Immigration At Airport Longest On The Planet!

[Tafia]

Compared to Heathrow its a breeze...I have always found them helpful and usher people into the Thai lines to help to reduce queues.

[somtaamgaiyang]

Compared to Heathrow its a breeze...I have always found them helpful and usher people into the Thai lines to help to reduce queues.

Everyone knows Heathrow is crap, but then it is very old. SVB is brand new and is already failing badly.

[Ricardo]

Arrived 7.30 on Friday morning, there were a couple of other planes just-arrived, but it didn't look that busy, nevertheless the queue was a good 90 minutes. Simply not good enough - for the supposed new hub of asian aviation - especially given the pre-opening promises of 30-60 seconds per-person.

On the other hand, there was someone pre-checking the TM-forms to weed out people who hadn't fully completed them, and they were letting families use the Thai-only desks, which showed the right attitude towards trying to make things run as smoothly as possible. Credit where credit is due !

But the first-time tourists were definitely not impressed.

[Bluffer]

I've had fairly good experience at camp Swampy but one time it was an hour and twenty minutes. Should try Ninoy Aquino (Manila), passport control there is mind numbingly slow ALL the time.

maybe I was lucky but i got through manila in 10 minutes, stanstead was a fuc_kign nightmare with a late night charter in from spain in september. melbourne took about 40 min plus 30 for customs just over a year ago.

[cm-happy]

Your delays at Immigration have nothing to do with the new airport. It's the new visa regulations that necessitate a much longer inspection of passports that is to blame for your delays.

Partially true. Recently on a flight from Japan most of the passengers were Japanese. Long lines & waits resulted because many of the passengers did not complete the arrivals card. They filled the info out at the Passport control officers desk delaying everyone and even needed assistance in understanding the info required. The passport officer, rather than insisting they go to near by tables to complete the cards and then return to the end of the line permitted the passengers to delay eveyone.

[flightcrew1]

Friday morning arrived at 710am and was waiting for luggage by 730am! Was travelling with my parents and not as crew so had to go through normal channels. Was quite prepared to wait as many europe/middle east flights arriving around that time but only 2 or 3 people in each line with nearly all the immigration lines open. Of course we waited 35 minutes for luggage but no problem getting a taxi from the departure area, rather than waiting in the Queue for a taxi.

Now the week before on a Friday morning at 7am leaving Thailand the lines for immigration departure were 30 deep with barely no room to wait inside. Still though it only took about 20 minutes to get through.

[sriracha john]

Arrived Friday evening... and saw the longest lines ever... six lines (including the Thai passport holder line) backed all the way out down the ramp all the way to the intersecting hallway (the one with the big Naga dragon statue). Literally several hundreds involved.. Pushing and shoving and heated tempers aplenty with the inevitable queue jumpers. Looked to be probably at least 2 hour waits to get through, but actual time would be anyone's guess as it seemed impossible to know with certainty when dealing with those sorts of numbers.

Gave up and while on way to the restroom, discovered the other section of six Imm. check-in counters... walked up to a line with 3 people in it and was through in about 6 minutes. Walked back by the original section (as that is where the bags were arriving) and looking through from the "good" side saw that there was no let up in sight as the huge crowds were still there jostling around.

In the future, Immigration might want to consider stationing people in the main hallway to redirect passengers to Imm. counter areas with less of a crowd, or indeed no crowd as was my case with the second section of counters.

Edited October 28, 2007 by sriracha john

[salty]

I recall arriving at Don Muang on a friday evening and seeing long queues. I continued walking to immigration in the other terminal and got through very quickly. When I collected my bag from the carousel some time after it was overloaded with baggage from all the people waiting to come through immigration.

As I will be arriving about 5.30am in midweek next week I do not anticipate a lengty delay. For future reference am I correct in assuming that in the event of big queues, if you ignore the left hand immigration sign and continue along the central walkway you will see further left hand immigration signs?

