Thaivisa.com to meet with Immigration Commissioner

[wanderluster]

what can we as expats do to help you??  If we can get rid of some of the rule breakers, then maybe there will be less rules and red tape for the rest of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[3bj]

What if the person on overstay was sick, has the paperwork from hospital, and has been living on overstay with his thai girlfriend unable to come up with the money to pay for the overstay fee or the flight home.  And now he has received a remission check from his home country that can pay for all of that plus obtain a new visa.  Would there be any consideration to use judgement for individual cases and help those who honestly had a bit of unlucky times?

[Nuddy]

My question is,

Will the Minister take the 4 pages of questions (at least so far) on notice if the interview time is too short or the questions require further investigation or consideration.

I am grateful the Minister will enter in any questions at all.

Best regards

 

the word enter is meant to be entertain

 

Edited August 6, 2014 by Nuddy

[DrTuner]

Regarding Immigration Act, Section 37 about reporting changes of residence: "The provision of ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) shall not apply to any cases under Section 34 by any conditions as prescribed by the Director General."

 

What are the current conditions prescribed by the Director General ?

[satrajarn]

When are they going to process the outstanding residency applications which seem to be at least 4 years in arrears?

 

[wat]

1) There are many people these days who work online, either working for a foreign company and telecommuting, owning their own business that's not related to Thailand, or as a freelancer doing work for people outside of Thailand. Are there any plans to offer a new class of visa for people who earn their living this way? Right now there seems to be no legal option. 

 

2) How can a single person who is under 50 working online with no connection to any Thai companies or customers currently stay in Thailand long term? 

 

3) I have lived in Thailand for many years and will need to get a new Visa very soon. The only immediate option for me is to get a tourist visa, come back to Thailand and register for a school that can provide me with an ED visa. I'm very worried that since I've stayed in Thailand a long time that when I get my tourist visa I will be denied entry. Will I need to stay outside Thailand for a period of time before returning with a tourist visa? If so, how long will I need to stay out of Thailand?

[IAMSOBAD]

1). Will you tell ALL colonels to clear through one General all things regarding aliens...instead of each Colonel causing confusion from different provinces?
2). Will you police the police with regards to demanding Passports from people without cause?
3). Will you explain if I am on a Yearly Retirement Status...and doing 90 day reports that I have to report every time I visit Phuket or Pattaya from BKK for a few days? Edited August 6, 2014 by IAMSOBAD

[properties365]

Could you find a way to help people living here in Thailand with their Thai family, but working as a consultant for foreign companies located abroad (IT nomads)?

 

It's very hard to find high qualified english speaking Thai who accepts to work with small companies. The 4 staff rule doesn't really make sense in that case because we simply cannot find them.

 

Is there a way to help some of us who wish to have legal existence and pay taxes instead of staying in the clandestinity?

[coppywriter]

 

What is the number of times in one year that you can enter Thailand with a 30 day visa exempt stamp. I was told by immigration officials at airport when I entered that since this was my 3rd entry in 2014 that I may not be allowed to come back

 

Same question but asking for further clarification -

 

1.  If there is such a rule, what is a "year" - the present calendar year or the last 365 days?

 

2. If there is such a rule, does it apply to everyone or just those coming from neighbouring countries?

 

3.  If there isn't a restriction based on number of visits in one year, are there any other restrictions planned and, if so, what are they (full details)?

 

 

Will there be a minimum period that you have to be out of the Kingdom between re-entering on a visa exempt each time. Some people come to the Kingdom to be treated at regular intervals in a Thai hospital and really need to know that they can still do that. (Medical tourism)

[DrTuner]

What is the current state of Immigration's IT system and are there plans to update it in the future in order to enable more of the paperwork to be done electronically ?

[Pundi6446]

Seems to me, that if you are retired in Thailand, all, visa's are good, one year visa, and we are married, and have lived in the same house for 8 years, then why do we need to have a 90 day check in period? Seems like it is a lot of work for Immigration Officers to do all the extra paperwork, and could be used in other place in the Thailand Immigration processes in other departments.

 

So my question is, why do we have to check in every 90 days, seems ridiculous to do so? 

