Visa Extension Denied: Jomtien

[Mr Brown]

I am currently in Pattaya for a couple of weeks and my 60 day tourist visa is
about to expire. I went to the immigration office in Jomtien to obtain a 30 day
extension. I arrived at about 0830 and there were around 90 punters in front of
me, probably because of the public holiday yesterday and the public holiday on
Monday, everyone was attempting to get in early.

I waited patiently for an hour and when my number was finally called presented
myself in front of a female immigration officer, who after checking my
application started to babble on about the passport photo, I had submitted with
my application. When I sort clarification of what the issue was with the photo.
I was abruptly told that photo no good. I give you 30 day extension Bangkok not
happy, so no can do. Again I ask what the problem with photo. Passport stamped
and I get nothing except the date stamped 02 May 2013 until 06 May 2013. Still
no reason. So I politely ask again and was abruptly told you have singlet on in
photo, Bangkok not happy I give you 30 days.

My passport and 1900 baht was taken to the cashier I received my passport back and
was down 1900 baht.

I was about to crank up the volume and though better of it. I had recently
applied for two separate extensions through the Phuket Immigration office
using the same photos without an issue. But unfortunately this morning I came up against an immigration officer who was clearly having a bad day.

Edited May 2, 2013 by Rimmer

[MrHammer]

Passport photo with singlet

[Jingthing]

Simple fix here. Wear a proper shirt. Next ...

[smokie36]

I like this immigration officer.

[Lite Beer]

Moved to the Visa Forum

[Stradavarius37]

Those classy blokes and their singlets

[lopburi3]

Believe the officer explained what was wrong and why it was wrong. So you seem to have been provided with extra days to depart for your non approved application.

[Hedghog]

The photo is a representation of your presence at immigration.

Not lounging around drinking beer.

Suck it up,

Visa run time.

[cheesyd]

Pattaya Immigration trying to drag the image of the city upmarket. Got to admire their optimism. Next time - wear a Heineken singlet, a bit classier than Beer Chang.

[Asianrider]

Photocopy shop next to immigration does passport photo's, they can photoshop your armpits out, or buy a T-shirt !

[ppmacready]

Your be telling us next you met a ''special'' girl and she ripped you of!

[surfinglife]

....singlet and probably some ugly tattoos.....not the most welcome sight to most, never mind an immigration official. Same as riding a bike with no shirt equals to asking "please stop me and give me a ticket for no reason" yet plenty of idiots do it.

[Suradit69]

The photo is a representation of your presence at immigration.

Not lounging around drinking beer.

Suck it up,

Visa run time.

Assuming you (the OP) were dressed appropriately when you went into Immigrations, as soon as she said the photo was no good you could have asked to be allowed to go to the photocopy service next door to get a new photo. Almost certainly that would have been allowed. Your attitude (and maybe the way your were dressed when you went in)seems to have cost you Baht 1900 and the extension of stay.

Obviously you also expected all sorts of sympathy here.

I was about to crank up the volume and though better of it.

Great idea. Start shouting at the police (yes, they are police). That should definitely have solved the problem. You're just full of bright thoughts.

Edited May 2, 2013 by Suradit69

[smokie36]

The main reason you will find little sympathy here is that your situation validates our reason for bothering to wear a fresh shirt and look presentable.

Nothing worse than seeing ignorant and disrespectful people at the immigration office.

Only wish this happened more often!

[sparkplug303]

So, just out of curiosity, is there a written dress code for passport photos? Everyone is giving this guy a hard time, but I just extended my visa, and I didn't see anything in writing regarding my passport photo. I was dressed nice and had no problems, but is this just someone's judgement on what's classy and what's not?

[lopburi3]

Several flames making outlandish assumptions have been removed.

[Postmaster]

Are we talking about a sleeveless english vest type under garment in the photo? If so, completely inappropriate attire. Glad he was refused. You see people wearing stuff like this in restaurants and feel like saying something but hold your toungue and resort to just a disapproving stare !

[Maestro]

So, just out of curiosity, is there a written dress code for passport photos?