[bendix]

Got in yesterday and the queues at the closest immigration area were long, so I walked another 50 metres and joined the second area. Pretty reasonable wait . about 15 minutes. The thai lanes were empty and a helpful chap was shepherding elderly looking foreign queuers to the Thai lanes as and when they were freed up. I don't think you can complain about that.

I still got through before my bags came out.

Compare that to my experience at Auckland airport two weeks ago where a forty minute wait was followed by a miserable <deleted> at the counter grilling me incessantly as to why I lived in Thailand and seemed intent on not letting me in NZ, despite me having an NZ passport. That was followed by a fifteen minute wait through customs and the fact that my baggage never arrived then, and still hasnt turned up.

[Naam]

Compare that to my experience at Auckland airport two weeks ago where a forty minute wait was followed by a miserable <deleted> at the counter grilling me incessantly as to why I lived in Thailand and seemed intent on not letting me in NZ, despite me having an NZ passport.

serves you right for lighting up your pipe within AKL airport!

[salty]

Got in yesterday and the queues at the closest immigration area were long, so I walked another 50 metres and joined the second area. Pretty reasonable wait . about 15 minutes. The thai lanes were empty and a helpful chap was shepherding elderly looking foreign queuers to the Thai lanes as and when they were freed up. I don't think you can complain about that.

I still got through before my bags came out.

Compare that to my experience at Auckland airport two weeks ago where a forty minute wait was followed by a miserable <deleted> at the counter grilling me incessantly as to why I lived in Thailand and seemed intent on not letting me in NZ, despite me having an NZ passport. That was followed by a fifteen minute wait through customs and the fact that my baggage never arrived then, and still hasnt turned up.

He probably is still in bad humour after the World Cup.

[Donnyboy]

Got in yesterday and the queues at the closest immigration area were long, so I walked another 50 metres and joined the second area. Pretty reasonable wait . about 15 minutes. The thai lanes were empty and a helpful chap was shepherding elderly looking foreign queuers to the Thai lanes as and when they were freed up. I don't think you can complain about that.

I still got through before my bags came out.

Compare that to my experience at Auckland airport two weeks ago where a forty minute wait was followed by a miserable <deleted> at the counter grilling me incessantly as to why I lived in Thailand and seemed intent on not letting me in NZ, despite me having an NZ passport. That was followed by a fifteen minute wait through customs and the fact that my baggage never arrived then, and still hasnt turned up.

I came thru AKL on Nov 7 and had no problems whatsoever. The arrivals at immigration was packed all the way back to the bottom of the esculators but moving steadily. No silly questions apart from the usual stuff already written on the arrival card.

[thaiclan]

Left Thailand Wednesday afternoon and discovered you can no longer simply use any of the immigration booths. They have allocated particular halls according to the gate you are leaving from and post a couple of airport personnel to check your gate and redirect you if necessary. I had my 5 year old with me so didn't have to queue anyway but the queues were 30-50 deep at each of the 8 desks in my particular hall.

Interestingly though I noticed they sent several people from the actual immigration desk to the back of the hall to fill out their departure cards and then of course they had to rejoin at the back, now THAT will get them prepared for the next time!

Arrived at Singapore and the queues were for non-residents seemed to be about 10 minutes max. Changi is definitely the best airport in the region IMO.

On a side note I would have thought the vendors in the departure area would be mostly chagrined with the long immigration queues (at departure); if a traveller is queuing for an hour plus that is a lot less time to browse and purchase in the shops......

[sriracha john]

On a side note I would have thought the vendors in the departure area would be mostly chagrined with the long immigration queues (at departure); if a traveller is queuing for an hour plus that is a lot less time to browse and purchase in the shops......

The vendors make up for it on the arrivals side when hundreds of people faced with an extended wait-in-line decide to leave the lines and instead go shopping at the duty-free there. They get you coming or going... it's all the same company.

[Kerryd]

Timing is everything !

My last two trips (in and out) went quite smoothly as far as Immigration is concerned. On the way out last August, the lines were huge when I first checked in, but I went for a bite to eat first with my friend. By the time I went to actually enter Immigration (about 45 minutes later), I was the only person in the area !

