Under Consideration - 2 months

[JustinCredible]

Often happens at Khon Kaen. 

 

[sanook 1]

1 hour ago, Dr. Zorg said:

Consideration stamp is 30 days after the expiration date of the visa extension date.

In the past I got the final stamp within a week or two after my application, without even a home visit.

Since 2021 there is always a home visit and I can only get my final stamp on the final date of the consideration stamp.

This is correct info.

[fittobethaied]

And Udon Thani it would only be 30 days unless you go in 30 days early for the extension, then you have to wait 60 days to get your permanent stamp.

[nerjaron]

Several of the above replies confirm the information but that doesn't make it right or just. I have been married to my wife for 10 years and it infuriates me that I can't get the full approval whilst I am standing there in front of the IO instead of hanging around in limbo for 2 months because some Indians tried to manipulate the system years ago. Can't the IO's use a bit of initiative when the application is from a long term married applicant and give the full stamp while I'm there instead of another 60 mile round trip and another wasted day?

[Dmitry2222]

30 days from the day of submitting documents - Chachoengsao.

I.e. you can submit your application up to 45 days before your current extension expires. The new extension will be granted for the next year, even before your current extension ends. The processing time is 30 days from the date of document submission (may be delaied a bit).
 

[Briggsy]

3 hours ago, Muhendis said:

One would think that long term marriages would be processed quicker. The home visits for marriage verification stopped after the first two visits for me.

Yes, after a number of renewals and perhaps with children, you might think there would be a streamlining of the process. But no, all marriage extensions have to be approved by the regional authority.

[sandyf]

On 1/18/2025 at 9:37 PM, connda said:

Like I said, the return date is a full two months from the date of extension. I asked but didn't get an answer.
This is no big deal other I was wondering if anyone else has had this happen too.  Or maybe BKK immigration was getting backlogged and is pushing out "under consideration" periods. That crossed my mind which is why I'm asking.

It is not out of the question, mine also goes to BKK and last year it went from the Fri to Wed for collection. When my wife asked about the delay she was told it was due to immigration having to check the financials on agent applications more thoroughly. Agents may have been busy following the holiday period, combined with the introduction of e-visas in neighbouring countries.

[sandyf]

6 hours ago, Muhendis said:

One would think that long term marriages would be processed quicker. The home visits for marriage verification stopped after the first two visits for me.

Indeed. I have recently had my 6th in about 8 years, and that was done on the day of application. Got home about 3pm, home visit came at 4pm, didn't help the processing any.  Always something different, this time it was witnesses in the photos, good job they live next door.

[GroveHillWanderer]

2 hours ago, Dmitry2222 said:

30 days from the day of submitting documents - Chachoengsao.

I.e. you can submit your application up to 45 days before your current extension expires. The new extension will be granted for the next year, even before your current extension ends. The processing time is 30 days from the date of document submission (may be delayed a bit).

Same in Hua Hin, in my experience. I've done 3 marriage extensions now, and have always been given a date to return 30 days (give or take) from the day I handed in the paperwork.

[sandyf]

8 hours ago, Dr. Zorg said:

Consideration stamp is 30 days after the expiration date of the visa extension date.

In the past I got the final stamp within a week or two after my application, without even a home visit.

Since 2021 there is always a home visit and I can only get my final stamp on the final date of the consideration stamp.

I went on 12the Dec with visa extension expiring on 1st Jan. Return date was 10th Jan but had contractors at the house so went on 14th for final stamp.

[jeffandgop]

16 hours ago, nerjaron said:

Several of the above replies confirm the information but that doesn't make it right or just. I have been married to my wife for 10 years and it infuriates me that I can't get the full approval whilst I am standing there in front of the IO instead of hanging around in limbo for 2 months because some Indians tried to manipulate the system years ago. Can't the IO's use a bit of initiative when the application is from a long term married applicant and give the full stamp while I'm there instead of another 60 mile round trip and another wasted day?

Absolutely agree...My wife and I have been married over 33 years! Longer than some of the IO's have been on planet earth.....

[BrandonJT]

20 hours ago, nerjaron said:

Can't the IO's use a bit of initiative when the application is from a long term married applicant and give the full stamp while I'm there instead of another 60 mile round trip and another wasted day?

Initiative is frowned upon for Thais.  It can and will get you demoted or fired from your job, just for questioning the rules or your superiors.  You do what you are told, you check all the boxes on the list, and you don't ask questions.  That is how you keep your job and keep your bosses happy. They learn from this very young starting in school and it continues through their entire life.

