Immigration At Chaeng Wattana Opening On June 2nd

[TheSpade]

So it's back to CW if you have a 30 day visa exempt stamp and want a 7 day extension, is it?

Any protests or other hassles around there recently?

[ubonjoe]

So it's back to CW if you have a 30 day visa exempt stamp and want a 7 day extension, is it?

Any protests or other hassles around there recently?

Yes CW is the only office you can go to now.

No protesters since martial law went into effect. That is why it has reopened.

[LuckyLew]

Good news the CW open again

Are all services operating there again?

Planning on doing a double ... Visa extension and Thai passport for Child

[ubonjoe]

Everything should be the same as before.

[TheSpade]

Was there today. Business as usual.

Due to bad timing on my part I arrived just before they re-opened for lunch so was a lot of people who had numbers waiting to be seen.

But aside from that didn't seem to be any major problems.

Only thing I *think* was different was that 7 day extensions used to be done at desk 'J' with the tourist visas but today it was desks 'K'. I was sent to desk J originally and finding out when it was my turn they'd sent me to wrong place,.

Desk K takes much longer and had less staff than J. It took forever to process just 1 passport where as desks J were flying through them every minute or two.

Despite having a ton of back to back 30 day stamps in my passport they didn't seem to care or question it even though there's allegedly a clampdown on.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There's no "clampdown" on people with valid visa-exempt entries seeking a final 7-day extension from Thai Immigration before leaving Thailand. Not before.. Not now.

If your visa-exempt entries are going to cause you any problem, it will be when you try to return into Thailand after being abroad.

[pmarlin]

There's no "clampdown" on people with valid visa-exempt entries seeking a final 7-day extension from Thai Immigration before leaving Thailand. Not before.. Not now.

If your visa-exempt entries are going to cause you any problem, it will be when you try to return into Thailand after being abroad.

If the airlines have to start flying passengers back because of denied visa exempt entries I wouldn't be surprised that they start requiring visas before allowing someone to board a flight if this becomes a big problem.

[Mario2008]

There's no "clampdown" on people with valid visa-exempt entries seeking a final 7-day extension from Thai Immigration before leaving Thailand. Not before.. Not now.

If your visa-exempt entries are going to cause you any problem, it will be when you try to return into Thailand after being abroad.

If the airlines have to start flying passengers back because of denied visa exempt entries I wouldn't be surprised that they start requiring visas before allowing someone to board a flight if this becomes a big problem.

I believe airlines do not have to fly people back if they are denied entry. They have to fly people back only when they are denied entry as a result of not meeting the entry requirement: have enough cash, have a ticket out within 30 days if no visa.

[pmarlin]

There's no "clampdown" on people with valid visa-exempt entries seeking a final 7-day extension from Thai Immigration before leaving Thailand. Not before.. Not now.

If your visa-exempt entries are going to cause you any problem, it will be when you try to return into Thailand after being abroad.

If the airlines have to start flying passengers back because of denied visa exempt entries I wouldn't be surprised that they start requiring visas before allowing someone to board a flight if this becomes a big problem.

I believe airlines do not have to fly people back if they are denied entry. They have to fly people back only when they are denied entry as a result of not meeting the entry requirement: have enough cash, have a ticket out within 30 days if no visa.

That's the current rule but could change if the refused visa exempt increase. Having a ticket 30 days out isn't much help if it is one of those low cost non-refundable tickets. Recently a Russian woman was refused entry and the airline took her back at no cost to her. She had too many visa exempt entries. Don't think airlines want to be in the business of counting entries in behalf of Thai immigration. If it becomes a problem after 12 Aug 2014 when the new rules go in effect I have a feeling you will see airlines change the rules.

Edited June 7, 2014 by pmarlin

[TheSpade]

There's no "clampdown" on people with valid visa-exempt entries seeking a final 7-day extension from Thai Immigration before leaving Thailand. Not before.. Not now.

If your visa-exempt entries are going to cause you any problem, it will be when you try to return into Thailand after being abroad.

No one REALLY knows what's going on at the moment. It's all a bit confused. Anything could happen.

My point was that an immigration officer who's having a bad day and under pressure from above to look out for "suspicious" passports could easily look through your passport see a load of border runs and back to back stamps and decide he's going to investigate further.

[roberta]

Can anyone please either confirm or deny (preferably from first-hand experience) that 90-day reports are still accepted at the two former "temporary" offices at Lad Phrao and Suksawat? The immigration website seems to be ambiguous on this subject.

[ma91c1an]

I did my 90 day check at Major Hollywood Suskawat last week.

The nice lady told me, and she confirmed when I double checked, that 90 day reporting would continue to be available for foreigners.

I hate spam.

[roberta]

Ah! Good news! Thanks, ma91c1an. If I have to go anywhere for this chore, Major Hollywood is my first choice. Right on a bus route, relatively uncrowded, and a pleasant attitude by members of staff made this almost a pleasant experience last time I went.

[ma91c1an]

I was in and out in ten minutes.

I hate spam.

[belubettlo]

90-Day report at LP.

In and out in 10 min. I was the only European in sight.

[Maestro]

LP? The last time I saw this acronym it meant "Long Playing" and referred to a vinyl record.

Of course, LP can also mean a lot of other things, but as far as I can see nothing related to Chang Wattana immigration office or a "90-Day report" in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

LP? The last time I saw this acronym it meant "Long Playing" and referred to a vinyl record.

