Trip to the zoo for extension

[bobl]

18 June, time again for a 30 day extension...

Woke up 06:00 and headed off, reached immi around 7.15. Was surprised to find so few people milling around. Turned out the early birds were already sitting patiently inside. They've moved the "number to get in the queue to get another number for another queue" again, now it's on the front center desk. Managed to grab number 54.

08:05 they start calling numbers. Eventually got number 16 for the next queue.

Why tf they don't just fix the machine, which did the job perfectly, idk. Anyway...

10:00 handed in papers, 10:45 got passport, 12:00 arrived home.

Seemed a bit more civilised than usual. The only teeth-grinding moments were the number of people arriving at the front of the queue unprepared. Roughly half of the 15 in front of me had their forms not filled in or incomplete paperwork and had to head over to the photocopy shop. Noobs!

Meanwhile, while I waited, I saw one unfortunate (marriage extension(?)) get turfed out because he hadn't made a recent 'transaction' on his bank statement - a word of warning if you're due a visit, seems they're strictly enforcing this. So if retirement/marriage extension is your thing, make sure you do a deposit or withdrawal and get a fresh statement.

[NancyL]

Good news that they've moved the pre-queue queue inside earlier in the day. I think all that standing around, in a herd, in the heat outside the door made everyone pretty testy. The newest scheme seems more civilized and safer.

[habfan]

Woke up screaming in the middle of the night covered in sweat, snapping at the wife and kids for no reason, fidgety, jumpy, have I been bitten by the crazy mosquito? No my 90 day report is due in 6 days.

[jackr]

^^ Pay a lawyer, or the agency outfit, it will save your time and sanity.

[hellodolly]

Woke up screaming in the middle of the night covered in sweat, snapping at the wife and kids for no reason, fidgety, jumpy, have I been bitten by the crazy mosquito? No my 90 day report is due in 6 days.

Well there was a thread on latest day 90 day reports. If you sift through the posts you will notice that the ones reporting on the 90 day were general come in the afternoon and can't remember any over an hour quite a few in the half hour area.

But have your paper work in order. Or if that is a problem get an agent to do it fopr you. Actually if you have the paper work and all in order any one can do it for you. Send your wife.

[habfan]

Woke up screaming in the middle of the night covered in sweat, snapping at the wife and kids for no reason, fidgety, jumpy, have I been bitten by the crazy mosquito? No my 90 day report is due in 6 days.

Well there was a thread on latest day 90 day reports. If you sift through the posts you will notice that the ones reporting on the 90 day were general come in the afternoon and can't remember any over an hour quite a few in the half hour area.

But have your paper work in order. Or if that is a problem get an agent to do it fopr you. Actually if you have the paper work and all in order any one can do it for you. Send your wife.

Just having a little fun dolly. I have come to except immagration as a part of my life in Thailand. I make a day of it, take the bus in from Lampang in the morning get to immagration in the late morning and do my report and if lucky like you said should be done in a hour tops ( last one just 15 min.). Then the rest of the day is mine, have a nice lunch visit some old friends at the pub from when I lived in Chianger, have 1 or 2 too many beer's back to my brother and sister inlaw's for dinner and bed and take the bus back to Lampang in the morning. I wouldn't like to do this once a week but every 90 day's it's kinda fun.

[jonwilly]

I use Thai Visa Assit.

I had to go down to Immigration today, with Thai Visa Staff, to actually sign some of the paper work at the desk, before the docs and Passport could go through to the Inspector for his final signature.

Only there 10-15 mins and Zoo is a polite term for the set up.

The article in City Life explained that it is not the fault of the Thai Immigration Police and their Staff, they are making the best they can within the Budget and Premises.

The young Ladies I spoke to where polite and helpful and did with me in say 2 mins.

Still a mad house and better left to more tolerant and understanding folk that I.

john

[hellodolly]

Woke up screaming in the middle of the night covered in sweat, snapping at the wife and kids for no reason, fidgety, jumpy, have I been bitten by the crazy mosquito? No my 90 day report is due in 6 days.

Well there was a thread on latest day 90 day reports. If you sift through the posts you will notice that the ones reporting on the 90 day were general come in the afternoon and can't remember any over an hour quite a few in the half hour area.

But have your paper work in order. Or if that is a problem get an agent to do it fopr you. Actually if you have the paper work and all in order any one can do it for you. Send your wife.

