Immigration Promenada One Stop Service 2016-2017

[cusanus]

13 hours ago, heybruce said:

I may try that next time.  I wanted to make sure my first 90 day check would be done correctly, and I have more faith in a visa service than the Immigration office, which gets mixed reviews from those that deal with it.

 

For many years I did the 90 day in person. I enjoyed the routine and chance to see familiar faces at Immigration. In 12 years have never had any problem with immigration, they've always been very helpful and polite.

[davehowden]

No posts since 30 April, amazed.

 

Is everything suddenly great at Prom?

[worgeordie]

1 hour ago, davehowden said:

No posts since 30 April, amazed.

 

Is everything suddenly great at Prom?

Unbelievably, yes,at least for retirement extensions ,as they now have an officer,

that can sign off on your passport ,no need to come back later in the day to collect

your passport,which is a great improvement.now they need to bring back the online

booking appointment.

regards worgeordie

[sicsmoo]

Went there yesterday for a 30 day extension only to find it closed, and would also be closed on Friday. Arrived before 7 today expecting it to be very busy. I was first in the Tourist line but there were quite a few people in the other lines. Processed at 8:30, out with extension at 9:20, which included a computer glitch they had to fix. Not bad at all.  

[Lizard2010]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

Unbelievably, yes,at least for retirement extensions ,as they now have an officer,

that can sign off on your passport ,no need to come back later in the day to collect

your passport,which is a great improvement.now they need to bring back the online

booking appointment.

regards worgeordie

Its amazing after the Bangkok Immigration found out first hand how bad things were

 

I believe they now have a new Boss

 

So hopefully they will improve more in time

 

All they have to do now is to get the Certificate of residence Sorted out

They should do it on the Spot

 

How can anyone buy anything that needs a COR

 

[NancyL]

It should be pointed out that the need to pay extra for expedited service for a COR isn't unique to CM province.  It's common all over Thailand.  I suspect this is a practice where Bangkok HQ turns a blind eye to let the offices have a local source to fund their holiday parties, etc.  

 

What was out-of-line, and still is in some areas, like visa conversions, is the practice of making life so difficult for "retail customers" that they just throw in the towel and use a visa agent.  That's not common practice throughout Thailand.

[hml367]

Tuesday made a 5 minute drive from my house to the visa agency.  Maybe 5 or 10 minutes checking the paperwork and taking a picture.  I was given an appointment time of Thursday at 3 p.m. (Immigration was closed Wednesday, I was told)

 

At Promenada on Thursday I saw a person from the agency and introduced myself.  I was led into the upstairs office to wait for the desk to be free, which happened in only a few minutes.  The lady took my picture and said, "That's it."  The agent told me they had a lot of people that day and she would call me in about an hour.

 

I sauntered into the ground floor Immigration office in about 30 minutes and a very polite Immigration Office asked me what I needed.  I explained and she told me to have a seat.  I was asked several times by different Immigration employees if I needed help.

 

I saw the agent and went to see her... I was told to have a seat near the Re-entry permit desk.  As soon as the desk was free, about 10 minutes or less, I went to the desk, sat at the desk and waited for the person there before me to finish, had another picture, the Immigration officer did the paperwork (back and forth from the officer to the person inputting in the computer) for less than 5 minutes.  I was handed my passport and receipt and I was out of there.

 

Total time including waiting to be called to the Re-Entry desk, and also including the 10 minute 2 way drive to the agency, approximately one ahd a half hours.

 

[Lizard2010]

3 hours ago, hml367 said:

Tuesday made a 5 minute drive from my house to the visa agency.  Maybe 5 or 10 minutes checking the paperwork and taking a picture.  I was given an appointment time of Thursday at 3 p.m. (Immigration was closed Wednesday, I was told)

 

At Promenada on Thursday I saw a person from the agency and introduced myself.  I was led into the upstairs office to wait for the desk to be free, which happened in only a few minutes.  The lady took my picture and said, "That's it."  The agent told me they had a lot of people that day and she would call me in about an hour.

 

I sauntered into the ground floor Immigration office in about 30 minutes and a very polite Immigration Office asked me what I needed.  I explained and she told me to have a seat.  I was asked several times by different Immigration employees if I needed help.

 

I saw the agent and went to see her... I was told to have a seat near the Re-entry permit desk.  As soon as the desk was free, about 10 minutes or less, I went to the desk, sat at the desk and waited for the person there before me to finish, had another picture, the Immigration officer did the paperwork (back and forth from the officer to the person inputting in the computer) for less than 5 minutes.  I was handed my passport and receipt and I was out of there.

