First house call by immigration

[robblok]

I am on a marriage visa (not the correct term but it describes it the best). I have extended it for around 7 year and never had a house visit. This time they called the wife and 2 days later they were here.

We needed to provide a witness and fill in some forms, while the wife was looking for the witness i had a chat with the guys. Quite informal about my bike and if i rode it outside BKK. They seemed to like big bikes. All in all a short visit.

They said everyone should be checked once a year but they don't have the manpower for that. So often its far less.

They took pictures of us in the kitchen / bedroom / front of the house / livingroom.

This was in Nonthaburi. Bang Yai

[Crossy]

Thanks for that Rob, interesting that you've lasted so long with no 'inspection'.

Can you clarify that you use the Nonthaburi immigration office?

[robblok]

Thanks for that Rob, interesting that you've lasted so long with no 'inspection'.

Can you clarify that you use the Nonthaburi immigration office?

Hi,

I use the Nonthaburi immigration office (the once close to bang yai / Bang Bua Thong) I live around 2 km from there. So doing my 90 days report is not much of an issue.

[Mario2008]

Never heard of a check once a year, normally they only do a house visit/vsiting the neighbours during the first extension. (Unless you move to another office, than they will check again).

[robblok]

Never heard of a check once a year, normally they only do a house visit/vsiting the neighbours during the first extension. (Unless you move to another office, than they will check again).

Mario, just passing on the information and i have never moved in all my 7 years (ok 1 time within this village).

They said they would do more checking now because the unit got more employees (still understaffed). But I agree 1 time a year sounds crazy.

He was saying how he caught some people without a bedroom (bedroom was where MIL slept not the couple). Meaning that the house they were living at was not where they really lived. I got this reply of him when i asked why he also wanted to see the bedroom.

I was a bit puzzled by the kitchen picture but i got a nice kitchen so it was ok.

[Mario2008]

I wasn't doubting you, just suprised. Will be interesiting to know if there are more cases like yours, including at other immigration areas. That would mean a stricter policy change. But strange that they didn't check on the first extension.

[robblok]

I wasn't doubting you, just suprised. Will be interesiting to know if there are more cases like yours, including at other immigration areas. That would mean a stricter policy change. But strange that they didn't check on the first extension.

I am not saying you doubt me just clarified it, no harm no foul. To be honest I cant remember about the first time but the wife is adamant they never came here before.

I think this visit will clear me for a while no matter what they say about aiming to check it every year (seems overkill). They admitted that they have a huge backlog so i doubt they will be able to do it yearly.

[Costas2008]

Did they point at you in the pictures? Just wandering!!!

[robblok]

Did they point at you in the pictures? Just wandering!!!

No pointing that is reserved for criminals so far we as aliens haven't reached that status yet

[NeverSure]

Did they point at you in the pictures? Just wandering!!!

Yes, and published it with the headline "Married man investigated for fraud in marriage extension."

[cooked]

Non Thais are supposed to report to a police station / receive a police visit.once a year. Nobody does this. The first time I went for a 'marriage visa' I was sent back for another document on a doubtful pretext, the next day we received a visit, no big deal and he wouldn't even accept a drink. He did visit the local shop first and find a witness. I photographed him.

[Soutpeel]

Non Thais are supposed to report to a police station / receive a police visit.once a year. Nobody does this. The first time I went for a 'marriage visa' I was sent back for another document on a doubtful pretext, the next day we received a visit, no big deal and he wouldn't even accept a drink. He did visit the local shop first and find a witness. I photographed him.

Did you get him to point at something ?

[Thai Chi]

Just wondering if they asked for a donation to help cover fuel costs

[robblok]

Just wondering if they asked for a donation to help cover fuel costs

No donations asked.

[Eddy B]

When Immigration came to inspect myself/wife and house we had everything they needed. Plus in a brown envelope 3,000 baht we were told was the norm for such visits. I was disgusted with this but I had to bite my tongue as this is suppossedly normal to happen. The funny thing was I can understand some Thai, the Immigration officer was making jokes about me not being able to speak alot of Thai. My witness who is a retired teacher and my ex-boss who can speak English then asked him why can he not speak English as he is an Immigration officer. All I can say is he shut up very quickly and left with a big wai!

[Sceptict11]

When Immigration came to inspect myself/wife and house we had everything they needed. Plus in a brown envelope 3,000 baht we were told was the norm for such visits. I was disgusted with this but I had to bite my tongue as this is suppossedly normal to happen. The funny thing was I can understand some Thai, the Immigration officer was making jokes about me not being able to speak alot of Thai. My witness who is a retired teacher and my ex-boss who can speak English then asked him why can he not speak English as he is an Immigration officer. All I can say is he shut up very quickly and left with a big wai!