[Kan Win]

1. Will the reforms in Thailand, as have been spoken about, by the powers that be, also include reforms to your department and if so, could you please tell us, not in any detail, just briefly, what reforms could or will take place?  As I understand, that the old rule book has come out about where you stay, have to carry you ID at all times, which is very good, as in these days of bombs going off and .......................................etc.

 

2. As a PR holder, I carry all of my (4) books with me when driving around Thailand. I do have a Thai ID No number starting  with 8 **** ***** ** * issued to me in our Blue House Book and it is on my Driving Licence. If one could have a simple ID Card (not a pink one, as this is for Asians as I understand)  it would be really great. Sorry if this is not under your department, but could you help us out in the meantime with your view on this matter and to whom we should address this matter to?

 

Win

[ScottGouker]

Thank you, for the opportunity to ask  a couple questions.
With a Non-immigrant "B" Visa (good based on multiple entry for a year).
and a work permit (also good for one year)
Why must we leave Thailand every 90 days?
Can we simply check in with Immigration, to re-verify address?
It is a burden on business to have only a 90 day entry.
and
What is required to qualify for the 3% Withholding tax (under Section 40 of the Revenue Code)
Thank You.

[Sojuncoke]

I think the whole freelancer, working online, stock trader question would not just help a lot of us, but would also help the Thai government receive tax income and also have people that earn money spend money in Thailand. Please bring this up.

[Eva22]

Hello everyone! Expats living and working in Laos (valid stay permit and work permit) and drive to Thailand by car with Lao registration numbers crossing the boarder in Nong Khai and having visa exemptions 30 days would like to clear the situation with travelling to Thailand by car for vacations. At the moment the officer at Nong Khai border immigration refuses entry if your trip to Thailand (by car with family) is over 7 days. Thank you

[klauskunkel]

May I suggest to make online reporting available for TM 30 and 90 day reporting, to save on commute, paperwork and time.

Also, is it really necessary to bring the same copies in duplicate of passport pages, map to residence, pictures of home and family and so on, for extension of stay when there has been no change at all? I think my stack of files in Chaeng Watthana is over a meter high after all these years...if this method continues you will need more space, soon.

Edited August 6, 2014 by klauskunkel

[Muhendis]

90 day reporting is required for all expats no matter what their circumstances. It is seen as a trivial yet time consuming exercise by many especially those like myself who face a four hour round trip to do it. Will it be possible to do this reporting at the local police station as I believe it once was?

[SymS]

I've lived and worked in other countries in Asia, namely China and Hong Kong. I only needed to visit immigration once a year, or even only once every two years in Hong Kong (after the first year), and there was no need to report my address every X months, unless I changed it. Could you explain the rational behind the 90-day reporting for non-immigrant visas? Wouldn't it be simpler to ask foreginers to report any change of address within XX days? Or maybe, without changing the current laws, launch a online 90-day reporting system saving time to both the immigration office and people having to do the 90-day reporting?

 

In many countries, you can obtain the right of residence, if you stay legally in a country for several years. For example, in Hong Kong, after 7 consecutive years, you automatically become a permanent resident. I understand there's currently a system in Thailand for residency, but places are limited, and the process lengthy and complicated. For example, if somebody retiring in Thailand at age 50, 60, does it really make sense for him/she to have to extend visa, do 90-day reporting, until he/she passes away, possibly for 30 to 50 years? Would Thai authorities consider residency to long term residents after 10/15/20 years?

[paddyjenkins]

My question...please define back to back...if my habit has been to visit Thailand 5 or 6 times a year, 3 or 4 weeks each time, stay home/away a month or so and then return to Thailand, can I continue this or do I need alternative arrangements?


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[bkk_mike]

Is there any intention of clearing up the situation of people telecommuting to jobs abroad while in Thailand?

I.e. my boss in London OK'd my working from home for a month during the school holidays, and was even OK with me doing it from our house in Thailand (my wife is Thai, so my visa isn't an issue), but the HR department said no because they weren't sure it was legal without a work permit, but obviously as I'm employed in the UK, they can't get me a Thai work permit. (The HR people did seem to think if I was on holiday in Thailand and got called up and needed to log in and do something that it would be OK, but the law appears to be the same to me in both situations). Edited August 6, 2014 by bkk_mike

[cnx355]

Would it be possible for the commissioner to have all Immigration Offices apply  uniform visa rules as the main Bangkok Office and not have local Commander ignore the official requirement.

