90 Day Signing In

[boppia]

It's just a crime against foreigners in my view.

A sign will soon be posted at the airport:

Please note: Welcome to Thailand. You are now on parole. We will be watching you.

All farangs are ex-convicts when in Thailand. Yippeeee!

[Khutan]

It's just a crime against foreigners in my view.

A sign will soon be posted at the airport:

Please note: Welcome to Thailand. You are now on parole. We will be watching you.

All farangs are ex-convicts when in Thailand. Yippeeee!

Thanks for sharing that with us. Maybe you want to think about how your country treats Thai people.

As I am married to a Thai and I am Australian, I know I am far better treated by Thailand than my wife will be in Australia. As an example - try to get a Thai to extend a tourist visa in Australia, then contrast that with an Australian extending a Tourist visa in Thailand.

Maybe you want to get your facts straight before you talk no good

[Phil Conners]

Your country is wrong too!

My wife came to my country without any problem, was given visa within a week of applying and residence permit for the asking once there.

After 10 years of that we decided to go back to Thailand and let our kid learn a bit about Thailand ... but hassle involved here is a drag and we often wonder if it's really worth it!

[Khutan]

Obviously, you comr from a country I am not talking about

[greenwanderer108]

Most of you seem to be missing the point of the 90 day check in...

It's not about the government wanting to keep tabs on anybody and see who is playing by the rules and who isn't. Do you think any official actually even goes through the addresses over up and down..'Ah I see, last 90 days Joe Bloe was living in short time hotel on sukhumwit, now he seems to have moved to a condo in Pattaya.' Uh...no, you could pretty much get away with putting any address and they wouldn't even know the difference let alone even care--- it's not like they require any other proof that you actually live there...The reasons for 90 day are quite simple

They want you to screw up and come late, just as traffic cops want to catch you in the wrong lane. It's not not like they're pissed off when someone comes late. In fact the opposite 'Ah crud, not another late one, now we got to charge him/her 2000 baht. What an unlucky day for us ! '

and of course another obvious reason of why there is a 90 day check up is just to have something to show to foreign governments in case they come asking about some fugitive living in one of the world's biggest criminal hubs. It's about face, they want to atleast appear like they have a logical system, allbeit inaccurate and useless for its purpose.

[Phil Conners]

I said that earlier in this thread: The only reason for this rule is to inconvenience us and make sure we don't get too cushy here.

[OneeyedJohn]

Yesterday at Maesai Imm.

My Non O 1 year visa expired 10 April, so on the Fri 7th i went there for the extension, but to cut a long story i also went on he following Mon & Tues 10th & 11th.

this ext takes up to 45 days as stated many times here.

My 90 day notification also expired 10 April but in 5 years of doing this (have always mailed the 90 day thing) I've regarded a visit to the office as equal to notification.

The attached receipt u get when filing the TM 47 says this ;

In case of application for extension of

temporary stay in the kingdom by TM.7.you

have notified your place of residence at the first

time.

I'm supposing this means u r notifying by filing an app for extension.

Well this guy yesterday for the first time starts asking for my last 90 day receipt which i didn't have of course, so bring on the fine. Actually his very first words were barked to me in the manner of an RSM on a parade ground 'WHERE'S YOUR WIFE'

I'm hiding my agitation but also trying to convince him this was never the case before.

siddown, shuup and wait is the message i get.

I get my visa 20 mins later but with a strict warning about complying the 90 day or else.

I felt very bad cos this was never the way my wife and I were treated ever before.

[lopburi3]

You had done a 90 day report so your application for extension of stay was not your first time. Immigration was correct, on that point. The only time a TM.7 counts as a 90 day report is for your first application for an extension of stay from a visa entry. The first 90 day report in other words.

[OneeyedJohn]

Ohhh Gawwwd

Should ave known

Clear as mud

Thx

[Jai Yen Yen]

I think the OP - "Loaded" - should change his nick if he grumbles about having to pay a standard fine for a standard offence. May I suggest "Keenieow"?

[Noel]

I think the OP - "Loaded" - should change his nick if he grumbles about having to pay a standard fine for a standard offence. May I suggest "Keenieow"?

That would certainly work, but unless I have missed it, I have yet to read any confirmation of the post-7 day reporting grace period policy having changed.

If that is the case, I tend to think that the handle "Loaded" is quite apt, as given his uncorroborated account he quite possibly was living up to his chosen name at the time...

[psychosid10]

i plan to go to the immigration today.. but i forgot to bring the receipt they gave the last time i reported.. do they really need it or they have records in their system?

[lopburi3]

They may need the receipt if you are to avoid a fine. It should be kept in your passport. Staple to last page or something if you often have to show passport; but keep together would be my advise.

[psychosid10]

oh ok .. thanks lopburi .. i went for the last reporting on 17th March 06 .. Can i go on monday now.. which would be 19th June..

[Neeranam]

Can we do it by email? If not, why.

We can do it by fax.

[psychosid10]

i dont think we can do it by fax. . check out this link http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=90days

[psychosid10]

Can we do it by email? If not, why.

We can do it by fax.

wait just another 23 years before email will be used for this purpose...

[lopburi3]

You should be fine on Monday. AFAIK the rule is still plus or minus 7 days.

[psychosid10]

great .. then i ll grab the receipt and go to the immigration on Monday... just for safety in case of an argument about +- 7 days , i have taken a copy of the rules from the immig website ..

[ponder]

Has anyone recently reported within the "seven days after" period? I've just noticed that I am a day over and may go today but not if I'm going to be fined. I'll take a chance and not bother reporting.

