Immigration At Suvarnabhumi

[ovenman]

For what it's worth, Malaysia immigrations has completely done away with the use of arrival/departure cards.

[jstumbo]

hi, this is concerning. my partner and i are arriving on non-immigrant 90 day visasa and my partner is in a wheelchair - i should imagine after the flight that they wont be feeling too good and certainly not waanting to wait for 1.5 hours to get through immigration as we have a domestic flight to catch 2.5 hours after we land. could anyone advise if there is fastrack for wheelchair users?

Also, is it possible to extend a type O non-immigrant visa for a further year?

thanks

I see the airport staff take people off the plane in wheelchairs, I think they escort them through immigration. I would not imagine that you will be waiting because they will be with you while you have their wheelchair and they are not going to wait for immigration.

You do not really extend a visa, but you extend your permission to stay. You can do this with an entry on a non-imm O visa if you meet the requirements. You can do it if you have a job in Thailand and meet the requirements, or if your spouse is Thai and you meet the requirements. Or if you have a thai child and you are over 50. Or if you are over 50 and are retired and meet the requirements.

[peterarkle]

Thanks for the very helpful advice. That's good news tha we can get quickly through immigration.

With extending permission to stay can this be for educational or business purposes?

Ta

[Maestro]

Royal Thai Police Order No. 606/2549 lists the conditions under which an extension of stay can be obtained. Education and employment are among these conditions.

--

Maestro

[astral]

Moved to Airport section, as it seem more relevant there.

[Freddie_fly]

hi, this is concerning. my partner and i are arriving on non-immigrant 90 day visasa and my partner is in a wheelchair - i should imagine after the flight that they wont be feeling too good and certainly not waanting to wait for 1.5 hours to get through immigration as we have a domestic flight to catch 2.5 hours after we land. could anyone advise if there is fastrack for wheelchair users?

Also, is it possible to extend a type O non-immigrant visa for a further year?

thanks

My parents have flown twice from UK in the last 7 years, Both times my father required a wheelchair on arrival. It is very well looked after, an attendant brings them to Immigration, right to the front of the queue and they are through in no time, also he gets their bags for them and escorts them outside. Each time my mum has commented on how helpful and polite the ground staff have been with them.

I have thought of atenting a false leg-cast, just put it on when you arrive so people think you have broken your leg......no more queue's.

regards

Freddie

[pampal]

Why don't they have these cards in Chinese, considering the large number of visitors from China?

[geriatrickid]

I think the problem with an absence of multilingual cards is that many languages use modern numerals, e.g. 1,2,3 vs. the chinese and others that do not. The use of non common numerals would require multilingual agents, as opposed to using Thais with rudimentary english that can memorize the layout of questions and just verify or key in the data.

As well, most tourist addresses are in latin based script such as english, so it is easier to process. The availability of english as a 2nd language is related to the fact that it is one of the most common (and easiest to learn) of 2nd languages. As the majority of tourists still come from areas where languages that share common words and symbols with english are used, it is a matter of processing efficiency For example,

Address = adres (dutch), adresse (german, french), dirección (spanish), adress (swedish)

Most EU, middle east and Japanese visitors can figure out the english questions as can those coming on junkets from South Korea and Taiwan. The Indians that are most likely to travel speak rudimentary english as it is offered as a 2nd language in almost 1/2 the primary and secondary schools and approx. 20% of the general population state they can speak the language.

Edited March 28, 2008 by geriatrickid

[thaiclan]

After 45 mins of waiting in a seemingly non moving queue at BKK immigrations I zoned out into a wonderful daydream....

imagine....I get on the plane at say London. London immigration, my airline and Thai immigration work hand in hand. Thai immigration have at least 11 hours to check me out before I arrive. They know my passport, where Im travelling from, my visa status, everything. And whilst Im taking advatange of the drinks and inflight entertainment the beauracracy is working in the background paving my way effortlessly. If I should be an "undesirable" then of course I will be collared at the airport, but everyone else can just walk straight through having already been checked.......hmmm and maybe even a personal welcome waiting for me.....ooh the queue has just moved forward 2 inches. wake up! wake up!

[peter991]

thaiclan: I share your dream. But mine goes further ... I think the whole international travel thing needs a shake-up.

The system should start when you buy your ticket to fly overseas. Online, you have to input your passport number. At a travel agency, you have to produce your passport before they will sell you a ticket.

That information should - at that time - be sent to your home country's Immigration Department and the Immigration Department of the country you want to visit.

If approved - you get issued with a ticket. If declined you don't get a ticket and can't travel.

Yes - it might take 24 hours for an authorisation number to be issued - but it would save so many hassles.

You could arrive at Suvarnabhumi, go to baggage collection and then into the arms of your partner.

No more unsmiling Thai Immigration officers to worry about.

Peter

[clausewitz]

You could arrive at Suvarnabhumi, go to baggage collection and then into the arms of your partner.

Still might have the hugging problem we had a topic on recently.