Retirement extension Bangkok today

[lopburi3]

Arrive 0839 queue number 20 with 14 waiting. Called in about 45 minutes (about half did not answer queue calls) and fill out 3 forms at desk (reason for extension/sponsorship/laws). Pay/have photo taken/submit TM.7, Embassy income letter, copies of passport data page and extensions and arrival card (signed). Sent to Officer for final sign as normal but then taken to another area to wait (not sure if all doing this now or because they at first mis-stamped expiration date and had to redo it) but few minutes later passport returned showing me the correct date and on my way at 0939.

Only thing different than last year is entry to building now requires foreigners to print there name/passport number/time on an arrival ledger at security desk. Take your reading glasses/pen for this and those 3 forms that have to be filled out later. No problem getting taxi in queue to depart.

[dick turpin]

Think they know Khun Lopburi too much

and want to take care him.

[Prince17]

@lopburi3

Could you please just let me know what these forms are about:

"fill out 3 forms at desk"

Thank you

[lopburi3]

Reason for extension - name/nationality/passport and the reason you are requesting extension and signature.

Sponsorship - been is use for years - fill in bio data at top and sign - room for a sponsor and processing officer to fill out other areas and sign.

A new laws/penalty for various things summary that you fill out name/nationality/passport and sign. Believe this replaced/expanded the loss of reason means loss of extension form used last year.

[Prince17]

Reason for extension - name/nationality/passport and the reason you are requesting extension and signature.

Sponsorship - been is use for years - fill in bio data at top and sign - room for a sponsor and processing officer to fill out other areas and sign.

A new laws/penalty for various things summary that you fill out name/nationality/passport and sign. Believe this replaced/expanded the loss of reason means loss of extension form used last year.

Thank you very much.

[razer]

I am fairly sure Immigration tries to illicit bad behavior … but don’t let them win.

Today, June 17, went to Immigration at Chiangwattana … nice and early … to renew my retirement visa.

All my papers were in perfect order. Everything was perfect.

The junior officer went through my papers and gave it to her supervisor.

Then supervisor does a check of my papers. She said I needed to update bank book.

I showed her the update was 16 June and today was 17 June. She said I still need to update bankbook.

Then the junior officer processing my application showed her the date of bank letter and update were the same.

The supervisor asked me if I had an ATM card to get update. I said this account does not have ATM card.

She was not happy.

She scrutinized my papers again and again. Then she said the passport photocopies were no good … they look like I scanned my passport and they want photocopies … and she said I had to make new photo copies (Mind you, she was the same supervisor who accepted the same scanned passport photocopies last year.)

I was quiet, and polite and I got the same passport pages photocopied again … just for her.

Extension granted.

The MORAL of the story …. EXPECTATION … Expect the worst … Expect being hassled … and you won’t lose your temper. If it doesn’t happen and everything goes smoothly and efficiently … well then … when you get outside give a jump and click your heels and buy a round for your mates.

Why does my brain always feel like I just finished a Kafka novel when I leave Immigration?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

FWIW, I also had one of the supervisors at CW hassle me last year about wanting my passport pages to be actual photocopies instead of scanned and printed files from home, even though the quality of mine were indistinguishable from photocopies. I presume she knew mine were printed scans because when I printed them, I had enlarged them somewhat to make them easier to read. But no, she said the prints/photocopies had to be 100% size only.

I also had separated out some of the pages and stamps, thinking it would be easier for them to read. But no, the supervisor wanted the passport pages photocopied with two facing passport pages per each photocopy, and the passport pages arranged in numbered order, i.e., 7-8 on one photocopy, 9-10 on another photocopy, etc etc.

I'd been giving them scanned prints for years, and never had any problem until last year. But from now on, I guess, I'll do them the other way...until a new supervisor and unwritten/undocumented rule comes along.

PS - Lopburi, did you happen to notice today if the red BMTA shuttle bus connecting the main road with the Immigration building was still running? Someone posted here recently saying they thought the service might have been discontinued, but I've never seen any further info on that.

PPS - Thanks for the trip report!

[sghanchey]

I am fairly sure Immigration tries to illicit bad behavior … but don’t let them win.

Today, June 17, went to Immigration at Chiangwattana … nice and early … to renew my retirement visa.

All my papers were in perfect order. Everything was perfect.

The junior officer went through my papers and gave it to her supervisor.

Then supervisor does a check of my papers. She said I needed to update bank book.

I showed her the update was 16 June and today was 17 June. She said I still need to update bankbook.

Then the junior officer processing my application showed her the date of bank letter and update were the same.

The supervisor asked me if I had an ATM card to get update. I said this account does not have ATM card.

She was not happy.

She scrutinized my papers again and again. Then she said the passport photocopies were no good … they look like I scanned my passport and they want photocopies … and she said I had to make new photo copies (Mind you, she was the same supervisor who accepted the same scanned passport photocopies last year.)

I was quiet, and polite and I got the same passport pages photocopied again … just for her.

Extension granted.

The MORAL of the story …. EXPECTATION … Expect the worst … Expect being hassled … and you won’t lose your temper. If it doesn’t happen and everything goes smoothly and efficiently … well then … when you get outside give a jump and click your heels and buy a round for your mates.

Why does my brain always feel like I just finished a Kafka novel when I leave Immigration?

I have one question. If one is asked to leave the desk and go do something (like make better photocopies for ex.), do you return to the same desk directly when the 'task' is completed? Surely you don't have to get another number and wait in the queue. Thank you.

[sghanchey]

Reason for extension - name/nationality/passport and the reason you are requesting extension and signature.

Sponsorship - been is use for years - fill in bio data at top and sign - room for a sponsor and processing officer to fill out other areas and sign.

