Immigration Promenada One Stop Service v2

[bangmai]

I'd rather buy the police a box of hollow-points, than give the US Consulate 50 USD...at least someone might get what they deserve. I don't think a letter from the Consulate will work for a yellow book, which is why I got the Residency Letter in the first place.

[Amplish]

Thought I add my experience going for my retirement extension on 2 december. I arrived at 5 am, when there were 7 seats occupied, the first 3 by agents (or at least their bags) and the remainder with people representing themselves. Had a nice chat with some of the other people who came early, complaining about the need to get up this early as us foreigners are wont to do. The queue started to fill up seriously around 7 am and by 8:30 when the female immigration stepped out to start checking paperwork and handing out queue cards I counted 33 people in the queue. This would indicate that it should be safe to come around 6:30-7:00 and still get served, except during weeks with a lot of holidays (like next week).

I was expecting to receive queue number 9 when the lady told me that I needed to bring my Thai wife to sign a letter an also bring a recent copy of my marriage certificate. Apparently the first time you change from Non-O visa to a retirement visa that is a requirement. It takes a lot of time to get a new copy of my marriage registration and a bit expensive as it has to come from Europe (I cannot get it on-line), then it needs to be certified to be a true copy by the embassy in Bangkok and get translated into Thai. I was told last year that I would have to submit a new certificate every year to extend my marriage visa and that was the main reason for me to switch over to a retirement visa (that and the fact you can get the retirement extension the same day). It was the first time I heard about this requirement, so either I am a lousy reader of various threads on the subject (very likely) or switching visa is not often done and this isn't frequently mentioned.

Anyway, I was turned away but decided to return home, pick up my wife and copies of last years' marriage certificate. On my return after some discussion with the girls outside and pointing out that I couldn't possibly get a new copy of the marriage certificate before my visa expires in 9 days time they told me to have a talk with the retirement officer inside. After my wife's charm offensive she relented and told us to come back at 15:30 to get processed without a queue number.

While waiting from 14:30 onwards I noticed that 2 staff were processing retirement extensions taking 15-20 minutes for each application, they didn't seem to be over-stretched walking around, going out for a while, basically waiting for when they told the next 2 applicants to be present. I got to talk with the last 2 people in the queue that morning who had received number 30. So that day including me at least 32 people were served, probably more as I counted 33 including me. There even was another guy that just walked in around 15:00 and got processed without a queue card number. It seemed a quiet day, except for the tourist visa extensions that also had an incredible long queue in the morning. If one has all the paperwork in order it shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to process everything, meaning that with 2 staff they could easily do double than 30 a day if necessary, or process everyone by 12:00...

Individual staff are normally very nice and polite, except for the guy that was manning the re-entry desk that day. Management and planning obviously is a mess, not to speak about the silly 90-day reporting or the unavailability of longer extension periods, foreign retirees clearly are not a priority for Thai politics. In the end I got my retirement extension, still a bit surprised by that, though I have to provide them with an updated marriage certificate for which I have mobilized my elderly sister back in Europe. No need for GT4, didn't even notice if their 'office' was open.

I wasn't going to post any more as no one had any relevant information on how many were getting the extensions in a day.

Thank you very much for the information and experience you had. You are the first person in over 700 shares to give an idea of how many people were getting their extensions in a day. We know they will give out a lot of queue numbers but how many they serve has been a mystery. Thank you once again I now have a ball park answer. I know it will change day to day. But I have an idea.

if you are getting a retirement extension of stay why is your wife involved

When your current extension is based on you supporting your wife and/or children and you want to change that to a retirement extension she needs to sign a declaration (saying something along the lines that she is aware of this and agrees that you will officially no longer support her, at least for extension of stay purposes) and you have to submit proof that you are actually still married. I don't fully understand why this is necessary, but my brother had to do the same several years ago and according to my wife they told her last year at immigration that I would have to do that for my first retirement extension. For my next extension in 2016 it will no longer be necessary and I can just submit the bank letter and copies of my bank book. I thought it worth mentioning because it is something I haven't seen mentioned before.

[FredLee]

Thought I add my experience going for my retirement extension on 2 december. I arrived at 5 am, when there were 7 seats occupied, the first 3 by agents (or at least their bags) and the remainder with people representing themselves. Had a nice chat with some of the other people who came early, complaining about the need to get up this early as us foreigners are wont to do. The queue started to fill up seriously around 7 am and by 8:30 when the female immigration stepped out to start checking paperwork and handing out queue cards I counted 33 people in the queue. This would indicate that it should be safe to come around 6:30-7:00 and still get served, except during weeks with a lot of holidays (like next week).

