Annual Retirement And 90-Day Address Reporting At Maptaput Immigration Yesterday

[OJAS]

Required docs for annual extension (same as for last year):

• Completed TM7
• Passport + signed copies
• British Embassy gross income confirmation letter
• Wife's blue house book + signed copies

Not asked for:

• Income evidence provided to British Embassy
• Bank passbooks/statements confirming receipt of net income
• KR2 registration doc proving I was married to my wife and, hence, living at the address stated in the Embassy letter & covered by her blue house book (I wasn't asked for this last year either)

In processing the 90-day report, the IO did not, to my surprise, complete the confirmation slip at the bottom of my completed TM47, but, instead, affixed the following pre-typed note to my passport:

===================================================================================================================

NOTICE

TO NOTIFY STAYING LONGER THAN 90 DAYS

The ALIEN permitted to stay in the Kingdom must notify your place of residence to The Immigration office every 90 days. In case of application for extension of temporary stay in the kingdom TM.7 you have notified your place of residence at first time.

Any ALIEN who fails to comply with, will be punish with a fine not exceeding 5,000 bath [sic!] and with an additional fine not exceeding 200 bath [sic!] for each day which passes until the law is complied with

ACCORDING TO IMMIGRATION ACT B.E. 2522 SECTION 76

====================================================================================================================

The note concluded with my next due reporting date and the IO's signature. Is this a recent general change from previous practice or one specific to Maptaput and/or annual stay extensions (given the TM7 ref)?

[bluebluewater]

That note is so poorly written I'm not sure I even understand what it is trying to say. I think I understand it but not completly certain.

Who writes this stuff?

[lopburi3]

Actually it is written almost directly from the Immigration Act of 2522 translation on Immigration web site.

Section 76 : Any alien, alien, who fails to comply with the provisions of Section 37(2),(3),(4)or(5) shall be

punished with a fine not exceeding 5,000 Baht and with and additional fine not exceeding 200 Baht for

each day which passes until the law is complied with.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/doc/Immigration_Act.pdf

[OJAS]

Actually it is written almost directly from the Immigration Act of 2522 translation on Immigration web site.

Section 76 : Any alien, alien, who fails to comply with the provisions of Section 37(2),(3),(4)or(5) shall be

punished with a fine not exceeding 5,000 Baht and with and additional fine not exceeding 200 Baht for

each day which passes until the law is complied with.

http://www.immigrati...gration_Act.pdf

But at least the Immigration website is clear that punishments take the form of financial penalties rather than thousands of daily soakings in an elongated tub of water as per the Maptaput slip (which, incidentally, is an unfolded piece of paper c. 3in x 4in (7cm x 10.5cm) affixed to the front page of my passport)

Of greater concern to me on re-reading this slip, however, is the second sentence in the first paragraph (In case of application for extension of temporary stay in the kingdom TM.7 you have notified your place of residence at first time) which could give the misleading impression that an annual extension of stay application also equals a 90-day address report.

[Mario2008]

It is meant to say that the FIRST time (and only the first time) is regarded as a 90 day report.

[KimoMax]

Last month I had to make an extension of retirement visa, plus also had to make a new 90 day report. making a renewal of extension does not qualify as reporting 90 days.

Went with a friend last week (July) also to Mae Sai and had the same experience for friend to get an extension plus a new 90 day report.

Immigration officials at Mae Sai informed the friend that failure to make that report would result in fines and penalties.

Just beware.

[OJAS]

Last month I had to make an extension of retirement visa, plus also had to make a new 90 day report. making a renewal of extension does not qualify as reporting 90 days.

Went with a friend last week (July) also to Mae Sai and had the same experience for friend to get an extension plus a new 90 day report.

Immigration officials at Mae Sai informed the friend that failure to make that report would result in fines and penalties.

Just beware.

More or less the same thing happened to me when I did my first extension of stay at Maptaput last year - except that I couldn't do my 90-day report there and then since it wasn't due for another fortnight, thus necessitating a further trip for that purpose. Indeed, the IO into whose office I was ushered for the extension signing ceremony waved a blank TM47 under my nose! Looks like a clear case of contradictory information from the same Immigration office over the intervening year, therefore.