Immigration Airport Experiences 2016

[cyberfarang]

Hi,

My taximan today mentioned Promenada etc. First I knew of it as I have been away.

I have to do a 12 month Retirement Renewal next week and would much prefer to go to airport immigration - easier for wife and I.

From what is mentioned here looks like I could do at the Airport? Plus a Re-entry permit provided all at same time??

Also can anyone confirm if charge for 12 month Retirement Renewal is still 1900 Baht??

Grateful to hear.

Rgds.

Sorry no. Retirement visas/extensions have to be done at the dreaded Promenada, there is no escape. A few doors away is the GT4 agency. 2 choices, either take your chances of gaining a slot at the Promenada immigration or use an agency. To make a decision read the immigration threads before turning up at immigration.

[factseeker]

Thnxs all,

I did read all - it just looked like it might be possible at Airport Immi - if you 'happened' to turn up there.

Oh well - have give it a go - but sounds like a bit of a 'ramp' with the Agent being next door.

But cost at Promenada is still 1900 Baht??

Best Rgds.

Hi,

My taximan today mentioned Promenada etc. First I knew of it as I have been away.

I have to do a 12 month Retirement Renewal next week and would much prefer to go to airport immigration - easier for wife and I.

From what is mentioned here looks like I could do at the Airport? Plus a Re-entry permit provided all at same time??

Also can anyone confirm if charge for 12 month Retirement Renewal is still 1900 Baht??

Grateful to hear.

Rgds.

Sorry no. Retirement visas/extensions have to be done at the dreaded Promenada, there is no escape. A few doors away is the GT4 agency. 2 choices, either take your chances of gaining a slot at the Promenada immigration or use an agency. To make a decision read the immigration threads before turning up at immigration.

[Tywais]

Thnxs all,

I did read all - it just looked like it might be possible at Airport Immi - if you 'happened' to turn up there.

Oh well - have give it a go - but sounds like a bit of a 'ramp' with the Agent being next door.

But cost at Promenada is still 1900 Baht??

All extensions of stay are 1900 baht regardless of where you are at. And Airport does not do retirement extensions.

[JaseTheBass]

Hi,

My taximan today mentioned Promenada etc. First I knew of it as I have been away.

I have to do a 12 month Retirement Renewal next week and would much prefer to go to airport immigration - easier for wife and I.

From what is mentioned here looks like I could do at the Airport? Plus a Re-entry permit provided all at same time??

Also can anyone confirm if charge for 12 month Retirement Renewal is still 1900 Baht??

Grateful to hear.

Rgds.

Sorry no. Retirement visas/extensions have to be done at the dreaded Promenada, there is no escape. A few doors away is the GT4 agency. 2 choices, either take your chances of gaining a slot at the Promenada immigration or use an agency. To make a decision read the immigration threads before turning up at immigration.

You mean; pay them one fee and get a poor service or pay them two fees and queue jump.

[Tywais]

Just saw a FB report of queues at airport immigration with photos. Some arriving a 1:00AM, he arrived at 2:30AM. He came at 7:00AM the previous day and all slots filled.

Come on Bangkok, loosen the purse strings as this is beyond the pale.

Facebook report

[TheAppletons]

Just saw a FB report of queues at airport immigration with photos. Some arriving a 1:00AM, he arrived at 2:30AM. He came at 7:00AM the previous day and all slots filled.

Come on Bangkok, loosen the purse strings as this is beyond the pale.

Facebook report

Wow, that looks pretty miserable. And - like others - I'm not really buying the "it's all Bangkok's fault" argument that gets tossed about in this forum as if it's fact.

Edit to add: thanks for the link!

Edited February 26, 2016 by TheAppletons

[Sparkles]

Just saw a FB report of queues at airport immigration with photos. Some arriving a 1:00AM, he arrived at 2:30AM. He came at 7:00AM the previous day and all slots filled.

Come on Bangkok, loosen the purse strings as this is beyond the pale.

Facebook report

Wow, that looks pretty miserable. And - like others - I'm not really buying the "it's all Bangkok's fault" argument that gets tossed about in this forum as if it's fact.

Edit to add: thanks for the link!

I join with you re your comment "Bangkok's fault" that's a get out excuse which ahs been bandied around for years.As a poster reported a brand new Immigration facilty has been created at Roi Et of all places.Lastly why do people refer to GT4 as an Agency ?

[LivinLOS]

Just saw a FB report of queues at airport immigration with photos. Some arriving a 1:00AM, he arrived at 2:30AM. He came at 7:00AM the previous day and all slots filled.

