Immigration office is officially broken..

[LivinLOS]

WOW.. Thats a decent level of speed..

[Trujillo]

Do not feel obligated to meekly take it from these people (monks); that robe does not magically give him right of way, and esp being an alien just like us.

A layman is not allowed to touch a monk.

[Saraphee]

Do not feel obligated to meekly take it from these people (monks); that robe does not magically give him right of way, and esp being an alien just like us.

A layman is not allowed to touch a monk.

This assumes that the monk is behaving correctly, anyone pushing another person out of the way is NOT behaving appropriately.

[baywatch82]

Went yesterday to do my 90 days reporting. Arrived to immigration at 2pm, was given number 650. Current number was 632. I don't know what time exactly I left Immigration but at 15:30 i was already back home at Nimman.

[rawhod]

Went this morning to do 90 days AND re-entry permit.

In at 8am out before 10am, I'm not complaining about that !!

Seems that perhaps a mid week visit can pay off rather than going on a Monday or Friday

Quiet...

If you keep spreading rumours like this, mid-week will become the new Monday or Friday.

[ThaiPauly]

Went this morning to do 90 days AND re-entry permit.

In at 8am out before 10am, I'm not complaining about that !!

Seems that perhaps a mid week visit can pay off rather than going on a Monday or Friday

Quiet...

If you keep spreading rumours like this, mid-week will become the new Monday or Friday.

I doubt that the Chinese, Japanese or Koreans will be reading this thread.

I'm just trying to say "There is a God" and if I have any positive news to give forum members I will share it

Merry Christmas

[vagabond48]

My wife and I did our annual retirement/family extensions today. My visa agent was with me for the complete process.

The agent provided me with 2 online queue appointments at 1:30P. We were not called until 1:55P. The female officer in the back was friendly and efficient. She appreciated that the agent had all the required copies ready and initialed. She seemed to enjoy her job which included a bit of friendly chit chat. After completing the process, The agent asked if we can do the 90 day reports. She asked if he had my paperwork and presented it to her. We went to another station for computer face shots which was new for us. We were out at 2:55PM with 2 visa extensions and 2 90 day reports.

I paid my in-house agent (me, myself, I) a well deserved 11,000B for providing me with excellent visa assistance.

I recommend you check your mirror where you might find your own personal and helpful visa agent.

For us today, the immigration office was working just fine !!!!

[LivinLOS]

If you make an online queue appointment there isnt an issue.. I fail to see what an agent gives ?? I know my paperwork, I can book the queue.. I am all for paying for an easy time, but it just gives me nothing.

The issue is that not everything can be booked for an online slot.. Sometimes things get changed and you need to make unplanned visit (my re-entry permit for a land border for example) and then.. The office is simply overwhelmed.

[mania]

I recommend you check your mirror where you might find your own personal and helpful visa agent.

For us today, the immigration office was working just fine !!!!

That is where I found my agent ( in the mirror )

Immigration was working great for me yesterday too although I never saw the office.

On this day the envelope I mailed them for my 90 day last Thursday for 50 baht total

came back with my new 90 day in it.

Same thing for my yearly extension based on marriage I did in August which again the man in the mirror did for me...Free!

...well 1900 the price of the ext. We had an online Q...showed up 10 minutes before was seen with my wife

Like you we all had some chit chat too sanuk mak

So I agree Imm seems to work just fine & the man in the mirror is well worth it.

Edited December 18, 2014 by mania

[vagabond48]

I recommend you check your mirror where you might find your own personal and helpful visa agent.

For us today, the immigration office was working just fine !!!!

Same thing for my yearly extension based on marriage I did in August which again the man in the mirror did for me...Free!

...well 1900 the price of the ext. We had an online Q...showed up 10 minutes before was seen with my wife

Free? My agent charged me 11K but at least promised to take me and my wife on a nice holiday.

[Trujillo]

Trying to get a retirement extension, and find that the agents are lining up starting at 2am. A few foreigners come at 4am and others at 5am. If you come later than 3am you may not get a number. The office officially opens at 8:30am.

There is an emergency line, for those whose visa is up the same day or if there is some other kind of "emergency."

I'm not sure what to think about this. If I come to the office at opening time, I will never get a number. I could spend every day of my retirement going to the immigration office to be turned away, overstaying for years, dying at the door without a number.