[Old Croc]

A couple of years ago my Under-consideration stamp was for 2 months. I went back after 1 month; it was ready, and they altered the stamp to the 1-month date at that time.

[Rob Browder]

On 1/19/2025 at 11:53 AM, Briggsy said:

There was widescale fraud in the Nong Bua Lamphu office chiefly. Indians were registering marriages with locals but the marriages were not real. They did this to obtain permission to stay. This led to the permission to approve extensions based on marriage being taken away from local Immigration offices and passed up to the regional level. It was felt local officials had betrayed the trust given to them. All this happened years ago.

So ... this is only required of Indians, right?  Just sarcasm - but insane to do this to everyone over ONE office and ONE foreign ethnicity. 
If the applicant is from a country where "under the table" illegal-work in Thailand pays more than a legit-job where they come from, then it makes some sense to apply more scrutiny.

Note also that this change added about 10K Baht to the cost of an agent-acquired marriage-based extension to cover the district sign-off.

[Rob Browder]

On 1/20/2025 at 2:47 PM, sandyf said:

... When my wife asked about the delay she was told it was due to immigration having to check the financials on agent applications more thoroughly. ...

Checking for the brown-envelope, which bypasses the financials?

[IgboChief]

On 1/19/2025 at 7:53 PM, DrJack54 said:

Which immigration office? 

A wait of 2 months would be impractical for those that travel abroad often. 

 

You can make a separate Multi Re-Entry permit and travel during this "under consideration period", that's not the problem.
The real problem is that you must be back around the week when your "under consideration" ends. I am working on projects with volatile schedules and this is a really unfortunate requirement for me.

[IgboChief]

On 1/21/2025 at 5:16 AM, jeffandgop said:

Absolutely agree...My wife and I have been married over 33 years! Longer than some of the IO's have been on planet earth.....

 

Yepp, everyone knows me at the office, they now my name and when my daughter was born and when my daughter left to Europe. I know when they got their kids and their houses.
Still, every single year they want to see my neighbor to confirm we are married and they pretend they have never seen me before for the period of the visa application. Its hilarious.

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, IgboChief said:

You can make a separate Multi Re-Entry permit and travel during this "under consideration period", that's not the problem.

I'm aware of that however as you point out you (your passport) still need to be in Thailand on certain date for final stamp..

Roster workers (oil/gas) one example where not practical. 

[nerjaron]

Continuing on from my previous message I am incensed at my experience today. Apart from applying for the marriage extension on 9 January and told to return on 3 March, it occurred to me later that my first (2 year) Thai driving licence was due to expire on 20 February so me and the wife took a trip to DLT (Dept of Land Transport) to apply for the 5 year renewal. I had already viewed the preliminary online videos so that would save me from an extra hour at DLT.

 

The first problem was I hadn't obtained a residency certificate from Immigration because I read on the DLT website that if I had a Thai ID card and a yellow Tabien Baan I wouldn't need the certificate. Wrong. So off we trundled to Immigration and eventually was presented with the certificate and asked to pay the 500 baht fee. Last years charge was 1,000 baht which we queried and we asked for a receipt. No receipt, either pay 1,000 baht or come back in 10 days and get the certificate for free which we did.

 

Although the "fee" was 500 baht cheaper this time we again queried it, same story, pay now (no receipt) or come back in 10 days and get the certificate for free. I asked to speak to the manager and everything changed. They had been caught out and I wondered how many thousands of baht this small team makes EVERY day. I was given the certificate there and then and sent on my way back to DLT.

 

We arrived back at DLT with all documents in order, but the clerk said that as my current extension expired on 3 March they couldn't issue a new licence because I couldn't prove continuous residency beyond 3 March. I asked to speak to the manager (via my wife) which turned out to be a mistake. The manager was quite offhand with my wife and backed up the clerk (surprise surprise) but she did concede that I could apply for a further 2 year licence.

 

I was incredulous and my wife asked "if you can issue a 2 year licence then why not a 5 year one". No joy there. I was therefore adamant that I would wait until 3 March when my visa extension was finalised then re-apply for the 5 year licence which was ok but I would not be covered by a licence from 20 Feb to 3 March, and furthermore my medical clearance certificate was only valid for 28 days and my proof of residency expired on 3 March so I would have to start the whole process again from scratch!

 

Not wishing to drive without a licence from 20 Feb to 3 Mar I grudgingly agreed to accept the 2 year licence. I did ask the manager what I was supposed to do between these dates if I declined the 2 year licence and her answer was " just drive carefully". 

