I had a video interview today for marriage extension. The IO had my wife, the girl who works for us and me in the bedroom with the other girl who works for us as camera person. I thought he was going to ask us to take off our clothes and do an onlyfans show to raise money for immigration. I did also wonder that as they charge only 1900 baht for a married extension, and it takes endless hours of office works for them to do it, maybe they were looking at new ways to turn a profit. In the end I decided that it is some heinous  plot by the IO to burgle me and  steal my teddy bear. 

25 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

I had a video interview today for marriage extension

So this video was in leiu of home visit? 

The application for 12 month extension done at office and under consideration. 

Which immigration office? 

Don't see point of post 

 

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

So this video was in leiu of home visit? 

The application for 12 month extension done at office and under consideration. 

Which immigration office? 

Don't see point of post 

 

Does everything need to be serious all the time? We are expats  in Thailand, members of a group of different people, fleeing a normal life in the west. 

 

Regardless of the humorous side that the IO is reaching far beyond his rights in a way that could be described as slightly kinky, the point is that the system is invasive and absolutely disrespecting of people's privacy. The situation is that I had to allow my workers into my personal space that is my wife's and my bedroom. 

 

I know you closed a discussion last week because the poster would not name the office but I am not so silly as to name the office where I am jokingly accusing the IO of being a pervert.

 

Regardless I do believe the forum should be a place (and has been in the past) a place where people can air their grievances about the system.

 

I do believe what was once a proud country has degenerated to one where public servants are sitting in offices, wearing gaudy uniforms with be happy signs on the wall, and behaving in ways that are just ridiculous to most people.

 

If you can leave and enter most countries without getting a stamp on your passport, why does immigration need a signed copy of every page of my passport? If I have an electronic visa, why do they need a signed copy of the visa?.  If I have a work permit for a company owned by my wife(which cost over 10 times the price of a visa), why do they need several interviews to show that I am not an Indian person with a fake marriage.  In the office I asked if I should write that I was in Thailand for work on the form but they said it would just complicate things and I would have to pay extra tax and have my accountant appear in person, so don't mention it. He still wanted to video call me and look in my bedroom with the 3 girls. 

 

I could be accused of  'if you aren't happy go home' but I was in the office for 5 hours, (sometimes with 2 officers involved), plus a 30 minute video interview, and they only get 1900 baht income for the time spent. That is about 350 baht per hour income for them.  If it was a private company they would go broke quickly. Personally I wouldn't get out of bed for 350 baht per hour. Is indicative of why Thailand is a third world country and will continue being until they change their systems. 

29 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

I know you closed a discussion last week because the poster would not name the office but I am not so silly as to name the office where I am jokingly accusing the IO of being a pervert

Nice rant. 

Did you actually have a home visit via "video interview" 

Yes or No. 

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Nice rant. 

Did you actually have a home visit via "video interview" 

Yes or No. 

Obviously yes. With a hooker I picked up on the beach in Pattaya  pretending to be my witness

Just now, Wongkitlo said:

Obviously yes. 

Excellent. I have never read a report of home visit being done via Video link. 

BTW sounds like a good idea.. 

Which immigration office provided this option. 

Put up or.. 

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Excellent. I have never read a report of home visit being done via Video link. 

BTW sounds like a good idea.. 

Which immigration office provided this option. 

Put up or.. 

I thought the location is easy to find from my forum history but it does service the Eastern islands close to Cambodia. We are in a remote location.

 

I realise it is put up or shut up but I do think that they have gone from beyond authoritarian to laughable. I left the office and 30 minutes later nearly fell down a metre deep hole in the middle of the sidewalk in a provincial town with no marking or protection. Worse still, I remember nearly falling down the same hole 6 months ago when last I was there. 

We arrived at the office at 1.30 and left at 6.30. At 5.30 I thought it was all over but then he said, no I have to interview you now. 

1 minute ago, Wongkitlo said:

We arrived at the office at 1.30 and left at 6.30. At 5.30 I thought it was all over but then he said, no I have to interview you now. 

Did you have a video link  to replace home visit? Yes or No. 

Simple question. 

20 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

Obviously yes. With a hooker I picked up on the beach in Pattaya  pretending to be my witness

This forum is for serious advice for members to be correctly informed. 