I was expecting to receive queue number 9 when the lady told me that I needed to bring my Thai wife to sign a letter an also bring a recent copy of my marriage certificate. Apparently the first time you change from Non-O visa to a retirement visa that is a requirement. It takes a lot of time to get a new copy of my marriage registration and a bit expensive as it has to come from Europe (I cannot get it on-line), then it needs to be certified to be a true copy by the embassy in Bangkok and get translated into Thai. I was told last year that I would have to submit a new certificate every year to extend my marriage visa and that was the main reason for me to switch over to a retirement visa (that and the fact you can get the retirement extension the same day). It was the first time I heard about this requirement, so either I am a lousy reader of various threads on the subject (very likely) or switching visa is not often done and this isn't frequently mentioned.

Anyway, I was turned away but decided to return home, pick up my wife and copies of last years' marriage certificate. On my return after some discussion with the girls outside and pointing out that I couldn't possibly get a new copy of the marriage certificate before my visa expires in 9 days time they told me to have a talk with the retirement officer inside. After my wife's charm offensive she relented and told us to come back at 15:30 to get processed without a queue number.

While waiting from 14:30 onwards I noticed that 2 staff were processing retirement extensions taking 15-20 minutes for each application, they didn't seem to be over-stretched walking around, going out for a while, basically waiting for when they told the next 2 applicants to be present. I got to talk with the last 2 people in the queue that morning who had received number 30. So that day including me at least 32 people were served, probably more as I counted 33 including me. There even was another guy that just walked in around 15:00 and got processed without a queue card number. It seemed a quiet day, except for the tourist visa extensions that also had an incredible long queue in the morning. If one has all the paperwork in order it shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to process everything, meaning that with 2 staff they could easily do double than 30 a day if necessary, or process everyone by 12:00...

Individual staff are normally very nice and polite, except for the guy that was manning the re-entry desk that day. Management and planning obviously is a mess, not to speak about the silly 90-day reporting or the unavailability of longer extension periods, foreign retirees clearly are not a priority for Thai politics. In the end I got my retirement extension, still a bit surprised by that, though I have to provide them with an updated marriage certificate for which I have mobilized my elderly sister back in Europe. No need for GT4, didn't even notice if their 'office' was open.

I wasn't going to post any more as no one had any relevant information on how many were getting the extensions in a day.

Thank you very much for the information and experience you had. You are the first person in over 700 shares to give an idea of how many people were getting their extensions in a day. We know they will give out a lot of queue numbers but how many they serve has been a mystery. Thank you once again I now have a ball park answer. I know it will change day to day. But I have an idea.

if you are getting a retirement extension of stay why is your wife involved

When your current extension is based on you supporting your wife and/or children and you want to change that to a retirement extension she needs to sign a declaration (saying something along the lines that she is aware of this and agrees that you will officially no longer support her, at least for extension of stay purposes) and you have to submit proof that you are actually still married. I don't fully understand why this is necessary, but my brother had to do the same several years ago and according to my wife they told her last year at immigration that I would have to do that for my first retirement extension. For my next extension in 2016 it will no longer be necessary and I can just submit the bank letter and copies of my bank book. I thought it worth mentioning because it is something I haven't seen mentioned before.

Yep, same thing happened to me when I changed extension type last year. Here is a link to some of the discussion. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/770148-retirement-visa-required-paperwork/

[Trujillo]

When your current extension is based on you supporting your wife and/or children

So you can get a "Supporting the wife and/or children" visa? ...and then get it extended?

Never heard that one before....

[Liquorice]

When your current extension is based on you supporting your wife and/or children

So you can get a "Supporting the wife and/or children" visa? ...and then get it extended?

Never heard that one before....

If you have a Thai wife or Children you get a Non Imm O multi Visa from your home Country to enter Thailand.

You can then get an extension from Immigration based on marriage to a Thai wife, or if the wife is deceased, an extension based on being the dependant of a Thai child, until the child is aged 20.

[Pete Finland]

Is that possible make 90 days report at old office near from airport?

[fang37]

Do the disabled get priority in queuing & service?

[Lizard2010]

In a Nutshell NO

There should be

But this is Thailand

[NancyL]

Do the disabled get priority in queuing & service?

Only if they make it a point to arrive early -- like around 3 am for the retirement extension queue. Here is a photo I took on December 1st of an elderly handicapped man who is receiving the "priority queuing treatment" at CM Imm. Prom.

