Success In Penang

[bozy]

I do not write many threads,but I beleive its good to read all latest visa application info. As this helps everyone to decide what visa to apply for and what documentation is required.

I will not bore you with all the facts, but I will give you a quick breakdown.

Left my house in chiang Mai this Tuesday morning at 8.30 and returned Thursday evening 11.00.

Information I provided:-

Visa form downloaded from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs with two photos attached.

Copy of my passport

My daughters Thai/English birth certificate,Thai house registration book,thai/english passport and letter from her current school.

Letter from the British Consulate to clarify income to exceed 40,000 baht.

House rental agreement,vehicle/motorbike registration.

Gave them 550Rm (5,500Bht) and was informed to return the next day to collect visa subject to approval.

Returned the following day to be given my multi entry "o".

[Lite Beer]

Thanks for the report, but could you not have applied for a 12 month Extension from Immigration.

You appear to have all the requirements . 1,900 Baht fee and then no need for border runs.

I have just been travelling from UK so maybe my brain is not in full gear yet.

[bozy]

I did go to immigration in Chiang Mai and explained the situation. They informed me that I was not entitled to a extension,even though I knew I met the requirements.

Immigration offices can differ from one to another,as well as the officers working there.

Most applicants are married or married with children living together in Thailand.

When I did my home work before my application I could not remember reading a thread where someone was succesfull with a extension based on child dependant at the Chiang Mai Immigration. But it may be I did not look hard enough.

At the time I thought who am to argue? So I went with option number two and was satisfied with the outcome in Penang.

[ubonjoe]

Chiang Mai wants court ordered sole custody of the child to grant the extension.

I have read one report of success but it took about 3 months to get the approval. They put him through the 30 day wait 3 times before giving it if my memory is correct.

[MeetJohnDoe]

Chiang Mai wants court ordered sole custody of the child to grant the extension.

While I give congrats for the op for a good outcome in Penang, what you report as the general practice of CM immigration office as to expats with families (and meeting the income qualifications for an in-country annual extension) and still being refused is patently ridiculous. I mean, <deleted> is this "court [order] sole custody" BS in order to grant this extension...is it basically an unauthorized hurdle put in the way of applicants in order to encourage offers of money for tea and coffee?

I really hand it to the expats who put up with this BS in order to be with and support their Thai families. I sometimes think all the farangs in such situations should say "enough with all this...we're not gonna take it anymore" and pick-up stakes and leave their Thai relatives flat! Maybe then the hue and cry from the countryside would be heard in the halls of Parliament in Bangkok, and the appropriate phone calls made to the Interior Ministry, and then the petty officers in CM transferred to those "inactive posts" we read so much about!

Edited May 16, 2009 by MeetJohnDoe

[bozy]

Thanks for the reply Ubonjoe. Do you know if the court order has to be from Thai court or British or either?

Its worth thinking about for next time.

[ubonjoe]

Thai court. I fave read that it will costs about 25,000 baht for legal and court costs.

[bozy]

Chiang Mai wants court ordered sole custody of the child to grant the extension.

While I give congrats for the op for a good outcome in Penang, what you report as the general practice of CM immigration office as to expats with families (and meeting the income qualifications for an in-country annual extension) and still being refused is patently ridiculous. I mean, <deleted> is this "court [order] sole custody" BS in order to grant this extension...is it basically an unauthorized hurdle put in the way of applicants in order to encourage offers of money for tea and coffee?

I really hand it to the expats who put up with this BS in order to be with and support their Thai families. I sometimes think all the farangs in such situations should say "enough with all this...we're not gonna take it anymore" and pick-up stakes and leave their Thai relatives flat! Maybe then the hue and cry from the countryside would be heard in the halls of Parliament in Bangkok, and the appropriate phone calls made to the Interior Ministry, and then the petty officers in CM transferred to those "inactive posts" we read so much about!

I agree the hoops in Thailand are getting smaller and there are more every year to jump through.

Sometimes I do think about alternative countries to reside in, but at the present I can just still jump through them.

Though next year is another story.