all dates are reserved on CM immigration website

[lexilis]

I used the visa agent named earlier for my yearly renewal about a month ago. Showed up at 2:30 as requested, was guided to a separate desk and an officer who was not involved in the normal processing of applicants, had my picture taken and a short discussion and was out the door in less than 10 minutes total. I asked the visa agent if I could return later that afternoon and pick up my passport and she said no because they do the processing with the officers after normal business hours and it would likely be 6:00 or later when they were finished. No problem, I picked up the passport the next day at their office. Bottom line: It does not appear to me that the visa service is hogging appointment slots from normal applicants or anything of that sort. That said the service is pricey (more than 5000 Bt on top of official fees) and you pay extra to get the 90 day report.

[vagabond48]

IMO charging more than 2000B is pure greed considering their low operating expenses unless they have other expenses that cannot be discussed here.

[fredge45]

OP, contact Assist Thai Visa and they can do it for you, for a fee of course.

Could be because they suck up every slot they can & use them if need/sold or throw them away if not.

I dont mean just assist but cumulatively all the visa agents

Much the same way travel agents reserve blocks of seats then dump them if not needed at the end

I am very suspicious that you are right, but the places never get "dumped", because, as far as I know, there is no way to cancel a reservation.

I was able to cancel a reservation rather easily. Just took a phone call with my particulars and they were happy to oblige. At least some other person was able to get my canceled time rather than being a no-show.

[Ulysses G.]

Did you see the date appear again on the website? My guess is that your time slot might have been canceled completely or they just took your phone call and then forgot about it.

[Tywais]

Did you see the date appear again on the website? My guess is that your time slot might have been canceled completely or they just took your phone call and then forgot about it.

I don't know why they removed the Cancel option from the online queue site. It was there about 6+ months ago as I was able to cancel it online with no problem. Then the option just disappeared.

[NancyL]

IMO charging more than 2000B is pure greed considering their low operating expenses unless they have other expenses that cannot be discussed here.

Actually, the prices quoted in Chiang Mai of 5500 - 6000 baht for a one-year retirement or marriage extension are quite low compared to what you see quoted for other markets like Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin etc.

If they're sending people out at 5 am to standing in line, then that adds to their cost.

If they have people staying up until 12:01 to snare on-line appointments, that add to their cost.

Consider that they have to knowledgeable people available to explain and do handholding for clients (and potential clients who may not sign on) People skilled in multiple languages.

They have to be able to respond via phone and email -- plus run around town to visit people in person.

I think the rates charged by the reputable visa agents in town are fair. That's why I was very suspicious of the price quoted on that other thread about a "cheap visa service" It was something like 2500 baht, which made me wonder how they could really do a proper job for that low a price.

I know, too, that not everyone who takes up the time of a visa agent actually signs on with that agent. Some decide to do it themselves (after learning valuable tips from the agent), some use a competitor, and some just decide living in Thailand isn't for them.

[amexpat]

IF they're sending people out at 5 am to standing in line, then that adds to their cost.

IF they have people staying up until 12:01 to snare on-line appointments, that add to their cost.

[FolkGuitar]

IF they're sending people out at 5 am to standing in line, then that adds to their cost.

IF they have people staying up until 12:01 to snare on-line appointments, that add to their cost.

Do you have any valid reason to believe otherwise?

If so, please share. Personally, I don't believe that they are staying up late to snag available appointments. I don't think they really need them. But that's just my take on the situation. Not backed up by any hard facts. I also believe that they have an arrangement with Immigration (just as UPS, Fed-EX, and DHL have arrangements with Customs) that works in the best interest of Immigration to speed up the processing.

[slapout]

The reserving of multiple time slots by agents (as it does appear to be happening) has screwed up a system that was working very well for those doing the 1 year extensions. I never spent over 15 minutes with the offical when I was able to make an appointment. (the first 2 or 3 years the slots did not fill so quickly)

I have seen officials (2) who handle the appointments for 1 year extension, take breaks, as the scheduled appointment was a no show. 1. I am of the opinion that it was an agent want to be and they had no customers. This type of action is how people can screw up a good idea/system.and they have already made it inconvient for those it was set up to take care of.

To the agents, who have access to officials without a appointment, no complaint, 2. but for one person to make numerous appointments every day is a abuse of the system and they are acting in a very selfish way.

Opinions and suppositions.

1. On what do you base this opinion? Why should a failed meeting imply a visa agent rather than someone who forgot the appointment, or was otherwise detained and unable to meet it?