BS ---------you just made that up !

If I am "mistaken " then you had better name the Immigration office and the officers involved !

[Torrens54]

Never heard of a check once a year, normally they only do a house visit/vsiting the neighbours during the first extension. (Unless you move to another office, than they will check again).

Yes, after we moved back to our own house from abroad, they turned-up and asked a couple of Neighbours, who of course "Knew Nothing" about the Farang, so when I fronted in at CNX Immigration, my wife was told that despite our Australian Marriage Certificate and the Certified Translation, we would have to produce someone else to verify that it was a Genuine Marriage.

No problem, we had plenty of the wife's relatives, all with excellent educational qualifications and other credentials but the only needed ONE of them, who had to front Immigration. They interviewed her on her own....I was not allowed to be there, must have been all okay because I'm still here and showing up every 90 days.

[vtjforyou]

I would never accept this !

[robblok]

I would never accept this !

What would you not accept ?

I wasn't too thrilled about this but its standard procedure. No donations quick and painless visit just one witness needed and done.

[Frank James]

After I got legally married here I changed my retirement visa to a marriage visa. Never received a visit by RTImm. The next year the Immigration office quietly changed my status back again, which I didn't notice at the time. It seems to me that a marriage visa holds no advantage to the retirement visa, and perhaps more drawbacks. I'm glad they changed it back.

[Briggsy]

After I got legally married here I changed my retirement visa to a marriage visa. Never received a visit by RTImm. The next year the Immigration office quietly changed my status back again, which I didn't notice at the time. It seems to me that a marriage visa holds no advantage to the retirement visa, and perhaps more drawbacks. I'm glad they changed it back.

It does if you are under 50!!! or don't have much money or income.

[bundoi]

I had my first house visit here a couple of days ago. I was in the shower at the time so I never actually met the chaps, but my partner took care of it all. It seems perfectly reasonable to me, in fact I wish the immigration department in my own country were as professional!

By the way, I'm on a work permit, so I'm guessing that this possibly applies to all categories of resident foreigners.

[robblok]

After I got legally married here I changed my retirement visa to a marriage visa. Never received a visit by RTImm. The next year the Immigration office quietly changed my status back again, which I didn't notice at the time. It seems to me that a marriage visa holds no advantage to the retirement visa, and perhaps more drawbacks. I'm glad they changed it back.

It does if you are under 50!!! or don't have much money or income.

Also for a retirement visa you need to keep 800.000 tied up in the bank (or show a pension) while marriage visa is only 400.000

[Mario2008]

I had my first house visit here a couple of days ago. I was in the shower at the time so I never actually met the chaps, but my partner took care of it all. It seems perfectly reasonable to me, in fact I wish the immigration department in my own country were as professional!

By the way, I'm on a work permit, so I'm guessing that this possibly applies to all categories of resident foreigners.

Normally only those married to a Thai and applying for an extension based on that get a house visit.

[merijn]

According Phuket immigration they or the police should visit the first time extensions at there home to confirm the relationship.

But he also told me that this (almost) never happens as they don't have the manpower and basically don't really care.

Myself and all i spoke never had a visit in all the years we live here.

[sabian]

We have a visit every year. As do the neighbours. Although this year the elderly neighbour asked why they need to do it.

Sent from my GT-S7562 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ubonjoe]

We have a visit every year. As do the neighbours. Although this year the elderly neighbour asked why they need to do it.

Sent from my GT-S7562 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

That is not normal. Which immigration office does your extension.

I have done 6 extensions and never had a visit. For 1st extension we got letters from the local police and delivered them to immigration.

[lostmebike]

Just wondering if they asked for a donation to help cover fuel costs

I had my first 'visit' back in September and previously we were informed at the immigration office to 'take care of the officers' and 'help out with fuel costs'. I understood what was said and laughed at the idea. Needless to say, on 'visit' day, after all the signing of documents and some exchanged pleasantries, they were hanging around, obviously waiting for a 'gift', I politely told them in Thai that we had business to take care of outside and thanks so much for all their help. They looked a little shocked but left anyway.

It seems some here don't believe this happens but it sure does and by the sounds of it, even some here today have fell foul or nearly fell foul at the sad, lame attempts to extract money from married, fathers of Thai children, albeit foreign fathers. The apparent, never-ending of opportunities to 'gain' money from people by those in authority here in LOS sickens me and sometimes bothers me I'm afraid.

[PJcm]

36 years never a visit from Immigration

[DrTuner]

Never had a visit, five extensions now. Would be a bit pointless for them as I have a yellow thabian baan already, ought to be evidence enough. Would feel a bit offended by police taking photos in my love nest.