When I arrived yesterday (around 8:30 am), I did my usual speed-march from the plane to Immigration. There were only about 6 booths open, with 5-6 people in each line. The 2 ladies working the booth I was in line for seemed to be having quite the conversation with each other. They barely paid any attention to the arrivals and I was through the line in less than 5 minutes. Not sure how the 400+ people behind me made out though.

[bendix]

I love that speedmarch . i can't understand what is in the minds of the dawdlers? Don't they know that immigration is ahead?

And what is WITH those people who get on a fuc_king moving walkaway, and just stand still? Are they really that lazy or tired?

[legag]

I have never had that problem. Thank God!! Normally the line moves reasonably speed and about 10-15 minutes it's my turn. Guess you have had the previous passenger who has a problem coming in and they needed to run more checking.

[zorro1]

Okay here is the inside story (haven't read all postings so sorry if doubling up)... I get through usually within 10-20 mins if there are massive cues and if your an ozzy your in luck! its called an APEC travel card that allows you to use diplomatic and flight crew lanes. Oh and as a handy little bonus you get automatic 3 month multiple re entry free. The card costs around $300 and anyone without a criminal record can get one

[Ricardo]

I love that speedmarch . i can't understand what is in the minds of the dawdlers? Don't they know that immigration is ahead?

And what is WITH those people who get on a fuc_king moving walkaway, and just stand still? Are they really that lazy or tired?

I believe that it is called jet-lag, but I don't quite remember, as I had just got off a 20-hour journey from Europe with only 15 minutes' semi-sleep along the way.

[ballbreaker]

And what is WITH those people who get on a fuc_king moving walkaway, and just stand still? Are they really that lazy or tired?

Ditto

[Kerryd]

I love that speedmarch . i can't understand what is in the minds of the dawdlers? Don't they know that immigration is ahead?

And what is WITH those people who get on a fuc_king moving walkaway, and just stand still? Are they really that lazy or tired?

The ones that irritate me the most are those that get on the moving walkways and stand right in the middle, with their luggage blocking the way. Some actually get upset if you try to get by them, as though they think they own that piece of the walkway.

I also like the ones that get to the immigration counter without filling in their TM cards, and then try to do it on the spot.

(Once in awhile they get sent to the back to do it, but invariably, as soon as they fill it out they seem to think that gives them a pass to the front of the line).

[IMA_FARANG]

Hello,

just have to air my feelings about Immigration at the airport ... now it happened the THIRD time in a row to me (means: it happened every time I arrived at the new airport) that I crossed the corner before the immigration officers just to find endless rows of people and having to queue at least ONE HOUR just to get my surveillance photo done and the stamp in my passport.

I'm sure the officers at immigation are innocent for it, but maybe someone who reads this and knows someone who knows someone could ask this special person in which way the new airport has improved in this matter (I never had to wait longer than 5 minutes at the old one), and if there are plans in distant future to improve the situation even more....

1. The time you arrive (and how many people are trying to go thru immigration at peak times) will make a big difference in how long the queue is. Unfortuneately, you have no control over that, do you.

2. If possible, travel business class. It will get you thru immigration faster. If you can't spend the extra money, it will take longer coming in and much longer departing.

3. The last time i came thru the airport (economy class) I was initially put off by the long delay at immigration. While I was there waiting, a young woman in a immigration inspector uniform came up to me and asked if i was waiting for a stamp (visa on arrival). I said I was. She took my passport, onward ticket, and boarding pass promising to get a stamp if I waited. 10 minutes later she was back with my stamped passport, and my ticket and I was done. She told me to go thru the gate, and just show my stamped passport to the security gaurd. No problem, and total time waiting was no more than 15 minutes. That was a nice touch, and showed consideration by the immigration.

[bendix]

I came in from Manila yesterday at 4.30. Minimal queues - i think there were three people ahead of me. Landing to getting into taxi? 20 minutes maximum.

I've used the airport about 25 times since it opened. I can recall only twice when I had to wait more than 20 minutes in the immigration queue.