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

This forum is for serious advice for members to be correctly informed. 

I realise you do a lot to help people, but is it really only for serious advice? Are there forum rules saying that only serious posts allowed? Shouldn't the forum  have a role to be able to give people who are p.. off to be able to vent with like minded people. I  think the last thread similar to mine was Brandon's???  last week which had a similar sentiment and  was shut down quickly. 

If immigration are going to behave like perverts and in a ridiculous manner with archaic systems shouldn't we be able to laugh about it among members? I could have picked any girl and said she was my employer, pay her to present her tabien Bahn and ID card and said she was my employer. If they had any sense they would have asked to see her health insurance certificate which we pay monthly as part of my work permit. 

It is no surprise to anyone that there has been a recent crackdown and a lot of new, stupid rules. Shouldn't members be allowed to react to that?

We do live in a country where it is illegal to buy alcohol between 2pm and 5 pm but you can get marijuana delivered to your door 24 hours a day. 

21 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

This forum is for serious advice for members to be correctly informed. 

It was actually Pinot's post that you <deleted> down saying it was not credible, not Brandon's. 

The IO did start trying to calculate 90 days my money had been in the bank and said 'sahm deuan' several times. I was 5 days short of 3 months but he talked to the other worker and as far as I can tell they allowed it. It is possible though that maybe Pinot was right and they have extended it to 3 months. My understanding of Thai is only 50 % so maybe I had it wrong. 

9 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

I realise you do a lot to help people, but is it really only for serious advice? Are there forum rules saying that only serious posts allowed? Shouldn't the forum  have a role to be able to give people who are p.. off to be able to vent with like minded people. I  think the last thread similar to mine was Brandon's???  last week which had a similar sentiment and  was shut down quickly. 

If immigration are going to behave like perverts and in a ridiculous manner with archaic systems shouldn't we be able to laugh about it among members? I could have picked any girl and said she was my employer, pay her to present her tabien Bahn and ID card and said she was my employer. If they had any sense they would have asked to see her health insurance certificate which we pay monthly as part of my work permit. 

It is no surprise to anyone that there has been a recent crackdown and a lot of new, stupid rules. Shouldn't members be allowed to react to that?

We do live in a country where it is illegal to buy alcohol between 2pm and 5 pm but you can get marijuana delivered to your door 24 hours a day. 

It is really for serious advice... don't confuse others please

Just now, Bangkok Alex said:

It is really for serious advice... don't confuse others please

I am really angry at them. Both me and my wife were nearly collapsing after 5 hours in the office. We called them before to ask what they required as their website just directs to the general immigration website and they gave us a list. Then when we arrived they said they needed a witness to be in the office which was not what they requested  earlier. We had a driver to take us to immigration as there is no other transport there and I bribed him 1000 baht to be the witness. Then when they found he could not come to our house for the video interview we had to find another witness. The next day we organized our staff member to come and rang them before she left  and asked if my wife and I had to come with her  and they said no. I had to pay another 1000 baht for her to travel to the office. Then today they changed their mind and decided all 3 of us have to go to the office again tomorrow. Another 1000 baht for a driver.  

Apart from the ridiculous scene in my bedroom I think it is relevant that they are making up dumb rules as they go. I know it has happened in the past but there is no point censoring that it is getting worse and worse. 

34 minutes ago, Bangkok Alex said:

It is really for serious advice... don't confuse others please

How come you say that?. You have only been a member for less than 2 years. I know that since Ubonjoe passed away and also  the ownership changed the forum is different but shouldn't the forum members be allowed to post what they choose, in any way they choose, as long as it does not offend anybody? The byline on the forum does encourage people to share experiences. 

"Ask questions, share experiences, and stay current with Thai immigration policies."

I can't see any mention of serious. 

1 hour ago, Wongkitlo said:

The IO did start trying to calculate 90 days my money had been in the bank and said 'sahm deuan' several times. I was 5 days short of 3 months but he talked to the other worker and as far as I can tell they allowed it.

It's only 2 months prior to the date of submitting the extension based on Thai spouse.
Used to be 60 days on the previous Immigration order.

 

From your ramblings, I'm still not clear if the interview was via a video link of some kind, or the IO visited your home and videod the interview.

