A home visit from an immigration officer

[luke000]

I was in the gfs little village recently and for some reason some immigration officers were passing through , they saw me and asked to see my PP, I told them that it was back at the house, and they walked with me back to the house, they sat down and spent five minutes thoroughly looking through my PP, shaking their heads and going on about irregularities, I knew for a fact that there was nothing irregular about it .

He inspected every single page, shaking his head .

He then told the other immigration officer to take a photo of my passports ID page .

I knew what was coming .

I then picked up my camera on the table, which had filmed everything on video .

I filmed a close up of his face and also clearly filmed his ID tag around his neck .

He asked what I was doing .

I told him that I was filming him taking a photo of my Passport and that I would be taking the film to my Embassy.

He jumped up , fell backwards and quickly ran off, shouting threats about the consequences of what will happen the next time he sees me in town .

A few months later , I went to the immigration office to get a visa extension , as I walked into the office , the same immigration guy was sat at his desk .

He recognised me and looked startled and concerned .

He wouldnt look at me, he picked the papers up from his desk, walked out the office , into his car and drove off .

[Pepper9187]

That's quite a funny story you got there !!

What do you think they could have done with your papers, i mean if you're not overstaying i don't see what they could have possibly done ... ?

Edited February 20, 2016 by Pepper9187

[luke000]

That's quite a funny story you got there !!

What do you think they could have done with your papers, i mean if you're not overstaying i don't see what they could have possibly done ... ?

I think that he was just looking for any irregularities, so that I would pay him off.

He could have arrested me if I was on an overstay,

He asked why I hadnt done a 90 report and that I face a big fine for not doing my 90 day report .

I told him that as I am on a tourist visa, I leave Thailand every 90 days , so I dont have to do a 90 day report .

He also told me that foreigners have to report to the immigration office and tell them everytime they move to a new place and that hotels and guest houses are required to submit the names of all guests who are staying there every night and as my gfs family hadnt informed immigration that I was staying there , they would get a fine as well

[Eclipse]

He was correct about the last part.

[WhizBang]

I think that he was just looking for any irregularities, so that I would pay him off.

He could have arrested me if I was on an overstay,

He asked why I hadnt done a 90 report and that I face a big fine for not doing my 90 day report .

I told him that as I am on a tourist visa, I leave Thailand every 90 days , so I dont have to do a 90 day report .

He also told me that foreigners have to report to the immigration office and tell them everytime they move to a new place and that hotels and guest houses are required to submit the names of all guests who are staying there every night and as my gfs family hadnt informed immigration that I was staying there , they would get a fine as well

They are right about that last part. Your GF or someone from the family do need to inform immigration of your presence.

[glegolo]

I think you did really good in this case. Where was this? at what immigration-office..

Glegolo

[Jip99]

He was correct about the last part.

+1

800 Baht in most cases.

I hope you never need an extension, they will be all over you like a rash.

[luke000]

 

I think you did really good in this case. Where was this? at what immigration-office..

Glegolo

 

Chiang Saen

[luke000]

He was correct about the last part.

+1

800 Baht in most cases.

I hope you never need an extension, they will be all over you like a rash.

Did you not read the end bit ?

I went to the immigration office a few months later and got a tourist visa extension and the same immigration officer was sat there and he quickly made for the exit door .

[luke000]

I think that he was just looking for any irregularities, so that I would pay him off.

He could have arrested me if I was on an overstay,

He asked why I hadnt done a 90 report and that I face a big fine for not doing my 90 day report .

I told him that as I am on a tourist visa, I leave Thailand every 90 days , so I dont have to do a 90 day report .

He also told me that foreigners have to report to the immigration office and tell them everytime they move to a new place and that hotels and guest houses are required to submit the names of all guests who are staying there every night and as my gfs family hadnt informed immigration that I was staying there , they would get a fine as well

They are right about that last part. Your GF or someone from the family do need to inform immigration of your presence.

I did go to the Police station the next day, and they told me to go to immigration, which I did and I told them that I was temporarily staying in my gfs house and they didnt seem to want to know and they told me to go to the Police station and tell them, so I just went back home

[Eclipse]

The house holder needs to report your residence there by submitting a TM30 form.