Just having a little fun dolly. I have come to except immagration as a part of my life in Thailand. I make a day of it, take the bus in from Lampang in the morning get to immagration in the late morning and do my report and if lucky like you said should be done in a hour tops ( last one just 15 min.). Then the rest of the day is mine, have a nice lunch visit some old friends at the pub from when I lived in Chianger, have 1 or 2 too many beer's back to my brother and sister inlaw's for dinner and bed and take the bus back to Lampang in the morning. I wouldn't like to do this once a week but every 90 day's it's kinda fun.

Ya that is pretty much the way the wife and I treat it. Do the deed and wander up to the Mall for a meal a movie and maybe a little shopping. If it was like the yearly extensions then I would go crazy or crazier but it is far from any thing like them.

If push comes to shove will they take mail from Lampang? Been such a controversy over that lately some claim from out of town you can while others say you can't.

[mikewet88]

I just did my 1 year Marriage Visa extension today.

Reach around 7.25am, already a long Q with 49 peoples in front. Got the no. 50. Next number is counter 415. The lady officer who incharge asked us to come back around 1.30pm. Wondering around town. Went B-qick for routine 5K car service, while having breakfast at nearby noodle shop. 20 mins later, collect car and went to KSK for relaxing foot massaging. More wondering in the mall.

Came back to immigration office around 1.15pm. Wait till around 2.30pm for my turn. 15 mins later. I got the temporary Visa. Have to come back again on 31 July to get a 1 year stamp. Taking longer than what I did last year.

"Meanwhile, while I waited, I saw one unfortunate (marriage extension(?)) get turfed out because he hadn't made a recent 'transaction' on his bank statement - a word of warning if you're due a visit, seems they're strictly enforcing this. So if retirement/marriage extension is your thing, make sure you do a deposit or withdrawal and get a fresh statement."

I do have this issue too. But was lucky that the officer asked us to get the bank to acknowledge my latest balance is as per my book bank. I going to get the doc prepare and submit tomorrow morning.

Edited June 19, 2013 by mikewet88

[anto]

Was there this week for a Residance Cert .Seemed to be a lot less mad than usual .First day was there at 10 25 am ,but they said i was too late and to come back the next day at 10 am .Came back the next day and they took my documents within 10 minutes .I just have to go back again next Monda to collect the document .

[hellodolly]

Was there this week for a Residance Cert .Seemed to be a lot less mad than usual .First day was there at 10 25 am ,but they said i was too late and to come back the next day at 10 am .Came back the next day and they took my documents within 10 minutes .I just have to go back again next Monda to collect the document .

There was a thread running in April on the 10th saying they would no longer issue a Resident certificate. The OP did say that they thought the policy might change. Has any one else had recent experience with this.

[anto]

Was there this week for a Residance Cert .Seemed to be a lot less mad than usual .First day was there at 10 25 am ,but they said i was too late and to come back the next day at 10 am .Came back the next day and they took my documents within 10 minutes .I just have to go back again next Monda to collect the document .

There was a thread running in April on the 10th saying they would no longer issue a Resident certificate. The OP did say that they thought the policy might change. Has any one else had recent experience with this.

There have been a few threads saying that they restarted the R.C .They have been doing it for at least 4 weeks now .It like others said takes 3 days to process .I am not sure if they still charge for it and if so if its still B500 ?

[uptheos]

I just did my 1 year Marriage Visa extension today.

Reach around 7.25am, already a long Q with 49 peoples in front. Got the no. 50. Next number is counter 415. The lady officer who incharge asked us to come back around 1.30pm. Wondering around town. Went B-qick for routine 5K car service, while having breakfast at nearby noodle shop. 20 mins later, collect car and went to KSK for relaxing foot massaging. More wondering in the mall.

Came back to immigration office around 1.15pm. Wait till around 2.30pm for my turn. 15 mins later. I got the temporary Visa. Have to come back again on 31 July to get a 1 year stamp. Taking longer than what I did last year.

"Meanwhile, while I waited, I saw one unfortunate (marriage extension(?)) get turfed out because he hadn't made a recent 'transaction' on his bank statement - a word of warning if you're due a visit, seems they're strictly enforcing this. So if retirement/marriage extension is your thing, make sure you do a deposit or withdrawal and get a fresh statement."

I do have this issue too. But was lucky that the officer asked us to get the bank to acknowledge my latest balance is as per my book bank. I going to get the doc prepare and submit tomorrow morning.

