  Yes to back to line get que number.

3.  Go back to original line which is now even longer.  Stand in line for 45 minutes til my turn.  Give them the packet again.  She wants me to go make a copy of the new tm30 form they just gave me.  Make copy come back and get another que number and told to go into main building

4.  Guard stops me at door and says "come back 2 pm"  says closed:  Sign says close for lunch at 11;30 .  I show him the time on my phone isnow 10;56....no good. He says come back 2 pm.  Great so 3 hours of nothing to do.

5 . Go kill 3 hours and back again 1:45.  My que number is about 60 spots away and i time that they are doing about 1 number every 5 minutes.  Do the math and realize no way they will get to my number before closing at 4;30 pm...sit there and at about 4 they call my number.  Go to counter hand then the packet again. Look at it, ask for 1900 baht, take my pic and tell me come back tomorrow....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr why she can';t stamp the damn passport right then no idea as papers have been checked and rechecked.

6.  Bolt back home.  Go back Tues am and get passport with new stamp in five mins and done.

 

so bottom line got there at 8:15...all papers in order.  Almost 8 hours later still don't have stamp and have to go home come back next day...all for a simple 30 day extension.   Not exactly a model of efficiency and of course i was one of several hundred who had same deal.

 

I did notice that they have big signs there now saying i can download docs and pay online and make an appointment and then theoretically just come and have stamp in passport...BUT of course i did not know this and my expiration date was Monday so needed to get it done.  Not sure if this was publicized if so not much as i read couple of thai papers online every day and never saw it.

 

so IF you plan to go for extension i highly recommend you try to find the online way and make an appointment and see if surely that works better.

 

Whoever designed the current system is a sadistic bastard or total idiot or both.  It should not require standing in lines all day and having 3 different sets of people look at the same docs over and over to get a simple stamp.  And no problems of me ever overstaying or too many visits or anything...simple 60 day tourist visa to extend 30 days.

 

Overall rating?  HORRIBLE

[bbi1]

48 minutes ago, pomchop said:

I went to immigration last monday for a 30 day extension of my toursist visa.  Have been there several times before so as usual expect the worst and hope for the best.

 

Get there at 8;15 as opens at 8;30...big line already there.  I had made double sure to have all the proper copies of this and that a recent pic etc along with TM30 done direct with immigration and given to me which was all on immigration stationary in thai that my landlady provided me.

 

1.  Get in line one for 45 mins.  Finally get my turn hand them the packet.  They give me a que number and send me to other building.

2.  Go to that building which is packed.  Display says i am about 40 numbers from my turn.  Sit there for about 45 minutes til my turn.  Hand them the packet again.  They take the letter from immigration and copy down and give me another small white sheet of paper to staple in back of passport.  Then tell me to go back to original line to get another que number.  Makes no sense so i ask couple other people to make sure i understand.  Yes to back to line get que number.

3.  Go back to original line which is now even longer.  Stand in line for 45 minutes til my turn.  Give them the packet again.  She wants me to go make a copy of the new tm30 form they just gave me.  Make copy come back and get another que number and told to go into main building

4.  Guard stops me at door and says "come back 2 pm"  says closed:  Sign says close for lunch at 11;30 .  I show him the time on my phone isnow 10;56....no good. He says come back 2 pm.  Great so 3 hours of nothing to do.

5 . Go kill 3 hours and back again 1:45.  My que number is about 60 spots away and i time that they are doing about 1 number every 5 minutes.  Do the math and realize no way they will get to my number before closing at 4;30 pm...sit there and at about 4 they call my number.  Go to counter hand then the packet again. Look at it, ask for 1900 baht, take my pic and tell me come back tomorrow....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr why she can';t stamp the damn passport right then no idea as papers have been checked and rechecked.

6.  Bolt back home.  Go back Tues am and get passport with new stamp in five mins and done.

 

so bottom line got there at 8:15...all papers in order.  Almost 8 hours later still don't have stamp and have to go home come back next day...all for a simple 30 day extension.   Not exactly a model of efficiency and of course i was one of several hundred who had same deal.

