New Requirements For One Year Extensions ?

[thedivezone]

Hello guys,

just got back from Phang Nga immigration office to get my third one year extension (i'm married and have one kid !).

Apart from all the usual documentation (bank statement, marriage certificate, birth certificate , etc.) they requested that i bring a Thai person from my neighborhood to vouch for me in person ! At first they asked that i bring the "Phu Yai Baan " from our village to Immigration (fat chance i'll ever get that lazy b** to get off his a**) but then settled for a commoner, although it would have to be a government employee.

Thank god i got a nurse in the neighbourhood to go with me and my application was duly accepted, but now i'm worried about having do run the same procedure every year. I know enough about "kaeng jai" to say that this goes beyond what any person would ask of a neighbour, especially since the whole procedure took three hours.

Another "newbie" was that my wife was asked how much money i give her per month to live on (like a salary for a maid, i assume) and when she took a figure off the top of her head they said "Way too little, should be more" so we added another couple of ten thousands.

Has anyone else experienced this type of treatment ? Can i avoid it if i get my extension in Bangkok next time ?

Thanks for the input, guys !

Mike

Khao Lak

[Nam Kao]

Those F'n bstids

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Hello guys,

just got back from Phang Nga immigration office to get my third one year extension (i'm married and have one kid !).

Apart from all the usual documentation (bank statement, marriage certificate, birth certificate , etc.) they requested that i bring a Thai person from my neighborhood to vouch for me in person ! At first they asked that i bring the "Phu Yai Baan " from our village to Immigration (fat chance i'll ever get that lazy b** to get off his a**) but then settled for a commoner, although it would have to be a government employee.

Thank god i got a nurse in the neighbourhood to go with me and my application was duly accepted, but now i'm worried about having do run the same procedure every year. I know enough about "kaeng jai" to say that this goes beyond what any person would ask of a neighbour, especially since the whole procedure took three hours.

Another "newbie" was that my wife was asked how much money i give her per month to live on (like a salary for a maid, i assume) and when she took a figure off the top of her head they said "Way too little, should be more" so we added another couple of ten thousands.

Has anyone else experienced this type of treatment ? Can i avoid it if i get my extension in Bangkok next time ?

Thanks for the input, guys !

Mike

Khao Lak

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Immigration are just pissing you around for some reason.

[thedivezone]

I guess so , Dr. Pat Pong , since i've never read about anything similar in this board, so i guess i'll just go to Bangers next time !

Thanks

Mike

[dr_Pat_Pong]

There's certainly no regulatory changes Mike. Bangkok is good these days. They usually only want wifey and her ID card, plus house registration. Would the village headman write a letter for Immigration that you could take with you ?

Good luck

[thedivezone]

Dr Pat Pong,

i don't see how he can refuse, since the missus is a registered voter, but anyway i will wait for Immigration to request it first before i give them anything voluntarily.

Next time i'll be in Bangkok, for sure !

Regards

Mike

[Thetyim]

Mike,

If you donate some tea money all the extra requirements will magically disappear.

I have had "difficulties" at two immigration offices.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

What amount of tea did you donate ?

[sriracha john]

1. Apart from all the usual documentation (bank statement, marriage certificate, birth certificate , etc.) they requested that i bring a Thai person from my neighborhood to vouch for me in person!

three hours.

2. Another "newbie" was that my wife was asked how much money i give her per month to live on (like a salary for a maid, i assume)

It's a shame really that Immigration normally don't have much of a sense of humor, because their requests and questions are perfect setups...

For #1, I'd bring the village drunk or the village psychotic...

"Yessshhh, Khun John ishh aaa bery, bery BERY gooood man." "hic... sorry"

"Yes, Khun John is a good man... I've known him for many centuries, even since his spaceship brough him to Thailand for the planet Zurtron."

For #2...

various punchlines readily available.. e.g.

"He gives me ALL of it."

"He doesn't give me anything.... I give money to him."

etc.

The annual verifications could become a nice comedy routine. See if you can top last years entry with each successive year.

[thedivezone]

Nice one, Sri Racha John,

i was actually thinking of asking the immigration officer how much money he gives to his wife per month, but he's a gay, so i don't think that reply would have gone down very well !

I'll keep that advice about the village drunk in mind !

