Jomtien Immigration, Weds afternoon 2 July 2014

[MrWorldwide]

If you go to the Pattaya forum, you'll see a thread asking if Pattaya is ever this 'deserted' - even for low season - and it certainly felt that way at Central earlier in the day. Get down to Immigration about 1:30pm and its a 3-ring circus - complete with a capacity crowd, including families amidst the greybeards. Jomtien Beach seemed no closer to high season than central Patts but Immigration was a hive of activity. Either I've stumbled in on a particularly popular day for 90-day reporting or the message is getting through. Interested to know if anyone else has had a similar experience down there over the last week or so.

[scandinavi]

Were there many people doing tourist visa extensions? Soon it is 60 days since they started to promote tourist visas instead of 30 days visa exemptions.

[Pralaad]

I was there yesterday at 11.30am and it was empty, i mean literally empty, 7 people including me

It was busy at 1:30 because they close for lunch, so 1:30 is the opening times again, i believe

Edited July 2, 2014 by Pralaad

[MJCM]

I was there yesterday at 11.30am and it was empty, i mean literally empty, 7 people including me

It was busy at 1:30 because they close for lunch, so 1:30 is the opening times again, i believe

Nope lunch is from 12-1pm, but they usually start issuing queue tickets again around 12:45pm.

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

Edited July 2, 2014 by MJCM

[dsfbrit]

I was down there today at 8.30 to do a 90 day report. It was very busy and I had to wait about 25 minutes until I was seen. They only had 2 people doing the reports. I was trying to get be 'processed' by the woman on the right with the computer. I had read on TV that she sets you up so that you never have to photocopy all your info again!!!

I was in luck, as a couple of Indian guys sat down with the guy on the left with a whole pile of passports, so I got to see the lady. So no more copying all those pages of my passport etc..!

Whilst I was sitting there, 'queue watching', the most movement was for re-entry permits. There was only 1 person that I saw at the 'retirement extension' desk and no one at all at the 'family' nor 'business' desk.

I have to go down there again next month for my annual extension (marriage) - groan - I absolutely loathe the experience. I would rather go to the dentist!!!

That is why I am in the forum today, to see what daft new 'hoops' they have designed for me to jump through this year. Do they need more pictures of my wife and me sitting on the sofa ? That is a sure fire way to prove we are still married - hey the fact that she is sitting next to me in the immigration office may also be a better clue as to whether we are still together!

Still to be fair to Jomtien, nowadays it is a 'breeze' compared to when we had to suffer the old Immigration 'office' in Pattaya Soi 7 - how did we all fit into that tiny office?!!!

Edited July 2, 2014 by dsfbrit

[MrWorldwide]

Thanks for the feedback guys - looks like I simply picked the wrong day to go down there. Scandinavi I have no idea how many were looking for a specific visa or extension - all I know is that it was packed and the Thais seemed to be doing their level best to get people out the door as quickly as possible. I'd say they made some serious baht down there yesterday at 2K+ per application.

[JesseFrank]

Keep in mind that at immigration you won't spot much tourists.

[MJCM]

<snip>

I have to go down there again next month for my annual extension (marriage) - groan - I absolutely loathe the experience. I would rather go to the dentist!!!

That is why I am in the forum today, to see what daft new 'hoops' they have designed for me to jump through this year. Do they need more pictures of my wife and me sitting on the sofa ? That is a sure fire way to prove we are still married - hey the fact that she is sitting next to me in the immigration office may also be a better clue as to whether we are still together!

<snip>

Really don't worry, my friend did his extension over there around 2 weeks ago and if you get your documents in order it is a breeze

He arrived at around 12:30 and left with the 30 day Notice at around 13:30

Look here for the documents he needed (which are the same as last years)

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/736080-marriage-extension-application/#entry7997347

[Pralaad]

I was there yesterday at 11.30am and it was empty, i mean literally empty, 7 people including me

It was busy at 1:30 because they close for lunch, so 1:30 is the opening times again, i believe

Nope lunch is from 12-1pm, but they usually start issuing queue tickets again around 12:45pm.

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

Yes lunch finish 1pm, so being busy at 1:30pm would be normal no?

[MJCM]

I was there yesterday at 11.30am and it was empty, i mean literally empty, 7 people including me

It was busy at 1:30 because they close for lunch, so 1:30 is the opening times again, i believe

Nope lunch is from 12-1pm, but they usually start issuing queue tickets again around 12:45pm.

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

Yes lunch finish 1pm, so being busy at 1:30pm would be normal no?

Sorry, that I seem to have misunderstood, as you wrote "so 1:30 is the opening times again, i believe" which isn't correct.

Edited July 2, 2014 by MJCM

[Pralaad]

I was there yesterday at 11.30am and it was empty, i mean literally empty, 7 people including me

It was busy at 1:30 because they close for lunch, so 1:30 is the opening times again, i believe

Nope lunch is from 12-1pm, but they usually start issuing queue tickets again around 12:45pm.

