Corruption at Phuket Town Immigration Office

[haymanpl]

Phuket Immigration made me travel to Bangkok 3 times to get a stat dec, a new passport and then made me go back saying the figure on the stat dec had been changed from 10,000 to 40,000.

The bank statement i submitted with my application clearly shows my monthly income which exceeds 40,000 bht a month.

By that time my non "o" visa had nearly expired so i had to fly to Malaysia for 2 days to get another non "o" which cost me 16,000 all up.

Originally i asked a law firm in Phuket about getting a marriage visa and they told me if i paid 30,000 but it would be guaranteed.

I get the feeling they have a good business connection with Phuket Towns immigration office and that maybe the reason they are making it extremely difficult to get a visa even though i have submitted all the required paperwork.

I attended their office for 8 days including mornings and afternoons.

Is there anyway i can lodge a formal complaint against the Phuket Immigration office?

[jdinasia]

Yes there are ways to file a complaint.

That being said ; there's nothing in your post to support an accusation of corruption.

[nzexpat]

Sure !

Lodge a complaint with the Governor on line

http://welovephuketthailand.blogspot.co.uk/

Or in person at his office in Phuket Town

[paz]

Normally, important figures are also written letters too on the documents, wasn't that your case ?

You should have been able to to extend 60 days for reasons of visiting family, cost bt 1,900, maybe you did not know that.

I do not see a case of corruption here.

[ubonjoe]

I assume the new passport was because you had less than a year remaining on your old one. If this was the case they could of done the extension of stay (it is not a visa) but it would of only been valid to the date your passport expires.

The statutory declaration is the only document that counts when applying for an extension. If there was a change on it they had a valid reason to reject it. Your bank statement is only a back up to it.

[haymanpl]

I assume the new passport was because you had less than a year remaining on your old one. If this was the case they could of done the extension of stay (it is not a visa) but it would of only been valid to the date your passport expires.

The statutory declaration is the only document that counts when applying for an extension. If there was a change on it they had a valid reason to reject it. Your bank statement is only a back up to it.

My old passport had 3 years but only 1 clean page left which they stated was the reason i needed a new passport.

I never changed my stat dec. My bank statement clearly shows income which exceeds 40,000 bht a month and supports my stat dec.

They now require a letter from the bank which authenticates my bank statement even though its on letterhead.

I paid 200 but for the statement and the back told me they will not stamp it and that the letterhead is official and doesn't need a stamp. But immigration now also want a separate letter and the bank wants to charge another 200 but for the letter.

[haymanpl]

Normally, important figures are also written letters too on the documents, wasn't that your case ?

You should have been able to to extend 60 days for reasons of visiting family, cost bt 1,900, maybe you did not know that.

I do not see a case of corruption here.

I'll try the 60 day extension and see how it goes but they should have told me about needing at least 2 full pages on the passport when they also told me to fly to Bangkok to get a stat dec. Been there twice now.

On top of this, they told me to get the bank statement but didn't tell me to also get another letter from the bank stating the statement is authentic with a stamp and signature.

[haymanpl]

Sure !

Lodge a complaint with the Governor on line

http://welovephuketthailand.blogspot.co.uk/

Or in person at his office in Phuket Town

But is it worth the trouble?

Will anything happen?

Will it help me in anyway?

[haymanpl]

Yes there are ways to file a complaint.

That being said ; there's nothing in your post to support an accusation of corruption.

Yes, there;'s no real evidence of corruption but it seems they are pushing people to hire law firms so they get a kickback.

It will end up costing more than 30,000 bht by doing it myself and would have been cheaper to get the law firm to do it.

[paz]

It will end up costing more than 30,000 bht by doing it myself and would have been cheaper to get the law firm to do it.

How that would be? Bank docs Bt 400. Statutory declaration maybe 1,500 (you would have been paying it any way). What else ?

[nzexpat]

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Sure !

Lodge a complaint with the Governor on line

http://welovephuketthailand.blogspot.co.uk/

Or in person at his office in Phuket Town

But is it worth the trouble?

Will anything happen?

Will it help me in anyway?

I just provided you with a means of making a complaint which you will recall asking about. You must make the decision about whether or not to lodge a complaint.

[jdinasia]

Yes there are ways to file a complaint.

That being said ; there's nothing in your post to support an accusation of corruption.