Plenty are being fined for not doing this.

[luke000]

The house holder needs to report your residence there by submitting a TM30 form.

Plenty are being fined for not doing this.

Is there a length of time you have to be staying there before the form needs to be submitted?

[Jip99]

He was correct about the last part.

+1

800 Baht in most cases.

I hope you never need an extension, they will be all over you like a rash.

Did you not read the end bit ?

I went to the immigration office a few months later and got a tourist visa extension and the same immigration officer was sat there and he quickly made for the exit door .

I mean a proper extension, a 12 month extension.

You will probably get a cavity search

[luke000]

He was correct about the last part.

+1

800 Baht in most cases.

I hope you never need an extension, they will be all over you like a rash.

Did you not read the end bit ?

I went to the immigration office a few months later and got a tourist visa extension and the same immigration officer was sat there and he quickly made for the exit door .

I mean a proper extension, a 12 month extension.

You will probably get a cavity search

Just after it happened , many people on a forum were saying that I was in big trouble now, I would get flagged, have hassle when I next to to immigration , blacklisted and so on.

But absolutly nothing happened, no comebacks or anything .

[Jip99]

+1

800 Baht in most cases.

I hope you never need an extension, they will be all over you like a rash.

Did you not read the end bit ?

I went to the immigration office a few months later and got a tourist visa extension and the same immigration officer was sat there and he quickly made for the exit door .

I mean a proper extension, a 12 month extension.

You will probably get a cavity search

Just after it happened , many people on a forum were saying that I was in big trouble now, I would get flagged, have hassle when I next to to immigration , blacklisted and so on.

But absolutly nothing happened, no comebacks or anything .

Personally, I don't think there will be any comebacks.

BUT, the long-stayers tread on eggshells with these immigration guys for good reason. It just needs one to bear a grudge......

At the end of the day they hold the power - or, more importantly, the permission to stay stamp. Forget what the Police Orders say, most certainly don't rely on the British embassy for ANYTHING and generally follow the varying rules that immigration set each time.

PS - the cavity search was a joke, don't think anyone has had one........................... to my knowledge!

[johnnynmonic]

You might taste a bit of revenge served cold some day. Or not. At any rate, good thinking to grab the camera and document the guy.

[swissie]

Does this TM 30 procedure also apply to Farangs, that have a Yellow House Book ?

Cheers.

[recycler]

No efforts are saved to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

[Pepper9187]

Beware, they have super powers

[onni4me]

So, I can't visit Thai family hous ewithout reporting it to someone? I rarely stay with them, just stay during the day and go to some hotel or resort.

This is one of the reasons why I consider leaving after 16 years. I bored of all the nonsense here.

Not that they have ever bothered me with anything. Not once anyone has come to the house to ask anything. And I prefer it that way.

[sunnyjim5]

So, I can't visit Thai family hous ewithout reporting it to someone? I rarely stay with them, just stay during the day and go to some hotel or resort.

This is one of the reasons why I consider leaving after 16 years. I bored of all the nonsense here.

Not that they have ever bothered me with anything. Not once anyone has come to the house to ask anything. And I prefer it that way.

The "problem" is that some people enjoy inflating what they deem a "problem" beyond any sense or reason.

Who suggested/told that you cannot visit a Thai family without making a "report".

I suspect you made that up !

When will you be leaving ?

Edited February 20, 2016 by sunnyjim5

[Jip99]

Does this TM 30 procedure also apply to Farangs, that have a Yellow House Book ?

Cheers.

swissie, the tabien baan has nothing to do with it. It is about you going away - or, more accurately, returning after being away.

Rules say if you go away somewhere the hotel records your occupancy for, say, one week. After that immigration don't know where you are until either the next hotel reports you OR you go home - in which case the housekeeper reports by way of TM30.

Nobody bothers but the rules say that if you and the missus go to Chiang Mai for the weekend, she should submit a TM 30 on your return.

Logic says that you have submitted a TM6 arrival card showing the address at which you will stay. I think it is reasonable to assume that you are there, unless somebody reports you as being elsewhere.

[luke000]

Does this TM 30 procedure also apply to Farangs, that have a Yellow House Book ?