 

Total time including waiting to be called to the Re-Entry desk, and also including the 10 minute 2 way drive to the agency, approximately one ahd a half hours.

 

So you paid a agent to get your re entry permit

When you could have done it yourself for the Immigration cost

Is that correct

Not sure why you went upstairs

I did my own re entry permit myself in April

With very little time taken

 

[hml367]

25 minutes ago, Lizard2010 said:

-So you paid a agent to get your re entry permit

When you could have done it yourself for the Immigration cost

Is that correct

Not sure why you went upstairs

I did my own re entry permit myself in April

With very little time taken

 

Yes.  I also paid them to do my extension of permission to stay at the same time, which is why I was upstairs.

 

I have probably done more re-entry applications myself than you have, along with everything else required at Immigration.  I choose not to do them myself now.  I don't see why that would need a condescending reply from anyone.

 

The reason I had to wait longer is because the extension has to be completed before the re-enty can be done.  I am sure you know that.

 

 

[Lizard2010]

25 minutes ago, hml367 said:

Yes.  I also paid them to do my extension of permission to stay at the same time, which is why I was upstairs.

 

I have probably done more re-entry applications myself than you have, along with everything else required at Immigration.  I choose not to do them myself now.  I don't see why that would need a condescending reply from anyone.

 

The reason I had to wait longer is because the extension has to be completed before the re-enty can be done.  I am sure you know that.

 

 

I have been around long enough to know what goes on

First time i have heard of anyone going up stairs  for

What i think yo called a extension of permission to stay

You mean a Visa Extension

It was always done downstairs

Maybe its a Agent thing

I dont use a agent  for my own reason

[hml367]

6 minutes ago, Lizard2010 said:

I have been around long enough to know what goes on

First time i have heard of anyone going up stairs  for

What i think yo called a extension of permission to stay

You mean a Visa Extension

It was always done downstairs

Maybe its a Agent thing

I dont use a agent  for my own reason

Lizard,

I don't think you have your terminology correct, and I definitely went "upstairs", where the process for extending my permission to stay was started.

 

[rawhod]

 

 

I, for one, have had enough of the childish bickering that goes on between some people in this forum.

[hml367]

Lizard,

Just to the right of the center of this picture, and all the way to the end, the last office on the left is where I went.  They were doing other things besides what I did, but I did not pay attention to what they are.

 

There were people waiting at this office as well as on the ground floor.

 

You can see that office is right around the corner from G4T.

 

It could be that this office is for agents, I don't know.  As I said before, I finished on the ground floor and the only desk I went to was the re-entry desk.

 

Last year I did everything on the ground floor and was still using an agent.

 

Since you give advice from time to time, maybe this information will help.

[scottiejohn]

On ‎11‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 2:28 PM, NancyL said:

What was out-of-line, and still is in some areas, like visa conversions, is the practice of making life so difficult for "retail customers" that they just throw in the towel and use a visa agent

I have posted on this and/or other threads on your unjustified comments regarding why some of us choose to use agents.

 

Please stop castigating us and treating us as imbeciles who are unable to do the work ourselves. I have not thrown in the towel or find it too difficult to deal with the Immigration Office (IO) at either Prom or the previous airport site. It is not necessarily connected to the efficiency, or lack of it, at the IO, it is my choice.

 

 I have used agents, in one form or the other, for nearly 20 years. It is my choice and I will continue to do so as long as I stay in an area of CM that is closer to my agent than it is to the IO.

 

It is the same way as it is my choice to employ a local Thai person to carry out menial chores at home. I could all do it myself but choose not to do so.

 

Please get off your high horse re agents and let these IO/Prom threads run on without your attacks on the use of agents etc and let us posters carry on our discussions without your unwarranted and unsubstantiated interference re agents.

[Lizard2010]

2 hours ago, hml367 said:

 

 

 

1 hour ago, hml367 said:

Lizard,

Just to the right of the center of this picture, and all the way to the end, the last office on the left is where I went.  They were doing other things besides what I did, but I did not pay attention to what they are.

 

There were people waiting at this office as well as on the ground floor.

 

You can see that office is right around the corner from G4T.

 

It could be that this office is for agents, I don't know.  As I said before, I finished on the ground floor and the only desk I went to was the re-entry desk.

 

Last year I did everything on the ground floor and was still using an agent.

 

Since you give advice from time to time, maybe this information will help.

