New immigration notice: 90 day reporting - nationwide?

[Evilbaz]

I just send the GF with my passport only and she signs for me.

The passport comes back with a new "Report by ...." slip affixed (this has to be personally signed and stamped by the Immi officer which would negate online reporting).

Phuket/Patong are computerised reporting these days.

[kleelof]

Buy envelopes, make copies, go to post office, buy stamp, send letter.

VS.

Go to immigration for 5 minutes.

Am I missing something?

[Fullstop]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Buy envelopes, make copies, go to post office, buy stamp, send letter.

VS.

Go to immigration for 5 minutes.

Am I missing something?

Just missing some key factors to consider first...

- Distance to Immigration Office

- Available transport

- Mobility of Farang

- Health of Farang

- Working hour commitments

- Immigration office conditions..Long waiting times?

If no problems with any of the above, then ...

"Go to immigration for 5 minutes"

Edited September 6, 2014 by Fullstop

[brewsterbudgen]

Buy envelopes, make copies, go to post office, buy stamp, send letter.

VS.

Go to immigration for 5 minutes.

Am I missing something?

You are. 90-day reporting at Chaengwattana can take half a day.

[sae57]

It looks the same as the one their website except for the 5 baht postage and delivery 7 days before report date instead of being mailed 15 days early.

I think it will still be up to local office as to whether they accept mail in reports. And the the documents required could also be different.

My office, Amnat Chroen won't take it by mail. Well, I guess legally they have to--but when I went to renew my visa extension, they got real testy (though in a nice way). Oh! we want to see your face! Then complained that they weren't budgeted for the fuel to go to the post office and somebody had to take his motorcycle to the post office on his own time. Sympathetic as I was of their dire situation, I protested that It was a three hour drive just to hand them a few pieces of paper. "But it's your duty!" was the rejoinder. So I make the trip every 90 days: you don't want to piss these folks off!

--S

[kleelof]

Okie. I see now.

WHy does it take so long at Chaengwattana?

[balford]

Last time I mailed a 90-day form with all the required copies it never arrived at Chiangmai Immigration, only 90km from Lampang.

It was registered, had a self addressed and stamped envelope inside and still failed to show up. Fortunately I had the post office receipt and Registration number so I wasn't penalised, despite the officer's eyes lighting up in expectation of a fine.

I haven't mailed a 90-day report for three years but instead go into Lampang and the 90-day reporting venue there or, if 'she who must be obeyed' wants to do some Chiasngmai shopping then we go there to face the chaos at Immigration.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang.

[brewsterbudgen]

Okie. I see now.

WHy does it take so long at Chaengwattana?

Last time I did it, it took over an hour (and 300 baht) to get there. The wait was about one hour and then over an hour (and 200 baht) to get home. It took the whole morning.

Now I do it by post. It takes 5 minutes as the post office is across the road.

[kleelof]

Okie. I see now.

WHy does it take so long at Chaengwattana?

Last time I did it, it took over an hour (and 300 baht) to get there. The wait was about one hour and then over an hour (and 200 baht) to get home. It took the whole morning.

Now I do it by post. It takes 5 minutes as the post office is across the road.

Incredible you have to wait an hour. Are there a lot of other farang?

I live in Hatyai. I walk in, fill out the form, show my passport and I'm done in just a few minutes.

[Kwasaki]

90 day reporting by mail, and what if your mail goes astray, good for expats that live way out i guess.

Always mailed mine, Maesot is nearly 2 hours away, because of the massive cost of 27 baht the post office gives a receipt which I keep until the new notice comes back.

[kinmaew]

_{I have a hopeful prediction. By the time I am ready to retire in about 20 years you can do the 90 days check in online and with any luck the one year renewal as well.}

[sae57]

Where do they keep all this paperwork ? Land fill ?