For a country that supposedly puts emphasis on respecting the elderly, this situation is abysmal. Are 75 year old retirees expected to stand in the dark (and cold) at 2am in the morning to get a number five hours later? Then get another number some time after the office opens in another hour and a half? And then wait until your time comes...probably after lunch.

Time to do your immigration business in some other, less populated city.

[uptheos]

Trying to get a retirement extension, and find that the agents are lining up starting at 2am. A few foreigners come at 4am and others at 5am. If you come later than 3am you may not get a number. The office officially opens at 8:30am.

There is an emergency line, for those whose visa is up the same day or if there is some other kind of "emergency."

I'm not sure what to think about this. If I come to the office at opening time, I will never get a number. I could spend every day of my retirement going to the immigration office to be turned away, overstaying for years, dying at the door without a number.

For a country that supposedly puts emphasis on respecting the elderly, this situation is abysmal. Are 75 year old retirees expected to stand in the dark (and cold) at 2am in the morning to get a number five hours later? Then get another number some time after the office opens in another hour and a half? And then wait until your time comes...probably after lunch.

Time to do your immigration business in some other, less populated city.

Yup, as far as immigration is concerned it's your problem not theirs.

They work their daily hours, process all the numbers they are required to do and then go home that's the way it is.

Agents don't usually queue up

.

[BB1955]

As long as it keeps the three of you happy I am a success. Check me out. I may appear to be always wrong because I am not a Thai basher. So I will have a hard time turning the information in to sh-t. When the funding is spent the service will improve immensely.

Carry on with your beliefs. I have faith in the Thais. They do not follow my schedule but they do get the job done. That is why I live here. If I felt the way a lot of posters do I would be out of here like a shot.

wheres the hankychiefs

For a guy who pays over a 1,000 baht a year to have 4 letters sent for him you seem to have a lot to say about some thing you know nothing about.

take it you are referring to 90 day reports being done by my super duper visa agent for a fee of 1000 baht

presently my super duper agent fee is 5000 baht

which is for retirement visa to be processed at the zoo,

and all 90 day reports are included in the 5000 baht fee

and a chelsea good morning to all:)

I would much rather take my papers every 90 days wait , than to have to take my passpprt to an agent and then pick it back up when its ready . Yea they could speed things up a bit , but all and all it could be alot worse ..

[Trujillo]

The agents do get places in line. Moreover, each agent has multiple passports, so a single person in line can take multiple numbers.

[uptheos]

The agents do get places in line. Moreover, each agent has multiple passports, so a single person in line can take multiple numbers.

I think you'll find that they probably get priority online reservations now for annual renewal extensions, that's how their clients know when to meet them. Other than that they use another door, They used to queue up with multiple passports but not anymore, their links to immigration does not require this.

i know one girl very well who works for a popular visa agency, Goes in at 0830 with a folder full of 90 day reports, extensions, re-entry applications etc and hands it over. Walks out at 1030 all done and clients are called any time after 11am to collect their passports.

Edited January 15, 2015 by uptheos

[slapout]

some tv members history is already in dire straits and it may be largely self inflicted, where as myth/rumors are just the product of visits at the local watering hole.

[Trujillo]

I don't want to argue with uptheos, but there were agents in line this morning, some at least did have multiple passports with them. I don't know how you can prioritize yourself in an online first-come, first-serve set up.

For retirement, you can't just have someone submit your passport and re-entry form and you then pick it up later all ready to go. Unless they changed things, you could not even file for a re-entry permit before you received your new extension since without the new extension, there is nothing to use to re-enter with.

Of course if there is actually a service that can make all this happen and all you have to do it cough up money and come pick up the goods, please PM me with the contact details.

[uptheos]

I don't want to argue with uptheos, but there were agents in line this morning, some at least did have multiple passports with them. I don't know how you can prioritize yourself in an online first-come, first-serve set up.

For retirement, you can't just have someone submit your passport and re-entry form and you then pick it up later all ready to go. Unless they changed things, you could not even file for a re-entry permit before you received your new extension since without the new extension, there is nothing to use to re-enter with.

Of course if there is actually a service that can make all this happen and all you have to do it cough up money and come pick up the goods, please PM me with the contact details.

