My long Day at and around Jomtien Immigration Office

[avander]

All of the issues below were my fault and the guys at Jomtien do a great job.

However, I just thought it worthwhile to pass on my experience as advice to others relative newbies renewing their Extensions.

Arrived at the office and 10am and left there the "final" time at 3pm after applying and getting my 12 month "Marriage" extension and a Re-entry permit for a planned holiday back to Oz.

1. Photocopies of your documents.

Make sure any photocopies of Tabien Baan or Thai wife Ids or any other documents are "full-size". They like the documents to be as legible as possible. Understandable, I suppose but a little picky I thought. Oh well, off the of copy shop. And by the way, two copys of everything and all need to be signed but make sure your wife signs her copy of the Id. card and Tabien Baan and you sign copys of your documents. Hmmmm., really didn't think of that upfront but easily fixed.

2 Photos of you and the family around the house.

If you read you only need a couple of 1-3 photos the answer is no. They want more and we were told 6 would be nice including the one showing you, the missus and your address in shot. They let us off the hook "this time" with only 3.

3. A Khor Ror what?

So confused earlier with this one but thought I had understood it. Actually I had forgotten a small important fact. If you are married in Thailand a Khor Ror 3 Marriage Certificate and new Khor Ror 2 Registry entry document is required to prove you are still together. We weren't married in Thailand, so my wife in her wisdom after doing her research got a Khor Ror 2 from the local government office at Bang Lamung even after showing them our Marriage Certificate from Australia. Well, the Kor Rhor 2 is only for a Marriage here in LOS so guess which one we had? Her ex-husband and her. I'm a patient guy and had also mentioned to her previously that it was a Khor Ror 22 but she didn't listen or check the documents which of course, are in Thai which I don't read. So it was off again to the local Government office again for a Khor Ror 22. Not 100B but free this time after my wife complained.

4. Your Bank Statements

I used a Term Deposit to prove my funds. Yes, it's fine to use that type of account at the Jomtien office. BUT.....make sure the letter from the bank and the updating of your book isn't more than a few days old. Mine was just over 2 weeks and they made us get an update. Luckily, a branch was just around the corner but there went another 100B. I should not have got caught on that one but hey, what can I say......

Of course, all of the above was my fault but that's a husbands lot anywhere isn't it?

Luckily no problem with the Re-entry permit. We had that in about 20mins and I am sure if all the documentation was OK we would have been out of there in under an hour.

You really need to be up to all of the little details here don't you? At least the Immigration officers were all helpful, patient and quick when everything was finally in order.

Gotta rush, dinners on....

[MJCM]

Question, it usually takes around 30 days to get the "Year" stamp in your passport when you go the "Marriage" Extension way, did you take this into consideration when getting your Re-Entry Permit ?

[avander]

Question, it usually takes around 30 days to get the "Year" stamp in your passport when you go the "Marriage" Extension way, did you take this into consideration when getting your Re-Entry Permit ?

Yes, we checked that prior and were assured it was no problem. They dated the reentry permit valid to as the date I am next due to report back to get the full year which was stamped in my passport. Normally that's the 30 days but as I renewed early they graciously extended the report date out another 2 weeks which coincides with the date I would have got had I renewed on time. My arrival back here was cutting it too fine. Very obliging of them I thought.

Edited November 21, 2014 by avander

[Mojomor]

Old saying is ----- Fail to prepare, then prepare to fail

[avander]

Old saying is ----- Fail to prepare, then prepare to fail

True, but I did spend a lot of time to prepare and apart from the banking information and Khor Ror which were silly mistakes by my missus and I everything should have been under control. How was I to know that this year they wanted more photos and didn't like the slightly smaller size of my scanned document copys? You can't really plan for that unless you do a "dry run". Anyway, next year will be perfect. ....I hope. ;o)

[jacko45k]

It makes them happy to have you dance through a few hoops, and you did get it all done in the same day so I say well done!

Perhaps arriving sooner and getting a lower number would help to speed things up next time.

I shall do my retirement extension soon and am already meditating to get into the right mind-set.

To kill time one can always pop into the nearby massage parlours German Bakery for a nice lunch.

[oneday]

I always go home and write down the details of everything they needed or wanted (retirement extension), knowing full well things can change, but at least I know exactly what they wanted LAST time so I'm starting from a good point.

[ColdSingha]

I always go home and write down the details of everything they needed or wanted (retirement extension), knowing full well things can change, but at least I know exactly what they wanted LAST time so I'm starting from a good point.

we triple copy everything so we have record for next year

[NoshowJones]

Old saying is ----- Fail to prepare, then prepare to fail

True, but what a lot of people need to realise is they should get in touch with the Immigration office they are going to deal with before they go, and find out from them what they need for whatever service they want. IMs all over Thailand have different rules to others, and that is Thailands fault for allowing this.

[NoshowJones]

I always go home and write down the details of everything they needed or wanted (retirement extension), knowing full well things can change, but at least I know exactly what they wanted LAST time so I'm starting from a good point.

we triple copy everything so we have record for next year

Suppose they have a new boss next year, read the previous post "knowing full well things can change".

[ColdSingha]

I always go home and write down the details of everything they needed or wanted (retirement extension), knowing full well things can change, but at least I know exactly what they wanted LAST time so I'm starting from a good point.

we triple copy everything so we have record for next year

Suppose they have a new boss next year, read the previous post "knowing full well things can change".

my wife pops down a few days before to see if anything has changed since last year. so far in 4 extensions nothing has for us but i take your point there might not even be a marriage visa next year lol

[avander]

Yes, I drew up a spreadsheet to keep track and updated that when I got home yesterday. I have copys of all the docs on my pc now too. .

Not all the info you get online from forums and expat clubs and even Govt. immigration websites can be trusted 100%. It's useful and accurate to a point but things can and do change. I've learnt my lesson.

All good points raised and I'll also check with Jomtien beforehand next year. I will send my missus too as I noticed things do get skewed in the translation too.

[sead]

And thats why you take your whole family with you next time

[biggles45]

"True, but what a lot of people need to realise is they should get in touch with the Immigration office they are going to deal with before they go, and find out from them what they need for whatever service they want."

A good idea, in theory, but TIT and if you speak to another IO on the day you make your actual application you can almost guarantee he will have a different set of requirements to what you were told by the first IO. They all interpret the rules differently, unfortunately.

[inzman]

I've been thru a marriage extension, a 90 day report and a re-entry permit in the last month. No problem at all, done in less than an hour in each case. Jomtien is the best.