Report on marriage extension visit to I.O.

[paddlinsteve]

Today was the day when I had planned to visit Nonthaburi I.O. to submit paper work for my first extension of permission to stay based on marriage. Accordingly, I first visited my bank to get the letter verifying the required amount was in my account. The wife and I then drove out to the Immigration Office, nestled incongruously in the paddy fields, to submit the documentation. I relied on the list posted by Ubonjoe, but also glanced at Robert333's from time to time as well.

 

I had gone last week to check that I had everything needed, barring the bank letter, only to be handed five additional forms to complete as well as a request for a photo of the missus and I in the kitchen. Getting those completed took some doing, especially the ones to be filled in by a neighbor (I just took it to the manager of the moo baan and he did the needful).

 

You can imagine my dismay when the chap on duty at the reception counter today handed us three more forms to fill in. One was the TM.30, despite the bottom part of one still being stapled in my passport.

 

Oh, the lady who checked my stack of documents gave us the pitch for changing the basis for the extension from marriage to retirement. She was gracious enough to change the subject when we explained that I wanted to work.

 

I hadn't understood the reason for making two copies of all documents until after one set was returned to me with the explanation that they could be kept for next year. I was then sent to the outsourced copy service next door to have every item in one set photocopied. When I objected, saying that I already had a spare complete set, the guy at the machine pointed out that they wanted a copy of the first set because they bore the official stamp. Sigh . . .

 

Our stay extended to an hour and a half before my passport was returned and I was free to go. I didn't get why the staff wore heavy, Eastern European-style uniforms and then cranked the air up to super high. Why not just adapt by wearing tropical uniforms and keeping the air low? I'm learning not to ask such questions in LOS.