Chaeng Wattana

[TravelerEastWest]

On Tuesday, the wife and I made our annual excursion for a O visa extension to the new Chaeng Wattana immigration office in Bangkok.

We live not far from Ramkamhaeng university and it only took around 30 minutes on the highway just after 9. No traffic.

In the past it took around an hour to go downtown.

To do the extension, 90 day report and a reentry visa an hour and 10 minutes - done.

In the past all morning.

Summary all is well a great new office,

Much as I like the office I will do my 90 day reports by mail as before.

[Microwave]

Thanks for this info. about the new Immigration office. I have to go there next week for the first time, so this is the first feedback I've seen from someone who's been there.

~ Microwave

[on-on]

I concur with the poster. I've been there several times already to change over WP and handle visa affairs and reporting. It's quite efficient as long as you don't show up around lunch time (12ish to 1ish) or during the grand opening of the office, as I did one day. Best to go in the morning in my experience, but that's often true in offices across the globe.

My only complaint is with the middle of nowhere location that's way outside the catchment area of the BTS or MRT, but the government center is where it is, so wish in one hand and p_iss in the other I suppose. 90-day reporting can still be done at the satellite office apparently.

[medegen]

I went the other day to extend my Non-O based on marriage for another year and it went FAST! id say 20 minutes to be called and hand all the paperwork over and get the 30 day decision stamp. I did my 90 day also since I was there(I usually use Rasa Tower one stop service). Total time was about 45 minutes. oh and to those that have cars here PARKING! PARKING! PARKING! There is literally infinite parking spaces at the new location so don't worry! They seem to work faster NOT using the queue system from Suan Plu. I cant really explain the new queue system, maybe someone else here can. There is one thing i noticed thats still around from Suan Plu. That lovely body odor stench!

Edited November 15, 2009 by medegen

[TravelerEastWest]

I went the other day to extend my Non-O based on marriage for another year and it went FAST! id say 20 minutes to be called and hand all the paperwork over and get the 30 day decision stamp. I did my 90 day also since I was there(I usually use Rasa Tower one stop service). Total time was about 45 minutes. oh and to those that have cars here PARKING! PARKING! PARKING! There is literally infinite parking spaces at the new location so don't worry! They seem to work faster NOT using the queue system from Suan Plu. I cant really explain the new queue system, maybe someone else here can. There is one thing i noticed thats still around from Suan Plu. That lovely body odor stench!

You have to be careful with the queue system - We were next in line and a couple jumped ahead of us and put their plastic tag in the box outside the cubical and then the immigration officer proceeded to help them.

I politely showed that my tag was next and the queue jumper was asked to return to his seat.

Another interesting part was the income verification. with this year's changes I wasn't completely sure if I needed a bank balance plus an embassy letter or just one type of verification.

They took my American embassy letter and returned my bank information explaining that you only need one or the other. A word of caution - other offices may have different policies.

Next year I shall just use the bank verification as I am rarely downtown near the American consulate.

They did ask for family photos but were not strict on house numbers and so on - which is good as I just took a few photos with me that I already had.

[TravelerEastWest]

I concur with the poster. I've been there several times already to change over WP and handle visa affairs and reporting. It's quite efficient as long as you don't show up around lunch time (12ish to 1ish) or during the grand opening of the office, as I did one day. Best to go in the morning in my experience, but that's often true in offices across the globe.

My only complaint is with the middle of nowhere location that's way outside the catchment area of the BTS or MRT, but the government center is where it is, so wish in one hand and p_iss in the other I suppose. 90-day reporting can still be done at the satellite office apparently.

I am confused why would anyone in Bangkok go in person for a 90 day report?

Per their website (unless it recently changed) you can do mail in reports you just need to mkae lots of photo copies and send it via EMS to be safe about 2 weeks ahead of time.

Unless I am visiting immigration for my yearly extension I always mail in my reports. They keep the reports until the correct day and mail back the receipt and your photocopies so you are good to go for the next report.

In the near future rumor has it that the whole extension process will move even faster if you start it online.

All in all the system is not bad at all.

[lopburi3]

Perhaps because Immigration never allowed reporting by mail for residents of Bangkok? Only those living outside of Bangkok were allowed the mail system by official policy.

That many did it successfully is true - but if you asked you were told flatly no.

Now that everyone reports to a local office it does not seem to be an issue.