This isn't something new. For retirement extension based on deposit you need a letter from the bank a day before, which tallies with the amount in your passbook. The money in that account is then put 'on hold' for 24 hours. You need to make sure that you have had the amount of money required in the account for at least three months before doing the extension or two months if it is a new application. There is no rule that I know of that requires you to make a deposit or a withdrawal from that account.

[Mapguy]

Interesting, Uptheos, and it is smart to go to the bank the day before, but I am not so certain that Immigration is necessarily that restrictive, and that comes from experience over the years. I also recall that a "reasonable length of time" rule is really in place. Dimly, something like within a week. I am sure that I have not always gone to the bank on the immediate previous business day. In any case, there does seem to be some slack given, as reported by Mikewet88 above. I can't comment on the 24-hour freeze on accounts. After all, that money is in fixed rate account, and I have never ever really thought about cashing in until they mature .

I also speculate that Immigration might be focusing harder on eligibility for marriage visas more than, say, on extending retirement visas. This might be due to perceived "marriages of convenience." Somehow, however, I doubt an officer is going to give a hard time to a couple who have been married for a long time and are into multiple extensions. (They might actually check on the Thai wife in their general files --- there is a "hold" on marriage visas, isn't there? --- to see if she is in the "business" of convenience marriages!

Seems that retirement visas don't get as hard a look. Good thing, too, regarding financial requirements since it is common knowledge that many people cheat with rotating loans, or short term loans to meet the requirements as well as Americans lying through their teeth at the US Consulate about pensions.

Another consideration is that officers have some discretion. Experienced immigration officers have probably developed a sixth, even seventh or eighth sense about people. Then, I suppose, that it sometimes comes down to how tired, overwhelmed or just pissed off an officer might be (maybe a hangover from the previous expat served).

The local immigration office does indeed cause itself some unnecessary difficulty (e.g., lack of well-translated distributed and well-posted requirements even if all the information is indeed around, if you spend some time looking for it.), but the real problem IMHO does seem to be the number of rude, aggressive and/or unprepared applicants who might also think it is not necessary to get their documents in order, dress properly and take a shower before they show up. Some rationalisers on TV Chiang Mai have noted before that, what the hell, having a government job is cushy, but maybe this one is as stressful (and life shortening) as being a flight controller at a Chiang Mai traffic roundabout! Anyway, no one deserves the grief that the officers seem to get all too often.

[fearless1]

I have a question. I made an online appointment for my retirement extension next week. This is the first time I have used the appointment system. My question concerns whether I have to check-in with anyone at my appointment time, or do I just wait for someone to call my name so I can present my paperwork?

Thanks to anyone who can answer my question. I know from experience that if I don't adhere to the correct protocol, it can really cause problems getting things done in an expedient manner.

[mikewet88]

I just did my 1 year Marriage Visa extension today.

Reach around 7.25am, already a long Q with 49 peoples in front. Got the no. 50. Next number is counter 415. The lady officer who incharge asked us to come back around 1.30pm. Wondering around town. Went B-qick for routine 5K car service, while having breakfast at nearby noodle shop. 20 mins later, collect car and went to KSK for relaxing foot massaging. More wondering in the mall.

Came back to immigration office around 1.15pm. Wait till around 2.30pm for my turn. 15 mins later. I got the temporary Visa. Have to come back again on 31 July to get a 1 year stamp. Taking longer than what I did last year.

"Meanwhile, while I waited, I saw one unfortunate (marriage extension(?)) get turfed out because he hadn't made a recent 'transaction' on his bank statement - a word of warning if you're due a visit, seems they're strictly enforcing this. So if retirement/marriage extension is your thing, make sure you do a deposit or withdrawal and get a fresh statement."

I do have this issue too. But was lucky that the officer asked us to get the bank to acknowledge my latest balance is as per my book bank. I going to get the doc prepare and submit tomorrow morning.

This isn't something new. For retirement extension based on deposit you need a letter from the bank a day before, which tallies with the amount in your passbook. The money in that account is then put 'on hold' for 24 hours. You need to make sure that you have had the amount of money required in the account for at least three months before doing the extension or two months if it is a new application. There is no rule that I know of that requires you to make a deposit or a withdrawal from that account.

Let me explained more on my situation about the Money. My problem is I put my money on a Fix deposit since few months ago. The Book bank date was old date. It was never been updated since it first deposit.

I do have a letter from Bank dated 1 day before my trip to Immigration office. But, seem like it is insufficient to this office.

Anyhow, passed the necessary documents to this office this morning. All sorted out.

