Reporting To Immigration Office..Why?

[Yaroon]

Greetings,

I am in Phuket on a 1 year ED visa, and some weeks ago i went to the Immigration Office to submit some documents provided by the organisation who arranged my visa.

Eventhough my visa expires in 7 months, the officer requested me to 'report back' in 3 months after completing putting stamps in my passports and filing the documents i handed over, for what reason would this be? I have lived in 2 other Asian countries but never had to do this except the usual annually visits for extension.

Just wondering, nothing more or less

And now that i have opened up a topic, why not asking an additional question

Can anyone recommend me a website or source of information for renting a house in (central/midsouth) Phuket? The house i am living in now makes me feel itchy and i want to have a single (2 / 3 room) house, not something attached like a matchbox where i can hear the neighbours pouring sugar in their coffee through the walls. 20k monthly budget available which means i am not looking for swimmingpool attached, 100sqft gardens or whatever ;-)

Thx in advance

[nam-thip]

Schools are licensed by the Thai Ministry of Education, so when you register for Thai language classes, you qualify for a one-year ED Visa. Using this type of visa, you do not have to do visa runs to a Thai border.

Instead, you apply for a 90 day category “ED’ visa and use documents provided by your school to extend your stay to a full year at the local Ministry of Immigration office in Phuket Town.

Once you've done that it allows you to stay in Thailand for a full year with no visa runs.

I'm on a retirement visa and along with everyone else in Thailand i have to report to immigration every 90 days to verify i'm still living at the same address.

Accomodation can be found in the Phuket Gazette or by talking to a few expats who will guide you.

[Yaroon]

Thank you for making that clear. It is a bit more strict than what i have experienced elsewere. It means that the school has to give me new extension docs when the 90 days are passed for the next 90 to come.... i guess

Regarding renting a house, its a pain. i have been roaming around by bike for quite some time and can't really find something decent. Asking expats i already do but they suggest to either roam around or scan websites. Guess i just have to continue with it and hope for the best as there is not much else that i can do than what i am doing now...

_{Found that ThaiVisa also has a section after searching the forum, some potential houses on it, but i wonder if its genuine. All are farang renting out their cribs on there?}

[snamos]

I just got my ED visa in KL. But after insisting I wanted a multi entry visa the extremely annoying and rude staff at the consulate told me "Go Thailand". So I got my visa and flew back to phuket and got stamped in with 3 months...but whats the process for multi entry....should I rock up to Phuket immigration on monday morning with an ironed shirt and a fresh shave?

Edited December 10, 2010 by snamos

[Yaroon]

At first i was planning to spend my X-mas in Laos (which i postponed eventually, enough to see and do within these borders) and i was a bit confused how i would deal with the current single entry visa.

After asking around i heard that you can go to Immigration and pay around 1200 baht (maybe some more) for being able to go out and come back again without screwing up the visa.

No idea about getting a multiple though,..except for emergencies i am not planning to leave. Guess its a matter of $$ at the immigration off.

.....i should also open an Immigration other govt office...so much money to be made with it

[surayu]

.....i should also open an Immigration other govt office...so much money to be made with it

In Sicily there is a city (Gela) where the people paying the "tea money" to the mafia are also paying a second amount of "tea money" amount called "stidda" , as far as i am aware of is the only area were this is being "tolerated", not to mention all the official and legal fees these people have to keep paying to the "legal" entities as well....what about Thailand?

[Valentine]

  At first i was planning to spend my X-mas in Laos (which i postponed eventually, enough to see and do within these borders) and i was a bit confused how i would deal with the current single entry visa.

After asking around i heard that you can go to Immigration and pay around 1200 baht (maybe some more) for being able to go out and come back again without screwing up the visa.

No idea about getting a multiple though,..except for emergencies i am not planning to leave. Guess its a matter of $$ at  the immigration off.

