Maybe I'm lucky but I was at CM Immigration on 3 September for a 30 day extension, turned up at 9:30am, was gone at 11:30am, no problems.

Previous times I've turned up at 8am to get the pre they're open number, ended up leaving at 11am anyway.

5:30am for immigration, at least on a 30 day extension (which I read is what op is after) is ridiculous. Others visas naturally may take more time, but although slow it's not nearly as bad as many suggest in the thread.

Edited September 19, 201411 yr by lordblackader

Th OP is applying for a 60 day extension to visit his Thai family. That is why he needs to be there early.

What is so strange about this? It's part of expat culture in Chiang Mai.

Don't worry. Just show up at 5:30 am and soon you'll figure out what to do. It's the retirees who really have it bad. There are more queue tickets given out for tourist visa extensions than for retirement extensions -- different counters process these extensions. Us oldsters have to really fight it out. If we get there by 6:30 am, we're out of luck. You could probably push your luck and get there at 6:30 am, but why not come at 5:30 am and watch the old folks in hand-to-hand combat?

I got so sick of dealing with these guys, constant rule changes, etc. that I got a visa lawyer. His staff go in for me and I show up, with them, once a year. We go in together in the afternoon and never have had to wait more than a few minutes. The staff is so well known and has all the paperwork organized and done correctly that it is literally and in and out process. More time spent looking for a parking space.

No, this has never happened to anyone before - maybe it's your face ?

This country is going downhill.

What happens when it reaches sea level?

NancyL, I was under the impression that if you apply for a retirement visa in your home country via the Thai Embassy that one needs medical, police, notarization but if one applies in Thailand, you dont. Will I need medical, police, notarization when I apply in CM in December?

I meet all the other requirements.

Thanks

ps - Out of curiosity, who are some of the good visa agents in CM and how much do they charge?

I arrived yesterday just before 7am, when doors opened. Long queue for retirement visas with I think a lot of the first-comers left over from the day before .Longer queue due I think to teachers/students who are dealt with by the same two counter staff as retirees and who now have to get proper visas because of crackdown whereas before they mostly didn't bother. Things may revert to normal when teacher backlog dealt with. Or management may need to allocate more staff to these groups.

No bother getting new retirement visa when my turn came, after lunch. There was then a further wait because of a new procedure - we all had to have our photographs taken for the office computer. No problem though: I'd have had to wait anyway as there was a ferocious thunderstorm raging and I'd come by motorbike.

NancyL, I was under the impression that if you apply for a retirement visa in your home country via the Thai Embassy that one needs medical, police, notarization but if one applies in Thailand, you dont. Will I need medical, police, notarization when I apply in CM in December?

I meet all the other requirements.

Thanks

ps - Out of curiosity, who are some of the good visa agents in CM and how much do they charge?

Assist Thai Visa is regularly mentioned and I used them for 90 day reports.

Starvisa Services - located near the US consulate.

There is one more that one member regularly recommends but can't recall the name at the moment. Edit - Just remembered it is OS Visas

NancyL, I was under the impression that if you apply for a retirement visa in your home country via the Thai Embassy that one needs medical, police, notarization but if one applies in Thailand, you dont. Will I need medical, police, notarization when I apply in CM in December?

I meet all the other requirements.

Thanks

ps - Out of curiosity, who are some of the good visa agents in CM and how much do they charge?

You need nothing but financial proof to get an extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon retirement.

thanks to all for the replies!

very helpful.

koochie

6 am should be good do you think guys ? Thank you

5:30 am.

I arrived at Immigration at 8 am.... Full.

next day 7 am ....Full

next day 4.30 am .... 21 people in front of me with a rapidly growing queue standing outside in the rain.

finally left with visa at 3.30 pm.

The Immigration staff are excellent, polite and helpful, doing their best in a totally inadequate environment.

Much unnecessary ill-will is being generated to frustrated foreigners. Just what Thailand does not need.

Please CM Immigration move out of town and employ more staff.

hello guys finaly got ittttt arrived a 6.15 am with my thai boy to take number 36 and the give me number 236 a 2 pm i saw officier , a very nice lady who just take the right paper

birth certificate, my son house book gf house book and id and contract of our house ONLY THAT she say today 19 sep until 20 december , and she write on passport 20 decem , so happy but next officer who take pic say her mistake and put back 20 november loool, next is multiple o at suvanaket

thank all guys for your answer

Maybe I'm lucky but I was at CM Immigration on 3 September for a 30 day extension, turned up at 9:30am, was gone at 11:30am, no problems.

Previous times I've turned up at 8am to get the pre they're open number, ended up leaving at 11am anyway.

5:30am for immigration, at least on a 30 day extension (which I read is what op is after) is ridiculous. Others visas naturally may take more time, but although slow it's not nearly as bad as many suggest in the thread.

Different types of extensions are handled at different counters and there are separate queue tickets for each counter. The coveted queue tickets are for the retirement extensions. You tourists have it easy in Chiang Mai.

What a ridiculous system. Get there at 6 am and wait 2 - 2 1/2 hours to get in the door. You get a number and then you wait inside to get another number. They tell you what time to come back. You come back wait an hour or so to talk to immigration officer. They tell you to come back in hour to pick up visa. You come back in hour and wait an hour to finally get your visa. Have they ever heard of a website reservation system like the US Consulate has. I know if I want to go into business in Thailand it will be the rubber stamp business. Every bureaucrat has at least twenty on their desk.

They have a online Q system for reservations but unfortunately there I such a demand for extensions that it is hard to get a reservation, I got one a few weeks ago for Nov. but just pure luck

What is so strange about this? It's part of expat culture in Chiang Mai.

Don't worry. Just show up at 5:30 am and soon you'll figure out what to do. It's the retirees who really have it bad. There are more queue tickets given out for tourist visa extensions than for retirement extensions -- different counters process these extensions. Us oldsters have to really fight it out. If we get there by 6:30 am, we're out of luck. You could probably push your luck and get there at 6:30 am, but why not come at 5:30 am and watch the old folks in hand-to-hand combat?

I got so sick of dealing with these guys, constant rule changes, etc. that I got a visa lawyer. His staff go in for me and I show up, with them, once a year. We go in together in the afternoon and never have had to wait more than a few minutes. The staff is so well known and has all the paperwork organized and done correctly that it is literally and in and out process. More time spent looking for a parking space.

What have you saved you still have to show up with the staff to collect the extension of stay and just hope to hell all of your paper work is in order and if not you are there to explain whats wrong because there staff will not be able to. Theses visa services are not perfect I know a few people who have been burned by visa services. Except for spending a few hours at immigration (I bring a book) whats the big deal and you get the added knowledge of knowing how the system works. Far to many people staying here do not have a clue as they use a surrogate for everything

What is so strange about this? It's part of expat culture in Chiang Mai.

Don't worry. Just show up at 5:30 am and soon you'll figure out what to do. It's the retirees who really have it bad. There are more queue tickets given out for tourist visa extensions than for retirement extensions -- different counters process these extensions. Us oldsters have to really fight it out. If we get there by 6:30 am, we're out of luck. You could probably push your luck and get there at 6:30 am, but why not come at 5:30 am and watch the old folks in hand-to-hand combat?

I got so sick of dealing with these guys, constant rule changes, etc. that I got a visa lawyer. His staff go in for me and I show up, with them, once a year. We go in together in the afternoon and never have had to wait more than a few minutes. The staff is so well known and has all the paperwork organized and done correctly that it is literally and in and out process. More time spent looking for a parking space.

Whats the fee for that visa lawyer and name of Company, thx.