Retirement extension.

[Guderian]

Never go Immigration on a monday, too busy. Today i had to. Had all the paper work, as per Patsfangr, Got nr. , 818, sat at counter 1 and 2, bloke next to me had nr 201, showed him mine, how long i had to wait, got up, went to correct counter ,8. called up immediately, in and out within 5 or so minutes. Cheers.

You are so lucky down there in Pattaya,and other Immigration offices too,up here in Chiang Mai

its a nightmare, did my retirement extension last week, got there at 3.30 in the morning,yes 3.30 !

already 2 in the queue ,the office opens 8.30, it was nearly 9.00 before they called first number,

they give out 30 tickets,so if you are not there by 6.00 you will have no chance.lots of people up

here using agents,as they cannot or wont get up soon enough, they charge 4K-7K for the service,

plus 1,900 THB , its the same with 90 day reporting must have been up to 100 in the queue by 8.00.

regards worgeordie

Mental note to self: cancel any future plans I may have to move to Chiang Mai from Pattaya.

[KittenKong]

You are so lucky down there in Pattaya,and other Immigration offices too,up here in Chiang Mai

its a nightmare, did my retirement extension last week, got there at 3.30 in the morning,yes 3.30 !

already 2 in the queue ,the office opens 8.30, it was nearly 9.00 before they called first number,

they give out 30 tickets,so if you are not there by 6.00 you will have no chance.lots of people up

here using agents,as they cannot or wont get up soon enough, they charge 4K-7K for the service,

plus 1,900 THB , its the same with 90 day reporting must have been up to 100 in the queue by 8.00.

Many people complain about the appalling delays at Chiang Mai immigration and we are certainly much better served at Jomtien.

I wonder if the delays at Chiang Mai aren't deliberate to encourage people to use agencies (who share the hefty fee with the immigration officers)? Otherwise I can see no obvious reason why it should be so slow there.

[worgeordie]

You are so lucky down there in Pattaya,and other Immigration offices too,up here in Chiang Mai

its a nightmare, did my retirement extension last week, got there at 3.30 in the morning,yes 3.30 !

already 2 in the queue ,the office opens 8.30, it was nearly 9.00 before they called first number,

they give out 30 tickets,so if you are not there by 6.00 you will have no chance.lots of people up

here using agents,as they cannot or wont get up soon enough, they charge 4K-7K for the service,

plus 1,900 THB , its the same with 90 day reporting must have been up to 100 in the queue by 8.00.

Many people complain about the appalling delays at Chiang Mai immigration and we are certainly much better served at Jomtien.

I wonder if the delays at Chiang Mai aren't deliberate to encourage people to use agencies (who share the hefty fee with the immigration officers)? Otherwise I can see no obvious reason why it should be so slow there.

That is exactly what is happening.

regards worgeordie

[tropo]

You are so lucky down there in Pattaya,and other Immigration offices too,up here in Chiang Mai

its a nightmare, did my retirement extension last week, got there at 3.30 in the morning,yes 3.30 !

already 2 in the queue ,the office opens 8.30, it was nearly 9.00 before they called first number,

they give out 30 tickets,so if you are not there by 6.00 you will have no chance.lots of people up

here using agents,as they cannot or wont get up soon enough, they charge 4K-7K for the service,

plus 1,900 THB , its the same with 90 day reporting must have been up to 100 in the queue by 8.00.

Many people complain about the appalling delays at Chiang Mai immigration and we are certainly much better served at Jomtien.

I wonder if the delays at Chiang Mai aren't deliberate to encourage people to use agencies (who share the hefty fee with the immigration officers)? Otherwise I can see no obvious reason why it should be so slow there.

That is exactly what is happening.

regards worgeordie

Let's hope it's just that, and not part of a general trend to make foreigners feel unwelcome.

[gmac]

You are so lucky down there in Pattaya,and other Immigration offices too,up here in Chiang Mai

its a nightmare, did my retirement extension last week, got there at 3.30 in the morning,yes 3.30 !

already 2 in the queue ,the office opens 8.30, it was nearly 9.00 before they called first number,

they give out 30 tickets,so if you are not there by 6.00 you will have no chance.lots of people up

here using agents,as they cannot or wont get up soon enough, they charge 4K-7K for the service,

plus 1,900 THB , its the same with 90 day reporting must have been up to 100 in the queue by 8.00.

Many people complain about the appalling delays at Chiang Mai immigration and we are certainly much better served at Jomtien.

I wonder if the delays at Chiang Mai aren't deliberate to encourage people to use agencies (who share the hefty fee with the immigration officers)? Otherwise I can see no obvious reason why it should be so slow there.

That is exactly what is happening.

regards worgeordie

Let's hope it's just that, and not part of a general trend to make foreigners feel unwelcome.

Jomtien always amazes me because most days it is queued out of the door, people everywhere, but for Retirement extensions and 90 days reporting you are usually in and out in 5/10 minutes. Can see no reason why the same situation shouldn't exist in Chiang Mai unless, as worgeordie says, it is a deliberate ploy to make people use the agencies.

[Oishii]

I thought you could not get the letter in person at UK Embassy but had to do it by post? Checking the figures for other embassies above makes me ashamed to be British.

Don't feel so bad, your UK citizenship comes with "free" healthcare and university education.

No free university education now. £9,000 per year.

[mikebell]

I thought you could not get the letter in person at UK Embassy but had to do it by post? Checking the figures for other embassies above makes me ashamed to be British.

Don't feel so bad, your UK citizenship comes with "free" healthcare and university education.

No free university education now. £9,000 per year.

UK Citizenship also comes with a frozen State pension in Thailand (I've not had a rise in 8 years.) They are seeking to make ex-pats pay for healthcare if they return to UK.

[Oishii]

I thought you could not get the letter in person at UK Embassy but had to do it by post? Checking the figures for other embassies above makes me ashamed to be British.

Don't feel so bad, your UK citizenship comes with "free" healthcare and university education.

No free university education now. £9,000 per year.

UK Citizenship also comes with a frozen State pension in Thailand (I've not had a rise in 8 years.) They are seeking to make ex-pats pay for healthcare if they return to UK.

As far as I know, if you've been out of the U.K. for more than a year, you have to wait 6 months before you get free healthcare. But, they don't seem to chase the health tourists very much, so I don't think they'd send you an invoice.

[sandgroper2]

You are so lucky down there in Pattaya,and other Immigration offices too,up here in Chiang Mai

its a nightmare, did my retirement extension last week, got there at 3.30 in the morning,yes 3.30 !

already 2 in the queue ,the office opens 8.30, it was nearly 9.00 before they called first number,

they give out 30 tickets,so if you are not there by 6.00 you will have no chance.lots of people up

here using agents,as they cannot or wont get up soon enough, they charge 4K-7K for the service,

plus 1,900 THB , its the same with 90 day reporting must have been up to 100 in the queue by 8.00.

Many people complain about the appalling delays at Chiang Mai immigration and we are certainly much better served at Jomtien.

I wonder if the delays at Chiang Mai aren't deliberate to encourage people to use agencies (who share the hefty fee with the immigration officers)? Otherwise I can see no obvious reason why it should be so slow there.

That is exactly what is happening.

regards worgeordie

You cant make accusations like that, even if true.If CM immigration was informed of your accusation, you would be in big trouble.

[typhoon42]

Does anyone know if Immigration will take a hotel receipt/reservations as proof of residency? My OA retirement visa will be due for a extension later this year and a multiple entry Re Entry permit.

I will use the pension letter.

I travel in and out of Thailand often during the year and prefer to stay in hotels where everything is included.

Thanks