In binders. Warehouses full of them. One year I went in to renew my marriage extension. Somehow got it into my head that I didn't need a copy of the marriage certificate--only need to show the original. The officious official, as always insulting, asked why I didn't have a copy--did I want her to keep the original??? "Sorry, I didn't remember that I needed it." "Well you had it last year! It's right here in your binder!" And showed it to me. Several years worth of copies. Didn't ask why they needed yet another.

[sfokevin]

Buy envelopes, make copies, go to post office, buy stamp, send letter.

VS.

Go to immigration for 5 minutes.

Am I missing something?

You do not live in Chiang Mai...

[Thaimaishoe]

There is no information relevant on the back of a TM6 arrival card. Mine is completely blank, I got mine when re-entered through Nong Khai in 2011. Maybe they have changed since then, who knows. Just another page to scan on my printer to send to immigration and waste paper.

Why not simply send them a blank sheet of paper duly signed and dated if you're that bothered? No need to scan to your printer, I would have thought!

And that saves paper how? I doubt it was the act of using his printer that he was grumbling about.

[jpeg]

I just send the GF with my passport only and she signs for me.

The passport comes back with a new "Report by ...." slip affixed (this has to be personally signed and stamped by the Immi officer which would negate online reporting).

Phuket/Patong are computerised reporting these days.

Phuket - online reporting??? Can you please provide a link. Ta.

[joebrown]

I live 25km from Jomtien, so I travel by car every 90days to report. The last time I went in July I was told all they need is the completed Report Form and my passport, and no copies of any other documents. With the Postal service being so unpredictable, I'd never willingly use that means of reporting every 90days.

[Halion]

The usual confusion with requirements and conditions being clear as mud and subject to regional interpretation.

[technologybytes]

Buy envelopes, make copies, go to post office, buy stamp, send letter.

VS.

Go to immigration for 5 minutes.

Am I missing something?

Yes, in fact you are missing something.

You are missing the ability to understand that not everyone shares your circumstances, location etc.

[Estrada]

90 day reporting by mail, and what if your mail goes astray, good for expats that live way out i guess

It has never gone astray in the many years I have been sending the 90day report to Chaengwattana. One time it was delayed because of the PDRC blocking of the Government Building, but I got the form back one month late. This is the time that they say you must inform them that you haven't received it with proof of posting, which is what I did by phone and I got the slip back 2 days later. Reporting by mail saves the 3 to 6 hours it can take to travel to immigration and back, including time in the queue. Also no chance of wifey visiting the market downstairs to spend B3,000 on some expensive shopping.

The B10 stamp was introduced a longtime ago as then they used to send back all your photocopies. Now they only send back the tear off slip with the bar code and next reporting date on it so a B5 stamp suffices. Total cost now including registered post is B18.

[Estrada]

_{I have a hopeful prediction. By the time I am ready to retire in about 20 years you can do the 90 days check in online and with any luck the one year renewal as well.}

The print is so small that I predict that in 20 years you won't be able to read it!

[Carrerakiss]

Developing an online reporting system would be a waste of time and money. First of all you have to ask yourself, "what objective does a 90 day report achieve?".

I suppose in bygone days it MAY have achieved something in terms of keeping track of a foreigners whereabouts, in this day and age, nah. I've filled in mine with a Phuket address while filing it in Udon and also filled in my mother in laws Udon address. I don't actually live in either place. But the reports we're just accepted.

Keeping a paper flow of reports is what keeps civil servants in jobs nationwide. Eliminating 90 day reports would be the thin end of the wedge in terms of being efficient and thereby needing less staff, as would an online system. And, if an online system were to be considered, that pesky question of " why do we need this stuff? " might be asked

[Estrada]

Buy envelopes, make copies, go to post office, buy stamp, send letter.

VS.

Go to immigration for 5 minutes.

Am I missing something?

1. You already surely have envelopes, they are sold in packs that will last you a few years. Are you really trying to tell us that you buy envelopes two at a time?

2. You have to make copies even if you visit immigration.

3. If you do not live inside the Immigration building it will take you a lot more than 5 minutes.

You're missing something.

