Mobile Immigrations Service In Bangkok

[Tod Daniels]

When I was out at Changwattana today renewing my yearly extension of stay based on retirement, and turning in a few passports for their 90 day reporting; I noticed a 'rolling news' message in the 90 day reporting room which said something along the lines of;

Immigrations is announcing their Mobile Immigrations Services. Unless I read it wrong it said the service will be on the second TUESDAY of each month at KhaoSan Road (some Hotel whose name eludes me), and the third TUESDAY of each month at Bumrungrad Hospital.

It went on to say this service could be used for 90 day reporting, purchasing re-entry permits, extending temporary stays in the Kingdom, and notification of moving residence.

They said to check the Thai Immigrations website for more info or call the Thai Immigrations hotline at 1111.

I should have taken pix of the screen to remember the info better, but that's what I read several times as it scrolled past while I waited to report.

Anyone else who hasta go to Changwattana and report in the next few days, check and see if the rolling news is still running in the 90 day reporting room and if what I said is close to the truth.

Anyway, that's what I saw today. .. Now whether it'll really pan out, is anyone's guess. ..

EDIT!!!

Okay just called the Immigrations HOT LINE and they said it is on following dates;

15 March - Bumrungrad Hospital

12 April - Buddy Lodge Hotel KhaoSan

19 April - Bumrungrad Hospital

The english accent of the person giving me the info was a little rough but I believe he did say what sounded like the Buddy Lodge Hotel on KhaoSan Road.

That's the best I can do. ..

[Tod Daniels]

OVER 130 views and NOBODY has posted a SINGLE response?? ??

See if I EVER give U guys any good Info for FREE again!!

Take it FWIW; because Free is FREE and knowledge is POWER in the glorious Land 'O Thais". ..

This was REALLY good info!! (For people living in the Bangkok area)!

Sadly, if you live Up-Country. .. Well it’s not that good. .. BUT for Bangkokian foreigners it’s a good thing. ..

[Time Traveller]

Ok, I'll say thank you for passing this on. I hate going out to Chaengwattana, will be good to do a visa extension in Khao San!

[Maestro]

I imagine this Mobile Immigration Service is good news for a lot of people. Can't find it on the immigration website but it's probably hidden somewhere. Let's see who can find the URL first.

It will be important now for people to use this mobile service as otherwise it may be discontinued. Let's hear first-hand reports from members using it in the coming months.

[gamini]

It has already been in operation at Bumrungrad for a long time

I imagine this Mobile Immigration Service is good news for a lot of people. Can't find it on the immigration website but it's probably hidden somewhere. Let's see who can find the URL first.

It will be important now for people to use this mobile service as otherwise it may be discontinued. Let's hear first-hand reports from members using it in the coming months.

[Hans Brix]

OVER 130 views and NOBODY has posted a SINGLE response?? ??

See if I EVER give U guys any good Info for FREE again!!

Take it FWIW; because Free is FREE and knowledge is POWER in the glorious Land 'O Thais". ..

This was REALLY good info!! (For people living in the Bangkok area)!

Sadly, if you live Up-Country. .. Well it’s not that good. .. BUT for Bangkokian foreigners it’s a good thing. ..

tod-daniels

I'd like to personally thank you for this info. I just read it for the 1st time today and will try and dig up more info if I can. I live right near the hospital so this could be phenomenal. hopefully others can try and capture info and post. cheers

[Tod Daniels]

I want you ALL to know my second response came across far more cynical than I meant it to be . Sincere apologies for that. ..

On this forum I've read complaint after complaint of foreigners whining about traveling out to Changwattana . I thought, given the high number of complainers that this 'mobile service' news would be met with more enthusiasm. Even though it's not that bad getting out to Changwattana from almost anywhere in the Bangkok Metro area, and it is a FAR better set-up than the old Suan-Plu used to be by a factor of about 100.

