Long Stay Extension Phuket (Marriage)

[digital]

After all reports of a crackdown and increased screening I did my 1 year marriage extension yesterday as usual.

 

The upstairs office is closed for renovation so there is a temporary tent sent up at the left side in front of the cafe, nice space well airconditioned.

 

Within a few minutes someone came out and took the paperwork off me while I was sitting waiting, was called a few minutes later and it was all checked just a few signatures, photo and payment. He said take a seat and wait to be called for receipt and interview, arrived around 9.15 this was done within the hour. They called my name after a while, no interview and gave back my passport and receipt, all done before 11AM - good service.

 

There was no mention of the video call they have done the last few years and no one has called me yet. The only new thing I don't remember from before was they did was asked me to put a pin on his google map with the house location.

 

I do have quite a few extensions previously so that maybe makes a difference, also I go in the week before to check if any requirements have changed and collect the forms, always surprises me how many come without all the requested paperwork. I always submit exactly what they ask for and also include the extra recommended things even if not an official requirement eg bank paperwork on same day even though can be 7 days, an extra photo in the house just in case, as recommended by the immigration volunteers.

[connda]

1 hour ago, digital said:

After all reports of a crackdown and increased screening I did my 1 year marriage extension yesterday as usual.

 

The upstairs office is closed for renovation so there is a temporary tent sent up at the left side in front of the cafe, nice space well airconditioned.

 

Within a few minutes someone came out and took the paperwork off me while I was sitting waiting, was called a few minutes later and it was all checked just a few signatures, photo and payment. He said take a seat and wait to be called for receipt and interview, arrived around 9.15 this was done within the hour. They called my name after a while, no interview and gave back my passport and receipt, all done before 11AM - good service.

 

There was no mention of the video call they have done the last few years and no one has called me yet. The only new thing I don't remember from before was they did was asked me to put a pin on his google map with the house location.

 

I do have quite a few extensions previously so that maybe makes a difference, also I go in the week before to check if any requirements have changed and collect the forms, always surprises me how many come without all the requested paperwork. I always submit exactly what they ask for and also include the extra recommended things even if not an official requirement eg bank paperwork on same day even though can be 7 days, an extra photo in the house just in case, as recommended by the immigration volunteers.

You can be married 15 or 20 years and they still assume that you are a criminal attempting to game the system.  We were told this year that when we submit our next extension paper work, we need to include pictures of my wife and I "doing something in bed."  Well, what do we do in bed? What does anyone do in bed?  Sleep or ****.  So Immigration are now voyeurs it seems. I should have asked, "Which position do you want with the **** pictures?"

If you are a foreign gal married to a Thai guy?  Well, a Thai family is sacrosanct and to be respected.
If you are a foreign man married to a Thai gal?  Well, you are a potential criminal waiting for the right time to commit your crimes, like pretending to be married to your wife for 20 years. You need to be actively surveilled year after year after year because eventually you'll slip up and expose yourself as a tricky male foreign devil.  A foreign man and Thai woman with Thai children isn't a real Thai family according to Immigration as that family unit is always under the Sword of Damocles waiting for the horse-hair to finally give way.  Remember foreign man (potential criminal) - you are only visiting.  In the meantime, your foreign female counterpart who is married to a Thai guy is already a citizen as you submit your 10th, 15th, or 20th extension.

Edited March 26 by connda