CM Immigration curiosities.

[Chiengmaijoe]

15 hours ago, chiang mai said:

More important to ask perhaps is why they will not change things and therein perhaps lies the answer to the CM Immigration scenario! 

 

Why only Chiang Mai  Immigration? Every other office seems to work fine?

[chiang mai]

1 hour ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

 

Why only Chiang Mai  Immigration? Every other office seems to work fine?

 

I wouldn't know because I only ever use CM, I doubt that you know either.

[cyberfarang]

12 hours ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

For those that have taken the view that this is all about corruption, I have a few questions. 

1 why are no other immigration offices similarly 'inefficient', for the purposes of collecting agency fees? If they are making billions here, as someone suggested, I would have thought the word would have got around by now.

 

2 Do you know of any other government offices that are charging fees to get things done? In the recent clamour to get Pink ID cards, I didn't hear of anyone paying over the odds to get these much sought after novelties. I guess the same is true of Yellow books. No demands at the Labour Office when it comes to renewing a work permit - highly efficient and transparent.

 

3 This situation has arisen in just the last few years, mostly during the time of Military rule and the big anti-corruption drive. It is also unique to Chiang  Mai, which appears to be under greater scrutiny in the last few years. Why would they be allowing corruption  as you guys like to say it is, in such a high-profile place as immigration, that deals with foreigners, who are notorious for not accepting such practices?

 

4 do any of you guys know how much a billion is?

Many questions and as usual no answers.

 

Considering that immigration rarely keep us informed, they do and we follow, how do you propose we find out what the situation is that is causing the chaos and also what the the situations are with other regional immigration offices in comparison?

[Chiengmaijoe]

1 hour ago, chiang mai said:

 

I wouldn't know because I only ever use CM, I doubt that you know either.

 

Doubt away! These quotes are from this very topic, and I've seen comments about BKK, Phuket being hassle free elsewhere on this forum. I would imagine that Pattaya has as big an expat community as Chiang Mai, maybe more.

 

" Maybe they want Farangs to to move to Pattaya as Immigration is Very Fast no need to get their before 9:00am "

 

"Yes very odd, Jomtien immigration is great now , a quick service , in and out within 30 minutes if you have the documents with you."

 

[dcnx]

On 9/11/2016 at 9:14 PM, NancyL said:

No, Chiengmaijoe raises a very good point.  One should reasonably expect to be able to conduct a required obligation if one shows up at the time the gov't office responsible for fulfilling that task opens.  OK, maybe it isn't reasonable to wait until the last minute, but here in Chiang Mai, you could show up at 8:30 am, 45 days before your retirement extension expires -- the earliest you can apply -- and be turned away because the queue was full.  You could return every day, at 8:30 am, for 45 days and be meet with the same story.

 

Think about your own countries.  What do you think would happen if people had to queue up at 2 am in order to renew their driver's licenses?  Thai people don't have to queue up at zero-dark-stupid in order to get visas to our countries nor do they have to queue up at those hours to meet the requirements imposed on them by their government.

 

Do any of you hire someone to apply for a driver's license for you in your home country?  Or wait in a queue at a government office?   Or for that matter, at any other government office in Thailand?  ..... I didn't think so.

 

 

 

Exactly.

 

With all the development, big malls, Internet, nice village estates, and condos, it is easy to forget that Thailand is still a developing nation with a third world mentality. 

 

But it's getting better, slowly. 

[chiang mai]

1 hour ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

 

Doubt away! These quotes are from this very topic, and I've seen comments about BKK, Phuket being hassle free elsewhere on this forum. I would imagine that Pattaya has as big an expat community as Chiang Mai, maybe more.

 

" Maybe they want Farangs to to move to Pattaya as Immigration is Very Fast no need to get their before 9:00am "

 

"Yes very odd, Jomtien immigration is great now , a quick service , in and out within 30 minutes if you have the documents with you."

