Immigration Promenada One Stop Service v2

[northernjohn]

Entry stamp mistakes MUST be corrected at the at the entry point where they were made, I had the same, on a 1 year multi entry visa , got stamped thirty days at a border crossing from Laos, didn't see it until return to CM went to Imm. to get it fixed and was told I needed to return to THAT border crossing to get it fixed... luckily my friend knew someone so I was able to get it ifxed at the CM airport for a bottle of JW So Nancy did the right thing... ! sometimes not often but sometimes, you need to go full farang and stand your ground..... but smile.

Yes when I was just coming over and visiting. I had a triple 60 day visa. The second entry was at Mai Sia They only marked it for 30 days when I came back from Burma. I took it in to the immigration here at the air port and they said I would have to take it back to where the mistake was made.

Still not an excuse to brow beat them. I have done that once or twice but never with an immigration officer. I am not looking for a reason to return to where I came from.

[stephenterry]

Maybe our line of attack is to highlight the inconvenience of retiring here.

They don't care.

Once again you're cherry picking my posts. The above was aimed at potential future retirees not immigration. Please desist from quoting extracts and making misleading comments.

[NancyL]

Entry stamp mistakes MUST be corrected at the at the entry point where they were made, I had the same, on a 1 year multi entry visa , got stamped thirty days at a border crossing from Laos, didn't see it until return to CM went to Imm. to get it fixed and was told I needed to return to THAT border crossing to get it fixed... luckily my friend knew someone so I was able to get it ifxed at the CM airport for a bottle of JW So Nancy did the right thing... ! sometimes not often but sometimes, you need to go full farang and stand your ground..... but smile.

Yes when I was just coming over and visiting. I had a triple 60 day visa. The second entry was at Mai Sia They only marked it for 30 days when I came back from Burma. I took it in to the immigration here at the air port and they said I would have to take it back to where the mistake was made.

Still not an excuse to brow beat them. I have done that once or twice but never with an immigration officer. I am not looking for a reason to return to where I came from.

Yes, it is an excuse to be "firm, yet polite" That woman wanted Hubby to move along, leave her alone. Keep the queue moving. Not admit that she had made a mistake and take the time to fix it.

Remember, NorthernJohn, I said "browbeat" was a poor choice of words on my part. Please don't continue to repeat them. I was polite but firm and made it clear that Hubby and I were not going to move until she fixed the mistake. We didn't raise our voices, gesture, or otherwise draw attention. We just pointed out the error and refused to move along. How many newbies know to do this, however?

You shouldn't have to be told to go back to the border where the mistake was made to fix it, only to have to pay off someone here at CM Imm. to get the mistake of another Imm. office fixed.

[Lizard2010]

Maybe our line of attack is to highlight the inconvenience of retiring here.

They don't care.

Once again you're cherry picking my posts. The above was aimed at potential future retirees not immigration. Please desist from quoting extracts and making misleading comments.

Every one else is

So much for keeping on track as to what is happening at Immigration

Maybe some people have nothing to do but whinge moan and complain about petty things

Being so pedantic does not help the cause

We need start to hear more positive Information

After all this is what this Forum Post is all about

Or has the Rules Changed ?

[Trujillo]

I said: ...there are reasons for all the seemingly bothersome regulations

Connda replied: Really! If your assertion held water, we'd see it nationwide...but we don't. We only see in locally, here in CM.

Everywhere in Thailand foreigners on retirement visas must report every 90 days, must renew every year, must pay for a reentry permit if they wish to leave the country. Apparently, they also must file forms relating to their movements -- TM28 and TM30. These regulations are not only locally applied.

Please pay attention. I didn't say anything about the way the regulations are applied in Chiang Mai, I said "regulations."

Stephenterry said: On the assumption that retirees can support themselves adequately, it is not so far fetched for immigration to provide a paid service for those willing to expedite their visas. What is not acceptable is to restrict others who don't mind waiting all day. Maybe our line of attack is to highlight the inconvenience of retiring here. Whatever I would have little complaint if I knew I could get my renewal visa processed on the day I visited at opening time.