I was at the upstairs Office in April

So i know where the offices are

I did my TM30 their

 

[Lizard2010]

Scottie john

We are all entitled to our opinion

As someone said if you do not like it

Dont read it

You are just putting fuel on the fire

As most people dont give a hoot anymore

As this thread has dropped quality information considerably over the last 6 months

Just my 2 pennies worth

[scottiejohn]

3 hours ago, Lizard2010 said:

Scottie john

We are all entitled to our opinion

As someone said if you do not like it

Dont read it

You are just putting fuel on the fire

As most people dont give a hoot anymore

As this thread has dropped quality information considerably over the last 6 months

Just my 2 pennies worth

We are all, of course, entitled to 'our' opinion!

And as you said if you do not like it, do not read it (or post about it).

If you don't give a hoot, why respond.

I assume you think your 'comments' have improved the 'quality information' to this thread.

 

I suggest if you do not like the thread or comments then don't add fuel to the fire by making asinine posts and lets get back on subject.

 

 

[cusanus]

21 hours ago, hml367 said:

Yes.  I also paid them to do my extension of permission to stay at the same time, which is why I was upstairs.

 

I have probably done more re-entry applications myself than you have, along with everything else required at Immigration.  I choose not to do them myself now.  I don't see why that would need a condescending reply from anyone.

 

The reason I had to wait longer is because the extension has to be completed before the re-enty can be done.  I am sure you know that.

 

 

Well, I don't know. I got my 2nd re-entry permit Thursday as well, by myself, both times took about 20 minutes more or less. I assume your departure date is later than your 90 day report deadline or it wouldn't be necessary to do the TM7. I've done several 90 day reports and they were always done downstairs, but the last four or five times have been by mail,so you could be right now, but mail is a rock solid reliable method taking a few minutes to fill out the application at home, make a passport copy, and about twenty more getting the SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) at the post office and mailing the three docs in by EMS. Actually, I have a cheap printer and having updated the passport whenever it changes on the computer hard drive, I just print the passport in about five minutes from a PDF file, the last page being the TM7 already filled in from a scanned image several years ago. Now, I realize not everyone is situated so conveniently and/or been here long enough to figure this all out, but the agent method is very inefficient and needless if you know what you're doing. No reason for any of these procedures to take more than a half hour. I do confess, however, that I like to arrive and wait longer than I have to, then enjoy walking around Promenada. So, hopefully I'm not being taken as sarcastic, everybody has their own need and difficulties, but it took my some years to perfect this procedure and  I recommend doing it that way. 

[hml367]

3 hours ago, cusanus said:

Well, I don't know. I got my 2nd re-entry permit Thursday as well, by myself, both times took about 20 minutes more or less. I assume your departure date is later than your 90 day report deadline or it wouldn't be necessary to do the TM7. I've done several 90 day reports and they were always done downstairs, but the last four or five times have been by mail,so you could be right now, but mail is a rock solid reliable method taking a few minutes to fill out the application at home, make a passport copy, and about twenty more getting the SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) at the post office and mailing the three docs in by EMS. Actually, I have a cheap printer and having updated the passport whenever it changes on the computer hard drive, I just print the passport in about five minutes from a PDF file, the last page being the TM7 already filled in from a scanned image several years ago. Now, I realize not everyone is situated so conveniently and/or been here long enough to figure this all out, but the agent method is very inefficient and needless if you know what you're doing. No reason for any of these procedures to take more than a half hour. I do confess, however, that I like to arrive and wait longer than I have to, then enjoy walking around Promenada. So, hopefully I'm not being taken as sarcastic, everybody has their own need and difficulties, but it took my some years to perfect this procedure and  I recommend doing it that way. 

cusanus,

 

my post that you quoted and all of my other posts related to that one have nothing to do with 90 day reports.

 

I never mentioned any departure date either.  When I do my annual extensions of permission to stay, I also do a reentry permit rather than waiting until I may want to depart.

 

Just as I have told others, I use an agent because I choose to, not because I don't know what I am doing. Too many people make that false assumption about people that use agents.

 

 

[NancyL]

On 5/12/2017 at 3:02 PM, hml367 said:

Lizard,

Just to the right of the center of this picture, and all the way to the end, the last office on the left is where I went.  They were doing other things besides what I did, but I did not pay attention to what they are.

 

There were people waiting at this office as well as on the ground floor.

 

You can see that office is right around the corner from G4T.

 

It could be that this office is for agents, I don't know.  As I said before, I finished on the ground floor and the only desk I went to was the re-entry desk.

 

Last year I did everything on the ground floor and was still using an agent.

 

Since you give advice from time to time, maybe this information will help.

hml367, thank you for this very complete report, with photo illustrations, although you should be careful not to be seen loitering about Imm. offices in public spaces taking photos of the exterior of Imm of offices.  Others have gotten into serious trouble for doing this.  They don't like customers taking an interest in their operations.