LP record.png

Of course, LP can also mean a lot of other things, but as far as I can see nothing related to Chang Wattana immigration office or a "90-Day report" in Thailand.

LP = Lad Phrao immigration office.

Which is also further confirmation that 90 day reports can be done there and at Major Hollywood Suksawat after CW reopened.

[pancakeman]

I just applied for a 1 year extension at Imperial Ladprao, but still have to go back to "hear result".

Think this will create any problem that the application and the result will be at different locations? (ie will they have not transferred by paperwork etc?)

So turned out they did lose all my documents * face palm * saw that coming. After 3 hours they managed to produce a couple of sheets of paper and stamped my passport...so i guess it's ok now

[puuchaibaa]

Wish I'd checked TV before going returning to MH Suksawat today to get my non-O extension stamp *like they told me to* a month earlier. Indeed my file was transferred to CW. Wasted a morning going back and forth.

[chingching3]

I thought some folks here had been saying that walk-in 90-day reports for farangs would continue to be available through the LP and MH locations once CW reopened. But the above announcement seems to say no 90-day reports at LP and MH for farangs.

I don't know for sure but I was at the LP location the other day (after closing hours) and there was a big sign saying they provide services ONLY to 3N nationals (that was below the sign about the 90-day reports) so I think you really need to go to CW for that. I might be wrong. I hope that helps.

[ubonjoe]

I thought some folks here had been saying that walk-in 90-day reports for farangs would continue to be available through the LP and MH locations once CW reopened. But the above announcement seems to say no 90-day reports at LP and MH for farangs.

I don't know for sure but I was at the LP location the other day (after closing hours) and there was a big sign saying they provide services ONLY to 3N nationals (that was below the sign about the 90-day reports) so I think you really need to go to CW for that. I might be wrong. I hope that helps.

Did you look at the previous posts #45 for Lad Phrao or #42 for Suksawat.

You can do 90 reports at both locations.

[chingching3]

I thought some folks here had been saying that walk-in 90-day reports for farangs would continue to be available through the LP and MH locations once CW reopened. But the above announcement seems to say no 90-day reports at LP and MH for farangs.

I don't know for sure but I was at the LP location the other day (after closing hours) and there was a big sign saying they provide services ONLY to 3N nationals (that was below the sign about the 90-day reports) so I think you really need to go to CW for that. I might be wrong. I hope that helps.

Did you look at the previous posts #45 for Lad Phrao or #42 for Suksawat.

You can do 90 reports at both locations.

I'm sorry, I didn't see that. I just wanted to share the signs I saw. I went there because I wanted to see if I could apply for a certificate of residence there or at least ask them what documents they accept in support of it. CW was closed already and I wanted to get something done that day. I knew it would be a close call, I wasn't sure if I could make it there before closing time. In the end I didn't.

[ubonjoe]

Unless you are on an extension of stay and doing 90 day reports to them you will not get a residence certificate from CW,

You will probably have to get one from your embassy since you are on a tourist visa.

[chingching3]

Unless you are on an extension of stay and doing 90 day reports to them you will not get a residence certificate from CW,

You will probably have to get one from your embassy since you are on a tourist visa.

What if there is no embassy in Thailand?

I don't know where "my country" has embassies. I thought I could get it from CW. People even get them from police stations? I will find out soon!

[kotsak]

Unless you are on an extension of stay and doing 90 day reports to them you will not get a residence certificate from CW,

You will probably have to get one from your embassy since you are on a tourist visa.

What if there is no embassy in Thailand?

I don't know where "my country" has embassies. I thought I could get it from CW. People even get them from police stations? I will find out soon!

Are you Taiwanese by any chance?

http://www.taiwanembassy.org/TH/ct.asp?xItem=17838&CtNode=3221&mp=232&xp1=

[ubonjoe]

Unless you are on an extension of stay and doing 90 day reports to them you will not get a residence certificate from CW,

You will probably have to get one from your embassy since you are on a tourist visa.

What if there is no embassy in Thailand?

I don't know where "my country" has embassies. I thought I could get it from CW. People even get them from police stations? I will find out soon!

There is a list of embassies and consulates here http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/information

There are few countries that have honorary consulates here.

Residence certificates are not as easy to get as you think. Some immigration offices don't do them and others have their own rules as to who they issue them to based upon visa type or like like CW limit them to only those on extensions of stay.

[ma91c1an]

Yes, I have seen that, but open the link labeled "notification of staying over 90 days" and under the heading "offices accepting notification" paragraph #3 states -

"Immigration Service Center for 3 National Legalized Labors ( Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia) at Major Hollywood Suksawat or Imperial World Ladprao

Only special Labor of three Nationalities Loas ,Cambodia and Mynmar residing in Bangkok."

The emphasis on Only is mine. That seems to mean that only legal workers from those 3 countries can use those 2 offices.

The only office not qualified in some way to specific groups is Jaeng Wattana I see nothing to suggest that Suksawat is still generally available for 90-day reports as it was during the shutdown of the Government Complex. But perhaps I am missing something...

I asked them the last time that I was there a couple of weeks ago.

90-day reporting can be done at Major Hollywood. You can go to Chaeng Wattana if you prefer.

They will continue offering the service at Major Hollywood.

I hate spam.

[mairuu]

I did a 90-day report at Major Hollywood yesterday.

[ppaws45]

Thnaks for the update

[freshgrow191]

Thanks for the update

Edited June 24, 2014 by freshgrow191