 

Sure an Officer can make aditional request if he suspect something wrong but not make it an "non-official rules" for everybody!

 

At the moment . we all know that some Immigration Offices request  un-needed documents: for exemple,  one office still require a medical certificate for retirement or mariage visa  and that rules has beed cancelled  long ago.

 

 

Another exemple  is the 90 days reporting....some office request only the passport and give you a receipt, some want photocopies of passport pages, even one request 20 bahts fee for the receipt....

 

Note: all those exemple taken from Thai visa forum posters.

 

 

 

 

[Nuddy]

Can a widowed Vietnamese woman whose husband was a Thai man, get some sort of consideration to apply for visa to stay here and also be allowed to work.

The immigration police act does not reveal any way.

 

The example is my Thai family employ a Vietnamese woman who is married to a Thai man.

This is acceptable by all authorities concerned.

The Thai husband dies.

The widow now cannot work here nor really can she legally stay here.

 

I am grateful that we have been given the opportunity to pose questions.

Thank you all concerned.

[DrTuner]

What happens to all of the A4 paperwork that immigration offices collect from foreigners ? Are they eventually shredded or burned ? 

[inthanet]

How it will going on with ED visa?
Will be in the future an test of the Thai knowledge to apply for the 2nd, 3rd ED Visa, if yes what are the criteria to pass?

[DrTuner]

When applying for extension of stay based on marriage and using 400k baht in the bank as proof of funds, is a requirement to keep the money in the account while on the consideration period of 30 days, after the application has been successfully submitted to an immigration office or may it be withdrawn during the consideration period ?

[Deacon Bell]

How about a 5 yr multi-entry visa for those married to a Thai national?

[lifedrainer]

I am thai but my mother is Belgian.

She is not retired yet but I would like her to come over here so I can take care of her.

 

What are my options available regarding my situation ?

Can she only be here on a retirement/tourist visa ?

[Boa4004]

I really have big problem with the renewal of my passport. I will have to get an emergency passport and I need to enroll at a language centre at the same time. In the mean time, while being on the emergency passport, what visa will they give me? What guarantee will I then have of not being deported later because of this problem? What is the likelihood of being deported, and if so, will I be allowed to return and after how long? I just really want to know what to do? How to proceed?

[wow64]

The current immigration rules require a foreign worker to exit the country within 7 days of his work permit being resigned. This means that when a foreign worker changes jobs, he must exit the country and apply for a new non-B visa in his home country or a neighboring country. Isn't this unnecessary and actually an undue burden on foreign workers who are living in Thailand legally and contributing to the country's economy? Why not allow a foreign worker to extend his non-B visa for 60 days, if he can show he has a job offer from a new company which is in the process of applying for a letter of approval from Labor or the BOI for a new work permit? Don't you think Thailand should make the rules easier for foreign workers who are living in the country legally and trying to comply with the law?

Agree with this questions if you want to change jobs or another company offers you a job it's a real pain to change everything over. Usually have to leave the country which should not be needed. Edited August 6, 2014 by wow64

[tompix321]

1. How should backpackers or touring cyclists/motorcyclists, who often travel spontaneously without a plan, prove that they are tourists, and why should they have to? They may have no or few hostel bookings, and money on a savings account back home connected to a bank card. They may plan to leave at a land border to go to the next country, but cannot say exactly when and where. 

 

2. What about long term travelers, who may travel for more than a year, perhaps several years, and want to come back to Thailand several times during their big adventure? They will have more than one tourist visa in their passport.

 

3. Will there be any proper visa for people who want to stay and live off their savings (longer than 6 months), but are not students, 50+, married or businessmen (and not rich enough for Elite card)?

 

4. Why doesn't Thailand focus more on finding illegal workers at the actual workplaces, rather than suspecting everyone with a special profile at borders? It seems to be a poor way of filtering out the unwanted. Illegal workers can still learn how to get around the filter and many others who just contribute may be kicked out or just scared off to other spending destinations like Malaysia or Cambodia.