Tywais

My extension date for my retirement visa is 25 December. Looking at 30 days prior to that date, everything is already reserved. What is the drill for doing the extension when you can't reserve a time slot?

David

Be there at 6am..

They no longer do a paper sheet queue so its a stupid scrum at the door, not first come first served for queue spots.

Tywais

My extension date for my retirement visa is 25 December. Looking at 30 days prior to that date, everything is already reserved. What is the drill for doing the extension when you can't reserve a time slot?

David

Be there at 6am..

They no longer do a paper sheet queue so its a stupid scrum at the door, not first come first served for queue spots.

They give out numbers - at least they did a few weeks ago - and then you go inside and get another number.

Tywais

My extension date for my retirement visa is 25 December. Looking at 30 days prior to that date, everything is already reserved. What is the drill for doing the extension when you can't reserve a time slot?

David

Be there at 6am..

They no longer do a paper sheet queue so its a stupid scrum at the door, not first come first served for queue spots.

They give out numbers - at least they did a few weeks ago - and then you go inside and get another number.

The point being they dont give those numbers out to the people waiting in the order of the peoples arrival..

I recently got there at 6:30 to find 30 odd people already waiting.. One German said he came at 4:30 !! There must have been over 60 or so by 8am.

In the past they used to operate that people would make a list, in the order they arrived, and when they opened the doors at 8am they would give those numbers out to people in the correct order. They refuse to do that now so you may as well arrive at 7:45 and shoulder barge everyone out the way.

Its unfair and silly, at least the old way of doing it was essentially fair.

Didn't the German who got there at 4.30 just leave his towel on a chair and come back at 8am? Maybe he was Swiss.

Hi,

I have same problem - wife and I need to extend for another 12 months - Retirement - end Feb 2014.

Queue already booked into March 2014 - is there some sort of market in selling on the booking dates. ;o))

So I suppose just turn up early maybe a week before??

Having said that I have to say that I find Immi at Chiang Mai a good bunch of folks.

Looks like complete chaos - but through it all they just keep calmly inking those stampers of theirs - and bashing them onto PP pages.

Rgds & Best Wishes for Chrisitmas period.

FS

Hi,

I have same problem - wife and I need to extend for another 12 months - Retirement - end Feb 2014.

Queue already booked into March 2014 - is there some sort of market in selling on the booking dates. ;o))

So I suppose just turn up early maybe a week before??

Having said that I have to say that I find Immi at Chiang Mai a good bunch of folks.

Looks like complete chaos - but through it all they just keep calmly inking those stampers of theirs - and bashing them onto PP pages.

Rgds & Best Wishes for Chrisitmas period.

FS

You can go up to one month before the visa expires. Immigration has worked some magic and is now much more efficient and user friendly, we were there this past week.

Online booking, you need to start looking for appointments 100 days + 1 month before your renewal is due. The appointments are filled simply because people planning ahead.

If you're toying between 7am or 6am, do the latter, it could save you hours!

My wife and I went for our annual retirement extension with her as my dependent. We had back to back appointments starting at 1:30PM. After waiting over 20 minutes, I walked up to the counter and politely mentioned that while I was waiting, they had called 2 numbers handled by the extension desks. She spoke to someone and my wife and I were asked to go to the back to see her boss. Oh Oh, are we in trouble? Nah, he had us seat down and as efficiently as possible took care of us quickly. Of course, it helps that all our docs and copies were in order. From the time of our appointment, it took only 65 minutes to get our passports back. After leaving the extension desk, I got 2 numbers for our re-entry permits.

In about 2 hours after our 1st appointment, we left immigration with 2 extensions and 2 re-entry permits.

The CM Immigrations really had their act together that day. Thanks to all the fine officers of that department.

One small note. Always check your passport for the proper dates. My wife's re-entry permit had the old "good until date" not the new one. The date that was stamped on the re-entry permit was earlier than the departure date I wrote on both our applications. I caught this and it was corrected promptly. My re-entry permit "good until date" was correct.

My online queue reservation was for 10:30am Dec 18th. We came in from near Lampang and arrived at immigration shortly after 10:00am and took a seat inside. At 10:30am my name was called and we were directed to a desk in the very back corner. All paper's in order signatures from the wife and I assuring truthfulness of document's, hand over 2,000baht, get back 100baht and receipt, done. Elapsed time 12 minutes(I'm not kidding) only snag wait 45min for return of passport but hey I'll live with that.

This was my second extension based on marriage the first I was unaware of the online queue so it was an arrive at 6:00am and hope for the best ordeal.

Nothing but praise for Chiangmai Immigrations online queue system. Just start checking from 100 days out from when you want your appointment make sure your papers are all in order and it should be a relatively painless procedure.

Oh don't forget to touch wood and whistle.

And it really isn't all that bad for those who are unable to book an appointment in advance. Yes, you will have to wait, but the efficiency of dealing with large numbers of new foreigners has improved immensely. So, RELAX! Take a book. If you really want a challenge, wait in line at some Apple store for the newest model of an iPhone or iMac.

Topic updated for 2014 here - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/692899-immigration-on-line-queue-system-v2/

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