As for foreigners living up country, they have a MUCH tougher time of it than we do in Bangkok. Since the implementation of the 'zone' Immigrations offices, some people while living nearer to a particular Immigrations office can't go there because they live outside the zone which that office services.

I do agree with another post which mentioned, if we can, we should use these mobile services. This could possibly be about the best thing offered by Thai Immigrations in a while, and it'd be a shame to see them discontinue it due to lack of usage.

FWIW: I spent some time last nite on the Thai Immigrations website and still can't find where it’s mentioned. It would seem they're certainly not promoting it like they should, lol. ..

[Digitalbanana]

FWIW: I spent some time last nite on the Thai Immigrations website and still can't find where it’s mentioned. It would seem they're certainly not promoting it like they should, lol. ..

I cannot see it catching on. Why would anyone in a position of government want to move out of their comfort zone (in this case the CW complex)?

[sms747]

OVER 130 views and NOBODY has posted a SINGLE response?? ??

See if I EVER give U guys any good Info for FREE again!!

Take it FWIW; because Free is FREE and knowledge is POWER in the glorious Land 'O Thais". ..

This was REALLY good info!! (For people living in the Bangkok area)!

Sadly, if you live Up-Country. .. Well it's not that good. .. BUT for Bangkokian foreigners it's a good thing. ..

Will they do yearly visa extensions at these places as well?

[Tod Daniels]

<SNIPPED OUT MY NESTED QUOTE>

Will they do yearly visa extensions at these places as well?

Sheesh, did you really hafta quote my impolite post AGAIN, . .. The one which I've already apologized for BTW.

The message I read specifically said "extensions of stay", in addition to the other services I already mentioned. But it didn't elaborate past that.

I'd interpret the phrase 'extensions of stay' to be ANY of them. Now whether the Thais see it that way or not is anyone's guess.

I don't know if they're just doing emergency extensions for 7 days, tourist visa extensions for 30 days, ED extensions for 90 days, or marriage/retirement extensions for a year. Honestly, I dunno.

The Thai Immigrations hotline number is 1111. Give 'em a call.

In fact, I may do that tomorrow, just to see if I can't hash out what services they're gonna offer at these mobile facilities.

The message I read Friday seemed to lead me to believe they were gonna offer a 'full on Immigrations service' kind a deal. Then again, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

[Tod Daniels]

I spoke to the Business Center at Bumrungrad Hospital about the Mobile Immigrations Service offered there today. I couldn’t reach ‘em this morning, but finally just got thru.

This is the info I got from them.

Every THIRD Tuesday, Mobile Immigrations will be at Bumrungrad.

They offer EVERYTHING you can do at Changwattana; extensions of stay (they said ALL TYPES; Tourist, Emergency, ED, Marriage, Retirement, Business, etc), sell re-entry permits, accept overstay fines, let you do 90 day reporting, and apply for a certificate of residence (like you need to get a Thai D/L).

The only slight down side is they're ONLY open until 3PM in the afternoon..

Still, if indeed they can do everything you can get done out at Changwattana, it's a GIANT step in the right direction giving foreigner in the BAngkok Metro area more places to go.

I was gonna go scope it out myself, but am otherwise engaged today.

Hope this info helps someone.

If anyone does go there, please let us know how it worked out for you.

[Maestro]

Thank you, tod-daniels. With this detailed information I no longer waited to find the information on the immigration website and added it to my Google Map list of immigration offices:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=214923170432669428134.000465f03d84d91df360b&ll=13.745651,100.552274&spn=0.002136,0.003484&z=19&iwloc=00049e8828048f2ee3f88

[Maestro]

Now added also Bangkok Buddy Lodge Hotel Mobile Immigration Service:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=214923170432669428134.000465f03d84d91df360b&ll=13.758675,100.498622&spn=0.001829,0.003484&z=19&iwloc=00049e89cf9dfd00dd0f0

[Tod Daniels]

BREAKING NEWS BULLETIN:

Well, guess I had a wrench thrown into the proverbial gears of progress. ... I went to Bumrungrad Hospital today after lunch to scope out the new "mobile Immigrations Service" that Changwattana just started doing there the last month or so. I'd called the Immigrations Hotline yesterday to confirm they would be at the hospital today.