[bendix]

Okay here is the inside story (haven't read all postings so sorry if doubling up)... I get through usually within 10-20 mins if there are massive cues and if your an ozzy your in luck! its called an APEC travel card that allows you to use diplomatic and flight crew lanes. Oh and as a handy little bonus you get automatic 3 month multiple re entry free. The card costs around $300 and anyone without a criminal record can get one

Not entirely true, zorro. Not 'everyone' can get it. It's usually only for senior business people who travel a lot throughout the APEC region so you statement that 'anyone without a criminal record can get one' is stretching it a bit. Full details are at www.businessmobility.org

I got mine from NZ - it only cost me NZ$150.

There are plenty of other threads on this subject.

[zorro1]

Okay here is the inside story (haven't read all postings so sorry if doubling up)... I get through usually within 10-20 mins if there are massive cues and if your an ozzy your in luck! its called an APEC travel card that allows you to use diplomatic and flight crew lanes. Oh and as a handy little bonus you get automatic 3 month multiple re entry free. The card costs around $300 and anyone without a criminal record can get one

Not entirely true, zorro. Not 'everyone' can get it. It's usually only for senior business people who travel a lot throughout the APEC region so you statement that 'anyone without a criminal record can get one' is stretching it a bit. Full details are at www.businessmobility.org

I got mine from NZ - it only cost me NZ$150.

There are plenty of other threads on this subject.

Really?Please don't tell APEC that I have no business in BKK and only been here 3 times before I got mine. have another 5 mates who cum here regular if you know what i mean and they certainly aint senior biz people. Although i did stretch the truth in regards to not having a criminal record I was wrong there sorry but you ACTUALLY CAN have a criminal record as long as its not currently before the courts and is outside the 5 year probation period. armed robbery and murder are stuck with you for life although one of the boys did a stint for a white collar crime and no trouble getting his card

[AlexLah]

Yep it all depends how many arriving flights.

I travel about 30-35 weeks a year and it's about 50/50.

Anyway just to make this topic a litlle bit positive I will give you a handy tip for when going out of Thailand.

Once you have checked in and when you see the first entry (near the Thai Airways desks) for immigration if very busy, just walk all the way to the E entrance.

Mostly not busy there and sometimes even the person that is there to check Thai PP only and has nothing to do will help you.

Just a quick look in their direction and holding up your passport will do.

By the way the longest waiting times I remember was going into Russia and out of there (3-4 hours) but that was about 7-10 years ago.

Have fun all with waiting in line!

Oh and just went through immi in Australia, as soon as I told them I live in Thailand I must have been setting off some kind of alarm.

Was first heavily interogated at PP check, then when I picked up my bag some other guy checked my form and put a big red stripe on it, then directed to lane one.

Big line in lane 2 and a bit smaller one for lane 3, just only me in lane one but the exit/entrance was closed, so I walked back thinking the person that directs you to the lanes must have made some mistake, so I walk back and after explaining it was closed she looked again at my form and assured me I should go to lane one.

Again heavy interrogation and meanwhile I was opening my bag and started taking things out.

She: You are very light packed for six days.

Me: I am not a girl and no need for 20 pair of shoes and 40 different dresses, pants and a few kilo's of make up.

She: For which company you work, (I told her already before when she asked).

Me: I work for the biggest unknown company in the world

She: Which is?

Me: I told you already it is XXXXXX is it my fault that you do not know this company?

She: Can I see your bizz card?

Me: Yes sure ( I gave her Thai one)

She: I cannot read this

Me: I would be surprised if you could

She: OK It won't be long just wait here and she cals one other girl with some kind of sniffer device, sniffs all my stuff and confirm it is clean.

Me: How many drug traffickers you catch here per day?

She: Wait here, takes all my bags and some other stuff, toothpaste, deodarant and such and put it through the scanner again.

Me: Did you find anything (I asked her when she returned).

She: No it is ok you can go.

Me: Are you sure?

No answer on that one, ha ha ha as I say just try to have fun while waiting or being processed.

I know I know, they are just doing their job.

Cheers all!