Yes, there;'s no real evidence of corruption but it seems they are pushing people to hire law firms so they get a kickback.

It will end up costing more than 30,000 bht by doing it myself and would have been cheaper to get the law firm to do it.

What evidence do you have of kickbacks?

Remember, you are responsible for what you state because of the defamation laws. So if you file a complaint without rock solid proof...

[nzexpat]

Cannot help but wonder why I have, for many years, obtained extensions of stay from this office without being "pushed" toward "law firms" ?

[paz]

Cannot help but wonder why I have, for many years, obtained extensions of stay from this office without being "pushed" toward "law firms" ?

Actually OP stated that he asked a law firm before applying himself. No pushing.

[haymanpl]

It will end up costing more than 30,000 bht by doing it myself and would have been cheaper to get the law firm to do it.

How that would be? Bank docs Bt 400. Statutory declaration maybe 1,500 (you would have been paying it any way). What else ?

3 return flights to Bangkok from Phuket.

2 return flights from Phuket to Malaysia.

Cost of non "o" visa's in Malaysia

Cost of new passport in Bangkok

Cost of stat dec in Bangkok

Plus other "out of pocket" expenses.

[paz]

3 return flights to Bangkok from Phuket.

2 return flights from Phuket to Malaysia.

Cost of non "o" visa's in Malaysia

Cost of new passport in Bangkok

Cost of stat dec in Bangkok

Plus other "out of pocket" expenses.

Sorry, I don't think so

You would have needed to renew your passport anyway, sooner or later.

You should have extended 60 days as mentioned before, to gain time and avoid the visa run.

If you brought your wife to the visa run visa, that is your decision only.

Statutory declaration can be had by mail.

I see that you're new to the forum, maybe if you posted at the time problems where developing you would have got helpful advice.

[nzexpat]

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Cannot help but wonder why I have, for many years, obtained extensions of stay from this office without being "pushed" toward "law firms" ?

Actually OP stated that he asked a law firm before applying himself. No pushing.

I was making no comment about what the OP did or did not do.

I was reflecting on this comment !

"Yes, there;'s no real evidence of corruption but it seems they are pushing people to hire law firms so they get a kickback.!

[haymanpl]

3 return flights to Bangkok from Phuket.

2 return flights from Phuket to Malaysia.

Cost of non "o" visa's in Malaysia

Cost of new passport in Bangkok

Cost of stat dec in Bangkok

Plus other "out of pocket" expenses.

Sorry, I don't think so

You would have needed to renew your passport anyway, sooner or later.

You should have extended 60 days as mentioned before, to gain time and avoid the visa run.

If you brought your wife to the visa run visa, that is your decision only.

Statutory declaration can be had by mail.

I see that you're new to the forum, maybe if you posted at the time problems where developing you would have got helpful advice.

You need to leave the country to get a non "0" which is why i went to Malaysia.

Stat dec cannot be mailed. I needed to attend the Embassy in Bangkok because they do not have an office in Phuket.

A marriage visa requires you to start with a non "o" which means you leave the country. Once you have that, then you can extend.

Its a lot harder to get visas now so you can't just keep extending.

[nzexpat]

haymanpl

"Its a lot harder to get visas now so you can't just keep extending"

What does that statement mean ?

I have a passport full of "extensions"

NB

There is no "marriage visa" !

[billphillips]

May I suggest that a retirement extension to your non imm O is the best way to go next year. It would probably have been a better bet this year too as it only needs one page in your passport. The minimal documentation required is so much easier to provide too.

[paz]

May I suggest that a retirement extension to your non imm O is the best way to go next year. It would probably have been a better bet this year too as it only needs one page in your passport. The minimal documentation required is so much easier to provide too.

First of all not everyone in the world is 50 years old yet. Then, the required documentation is easier but the required funds or income are much higher, up to the double.

We can't assume that the OP can meet both of the above.

[nzexpat]

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May I suggest that a retirement extension to your non imm O is the best way to go next year. It would probably have been a better bet this year too as it only needs one page in your passport. The minimal documentation required is so much easier to provide too.

An extension of stay based on retirement requires that the applicant be over 50 yrs. of age.

Proof of income, a valid passport and other requirements still have to be met .

[paz]

You need to leave the country to get a non "0" which is why i went to Malaysia.

Stat dec cannot be mailed. I needed to attend the Embassy in Bangkok because they do not have an office in Phuket.