[jomama]

The biggest joke is that people who NEVER check in are not caught and not punished (but don't take that as a reason not to -- they might someday actually track who checked in and who did not).

I know folks who were blissfully unaware of the NEW rule and happily left the country, returned, etc., with no hassle from immigration upon leaving and returning. These a people on one-year visas.

So, the true criminals, etc., who never check in because they have reason not to are never punished by immigration -- only those who try to comply and make the mistake of being a few days late. TIT

Also, in the U.S. immigrants who have been in the country as long as I have been in Thailand (14 years) would be permanent, legal residents with no need to check in with anybody.

[Noel]

Has anyone recently reported within the "seven days after" period? I've just noticed that I am a day over and may go today but not if I'm going to be fined. I'll take a chance and not bother reporting.

The rule has certainly not changed in Pattaya and I very much doubt it has changed anywhere else.

[gadgetsteve2]

I didn't check in for over 10 months. I travelled through the airport last weekend, applied for the re-entry permit and the permit counter, no questions asked about 90 day reporting. Re-entered Thailand 3 days later, no problem. Just lucky, or is it always like that?

[ernieK24]

I reckon that Thailand, like Honkers, should issue temp ID card for work permit holders and those allowed to stay in Thailand for more than 90 days, eg on marriage visas. Make it a different colour or something.

It would be a lot easier, and less burecratic way of organising these things.

And for that very reason...it will NEVER happen in LoS! ...O.G.

I just had my visa extended, for the first time, last month, May. It was an absolutely painless process and the Immigration Departmant in Jomtien could not have possibly been more polite and cooperative. With all my papers intact, I was in and out of there in less than 40 minutes. The last person I talked to, the one that actually stamped the visa in my passport was very nice, and the last thing she told me, very emphatically, was.....don't be late reporting, there's a heavy fine now if you're even one day late. She even gave me a copy of the form, (I guess TM-7, don't remembver and too lazy to get up and look), with the reporting date stamped in blue letters on it, and she even stapled a little notice on the back page of my passport with the date, and the same information on it

I really don't see what ANYBODY is bitchin' about. That doesn't seem too much of an inconvenience,

showing up every three months to report your whereabouts, and giving you a whole week to do it.

Where do you come from.....Mars? WHATEVER country you come from has similar rules, and restrictions. You don't bitch about THAT.......######, if you don't like it and you think lit's too much for you to put up with, try another country.........like Dubai, or Cuba, or Turkey, or any number of welcoming countries. Myanmar is a good one.....try that for a while.....you'll be glad to come back to this dreamland. No offense intended.....I just love it here in Thailand, and I've been around the block a few times. Enjoy and quit bellyaching..... chok dee.....Ernie

[lopburi3]

The problem, if there is a problem, is that nobody has information that this is a new policy. The standing rule from Immigration is plus to minus 7 days. I did my report a week ago and was not informed of any change in policy.

As for the 90 day report itself I personally do not feel that it serves a productive purpose unless/until it is linked to an on line data base - and then we should be able to do it on line also. As it is now I believe it is a waste of resources; but something we have to live with.

[Noel]

I just had my visa extended, for the first time, last month, May. It was an absolutely painless process and the Immigration Departmant in Jomtien could not have possibly been more polite and cooperative. With all my papers intact, I was in and out of there in less than 40 minutes. The last person I talked to, the one that actually stamped the visa in my passport was very nice, and the last thing she told me, very emphatically, was.....don't be late reporting, there's a heavy fine now if you're even one day late.

I believe she meant that if you are even one day over the seven day grace period you will be fined.

Perhaps that was the same misunderstanding with the OP...?

[Chopper]

I just had my visa extended, for the first time, last month, May. It was an absolutely painless process and the Immigration Departmant in Jomtien could not have possibly been more polite and cooperative. With all my papers intact, I was in and out of there in less than 40 minutes. The last person I talked to, the one that actually stamped the visa in my passport was very nice, and the last thing she told me, very emphatically, was.....don't be late reporting, there's a heavy fine now if you're even one day late.

I believe she meant that if you are even one day over the seven day grace period you will be fined.

Perhaps that was the same misunderstanding with the OP...?

My last 90 day reporting date was the 16th June. I arrived at the Pattaya Immigration Office on the 22nd of June and was in and out in about ten minutes. There was no mention of my being late or any new rules that say the seven day rule had been revoked after the due date.

[Nawtilus]

Just did a 90 day report last week, around 20 days late and 2000b fine.

[RBWilson]

A recent related situation on 2 Nov. 2006: A colleague of mine went to Suan Plu for his 90 day reporting. His situation was as follows:

- Last Entry into Thailand was 4 July 2006

- Applied for a one year extension to his 'O' visa on 10 August 2006 (This is about his 10th consecutive annual renewal)

- Assumed that the extension application date was the basis for his 90-day reporting date

He was told this application date was irrelevant and that the relevant date was 4 July - he was therefore fined 2000b.

Is this correct? If so, what does the stated clause on the Immigration web site "The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days" refer to?

It appears from other discussions on this forum, that the key word here is "first"; what is considered to be the "first application"?

[lopburi3]

Yes, that is correct - his entry date was the 4th of July so he was required to report 90 days after that date.

"The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days" means exactly what is says - the first application. You said this person had already obtained extensions of stay so it is not applicable.

Don't know how I can clarify "first" any more than the word itself - the initial application for extension of stay from a 90 day visa entry?