Cheers

Mike

[mouse]

By giving him tea money, you show that you condone it and actually encourage such future behavior from him and others. As for this officers improper requests and questions, I suggest that you meet his demands, get his name, write a formal complaint and never enter that office again, for if you do, he will get to you somehow.

There is nothing, correct my if I am wrong, in the law that requires the government know how much money you give to your wife. All you need to prove is a valid marriage, income and the other requirements as stated per law. Next thing you know these gentlemen will want to be present at the honeymoon to verify the cosumation of the marriage.

I have been very lucky ever since arriving almost 7 years ago and get treated very nicely and courteously no matter where I have been even. During my regular visits to Mae Sot, I am even offered refreshments when conducting business there. The staff at that Immigration Office are true professionals.

Edited October 22, 2005 by mouse

[Thetyim]

By giving him tea money, you show that you condone it and actually encourage such future behavior from him and others.  As for this officers improper requests and questions, I suggest that you meet his demands, get his name, write a formal complaint and never enter that office again, for if you do, he will get to you somehow.

You are quite right Mouse.

I have reported and had two immigration officiers removed in the past.

The problem is they were not sacked, just moved to another post, so I now feel that I have really made the situation worse because those two officers are certainly still up to their old tricks but now have a grudge against farangs.

I have too much to loose if my extension is not granted.

I loose my house, wife and kids.

In this instance I just cough up once a year and everything goes smoothly.

[jef]

Jep, just heard a similar story from a friend who went to Ranong last week to get his retirement extension.

The medical statament he brought from a Chumpon private hospital (same doctor I used at Suan Plu) was declared invalid, had to be from a governement hospital- so he paid a quick visit to the Ranong "official" hospital. The his gf (not wifie) was asked numerous question on their spending habits (none of the immigration business since all listed requirements were fullfilled)

Something is wrong with some of these immigrqtion officers.

I have to renew my retirement extension next month and will travel to Bangkok for sure.

[Nam Kao]

If they ask me how much i give to my wife i'll ask "Mia Yai or Mia Noi?'

and see what reaction i get

[roiet]

The first time I applied in Bangkok for a 1 year visa based on marriage to Thai they refused with the remark you are over 55. Asking if this is the rule a nice lady insisted that everybody over 55 must apply for a retirement. We showed them all required papers but they gave me a retirement.

The second year we came across the same lady again and asked again for a 1 year based on mariage. Again refused but this time with the excuse you can not change the visa type anymore and you do not have enough money for living. You should have far more than 400 k on the Thai bank account, you have no new income from abroad. Asking about this new rule and presenting other bank accounts with sufficient money the nice lady asked for house papers, photos of the house and her business, my wifes bank account etc etc. and finally gave me a retirement again. Besides that I was told the only way to change visa types is to leave the country and start the whole 1 year visa procedure new.

PS: The nice lady has left that office and I obtain other type of visas from an other Immigration office.

[RDN]

Immigration officers are never wrong. They have very, very small faces, so if they admit to being wrong, they will lose what little face they have left - and become totally headless.

I went to the new office in Chalong for a 90 day report. The guy asked where I lived, so I told him and then he asked how much rent I paid. I told him, but was thinking "&lt;deleted&gt; has it got to do with you?"

Edited October 22, 2005 by RDN

[dr_Pat_Pong]

But not wanting to make an enemy you wisely held your tongue

[astral]

Not really a new requirement.

It saves them the home visit to get the same document from a neighbour

or whoever.

[RDN]

But not wanting to make an enemy you wisely held your tongue 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly!

[thedivezone]

Astral !

is the neighbour as a guarantor actually required, then ?

How common is it that immigration insists on it and has it happened to you ?

Thanks

Mike

[Ken]

Astral !

is the neighbour as a guarantor actually required, then ?

How common is it that immigration insists on it and has it happened to you ?

Thanks

Mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just FYI....during the "under consideration" time of my first extension (last year) required myself, the wife, and the village Headman to go to the Amphur police headquarters where the police typed out two separate "Questionnaires" on an old mechanical typewriter...one for the Headman to sign and one for the wife to sign. This year's extension no police visit required.

[warriors]

Just a thought does your wife have an ID CARD maybe that is the problem if she has one then its not is it ?