Anyway, I arrived on the 10th floor of the new building at Bumrungrad only to be told by the customer service girls that Immigrations MOVED the date to this coming Saturday, the 23rd...

I even called the Immigrations Hotline while I was still at the hospital. The very friendly girl told me that the mobile Immigrations service was at Bumrungrad Hospital today on the 10th floor of the new building. I switched to speaking Thai, told her I was in fact AT the hospital ON the 10th floor and Immigrations wasn't here.

She put me on hold and called Immigrations at Changwattana to check. Sadly enough, during lunch at Changwattana the calls are re-routed to the Hotline number and a co-worker sitting next to her ended up answering the call! Good for a laugh, but not so much for getting real information!

I gave her my number and she called me back just a while ago. It would appear that the Mobile Immigrations Service will INDEED be at Bumrungrad Hospital this Saturday the 23rd. At least that's the best info I could get. This could be a case of one hand not knowing what the other is doing.

Oh, well, I needed to get out anyway, although Bumrungrad wouldn't be my first choice for a walk-about... Guess I'll try again on Saturday and report back. ..

Just thought someone might wanna know..

[Maestro]

Thank you for the info, tod-daniels. I was looking out for your report today.

Looks like immigration is doing this mobile service ad hoc, without firm dates that applicants could rely on. A pity, really.

[lopburi3]

Just a guess but if the first such service was on the 12th (day before a 5 day holiday) suspect there could have been an extreme shortage of personal at Chiang Watanna to take care of applicants there so they may have decided to make it an overtime Saturday to help everyone?

[Tod Daniels]

Actually I called Buddy Lodge Hotel out on KhaoSan Road on the 12th and they said Immigrations WAS there . (Then again the hotline said they were at Bumrungrad yesterday, when they clearly werent ). .

I personally thought it was TOO close to the Songkran water fight to venture out to the KhaoSan "war-zone" just scope it out based only on curiosity, so I didnt go.

From what I got from the Immigrations Hotline; mobile Immigrations staff WAS indeed at Bumrungrad last month on the 3rd Tuesday. I dunno if this was just fluke or like Maestro says, theyre just running it ad hoc for now. Ill definitely go to Bumrungrad on Saturday to recon it for sure, AND Ill post back what I find. ..

Like I said earlier, the main reason I even post this info, is so that foreigners are aware of and will use these mobile services.

Given Immigrations less than stellar advertising and/or promotional campaign of this new service I think its amazing they havent stopped it already..

[Maestro]

See also this topic:

Important change regarding the mobile service at Buddy Lodge Hotel: it is now every second Saturday of the month.

[bangkokburning]

What sort of services would backpackers need other than a TR extension?

Guess its a huge money spinner

[jfchandler]

Tod, let me add my personal thanks for digging up the info about the mobile immigration services in BKK...

Never heard anything about that before your post... And nothing on the Immigration web site, of course....

The Bumrungrad deal would be very convenient, assuming the Immigration folks actually show up when they're scheduled to be there....

The once a month schedule, however, would seem to pose some timing problems for accomplishing certain things, since the acceptable window for filing 90 day reports doesn't provide a month's latitude, and the same with some other things....

BTW, do you have any recent experience on the issue of changing requirements for documenting the 65,000 per month in income for retirement extensions? Specifically, CW Immigration now supposedly wanting backup documents in addition to the traditional Consulate letter, as per the recent post from the Sunbelt Asia guy?

//Edit: the last paragraph in above post is off topic here. Tod, if you choose to reply, please do so in this other topic.

