I will need to pay a visit to an Immigration Office in January in order to apply for a 12-month-extension to my Non-Immigrant-O-Visa for "settlement after retirement".

As I will be doing this for the first time, I would like to ask for advice on whether it is better to apply in Bangkok or in Chiangmai?

Which place is easier, faster, friendlier, more efficient...?

Any first-hand experience would be highly appreciated.

Thank you very much.

How can anyone answer your question with first hand experience as you are requesting a comparison and a person is not likely to have used both offices.

From Chiang Mai will require extra copies of everything for local records but believe people have had good experience at both places.

If you live in Chiang Mai then you should apply there.

You will need to do your 90 day reporting there and it is as well to get to

know the people in the office

Personally, due to some problems at CM immigration lately, I would prefer Bkk if I had a choice. I've always found Bkk to be straight-forward and game free, devoid of any squeezing for money....

Or ,perhaps he could go down to BKK

for the initial OA extension,then ,if still living in C.Mai,renew each year from there. I think Astral has a good point about one biing able to become familiar with the staff.

Ajarn,could you please elaborate on some of these problems at Cmai immigration? Id be very interested

in hearing what you have to say....

All the best ,the Harpman.

Ajarn,could you please elaborate on some of these problems at Cmai immigration? Id be very interested

in hearing what you have to say....

All the best ,the Harpman. 

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As always, with any Thai police, be careful of your words and actions. Problems can happen even for the nicest people who follow all the rules and smile a lot. My advice is to play down your financial resources over the minimum requirements....

Personally, due to some problems at CM immigration lately, I would prefer Bkk if I had a choice. I've always found Bkk to be straight-forward and game free, devoid of any squeezing for money....

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Thank you so much, Adjarn.

Of course everybody would like to know what problems you've encountered in Chiangmai, but never mind, I'd rather travel down to Bangkok.

Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.

Jaroen

Nothing insurmountable, but annoying to have happen. I truly wish I could say more, but....

Happy Holidays, too