[jonwilly]

" but the real problem IMHO does seem to be the number of rude, aggressive and/or unprepared applicants who might also think it is not necessary to get their documents in order, dress properly and take a shower before they show up."

Er, Yes must agree.

Folk need to remember they are dealing with Thai Police Officers at the end of the day and They are influenced by how applicants are turned out and most certainly by how they smell.

Back in the days when I was married, when we had to visit the Ampure for whatever reason, the wife insisted on a smart turn out, shirt with sleeves and long trousers.

Thai folk do not turn up at Government, Local or National in Sh1t order.

Clean is smart.

john

[BB1955]

Did my 90 day report on the 17th . Took about 2 hours ... Place was a mad house but none the less when you go you really dont know what to expect . I always plan to spend the entire day ...

[Thailand]

I have a question. I made an online appointment for my retirement extension next week. This is the first time I have used the appointment system. My question concerns whether I have to check-in with anyone at my appointment time, or do I just wait for someone to call my name so I can present my paperwork?

Thanks to anyone who can answer my question. I know from experience that if I don't adhere to the correct protocol, it can really cause problems getting things done in an expedient manner.

Just go to the young ladies in the middle counter,show them your appointment reference. They will no doubt tell you to sit down and wait to be called but you have made contact.Any undue delay go back to the same person.

Usually very efficient. The main time taken is waiting for number 1 to place his moniker on the docs.

[uptheos]

I just did my 1 year Marriage Visa extension today.

Reach around 7.25am, already a long Q with 49 peoples in front. Got the no. 50. Next number is counter 415. The lady officer who incharge asked us to come back around 1.30pm. Wondering around town. Went B-qick for routine 5K car service, while having breakfast at nearby noodle shop. 20 mins later, collect car and went to KSK for relaxing foot massaging. More wondering in the mall.

Came back to immigration office around 1.15pm. Wait till around 2.30pm for my turn. 15 mins later. I got the temporary Visa. Have to come back again on 31 July to get a 1 year stamp. Taking longer than what I did last year.

"Meanwhile, while I waited, I saw one unfortunate (marriage extension(?)) get turfed out because he hadn't made a recent 'transaction' on his bank statement - a word of warning if you're due a visit, seems they're strictly enforcing this. So if retirement/marriage extension is your thing, make sure you do a deposit or withdrawal and get a fresh statement."

I do have this issue too. But was lucky that the officer asked us to get the bank to acknowledge my latest balance is as per my book bank. I going to get the doc prepare and submit tomorrow morning.

This isn't something new. For retirement extension based on deposit you need a letter from the bank a day before, which tallies with the amount in your passbook. The money in that account is then put 'on hold' for 24 hours. You need to make sure that you have had the amount of money required in the account for at least three months before doing the extension or two months if it is a new application. There is no rule that I know of that requires you to make a deposit or a withdrawal from that account.

Let me explained more on my situation about the Money. My problem is I put my money on a Fix deposit since few months ago. The Book bank date was old date. It was never been updated since it first deposit.

I do have a letter from Bank dated 1 day before my trip to Immigration office. But, seem like it is insufficient to this office.

Anyhow, passed the necessary documents to this office this morning. All sorted out.

Usually I go to BB and ask for a letter for immigration. They issue the letter and need to update the pass book at the same time, so they are identical at the time or writing. I don't understand how you can have a letter stating how much you have, without an updated pass book?

[habfan]

" but the real problem IMHO does seem to be the number of rude, aggressive and/or unprepared applicants who might also think it is not necessary to get their documents in order, dress properly and take a shower before they show up."

Er, Yes must agree.

Folk need to remember they are dealing with Thai Police Officers at the end of the day and They are influenced by how applicants are turned out and most certainly by how they smell.

Back in the days when I was married, when we had to visit the Ampure for whatever reason, the wife insisted on a smart turn out, shirt with sleeves and long trousers.

Thai folk do not turn up at Government, Local or National in Sh1t order.

Clean is smart.

john

I've seen this on a number of occasions, seemingly intelligent responsible adults showing up at the desk with none of the copies made not even the TM.47 form, let alone filled out. It boggles even my pea brain.

[hellodolly]

Did my 90 day report on the 17th . Took about 2 hours ... Place was a mad house but none the less when you go you really dont know what to expect . I always plan to spend the entire day ...

Thank you for including the date. I always try to stay away from them on Monday's and Friday's as I had heard they were always busy then also around holidays. 2 hours not bad and you came prepared for it. My worst was an hour and a half it was at 10:30 in the morning. What time did you go in?