This will be my last first-hand account of conditions at Immigration Promenada until I am able to return to take care of my own personal immigration business. I've been told I can no longer go to Imm. Prom. to observe and report.

[Thailand]

Do the disabled get priority in queuing & service?

Only if they make it a point to arrive early -- like around 3 am for the retirement extension queue. Here is a photo I took on December 1st of an elderly handicapped man who is receiving the "priority queuing treatment" at CM Imm. Prom.

Imm Prom Crippled Man in Queue.JPG

This will be my last first-hand account of conditions at Immigration Promenada until I am able to return to take care of my own personal immigration business. I've been told I can no longer go to Imm. Prom. to observe and report.

Sorry to hear that, ruffled too many feathers I guess. I hope there will not be any repercussions from your activities, I think this was a concern of many who might have considered joining. Are you able to say who warned you off?

[NancyL]

I'd rather not go into details of how I received the message not to return to Imm. Prom. unless it is to take care of my own personal business, and I don't know yet if there are going to be any repercussions.

This is why it's very important for people who are at Imm. Prom. on "official business" to arrive by 8:30 am to watch the retirement extension queue (even if they come to do a 90 day report) and to see how many people receive queue cards and if many people are turned away after waiting in the queue. Ever since the letter in the Bangkok Post, they've been distributing queue cards to everyone waiting at the time of opening and I'd hate to see that stop.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just checked CH imm website. http://www.chiangmaiimm.com/en/frequently-asked-questions-faq-.html

"

2. Question : What do the house-master/owner or possessor of the residence have to do,if the alien granted temporary stay in Thailand has stayed in his/her house/residence? (Is it possible for an agent to do for?)

Answer : He/She (The owner of the residence) must notify (by the Form TM.30) to the competent official Of the Immigration Office located in the same area of that house/residence within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the alien. However, such notification could be made in person or by an agent or sent with completed Form( TM.30) by registered post."

So my understand is at where i live in the Condo

When i return from Overseas

I have notify them i am back

Then they have to resubmit the TM30 online?

Is this correct?

If it is possible for them not to know that you are back, then you should do so.

I want to know what happens to the address we write on the immigration form on arrival. Do they just file the form and not enter the details in the computer?

[Lizard2010]

Just checked CH imm website. http://www.chiangmaiimm.com/en/frequently-asked-questions-faq-.html

"

2. Question : What do the house-master/owner or possessor of the residence have to do,if the alien granted temporary stay in Thailand has stayed in his/her house/residence? (Is it possible for an agent to do for?)

Answer : He/She (The owner of the residence) must notify (by the Form TM.30) to the competent official Of the Immigration Office located in the same area of that house/residence within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the alien. However, such notification could be made in person or by an agent or sent with completed Form( TM.30) by registered post."

So my understand is at where i live in the Condo

When i return from Overseas

I have notify them i am back

Then they have to resubmit the TM30 online?

Is this correct?

If it is possible for them not to know that you are back, then you should do so.

I want to know what happens to the address we write on the immigration form on arrival. Do they just file the form and not enter the details in the computer?

Mise would have been nearly the same

As i knew where i was staying

As i have stayed here before

So had already booked before i came

I just checked and they did advise Immigration

I beleive everyone who runs a buines has been told to report arrivals

[cmsally]

I'd rather not go into details of how I received the message not to return to Imm. Prom. unless it is to take care of my own personal business, and I don't know yet if there are going to be any repercussions.

This is why it's very important for people who are at Imm. Prom. on "official business" to arrive by 8:30 am to watch the retirement extension queue (even if they come to do a 90 day report) and to see how many people receive queue cards and if many people are turned away after waiting in the queue. Ever since the letter in the Bangkok Post, they've been distributing queue cards to everyone waiting at the time of opening and I'd hate to see that stop.

Maybe that explains why I got some weird looks last week when I took someone there and was hanging around waiting. I have been there twice now and the place gives off a weird vibe, which I never noticed at the old place. There is something really strange about the place but maybe its also the building.

[LivinLOS]

This will be my last first-hand account of conditions at Immigration Promenada until I am able to return to take care of my own personal immigration business. I've been told I can no longer go to Imm. Prom. to observe and report.

Reading between the lines that doesnt sound encouraging.

[daoyai]

They must have something to hide,,,, in plain sight.

[NancyL]

If anyone is going out to Imm. Prom. to take care of business, it would be nice if they could observe the retirement extension queue to report how many people obtain queue tickets and if the entire queue receives tickets. Sure, there will always be a few turned away because they didn't have the right documents, but they shouldn't run out of tickets.