 

I did notice that they have big signs there now saying i can download docs and pay online and make an appointment and then theoretically just come and have stamp in passport...BUT of course i did not know this and my expiration date was Monday so needed to get it done.  Not sure if this was publicized if so not much as i read couple of thai papers online every day and never saw it.

 

so IF you plan to go for extension i highly recommend you try to find the online way and make an appointment and see if surely that works better.

 

Whoever designed the current system is a sadistic bastard or total idiot or both.  It should not require standing in lines all day and having 3 different sets of people look at the same docs over and over to get a simple stamp.  And no problems of me ever overstaying or too many visits or anything...simple 60 day tourist visa to extend 30 days.

 

Overall rating?  HORRIBLE

Thanks for the report. Did you go one (1) business day prior to stamp expiry or how long before?

 

Is a photocopy of the TM30 which they previously stapled to the back of the passport needed? I can't remember if this needs photocopying or not since it would be in the system already when it was lodged with them already on the last visit to their offices.

[bbi1]

49 minutes ago, pomchop said:

3.  Go back to original line which is now even longer.  Stand in line for 45 minutes til my turn.  Give them the packet again.  She wants me to go make a copy of the new tm30 form they just gave me.  Make copy come back and get another que number and told to go into main building

 

What's the deal with this? I don't understand why they asked you for this. Did you already have the TM30 slip stapled in the back of your passport when you previously lodged the TM30 with them at Jomtien which was done 72 hours within your initial entry into Thailand?

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, bbi1 said:

What's the deal with this? I don't understand why they asked you for this. Did you already have the TM30 slip stapled in the back of your passport when you previously lodged the TM30 with them at Jomtien which was done 72 hours within your initial entry into Thailand?

Several reports of Jomitien requiring a TM30 for all extensions.

For 30 day extension along with 12 month extension.

 

Also your few threads from you regarding 30 day extension only available on one day prior to expiry does not backed  up with other reports. 

Where 30 day extension has been obtained earlier that that.

 

Go and try extension week or 2 early and report back outcome. 

[GypsyT]

5 hours ago, pomchop said:

TM30 done direct with immigration and given to me which was all on immigration stationary in thai that my landlady provided me.

I think you did not have proper TM30. The first torture was for that in Blg B.

The 2nd was for 30 day extension. The counter robots has no power to stamp anything. It's done by "specialists" in the van outside.

There's a copy station now, no need to leave your spot on line. At least it worked for me fine.

 

But you are right - the whole process is painful.

 

PS. Dr Jack54- I was sent packing when I tried to get extension 4 days before expiration day. Was told to come back 2 days later and then, thanks to holiday and Sunday, it was processed 2 days too late but no fine. The whole system sucks...

 

[Pattaya57]

Has anyone tried the online appointment system for the 30 day extension? I think you select "Tourism" for 30 day extension (assume "short-term extension" is likely to be the 60 day to visit wife?)

 

Currently has a 8 day lead time for appointment (can book Mon 12 Feb)

 

[pomchop]

I sure wish i had seen the online version before i wasted a full 8 hours of my life last week standing in line to get a simple 30 day extension and still had to come back the next day to get it finished. 

[pomchop]

7 hours ago, GypsyT said:

I think you did not have proper TM30. The first torture was for that in Blg B.

The 2nd was for 30 day extension. The counter robots has no power to stamp anything. It's done by "specialists" in the van outside.

There's a copy station now, no need to leave your spot on line. At least it worked for me fine.

 

But you are right - the whole process is painful.

 

PS. Dr Jack54- I was sent packing when I tried to get extension 4 days before expiration day. Was told to come back 2 days later and then, thanks to holiday and Sunday, it was processed 2 days too late but no fine. The whole system sucks...

 

I agree...but thai landlady talked direct to immigration and they emailed here the tm30 on their stationary which i printed and brought with me but apparently that did not make them happy.  I was extra careful and foolishly thought that having a tm30 created by immigration might actually work at immigration.  On top of that i had not even changed address since last time but no matter...go stand in line.