Cheers.

swissie, the tabien baan has nothing to do with it. It is about you going away - or, more accurately, returning after being away.

Rules say if you go away somewhere the hotel records your occupancy for, say, one week. After that immigration don't know where you are until either the next hotel reports you OR you go home - in which case the housekeeper reports by way of TM30.

Nobody bothers but the rules say that if you and the missus go to Chiang Mai for the weekend, she should submit a TM 30 on your return.

Logic says that you have submitted a TM6 arrival card showing the address at which you will stay. I think it is reasonable to assume that you are there, unless somebody reports you as being elsewhere.

Do they , immigration really track all your movements ?

Is there a central immigration where all this information goes to and someones logging it all?

It would be a colossal amount of information to log and it would be out of date on a daily basis .

There would be 100 000s of tourists all at Bangkok immigration asking for and filling out and handing in TM30s on a daily basis

[Jip99]

Does this TM 30 procedure also apply to Farangs, that have a Yellow House Book ?

Cheers.

swissie, the tabien baan has nothing to do with it. It is about you going away - or, more accurately, returning after being away.

Rules say if you go away somewhere the hotel records your occupancy for, say, one week. After that immigration don't know where you are until either the next hotel reports you OR you go home - in which case the housekeeper reports by way of TM30.

Nobody bothers but the rules say that if you and the missus go to Chiang Mai for the weekend, she should submit a TM 30 on your return.

Logic says that you have submitted a TM6 arrival card showing the address at which you will stay. I think it is reasonable to assume that you are there, unless somebody reports you as being elsewhere.

Do they , immigration really track all your movements ?

Is there a central immigration where all this information goes to and someones logging it all?

It would be a colossal amount of information to log and it would be out of date on a daily basis .

There would be 100 000s of tourists all at Bangkok immigration asking for and filling out and handing in TM30s on a daily basis

I understand that there is a database that the hotels feed into - can't confirm that.

The point is that is yours, or somebody else's responsibility to advise your whereabouts to immigration.

Their systems are becoming sharper and a scan of your passport will reveal your immigration history. They will become more sophisticated as time progresses. They started well back but are definitely progressing.

[sunnyjim5]

Does this TM 30 procedure also apply to Farangs, that have a Yellow House Book ?

Cheers.

swissie, the tabien baan has nothing to do with it. It is about you going away - or, more accurately, returning after being away.

Rules say if you go away somewhere the hotel records your occupancy for, say, one week. After that immigration don't know where you are until either the next hotel reports you OR you go home - in which case the housekeeper reports by way of TM30.

Nobody bothers but the rules say that if you and the missus go to Chiang Mai for the weekend, she should submit a TM 30 on your return.

Logic says that you have submitted a TM6 arrival card showing the address at which you will stay. I think it is reasonable to assume that you are there, unless somebody reports you as being elsewhere.

Do they , immigration really track all your movements ?

Is there a central immigration where all this information goes to and someones logging it all?

It would be a colossal amount of information to log and it would be out of date on a daily basis .

There would be 100 000s of tourists all at Bangkok immigration asking for and filling out and handing in TM30s on a daily basis

The vast majority of tourists stay in hotels/guest houses whose staff do the TM30 reports on line.

[NoshowJones]

No efforts are saved to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

You do know that according to some TV posters, we are "guests" here in Thailand.

[bluebluewater]

This story is not believable.

[recycler]

No efforts are saved to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

You do know that according to some TV posters, we are "guests" here in Thailand.

Mostly "paying" guests...

[NoshowJones]

So, I can't visit Thai family hous ewithout reporting it to someone? I rarely stay with them, just stay during the day and go to some hotel or resort.

This is one of the reasons why I consider leaving after 16 years. I bored of all the nonsense here.

Not that they have ever bothered me with anything. Not once anyone has come to the house to ask anything. And I prefer it that way.

The "problem" is that some people enjoy inflating what they deem a "problem" beyond any sense or reason.

Who suggested/told that you cannot visit a Thai family without making a "report".

I suspect you made that up !

When will you be leaving ?

I think it's possible that Onni4me did not make anything up, what reason would he have to do that?

Don't you know that Immigration officers make up some of their own rules? TiT.

[luke000]

This story is not believable.

What do you find unbelievable about it ?