Problem is that people who go for a retirement extension have a tendency to get their own ticket and then leave without seeing what happens to everyone else in the queue. And people who go for a 90 day report don't watch the retirement extension queue, either because they don't arrive by 8:30 am or just don't pay attention.

My concern is that they'll return to their old way of restricting the number of retirement extension queue tickets to 20, going back to having many in the queue left without a ticket, forced to seek help from G4T or return another day. Meanwhile, the head of Imm is telling the Consuls that everything is just fine because no one is watching and reporting.

[Lizard2010]

If anyone is going out to Imm. Prom. to take care of business, it would be nice if they could observe the retirement extension queue to report how many people obtain queue tickets and if the entire queue receives tickets. Sure, there will always be a few turned away because they didn't have the right documents, but they shouldn't run out of tickets.

Problem is that people who go for a retirement extension have a tendency to get their own ticket and then leave without seeing what happens to everyone else in the queue. And people who go for a 90 day report don't watch the retirement extension queue, either because they don't arrive by 8:30 am or just don't pay attention.

My concern is that they'll return to their old way of restricting the number of retirement extension queue tickets to 20, going back to having many in the queue left without a ticket, forced to seek help from G4T or return another day. Meanwhile, the head of Imm is telling the Consuls that everything is just fine because no one is watching and reporting.

Yes this is typical

The Embassy’s should have someone go and check for themselves

The Immigration and Government can not stop people observing

That is a breach of the Human Rights Convention

Unless Thailand is starting to behave differant

I have to be careful what i write Or this post will be deleted

I will leave it up to the [people who read this to fill in the blanks

[northernjohn]

If anyone is going out to Imm. Prom. to take care of business, it would be nice if they could observe the retirement extension queue to report how many people obtain queue tickets and if the entire queue receives tickets. Sure, there will always be a few turned away because they didn't have the right documents, but they shouldn't run out of tickets.

Problem is that people who go for a retirement extension have a tendency to get their own ticket and then leave without seeing what happens to everyone else in the queue. And people who go for a 90 day report don't watch the retirement extension queue, either because they don't arrive by 8:30 am or just don't pay attention.

My concern is that they'll return to their old way of restricting the number of retirement extension queue tickets to 20, going back to having many in the queue left without a ticket, forced to seek help from G4T or return another day. Meanwhile, the head of Imm is telling the Consuls that everything is just fine because no one is watching and reporting.

Interesting that the only thing people are concerned with is the issuing of queue tickets. They dropped the limit on them shortly after there was no longer ten on line appointments. As Nancy has said in an earlier post she talked with a person who did not have a queue number and they had time so they accepted her.

There has been absolutely no zilch nada nothing done towards how many people they see a day. Is it half of what they saw at the Airport when they had two officers doing the paper work?

Did any one follow up on when they had the 20 limit queue numbers how many of them got to see the agent. How many got sent home and told to come back tomorrow. (those people should have been given a queue ticket for tomorrow)

In short all things considered nothing has really changed except they got a loudspeaker And more seating and give out more Queue tickets because there is no more on line appointments. If people don't like the time it is now only 3,000 baht to get an agent to do it for you. If you want some thing more complicated their is Thai Assist and some other company that asked one fellow to come in and discuss it with them for a thousand baht. I mention that because Thai Assist gave hi a price. They know what can and can't be done and how much it cost.

I did my 90 day last week and I noticed there was people in front of me with more than one passport being done. The agents still operate the same as the airport. Except this time instead of one number they gave the women 6 numbers. The one in front of me only had 1 number but she did two 90 days.

On another note that I had mentioned once and might have a bearing on what is happening here. I was told by a fairly reliable source that they change the manager every two years. Read what you will into that.

[NancyL]

If anyone is going out to Imm. Prom. to take care of business, it would be nice if they could observe the retirement extension queue to report how many people obtain queue tickets and if the entire queue receives tickets. Sure, there will always be a few turned away because they didn't have the right documents, but they shouldn't run out of tickets.

Problem is that people who go for a retirement extension have a tendency to get their own ticket and then leave without seeing what happens to everyone else in the queue. And people who go for a 90 day report don't watch the retirement extension queue, either because they don't arrive by 8:30 am or just don't pay attention.

My concern is that they'll return to their old way of restricting the number of retirement extension queue tickets to 20, going back to having many in the queue left without a ticket, forced to seek help from G4T or return another day. Meanwhile, the head of Imm is telling the Consuls that everything is just fine because no one is watching and reporting.