 

Lizard2010, it appears from this report and a few others I've heard that Immigration has moved ALL the agents out of the early morning queue and now permits them to make advance appointments for the annual extension of stay for their clients.  Oh, and "annual extension of permission to stay" is the correct term, not "visa extension".  Your visa is has been dead a long time.  What you're doing each year is asking to stay another year, i.e. extending the permission to stay that you first received when you entered under the now-dead visa.

 

 

 

 

[NancyL]

On 5/12/2017 at 3:53 PM, scottiejohn said:

I have posted on this and/or other threads on your unjustified comments regarding why some of us choose to use agents.

 

Please stop castigating us and treating us as imbeciles who are unable to do the work ourselves. I have not thrown in the towel or find it too difficult to deal with the Immigration Office (IO) at either Prom or the previous airport site. It is not necessarily connected to the efficiency, or lack of it, at the IO, it is my choice.

 

 I have used agents, in one form or the other, for nearly 20 years. It is my choice and I will continue to do so as long as I stay in an area of CM that is closer to my agent than it is to the IO.

 

It is the same way as it is my choice to employ a local Thai person to carry out menial chores at home. I could all do it myself but choose not to do so.

 

Please get off your high horse re agents and let these IO/Prom threads run on without your attacks on the use of agents etc and let us posters carry on our discussions without your unwarranted and unsubstantiated interference re agents.

No, scottiejohn, evenstevens, sappersrest, chuang, rawhod and all the others with poor reading comprehension skills, where in my post did I find fault with anyone using an agent?  I was decrying the fact that CM Imm. deliberately put practices in place that make access difficult, esp. for newcomers, to drive people to using agents.  There's a difference.

 

If the office was run efficiently, do you think there would be as much demand for the services of visa agents?  Sure, some people would still want to have the choice, but seriously, do you think anyone would pay 500 baht G4T for for a Cert. of Res. if it was as easy to get as a re-entry permit, for example?

 

Ask yourself -- why is there still not an on-line appointment system for one-year extensions?  Hmm?  They could easily bring back the old, crummy system now that all extensions are done under the same roof, just like before.

[sappersrest]

Its  just that I get fed up with you bleating on about Chiang Mai immigration it works well for the vast majority of expats here . they do a good job ,If you think the system is broke just live with it, the majority of expats living here do.

 

 

[aaronshih2001]

 
We have lived in our house for 16 years; but still no mercy!.
The good news is, we only have to do it again, if I go abroad.

But I m confused! My wife n I r Farang, she's the own of the house n I hold retirement visa' we still be penalty for a total of 4kbaht


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[scottiejohn]

3 hours ago, NancyL said:

No, scottiejohn, evenstevens, sappersrest, chuang, rawhod and all the others with poor reading comprehension skills, where in my post did I find fault with anyone using an agent?  I was decrying the fact that CM Imm. deliberately put practices in place that make access difficult, esp. for newcomers, to drive people to using agents.  There's a difference.

 

If the office was run efficiently, do you think there would be as much demand for the services of visa agents?  Sure, some people would still want to have the choice, but seriously, do you think anyone would pay 500 baht G4T for for a Cert. of Res. if it was as easy to get as a re-entry permit, for example?

 

Ask yourself -- why is there still not an on-line appointment system for one-year extensions?  Hmm?  They could easily bring back the old, crummy system now that all extensions are done under the same roof, just like before.

Your quote; "where in my post did I find fault with anyone using an agent"

I will tell you-your quote; "What was out-of-line, and still is in some areas, like visa conversions, is the practice of making life so difficult for "retail customers" that they just throw in the towel and use a visa agent"

 

You said it. You are saying that I, and many others, find the system too difficult and therefore use an agent. Read my post. It is, and has been for nearly 20 years my CHOICE!

 

You are so blinkered about ‘agents’ that even "evenstevens" could not get you out of your stall never mind anywhere near a starting gate. Do you not read or understand your own posts and the responses to them.  As for poor reading comprehension, maybe you should start at home.  I have already said it has nothing do with efficiency, or lack thereof.

 

Please respect our CHOICE of using an agent.

[scottiejohn]

On ‎06‎/‎08‎/‎2016 at 8:07 AM, NancyL said:

My advice would be that if someone doesn't have their ducks in order with the issue of a TM30 maybe they should use the "helpful" agency next to Immigration Promenada for their retirement extension.  They seem to be able to help when there are defects of this type

Why the change of stance?