A new laws/penalty for various things summary that you fill out name/nationality/passport and sign. Believe this replaced/expanded the loss of reason means loss of extension form used last year.

Where does one get the "sponsorship" form?

[ubonjoe]

They give you the form when you check in at immigration. For retirement you sponsor yourself.

A far as I know CW is the only office that has you do that form.

[razer]

I am fairly sure Immigration tries to illicit bad behavior … but don’t let them win.

Today, June 17, went to Immigration at Chiangwattana … nice and early … to renew my retirement visa.

All my papers were in perfect order. Everything was perfect.

The junior officer went through my papers and gave it to her supervisor.

Then supervisor does a check of my papers. She said I needed to update bank book.

I showed her the update was 16 June and today was 17 June. She said I still need to update bankbook.

Then the junior officer processing my application showed her the date of bank letter and update were the same.

The supervisor asked me if I had an ATM card to get update. I said this account does not have ATM card.

She was not happy.

She scrutinized my papers again and again. Then she said the passport photocopies were no good … they look like I scanned my passport and they want photocopies … and she said I had to make new photo copies (Mind you, she was the same supervisor who accepted the same scanned passport photocopies last year.)

I was quiet, and polite and I got the same passport pages photocopied again … just for her.

Extension granted.

The MORAL of the story …. EXPECTATION … Expect the worst … Expect being hassled … and you won’t lose your temper. If it doesn’t happen and everything goes smoothly and efficiently … well then … when you get outside give a jump and click your heels and buy a round for your mates.

Why does my brain always feel like I just finished a Kafka novel when I leave Immigration?

I have one question. If one is asked to leave the desk and go do something (like make better photocopies for ex.), do you return to the same desk directly when the 'task' is completed? Surely you don't have to get another number and wait in the queue. Thank you.

Just bring the papers back to the Immigration officer directly. You won't have to get another queue number.

[lopburi3]

PS - Lopburi, did you happen to notice today if the red BMTA shuttle bus connecting the main road with the Immigration building was still running? Someone posted here recently saying they thought the service might have been discontinued, but I've never seen any further info on that.

Sorry have never taken so not sure what it looks like but taxi did pass a bus just after turning onto Soi 7 but do not believe it was red.

[crazykopite]

Retirement at Koh Samui yesterday 09.30 go to bank for confirmation letter of amount in savings account book 10 am drive 18 Kms to immigration .11 am go in to see the birdman I am very polite he shouts saying what I thought was I am angry when I asked him why he was angry he told me I am Hungry ( is he looking for me to buy him lunch , ) points to me and wife for us to sit in on the chairs, we fiddle our thumbs for god knows how long until he tells us to come back after lunch. 1 o'clock we are back in his room young lady checks all my docs , embassy letter confirming income, letter from bank with photocopies of bank book, copy of marriage certificate, copy of house book + land papers + Google Earth map showing our property clearly marked and completed TM forms , copies of both passports along with originals and last but not least 4,000 baht for both extensions. We are then given a number each and told that they will be ready in 30 minutes so we decide to sit it out . One hour and fifty minutes later we are called in and we are given our passports all stamped up never any change of course so they make 200 baht tea money . The only thing that was pleasing was that it was very quiet had it been busy I could imagine being still there waiting . In 7 years we have never been in and out within an hour when doing our yearly extension even 90 day reporting can take a couple of hours !! So you guys who manage to be in and out in an hour are very very lucky !

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

PS - Lopburi, did you happen to notice today if the red BMTA shuttle bus connecting the main road with the Immigration building was still running? Someone posted here recently saying they thought the service might have been discontinued, but I've never seen any further info on that.

Sorry have never taken so not sure what it looks like but taxi did pass a bus just after turning onto Soi 7 but do not believe it was red.

Thanks...

There are a couple regular BMTA routes that also stop at the Immigration Building at CW -- apart from the local shuttle there.

The arriving BMTA buses can be any variety of colors. But the local shuttle bus that just runs around the Government Complex there, including from the main road back to the Immigration building, usually is an old red BMTA bus.

[Cuchulainn]

FWIW, I also had one of the supervisors at CW hassle me last year about wanting my passport pages to be actual photocopies instead of scanned and printed files from home, even though the quality of mine were indistinguishable from photocopies. I presume she knew mine were printed scans because when I printed them, I had enlarged them somewhat to make them easier to read. But no, she said the prints/photocopies had to be 100% size only.

I also had separated out some of the pages and stamps, thinking it would be easier for them to read. But no, the supervisor wanted the passport pages photocopied with two facing passport pages per each photocopy, and the passport pages arranged in numbered order, i.e., 7-8 on one photocopy, 9-10 on another photocopy, etc etc.

I'd been giving them scanned prints for years, and never had any problem until last year. But from now on, I guess, I'll do them the other way...until a new supervisor and unwritten/undocumented rule comes along.

PS - Lopburi, did you happen to notice today if the red BMTA shuttle bus connecting the main road with the Immigration building was still running? Someone posted here recently saying they thought the service might have been discontinued, but I've never seen any further info on that.

PPS - Thanks for the trip report!

Yes. I got both the Govt shuttle bus from CW Rd to Immigration at 8am, and when I came out, a free red 166 bus (to Victory Monument) left me off at the soi mouth (CW Rd).

Happy days!!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thanks for the confirm that the free govt complex shuttle at CW is still running... Good news to hear.

[akentryan]

There is hope at least for the 90-day notice.. At Pattaya Immigration yesterday I was number 2 and in and out in about 5 minutes. Officer took the TM-47 and the previous Receipt of Notification Form out of my passport, scanned the barcode, looked at my passport, stapled a new Receipt of Notification form and I was out of there. I asked if the oin-line filing system was working in Pattaya and she said it was.