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

Yes lunch finish 1pm, so being busy at 1:30pm would be normal no?

Sorry, that I seem to have misunderstood, as you wrote "so 1:30 is the opening times again, i believe" which isn't correct.

Very sorry, officially they are back 30 mins before the time i believed it to be

[MrWorldwide]

I was there yesterday at 11.30am and it was empty, i mean literally empty, 7 people including me

It was busy at 1:30 because they close for lunch, so 1:30 is the opening times again, i believe

Nope lunch is from 12-1pm, but they usually start issuing queue tickets again around 12:45pm.

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

Yes lunch finish 1pm, so being busy at 1:30pm would be normal no?

dsfbrit posted earlier that it was very busy at 8:30am - if I have my times right, thats when they open the doors. My previous extension required me to go in just after lunch and that Soi was nowhere near as crowded nor was the Immigration centre. I guess I'll find out in the morning if mine was simply an unlucky choice of day to go there or there is a genuine urgency on the part of folk to get their paperwork sorted prior to August 12.

[tropo]

Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon it was quiet after 3pm. Many people think it's going to be busy so they like to get there at opening or straight after lunch, so you get that initial crowd. Far better to go later on. After 3pm for a retirement extension on Tuesday I didn't have to wait. They were waiting for me.

[craigt3365]

I was there 2 Friday's ago, at 3PM. Hardly a soul in the place. Nobody at the 90 day check in desk. The one guy there was reading the paper.

From what I've experienced, late afternoons are best for 90 day reports.

[chingching]

I was there last Wednesday at 10 am or so. I had never seen it so empty in over 5 years.

[Just1Voice]

I was down there today at 8.30 to do a 90 day report. It was very busy and I had to wait about 25 minutes until I was seen. They only had 2 people doing the reports. I was trying to get be 'processed' by the woman on the right with the computer. I had read on TV that she sets you up so that you never have to photocopy all your info again!!!

I was in luck, as a couple of Indian guys sat down with the guy on the left with a whole pile of passports, so I got to see the lady. So no more copying all those pages of my passport etc..!

Whilst I was sitting there, 'queue watching', the most movement was for re-entry permits. There was only 1 person that I saw at the 'retirement extension' desk and no one at all at the 'family' nor 'business' desk.

I have to go down there again next month for my annual extension (marriage) - groan - I absolutely loathe the experience. I would rather go to the dentist!!!

That is why I am in the forum today, to see what daft new 'hoops' they have designed for me to jump through this year. Do they need more pictures of my wife and me sitting on the sofa ? That is a sure fire way to prove we are still married - hey the fact that she is sitting next to me in the immigration office may also be a better clue as to whether we are still together!

Still to be fair to Jomtien, nowadays it is a 'breeze' compared to when we had to suffer the old Immigration 'office' in Pattaya Soi 7 - how did we all fit into that tiny office?!!!

If you qualify, I'd switch from Marriage to Retirement. No where near the paperwork or hassles. My last 3 extensions for retirement have taken about 30 minutes or less, each.

[tropo]

Went today for 90 day report, the place was quite empty. I came at 3:20pm, one guy in front of me.

Now this: If nothing has changed you need no copies and NO tm47, just the passport.

Was in and out in three minutes, very good experience.

Really? Did you bring the completed form and photocopies and they didn't want to see them? What did they staple into the back of your passport? (that's usually the bottom part of the TM 47)

[MrWorldwide]

OK - the 3pm guys win - definitely a better experience, even if the staff I had to deal with looked like they'd seen enough passports for one day - at the risk of annoying ubonjoe and others I am going to start another thread, I still think there might be a few out there wondering if its worth jumping through the hoops - with 3 trips to Jomtien behind me I believe the answer is 'yes it is'.

[tropo]

Went today for 90 day report, the place was quite empty. I came at 3:20pm, one guy in front of me.

Now this: If nothing has changed you need no copies and NO tm47, just the passport.

Was in and out in three minutes, very good experience.

Really? Did you bring the completed form and photocopies and they didn't want to see them? What did they staple into the back of your passport? (that's usually the bottom part of the TM 47)

I brought everything included the tm47. What was stapled in my passport with the date of return has a bar code on the back.

He scanned it and out came a new paper with the new date and on the back of it a copy of my passport out of the printer.

Take yours out, unfold it and have a look. If it has a barcode you most likely need nothing.

I would go prepared however

Thanks for the info. Right now I'm still on the old manual system with the form they tear off the bottom of the TM 47 form., I'll be reporting at the end of this month. I'll bring the usual paperwork and see what happens.

[MJCM]

^ i agree, but would still be carrying the paperwork with me (even if i have the barcode on the slip) just in case the PC doesn't work for what ever reason (do they still only have one pc at Desk 3?)

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

[Tywais]

A post in all CAPS has been removed. It is considered shouting and poor netiquette.

[shirtless]

Its pretty simple there are a loss less people around , Immigration is always busy in the morning, late afternoon is usually quiet.