Chiang Mai Immigration

[craig]

I am presently living near Pattaya and have a "retirement" visa. I am considering moving to the Chiang Mai-Pai area. How friendly are the immigration officials in Chiang Mai. I find the officials here in Pattaya are friendly, helpful and easy to deal with. What is the story on the immigration office in CM?

Thanks for any information. I am thinking of either finding a place on the outskirts of town or in the mountains heading toward Pai...my Thai girlfriend and her children will move with me. She likes Pai but is wary of travelling on the road to Chiang Mai on any sort of regular basis...also the distance from medical facilities.

[Sojourner]

Craig,

I've been visiting the Chiang Mai Immigration office for the last five years and find them to be polite and helpful. My only problem at the beginning was bringing a lawyer's assistant with me. They don't like it. Now I go with my Thai wife just in case there's a translation problem. Chiang Mai Immigration will want a doctor's letter, from a hospital, stating you are in good health and you don't have any communicable diseases. If you have 800K in a Thai bank you will need you bank book to show you had that amount in you account for most of the year and a letter from the bank verifying your account balance. If you have money wired into Thailand then bring all the transfer receipts along with your bank book. They want copies of everything including your passport and don't forget 2 photos. I assume all of this is the same in Pattaya but thought I'd mention it anyway.

The Immigration office is located on Sanam Bin Road, after Airport Plaza, just before you turn left towards the airport.

[wca01]

Craig,

I've been visiting the Chiang Mai Immigration office for the last five years and find them to be polite and helpful. My only problem at the beginning was bringing a lawyer's assistant with me. They don't like it. Now I go with my Thai wife just in case there's a translation problem. Chiang Mai Immigration will want a doctor's letter, from a hospital, stating you are in good health and you don't have any communicable diseases. If you have 800K in a Thai bank you will need you bank book to show you had that amount in you account for most of the year and a letter from the bank verifying your account balance. If you have money wired into Thailand then bring all the transfer receipts along with your bank book. They want copies of everything including your passport and don't forget 2 photos. I assume all of this is the same in Pattaya but thought I'd mention it anyway.

The Immigration office is located on Sanam Bin Road, after Airport Plaza, just before you turn left towards the airport.

What you mean with: "My only problem at the beginning was bringing a lawyers assistant with me?"

In my opinion it's very helpfull. So what was your problem?

WC

[Sojourner]

wca01,

I can only speculate on why there was resentment but I was told firmly by the Pol Captain that I need not bring a law firm rep. with me in the future. My trip there with the lawyer's assistant caused me three consecutive trips within that week to change one thing or another on documents that they submitted. Whether the Pol Captain was targeting that particular firm, or all of them in general, I will never know. I do believe someone posted a similar comment on this forum not too long ago and took place in BKK, I believe.

[khunphilip]

No Problem as long as you have the right doucuments and do not forget the tea money. no need for any help from Law Firms

F.T.P

[francois]

hi'

for all the years I know Chiang Mai immigration, I never ever had any problem with them,

they have rules to follow, and most of the time they help you out, in the case you have any problem to understand the why ... just smile

they are police officers and like in every country... they are no friend with lawyers

they prefer do deal with you or any friend of yours here to help you for translate if needed.

and may I say, contrary to some built ideas ... you may speak Thai, they do appreciate it.

do so, with a smile (like saying sorry for your "Thai" ), and it goes smooth, don't speak Thai just to show off

your wife helps, it's just nice enough, and you'll get some smile too

francois

[dr_Pat_Pong]

No Problem as long as you have the right doucuments and do not forget the tea money. no need for any help from Law Firms

F.T.P

It is usually counter productive in ChiangMai to have legal assistance.

[Axel]

Off topic in the Chiang Mai Forum:

Also Bangkok immigration will not be happy with a legal advisor.

As an immigration officer once explained to me in BKK,

"somebody who comes with a lawyer has to hide something."

[p1p]

Never found them anything but helpful & never used a lawyer. As long as you are polite and respectful, they will bend over backwards to help you.

[ProThaiExpat]

The "tea money" comment puzzles me. I have been going to CNX Immigration for three years, and while they joke about money, I have never felt pressured, even by innuendo, to offer a bribe.

Last time there for a renewal, there was a sign that asked you to have the exact change ready. My fee was 1900 and I didn't have change. I advised two officers that I didn't need change for my 2k Baht, just put the extra 100 Baht in the coffee funds.

The 100 Baht was given to me with a receipt without comment! Perhaps it was too small a bribe for they to take it, I don't know.

Anyone have any experience with tea money at CNX Immigration??

[Sojourner]

Anyone have any experience with tea money at CNX Immigration??

ProThaiExpat,

Two years ago, shortly after the Central Immigration Department in BKK authorized CMX to issue one year temporary visas on their own approval, I was in for my annual renewal. This was when the price was still 500 baht. They told me that it would be 500 baht but would take at least a month because they had to send it to BKK (lie) or if I paid 3500 baht I could come back the next day and it would be waiting for me. Not tea money but worse, out and out extortion. Last year the price had gone up to 1900 baht and my new visa was waiting for me the next day without having to pay anything extra.

[Ajarn]

Would anyone here feel safe in making a formal complaint if someone there did try to 'squeeze' you illegally?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Would anyone here feel safe in making a formal complaint if someone there did try to 'squeeze' you illegally?

One would be very brave to do that Ajarn. Very brave indeed ( or might it be described as stupid ?)

[p1p]

I have, personally, never even received a hint that tea money might be desired. The one time I looked for such a hint, I was led to believe it was a definite no-no.

[jackr]

...my Thai girlfriend likes Pai but is wary of travelling on the road to Chiang Mai on any sort of regular basis...also the distance from medical facilities.  

Last I heard, there was an airport going up in Pai...

[Ajarn]

...my Thai girlfriend likes Pai but is wary of travelling on the road to Chiang Mai on any sort of regular basis...also the distance from medical facilities.  

Last I heard, there was an airport going up in Pai...

Always has been, but they're expanding it to accept commercial air traffic- at least that's the plan.