I have lived in Chiang Mai for 8 years now.

I am sick and tired of the Immigration office here and the stress that goes along with it in renewing my retirement Visa and also doing my 90days.

In the past I have considered moving to Chiang Rai.

Now that C Rai has their own Immigration office,

Is the Immigration process there better, more effeciant and faster?

Yes, yes and yes.

ditto to what Villagefarang said

ditto, ditto, and ditto

I was there Friday, excellent service, in and out in 20 minutes to get my visa confirmed.

I have often read the stories from the Chiang Mai forum about their Immigration offices. I am so glad that I live over the mountain range near Phayao. The biggest wait at the Chiang Rai Immigration office is finding a car park.

Edit

The staff their are very efficient and friendly

Last week i was in and out for my new retirement visa in only 30 minutes!

Always excelent service at chiang rai immigration office!

Robinsons

Chiang Rai Immigration has always been one of the (lesser known outside this Province) advantages to living here. My retirement extension took about 30 minutes, most of which was chatting with the agent. A 90 days usually takes 3 minutes.

And no requirement for advance bookings, reservations, lineups.

Makes reading about the joys of Chiang Mai I(mmigration so much more fun.

I never had any problems at MaeSai either, they were always polite, friendly and helpful.

Where exactly is the Chiang Rai Immigration Office? Google Maps shows an office as 26 km outside of town. Is that correct?

You can find more information about CR Immigration in this older thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/699802-immigration-office-in-cr-open/

The office is near where the annual flower show is held on the river. It is on the ring-road at the intersection which leads to the airport in one direction or the bridge in the other.

And Jesus wept. A Chiang Mai resident. Please no more of this good news on immigration around the country I cannot stand it anymore. We seem to live on a lifeboat here with a hole in the bottom in the middle of the ocean. Up a creek without a paddle.

2.5 years in CM and every time I go to CR I ask myself why do I live in CM... and now with the complete cluster <deleted> at CM immigration I'm really banging my head.
CR really is a nicer place in my opinion.

Though we are blessed with an immigration office which is convenient and staffed by wonderful people, it doesn’t stop the odd individual putting on a display of bad behavior and trying their best to spoil the mood of the place.

CR is the new CM, except we are full and aren't accepting any new people. Sorry.

CR is the new CM, except we are full and aren't accepting any new people. Sorry.

Maybe that is the reason for the tightened security.

Where exactly is the Chiang Rai Immigration Office? Google Maps shows an office as 26 km outside of town. Is that correct?

Nowhere near 26 km out.

It is a little closer to town than the airport, out by the Ministry of Transport and the Labour office.

Tessa ban 7 school is nearby by as well as the science centre for kids.

When you cross the river bridge heading north on the MaeSai Road/Superhighway take the right turn at the second traffic lights.

Continue on until you come to the major intersection and it's the big new complex on your right.

Note that any major road right turn taken almost from the southern entrance to the city will lead you to the 5023 road to the airport.

When you cross the river bridge heading north on the MaeSai Road/Superhighway take the right turn at the second traffic lights.

Continue on until you come to the major intersection and it's the big new complex on your right.

Thanks all for the great info. Is the office location that red X at then end of the yellow route?

Sure.

X marks the spot.

Yes.

I suppose it should be noted that the front entrance has been blocked due to construction for some time now and it is still necessary to use the side entrance to the complex.

If I live in Seka, am I eligible to go to Chiang Rai for yearly extensions?

I suppose it should be noted that the front entrance has been blocked due to construction for some time now and it is still necessary to use the side entrance to the complex.

Yes, that means the entry off the approach road from the Super Highway, the main entrance (which is currently blocked) is on the road that runs past the airport.

I have often read the stories from the Chiang Mai forum about their Immigration offices. I am so glad that I live over the mountain range near Phayao. The biggest wait at the Chiang Rai Immigration office is finding a car park.

Edit

The staff their are very efficient and friendly

So basicly totally opposite to Chiang Mai Immigration that are all bad one can think of and only getting worse by the day ... Imaging some fools in CM actually support them but I guess these Yes-men are everywhere ...

Wife and I expect to move to C. Rai within coming 6 months since CM Imm. will implode in bad service and corruption ... So CM Imm., Thanks for the experience of living in the Golden Age of Idiocy ...

i'm coming to CR from Phuket so i can sympathetic with the CM farangs here about awful immigration experiences.

i need to get my retirement extension, and my 800k is in a fixed account in Phuket. do you think that would be a problem in CR? i'll go get a letter from my bank before i leave here, but the letter will be a couple of weeks old before i apply for the extension, is that likely to be a problem?

also, what else do you need for retirement extension?, here there's all kinds of proof of address and misc BS

thx

Retirement extensions are issued on Mondays and Wednesdays in Chiang Rai. This was the case when I did mine in May. On these days an officer from the main office in Mae Sai is presesent in the Chiang Rai office.

I have tears in my eyes. Chiang Rai is 100km from where I live, CNX is 150km.

Yet, I have the privilege of suffering CNX I/O as I live in CNX Province.

Why, why, why?

Visa rules are national, not local, so you should need all the same stuff. If you need to do your extension two weeks after arriving it might be better to get it done before you move. A two week old bank letter could be a problem as well as getting everything else in order in time. Once you get setup here it will be easy in that there is not a long wait but you still have to do the paperwork.