Interesting that the only thing people are concerned with is the issuing of queue tickets. They dropped the limit on them shortly after there was no longer ten on line appointments. (not true, they increased the number beyond 20 only after the letter to the Bangkok Post, weeks after they stopped serving the on-line appointments) As Nancy has said in an earlier post she talked with a person who did not have a queue number and they had time so they accepted her. (this was a lucky fluke. She had to leave her passport and come back the next day to pick it up. They don't seem willing to hold everyone's passport overnight. This has been suggested.)

There has been absolutely no zilch nada nothing done towards how many people they see a day. Is it half of what they saw at the Airport when they had two officers doing the paper work?

Did any one follow up on when they had the 20 limit queue numbers how many of them got to see the agent. How many got sent home and told to come back tomorrow. (those people should have been given a queue ticket for tomorrow) (they never give anyone a queue ticket for the next day. In my observations I saw 17 people turned away one day, 22 another -- back when they were issuing just 20 retirement queue tickets daily. Since the Bangkok Post letter no one was turned away at the 8:30 opening, in my observations.)

In short all things considered nothing has really changed except they got a loudspeaker And more seating and give out more Queue tickets because there is no more on line appointments. If people don't like the time it is now only 3,000 baht to get an agent to do it for you. If you want some thing more complicated their is Thai Assist and some other company that asked one fellow to come in and discuss it with them for a thousand baht. I mention that because Thai Assist gave hi a price. They know what can and can't be done and how much it cost. (G4T charges 3000 baht to jump the queue, and fill in your form and take your photo if you haven't already. The full service visa agents in town have websites, answer phone calls and emails, provide consultations, provide a full range of visa services from marriage, ED, Thai child, conversion from tourist to retirement, business visas, etc. They report their income and file taxes. Plus the visa agents in town have to send someone to wait in the queue to get a queue ticket for each client.. G4T doesn't. If you want to support an outfit with questionable ties to Imm. and turn your passport over to someone who may not be there when you return -- that's up to you.)

I did my 90 day last week and I noticed there was people in front of me with more than one passport being done. The agents still operate the same as the airport. Except this time instead of one number they gave the women 6 numbers. The one in front of me only had 1 number but she did two 90 days. (You can appoint anyone to do a 90-day report for you. Thus an agent can submit more than 90 day report at a time. I often do two 90 day reports at once -- for me and my husband. This isn't the case for retirement extensions. You're mixing apples and oranges, NJ, to compare the agents in the 90 day queue holding multiple passports with agents in the retirement extensions queue.)

On another note that I had mentioned once and might have a bearing on what is happening here. I was told by a fairly reliable source that they change the manager every two years. Read what you will into that.

NorthernJohn. As I've mentioned -- you come to the CEC Breakfast Club gatherings and I've offered to sit down and talk with you, but instead I've tried to address your points one-by-one. What you've written, unfortunately, if full of much misunderstanding.

I know we're not suppose to alter instead the quoted area, but I've done is with boldface and italics

[Konini]

Can I be a nuisance and double check the required size of the photo needed for retirement extensions please?

4x6 cm seems to be a bit of an odd size for a passport photo, Google tells me that Greece is the only country that requires one so big (UK and Aus passport photo's are 4.5 x 3.5, which is a fair difference) and on the other hand 4x6 inches is standard photo size from memory. We've only ever used the 4.5 x 3.5 size at immigration in the past, but as the info is for one of our neighbours I don't want their to be any chance of me giving him the wrong size which would slow down the queue and potentially get him sent away.

Also, he said that for his extension last year he had to make a withdrawal from his bank account just before getting the letter and having his book updated. I can't see anything in the requirements for this and he can't remember who told him he had to, so I'm wondering if he was just misinformed (he also said he had to have copies of every passport page including empty ones which seems a bit strange; yes or no?)

[NancyL]

TM 7 and TM8 forms clearly state 4 cm x 6 cm and the photo shops in town that I've used are very aware of this requirement. Incidentally, the little box on the TM8 form where you're suppose to stick the photo isn't 4 cm x 6 cm. I'v heard that now they're requiring a blue background, too.

If you want to be extra safe, you can have the photo done at the copy shop next to Imm. at 200 baht for 4 photos, it's about twice what you'd pay in town, but oh well, at least it won't be rejected.

Yes, there was a time when they wanted copies of every passport page, including blank ones, but that doesn't seem to be a recent requirement. Be sure to sign and date copies.

