Changes at Samui Immigration

[ubonjoe]

Some of you people ought to get a life,Samuijimmy is right, it's people like suradit69 who try to confuse. What is a Visa if it's not permission to enter the country and stay for it's validity? Extending your stay is extending the validity of the Visa, therefore in that instance it doesn't expire!

You are both wrong.

A visa only allows you to enter the country and get the permit to stay it allows. Visas cannot be extended only a permit to stay can be extended.

All you have to do is read the ttile of a TM7 form used to apply for an extension."APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY STAY IN THE KINGDOM".

You can also look at the extension of stay stamp and note that it does not mention a visa anywhere.

[islandguy]

As I stated in OP, I am told that I will need to change from getting a yearly extension of stay based on marriage which started years ago with a non-immigrant B visa to having to start over by getting a non-immigrant O visa and going through the process for that to continue to get yearly extension of stays based on marriage in the future. One poster said he had changed his basis of stay from work to marriage and had gotten an O visa as part of doing that, but this part of my OP has not really been addressed by later posts in this thread. Does anyone know more about this? Thanks, islandguy

[ubonjoe]

As I stated in OP, I am told that I will need to change from getting a yearly extension of stay based on marriage which started years ago with a non-immigrant B visa to having to start over by getting a non-immigrant O visa and going through the process for that to continue to get yearly extension of stays based on marriage in the future. One poster said he had changed his basis of stay from work to marriage and had gotten an O visa as part of doing that, but this part of my OP has not really been addressed by later posts in this thread. Does anyone know more about this? Thanks, islandguy

Whoever is telling you that is competently wrong. All that is needed is a non immigrant visa to get an extension. The police order does not specify any class of non immigrant visa for extensions.

For marriage see clause 2.18 of Police Order 327/2557 basis for extension of stay,

[churchill]

As I stated in OP, I am told that I will need to change from getting a yearly extension of stay based on marriage which started years ago with a non-immigrant B visa to having to start over by getting a non-immigrant O visa and going through the process for that to continue to get yearly extension of stays based on marriage in the future. One poster said he had changed his basis of stay from work to marriage and had gotten an O visa as part of doing that, but this part of my OP has not really been addressed by later posts in this thread. Does anyone know more about this? Thanks, islandguy

I have the same B visa ( based on marriage ) and was told last week they could extend for this year but for next I will have to leave Thailand and apply for an O visa ... They said you need the same documents but apply from overseas .

[islandguy]

As I stated in OP, I am told that I will need to change from getting a yearly extension of stay based on marriage which started years ago with a non-immigrant B visa to having to start over by getting a non-immigrant O visa and going through the process for that to continue to get yearly extension of stays based on marriage in the future. One poster said he had changed his basis of stay from work to marriage and had gotten an O visa as part of doing that, but this part of my OP has not really been addressed by later posts in this thread. Does anyone know more about this? Thanks, islandguy

I have the same B visa ( based on marriage ) and was told last week they could extend for this year but for next I will have to leave Thailand and apply for an O visa ... They said you need the same documents but apply from overseas .

This is what my accountant says Immigration told him would apply to me.

[CharlieH]

Flame style post with incorrect information has been removed.

It is important the "correct terminology" and term of reference is used. This eliminates any confusion for other members as to what is being discussed.

[sticky]

I went today for my 90 day, counted 38 cars 40+ motorbikes. Was at 10;30 long line outside noticed Samui Jimmy waiting, ducked inside handed my PP to a chap , gave me a number and was out with my PP in 4 min and I was on my way. There must have been at least 50 plus waiting. Brilliant!!!

[Gulfsailor]

I went today for my 90 day, counted 38 cars 40+ motorbikes. Was at 10;30 long line outside noticed Samui Jimmy waiting, ducked inside handed my PP to a chap , gave me a number and was out with my PP in 4 min and I was on my way. There must have been at least 50 plus waiting. Brilliant!!!

Yep. I had a similar experience yesterday. I showed up at 11:40 (just before lunch break) for my 90 day report. Not so busy, but ignore the crowd, opened the door and handed my pp to an officer. She gave me a number and told me to wait for 10 minutes. 30 seconds later she called me with the pp in her hand. Done! Quicker than going through the online process (which won't be processed anyway on Samui).

[samuijimmy]

Earlier yesterday it was a zoo, I got there around 10 am and about six lines of people trying to get to the one window....

I soon gave up and decided to go today and far less crowded... two staff members kept checking my number and ushered me in before the allotted time... then pushed me out the back door!

It was just a letter for bike drivers licence renewal and change of address...... had I done those two things separately it would have cost 1000.00 baht....

[islandguy]

Thankfully, have completed my extension for this year. Went to Immigration Tuesday. Long line was for people extending tourist visas with those applicants in a line going around to the side of the building and handing in their documents through a window. Their numbers were called and documents handed back through another window when finished. The small room and counter in the corner downstairs was handling other applicants and not crowded. Overall it seemed much more efficient, as noted by other posters. The last several years it took 4-6 weeks to get my passport back after the initial one month stamp. This time it was two weeks, and I was told the passport went to Songkla instead of Surathanee (this last is hearsay, just what I was told). Still concerned about next year and the possibility of having to start over with an 'O' visa, and have also heard from a friend that her business based permission to stay might not be eligible for a multiple reentry visa in the future? My impression though, is that the local office is settling down after a change in officials - but that the national policies are not.

[Eclipse]

^^^^ Errr. Why are you giving your Passport away for 4-6 weeks. And now 2 weeks?

[islandguy]

^^^^ Errr. Why are you giving your Passport away for 4-6 weeks. And now 2 weeks?

Sorry, you are correct, I had my passport during those weeks. What I should have said was that it took that long to get the approval to have the rest of the year's extension (11 months more) put into the passport. During those weeks I had a one month provisional approval, but every year it catches me during an awkward time vis a vis my travel schedule, which makes it into a big drama.

[Eclipse]

^^^^ Errr. Why are you giving your Passport away for 4-6 weeks. And now 2 weeks?

Sorry, you are correct, I had my passport during those weeks. What I should have said was that it took that long to get the approval to have the rest of the year's extension (11 months more) put into the passport. During those weeks I had a one month provisional approval, but every year it catches me during an awkward time vis a vis my travel schedule, which makes it into a big drama.

Understood. Cheers.

[samuijimmy]

Khun Nuc /Noc whichever way you want to spell it, ... aka "The Birdman" has been "put out to pasture"..... retired, perhaps a better term! ..... That given to me by a reliable source... some one did mentioned that before ......

When driving by the new office on Soi one, Maenam, the other day, construction has not changed much..... so perhaps next month or...... ???