[Maestro]

There is also this post by klauskunkel in a new topic, now closed with a link to this one:

Last time I was at Chaeng Wattana (March), I saw "Mobile Immigration Service" advertised: You can take care of 90 day reporting, purchasing re-entry permits, extending temporary stay on the second Saturday of each month at KhaoSan Road (Buddy Lodge Hotel), and the third Saturday of each month at Bumrungrad Hospital.

Before I went to do my 90 day report at Bumrungrad today, I reconfirmed with Immigration Hotline to make sure it was happening: The service starts from 8:30am to 4pm and is at the clinic bulding on the 10th floor together with business center and lounges and cafes. I arrived at 9:30am and was greeted by an Immigration officer, I received queue #3 (I never ever had that low of a number!!), she checked my docs and had me wait in the spacious lounge area (sofas, upholstered chairs, coffee tables). During my wait 3 more farangs arrived. After about 10min the officer called me by name, not by number(!), and I received my passport and processed form back and was ready on my way. How cool is that: personalized service, low wait, very comfortable surroundings with coffee, magazines etc and in my case a big time and money saving. That's the way to go!

BTW, the officer told me for my one year extension of stay based on marriage, I should continue to go to Chaeng Wattana...ok one time a year...

I had been wondering how immigration would handle the marriage extension, where the applicant has to go back to immigration one month later, on a the date not falling again on a day for the mobile service. Now we know.

[tombkk]

What sort of services would backpackers need other than a TR extension?

Guess its a huge money spinner

I don't understand your sentiment. If any backpackers want to stay longer than their current permission to stay, it is a major customer service move by the Thai government to come to the customer, rather than the customer having to travel all the way to Chaeng Wattana or risking an overstay. And apparently, many of the tourists coming to Thailand stay at Kaho Sarn road one time or the other, so what is bad about a TR visa extension made easy? I would really like to hear (read) your thoughts.

Apart from that, I know a lot of expats on the other side of the river for who Khao Sarn is much closer than Chaeng Wattana.

[guru]

Just popped into Bumrungrad and they say immigration now comes on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 9am to noon so 16th July is the next one.

If you are just doing a 90 day report then you can just turn up but if youre doing an extension then she said to call them a week before.

Oh and Bumrungrad have theyre own charge of 500 bt / passport even for 90 day reports.

Bumrungrad visa extension 10th floor new building

Tel: 026672070

[lopburi3]

I believe that fee is for Hospital to take passport out to Chiang Watanna and return it. Not for Immigration service provided on 3rd Saturdays.

[guru]

She told me I still have to pay 500bt when immigration are there on third Saturdays. Now the 16th is a budha holiday so will they still come? Bumrungrad said call before coming for confirmation. What do you reckon?

[lopburi3]

I find that hard to believe but if so I would never use such a service - it would be cheaper to visit Immigration yourself by taxi. I also would doubt operation on a holiday weekend.

[w11guy]

I believe that fee is for Hospital to take passport out to Chiang Watanna and return it. Not for Immigration service provided on 3rd Saturdays.

So if you go to Bumrungrad to do the 90-day reporting thing, does that mean they take your passport to Chang Watanna office? If so, when do you get it back? And if they do take it, what's the point of going to Bumrungrad. It just seems more expensive and more inconvenient. Or have I missed something?

Also, this month will be the first time that I have done the 90-day report. What form do I need and are there any fees involved? I haven't changed address.

[lopburi3]

The form is TM47.

[Maestro]

So if you go to Bumrungrad to do the 90-day reporting thing, does that mean they take your passport to Chang Watanna office?...

No. They give you a receipt for your notification, staple it into your passport and give you the passport back right away.

[lopburi3]

Believe that would only happen if immigration there (one day a month)? It was my understanding they took passports out to Chiang Watanna as a service at other times (while doing there normal trips for patients). I still do not believe there can be a 500 baht charge during monthly visits.