2. Can you please show us where you got the information that leads to knowledge that this is being done. If you are correct, it is indeed an abuse of the system.

#1 If someone is making an appoitment 100 days in advance to maintain their legality to stay in Thailand, I doubt they would forget that commitment. If sick and unable to be present, a family member/friend can do the interview, bring documents for signing, retun to immigration and get the 1 year extension. ( I have done this)

I have no proof, That would have to come from immigration officials, those who may be abusing the system, those who use the agents, etc.

As a further opinion to charges being quoted;

I have listened to advertisments for the need for agents for extensions, some legal, some, not, It use to be quoted at 1000 baht( a couple decades ago), if their are charging over 2500 baht and being paid, thats what I call 2 people who are contributing vertually nothing of substance, to the good of society, dealing with each other. Expats who live here permently made their choice, in many cases bases on COL, not what it costs in the usa, England, Bangkok, etc I would be ashamed to ask someone for 5000 baht to do something they could do themselves in a long days work ( in Thailand thats 300 baht/worker) Thus I could hire a individual to stay up late make the appointmentment, another to go to immigration at the scheduled time, check in call me to come inside and lead me to the desk/official assigned.

[CMNightRider]

CM immigration has to be among the worst of the worst immigration offices in Thailand. Standing in line before 0600 in the morning or getting up in the middle of the night to sign up 100 days before you need to renew your one year visa is ridiculous.

[Sparkles]

CM immigration has to be among the worst of the worst immigration offices in Thailand. Standing in line before 0600 in the morning or getting up in the middle of the night to sign up 100 days before you need to renew your one year visa is ridiculous.

Not among the worst,it is simply the worst.Even in Bangkok with a huge expat population it was easier. I was doing 90 day reports by mail and my annual work permit took less than an hour,no booking just a walk in.

I don't subscribe to the theory that Agents are grabbing many on line appointments I think in the main, they just make a phone call and are given priority.

The last personal 90 day report I did (I now take the mail in option) a youngish Thai girl came in with a plastic bag of passports and just queue jumped,with no number, obviously knew the guy as they chatted non stop while he processed at least 10 passports.

But only 10 on line slots a day is a joke.My extensions based on retirement over the last 6 years in CM have never taken more than 10 minutes to process through the interviewing officer,so that's 10 slots x 10 minutes, a whole 100 minutes a day for on line bookings in an 8 hour day. The sign off takes up to an hour as I guess the boss,feeling very important, likes us to wait.

Having said all that I won't ever be going to an Agent,the fee is becoming exorbitant but those who do "up to you" I guess if I was working I would too.

[FolkGuitar]

The reserving of multiple time slots by agents (as it does appear to be happening) has screwed up a system that was working very well for those doing the 1 year extensions. I never spent over 15 minutes with the offical when I was able to make an appointment. (the first 2 or 3 years the slots did not fill so quickly)

I have seen officials (2) who handle the appointments for 1 year extension, take breaks, as the scheduled appointment was a no show. 1. I am of the opinion that it was an agent want to be and they had no customers. This type of action is how people can screw up a good idea/system.and they have already made it inconvient for those it was set up to take care of.

To the agents, who have access to officials without a appointment, no complaint, 2. but for one person to make numerous appointments every day is a abuse of the system and they are acting in a very selfish way.

Opinions and suppositions.

1. On what do you base this opinion? Why should a failed meeting imply a visa agent rather than someone who forgot the appointment, or was otherwise detained and unable to meet it?

2. Can you please show us where you got the information that leads to knowledge that this is being done. If you are correct, it is indeed an abuse of the system.

....I have no proof......

THAT is the long and short of it. We all have a lot of personal opinions, and some folks choose to believe them as facts. The fact is... we really just don't know.

As for their 5000 baht charge. Up to you. For some it's a lot of money. For others it's an evening on the town. For some, it's worth paying. For others, it isn't. Up to you. In any case, I can't see any reason for someone to be upset about the price. No one is being forced to pay it. Up to you. When I don't like something, I tend to ignore it. It's much more comfortable than getting upset about it. My choice. And we all get to choose.

[amexpat]

As for their 5000 baht charge. Up to you. For some it's a lot of money. For others it's an evening on the town. For some, it's worth paying. For others, it isn't. Up to you. In any case, I can't see any reason for someone to be upset about the price. No one is being forced to pay it. Up to you. When I don't like something, I tend to ignore it. It's much more comfortable than getting upset about it. My choice. And we all get to choose.