7 hours ago, Liquorice said:

It's only 2 months prior to the date of submitting the extension based on Thai spouse.
Used to be 60 days on the previous Immigration order.

 

From your ramblings, I'm still not clear if the interview was via a video link of some kind, or the IO visited your home and videod the interview.

There was a post last week claiming money had to be seasoned for 90 days. I had the impression that the IO seemed to be checking if it was 90 days  but as I was only 3 days short of 90 days they passed it. I can not be sure whether it was an impression or reality.  The interview was by a line video call. 

This attached thread has posts re home visits where Line Video call was used. 

Also info about witnesses requirements. 

Seems not uncommon at Rayong. 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1310545-immi-home-visits/#findComment-18461382

 

BTW: seasoning for extension marriage is two months. 

Some people provide a 3 month bank statement. 

I know someone who lives out in the sticks and he did a “ home “ visit via video link to Sisaket immigration.

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

This attached thread has posts re home visits where Line Video call was used. 

Also info about witnesses requirements. 

Seems not uncommon at Rayong. 

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1310545-immi-home-visits/#findComment-18461382

 

BTW: seasoning for extension marriage is two months. 

Some people provide a 3 month bank statement. 

It was not at Rayong. The video call was fine but the witness in the bedroom seemed too weird. We did call the office before we went there and there was no mention of needing a witness. If they had told us we could have easily brought somebody. 

I read an earlier post about it being changed to 3 months seasoning. He did seem to be considering it by watching his calculations on paper and I am pretty sure he asked the other worker about 'sahm deuan'. 

13 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

The video call was fine but the witness in the bedroom seemed too weird.

Never read of that previously. 

I thought it was more the io just noting the witness Thai ID etc. 

Certainly not pics inside house with witness. 

 

I'm not married so my extensions need to be based on retirement. 

Point is even if I was married I would opt for extensions based on retirement. 

The home visit would be a deal breaker for me. Some might laugh at that comment but I'm not about to sit on the edge of the bed for a pic. 

Yes I'm aware some visits the io, s don't even come inside. 

 

15 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

I had a video interview today for marriage extension. The IO had my wife, the girl who works for us and me in the bedroom with the other girl who works for us as camera person. I thought he was going to ask us to take off our clothes and do an onlyfans show to raise money for immigration. I did also wonder that as they charge only 1900 baht for a married extension, and it takes endless hours of office works for them to do it, maybe they were looking at new ways to turn a profit. In the end I decided that it is some heinous  plot by the IO to burgle me and  steal my teddy bear. 

Interesting setup you got there mate, can I be your friend? if only for a while?

27 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Never read of that previously. 

I thought it was more the io just noting the witness Thai ID etc. 

Certainly not pics inside house with witness. 

 

I'm not married so my extensions need to be based on retirement. 

Point is even if I was married I would opt for extensions based on retirement. 

The home visit would be a deal breaker for me. Some might laugh at that comment but I'm not about to sit on the edge of the bed for a pic. 

Yes I'm aware some visits the io, s don't even come inside. 

 

Thanks. I would prefer the retirement experience but I have a work permit so can not retire. I think he was taking screenshots to be printed. I assume we are going back there today to sign them. 

2 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

I read an earlier post about it being changed to 3 months seasoning.

It's 2 months, nothing changed, read clause 6 of current Immigration orders, although as @DrJack54 stated, many including myself always supply a 3 month bank statement.

 

 

 

This year, Thai Immigration introduced 2 new forms. STM10 and STM11. (Download here; https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/downloads_en/ )

STM10 is an 'affidavit' only applicable to extensions based on Thai spouse, that requires a witness signature, and it caught me by surprise as well.

 

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Never read of that previously. 

I thought it was more the io just noting the witness Thai ID etc. 

Certainly not pics inside house with witness. 

 

I'm not married so my extensions need to be based on retirement. 

Point is even if I was married I would opt for extensions based on retirement. 

The home visit would be a deal breaker for me. Some might laugh at that comment but I'm not about to sit on the edge of the bed for a pic. 

Yes I'm aware some visits the io, s don't even come inside. 

 

 

Nongkhai immigration require   ( sit on the edge of the bed for a pic ) and 3 other ones.