.....i should also open an Immigration other govt office...so much money to be made with it

If you wish to travel out of the country during the period of your one year visa you simply go to immigration & get a re entry permit which is available as single or multi re entry. It is a fixed price which is written on the wall but of course multi will be more expensive. Regarding the 90 day reporting you generally do not need any documents other than your passport & only takes a couple of minutes if they are not busy.

[retiredusn]

For the 90 day report you may have too show a rental agreement also

[logbags]

20k a month, look around and you could get a nice place with ADSL and pool over Rawai way. Just keep the doors well locked. If you are really going to school maybe an apartment would be better if you not going to be home all day.

[iSabai]

For the 90 day report you may have too show a rental agreement also

No rental agreement needed. You fill a form on which you state your address and date of entry into the Kingdom. They attach a portion of that form to your passport, and it has the date of your next 90 report on it. Repeat process every 90 days.

[Wellington]

Schools are licensed by the Thai Ministry of Education, so when you register for Thai language classes, you qualify for a one-year ED Visa. Using this type of visa, you do not have to do visa runs to a Thai border.

Instead, you apply for a 90 day category “ED’ visa and use documents provided by your school to extend your stay to a full year at the local Ministry of Immigration office in Phuket Town.

Once you've done that it allows you to stay in Thailand for a full year with no visa runs.

I'm on a retirement visa and along with everyone else in Thailand i have to report to immigration every 90 days to verify i'm still living at the same address.

Accomodation can be found in the Phuket Gazette or by talking to a few expats who will guide you.

It really is time the 90 day report could be done by email.

When will Thai immigration haul themselves into this century?

[Ping]

"...a matchbox where i can hear the neighbours pouring sugar in their coffee through the walls"

In Thailand? One advantage of Thai construction is the solid cement walls. I've rented a number of different townhouses over the years and I've never had a problem with noise through the walls.

[katabeachbum]

For the 90 day report you may have too show a rental agreement also

No rental agreement needed. You fill a form on which you state your address and date of entry into the Kingdom. They attach a portion of that form to your passport, and it has the date of your next 90 report on it. Repeat process every 90 days.

correct, only document needed is your passport with your last 90 day report attached, and it takes 3-5 minutes

and the fine for not doing it in time is 2.000 baht

why 90 days report? cause its the law . as I recall it was introduced after Bali terrorist bombing some years back

[Yaroon]

"...a matchbox where i can hear the neighbours pouring sugar in their coffee through the walls"

In Thailand? One advantage of Thai construction is the solid cement walls. I've rented a number of different townhouses over the years and I've never had a problem with noise through the walls.

I initially started to live here in a small house, half of what my budget allows. Since i have 20k available each month i better seek for a place that has no neighbour attached to it, has some more space.

Fully furnished is a must.

20k a month, look around and you could get a nice place with ADSL and pool over Rawai way. Just keep the doors well locked. If you are really going to school maybe an apartment would be better if you not going to be home all day.

I dont like to drive more than i need to on these roads, therefore being in a central location is important. Right now i live 3 mins away From Tesco Lotus, on the edge of Phuket Town.

Central: 5 mins

My TG who works in the north (35min driving) and gets picked up at a central location 5 mins away

Patong : just a straight road through Kathu, 20 mins

My school: just 8 mins drive

Phuket Town and all the things available in it: several minutes and so on and on...

If i live in Rawai, i can multiply these timings by 5 therefore i restrict myself by narrowing down my search to the area's of Phuket Town, Kathu. perhaps North of Chalong. That leaves little choice as you can see

Today i will roam around again, lets hope i manage something

[Tywais]

why 90 days report? cause its the law . as I recall it was introduced after Bali terrorist bombing some years back

Actually its been the law for decades and was on again off again being enforced. It's now being enforced rigorously for the last few years. First 10+ years in Thailand I didn't report as no one else I knew were and due to that wasn't clear to me that it was a requirement. That stopped a few years ago when I went in to get my annual extension for work and the IO pointed to the 90 day desk - yep, 2000 Baht.