If you meant "highlight the inconvenience of retiring here" to immigration, then my reply is: they don't care.

If you meant "highlight the inconvenience of retiring here" to potential future retirees, then my reply is: they don't care.

Sorry for the confusion.

Are you really saying that a retiree, upon learning that he will have to either come four hours before the immigration office opens to get a ONCE A YEAR extension, or pay 3000 to 5000 baht for an agent to do it will decide moving to Chiang Mai, Thailand is absolutely not worth it?

So out of the 8,760 hours in a year, the retiree must spend FOUR HOURS of that standing in line (but only in Chiang Mai)?

"That's it! It's over! I will never retire in Chiang Mai with that absurd situation! That's four-one hundredths of one percent of my time for the year! Outrageous!"

[Trujillo]

If presenting to immigration incomplete or incorrect documentation by retirees in Chiang Mai is such an issue, why is there not a sticky detailing exactly what is required? There is a sticky for 90-day reporting procedures, so why not for retirement extensions?

I think that would be useful.

[MESmith]

If presenting to immigration incomplete or incorrect documentation by retirees in Chiang Mai is such an issue, why is there not a sticky detailing exactly what is required? There is a sticky for 90-day reporting procedures, so why not for retirement extensions?

I think that would be useful.

I wager most don't read TV

[stephenterry]

I said: ...there are reasons for all the seemingly bothersome regulations

Connda replied: Really! If your assertion held water, we'd see it nationwide...but we don't. We only see in locally, here in CM.

Everywhere in Thailand foreigners on retirement visas must report every 90 days, must renew every year, must pay for a reentry permit if they wish to leave the country. Apparently, they also must file forms relating to their movements -- TM28 and TM30. These regulations are not only locally applied.

Please pay attention. I didn't say anything about the way the regulations are applied in Chiang Mai, I said "regulations."

Stephenterry said: On the assumption that retirees can support themselves adequately, it is not so far fetched for immigration to provide a paid service for those willing to expedite their visas. What is not acceptable is to restrict others who don't mind waiting all day. Maybe our line of attack is to highlight the inconvenience of retiring here. Whatever I would have little complaint if I knew I could get my renewal visa processed on the day I visited at opening time.

If you meant "highlight the inconvenience of retiring here" to immigration, then my reply is: they don't care.

If you meant "highlight the inconvenience of retiring here" to potential future retirees, then my reply is: they don't care.

Sorry for the confusion.

Are you really saying that a retiree, upon learning that he will have to either come four hours before the immigration office opens to get a ONCE A YEAR extension, or pay 3000 to 5000 baht for an agent to do it will decide moving to Chiang Mai, Thailand is absolutely not worth it?

So out of the 8,760 hours in a year, the retiree must spend FOUR HOURS of that standing in line (but only in Chiang Mai)?

"That's it! It's over! I will never retire in Chiang Mai with that absurd situation! That's four-one hundredths of one percent of my time for the year! Outrageous!"

I had a choice where to rent 2years ago. I chose CM and had no problems with getting my visa sorted until they moved to promenada. Now it's a pain without any guarantee that I would be processed on the day I visited. Now I would choose CR if my family hadn't settled here. It might appear small beer in the whole scheme of things but it pisses me off that a satisfactory service cannot be provided the same as other offices without paying 3k to expedite my renewal.

[stephenterry]

The lady at g4t told me to present my renewal paperwork we'll in advance of the expiry date. 45 days in advance because she expected there would be increased demand for g4t services soon. I gathered from that the existing poor service by immigration would not improve.

[NancyL]

The lady at g4t told me to present my renewal paperwork we'll in advance of the expiry date. 45 days in advance because she expected there would be increased demand for g4t services soon. I gathered from that the existing poor service by immigration would not improve.

Wow, does that mean there are limits to how many G4T can process in a day?