So are you, like, saying, "It's up to you"?

[northernjohn]

[quote name="FolkGuitar" post="8632799" timestamp="1415189274"

The Immigration Officer can process 10 applicants through a visa agent in the time they would process one or two of us mere mortals, with a LOT less stress for themselves.

(quote)

Perhaps but I have read many reports of folks sitting down with the Officer, handing them the papers, waiting for the Officer to prepare one sheet, signing it and being up and out front waiting for their passport within less than 10 minutes, often close to 5 as is my usual experience. No stress, just an occasional friendly comment or question.

There are of course other more time consuming types and I would not venture to guess the relative proportions.

There is no telling. I was in there for forty minutes last time. I had every thing filled in and correct. That was not the problem. The officer I had must have been the only one there who knew any thing. The other officers were continually coming over and asking her questions. At one point she was in the head officers office for ten minutes. She was sitting at desk 6 and I had never seen her before. Maybe the regular officer was on holidays. There was an appointment behind me who just came barging in because they were 20 minutes late with his appointment.

Through the whole thing they treated me with respect no problem there.

[northernjohn]

The reserving of multiple time slots by agents (as it does appear to be happening) has screwed up a system that was working very well for those doing the 1 year extensions. I never spent over 15 minutes with the offical when I was able to make an appointment. (the first 2 or 3 years the slots did not fill so quickly)

I have seen officials (2) who handle the appointments for 1 year extension, take breaks, as the scheduled appointment was a no show. 1. I am of the opinion that it was an agent want to be and they had no customers. This type of action is how people can screw up a good idea/system.and they have already made it inconvient for those it was set up to take care of.

To the agents, who have access to officials without a appointment, no complaint, 2. but for one person to make numerous appointments every day is a abuse of the system and they are acting in a very selfish way.

Opinions and suppositions.

1. On what do you base this opinion? Why should a failed meeting imply a visa agent rather than someone who forgot the appointment, or was otherwise detained and unable to meet it?

2. Can you please show us where you got the information that leads to knowledge that this is being done. If you are correct, it is indeed an abuse of the system.

#1 If someone is making an appoitment 100 days in advance to maintain their legality to stay in Thailand, I doubt they would forget that commitment. If sick and unable to be present, a family member/friend can do the interview, bring documents for signing, retun to immigration and get the 1 year extension. ( I have done this)

I have no proof, That would have to come from immigration officials, those who may be abusing the system, those who use the agents, etc.

As a further opinion to charges being quoted;

I have listened to advertisments for the need for agents for extensions, some legal, some, not, It use to be quoted at 1000 baht( a couple decades ago), if their are charging over 2500 baht and being paid, thats what I call 2 people who are contributing vertually nothing of substance, to the good of society, dealing with each other. Expats who live here permently made their choice, in many cases bases on COL, not what it costs in the usa, England, Bangkok, etc I would be ashamed to ask someone for 5000 baht to do something they could do themselves in a long days work ( in Thailand thats 300 baht/worker) Thus I could hire a individual to stay up late make the appointmentment, another to go to immigration at the scheduled time, check in call me to come inside and lead me to the desk/official assigned.

How do you know an appointment didn't show? I was in and at desk 6 as I have for the last three years with out an appointment. The only way I knew the guy behind me had an appointment was because he told me after having to wait an extra 20 minutes past his time.

Also from time to time there is an announcement of some one having a spot they can not use and they post it here on Thai Visa. I am of the belief that the agents with a proven record of correctness have a special deal with the immigration. It makes sense to me as they will always have the paper work in order and nothing missing. The last time I was in for my 90 day I watched as the staff helped a young fellow fill in his form. That took a lot of time. I am sure it goes on at the yearly extensions also. The staff has lots top do while they go for the photocopies with the mail in reports so they are still busy.

Granted Chiang Mai has been given the short end of the stick when it comes to immigration but they are hoping to have a new operation up and running in two years. I am nopt going to hold my breath on it. But I amsure in that time period we will have seen a start on it.

[onthedarkside]

Time to sweep out the off topic nonsense.

[FolkGuitar]

As for their 5000 baht charge. Up to you. For some it's a lot of money. For others it's an evening on the town. For some, it's worth paying. For others, it isn't. Up to you. In any case, I can't see any reason for someone to be upset about the price. No one is being forced to pay it. Up to you. When I don't like something, I tend to ignore it. It's much more comfortable than getting upset about it. My choice. And we all get to choose.

So are you, like, saying, "It's up to you"?

Entirely.