As for making a recent withdrawal. They want to see that the bankbook is updated on the date the bank letter is issued. Some banks will only update with a date if there is a transaction. Bangkok Bank will print out the current date and balance anytime you stick a bankbook into an update machine, even if there is no change in the balance. I don't think that's the case with other banks, thus the need for a small transaction to be able to verify the current balance.

[cyberfarang]

I'd rather not go into details of how I received the message not to return to Imm. Prom. unless it is to take care of my own personal business, and I don't know yet if there are going to be any repercussions.

This is why it's very important for people who are at Imm. Prom. on "official business" to arrive by 8:30 am to watch the retirement extension queue (even if they come to do a 90 day report) and to see how many people receive queue cards and if many people are turned away after waiting in the queue. Ever since the letter in the Bangkok Post, they've been distributing queue cards to everyone waiting at the time of opening and I'd hate to see that stop.

If you think a comment made in a newspaper that wasn`t even part of the main news is going to influence immigration, you`re kidding yourself.

It is standard practice that airports and government offices don`t like people taking photos and only to attend if to conduct their own business. One person attending there each day would bound to arouse curiosity and suspicions among the staff especially with all the terrorism threats going on at the moment.

I don`t think there will be repercussions against you, but they may ask what you were doing there every day. I have said what I think should be the right approach to this, otherwise you`re just going to hit a dead end with the door slammed in your face. Not a criticism of you merely being realistic.

[moe666]

Just completed my extension today arrived at 0430 number 8 in line. When the numbers handed out number 8. There was at least 3 line jumpers before my number called one guy was in a wheel chair no problem. One was an agent no client and the 3rd was a fella only 2 behind me, I guess he could not wait to be sent off with crap paper work. He and the wife were told to come back when the paper work was completed. Jump the line and your paper work not correct what a loser. I was called up around 1000 presented all of my paper work including letter from Consulate for income, they used 35baht conversion rate. I also included my lease agreement but nothing was said about this and it went into the stack. Signed what he asked for paid the 1900baht, took my photo and told to come back after 1330 to pichup passport but not later than 1630. I was out of there by 1030 other than getting there at 0430 not ant different than the airport location. If you want a decent number be there by 0500 after that it started filling up but today could have been a one off because of the holiday and there were a lot of peoplewho didn't know they would be closed tomorrow.

[moe666]

TM 7 and TM8 forms clearly state 4 cm x 6 cm and the photo shops in town that I've used are very aware of this requirement. Incidentally, the little box on the TM8 form where you're suppose to stick the photo isn't 4 cm x 6 cm. I'v heard that now they're requiring a blue background, too.

If you want to be extra safe, you can have the photo done at the copy shop next to Imm. at 200 baht for 4 photos, it's about twice what you'd pay in town, but oh well, at least it won't be rejected.

Yes, there was a time when they wanted copies of every passport page, including blank ones, but that doesn't seem to be a recent requirement. Be sure to sign and date copies.

As for making a recent withdrawal. They want to see that the bankbook is updated on the date the bank letter is issued. Some banks will only update with a date if there is a transaction. Bangkok Bank will print out the current date and balance anytime you stick a bankbook into an update machine, even if there is no change in the balance. I don't think that's the case with other banks, thus the need for a small transaction to be able to verify the current balance.

Nancy I have been getting extensions in Chiang Mai for 6years and never been asked for blank pages to be copied

[NancyL]

I'd rather not go into details of how I received the message not to return to Imm. Prom. unless it is to take care of my own personal business, and I don't know yet if there are going to be any repercussions.

This is why it's very important for people who are at Imm. Prom. on "official business" to arrive by 8:30 am to watch the retirement extension queue (even if they come to do a 90 day report) and to see how many people receive queue cards and if many people are turned away after waiting in the queue. Ever since the letter in the Bangkok Post, they've been distributing queue cards to everyone waiting at the time of opening and I'd hate to see that stop.

If you think a comment made in a newspaper that wasn`t even part of the main news is going to influence immigration, you`re kidding yourself.

It is standard practice that airports and government offices don`t like people taking photos and only to attend if to conduct their own business. One person attending there each day would bound to arouse curiosity and suspicions among the staff especially with all the terrorism threats going on at the moment.

I don`t think there will be repercussions against you, but they may ask what you were doing there every day. I have said what I think should be the right approach to this, otherwise you`re just going to hit a dead end with the door slammed in your face. Not a criticism of you merely being realistic.

