Immigration Line At Present

[bprinceuk]

I arrived from Dubai on the 1st February, it is the busiest that I have seen the immigration at that time of the morning. They were even directing passengers to the fast track lines, which soon started a long que there also. luckily my fast track voucher was free if I had purchased this I would not have been a happy camper.

[Upnotover]

What time, 8:00 a.m.? I only ask as I am sitting in DXB now waiting for that flight. Still, it will not be worse than entering Dubai last weekend, they might have the most magnificently decorated immigration hall anywhere on the planet but those working the desks are the slowest and surliest bunch of [use your imagination] that I have encountered anywhere.

[Chicog]

What time, 8:00 a.m.? I only ask as I am sitting in DXB now waiting for that flight. Still, it will not be worse than entering Dubai last weekend, they might have the most magnificently decorated immigration hall anywhere on the planet but those working the desks are the slowest and surliest bunch of [use your imagination] that I have encountered anywhere.

Dubai's always crap but if you go there often enough you can get a biometric smart card for about $50 (two years) and sail through the eGate channel in about 5 seconds (every time).

[Upnotover]

What time, 8:00 a.m.? I only ask as I am sitting in DXB now waiting for that flight. Still, it will not be worse than entering Dubai last weekend, they might have the most magnificently decorated immigration hall anywhere on the planet but those working the desks are the slowest and surliest bunch of [use your imagination] that I have encountered anywhere.

Dubai's always crap but if you go there often enough you can get a biometric smart card for about $50 (two years) and sail through the eGate channel in about 5 seconds (every time).

Thanks for that, I'll investigate. btw, arrived into BKK at 08:30 this morning, immigration took 5 minutes and a beaming smile from a rather cute immigration girl, I thought I'd got off at the wrong stop until I waited 40 minutes for my bag.

[MrWorldwide]

Worst night I ever had at Swampy was arriving shortly after midnight to find that at least 3 flights of (non-Thai) Asians in the queue in front of us. I swear Thai immigration pores over Asian nationals' passports with more intensity than most Westerners, but take a Thai to another ASEAN country and they are virtually waved straight through IME. Even Malaysia and Singapore, presumably countries where a Thai woman could earn a lot of money 'hostessing', seem much more easygoing than Swampy.

(every few years, there are rumbles about Oz joining ASEAN, but it disappears as quickly as the Republican 'debate'. We remain an Anglo outpost at the wrong end of the globe, but I expect that there will be a lot more Asian/Indian faces on our streets by 2050)

[inzman]

Leaving Friday afternoon, any news on immigration wait times? Thanks

[joepattaya1961]

Leaving Friday afternoon, any news on immigration wait times? Thanks

Depends.......after check in first upstairs for the hand-luggage check, then downstairs to the immigration.

Depending on how much people are leaving at some point the waiting time can be 30 mins.

[inzman]

Thanks for your very appropriate response "depends" my dog had a more intelligent answer. Jeez!

[GrantSmith]

You ask a vague question and expect a detailed response?

[kkerry]

I can report last Friday afternoon incoming was packed out in both arrival halls. The snake line does help as despite the numbers I got through in about 35 minutes. Also helps they now have staff checking people have completed their arrival cards before proceeding to an immigration officer.

[joepattaya1961]

Thanks for your very appropriate response "depends" my dog had a more intelligent answer. Jeez!

It would have been very intelligent (after your last post here) to report on the actual waiting time upon leaving that specific Friday.

[THAILIBAN]

I can report last Friday afternoon incoming was packed out in both arrival halls. The snake line does help as despite the numbers I got through in about 35 minutes. Also helps they now have staff checking people have completed their arrival cards before proceeding to an immigration officer.

I arrived at exactly the same day and time and was shocked to see those hords too..... the last few times in 2012/2013 I usually walked straight to the officer without having to wait a second...... but what I expected to be 2 hrs wait indeed turned out to be just 40 minutes...... it's a good thing they have staff now to check before if the immigration form has been filled out properly, as there are just too many morons who aren't able or willing to do that ( I won't mention the nationality, but usually 90% of them are from "newcomer-nations" to Thailand) and then create a scene when they finally stand in front of the immi officer

[giztate]

I fly in and out at least twice a month and I am very impressed at immigration and how much they have improved in the past year. I've never waited no more then 5 mins, with the exception of few weeks ago when i waited of 1 and half hours, when they only had 4 officers on duty and plane load of japan and Indian tourists crowed the area.

[joepattaya1961]

For inbound flights there are 2 immigration areas.

The first one is usually packed, but if you take the effort to walk approx. 100 meter up the alley, you'll find the 2nd area.

It's past the VOA section on the left.

(Don't tell anyone!)

[wpcoe]

For inbound flights there are 2 immigration areas.

The first one is usually packed, but if you take the effort to walk approx. 100 meter up the alley, you'll find the 2nd area.

It's past the VOA section on the left.

It depends on from which direction you are approaching Immigrations. The bottom line is that there are two immigrations area. If the first one you see is crowded continue further (past the FastTrack/Diplomat/Crew area) and check out the other one.

Here's (an admittedly old) layout map of the arrivals level. It shows the three Immigrations areas, but the middle one is not for the general public, only the left- and right-hand ones are:

Are there still monitors at the entrance to the two public Immigration areas to show the situation in the other area?

[Sayonarax]

I arrived Dec 26, 1130 am. Took about 30 minutes to get through immigration. All booths looked manned. Lines just about filled up to the top of the ramp when I got there, then I noticed they got a little longer. I only had carry on bag so that 30 minutes was my total wait time, minus the 2 mile walk from the gate! I came in on EVA from Los Angeles to Taipei

Think of it as ya days exercise