A marriage visa requires you to start with a non "o" which means you leave the country. Once you have that, then you can extend.

You mean an "extension for marriage", not "marriage visa".

And, actually one can convert a tourist visa or visa exempt entry in Bangkok. That requires 15 days remaining permitted stay, and two visits.

Then, it's unfortunate that you country does not provide postal service for the affidavit. Some country do, e.g.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/402545/Pension_10_02_2015__Master.pdf

Its a lot harder to get visas now so you can't just keep extending.

Not true, for example married people that has no funds or income obtains non-imm 'O' visa in Savannakhet, Laos, without any problem. There is no limit or problem in obtaining visa with the correct supporting documentation.

[haymanpl]

haymanpl

"Its a lot harder to get visas now so you can't just keep extending"

What does that statement mean ?

I have a passport full of "extensions"

NB

There is no "marriage visa" !

[haymanpl]

Based on the feedback from police i have takes to outside the office and volunteer tourist police, they all state it as lost harder to get long stay visa's unless you pay money to the immigration officer. I know for a fact several expats have paid money to different immigration police at the Phuket town office.

You need to leave the country to get a non "0" which is why i went to Malaysia.

Stat dec cannot be mailed. I needed to attend the Embassy in Bangkok because they do not have an office in Phuket.

A marriage visa requires you to start with a non "o" which means you leave the country. Once you have that, then you can extend.

You mean an "extension for marriage", not "marriage visa".
And, actually one can convert a tourist visa or visa exempt entry in Bangkok. That requires 15 days remaining permitted stay, and two visits.

Then, it's unfortunate that you country does not provide postal service for the affidavit. Some country do, e.g.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/402545/Pension_10_02_2015__Master.pdf

Its a lot harder to get visas now so you can't just keep extending.

Not true, for example married people that has no funds or income obtains non-imm 'O' visa in Savannakhet, Laos, without any problem. There is no limit or problem in obtaining visa with the correct supporting documentation.

[haymanpl]

Well actually there is evidence of corruption but not specifically in this case. I know many people who have paid cash to thai immigration officers at the Phuket town office.

Anyone who says that doesn't happen or who threatens anyone who states that with defamation or slander is supporting the corrupt police or ignorant.

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Cannot help but wonder why I have, for many years, obtained extensions of stay from this office without being "pushed" toward "law firms" ?

Actually OP stated that he asked a law firm before applying himself. No pushing.

I was making no comment about what the OP did or did not do.

I was reflecting on this comment !

"Yes, there;'s no real evidence of corruption but it seems they are pushing people to hire law firms so they get a kickback.!

[jdinasia]

Well actually there is evidence of corruption but not specifically in this case. I know many people who have paid cash to thai immigration officers at the Phuket town office.

Anyone who says that doesn't happen or who threatens anyone who states that with defamation or slander is supporting the corrupt police or ignorant.

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

Cannot help but wonder why I have, for many years, obtained extensions of stay from this office without being "pushed" toward "law firms" ?

Actually OP stated that he asked a law firm before applying himself. No pushing.

I was making no comment about what the OP did or did not do.

I was reflecting on this comment !

"Yes, there;'s no real evidence of corruption but it seems they are pushing people to hire law firms so they get a kickback.!

Or simply pointing out the truth. Hearsay ( you know someone......) isn't evidence.

Personally I never had any issues with immigration when I lived in Phuket.

[merijn]

Well actually there is evidence of corruption but not specifically in this case. I know many people who have paid cash to thai immigration officers at the Phuket town office.

Anyone who says that doesn't happen or who threatens anyone who states that with defamation or slander is supporting the corrupt police or ignorant.

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

Cannot help but wonder why I have, for many years, obtained extensions of stay from this office without being "pushed" toward "law firms" ?

Actually OP stated that he asked a law firm before applying himself. No pushing.

I was making no comment about what the OP did or did not do.

I was reflecting on this comment !

"Yes, there;'s no real evidence of corruption but it seems they are pushing people to hire law firms so they get a kickback.!

Maybe i'm just lucky then, I have extended my extensions now for about 20 years (Business and marriage ) and never had any major problems and never asked for extra money. ( But i have all the required papers )

I don't say that it is happening or not but I will believe it when i see it.

If i would believe everything what people or friends tell me, the world would be doomed.