Dear All,

Today the HR lady at my school went to immigration (Pathum Thani) to prepare for my Non-o renewal on Thursday. She has informed me that they told her there "might be" a 1000 baht house inspection fee. I have renewed my non-o two times previously and never paid this.

Is this a new rule/law?

Or is it, as I suspect, a scam?

Cheers

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Never heard of it before. 

Your HR lady is trying to pull a fast one.

Is your extension based on marriage?

This is the only case I know where home visits are done by some offices.

And they ARE done (a mate told me about his visit).

1000 baht fee paid to whom?  The officials that visit as part of their job?  The HR lady from your school that made the trip to immigration?

There might be a 1000 baht fee from the immigration officer for the house inspection.


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The "fee" will not have a recipt and is used to buy "tea"

 

if if they ask for it if they visit you can decline to pay unless given an official recipt.

The "fee" will not have a recipt and is used to buy "tea"
 
if if they ask for it if they visit you can decline to pay unless given an official recipt.

Thanks, my plan was to ask for their full name and an official receipt.


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Did my Non-O extension in July in Samui and had the Immigration come and do a house visit - there was no mention of a fee.

tell the HR lady your not paying and report her to her supervisors for trying to extort money from you.

tell the HR lady your not paying and report her to her supervisors for trying to extort money from you.

I don't believe she is trying to extort me, she said please prepare a 1000 baht house inspection fee for the immigration officer.


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Just politely tell her that's not going to be happening.

Immigration ask indeed a 1,000 baht inspection fee.

 

As other mentionned already, NO RECEIPT (=tea money).

 

Option 1: you pay the 1,000 baht fee ---> you will get your Visa extension the "easy way".
Option 2: you refuse to pay (or you ask for a receipt) ---> Immigration will give you a hard time at your Visa extension.

Up to you which choice you make.
 

And don't count on the Government or any Official to complain.
They are all in the same corruption scam.

TIT

tell them you dont have the money on you right now but your wife will be happy to drop it off with their commanding officer in return for an official reciept later in the day, if they still want that is..?

Poop on their heads, this is just what they deserve to be liars.

 

5 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

Immigration ask indeed a 1,000 baht inspection fee.

 

As other mentionned already, NO RECEIPT (=tea money).

 

Option 1: you pay the 1,000 baht fee ---> you will get your Visa extension the "easy way".
Option 2: you refuse to pay (or you ask for a receipt) ---> Immigration will give you a hard time at your Visa extension.

Up to you which choice you make.
 

And don't count on the Government or any Official to complain.
They are all in the same corruption scam.

TIT

good advice from (i suspect) a seasoned professional. it is just easier to adapt to thai culture than it is is to fight it. a good tactic is to have two 500thb notes ready. when they ask for the fee ask for a receipt and they say no say if you can pay 500thb with no receipt if you are worried about the money. i did 8 years of keeping my non-B going. gets tiring. now i go back to nz for xmas each year to get a non-O. so nice and simple back there with a fixed fee.

THERE "MIGHT" be a fee of 1000 baht  LOL give me a break

Looooooool...

Film it when they come to collect it and post on FB like thai like to do these days...

Good guys in bad guys out.... 

Looooooool...

Immigration, the institute you can trust in LOS...

When i pay 1900thb extension (the actual legal price) i receive a 500thb receipt... Lol!

PM has a lot of work to do...

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.....

first of all

You have to do the extension and/or visa application in person.

When Immigration office comes to check that is free of charge. because it is in the interest of the government and will be taken place. if taken place, within 30 days.

The HR lady is no more and no less than you help to get all done well and provide the correct information and documents.

the fee is fixed and you can find back on the website of the immigration office.

 

The so called 1000 THB as well that you do not show up in person at the extension of the visa application. Can be in indication that they 'fix' you visa or extension.

 

They are clearing a lot of cases and do also background checks. Sooner or later you are the one in the line. And if wrong then you are banned for a long time or for life.

 

 

The officer who does the checks know the tricks like with the amount of money on the account as well the so called paid wages. And also can check if you were there in person too. The officers involved who approved your case of extension of visa application are also checked by them as well cross reference.

 

Also, they now start to let you sign extra document too. These are about the overstay and the Visa. About the Visa is that you understand the kind of visa you have as well the overview of the penalties and when they apply.

 

Beside that regarding the Visa the immigration officers when you ask them they advise to apply for and get the Visa Non-O based on marriage or based on Thai national.  This is better to have when you have a work permit then the NON-B depending on the work permit and therefore depending on your employment and the employer. If the employment is canceled or not extended  or the employer changed visa is not valid anymore

then on of the following situation  can apply to you:

You will have to leave the country and apply for the special extension visa to arrange all of your leaving in the few days of the visa you have to return your work permit to  the authorities 

You have a new employer and is able to help you to try to change the visa of have a new work permit supporting the change of non-B tot the new Work Permit. 

You are able to change the non-B tot a non-O (In most cases you need the support of the (former) employer with this, The employer has to provide you a letter that the make no objection to the change. The immigration officer can provide the exact words he needs and statement in the letter of the employer  in your situation.)

 

 

first of all
You have to do the extension and/or visa application in person.
When Immigration office comes to check that is free of charge. because it is in the interest of the government and will be taken place. if taken place, within 30 days.
The HR lady is no more and no less than you help to get all done well and provide the correct information and documents.
the fee is fixed and you can find back on the website of the immigration office.
 