[Sparkles]

If presenting to immigration incomplete or incorrect documentation by retirees in Chiang Mai is such an issue, why is there not a sticky detailing exactly what is required? There is a sticky for 90-day reporting procedures, so why not for retirement extensions?

I think that would be useful.

I wager most don't read TV

I would suggest you are right.For those that do thats what the the "search" function top RH of the page is for and for those that dont there is always Mr Google.

[Thailand]

The lady at g4t told me to present my renewal paperwork we'll in advance of the expiry date. 45 days in advance because she expected there would be increased demand for g4t services soon. I gathered from that the existing poor service by immigration would not improve.

Probably means q numbers for retirement being reduced to 5 a day and online booking shelved indefinitely, that should work.

[northernjohn]

Entry stamp mistakes MUST be corrected at the at the entry point where they were made, I had the same, on a 1 year multi entry visa , got stamped thirty days at a border crossing from Laos, didn't see it until return to CM went to Imm. to get it fixed and was told I needed to return to THAT border crossing to get it fixed... luckily my friend knew someone so I was able to get it ifxed at the CM airport for a bottle of JW So Nancy did the right thing... ! sometimes not often but sometimes, you need to go full farang and stand your ground..... but smile.

Yes when I was just coming over and visiting. I had a triple 60 day visa. The second entry was at Mai Sia They only marked it for 30 days when I came back from Burma. I took it in to the immigration here at the air port and they said I would have to take it back to where the mistake was made.

Still not an excuse to brow beat them. I have done that once or twice but never with an immigration officer. I am not looking for a reason to return to where I came from.

Yes, it is an excuse to be "firm, yet polite" That woman wanted Hubby to move along, leave her alone. Keep the queue moving. Not admit that she had made a mistake and take the time to fix it.

Remember, NorthernJohn, I said "browbeat" was a poor choice of words on my part. Please don't continue to repeat them. I was polite but firm and made it clear that Hubby and I were not going to move until she fixed the mistake. We didn't raise our voices, gesture, or otherwise draw attention. We just pointed out the error and refused to move along. How many newbies know to do this, however?

You shouldn't have to be told to go back to the border where the mistake was made to fix it, only to have to pay off someone here at CM Imm. to get the mistake of another Imm. office fixed.

Firm but polite are not even closely related to browbeating.

On a positive note I was by immigration yesterday. G4T is still there in their office now. I was there at 1:30 in the afternoon. There was a big line up just to get the Queue cards. Also a sign saying no more 90 days. I looked at the posters on the window and had to laugh at the one that said 20 to 30 minutes for an extension. With one officer that would be 24 at 20 minutes or 16 at 30 minutes a day yet they give out 30 queue cards.

I went in and there was no officer at the yearly extension desk but there was an applicant. I talked a bit with him he was number 17. On my way out I noticed queue card number 70 on the 90 day desk.

Went abut my business of eating a great Italian diner at Ragu saw a movie. 5:00 went by immigration. They close at 4:30 but there was abut 10 people in there. Went in and had a friendly chat with the fellow who does the yearly extensions. He said he had been able to get his 30 applicants in. Must have got some with correct paper work. On the way out I noticed they were still servicing people at the 90 day desk. The Queue card showed 100 but there was still people waiting to be served.

Remember this was all after 5:00 they shut at 4:30.

Had a long talk with a gentleman who has been here for 20 years. He was unaware of the 3,000 baht charge by G4T all he knew was some one down town charged 7,000 baht. It was nice talking with him and pretty well pointed out the problem. The Foreigners are moving to Chiang Mai because it is a lovely place to live and they are coming very fast. Last year they told Nancy they did 5,250 retirement extensions. This year based on 30 a day they will do 7,500 I figured 50 week work year. That is only one of their many services. It is obvious that immigration has not been able to keep up with the influx.

The staff they have is already working overtime at a job that most of us would loose are cool at with the number of people being disrespectful. There seems to be no plans to improve it at the moment. The officer doing the extensions smiled when I asked if he was going to get any help.