Come on Bangkok, loosen the purse strings as this is beyond the pale.

Facebook report

Yeah I saw that too.. 1am !!

How long until it becomes necessary to go the evening before, waiting in line, just for a queue number..

At what point is the system going to be acknowledged as broken.

[daoyai]

Just saw a FB report of queues at airport immigration with photos. Some arriving a 1:00AM, he arrived at 2:30AM. He came at 7:00AM the previous day and all slots filled.

Come on Bangkok, loosen the purse strings as this is beyond the pale.

Facebook report

Yeah I saw that too.. 1am !!

How long until it becomes necessary to go the evening before, waiting in line, just for a queue number..

At what point is the system going to be acknowledged as broken.

Because it is not broken, it is functioning exactly as it was designed to function. You are meant to eventually surrender and hire a "paper wallah" (Indian beurocracy fixer, go between) I had a number of Imm. experiences last year as I got a new PP and extension of stay and so dealt with scamenada Imm. and Airport .... they are very clever, they got us beat, surrender and get on with life.

[Phrao1001]

In mid December of 2015, I went to the airport for an extension of Non-O. Was told to get there at 4 am. the parking lot was full and there were three lines of people waiting. When they gave out the queue number at 7 am I got the last one for the day, because the people in from of me were from agencies that had multiple people to process. At least the officer told me to come back in the afternoon, so I went to get some sleep.

I have to go again this week for a Non-o extension. Any idea how early I need to get to the Airport?

Thanks!

[Mapguy]

Just saw a FB report of queues at airport immigration with photos. Some arriving a 1:00AM, he arrived at 2:30AM. He came at 7:00AM the previous day and all slots filled.

Come on Bangkok, loosen the purse strings as this is beyond the pale.

Facebook report

Yeah I saw that too.. 1am !!

How long until it becomes necessary to go the evening before, waiting in line, just for a queue number..

At what point is the system going to be acknowledged as broken.

Because it is not broken, it is functioning exactly as it was designed to function. You are meant to eventually surrender and hire a "paper wallah" (Indian beurocracy fixer, go between) I had a number of Imm. experiences last year as I got a new PP and extension of stay and so dealt with scamenada Imm. and Airport .... they are very clever, they got us beat, surrender and get on with life.

This last comments are understandable but still cynical. I don't know whether or not to accept unattributed posts on Facebook. That's just "stuff." And a lot of reporting on the scene has been unattributable, rumor, or just silly.

If you've read this thread and those before on the same topic over the years, there is very little comment relatively speaking about how ridiculous the preparation of so many foreigners is and how outrageous their attitudes and behavor often are when dealing with the department. A lot of just plain ignorance and too often a sense of self-entitlement as well as just plain bad manners, not just in Thailand but elsewhere. The relatively recent posted insinuations of graft are obviously not helpful.

I am not an apologist for the department! The department often lacks common sense in making on-site improvements on an elementary basis to smooth operarions, the IT is utterly miserable, and the department in Chiang Mai is obviously deficient in personnel and budget in dealing with a massive wave of new people coming from abroad to Chiang Mai.

Confrontation, as one approach to solving the problem, or, absolutely, insinuations of graft, aren't effective or helpful. This isn't Kansas, Dorothy!

Edited March 8, 2016 by Mapguy

[OccamsRazor]

This last comments are understandable but still cynical. I don't know whether or not to accept unattributed posts on Facebook. That's just "stuff." And a lot of reporting on the scene has been unattributable, rumor, or just silly.

I don't know what you are on about but it is no less unattributed as any posts on Thaivisa. The photos there at silly-oclock are real enough and the experience posted is certainly believable. As much as any here or a tad more so.

[Awk]

In mid December of 2015, I went to the airport for an extension of Non-O. Was told to get there at 4 am. the parking lot was full and there were three lines of people waiting. When they gave out the queue number at 7 am I got the last one for the day, because the people in from of me were from agencies that had multiple people to process. At least the officer told me to come back in the afternoon, so I went to get some sleep.

I have to go again this week for a Non-o extension. Any idea how early I need to get to the Airport?

Thanks!

I was there this week. When I turned up a little before 06:30, I was (obviously) the last in my queue (the queue for spouse/business (and retirement?)). When they started handing out queue numbers at 07:00, there were one or two more people behind me. I was the last one to be processed before lunch, so I'm guessing people arriving considerably later than me for the same type of extension would also be processed.