The so called 1000 THB as well that you do not show up in person at the extension of the visa application. Can be in indication that they 'fix' you visa or extension.
 
They are clearing a lot of cases and do also background checks. Sooner or later you are the one in the line. And if wrong then you are banned for a long time or for life.
 
 
The officer who does the checks know the tricks like with the amount of money on the account as well the so called paid wages. And also can check if you were there in person too. The officers involved who approved your case of extension of visa application are also checked by them as well cross reference.
 
Also, they now start to let you sign extra document too. These are about the overstay and the Visa. About the Visa is that you understand the kind of visa you have as well the overview of the penalties and when they apply.
 
Beside that regarding the Visa the immigration officers when you ask them they advise to apply for and get the Visa Non-O based on marriage or based on Thai national.  This is better to have when you have a work permit then the NON-B depending on the work permit and therefore depending on your employment and the employer. If the employment is canceled or not extended  or the employer changed visa is not valid anymore
then on of the following situation  can apply to you:
You will have to leave the country and apply for the special extension visa to arrange all of your leaving in the few days of the visa you have to return your work permit to  the authorities 
You have a new employer and is able to help you to try to change the visa of have a new work permit supporting the change of non-B tot the new Work Permit. 
You are able to change the non-B tot a non-O (In most cases you need the support of the (former) employer with this, The employer has to provide you a letter that the make no objection to the change. The immigration officer can provide the exact words he needs and statement in the letter of the employer  in your situation.)
 
 

I am doing the extension in person, we are all going tomorrow to extend my non-o visa. The school is paying the fixed 1900 baht extension fee.

The problem is this 1000 baht house inspection fee which I believe is a scam.

I don't really understand your response but thanks for the info.


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2 hours ago, jji23 said:

I am doing the extension in person, we are all going tomorrow to extend my non-o visa. The school is paying the fixed 1900 baht extension fee.

The problem is this 1000 baht house inspection fee which I believe is a scam.

I don't really understand your response but thanks for the info.


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If there is a 1000 Baht "fee" without an official receipt then someone is obviously pocketing it. Maybe an officer, maybe the HR lady, maybe a split. 

The HR lady may have just suggested this to you, to have prepared, as many Thais do think you need to tip officials who put themselves out. And coming to your house could be putting themselves out.

There are lots of employers who use that office for foreign workers - factories, schools, colleges etc. The amount of "agents" or HR people who used to turn up with handfuls of forms and passports for extensions and 90 day reports seems to have diminished over the years. It was always annoying when they jumped the queue and a few walked round like they were the ones in charge. All that changed a few years ago - different seniors, better systems constantly being made more efficient and better organized. The last few times I've been there for extensions and 90 days it's been very well organized, efficient and no suggestion of any impropriety. In fact the officers were going out of their way to explain the new overstay penalties and to be careful, reminding of obtaining re-entry permits before leaving and not to forget 90 days. The 90 day officers were also reminding people to do their next extensions in plenty of time. 

 

All a bit strange - but as always, things change, new things crop up so please do post the outcome.

1000 Baht? I don't think it would be worth arguing about. I'd be more concerned about why they want to inspect your house. What is the purpose of the inspection. I'm been living in Thailand a long time and this is the first I've heard of a house inspection. I assume there in nothing in the immigration laws about it. Who knows maybe its just about the 1000 Baht.,

A lot of this stuff in the provinces (outside of Bangkok)  seems to be arbitrary. Should probably just pay the 1000 baht and be done with it. Its annoying, but what the ..

A reason I like living in Bangkok. They seem to just follow the immigration law without making up extra rules.

12 minutes ago, Dan5 said:

1000 Baht? I don't think it would be worth arguing about. I'd be more concerned about why they want to inspect your house. What is the purpose of the inspection. I'm been living in Thailand a long time and this is the first I've heard of a house inspection. I assume there in nothing in the immigration laws about it. Who knows maybe its just about the 1000 Baht.,

I think calling it an inspection was an error. It is the normal home visit done as part of the approval process for the extension based upon marriage.

The last home visit we had a few years ago now also had a fee. 2 cups of coffee, 2 of the wife's scones washed down with a wallop at my cider after they showed an interest in it...I'd have rather paid 1000B....

Don't pay Mate!

23 hours ago, Gainsbourg said:

When i pay 1900thb extension (the actual legal price) i receive a 500thb receipt... Lol!

PM has a lot of work to do...

Not happening at Khon Kaen.

Even the receipt had to be photocopied before handing documents to the superior for signing.

 

My immigration is 100 km away. Seems to be an advantage in this case.

If they'd require 1000 Baht I would book it as fuel money.

 

As being married but on retirement extension I would be surprised about a home visit though.

 

BTW: a mate (marriage extension, living in Chaiyaphum)  had a home visit.

But not by immigration police but from the local police station incl a senior officer.

They took a picture of him, his wife and the officer(!) in front of the house.

No fee.

Might be "on behalf" of the immigration office?

(officer on the picture as proof of job done ?)

 

Can every expat tell the difference of a regular police senior officer and an immigration police officer

Edited September 29, 20169 yr by KhunBENQ

My wife asked as soon as we walked in, they went very quiet. Didn't pay.


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