 

Has anyone else fallen into this trap where, because of the imposed delay in getting the visa extension, another matter has arisen which needed a more timely turnaround by Immigration? Does anyone know of a workaround?

 

 

 

[IgboChief]

7 minutes ago, nerjaron said:

Continuing on from my previous message I am incensed at my experience today. Apart from applying for the marriage extension on 9 January and told to return on 3 March, it occurred to me later that my first (2 year) Thai driving licence was due to expire on 20 February so me and the wife took a trip to DLT (Dept of Land Transport) to apply for the 5 year renewal. I had already viewed the preliminary online videos so that would save me from an extra hour at DLT.

 

The first problem was I hadn't obtained a residency certificate from Immigration because I read on the DLT website that if I had a Thai ID card and a yellow Tabien Baan I wouldn't need the certificate. Wrong. So off we trundled to Immigration and eventually was presented with the certificate and asked to pay the 500 baht fee. Last years charge was 1,000 baht which we queried and we asked for a receipt. No receipt, either pay 1,000 baht or come back in 10 days and get the certificate for free which we did.

 

Although the "fee" was 500 baht cheaper this time we again queried it, same story, pay now (no receipt) or come back in 10 days and get the certificate for free. I asked to speak to the manager and everything changed. They had been caught out and I wondered how many thousands of baht this small team makes EVERY day. I was given the certificate there and then and sent on my way back to DLT.

 

We arrived back at DLT with all documents in order, but the clerk said that as my current extension expired on 3 March they couldn't issue a new licence because I couldn't prove continuous residency beyond 3 March. I asked to speak to the manager (via my wife) which turned out to be a mistake. The manager was quite offhand with my wife and backed up the clerk (surprise surprise) but she did concede that I could apply for a further 2 year licence.

 

I was incredulous and my wife asked "if you can issue a 2 year licence then why not a 5 year one". No joy there. I was therefore adamant that I would wait until 3 March when my visa extension was finalised then re-apply for the 5 year licence which was ok but I would not be covered by a licence from 20 Feb to 3 March, and furthermore my medical clearance certificate was only valid for 28 days and my proof of residency expired on 3 March so I would have to start the whole process again from scratch!

 

Not wishing to drive without a licence from 20 Feb to 3 Mar I grudgingly agreed to accept the 2 year licence. I did ask the manager what I was supposed to do between these dates if I declined the 2 year licence and her answer was " just drive carefully". 

 

Has anyone else fallen into this trap where, because of the imposed delay in getting the visa extension, another matter has arisen which needed a more timely turnaround by Immigration? Does anyone know of a workaround?

 

 

 

 

Again, I am in the same situation: driving license expired 3 years ago and I did not have time or nerve to renew.
Got stopped for speeding a few times around Chiang Mai, "slapped" with a massive 500 THB fine each time -- paid 1000 THB with a big grin just because I can and drove off. It's one of the things you can easily ignore here. Their license is worth nothing.

 

[DrJack54]

47 minutes ago, nerjaron said:

The first problem was I hadn't obtained a residency certificate from Immigration because I read on the DLT website that if I had a Thai ID card and a yellow Tabien Baan I wouldn't need the certificate

That was possible years ago.

If you had read up in the motor forum you would be made aware that a certificate of residence is required.

Also in many offices (CW one example) not available on day of application.

Seems as usual just down to poor preparation. 

 

[DrJack54]

40 minutes ago, IgboChief said:

It's one of the things you can easily ignore here. Their license is worth nothing

Your insurance company may not see it that way if involved in accident. 

[sandyf]

On 1/21/2025 at 9:50 PM, Rob Browder said:

Checking for the brown-envelope, which bypasses the financials?

Wouldn't know, never seen the need for an agent, or a brown envelope.

[sandyf]

On 1/22/2025 at 4:02 PM, nerjaron said:

 

The first problem was I hadn't obtained a residency certificate from Immigration because I read on the DLT website that if I had a Thai ID card and a yellow Tabien Baan I wouldn't need the certificate. Wrong.

Indeed, can change as quickly as the staff, but not always problematic.

Chonburi DLT always used  to accept pink card and yellow book but last time I went they had adopteed the Pattaya policy of CoR. I was due to go to Immigration in a couple of weeks so picked up the cert at same time, 300 baht there and then.

Went back to DLT next day and saw same woman, she asked why so long to come back, just said immigration not easy to deal with.

Bonus No1 - she asked if I wanted I could do licence in about an hour - great news.

Bonus No2 - the delay in returning to DLT crossed my birthday and i got just about 6 years on licence.