Different from last year, the queue number I got at 07:00 was the only queue number I got. Last year I think the queue number handed out at 07:00 was

just a queue number to sort the queue where the "real" queue numbers were given out. Wasted quite a bit time waiting before I realized that and went away for breakfast and gym.

Oh, and nobody asked me for the TM.30 form, which I had previously had filled out at Promenada to avoid an otherwise expected fine at airport immigration.

Edited March 9, 2016 by Awk

[Dante99]

Just saw a FB report of queues at airport immigration with photos. Some arriving a 1:00AM, he arrived at 2:30AM. He came at 7:00AM the previous day and all slots filled.

Come on Bangkok, loosen the purse strings as this is beyond the pale.

Facebook report

Yeah I saw that too.. 1am !!

How long until it becomes necessary to go the evening before, waiting in line, just for a queue number..

At what point is the system going to be acknowledged as broken.

Because it is not broken, it is functioning exactly as it was designed to function. You are meant to eventually surrender and hire a "paper wallah" (Indian beurocracy fixer, go between) I had a number of Imm. experiences last year as I got a new PP and extension of stay and so dealt with scamenada Imm. and Airport .... they are very clever, they got us beat, surrender and get on with life.

This last comments are understandable but still cynical. I don't know whether or not to accept unattributed posts on Facebook. That's just "stuff." And a lot of reporting on the scene has been unattributable, rumor, or just silly.

If you've read this thread and those before on the same topic over the years, there is very little comment relatively speaking about how ridiculous the preparation of so many foreigners is and how outrageous their attitudes and behavor often are when dealing with the department. A lot of just plain ignorance and too often a sense of self-entitlement as well as just plain bad manners, not just in Thailand but elsewhere. The relatively recent posted insinuations of graft are obviously not helpful.

I am not an apologist for the department! The department often lacks common sense in making on-site improvements on an elementary basis to smooth operarions, the IT is utterly miserable, and the department in Chiang Mai is obviously deficient in personnel and budget in dealing with a massive wave of new people coming from abroad to Chiang Mai.

Confrontation, as one approach to solving the problem, or, absolutely, insinuations of graft, aren't effective or helpful. This isn't Kansas, Dorothy!

You used to bash the hell out of immigration. How many years ago did you change and why?

[terminatorchiangmai]

Went to Immigration airport this week at 6:30 for business visa , got que number 7 and was helped at 11:00 AM.

Now comes the stupid part.

For my company papers which have my name all over it, i need to have a stamp with my name in Thai under my signature otherwise they don't know who is signing.

After 6 successful extensions this is a new one, i am still amazed.

Their excuse was we change every year.

So business owners be prepared !

Good luck

[Konini]

Went to Immigration airport this week at 6:30 for business visa , got que number 7 and was helped at 11:00 AM.

Now comes the stupid part.

For my company papers which have my name all over it, i need to have a stamp with my name in Thai under my signature otherwise they don't know who is signing.

After 6 successful extensions this is a new one, i am still amazed.

Their excuse was we change every year.

So business owners be prepared !

Good luck

[Phrao1001]

Update. Need an extension on my Non-immigrant O (Volunteer ) visa. Went to Airport immigration at 4 am again, March 11. Was chair number 13 (again) in the queue for visa extension. (there are two other queues for teachers and maybe missionaries?) The immigration official gave out queue numbers at 6:30 am. While the person in front of me had 10 passports and was from an agency, they would only give me two numbers because it was for my spouse and myself. The woman in back of me was representing 4 volunteers from her NGO and they only gave her one ticket.

We got to see the immigration officer about 2pm and she found errors that had not been caught in previous applications. We had to bring the corrected paperwork back the next business day (without waiting in line).

Thanks for your posts.

[connda]

It changes all the time, depending on weather, last night, politics and the Friday song. Please continue reporting your experiences. We all know that CNX immigration is a total mess.

