yes, unbelievable, this is the time I have waited in Pattaya just to get a 30 days extension. today 26 th January. I showed up at 8.00, line even going on the street. (It s like going to buy a new iPhone during launch day ) and I left at 1230pm.

usually it takes 45 minutes but now it s over 4 hours.

tomorrow except to wait 12 hours and do some camping on their parking slots, this is simply scandalous.!!!

Well, with a name like VIPinThailand, it seems like you should have hired an agent to do this for you or gotten a visa before leaving your home country if you're just extending a visa-exempt entry.

For the record, a 4.5 hour wait would be considered something to brag about in Chiang Mai. As in "only 4.5 hours! Wow, can you believe how lucky I was today."

Edited January 26, 201511 yr by NancyL

still better than a 12 hour visa run

Pattaya
That is where you are going wrong imo

I had a tourist visa extended. everybody had to wait at least 4 hours(and this is every day like that) . hiring a guy to do the job for you is illegal as you must present yourself in person.

anyway something is wrong there, where all these people come from? it was not so busy before.

Edited January 26, 201511 yr by VIPinthailand

I had a tourist visa extended. everybody had to wait at least 4 hours(and this is every day like that) . hiring a guy to do the job for you is illegal as you must present yourself in person.

anyway something is wrong there, where all these people come from? it was not so busy before.

To your second point about legality, one word for you BS its not illegal to retain an agent

Probably take 15 mins in samut prakan. If you have to live in an ex pat hotspot then this is what you have to put up with.

Nothing illegal about an agent -- the agent will do the paperwork for you, make the copies and tell you to meet him/her at the Immigration office at a certain time. You're still showing up in person. At least that's the way it's done in Chiang Mai where 12 hour waits are common. Yup -- people should get in line by 5 am if they want to have any hope of being seen that day in Chiang Mai. Agents offer a real service, esp. for the clueless who tie up the Immigration officials by coming in unprepared and with lots of questions they could have answered with a little on-line research.

Now, stop your bellyaching. It could be worse, much worse. After all, this is high season.

Edited January 26, 201511 yr by NancyL

Don't the agents barge in front by paying to then hand over 15 applications making the wait even longer?

and by the way, I have been sent back home. I came 3 days in advance, told me to come back last day, last day they told me to come Monday when my stay was expired the previous Saturday making me illegal in the country.

all Sunday I was an overstayer thanks to Pattaya immigration' help which is a" federal felony "

too much is too much!

Edited January 26, 201511 yr by VIPinthailand

Welcome to Thailand

In BKK it's 3 hours

If we complain here, people tell us to pack up and leave Thailand

If you read Thaivisa you might believe PATTAYA is in crisis. Come in Immigration and see the reality. No shortage of tourists there.

Pattaya

That is where you are going wrong imo

In December I did my annual extension of stay at Jomtien in under 10 minutes from the time I walked in the door at Jomtien, so I wouldn't blame Pattaya when compared to other places.

And as others have said, it could be much worse if he had attempted to do an extension at other offices. For visa exempt and tourist visas entry extensions, keep in mind this is still the high season for tourists. If he found a queue extending out to the street that suggests it's the quantity of people that's the issue.

Personally I wouldn't go in on a Monday or Friday or a day following a holiday and I would go in mid morning or early afternoon, not when the office first opens.

last time for my extension non 0 go there 6 am finish 3pm and for 30 day tourist extension 10h30 there gone 11h30 so easy sometime lol in chiang mai

You are not on overstay if you permission to stay falls on a day when immigration is closed

Thank you for illustrating why so many Thais dislike tourists.

Monday morning. You went at the worst time.

I love these guys welcome towhat we put up with every year.but living in paradise does have its cost.

Lets see all the tourist that arrived at the begining of December are now going for the 30 day. Yes I bet you things are pretty busy. Enjoy your vacation.

it doesn't matter at what you come to Pattaya immigration, it s full 24/7. and your case will be taken in consideration only the last day.