Just for 12 months retirement extension based on 800,000 in the bank method.

That's so nice of them. 

Oh no, I have named the office,

is the BMW smart car on it's way already to get me. 

 

 

 

 

26 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

It's 2 months, nothing changed, read clause 6 of current Immigration orders, although as @DrJack54 stated, many including myself always supply a 3 month bank statement.

 

 

 

This year, Thai Immigration introduced 2 new forms. STM10 and STM11. (Download here; https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/downloads_en/ )

STM10 is an 'affidavit' only applicable to extensions based on Thai spouse, that requires a witness signature, and it caught me by surprise as well.

 

We did call them and they did not tell us. It would have been easy to get one but a bit late when you are in the office. 

17 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

In the end I decided that it is some heinous  plot by the IO to burgle me

The valid concern is that someone in the office could pass off what they saw to a corrupt "contact" / "informant" / type, resulting in a burglary.  Put away / hide any valuables.

 

15 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

In the office I asked if I should write that I was in Thailand for work on the form but they said it would just complicate things and I would have to pay extra tax and have my accountant appear in person, so don't mention it.

Oh, with work involved, they make you bring your accountant, now for an interview?   Not just a ream of company-documents from multiple govt-agencies?

 

15 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

I was in the office for 5 hours, (sometimes with 2 officers involved), plus a 30 minute video interview, and they only get 1900 baht income for the time spent.

You got off easy, for a rural office.  Our annual extensions repeatedly took from open-to-close of the immigration office - paperwork reviewed by 3 staff, independently, including the "how you met" questions (we had been married over a decade, at that time) - so the infamously-corrupt district-office would not reject the application for lack of a brown-envelope.  Note the "agent fee" is reported ~50K now, vs ~15K for retirement, so the district-office cut of agent-money is ~35K baht for their sign-off.

 

And, a "video interview," instead of paying a "fee" to two local Thais to come to the house (plus food/beverages) and "witness" you really live together there?  Again, you got off easy, relatively speaking.

8 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

We did call them and they did not tell us. It would have been easy to get one but a bit late when you are in the office. 

Same. We had to take the form away, then return the following day with the new STM10 signed by a witness with signed copies of their Tabien Baan and Thai ID card.

Very inconvenient, but it is what it is, their Country, their regulations.

Next year we'll take a witness along to prevent a revisit.

14 hours ago, Wongkitlo said:

The IO did start trying to calculate 90 days my money had been in the bank and said 'sahm deuan' several times. I was 5 days short of 3 months but he talked to the other worker and as far as I can tell they allowed it.

YES - Some rural offices DO demand 3 months "seasoning" on the money - and this is not a "new" thing. 

This was explicitly demanded, in my case.  Then, I watched them highlight my balances on my bank-statement for 3 months.

(edit - of my 6-mo statement, so would not be a couple days short + show over 400K all that time). 

The "official rules" haven't changed, but local immigration offices view the "published rules" as merely a guide of suggestions on what to require. 

3 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

You got off easy, for a rural office.  Our annual extensions repeatedly took from open-to-close of the immigration office - paperwork reviewed by 3 staff, independently, including the "how you met" questions (we had been married over a decade, at that time) - so the infamously-corrupt district-office would not reject the application for lack of a brown-envelope. 

Recently submitted my 10th extension application based on Thai spouse at a 'rural' Immigration office.
Usually takes 30–40 minutes, but a little longer this year due to the introduction of the new STM10 and STM11 forms.
I usually go prepared with 2 x TM7's, STM2 and STM9 already pre-filled.

The inconvenience this year was having to obtain a witness to sign the STM10 and returning the next day.

 

Submitted 11th June, under consideration until 9th August, notified of approval on 18th July.

Songkhla Immigration (Hat Yai) only looked in the bedroom once, on the first marriage extension, IIRC they took a photo of wife and I sitting on the bed, and one of me standing next to the wardrobe showing I had my clothes hanging up there.

 

They've never moved out of the living room on subsequent visits.

 

The photos required for the extension only state 2 photos outside the house, showing the house number, and two photos inside the house, showing how you live. They've accepted photos in living room, kitchen, at the dining table or in the garden, never a request for the bedroom.