Uncle. I've given up and hired an agent. Observations:

First off, my visa agent said she and other agents show up at Airport Immigration at 3am and then stand in line for 5 hours to get queue numbers for their clients. We were called by our agent just after 8:30am and told we could show up after lunch. Parked at Airport Mall and had lunch with the Mrs then leisurely strolled down to Immigration only to find that there were plenty of open parking places. The new waiting room is spacious and relatively comfortable, and the air quality is 100% better considering they have installed functioning fans in the waiting room. Looking around the room on arrival, I'd say that over 50% of the people there had visa agents <mission accomplished, 'eh? but I digress>. We gave the visa agent a couple of documents including my updated bank book and a Kor 2. My agent said that I did not need a recent Kor 2 as I usually obtain, so I gave her an old one to see if it would fly. We were called after about 30 minutes and surprisingly the agent did not come with us for the interview. But with that said, we had zero problems. Accepted all the documents as is, no questions, no fuss, no bother. Considering my agent was on a first name basis with the I/Os, that didn't surprise me. In addition to processing my extension they also processed my 90 day report on the spot. Ok, now I'm a happy camper. The agent does all the running to get copies, and I just sit with the wife and grin happily. It took about 35 minutes to process all the paperwork including the 90 day report. Bob's Your Uncle. In addition to the extension, the agent will also process my 90 day reports this year. I'll keep that offer in my back pocket as it is more convenient for me to send (and receive) my 90 day from Lamphun province via EMS mail. But, if the 90 day isn't processed by my expiration date, I'll hand if off to the agent to process. Sure, it's a little pricey (net 6600 THB), but the price is worth it to me not to have to go through the headache of waiting for queue numbers and process the paperwork myself with the constant worry that the game rules have changed again. The skids have been pre-greased, so the ride is smooth.

Heads up! Don't pre-sign your copies. They now stamp each copy with a stamp. They want a signature inside the stamped box on the first set of copies, and a signature and an initial on the seconds set, of course, inside the stamped box. I don't know what that new paper-pushing exercise is about, but is sure is good for creating writer's cramp.

Edited March 31, 2016 by connda

[connda]

imho think the message the guy doing the 90 day mail in, was im doing my best,stop pestering me,or maybe withdraw 90 day mail in.think he quite a proud man and farangs questioning him raised his hackles. plus of course you don't want him to rember your name and address,for next 90 day post in.

There is no visiting the old Imm Airport Office any more to do 90 day reporting it just happens to be where the mail ins go. He was just standing there next to the girl on the computer who was processing.

I was, as usual, very polite in my query and have spoken to him many times over 7 years ,he has always been very pleasant and helpful

but not the other day.

Your speculation for his reasons is merely that, pure speculation.No one was "pestering" him and "assisting" is part of his job isn't it ?

At 11.45am here was hardly anyone there in the expanded office area and empty car parking spaces unlike the chaos at Promenada.

I only originally posted this report to warn people who might be waiting, in vain, for the postman now I wish I hadn't.

FYI, I always post my return envelop via EMS too. Then I don't wait for the mailman, but simply check the EMS tracker. The longest it has taken to turn-around my 90 day from the time I posted it until my return envelop shows up in the EMS tracker was 10 days. So instead of sitting on pins and needles, I know exactly when it had been posted in Chiang Mai. Then I relax and wait for it to show up at my PO Box.

[MadMac]

Not really necessary, you can just check when they received the letter. It will be entered into their system this day. Should you not receive a slip back, there is a 30 days window to check. But I guess the problems from January are resolved now and mailing will go smooth again.

[jonesyb]

Queued from 05:00 today and didn't get processed until 12:00. Was asked to come back at 2pm ish to pick up passport. I was extending my ED visa. Loads of fun.

[naboo]

Nice inside with the refurb. Was there a few days back large chairs for the wider Farang (they must have been reading all the pizza and burger threads on here), air conditioning was effective, seemed cleaner than ever. It would have been better if they were using the reception desk near the door, I made the mistake of asking someone a question because they were stood behind it and had a Thai appearance. She scowled at me, didn't work there.

Photocopy shop is now hidden in a new part of the car park. Good luck finding it, keep searching, it is there.

90 days and re-entry permits handled at the desk in front of the counter. Captain Slow mans it, I think he has figured out how to turn the computer on and off, but beyond that seems not to be his forte and simultaneously a major part of his job. Not to worry, we got there in the end.

[northernjohn]

Queued from 05:00 today and didn't get processed until 12:00. Was asked to come back at 2pm ish to pick up passport. I was extending my ED visa. Loads of fun.

What was your queue number?

[jonesyb]

Queued from 05:00 today and didn't get processed until 12:00. Was asked to come back at 2pm ish to pick up passport. I was extending my ED visa. Loads of fun.

What was your queue number?

217

[femi fan]

I now have to move over to getting visas and extensions based on marriage after working for 12 years in CM. My current extension and work permit expire end of this month. The original visa was non-imm B.

I assume i'll need to leave the country to make that a non-imm O? Or will the B be okay for them to extend based on marriage?