 

 

A long standing Brit friend just stopped by and we were just discussing this subject: he tells me that he and his wife went to Immigration in CM recently to extend their retirement visa's, they dropped their pet dog at the vet at 9am, went to Immigration and took a number, waited for about 90 minutes and were then seen to extend their visa's, job done from start to finish in under four hours. Since I've been using an agent for the past three years I have only had reports from this forum to judge how bad things have become, it seems it is not that bad for everyone, all the time. My friend, who is notoriously averse to paying agents for these things, states that it's a matter of picking a day between Tuesday and Thursday (Mondays are always bad he says), leave enough days to where if the job can't be finished in one day there's enough room left to be able to try again the next, he says he's never ever queued up in the early morning and never would. Soooo, I'm hearing mixed stories on how bad things really and am now beginning to wonder why there are such conflicting reports, I'm inclined to believe my friends version 100%..

[mesquite]

9 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

 

A long standing Brit friend just stopped by and we were just discussing this subject: he tells me that he and his wife went to Immigration in CM recently to extend their retirement visa's, they dropped their pet dog at the vet at 9am, went to Immigration and took a number, waited for about 90 minutes and were then seen to extend their visa's, job done from start to finish in under four hours. Since I've been using an agent for the past three years I have only had reports from this forum to judge how bad things have become, it seems it is not that bad for everyone, all the time. My friend, who is notoriously averse to paying agents for these things, states that it's a matter of picking a day between Tuesday and Thursday (Mondays are always bad he says), leave enough days to where if the job can't be finished in one day there's enough room left to be able to try again the next, he says he's never ever queued up in the early morning and never would. Soooo, I'm hearing mixed stories on how bad things really and am now beginning to wonder why there are such conflicting reports, I'm inclined to believe my friends version 100%..

Pick the right day of the week, AND pick the right month of the year.  The don't go during high season.  I renew mine in January and it is a nightmare.

Edited September 14, 2016 by mesquite

[chiang mai]

Just now, mesquite said:

Pick the right day of the week, AND pick the right month of the year.  I bet he doesn't go during high season.  I renew mine in January and it is a nightmare.

 

He (and I) renew the same week ever year on the earliest possible date, the week of 22 April.

[mesquite]

53 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

 

He (and I) renew the same week ever year on the earliest possible date, the week of 22 April.

Exactly!

[chiang mai]

1 hour ago, mesquite said:

Exactly!

 

Are there any other dates/days that are just as good or have I captured the market, if so can I sell it to anyone?

 

Seriously, when are the good months and what are the good days, IYHO?

[Thailand]

3 hours ago, chiang mai said:

 

A long standing Brit friend just stopped by and we were just discussing this subject: he tells me that he and his wife went to Immigration in CM recently to extend their retirement visa's, they dropped their pet dog at the vet at 9am, went to Immigration and took a number, waited for about 90 minutes and were then seen to extend their visa's, job done from start to finish in under four hours. Since I've been using an agent for the past three years I have only had reports from this forum to judge how bad things have become, it seems it is not that bad for everyone, all the time. My friend, who is notoriously averse to paying agents for these things, states that it's a matter of picking a day between Tuesday and Thursday (Mondays are always bad he says), leave enough days to where if the job can't be finished in one day there's enough room left to be able to try again the next, he says he's never ever queued up in the early morning and never would. Soooo, I'm hearing mixed stories on how bad things really and am now beginning to wonder why there are such conflicting reports, I'm inclined to believe my friends version 100%..

I am a Brit, have many Brit friends and friends of other nationaities with whom I have discussed the current situation at immigration, of those who have done their "retirement" visa during this year there are NONE who have been able to roll up at immigration on any special day or otherwise and complete an application without either queing early in the morning, employing an agent, or as in the case of a couple of us recently,engaging a line sitter.

 

And I also believe them,just sayin!