[pomchop]

12 hours ago, bbi1 said:

What's the deal with this? I don't understand why they asked you for this. Did you already have the TM30 slip stapled in the back of your passport when you previously lodged the TM30 with them at Jomtien which was done 72 hours within your initial entry into Thailand?

yes i did still have the previous tm30 and had not changed address...but before i went i wanted to be sure so my thai landlady called them and did what they said and they sent her a tm30 form printed on immigration letterhead in thai so i brought that along just in case.  Silly me thinking that immigration would accept the form that they created. Made no difference go stand in line.  I could not believe that was correct so asked couple other clerks who looked and said go stand in line.

[Haveasay]

Talk about lots of unnecessary responses for the poor guy wanting a simple answer. I did 4 extensions last year and did the day my 30 day expired as until the last one, was completed same day.

The last occasion as seems to be the norm now, is you collect on second day.

Therefore this time as I see noone else suggesting more days, like 5, I will begin 2 days before 30 day expires.

Also arrive around 3 pm as their not so busy and your not going to leave with passport on the first day. They'll say come back next day to collect. Obviously over weekends or holidays then add days their closed.

[pomchop]

12 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Thanks for the report. Did you go one (1) business day prior to stamp expiry or how long before?

 

Is a photocopy of the TM30 which they previously stapled to the back of the passport needed? I can't remember if this needs photocopying or not since it would be in the system already when it was lodged with them already on the last visit to their offices.

I went day of my expiration as was afraid if i went too early they would tell me to come back...

[Pattaya57]

2 minutes ago, Haveasay said:

I did 4 extensions last year and did the day my 30 day expired as until the last one, was completed same day.

The last occasion as seems to be the norm now, is you collect on second day.

Therefore this time as I see noone else suggesting more days, like 5, I will begin 2 days before 30 day expires.

I did 3 30 day extensions last year and all were done more than 2 weeks before expiry. Last one was in Oct though. Hoping this one day before crap is just a high season thing and will get back to normal soon

[bbi1]

10 hours ago, GypsyT said:

PS. Dr Jack54- I was sent packing when I tried to get extension 4 days before expiration day. Was told to come back 2 days later and then, thanks to holiday and Sunday, it was processed 2 days too late but no fine. The whole system sucks...

 

So it wasn't only me who was sent packing and told to come back one (1) business day prior to stamp expiry. It is everybody else too. How long ago did you go for your extension, was it in the past few weeks?

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

So it wasn't only me who was sent packing and told to come back one (1) business day prior to stamp expiry. It is everybody else too. How long ago did you go for your extension, was it in the past few weeks?

 

It's not uncommon for Jomtien to do this during high season, it has been reported before.

[GypsyT]

2 hours ago, bbi1 said:

How long ago did you go for your extension, was it in the past few weeks?

A month ago. At that 3 day holiday time. I wasn't the only one shown the door.

 

[bbi1]

On 2/3/2024 at 11:25 AM, Georgealbert said:

Sorry can not answer your question, but had a few friends get extensions this week through agents at Jomtien.

 

They had about 10 days left on exempt entry meet agent at immigration, quick picture taken, hand over passport, TM30 copy and fill form. About 15 minutes at immigration and passport returned next day. Total cost 4000 baht, which includes the 1900 baht extension fee.

 

They reported that immigration was very busy.

If I were to take an educated guess, going through an agent to get an extension 10 days prior to stamp expiry, the agents are paying off someone at Jomtien to do this.

 

Yet again I tried to extend my tourist visa but this time came only 5 days prior to stamp expiry. Yet again I was given a Yellow Ticket telling me to come back one (1) business day prior.

[Georgealbert]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

If I were to take an educated guess, going through an agent to get an extension 10 days prior to stamp expiry, the agents are paying off someone at Jomtien to do this.

 

Yet again I tried to extend my tourist visa but this time came only 5 days prior to stamp expiry. Yet again I was given a Yellow Ticket telling me to come back one (1) business day prior.

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

 

Yes understand your frustration, and the agents have always had a deal with immigration, which involves sharing the extra payments.