I wasn't there every day. Once every two or three weeks. Usually assisting someone with a medical problem, doing a 90 day report,etc.

Where did I ever say that I was there every day?

Immigration knew exactly what I was doing and who I was reporting to.

[NancyL]

Just completed my extension today arrived at 0430 number 8 in line. When the numbers handed out number 8. There was at least 3 line jumpers before my number called one guy was in a wheel chair no problem. One was an agent no client and the 3rd was a fella only 2 behind me, I guess he could not wait to be sent off with crap paper work. He and the wife were told to come back when the paper work was completed. Jump the line and your paper work not correct what a loser. I was called up around 1000 presented all of my paper work including letter from Consulate for income, they used 35baht conversion rate. I also included my lease agreement but nothing was said about this and it went into the stack. Signed what he asked for paid the 1900baht, took my photo and told to come back after 1330 to pichup passport but not later than 1630. I was out of there by 1030 other than getting there at 0430 not ant different than the airport location. If you want a decent number be there by 0500 after that it started filling up but today could have been a one off because of the holiday and there were a lot of peoplewho didn't know they would be closed tomorrow.

Thank you Moe666 for the beginning of a good report. I look forward to the conclusion, as in what time your passport is actually returned and if you have time to get a re-entry permit.

Did everyone in the queue for a retirement extension this morning receive a queue card or were there some at the end who were told, "sorry none left, come back tomorrow"?

What you saw about some people not having their paperwork correct is normally. There are always a few turned away for that. What's troubling, though, is when people who come with their paperwork in order are turned away because there aren't enough queue cards. Did that happen today?

Did you happen to see how many queue cards, in total, were distributed?

It's important that people stick around after they receive their queue ticket to observe what happens to the rest of the queue.

[Tywais]

TM 7 and TM8 forms clearly state 4 cm x 6 cm and the photo shops in town that I've used are very aware of this requirement. Incidentally, the little box on the TM8 form where you're suppose to stick the photo isn't 4 cm x 6 cm. I'v heard that now they're requiring a blue background, too.

The last time I made my photos for my extension in September I made them exactly the size of the box, 3.25 x 4.5 cm and always did it that way as it made sense it should fit the supplied box. BTW, different countries have different requirements for their passport photos, the US require 5.1 x 5.1 cm, the UK 4.5 x 3.5cm so saying passport size photos is incorrect. Even Thai passport photos are 4.5x3.5 which matches the box on the TM7. Comparison of the TM7 box size and the specified size in the box below. But several reports that immigration are requiring the exact 4x6cm now.

[cyberfarang]

I'd rather not go into details of how I received the message not to return to Imm. Prom. unless it is to take care of my own personal business, and I don't know yet if there are going to be any repercussions.

This is why it's very important for people who are at Imm. Prom. on "official business" to arrive by 8:30 am to watch the retirement extension queue (even if they come to do a 90 day report) and to see how many people receive queue cards and if many people are turned away after waiting in the queue. Ever since the letter in the Bangkok Post, they've been distributing queue cards to everyone waiting at the time of opening and I'd hate to see that stop.

If you think a comment made in a newspaper that wasn`t even part of the main news is going to influence immigration, you`re kidding yourself.

It is standard practice that airports and government offices don`t like people taking photos and only to attend if to conduct their own business. One person attending there each day would bound to arouse curiosity and suspicions among the staff especially with all the terrorism threats going on at the moment.

I don`t think there will be repercussions against you, but they may ask what you were doing there every day. I have said what I think should be the right approach to this, otherwise you`re just going to hit a dead end with the door slammed in your face. Not a criticism of you merely being realistic.

I wasn't there every day. Once every two or three weeks. Usually assisting someone with a medical problem, doing a 90 day report,etc.

Where did I ever say that I was there every day?

Immigration knew exactly what I was doing and who I was reporting to.

My apologies, must have assumed wrongly and probably not the only one.

[northernjohn]

If anyone is going out to Imm. Prom. to take care of business, it would be nice if they could observe the retirement extension queue to report how many people obtain queue tickets and if the entire queue receives tickets. Sure, there will always be a few turned away because they didn't have the right documents, but they shouldn't run out of tickets.

Problem is that people who go for a retirement extension have a tendency to get their own ticket and then leave without seeing what happens to everyone else in the queue. And people who go for a 90 day report don't watch the retirement extension queue, either because they don't arrive by 8:30 am or just don't pay attention.