[Oscar2]

3 hours ago, chiang mai said:

 

A long standing Brit friend just stopped by and we were just discussing this subject: he tells me that he and his wife went to Immigration in CM recently to extend their retirement visa's, they dropped their pet dog at the vet at 9am, went to Immigration and took a number, waited for about 90 minutes and were then seen to extend their visa's, job done from start to finish in under four hours. Since I've been using an agent for the past three years I have only had reports from this forum to judge how bad things have become, it seems it is not that bad for everyone, all the time. My friend, who is notoriously averse to paying agents for these things, states that it's a matter of picking a day between Tuesday and Thursday (Mondays are always bad he says), leave enough days to where if the job can't be finished in one day there's enough room left to be able to try again the next, he says he's never ever queued up in the early morning and never would. Soooo, I'm hearing mixed stories on how bad things really and am now beginning to wonder why there are such conflicting reports, I'm inclined to believe my friends version 100%..

been saying this for years. piece of cake...walk in the park.... if it's too busy come back another day. takes about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. (ONCE i had to go back at 5:00 p.m. to retrieve my passport.....no big deal). i go about 3-4 weeks before the visa expires. no rush, the right day always comes along. don't believe more than 1/2 the people on this forum with their endless complaints and whining/whinging . extensions are easy.

 

believe your friends version 100%.

[Oscar2]

8 minutes ago, Thailand said:

I am a Brit, have many Brit friends and friends of other nationaities with whom I have discussed the current situation at immigration, of those who have done their "retirement" visa during this year there are NONE who have been able to roll up at immigration on any special day or otherwise and complete an application without either queing early in the morning, employing an agent, or as in the case of a couple of us recently,engaging a line sitter.

 

And I also believe them,just sayin!

i walked in at 9:00 in June, walked out at 11:30 with my extension, just like many others. just like every year.

 

i always go Tues, Wed or Thurs.

Edited September 14, 2016 by Oscar2

[Thailand]

2 minutes ago, Oscar2 said:

i walked in at 9:00 in June, walked out at 11:30 with my extension, just like many others. just like every year.

 

i always go M,T, or W.

Lucky you.

[chiang mai]

6 minutes ago, Oscar2 said:

been saying this for years. piece of cake...walk in the park.... if it's too busy come back another day. takes about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. (ONCE i had to go back at 5:00 p.m. to retrieve my passport.....no big deal). i go about 3-4 weeks before the visa expires. no rush, the right day always comes along. don't believe more than 1/2 the people on this forum with their endless complaints and whining/whinging . extensions are easy.

 

believe your friends version 100%.

 

I do.

[Oscar2]

1 minute ago, Thailand said:

Lucky you.

you quoted me before i could edit. it should be Tues, Wed, Thurs. NEVER Monday.

[Atum]

On 9/13/2016 at 8:09 AM, elektrified said:

I too, have no complaints with Immigration whatsoever and hope for my sake, that nothing changes. Next year and next extension will be my 10th year of dealing with C.M. Immigration. They are always very courteous and friendly to me and my family on the rare occasion I need to go there (once a year). It couldn't be easier. In fact, it is no more difficult than going to the Department of Motor Vehicles in my home country and getting a drivers license renewed. I have never arrived before 8:30 A.M. and am usually on my way by 10:30-11:30. Sometimes it does take more than one visit as another poster mentioned. Sometimes I will need to go 2 or 3 times until the right moment arrives. Sometimes if my wife is out and about and near Immigration, she will stop in and chat with the ladies or the Officer and see if that day is a good day to come and will call and let me know. You just need to be patient and polite. Too often, foreigners are quite rude to government officials and if you live in Thailand, you should know by now that will only work against you. Once my wife lost her patience at Amphur Muang and snapped at a clerk there while trying to accomplish an important filing of documents. She went back 4 times and the same clerk put up a road block each time. She never forgot the incident... Meanwhile the statute of limitations date was quickly approaching. My wife had to ask a favor and get help to get around the situation.... She learned her lesson.

 

I have to say that I too am a little amused with the stories of people arriving at Immigration at 3:00-7:00 A.M. Fine with me........makes it much easier for those of us that get there at normal business hours (and there are quite a few of us that do).

