Jomtien Immigration - no queues yesterday 21st November, amazing!! Still needs 3 hours wait

[bbi1]

Went to Jomtien Immigration yesterday morning. Amazingly after getting the queue number, I only had one person waiting before my number was called. This was for a certificate of residency. I went there just after 9am. After handing over my documents, I was told to come back after 11am and go to desk 1 to pick up the certificate of residency. This is not actually desk 1 but desk 10, the first desk in the building where the 90 day reporting is.

 

Came back at 11am and as it was after 11am, everyone started giving their queue numbers to the ladies at the desk to pick up their certificate of residency. There was none ready yet. She told everybody in an angry voice to come back after 11am, which it already was!! Anyway, around 11:45am the certificate of residency was available and I picked it up and went home.

 

I remember absolute chaos 2 years ago when getting a certificate of residency in the old building with everyone standing around, and so many people in the queue. This time, only 1 person in the queue but still takes nearly 3 hours for the process. Oh, and it's still 300 baht gratuity as you will never get a receipt for it, unlike the 1,900 baht for extensions where you get a receipt.

[pomchop]

I was told by agent who is going my retirement visa that i had to go back to immigration ...but she said only take one minute?  I am thinking right one minute my butt...so i go at 1 pm on thursday...go as told to desk 8 show them a receipt from agent.  
They point to a guy sitting in a chair nearby so go to him.  He pulls out phone takes pic of the receipt thing from agent and says follow me.  I of course am thinking ok here we go to sit in line somewhere...but no, he simply wants me to stand in front of a white wall.  Takes a pic of me and says finished?  Total time probably 45 seconds.  Shocked but happy.

[J Branche]

Say what you want but Jomtien immigration has improved a lot since the one top guy took over office. Two air condtioned buildings, a better queue system, the appointments being honored.  Required documents needed being posted or given to you on slip of paper.

 

We can all remember the chaos of the way it operated in the past.