It will sound like a daft question, but which counter do i go to simply to ask for information regarding what i have to get together to make this exchange from work-based extensions to marriage-based extensions?

Furthermore, am i better off going alone to ask my questions in a mix of thai and english, or going with my wife and getting her to do all the talking?

[NotEinstein]

I now have to move over to getting visas and extensions based on marriage after working for 12 years in CM. My current extension and work permit expire end of this month. The original visa was non-imm B.

I assume i'll need to leave the country to make that a non-imm O? Or will the B be okay for them to extend based on marriage?

It will sound like a daft question, but which counter do i go to simply to ask for information regarding what i have to get together to make this exchange from work-based extensions to marriage-based extensions?

Furthermore, am i better off going alone to ask my questions in a mix of thai and english, or going with my wife and getting her to do all the talking?

I changed from B to marriage O a few years back. You will need all the paperwork as if a first-time marriage extension on a new visa, so you will need to go to Amphur and get an up to date KR2 showing you are still married. They will do a home visit as part of the process.

If you want to speak to them first, I would take your wife too.

[Thailsacien]

Went there this morning, 2nd of June, for marriage extension.

Started to queue at 5:00, around 20 people there, 5 in the "Teacher/Student" line, 1 in the center line, 15 in the "Business/Thai Spouse/Bolunteer" (yes, Bolunteer!) line.

Doors opening at 6:45, they let people in to receive their queue-Nr. Some queue-jumpers were called to order.

Got Nr 3, was processed at 10:00, out at 11:00 after picture taken by the "lady" at the front desk.

I think 6:00 - 6:15 AM is the limit after which you have to come back next day.

[uptheos]

It changes all the time, depending on weather, last night, politics and the Friday song. Please continue reporting your experiences. We all know that CNX immigration is a total mess.

Uncle. I've given up and hired an agent. Observations:

First off, my visa agent said she and other agents show up at Airport Immigration at 3am and then stand in line for 5 hours to get queue numbers for their clients. We were called by our agent just after 8:30am and told we could show up after lunch. Parked at Airport Mall and had lunch with the Mrs then leisurely strolled down to Immigration only to find that there were plenty of open parking places. The new waiting room is spacious and relatively comfortable, and the air quality is 100% better considering they have installed functioning fans in the waiting room. Looking around the room on arrival, I'd say that over 50% of the people there had visa agents <mission accomplished, 'eh? but I digress>. We gave the visa agent a couple of documents including my updated bank book and a Kor 2. My agent said that I did not need a recent Kor 2 as I usually obtain, so I gave her an old one to see if it would fly. We were called after about 30 minutes and surprisingly the agent did not come with us for the interview. But with that said, we had zero problems. Accepted all the documents as is, no questions, no fuss, no bother. Considering my agent was on a first name basis with the I/Os, that didn't surprise me. In addition to processing my extension they also processed my 90 day report on the spot. Ok, now I'm a happy camper. The agent does all the running to get copies, and I just sit with the wife and grin happily. It took about 35 minutes to process all the paperwork including the 90 day report. Bob's Your Uncle. In addition to the extension, the agent will also process my 90 day reports this year. I'll keep that offer in my back pocket as it is more convenient for me to send (and receive) my 90 day from Lamphun province via EMS mail. But, if the 90 day isn't processed by my expiration date, I'll hand if off to the agent to process. Sure, it's a little pricey (net 6600 THB), but the price is worth it to me not to have to go through the headache of waiting for queue numbers and process the paperwork myself with the constant worry that the game rules have changed again. The skids have been pre-greased, so the ride is smooth.

Heads up! Don't pre-sign your copies. They now stamp each copy with a stamp. They want a signature inside the stamped box on the first set of copies, and a signature and an initial on the seconds set, of course, inside the stamped box. I don't know what that new paper-pushing exercise is about, but is sure is good for creating writer's cramp.

Which agent do you use, please?

[hougourou]

I need to renew my marriage visa (22 years and counting) within the next two weeks. This thread seems to have gone quiet for the last few months.  Any recent experiences?  Is 6 am still good for a queue number?  Are they still wanting the Kor Ror 2 marriage certificate?

 

Thanks for any inputs!

[MadMac]

IIRC correctly they gave out the numbers at 6, you need to be there earlier. Now may still be quiet season, so 5:30 perhaps.

KR2 or 22 is required, you can get at any amphoe, takes 5 mins to print and 20B.

 

P.S. previous post said 6:45 for the numbers, so arriving 5:30...6 should be ok.

Edited August 31, 2016 by MadMac