No argument needed

But........really, you don't know?

You REALLY have no idea how a visa assist place takes care of many hundreds of different visa requirements, operates legally, very successfully, speedily and with guarantees?

Can you even have a wild guess?

If not I've nothing much more to add.

[northernjohn]

The office is not broken officially or unofficially just the OP is having trouble adjusting to it.

On the positive side they are aware of the lack of space to hire enough personal and it is in the system. We all know the system can be slow but it will eventually come to pass.

I just heard today that I can get a single reentry on my one year extended visa at the Promenada location where ever that is. I can take a tuck tuck they will know then walk over to Promenada and have a nice Italian meal at Ragu and see a show.

[northernjohn]

I don't want to argue with uptheos, but there were agents in line this morning, some at least did have multiple passports with them. I don't know how you can prioritize yourself in an online first-come, first-serve set up.

For retirement, you can't just have someone submit your passport and re-entry form and you then pick it up later all ready to go. Unless they changed things, you could not even file for a re-entry permit before you received your new extension since without the new extension, there is nothing to use to re-enter with.

Of course if there is actually a service that can make all this happen and all you have to do it cough up money and come pick up the goods, please PM me with the contact details.

No argument needed

But........really, you don't know?

You REALLY have no idea how a visa assist place takes care of many hundreds of different visa requirements, operates legally, very successfully, speedily and with guarantees?

Can you even have a wild guess?

If not I've nothing much more to add.

To be fair there are some services that immigration has asked not to come back. There are two that I am aware of who will do as you say. Except many times they have you come in for the one year to sign a paper or for some other reason immigration gives them. It has not always been light that. They take you in and bring you back. No parking problems.

[moe666]

As you are planning to travel overseas urgently you would not need to do a 90 day report if within the time, 15 days before 7 days after due date?

And you can get your reentry at the airport.

If you leave the country during the 7 days after due date and haven't reported to immigration you are over due.

[moe666]

My wife and I did our annual retirement/family extensions today. My visa agent was with me for the complete process.

The agent provided me with 2 online queue appointments at 1:30P. We were not called until 1:55P. The female officer in the back was friendly and efficient. She appreciated that the agent had all the required copies ready and initialed. She seemed to enjoy her job which included a bit of friendly chit chat. After completing the process, The agent asked if we can do the 90 day reports. She asked if he had my paperwork and presented it to her. We went to another station for computer face shots which was new for us. We were out at 2:55PM with 2 visa extensions and 2 90 day reports.

I paid my in-house agent (me, myself, I) a well deserved 11,000B for providing me with excellent visa assistance.

I recommend you check your mirror where you might find your own personal and helpful visa agent.

For us today, the immigration office was working just fine !!!!

if you paid the guy 11,000baht for something you can do your self with the cost just being some of your time you way over paid.

[moe666]

Can't believe a shortage of money is the problem,more likely of a political nature

Political nature how, the money was requested from the PTP government over 3 years ago for new building and more staff but was never released.

[northernjohn]

Can't believe a shortage of money is the problem,more likely of a political nature

Political nature how, the money was requested from the PTP government over 3 years ago for new building and more staff but was never released.

Yes that has been a puzzle to me. This is the capital of red shirt Shinawatra land I would have thought any thing they want they can have. I wonder if the Shinawatra's were/are against foreigners moving into Chiang Mai and calling it home.

Edit

I just realized that the money had been approved for the hiring of 14 new staff not sure about the money for a new building. Still why not hire the staff. From the one picture I saw of the office in the Promenada area it looked like they had lots of room for more staff.

Also I believe it is not the local people who will do the hiring it is the people in Bangkok who will do that. The bottle neck is in Bangkok. The local staff is doing as good a job as they can under the circumstances.

Edited January 15, 2015 by northernjohn

[Beetlejuice]

My wife and I did our annual retirement/family extensions today. My visa agent was with me for the complete process.

The agent provided me with 2 online queue appointments at 1:30P. We were not called until 1:55P. The female officer in the back was friendly and efficient. She appreciated that the agent had all the required copies ready and initialed. She seemed to enjoy her job which included a bit of friendly chit chat. After completing the process, The agent asked if we can do the 90 day reports. She asked if he had my paperwork and presented it to her. We went to another station for computer face shots which was new for us. We were out at 2:55PM with 2 visa extensions and 2 90 day reports.