The one suggesting I could make beyond the obvious ones of hire more staff and have the applicants be prepared is a nice big sign in the window with the address to mail in 90 day reports. I would wager many people do not know they can and many that do don't know the address.

[CMNightRider]

The lady at g4t told me to present my renewal paperwork we'll in advance of the expiry date. 45 days in advance because she expected there would be increased demand for g4t services soon. I gathered from that the existing poor service by immigration would not improve.

Wow, does that mean there are limits to how many G4T can process in a day?

Somehow, I don't see GT4 turning anyone away. They'll just call in more immigration officers or lower the number of queues they hand out. Business must be great over there.

[mania]

Just as an aside....I know a lot of folks think the situation at Imm is terrible & this is partly due to Thailand not caring about foreigners needing to do these things

But I would like to add on Tuesday my wife (Thai citizen) needed to renew her govt card at the main Amphur in CM

We arrived at 10:30 & after her sitting in a crowded area for awhile (about an hour) she was told no more que cards for the day & to come back tomorrow & better come early!

The next day she was back early near opening time & was given Que #61 & after 30 minutes waiting a worker told her to come back after 1pm as she would not be seen till then.

She went back @ 1pm & even though she was 1st after lunch Que to be seen it still took awhile & she finally got out at 2pm

So I just wanted to mention this because many times I have seen folks complain about CM Imm & thinking it was partly due to being a foreigner. I think the truth is

there is a very large population in Chiangmai these days of both Thai & foreigners ...Govt offices for many reasons are just very busy.

The last time we renewed her gvt card was in 2010 & it was a breeze. Not like this time at all. So I think it is not just the foreigners at Imm feeling the increased populations

effect on government services. The long Thai faces I observed at the Amphur yesterday were the same as the looks on foreigners faces I have seen at Imm on various busy days

Edited December 17, 2015 by mania

[bt2017]

At Prom this morning at 11.15 am for 90day report was going to do what I've done in the past once at Prom and always at the old IMO I get in the queue just before lunch ends and I've always been finished in 40 mins or so but NOT today big sign on the outside desk saying 90 day report ' FINISHED' a lady already there being told come back tomorrow but the strange thing was there was nobody at the 90day desk the lady with glasses who always does them seemed to be checking through piles of forms and I only counted about six staff in the place - approx. 30 or more people queuing for tourist visa extns. but only 2 manning the checking desk it seems to be getting even more chaotic if you ask me

.I hung around till after lunch as did a lot of people who stayed queuing but more were turning up so back again tomorrow 'early' I guess!!

Last week a friend went to renew his retirement ext. got there at 7.00am they got to No.35 and stopped he was 36 so he went back last Tues at 5.45am and got No.21 he said that day they quit at 30 and there was at least 15-20 turned away so it looks like we'll soon be back to the old 5.00am bulls--t!!!!.

[bt2017]

Sorry for being a trifle slow today of course they're closing the 90 day report for walk ins early so they can process the mail ins for the rest of the day but last time I did my 90 day at Prom they had 2 IMO's working that desk so where's the other one maybe the stress is getting to them it's certainly not an enviable job especially given the very low staff levels?

[Lizard2010]

Sorry for being a trifle slow today of course they're closing the 90 day report for walk ins early so they can process the mail ins for the rest of the day but last time I did my 90 day at Prom they had 2 IMO's working that desk so where's the other one maybe the stress is getting to them it's certainly not an enviable job especially given the very low staff levels?

They had the 2 lady last Friday Morning when i did my First 90 Day Report mine was no 25 arrived 7 45 left 9 45 2 hours

Will be interesting as time goes by

What will happen in Chiang Mai Immigration

[Thailand]

Sorry for being a trifle slow today of course they're closing the 90 day report for walk ins early so they can process the mail ins for the rest of the day but last time I did my 90 day at Prom they had 2 IMO's working that desk so where's the other one maybe the stress is getting to them it's certainly not an enviable job especially given the very low staff levels?

To the best of my knowledge they process 90 day mail in at the old airport offices.