[evenstevens]

4 hours ago, NancyL said:

No, scottiejohn, evenstevens, sappersrest, chuang, rawhod and all the others with poor reading comprehension skills,

^^^^what a lulu

posted ages ago, that  the C/Mai  Immgr Dept have beaten u up ,fair and square., the above post confirms it

whilst being a  visa agent client,   f or  last  4 yrs or so, the previous 12 yrs,    E/S has been a D.I.Y.  in many different ways

presently i am with G4Tvisa agent, but that may well change  if another viable option. which suits me,  crops up

over the past 2 to 3 yrs you have waged a bitter campaign against C/mai Immgr Dept services, and at times your posts were warranted, but it was the way which you went about it, that offended E/S, now u have started   to slate Visa Agencys role in doing our business with  Immgr dept,are you ever happy???

leave it to the punters to decide which suits them, and stop posting negative posts  , most members have  had a gutful

Promenada Immgr Dept is ,I.M.O  a massive improvement to the Zoo days at the airport,and hope it continues

its a Chelsea F.C ,  EPL champions 2016/2017,  good nite to all

[Mapguy]

I have listened to this back and forth for years now, more than months, between NancyL and others. It gets entirely too nasty.

 

NancyL's critics don't seem to understand that her basic point is that the Bureau of Immigration has been mismanaged and/or overwhelmed to the point that frustrated or other "customers" seeking relief from the bother of it all seek out agents to facilitate what is needed. She really, as I understand it, has never criticized the use of agents except that they have seemed unfairly favored by the Immigration staff.  One can quickly understand why they would be favored given the complexity of some procedures.

 

A lot of the conversation here just seems argumentative, not informative.

 

Well, the management does seem to be improving. Please keep in mind that commonplace bureaucratic inertia common worldwide has hobbled Immigration.  On the other hand the amount of business has increased hugely in ten years, especially in the last five years, give or take. And, quite simply, lots of new arrivals  just can't seem to handle ambiguity well or deal with a new culture smoothly. And some unfortunately have a misplaced sense of entitlement with some  having appalling manners.

 

The solution here in this thread would be  just to  lighten up!  Provide helpful information!

 

[evenstevens]

23 minutes ago, Mapguy said:

I have listened to this back and forth for years now, more than months, between NancyL and others. It gets entirely too nasty.

 

 

 

A lot of the conversation here just seems argumentative, not informative.

 

 

The solution here in this thread would be  just to  lighten up!  Provide helpful information!

 

agreed whole heartly, but  the below post  was the first  shot fired, , being called a  dope , with other members  ,  by Nancy L , ...E/S  knows who the dope is!!!!

6 hours ago, NancyL said:

No, scottiejohn, evenstevens, sappersrest, chuang, rawhod and all the others with poor reading comprehension skills, where in my post did I find fault with anyone using an agent?  I was decrying the fact that CM Imm. deliberately put practices in place that make access difficult, esp. for newcomers, to drive people to using agents.  There's a difference.

 

 

 

[worgeordie]

1 hour ago, evenstevens said:

^^^^what a lulu

posted ages ago, that  the C/Mai  Immgr Dept have beaten u up ,fair and square., the above post confirms it

whilst being a  visa agent client,   f or  last  4 yrs or so, the previous 12 yrs,    E/S has been a D.I.Y.  in many different ways

presently i am with G4Tvisa agent, but that may well change  if another viable option. which suits me,  crops up

over the past 2 to 3 yrs you have waged a bitter campaign against C/mai Immgr Dept services, and at times your posts were warranted, but it was the way which you went about it, that offended E/S, now u have started   to slate Visa Agencys role in doing our business with  Immgr dept,are you ever happy???

leave it to the punters to decide which suits them, and stop posting negative posts  , most members have  had a gutful

Promenada Immgr Dept is ,I.M.O  a massive improvement to the Zoo days at the airport,and hope it continues

its a Chelsea F.C ,  EPL champions 2016/2017,  good nite to all

Well the situation HAS improved at Promenada ,I would have thought  if there had not been several complaints

about the way things were ,there would have been no improvements, it was certainly not your doing, 

as you always seem to be happy the way things were,from your postings anyway,maybe because you are

a agent fanboy, 

regards worgeordie

[cusanus]

16 hours ago, hml367 said:

cusanus,

 

my post that you quoted and all of my other posts related to that one have nothing to do with 90 day reports.

 

I never mentioned any departure date either.  When I do my annual extensions of permission to stay, I also do a reentry permit rather than waiting until I may want to depart.

 

Just as I have told others, I use an agent because I choose to, not because I don't know what I am doing. Too many people make that false assumption about people that use agents.

 

 

My bad. And you're right, too, that for whatever reasons you are entitled to use an agent, but it's natural for the rest of us to discuss what works best and what options are available, no offense intended. I would have been a lot better off using an agent the first year or two, so glad to hear how it works for you.