I paid my in-house agent (me, myself, I) a well deserved 11,000B for providing me with excellent visa assistance.

I recommend you check your mirror where you might find your own personal and helpful visa agent.

For us today, the immigration office was working just fine !!!!

11000 BAHT! WOW.

I hope for that money the agent came into your house, woke with up with breakfast in bed, drove you in his luxury aircon limousine to Immigration and took you home again after the business was done, giving you and the wife a relaxing head and foot massage before he left.

I also know the Immigration process very well and willing to accompany those applying for their visa extensions and 90 day reports for half that amount, then I could be rich by the end of the year.

Did you pay someone 11000 baht because the so-called agent had clout with the Immigration officers and therefore guaranteed you a slot for that day or just as someone there to hold your hand during the process?

[vagabond48]

moe666 and beetlejuice, you either need (1) to read more carefully, (2) glasses or (3) to improve your understanding of irony. A good clue to look for is a smiley .

Just to clarify, I have never used an agent other than myself. I have used the online queue since it became available.

Edited January 16, 2015 by vagabond48

[Mapguy]

If there was ever a merry-go-round thread, this one is it. Round and round and going nowhere, any useful information really lost in a haystack of whaddayasay posts. Only real result is to panic newcomers.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Mapguy

[northernjohn]

My wife and I did our annual retirement/family extensions today. My visa agent was with me for the complete process.

The agent provided me with 2 online queue appointments at 1:30P. We were not called until 1:55P. The female officer in the back was friendly and efficient. She appreciated that the agent had all the required copies ready and initialed. She seemed to enjoy her job which included a bit of friendly chit chat. After completing the process, The agent asked if we can do the 90 day reports. She asked if he had my paperwork and presented it to her. We went to another station for computer face shots which was new for us. We were out at 2:55PM with 2 visa extensions and 2 90 day reports.

I paid my in-house agent (me, myself, I) a well deserved 11,000B for providing me with excellent visa assistance.

I recommend you check your mirror where you might find your own personal and helpful visa agent.

For us today, the immigration office was working just fine !!!!

11000 BAHT! WOW.

I hope for that money the agent came into your house, woke with up with breakfast in bed, drove you in his luxury aircon limousine to Immigration and took you home again after the business was done, giving you and the wife a relaxing head and foot massage before he left.

I also know the Immigration process very well and willing to accompany those applying for their visa extensions and 90 day reports for half that amount, then I could be rich by the end of the year.

Did you pay someone 11000 baht because the so-called agent had clout with the Immigration officers and therefore guaranteed you a slot for that day or just as someone there to hold your hand during the process?

Not sure what every one is so excited about. It is common knowledge on these threads that an agent charges 5,500 baht to do your yearly extension. The fellow did one and that is 5,500 baht. His wife did one and that is another 5,500 baht total 11,000 baht common knowledge to these threads.

If they had done his sisters at the same time the cost would have been 16,500 baht.

Beetlejuice do you have a work permit to do that?

[vagabond48]

My wife and I did our annual retirement/family extensions today. My visa agent was with me for the complete process.

The agent provided me with 2 online queue appointments at 1:30P. We were not called until 1:55P. The female officer in the back was friendly and efficient. She appreciated that the agent had all the required copies ready and initialed. She seemed to enjoy her job which included a bit of friendly chit chat. After completing the process, The agent asked if we can do the 90 day reports. She asked if he had my paperwork and presented it to her. We went to another station for computer face shots which was new for us. We were out at 2:55PM with 2 visa extensions and 2 90 day reports.

I paid my in-house agent (me, myself, I) a well deserved 11,000B for providing me with excellent visa assistance.

I recommend you check your mirror where you might find your own personal and helpful visa agent.

For us today, the immigration office was working just fine !!!!

Not sure what every one is so excited about. It is common knowledge on these threads that an agent charges 5,500 baht to do your yearly extension. The fellow did one and that is 5,500 baht. His wife did one and that is another 5,500 baht total 11,000 baht common knowledge to these threads.

If they had done his sisters at the same time the cost would have been 16,500 baht.

Beetlejuice do you have a work permit to do that?

please read comment 236