I have envelopes

I have a photocopier.

I pass by the postoffice in Seacon Square every day. Total time using this method at 11.00 A.M. around 1 to 2 minutes in the postoffice.

If I were to buy envelopes and get photocopies in Office Mate next to the Post Office total time not more than 4 -5minutes. Also no travelling time or additional expenses whatsoever, a factor that you are missing.

[leoedgar]

I have now been living here in Thailand for more that 3 years. I have a non-o visa with multible entries, and this visa is valid for one year, so I go home every 15 months and get a new one. I have made border run every 90 days. Does this now mean that I don´t have to do that any more, but can just send all the paper work to BKK, and then get a new 90 days extension, without any prof of income ?

[ubonjoe]

I have now been living here in Thailand for more that 3 years. I have a non-o visa with multible entries, and this visa is valid for one year, so I go home every 15 months and get a new one. I have made border run every 90 days. Does this now mean that I don´t have to do that any more, but can just send all the paper work to BKK, and then get a new 90 days extension, without any prof of income ?

This is not a change for you. You still have to leave every 90 days because are using a visa for entry.

These 90 day reports are for those that are for those that are on extensions of stay obtained from immigration.

[chrisinth]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Developing an online reporting system would be a waste of time and money. First of all you have to ask yourself, "what objective does a 90 day report achieve?".

I suppose in bygone days it MAY have achieved something in terms of keeping track of a foreigners whereabouts, in this day and age, nah. I've filled in mine with a Phuket address while filing it in Udon and also filled in my mother in laws Udon address. I don't actually live in either place. But the reports we're just accepted.

Keeping a paper flow of reports is what keeps civil servants in jobs nationwide. Eliminating 90 day reports would be the thin end of the wedge in terms of being efficient and thereby needing less staff, as would an online system. And, if an online system were to be considered, that pesky question of " why do we need this stuff? " might be asked

Perhaps that is one of the reasons why they are proposing to crack down on address reporting (TM28/TM30)..............

[chrisinth]

As I don't do 90 day reporting anyway, the only question this announcement raises for me is the speculation that 90 day reporting has nothing to do with overstay.

"The notice from Immigration actually says 'overstay announcement' but is regarding 90 day reporting!"

However, that could be in the translation....................

[JLCrab]

Developing an online reporting system would be a waste of time and money. First of all you have to ask yourself, "what objective does a 90 day report achieve?".

I suppose in bygone days it MAY have achieved something in terms of keeping track of a foreigners whereabouts, in this day and age, nah. I've filled in mine with a Phuket address while filing it in Udon and also filled in my mother in laws Udon address. I don't actually live in either place. But the reports we're just accepted.

Keeping a paper flow of reports is what keeps civil servants in jobs nationwide. Eliminating 90 day reports would be the thin end of the wedge in terms of being efficient and thereby needing less staff, as would an online system. And, if an online system were to be considered, that pesky question of " why do we need this stuff? " might be asked

The 90 day notification requirement is specified in Section 37 - 5 of The Thai Immigration Act of 2522/1979. While it says such 90 day notification requirement can be made in person or by sending a letter it must be done in writing. Some legal opinion might consider that 'in writing' means ink-on-paper and that an email would not comply with this provision.

[phanangpete]

Great news, it only gets better, at long last .

[Tywais]

"You also need to supply a copy of TM6 (arrival card), which must show both the front and back".

I'm not going to get my passport and look right now, but is there actually anything on the back?

My TM6 departure card is over 20 years old (had to tape it back together) and nothing on the back but generic information. I know Maestro likes to archive various immigration documents so will post a scan of front/back of mine with personal information removed. I see at the bottom it states Reproduction Prohibited so exactly how does one make a copy? Since the scan is not a one-one scale not concerned about the message see copies all over the Internet for informational purposes.

[apalink_thailand]

I've been doing this for years and it works just fine.