Look at the photo in your passport and you get a general idea of what is expected. For more details, look up the requirements for your country's passport on the web.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Gsxrnz]

So, just out of curiosity, is there a written dress code for passport photos? Everyone is giving this guy a hard time, but I just extended my visa, and I didn't see anything in writing regarding my passport photo. I was dressed nice and had no problems, but is this just someone's judgement on what's classy and what's not?

There's no written code but it's a matter of good taste. Thais go out of their way when it comes to their outward presentation, particularly so when it comes to anything to do with officialdom.

Last time I got my pic taken for immigration, the chick at the photo shop gave me a jacket to wear. I pointed out that I was wearing a collared polo shirt, but she said no, not good enough for photo, must look nice always in photo - you go immigration yes?? Must look nice, put jacket on please.

[Suradit69]

So, just out of curiosity, is there a written dress code for passport photos? Everyone is giving this guy a hard time, but I just extended my visa, and I didn't see anything in writing regarding my passport photo. I was dressed nice and had no problems, but is this just someone's judgement on what's classy and what's not?

There's no written code but it's a matter of good taste. Thais go out of their way when it comes to their outward presentation, particularly so when it comes to anything to do with officialdom.

Last time I got my pic taken for immigration, the chick at the photo shop gave me a jacket to wear. I pointed out that I was wearing a collared polo shirt, but she said no, not good enough for photo, must look nice always in photo - you go immigration yes?? Must look nice, put jacket on please.

"There's no written code but it's a matter of good taste."

Or common sense.

[MRJOHNNY]

So, just out of curiosity, is there a written dress code for passport photos? Everyone is giving this guy a hard time, but I just extended my visa, and I didn't see anything in writing regarding my passport photo. I was dressed nice and had no problems, but is this just someone's judgement on what's classy and what's not?

Its common sense as far as I am concerned, you wouldnt get away with it in England or most other modern countries so why expect to in Thailand, plus if certain people weren't so ignorant they would realise that the Thais expect a certain amount of respectful behaviour not only from their own people but foreigners too. By that as most of us know that constitutes the way we present ourselves in certain situations. Furthermore if you are so hard up for time and can't be bothered to make a scenic trip to Bang Laem (which I can do all in inclusive of visa for around 2000 baht from Rayong province) then quit moaning and learn a little of thai culture.

[gamini]

In the good old days I always wore a Jacket and tie when I went to immigration. Now I always dress smartly.

Singlets look like underclothes to Thais. Do you see Thais wearing them?

[transam]

Perhaps Pattaya is fed up with the Flip-Flop brigade.

[Stjohnm]

How can anybody think that having your passport photo taken while in your underwear is a good idea.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

So, just out of curiosity, is there a written dress code for passport photos? Everyone is giving this guy a hard time, but I just extended my visa, and I didn't see anything in writing regarding my passport photo. I was dressed nice and had no problems, but is this just someone's judgement on what's classy and what's not?

Bare shoulders are considered rude in Thailand.

[David48]

"... abruptly told that photo no good" *

* Stylised photo, not meaning to represent the OP ...

.

[giddyup]

Your passport pic didn't look like this, did it?

[Maestro]

There's no written code but it's a matter of good taste."

Or common sense.

I was going to post the same. There is rule that forbids the use common sense.

Incidentally, in Thailand it is no longer necessary to bring one's own photo with a passport application and thus there is no need for a published rule, but they no doubt have internal rules about it. Searching the web I found some rules that obviously applied to the old style of passport and they include no dress code:

http://www.passportcorner.com/spec/TH.html

http://picutive.com/thailand-passport/photo-requirements

Notice the following. Perhaps already in those days they did not trust every applicant to use common sense wanted the passport photographer to make the decision.

Two photos taken by a passport photographer required

[Maestro]

In the good old days I always wore a Jacket and tie when I went to immigration. Now I always dress smartly.

Singlets look like underclothes to Thais. Do you see Thais wearing them?

This topic is not about what the OP was wearing when he went to apply for the extension of stay but about what the photo he submitted with the application shows him wearing.

[Loptr]

Just curious if it was a Chang or Singha singlet? Or perhaps one of those snazzy ones that say, "same, same, but different"?