In what month do you do your 1-year extension? Some months are A LOT busier than others. If you do yours in let's say June or July then, yes, maybe you can just stroll in at 8:30 AM and get it all done in a couple of hours...

[evenstevens]

3 hours ago, Thailand said:

I am a Brit, have many Brit friends and friends of other nationaities with whom I have discussed the current situation at immigration, of those who have done their "retirement" visa during this year there are NONE who have been able to roll up at immigration on any special day or otherwise and complete an application without either queing early in the morning, employing an agent, or as in the case of a couple of us recently,engaging a line sitter.

 

And I also believe them,just sayin!

 

cannot help bad luck, can you ??? just saying!

 Get It On,   Bang   a Bong,

Its a T Rex sweet dreams  to all my fans

[NancyL]

OK, here's the deal, that many people don't seem to understand.  You can "renew" your retirement extension up to 45 days ahead of expiration.  I don't mean to be unkind, but many Europeans, the British included, seem to take a very adversarial  approach to this process.  

Heck no, not me.  I figured it just gave me 45 days of legitimate reasons to hang out around CM Immigration Promenada to see what was going on, since I'd been previously "banned" from ever returning unless it was to take care of my own personal business.  

 

So, I cleared my calendar in mid-January and figured I'd have many early mornings as I'd finally have an excuse (err--- reason) to come to Imm. Promenada) at 8:30 am for 45 days.  

 

So, what did those buggers do to me?  The very first morning when I rocked in at 8:45 am and joined the back of the line (or queue as I guess the R.O.W. calls it) by the times they finally got to me i the morning document check process that the Imm. officials started at 8:30 am, well, much to my chagrin, I was handed queue ticket No. 17 and told to return at 2 pm.  Rats!  Plan foiled!

[NancyL]

OK, here's the deal, that many people don't seem to understand.  You can "renew" your retirement extension up to 45 days ahead of expiration.  I don't mean to be unkind, but many Europeans, the British included, seem to take a very adversarial  approach to this process.  

Heck no, not me.  I figured it just gave me 45 days of legitimate reasons to hang out around CM Immigration Promenada to see what was going on, since I'd been previously "banned" from ever returning unless it was to take care of my own personal business.  

 

So, I cleared my calendar in mid-January and figured I'd have many early mornings as I'd finally have an excuse (err--- reason) to come to Imm. Promenada) at 8:30 am for 45 days.  

 

So, what did those buggers do to me?  The very first morning when I rocked in at 8:45 am and joined the back of the line (or ninueue as I guess the R.O.W. calls it) by the times they finally got to me i the morning document check process that the Imm. officials started at 8:30 am, well, much to my chagrin, I was handed queue ticket No. 17 and told to return at 2 pm.  Rats!  Plan foiled!

[dingdongrb]

How many from the USA who were around in the 70s remember this weekly queue we all had to contend with?

 

 

[mesquite]

12 hours ago, chiang mai said:

 

Are there any other dates/days that are just as good or have I captured the market, if so can I sell it to anyone?

 

Seriously, when are the good months and what are the good days, IYHO?

The "least painful" months are all months except Nov thru Feb.

[chiang mai]

6 hours ago, NancyL said:

OK, here's the deal, that many people don't seem to understand.  You can "renew" your retirement extension up to 45 days ahead of expiration.  I don't mean to be unkind, but many Europeans, the British included, seem to take a very adversarial  approach to this process.  

Heck no, not me.  I figured it just gave me 45 days of legitimate reasons to hang out around CM Immigration Promenada to see what was going on, since I'd been previously "banned" from ever returning unless it was to take care of my own personal business.  

 

So, I cleared my calendar in mid-January and figured I'd have many early mornings as I'd finally have an excuse (err--- reason) to come to Imm. Promenada) at 8:30 am for 45 days.  

 

So, what did those buggers do to me?  The very first morning when I rocked in at 8:45 am and joined the back of the line (or queue as I guess the R.O.W. calls it) by the times they finally got to me i the morning document check process that the Imm. officials started at 8:30 am, well, much to my chagrin, I was handed queue ticket No. 17 and told to return at 2 pm.  Rats!  Plan foiled!

