19 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I got the standard home visit on the 1st retirement extension of my Non imm O ( changed from non imm OA ), then got a surprise visit some 6 months later and another visit 6 months after that !, 3 in a year !

This was 2022/2023 and thankfully no more since, my unfriendly hospitality paid off .

Seems like they have a purge every now and then, doing my retirement extension tomorrow will see what happens .

Did my retirement extension today, 1 hour and 15 minutes, the 15 minutes because apparently had to do a TM30 after changing passport.

All in all quite quick, but more importantly no home visit pending .

Never been to our yet in 10 years.

They can come anytime they like but better not ask for petrol money.

 

 

Had a visit, BMW car for check two years ago.

Non-O retirement extension based on money in the bank. 

No money was asked for and they did not enter the home.

Ice cold glass of water given.

 

On 6/27/2025 at 3:43 PM, Jake72 said:

I was just visited by Immigration this afternoon, 3 officers in the "high tech BMW" came to my house to check on me and my wife. I don't have anything to hide and my non-o visa is valid until the end of December, but it looks like they're keeping a close eye on all foreigners living in Thailand these days. I've been here for more than 25 years on various types of visas, this was the first time they've come unannounced to my home to check on me. They just wanted a few pictures of me and the wife together in front of the house with me holding up my passport and a couple of officers on each side. 

 

Not sure if any of the locals decided to report me to immigration or something to trigger this visit, but anyway just a heads up, you will be next.

 

Cheers,

Jake

 

 

A year ago, I had a visit and my wife actually asked the officers the reasoning behind the checks. The officer was quite open about it and said that many foreigners on their visa application stated where they lived but this was false and many actually lived at a completely different address (nothing sinister)

I'm on a regular retirement visa, Ratchaburi.  Immigration came to my house 1 time about 7 years ago.  At that time they said they were going to start doing home visits more often.  I have never seen them again.  Just the one time in all the time I have been here.

As is anything related to immigration there are inconsistencies just proving the lack of formal procedures surrounding these home visits usually related to individual immigration offices and their interpretation of the rules.

I have had more than my fair share of these visits over the last 9 years all for retirement.

2 x first extension visit ( OA and O )

2 x random visits, not announced.

2 or 3 visits scheduled.

 

They are usually very polite and quick but more recent visits ( 2022/2023 ) seemed to deviate from the norm.

On the penultimate visit they asked for a witness to verify that I lived at the house, the witness ( next door neighbour ) had to sign some paper, answer a few questions and have his photo taken.

On the last visit an IO was accompanied by a young trainee whose job was to take the photos, after the usual “ house number “ and “ holding the passport “ pics the IO, clearly embarrassed, requested a photo of me sitting on the bed. 
I opened the bedroom door, pointed at the bed and stated “ a bed “ then closed the door before they could enter or take a photo. The IO nodded his head as if in silent approval at my refusal to this invasion of privacy.

 

I don’t show any hostility towards the visiting officers as they are simply only doing their job but at the same time make them aware that i don’t agree with the intrusion.

 

I believe it is mainly due to the big boss at the IO deciding on a crackdown or a new boss trying to justify his existence rather than any nationwide mandate hence some have multiple visits and others have none.

22 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

On the last visit an IO was accompanied by a young trainee whose job was to take the photos

I get a yearly visit now for my extension based on retirement.  I live in northern Thailand.

The reason they bring a "photographer" with them is most likely because they need a picture of the visiting officer with the alien.

These visits must be very time consuming for the Imm office.

I doubt these visits are anything sinister just a way to prove they are over worked and need more staff.

 

On 6/27/2025 at 4:14 PM, Jake72 said:

Sure, we had a visit the first time I used this address for the non-o extension, but never since, this was totally unannounced, they just showed up and demanded our presence. Usually for the extension they call first to make sure we are home as least a few hours in advance, but not this time.

How can they demand your presence if they show up unannounced?  That is ridiculous. They do not know if you are not near the home. Perhaps you travelled that day to another province or too far away for them. I am not saying you are wrong that they came to your door. But what guarantee would there be that you are even there? 

On 6/29/2025 at 4:00 PM, Andrew Dwyer said:

I got the standard home visit on the 1st retirement extension of my Non imm O ( changed from non imm OA ), then got a surprise visit some 6 months later and another visit 6 months after that !, 3 in a year !

This was 2022/2023 and thankfully no more since, my unfriendly hospitality paid off .