If it ever came to having to wait as long as reported I would be off, this country is not worth it, paradise it certainly aint and far from it.

Probably take 15 mins in samut prakan.

If you have to live in an ex pat hotspot then this is what you have to put up with.

Sorry, but I don't see the relation between expats and this delay ??

Most of time (let say 10 months per year) it's very fast at Jomtiem (Pattaya) Immigration.

The problem is mainly mid-December to mi-February with many real family tourists who need an extension. Going there a Monday or Friday during these 2 months is a very bad idea...

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

I had a tourist visa extended. everybody had to wait at least 4 hours(and this is every day like that) . hiring a guy to do the job for you is illegal as you must present yourself in person.


anyway something is wrong there, where all these people come from? it was not so busy before.

If you try to think that one person's slight inconvenience is a city's gain, you might get a glimpse of the big picture.

The more people extending, the more goes into the economy. Stand fast the 7/11 drinkers & balloon chasers.....................

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

I had a tourist visa extended. everybody had to wait at least 4 hours(and this is every day like that) . hiring a guy to do the job for you is illegal as you must present yourself in person.

anyway something is wrong there, where all these people come from? it was not so busy before.

If you try to think that one person's slight inconvenience is a city's gain, you might get a glimpse of the big picture.

The more people extending, the more goes into the economy. Stand fast the 7/11 drinkers & balloon chasers.....................

I don't want to sound like a scaremonger, but longer time for Visa sounds exactly what happened to ED visa.

First the waiting time got multiplied by 3, because they were doing really thorough checks, to try to kick out some people.

They kicked out a few.

Then the waiting time got a bit shorter because they exhausted the document checking route and just started slaying in the mass.

and by the way, I have been sent back home. I came 3 days in advance, told me to come back last day, last day they told me to come Monday when my stay was expired the previous Saturday making me illegal in the country.

all Sunday I was an overstayer thanks to Pattaya immigration' help which is a" federal felony "

too much is too much!

simply scandalous ! it's just not right ..... now put your dummy back in ...

just get the Thai Elite card and forget about your problems .. !! no reporting ... no farang ... no issue ....

just piece of mind !! ......

simply scandalous ! it's just not right ..... now put your dummy back in ...

just get the Thai Elite card and forget about your problems .. !! no reporting ... no farang ... no issue ....

just piece of mind !! ......

YES!!! That's it! Rarely we see quality posting like yours. Thank you so much.

Pattaya

That is where you are going wrong imo

In December I did my annual extension of stay at Jomtien in under 10 minutes from the time I walked in the door at Jomtien, so I wouldn't blame Pattaya when compared to other places.

And as others have said, it could be much worse if he had attempted to do an extension at other offices. For visa exempt and tourist visas entry extensions, keep in mind this is still the high season for tourists. If he found a queue extending out to the street that suggests it's the quantity of people that's the issue.

Personally I wouldn't go in on a Monday or Friday or a day following a holiday and I would go in mid morning or early afternoon, not when the office first opens.

I blame Pattaya for a lot, just a personal opinion. I went to HH immigration this month on a Monday and it was pretty swift, as long as you get there around the time it is due to open you should be fine.

I was thinking about the elite card right after I left the immigration. but com'on! 500'000 baths, no way!! I m already a VIP in Thailand !

Edited January 27, 201511 yr by VIPinthailand

8am?

Get off your ass then and get up early.

I have never had to wait more than 15 minutes for any immigration/visa/renewal issue in Thailand.

Mind you, I have the intelligence to think before it's time to do these things and realise that 'oh my goodness, it's always crowded'.

Thought. You should try it.

8am?

Get off your ass then and get up early.

I have never had to wait more than 15 minutes for any immigration/visa/renewal issue in Thailand.

Mind you, I have the intelligence to think before it's time to do these things and realise that 'oh my goodness, it's always crowded'.

Thought. You should try it.

Yeah man. Never have to wait. It just doesn't happen. It's because all others are never right like you are (and the one with the VIP card). Right on!