Phibun Immigration Office

[elwood]

I know that, strictly speaking, this should maybe go into the Visa forum, but it isn't a policy change, just something of interest to Ubonites who deal with Phibun Immigration office, so they are more likely to see it on our own forum section.

A friend went to renew his retirement extension this morning. Unlike previous years when he hadn't bothered to renew his British embassy finances letter but Phibun had accepted an old one, this time a new officer in charge said he must obtain a new one.

So not a great problem maybe, just that Phibun may now go strictly to the book as opposed to sensible flexibility when Pol. Lt. Col. Srimuang was the signatory; let's hope she is just away on a course or something.

No panic, no rule-changing, just a heads-up to us to make sure that we have everything ship shape and Bristol fashion!

Elwood

[riepan963]

I think it's the same everywhere within or outside of Thailand. They seem to be applying the letter of the law (as proving income is) so there is really nothing we can do about it. There seems no way to circumnavigate the process which remains a traumatic time of the year for me and the missus.

This paper consuming red-tape now also applies to the driving licence centres. I recently had to fill in countless pieces of paper from many sources to renew my 5 year licences. The guy's excuse was that he didn't work in our local office 5 years ago so I had to repeat part of the test, sit through the childish movie and wait for a week. One call from a friend in the Town Hall & they were issused in 10 minutes.

[anthoma]

Has anybody any experience with Phibun Immigration office regarding extension of stay based on married to thai? Reason i ask is that i now have visa based on retirement but now when i got married i like to reply for extension based on married to thai (400 000 baht vs 800 000 baht). No i read somewere that the immigration office has to come to your home to interwiev your neigbours to check if you realy live together with your wife. Thats not a problem, but what i am afraid the neigbours will tell them is that i work alot on the farm. They call me workaholic here because they se meg go to the farm offen. I dont work much, but sometimes i help a little bitt at the farm and now i worried that this can get me into trouble. Anybody experience if Phibon immigration make you a home visit?

[elwood]

Has anybody any experience with Phibun Immigration office regarding extension of stay based on married to thai? Reason i ask is that i now have visa based on retirement but now when i got married i like to reply for extension based on married to thai (400 000 baht vs 800 000 baht). No i read somewere that the immigration office has to come to your home to interwiev your neigbours to check if you realy live together with your wife. Thats not a problem, but what i am afraid the neigbours will tell them is that i work alot on the farm. They call me workaholic here because they se meg go to the farm offen. I dont work much, but sometimes i help a little bitt at the farm and now i worried that this can get me into trouble. Anybody experience if Phibon immigration make you a home visit?

Sorry, can't be of much help, as my experience is ancient news! Fifteen years ago my first extension was based on marriage, and I had five or six extensions, can't remember how many offhand, before changing to retirement extension.

In all that time Immigration never paid a visit (except for one social call).

But as I say, that was then, I hope that someone more recent can help you. However, I shouldn't think that Phibun would worry about your helping out on the farm-at my first application they asked what I would do in the village, and I said maybe teach the young kids a little, and help the wife with a chicken farm, and they just said good idea!

[ubonrthai]

Has anybody any experience with Phibun Immigration office regarding extension of stay based on married to thai? Reason i ask is that i now have visa based on retirement but now when i got married i like to reply for extension based on married to thai (400 000 baht vs 800 000 baht). No i read somewere that the immigration office has to come to your home to interwiev your neigbours to check if you realy live together with your wife. Thats not a problem, but what i am afraid the neigbours will tell them is that i work alot on the farm. They call me workaholic here because they se meg go to the farm offen. I dont work much, but sometimes i help a little bitt at the farm and now i worried that this can get me into trouble. Anybody experience if Phibon immigration make you a home visit?

I've done my extension in Phibun which doesn't require an interview. My interview for the visa was originally in CM and all they did was ask one neighbor to come over to the house during the interview and ask if they had seen me living there and for how long. I wouldn't bother being too concerned about it. So far Phibun has been easier in every aspect than CM.

[bergen]

Has anybody any experience with Phibun Immigration office regarding extension of stay based on married to thai? Reason i ask is that i now have visa based on retirement but now when i got married i like to reply for extension based on married to thai (400 000 baht vs 800 000 baht). No i read somewere that the immigration office has to come to your home to interwiev your neigbours to check if you realy live together with your wife. Thats not a problem, but what i am afraid the neigbours will tell them is that i work alot on the farm. They call me workaholic here because they se meg go to the farm offen. I dont work much, but sometimes i help a little bitt at the farm and now i worried that this can get me into trouble. Anybody experience if Phibon immigration make you a home visit?

They've never visited me in 8 years, and never done an interview. The want 3 photos of me and the wife, one photo of our house, and a map that shows where to find us. When we've brought extra back up papers from Puyai Baan, or local district office - the didn't want it.

Of course it could all be different next time.

[anthoma]

Thank you for the replies. I guess i feel a little less worried. Just have to se what happend when i go to immigration office in the beginning of april.

[sirchai]

When I settled down about 10 years ago, it took about two years until some guys from Immigration showed up, asking our neighbors lots of questions. In the end our neighbor, a school teacher had to go to the cops to write a long I(hours!) report that her statement was true regarding me.

They came back the next following year when we were on a longer holiday, drove to my wife's village and looked for me. I went to see them afterwards and haven't seen any of them since then.

But I'm mostly on Non-B's now, so checking might not be that necessary as we need to file our 90 days report for Alians...

[ubonrthai]

Khun Piya ปิยะ (the nice older guy) at Phibun immigration has been moved to Mukdahan. He switched places with a new woman Khun Arunee อรุณี. It's a different position and she's still getting used to it so give her a break. Just as friendly as Piya though. The other usual woman Khun Soimukda สร้อยมุกดา returns this month. Just FYI.

[elwood]

Khun Piya ปิยะ (the nice older guy) at Phibun immigration has been moved to Mukdahan. He switched places with a new woman Khun Arunee อรุณี. It's a different position and she's still getting used to it so give her a break. Just as friendly as Piya though. The other usual woman Khun Soimukda สร้อยมุกดา returns this month. Just FYI.

Thanks very much for the update - Piya seems to have been around Phibun for almost as long as I have been visiting there, 15 years; smashing man, always so helpful, he will be missed that's for sure. I hope that expats listen to your plea to give the new lady time to settle in, but it seems from your comment that she will be fine to deal with anyway.

And it is good news that Soimukda will return - another who was always friendly and helpful.