Seems like they have a purge every now and then, doing my retirement extension tomorrow will see what happens .

Which Immigration office, please, Andrew?

On 6/27/2025 at 4:00 PM, Jake72 said:

I live in Rattanaburi, Surin, about 2 hours drive from the main immigration office in Kap Choeng.

 

A two-hour, one-way drive just to check on your immigration bona fides? There must be a legendary noodle shop in your neighborhood.

On 6/27/2025 at 4:44 PM, Stocky said:

Yes, a Kor Ror2 from the amphur is part of the paperwork, valid within the last 6 months, the visit(s) is/are in addition to.

 

Kor Ror 2 with 7-day maximum validity at Udon Thani IO, the last time I had to deal with them.

 

Not a great history of home visits up here but.

1 hour ago, thesetat said:

How can they demand your presence if they show up unannounced?  That is ridiculous. They do not know if you are not near the home. Perhaps you travelled that day to another province or too far away for them. I am not saying you are wrong that they came to your door. But what guarantee would there be that you are even there? 

 

It was about the noodles, not the farang. They probably had two or three addresses as a backup for their mileage claim.

32 minutes ago, LarryLEB said:

Which Immigration office, please, Andrew?

Ayutthaya, i must add that in general the IO is good and friendly except for the strangely excessive home visits ( which seem to have ceased now ) and the request for 800 baht 1 year ago for a CofR.

1 hour ago, Jerzy Swirski said:

I get a yearly visit now for my extension based on retirement.  I live in northern Thailand.

The reason they bring a "photographer" with them is most likely because they need a picture of the visiting officer with the alien.

These visits must be very time consuming for the Imm office.

I doubt these visits are anything sinister just a way to prove they are over worked and need more staff.

 

Agree that they are understaffed at times.

I requested a 12 month statement 2 Mondays ago and the bank told me to return the following Monday ( yesterday ).

Expecting Monday to be a busy day I returned to the bank on Friday and the statement was ready, got the bank letter at the same time. But due to some other events couldn’t get to Immigration until 1.30 pm.

The place was rammed and while I was having my docs checked plus filling the other documents they spring on you at the last minute I was told to go back on Monday.

Only needed to make a withdrawal and update bank book on Monday and the place was relatively empty except for an agent and 4 accompanying clients.

 

A couple of times in the past i have turned around and returned another day as there are many foreign monks who all go on the same day.

On 6/29/2025 at 3:02 PM, Crossy said:

Interestingly, Pathum Thani immigration always did a home visit for marriage extensions, not just the first one. 

 

Then , last November, despite verifying Madam's phone number, no visit. We shall see what occurs this November, all bets are off.

 

The "Check Visa Status" Line thingy simply said visa approved, please collect. 

 

We use the Pathum Thani Immigration office too....for the lasts 15+yrs and, likewise always got the home visit every year.

 

But like you, last December , out of the blue......"no house visit this year"!!!!

 

Great, says my wife, 'don't have to arrange neighbors (many of whom work) and can get back to my own work faster !" 

 

Let's see what happens this Dec!

On 6/29/2025 at 11:22 PM, MikeN said:

Had a visit in Ubon province the other day, 3 guys turned up...no uniform, no police car, so my wife was suspicious and rang the local cop station but all was above board. They had 4 or 5 A4 pages with about 12-15 names on each page so quite a list to check. Just looked at my passport, ticked my name and left.

From your post it seems like there is a systematic review occurring, which is fine to weed out the non-compliant or illegal aliens.  We either can bear it, deal with it or get on our horses and go -- totally up to the individual.  Thailand seems to have a reasonable idea of where aliens live and IDK what is so wrong.  Been here 20 years and no one has asked me anything. Stopped once for speeding and once to show a policeman my bag exiting a bus at Ekammai.

5 hours ago, thesetat said:

How can they demand your presence if they show up unannounced?  That is ridiculous. They do not know if you are not near the home. Perhaps you travelled that day to another province or too far away for them. I am not saying you are wrong that they came to your door. But what guarantee would there be that you are even there? 

Do immigration have any legal rights to compel your attendance at a certain time?

 

PS; I accept that p!ssing off the local IO office/officers is not a good Idea but still wonder if there is any legal enforcement wrt their visits!

 

This situation is definitely unusual, but it can sometimes be triggered if someone files a report or raises concerns with immigration. In rare cases, officers may follow up to verify whether the foreigner is residing legally at the stated address.