[true blue]

Sorry for being a trifle slow today of course they're closing the 90 day report for walk ins early so they can process the mail ins for the rest of the day but last time I did my 90 day at Prom they had 2 IMO's working that desk so where's the other one maybe the stress is getting to them it's certainly not an enviable job especially given the very low staff levels?

To the best of my knowledge they process 90 day mail in at the old airport offices.

well you certinally post your 90 day reports there,done 2 90 day reports by post now could not be simpler.

[Thailand]

Just as an aside....I know a lot of folks think the situation at Imm is terrible & this is partly due to Thailand not caring about foreigners needing to do these things

But I would like to add on Tuesday my wife (Thai citizen) needed to renew her govt card at the main Amphur in CM

We arrived at 10:30 & after her sitting in a crowded area for awhile (about an hour) she was told no more que cards for the day & to come back tomorrow & better come early!

The next day she was back early near opening time & was given Que #61 & after 30 minutes waiting a worker told her to come back after 1pm as she would not be seen till then.

She went back @ 1pm & even though she was 1st after lunch Que to be seen it still took awhile & she finally got out at 2pm

So I just wanted to mention this because many times I have seen folks complain about CM Imm & thinking it was partly due to being a foreigner. I think the truth is

there is a very large population in Chiangmai these days of both Thai & foreigners ...Govt offices for many reasons are just very busy.

The last time we renewed her gvt card was in 2010 & it was a breeze. Not like this time at all. So I think it is not just the foreigners at Imm feeling the increased populations

effect on government services. The long Thai faces I observed at the Amphur yesterday were the same as the looks on foreigners faces I have seen at Imm on various busy days

No doubt an agency will spring up to fill the gap.

[cyberfarang]

Just as an aside....I know a lot of folks think the situation at Imm is terrible & this is partly due to Thailand not caring about foreigners needing to do these things

But I would like to add on Tuesday my wife (Thai citizen) needed to renew her govt card at the main Amphur in CM

We arrived at 10:30 & after her sitting in a crowded area for awhile (about an hour) she was told no more que cards for the day & to come back tomorrow & better come early!

The next day she was back early near opening time & was given Que #61 & after 30 minutes waiting a worker told her to come back after 1pm as she would not be seen till then.

She went back @ 1pm & even though she was 1st after lunch Que to be seen it still took awhile & she finally got out at 2pm

So I just wanted to mention this because many times I have seen folks complain about CM Imm & thinking it was partly due to being a foreigner. I think the truth is

there is a very large population in Chiangmai these days of both Thai & foreigners ...Govt offices for many reasons are just very busy.

The last time we renewed her gvt card was in 2010 & it was a breeze. Not like this time at all. So I think it is not just the foreigners at Imm feeling the increased populations

effect on government services. The long Thai faces I observed at the Amphur yesterday were the same as the looks on foreigners faces I have seen at Imm on various busy days

The difference is that your Thai wife won`t face a large fine, or imprisonment or being deported once her Thai ID card has expired.

[Trujillo]

There are tons of spaces available for rent in the ghost mall, so why doesn't some enterprising Thai (probably attached to some farang) open a stand-in-line-for-you agency. Charge 2,500 baht. Foot massage girls in the office. Beer and snacks.

If I had a ball and chain, I'd be all over this like a bum on a baloney sandwich.

[northernjohn]

Sorry for being a trifle slow today of course they're closing the 90 day report for walk ins early so they can process the mail ins for the rest of the day but last time I did my 90 day at Prom they had 2 IMO's working that desk so where's the other one maybe the stress is getting to them it's certainly not an enviable job especially given the very low staff levels?

They had the 2 lady last Friday Morning when i did my First 90 Day Report mine was no 25 arrived 7 45 left 9 45 2 hours

Will be interesting as time goes by

What will happen in Chiang Mai Immigration

They are going to have to hire more staff. That is a given.

When is the question.

