Tourist visa extension - Chachoengsao

[Tomtomtom69]

Hi,

Just wanted to give a report of my experience obtaining a tourist visa extension in Chachoengsao, which wasn't the most pleasent experience. Not long before I applied for my double entry TR in Vientiane, my work based in Bangkok ended so I needed to cancel my visa and work permit. I got the double entry TR to tie me over in the meantime while I wait for a new job.

Anyway, I arrived at the immigration office in Chachoengsao at 11.39am to a room with about 8 Myanmar nationals but no other foreigners, which was a bit late seeing that the lunch break was about to come up but I took a queue number anyway and a friendly lady came and directed me outside to make some photocopies of my passport front page and visa/entry stamp pages. There is no service on site, so you'll need to walk about 100m down the road, past the SCB bank to get that done. I was told "not to hurry" because lunch was coming up and they wouldn't be serving anyone anymore until after 1pm.

After lunch, I came back in and just like in the morning, the same people that were there then, were back again. Most of the Myanmar nationals were getting 1-month extensions (not sure what their visa type was), employment extensions or employment terminations done (as well as 90-day reporting outside), and it seems this office was used to processing these various requests, including mine. Once my number was called I requested a pen to fill out my form, to which the immigration guy told me to go away and fill out the form first so he called up a new queue number in the meantime. He certainly wasn't in a good mood. Then once done, I handed my form in and the guy asked me where I live, to which I replied Bangkok (it happens to be eastern Bangkok). He told me that his office doesn't handle Bangkok, but if I could get my gf to fax him some evidence of address he would do it. Luckily, I had my driver's license, which has my address on it so I was asked to make a photocopy and submit it. His supervisor then told me that normally they would ask me to apply in Bangkok but will process my application here "this time only". I pointed out that during my period of employment I was based in Bangkok and indeed needed to get all my visa business done there, but as a tourist visa holder now I should be able to apply in Chachoengsao or anywhere else? He said no, that I was mistaken but luckily I was able to walk out of the door with a 30-day extension done, after spending about 2 hours waiting (1 hour actual waiting in the office and 1 hour for lunch).

Another Thai office worker who came in as a representative of her company, but without her name on the power of attorney in order to process a visa extension for her expat boss who I think is Japanese was given a grilling by the same guy who handled my application. He told her basically to buzz off and get the guy/lady mentioned on the power of attorney to come in himself/herself or obtain a new power of attorney before he would help her.

I was under the impression that tourist visa holders should be able to apply for extensions at any immigration office? Or perhaps it would be better to put down a local address in that case? Can someone clear this up? In any case, I will head to Bangkok for any future extensions next time (even though I'd rather avoid the traffic and the crowds at immigration there).

[ubonjoe]

You can do it any immigration office but you need a local address on the TM7 form. Some offices will also want a hotel receipt or some other proof of address.