My concern is that they'll return to their old way of restricting the number of retirement extension queue tickets to 20, going back to having many in the queue left without a ticket, forced to seek help from G4T or return another day. Meanwhile, the head of Imm is telling the Consuls that everything is just fine because no one is watching and reporting.

Interesting that the only thing people are concerned with is the issuing of queue tickets. They dropped the limit on them shortly after there was no longer ten on line appointments. (not true, they increased the number beyond 20 only after the letter to the Bangkok Post, weeks after they stopped serving the on-line appointments) As Nancy has said in an earlier post she talked with a person who did not have a queue number and they had time so they accepted her. (this was a lucky fluke. She had to leave her passport and come back the next day to pick it up. They don't seem willing to hold everyone's passport overnight. This has been suggested.)

There has been absolutely no zilch nada nothing done towards how many people they see a day. Is it half of what they saw at the Airport when they had two officers doing the paper work?

Did any one follow up on when they had the 20 limit queue numbers how many of them got to see the agent. How many got sent home and told to come back tomorrow. (those people should have been given a queue ticket for tomorrow) (they never give anyone a queue ticket for the next day. In my observations I saw 17 people turned away one day, 22 another -- back when they were issuing just 20 retirement queue tickets daily. Since the Bangkok Post letter no one was turned away at the 8:30 opening, in my observations.)

In short all things considered nothing has really changed except they got a loudspeaker And more seating and give out more Queue tickets because there is no more on line appointments. If people don't like the time it is now only 3,000 baht to get an agent to do it for you. If you want some thing more complicated their is Thai Assist and some other company that asked one fellow to come in and discuss it with them for a thousand baht. I mention that because Thai Assist gave hi a price. They know what can and can't be done and how much it cost. (G4T charges 3000 baht to jump the queue, and fill in your form and take your photo if you haven't already. The full service visa agents in town have websites, answer phone calls and emails, provide consultations, provide a full range of visa services from marriage, ED, Thai child, conversion from tourist to retirement, business visas, etc. They report their income and file taxes. Plus the visa agents in town have to send someone to wait in the queue to get a queue ticket for each client.. G4T doesn't. If you want to support an outfit with questionable ties to Imm. and turn your passport over to someone who may not be there when you return -- that's up to you.)

I did my 90 day last week and I noticed there was people in front of me with more than one passport being done. The agents still operate the same as the airport. Except this time instead of one number they gave the women 6 numbers. The one in front of me only had 1 number but she did two 90 days. (You can appoint anyone to do a 90-day report for you. Thus an agent can submit more than 90 day report at a time. I often do two 90 day reports at once -- for me and my husband. This isn't the case for retirement extensions. You're mixing apples and oranges, NJ, to compare the agents in the 90 day queue holding multiple passports with agents in the retirement extensions queue.)

On another note that I had mentioned once and might have a bearing on what is happening here. I was told by a fairly reliable source that they change the manager every two years. Read what you will into that.

NorthernJohn. As I've mentioned -- you come to the CEC Breakfast Club gatherings and I've offered to sit down and talk with you, but instead I've tried to address your points one-by-one. What you've written, unfortunately, if full of much misunderstanding.

I know we're not suppose to alter instead the quoted area, but I've done is with boldface and italics

Nothing to discuss.

I am rite on every point I have made.Yes an agent can do many 90 day at a time but as I said the one in front of me only had one queue card.

As you have so adamantly pointed out the number of queue cards is very important. You also fail to recognize that it was close to the time the on line appointments were used up that they started to offer more cue cards.

Also I said should be given a card did not say were given.

Also I acknowledged that if you wanted some thing else there was other services available even named one. The other one is a bit dodgy from the experience one person had so I did not name them.

Let us see here 20 queue cards given out 10 on line appointments and 20 one day and 22 another day told to go home. Well they had 30 appointments with the one agent. Before they told them to go home. If they had stayed that would have been 50 one day and 52 another day. With only one officer doing all the work. Were they doing 100 and 104 at the airport with 2 officers doing the work Of course we can not be exact on where the on line appointments went some to the airport some to the Promenada. So deduct 5 from each. No and you know it.

I would like greatly to see the service improve and I have mentioned a few ways to do it. I find no profit in constantly complaining about it. I am in Thailand no longer in the western world. The trick is to drop the Donald Trump approach and try to approach them like a Thai would. If I thought I could I would. But I do not have the connections and being an American I have an Ambassador who has been told to think before he speaks by the Thai government and for good reason. Kind of lets the American out of the solution through him.

Any one know if the British Ambassador would take up the gauntlet?