Today my Thai wife and I went to the Nonthaburi Immigration Office for my annual Extension of Stay based on Retirement. I post this in case anyone else can benefit from our experience.

We got there at 09:40, as early as we could manage, but it was already standing room only. We were lucky to find seats before too long, but the queue was long. I will speculate that the crowding was mainly because of a lot of folks from some nearby country were abundantly represented. (There were a lot of passports that appeared to be a purple color. Whoever they were and wherever they were from, they suffered with the rest of us.)

Anyway, we finally got to plead our case, and the staff was polite and helpful, as we have always found them to be. Yet they always throw curves at us every single year with new requirements, although usually minor in the end. (Bureaucracy enshrined.) I had my bank letter certifying that I had enough funds and copies of my bankbook showing enough funds for today and back over the past three months, plus the notarized paper from the US Embassy about my monthly pension income. My wife had suggested that I copy my bankbook back six months, and I added a copy of that just to humor her. But then they asked her to go to the nearby copy shop to get copies of all my bankbook pages for the entire past year. That took us by surprise, so this is a heads-up for all of you Nonthaburi dwellers.

With the waiting and all, it took us two hours before we were done. However, the air conditioning was great, and I can’t complain much – until next year.

I want to thank the many TV forum members over the years who have communicated invaluable advice to me. This is a great community.

Is the Non-Imm B a different queue, as it took us a cool 5 hours to get our Non-B visas done recently. Same office. Overcrowding is an understatement. This office simply cannot cope with the number of customers per day. Seating capacity needs to be at least doubled.

(There were a lot of passports that appeared to be a purple color. Whoever they were and wherever they were from, they suffered with the rest of us.

Burmese temporary passport.

The poor buggers are usually treated as subhumans/slaves by Thai immigration.

The word was, that there should be an end with these "temporary" passports (not allowing them to travel any further than Thailand).

You are unlucky if a group of Burmese migrant workers is handled before you.

Some immigrations seem to jump the queue for "farangs".

Edited April 22, 201511 yr by KhunBENQ

Perhaps get a 1 yr multiple-entry Non-O from an embassy or consulate, then every 90 days fly off for a weekend away in Laos/Burma/Wherever, and never even think about a Thai immigration office again.

I know a few that gave up dealing with such nonsense and instead go the multi-entry route and weekends away. Cheap flights to everywhere in Asia if you look around and book ahead. 3,500b to Japan advertized today for example.

4 weekends away per year, book the promotions, one time Japan, next Singapore, next Yangon, next Hong-Kong. Then every 15 months you just get a new one.

Makes life interesting, you get to visit cool places in Asia, and say goodbye to thinking about financial statements and immigration offices for your annual pain in the bottom.

Edited April 22, 201511 yr by Happy Grumpy

Perhaps get a 1 yr multiple-entry Non-O from an embassy or consulate, then every 90 days fly off for a weekend away in Laos/Burma/Wherever, and never even think about a Thai immigration office again.

I know a few that gave up dealing with such nonsense and instead go the multi-entry route and weekends away. Cheap flights to everywhere in Asia if you look around and book ahead. 3,500b to Japan advertized today for example.

4 weekends away per year, book the promotions, one time Japan, next Singapore, next Yangon, next Hong-Kong. Then every 15 months you just get a new one.

Makes life interesting, you get to visit cool places in Asia, and say goodbye to thinking about financial statements and immigration offices for your annual pain in the bottom.

Yep I did it for over 3 years, came off Extensions and went Non '0' + out every 90 days...... back on Extension now.

It is great every 90 days your off somewhere mostly some new place for a few days, and have been to many places.. The bad bit for UK Passports is the cost [at the time of my renewing the hassle and time it took to get a new Passport]

Extension = 1/3 of a page, some pages in my Passport Immigration have managed to get 3 yearly extension on 1 page..

Is the Non-Imm B a different queue, as it took us a cool 5 hours to get our Non-B visas done recently. Same office. Overcrowding is an understatement. This office simply cannot cope with the number of customers per day. Seating capacity needs to be at least doubled.

Not long ago, the office was a alfall lot smaller, going in the doors the office was on the right with 10 seat against the wall !! go on a busy day and 30 or so people were waiting outside and on the steps.

we have no choice as we need to make the application according to our address. You make your 90 days reporting notification in person and have u tried by post to this office? i cant find the address in the website.

Look at the map that is maintained by Thaivisa:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?t=h&ie=UTF8&msa=0&z=6&hl=en&mid=zgfDwlRKjQiw.ki8rj55aIYww

Click on Nonthaburi.

Nonthaburi Immigration Office

62 Moo 7
Tambon Bang Rak Pattana
Amphur Bang Bua Tong
Nonthaburi 11110
Phone: 02 834 2223, Fax: 02 834 2226

I can't tell you whether they accept reporting by mail or online via internet.

I had my bank letter certifying that I had enough funds and copies of my bankbook showing enough funds for today and back over the past three months, plus the notarized paper from the US Embassy about my monthly pension income.

I assume you are using the combination of income and money in the bank to reach the total of 800k baht.

You could avoid the money in the bank side of it by doing your extension based upon marriage to a Thai if your income is 40k baht or more.

We also went to our 1 year extension this month, it was a nightmare with 2 many people day workers everywhere, you would think that they would have them go else ware for there business and not clump everyone together, they sent us back to the American Embassey for more docemtation, we returned the some day and spent a total of 5 hours. It's also crazy that they close the office at 12:00 noon Sharp all work stops. The day we were there they were fooling around a lot yelling & kidding each other, and they are so Slow, I for sure won't be going for any more 90 day check ins, I will take everyone's advice and take a week-end away. You would think that you would be treated better since the retire's are all pumping money every month into the Thai Economy. Thanks for the Great Advice.

We also went to our 1 year extension this month, it was a nightmare with 2 many people day workers everywhere, you would think that they would have them go else ware for there business and not clump everyone together, they sent us back to the American Embassey for more docemtation, we returned the some day and spent a total of 5 hours. It's also crazy that they close the office at 12:00 noon Sharp all work stops. The day we were there they were fooling around a lot yelling & kidding each other, and they are so Slow, I for sure won't be going for any more 90 day check ins, I will take everyone's advice and take a week-end away. You would think that you would be treated better since the retire's are all pumping money every month into the Thai Economy. Thanks for the Great Advice.

"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal,... blah,blah,blah.

The poor bloody Burmese are there to get approval to do work that Thais are either unwilling, unable or unavailable to do.

Be thankful you have enough money to "pump" into the Thai economy.

You have my sympathy for the other frustrations you find at your local Immigration office,

Is it possible to do 90 day report at Nonthaburi by post?

NongKhai extension of stay with 3 dependents.

1 hour, 2 new signings (overstay penalty and a Thai witness to accompany us next year)

a complete new team except Khun X the most senior officer, the only problem i had was keeping the noisy kids out of the office.

story?

Allow yoursself to prepare documents and show the officers that you have made an effort to make his/her life easy.

It's appriciated in NongKhai!!

oh be sure you have enough photographs with you......4 in our case!!

Edited April 23, 201511 yr by hgma