 

I would hope everyone knows about the 45 day prior rule because that's the way to play the game. Start going to Immigration on your renewal date minus 45 days, if there's a queuing problem then go on your renewal date minus 44 days and so on, easy peasy.

 

I think all these stories about people starting to queue at 2 am and then not getting a number and being forced to return the next day must be very much the exception, either that or they are trying to renew visa's in the peak of high season when there may or may not be a real problem, dunno.

 

[Thailand]

Yep, keep going day after day from 45 days out and see if by chance you can get a ticket, or pay someone 300baht to get in the q for you and roll up at 8.30am to get ticket number 4 and be done by 10am. Don't have to think to hard about that one. 

 

However, that one will be out of the window soon as many people are now going that route, particularly the Japanese.

 

Alternatively immigration will get their act together and it will be as easy as it was a few years ago. 

 

Or from what I can gather, as easy as it is in every other province.

Edited September 15, 2016 by Thailand

[evenstevens]

8 hours ago, NancyL said:

OK, here's the deal, that many people don't seem to understand.  You can "renew" your retirement extension up to 45 days ahead of expiration.  I don't mean to be unkind, but many Europeans, the British included, seem to take a very adversarial  approach to this process.

Heck no, not me.  I figured it just gave me 45 days of legitimate reasons to hang out around CM Immigration Promenada to see what was going on, since I'd been previously "banned" from ever returning unless it was to take care of my own personal business.

 

So, I cleared my calendar in mid-January and figured I'd have many early mornings as I'd finally have an excuse (err--- reason) to come to Imm. Promenada) at 8:30 am for 45 days.

 

So, what did those buggers do to me?  The very first morning when I rocked in at 8:45 am and joined the back of the line (or ninueue as I guess the R.O.W. calls it) by the times they finally got to me i the morning document check process that the Imm. officials started at 8:30 am, well, much to my chagrin, I was handed queue ticket No. 17 and told to return at 2 pm.  Rats!  Plan foiled!

 

no surprise  at all, with the ban ,and another  absoulately  crazy  plan, being stopped

the immgr dept have been beating you up senselessly and correctly for approx 2 yrs

until you have the volitude to respect this govt dept, it will continue and why not ???

its a   lovely late morning to all

[Paul Catton]

These line sitters, what nationality are they?

If not Thai, do they have valid work permits for line sitting?

And if not, are you then guilty of having an illegal in your employ?

Are they able only to line sit for a singular placement or could they get multiple numbers?

 

Mind boggling.

[Thailand]

1 minute ago, Paul Catton said:

These line sitters, what nationality are they?

If not Thai, do they have valid work permits for line sitting?

And if not, are you then guilty of having an illegal in your employ?

Are they able only to line sit for a singular placement or could they get multiple numbers?

 

Mind boggling.

Thais, one sitter per person for whom they provide the service.

 

Provided by a legitimate agency who also check your paperwork before they accept your money as they have to show the correct paperwork to the officer before you take their place and the tickets are issued.

 

A very good cheap professional service. Does that address your concerns?

[Paul Catton]

3 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Thais, one sitter per person for whom they provide the service.

 

Provided by a legitimate agency who also check your paperwork before they accept your money as they have to show the correct paperwork to the officer before you take their place and the tickets are issued.

 

A very good cheap professional service. Does that address your concerns?

Reinforces the craziness of the situation that appears to exist, although it would appear not for all.

Presumably my time will come.

[piewarmer]

Twice I have been told the big boss has gone out so they cannot sign the documents today.. That's another complication not mentioned.

[augustwest]

Last year I used G4T 11:00 am arrival took 15 minutes to sign forms already prepared by the service. Returned at 1:00pm and was on my way home by 1:10pm. Total time 25 minutes and 3000b. I'm retired and during work woke at 5:00am more times I can count. 3000b is a pittance and worth every sating. I do extension in February.