Five And A Half Hours In The Room Of Death

[Stabbo-Lad]

Hi all,

Soi Suan Phlu, room 101. Went this morning to renew submit my marriage extension application. Time on the ticket was 0926 and 46 people in front of me. Left the building 1503, five and a half hours later. Correct me if I'm wrong but with six desks processing non-business applications, is that a processing time of 43 minutes per applicant?

And to add insult to injury, I have to go back on Monday because the officer didn't like my photos. Apparently they now require photos of you and your wife at home/outside the house. Maybe thats common knowledge and my fault for not checking back far enough on here. Still bloody annoying though when the wedding photos have been fine on the last three occasions.

SL.

Oh, and my baby son threw up all over himself and the wife, so they sat half the day smelling of puke.

Lovely.

[toptuan]

Oh, and my baby son threw up all over himself and the wife, so they sat half the day smelling of puke.

Lovely.

Ah, the REAL reason immigration retaliated....

(The "room of death" probably also smells like it now.)

[lopburi3]

My ticket at 1030 this week had 60 before me. Got to desk at 1545 and on street at 1600. Indeed one married couple was being processed for well over 90 minutes and it appeared I was the only retirement type.

Positive points was muzak type music and non uniform dress of officials. Aircon was also good. The work station setup with large desk numbers was also an improvement over a year ago.

[Stabbo-Lad]

My ticket at 1030 this week had 60 before me. Got to desk at 1545 and on street at 1600. Indeed one married couple was being processed for well over 90 minutes and it appeared I was the only retirement type.

Positive points was muzak type music and non uniform dress of officials. Aircon was also good. The work station setup with large desk numbers was also an improvement over a year ago.

Once it came to our turn we were processed in about 20 minutes so no complaints there other than the fact she l wouldn't accept my photos.

The room looks better sure, but they should be concentrating on bring down waiting times rather than cosmetic enhancements. Five and a half hours is piss-poor in anyone's book.

SL.

[wintermute]

The best thing to do is to get there before it opens and be the first in line. I don't know why more people don't just plan ahead when they are about to submit a big packet like that. Immigration works at a snail's pace anyways and i've seen more active pothead burger king employees in the U.S.

[Pattayapeter]

arrival 10:30, out at 16:00 - for cancellation non-immi B after WP was returned and forgot how many were in front of me

[Stabbo-Lad]

The best thing to do is to get there before it opens and be the first in line. I don't know why more people don't just plan ahead when they are about to submit a big packet like that. Immigration works at a snail's pace anyways and i've seen more active pothead burger king employees in the U.S.

I agree and if it was just the wife and I then thats exactly what we'd do. But when you have a nine year-old to get to school and a one year-old to feed, bath, clothe, change etc things get a little more complicated.

[opalhort]

I'm longing for the good old days when we still had two rooms for processing. Was it 3 or 4 years ago?

At that time I never had to spend more than 30-40 minutes waiting and 10-20 minutes processing regardless of the time I showed up.

Also collecting the 'result' (after 45 days at that time) never took more than 10-20 minutes.

Since they centralized everything (type of visa and nationalities) into one room it is an absolute nightmare.

Just hope that things will improve once they finally move to the new place at Chaeng Wattana.

opalhort

[WilliamIV]

I strongly object to being advised that I need to get to Immigration before it opens !!!!

I like to get up LATE !!!!

And - as I have posted already - to Complete everything in one day,

by going to the British Embassy and my Bank for their letters

- ON THE WAY to Suan Phlu - so there is NO way I can be there before 8am

I got there midday - and having got my ticket with 60 ahead of me - went out for Lunch and came back

to read a book for the remainder of the 4hours 30 mins wait.

But the point in my posting now is that during my wait I recorded each time

my queue of electronic numbers changed - and the 4 officers were processing >

Marriage Extensions on average 20 mins each

and Retirement Extensions 10 mins each

Which seemed reasonable turnover to me - last week in May

So just exactly what have the New Layouts acheived?

Seems Obvious that MORE Personnel are required ...

So - is there any signs of more staff being trained?

Are there empty Work Stations to be filled?

Anyone else been there in the past week to ten days?

Bill

[Kan Win]

Five and a half hours is piss-poor in anyone's book.

SL.

Well it took me 2 years (from 2000 to 2002 after spending 10 years here (started in 1990) without a single visa run) to get my P.R. (cost me 25,000 baht in those days BTW) under my marriage Visa and a few hours, which to me is not a great deal of time lost and you crib (cry) about 5 and 1/2 hours.

Good Luck

Kan Win

P.S. The early bird did catch the worms

[dotcom]

I would never arrive before 1 pm.

[Norrad]

Ouch, I waited about 3 hours last month. Had 19 people in front of me.

Just out of curiosity. How long do you have to wait in line, to actually get the extension of stay stamp, when you report back on the day noted in your passport? I have to go in tomorrow but I'm planning on getting there just after lunch.

[WISteve]

I'll be returning to Suan Plu the end of July to get my 12 month permission to stay stamp.

I have my non immigrant O based on retirement which allows me to stay until 10 August. I received that in mid-May.

I'm HOPING I can return to the third floor office to do that as well since room 101 doesn't sound like any fun at all?

~WISteve

[Tony Clifton]

I m never going back there ever again.

[jumnien]

I've always gone first thing in the morning to review my Marriage Visa and it's been a piece of cake! Sorry for your troubles...

[Ragnarok]

Arrived and took a number 9:30 am. Number called 3:30 pm. The girl said they give up to 100 numbers for marriage and 100 for business per day. And she yelled at someone for not coming to the desk within a minute of calling their number. But when you think about it, if everyone took a few minutes to get to the desk, it would add up!