License Renewal

[Smithson]

Last year I renewed my licence on a tourist visa and was given only 1 year, I didn't have a letter from immigration or the embassy.

Today I went to renew it again on a Non Imm B and was told I need a letter from my embassy or a work permit. They didn't mention anything about a letter from immigration.

How do I get the letter from immigration and what supporting documents do I need?

The address on my licence is Victory Monument area, but I now live in Phrahkanong. Can I get my license renewed at Sukumvit 62?

Thanks!

[briley]

Your local imigration office will give a letter of residence if you take photocopies of passport and visa and copy of your rental agreement (or house ownership papers)

And it is now free

(plus photo's -2 forgot that as I did when I got my last papers)

[Neeranam]

I got my renewal today. All very very smoothly and fast.

Passport+copies of back page and visa.

Work Permit+copies of every page.

2 photos

550 baht

In at 1055 our at 1120

5 year extension.

[Thaiboxer]

You need to check for the motor vehicles office which services your area. Since Prakkanong is close to Sukumvit 62, it should be the same office. When I got my first license, I only needed a letter from the US Embassy, my passport and my current Florida driver's license. For the extensions, I simply took my old Thai license to the motor vehicles dept, handed it over to the staff, paid 105 baht and got the five year one. No driving or written test required. For the first license I only needed to do a color blind test. In and out in one hour!

[shotover]

Your local imigration office will give a letter of residence if you take photocopies of passport and visa and copy of your rental agreement (or house ownership papers)

And it is now free

(plus photo's -2 forgot that as I did when I got my last papers)

The Thai Immigration office at Suan Phlu wouldn't provide me with a requested letter of residence when I presented the above documents. They insisted I have a '90 day address notification form' in my passport even though I had never stayed in Thailand for up to 90 days since my Non-Immigrant O-A visa was issued last September. My last arrival was 3 days ago, and the Immigration official said I would have to wait until I do my 90 day report before they would issue 'a certified letter of address'.

They seemed to have a lot of confusion when I asked how I can submit a 90 day address notification when I always travel outside and reenter the country within that period of time. Their decision to require the 90 day form in my passport was confirmed by supervisors at the Information desk, in Room 206, and by higher officials behind Window 2.

As an aside, I rent a condo (1 year lease paid on a monthly basis), and the Immigration officials stated the condo owner must submit to Thai Immigration a 'Notification Form' each time I leave and return to the condo for more than one day, even a one day trip to the beach. The condo owner did submit this form when I first moved in, but certainly doesn't keep up with my short duration coming and goings.

I dislike going to the US embassy for the residential certification letter, but it looks like a better option than the nonsensical procedures required by the immigration officials.

[Rinrada]

I got my renewal today. All very very smoothly and fast.

Passport+copies of back page and visa.

Work Permit+copies of every page.

2 photos

550 baht

In at 1055 our at 1120

5 year extension.

Agree...easy one..

I just popped down to me local Immi Office with the above paperwork here in Chiangers and whole thing took about 15 minutes.

A quick stop to the Hospital/clinic on Airport Rd for an 80 Bt checkup (blood pressure/heart sound by quack..confirmed that I was still alive...eh..)and then a further run down to the Driving Centre.

From there it was ...about ..20 minutes..sitting around -upstairs...550 bt plus 10 for the laminate and I now have my 5 year (ha-Be)driving license......a PINK one.... ...now all I need is a set of wheels