As I said in my earlier report yesterday December the 16th they were still doing 90 day reports with about 10 waiting inside the office at 5:00 . They are supposed to close at 4:30.

[JimGant]

The last time we renewed her gvt card was in 2010 & it was a breeze. Not like this time at all.

My wife's last Thai ID card was issued in 2009 -- and on that card the "date of expiry" is "Lifelong." I wonder why your wife didn't get the lifelong ID in 2010? Age have something to do with it (my wife was born in 1944)? Anyone? (Sorry for the thread creep -- I guess I was dreaming about a "lifelong" expiration date on my retirement extension. Sigh.)

[mania]

The last time we renewed her gvt card was in 2010 & it was a breeze. Not like this time at all.

My wife's last Thai ID card was issued in 2009 -- and on that card the "date of expiry" is "Lifelong." I wonder why your wife didn't get the lifelong ID in 2010? Age have something to do with it (my wife was born in 1944)? Anyone? (Sorry for the thread creep -- I guess I was dreaming about a "lifelong" expiration date on my retirement extension. Sigh.)

Hi Jim

Yes that is correct at age 65 she no longer needs to renew.

Also with the Thai gov ID as you get older the time between renewals gets longer

In my wife's case her last card renewal she was still under 40 & was only given 5 years between renewal

Now over 40 gets her 9 years between renewals

(agreed sorry for thread creep but being at the Thai govt card offices so reminded me of immigration)

Edited December 18, 2015 by mania

[Sparkles]

Sorry for being a trifle slow today of course they're closing the 90 day report for walk ins early so they can process the mail ins for the rest of the day but last time I did my 90 day at Prom they had 2 IMO's working that desk so where's the other one maybe the stress is getting to them it's certainly not an enviable job especially given the very low staff levels?

To the best of my knowledge they process 90 day mail in at the old airport offices.

They do as that is where they are mailed to.Many times my return slip has been dated on the Saturday so maybe they call in some interns as well to process them.

Online doesnt work for me but mail in is so easy, Cant for the life of me see why people would stand in a queue. 7 mail ins completed never more than a 4 working day return

at a cost of no more than 50 baht.

[totally thaied up]

Had someone today tell me (Guest House next door) it took them 4 hours to do a Tourist extension and that she had met people in the line that have come a few days in a row trying to get a retirement extension but had failed.

She was told it looks like over 7,500 extensions will be done this year and it is a increase (by a marked margin) over years gone past. Chiang Mai is becoming popular and I have seen the difference now over 8 years.

Look, if you have not got it right after a few days trying to get an extension, I would say you need to use a Agent or just get up a lot earlier. One cannot be that daft.

She quoted that she spoke to another guy that told her if you were not in line before 6am, all the cue cards would have been used for the day. She said he will have had been there 10 hours all up by the time he was finished.

I am just too lazy these days and use a Agent. Stops a lot of bother an getting up at 4am does not appeal to me very much these days, when at one stage, I had to do it 4 times a year for just a Tourist extension.

[cyberfarang]

Had someone today tell me (Guest House next door) it took them 4 hours to do a Tourist extension and that she had met people in the line that have come a few days in a row trying to get a retirement extension but had failed.

She was told it looks like over 7,500 extensions will be done this year and it is a increase (by a marked margin) over years gone past. Chiang Mai is becoming popular and I have seen the difference now over 8 years.

Look, if you have not got it right after a few days trying to get an extension, I would say you need to use a Agent or just get up a lot earlier. One cannot be that daft.

She quoted that she spoke to another guy that told her if you were not in line before 6am, all the cue cards would have been used for the day. She said he will have had been there 10 hours all up by the time he was finished.

I am just too lazy these days and use a Agent. Stops a lot of bother an getting up at 4am does not appeal to me very much these days, when at one stage, I had to do it 4 times a year for just a Tourist extension.

If the endurance and sufferance levels are laid on thick enough then the majority of people are going to use agents except for the die hards who refuse to admit defeat and will fight on regardless.

This is the general practice behind all this.

[Konini]

A plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel.