Immigration officers ask me money for 91 or to go pick them up for the marriage extension application visit?

[alexlm]

Hello,

 

We got a call from the immigration officer for him to go to our condo.

 

Our condo is 45 minutes from the immigration office.

 

The officer said we have to go take him (but we don't have car), or to pay his taxi, at the end he said he will come but we will have to pay his gas 91...

 

I'm currently under review for one month for marriage visa extension.

 

is that ok/normal? What should I do?

 

Thanks

[JackThompson]

This has been reported in many cases during the marriage-review period.  If the amount they are requesting is not unreasonable, I would pay it.  Remember, you will be needed this office to assist with future extensions, and wish to stay on pleasant terms with them.  Of course, you don't want to be seen as a 'sucker', either - but a reasonable payment for a home visit is often expected, and would not fall into the 'sucker' category, in my view.

[stubuzz]

Call 1111 and make a complaint.

[worgeordie]

31 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

Call 1111 and make a complaint.

And dont get a marriage extension,unfortunately they have all the power,

so best not to upset them,they can and would make life very difficult for you,

its only a few 100 Baht anyway. 

regards worgeordie

[BritTim]

The trouble is that the immigration official is not compensated properly for the expense of a long round trip. This is wrong but, while I resist corruption, paying the guy's gas costs is just a recognition that you can afford it more then he can. It is not his fault that the system is broken.

[timkeen08]

Our immigration visit was all on the up and up. Very friendly IO's.

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[Dan5]

Just out of curiosity, what province is this?

[noahvail]

Had the IOs out to the house three times in the past 9 years. 75 kms each way from the Udon Thani office. Never been asked for compensation, and they always drove an Immigration-labeled and police-plated vehicle. Nice folks too.

 

Today, my wife and I were visted by the three of the local constabulary. We know them, was on the up and up. Just verifing their records of where farang were living, due to an order early this year from Bangkok. They had a sheaf of paper with an Excel printout of farang in the province. Gave them signed copies of my passport, tambien baan, and ID card...no compensation suggested, polite as anything.  

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, noahvail said:

Had the IOs out to the house three times in the past 9 years. 75 kms each way from the Udon Thani office. Never been asked for compensation, and they always drove an Immigration-labeled and police-plated vehicle. Nice folks too.

 

Today, my wife and I were visted by the three of the local constabulary. We know them, was on the up and up. Just verifing their records of where farang were living, due to an order early this year from Bangkok. They had a sheaf of paper with an Excel printout of farang in the province. Gave them signed copies of my passport, tambien baan, and ID card...no compensation suggested, polite as anything.  

another example of the hit-and-miss that is: 'at the immigration officer's discretion'

[observer90210]

Why not also ask honest farangs to pay for the boys uniforms and golden wings?

[Psychic]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

The trouble is that the immigration official is not compensated properly for the expense of a long round trip. This is wrong but, while I resist corruption, paying the guy's gas costs is just a recognition that you can afford it more then he can. It is not his fault that the system is broken.

Yes, HH Immigration sent two nice ladies up to our home about 6pm after we had filed the info to verify and sit in on photos similar to the ones we submitted, which I thought was kind of silly.

They asked for nothing but we sat and had some food and soft drinks and chatted.

They had to take their own vehicle on a 80km round trip, unpaid after work.

Worse they had to bring them back to work and file them that night, also unpaid.

Sometimes, if you sit and speak with the officers you get the distinct impression they just don't get all this nonsense either. 

They have our marriage certificate, map to the house, passport and id, tabien ban already on file but it has to be redone. Apparently someone came to realize that smiling pictures inside and outside the house (I got told to change shirts for different photos) doesn't really prove anything.

I'd like to know how many people were caught because of any of these "tests".

They spend so much time, energy and paperwork on the 99% of married expats who are abiding by all the rules that they done have enough to chase down the bad guys.

How much man hours a year are devoted to all this nonsense and then the pointless 90 day reports that could be used to go after criminals, scam artists and those who don't have any valid visa and go nowhere near immigration.

[perthperson]

7 minutes ago, Psychic said:

Yes, HH Immigration sent two nice ladies up to our home

If I recall correctly there have been many instances of fake marriages which have resulted in fines and deportations. 

 

Many of the immigration services practices/procedures are the direct result of scamming, fraudulent claims etc  by the ne'er do wells 

 

Well intentioned people, such as yourself, have little to fear but never the less are inconvienenced as are the Officers. 

[GeorgeCross]

25 minutes ago, Psychic said:

I'd like to know how many people were caught because of any of these "tests".

They spend so much time, energy and paperwork on the 99% of married expats who are abiding by all the rules that they done have enough to chase down the bad guys.

How much man hours a year are devoted to all this nonsense and then the pointless 90 day reports that could be used to go after criminals, scam artists and those who don't have any valid visa and go nowhere near immigration.

 

office in HH immigration told us fake couples had tried turning up with photos taken in furniture shops!

 

so they do catch some at least

 

 

[speckio]

just do what they say, they have the power to make your life miserable 

[Beats56]

Yes two IO came two our house a few weeks after I applied for the marriage extention. They phoned first. Took pictures and filled out more paper. Wanted know how much I had in savings back home and what my father and mother names were. They are both long gone. How long I have known my wife. That was about it. Still I was amazed at all the writing he was doing especially after all the paperwork I did when I applied. But they were pleasant.

 

 

[55Jay]

Depends.  Are you a man of unwavering principles, or do you go along to get along?

 

I would stand on principle and not pay anything, especially if they show up in a government vehicle.  This is their requirement, not yours.  If they want to make these checks part of the process, fine, but groveling for gas money?  Sorry.  No. 

 

But a few of the posts above pull at my humanity and I might be persuaded if they were getting screwed over, made to use their own vehicle, etc. 

 

But paying just keeps the injustice going and is another wink and nod to corrupt practices.   These I/Os have the power to deport you.  But they don't have the balls to tell the office boss the truth?   Why should you have to pay so they don't have to confront the actual problem?  It's not your problem.  Don't let them make it yours.

 

[BritTim]

12 hours ago, 55Jay said:

Depends.  Are you a man of unwavering principles, or do you go along to get along?

 

I would stand on principle and not pay anything, especially if they show up in a government vehicle.  This is their requirement, not yours.  If they want to make these checks part of the process, fine, but groveling for gas money?  Sorry.  No. 

 

But a few of the posts above pull at my humanity and I might be persuaded if they were getting screwed over, made to use their own vehicle, etc. 

 

But paying just keeps the injustice going and is another wink and nod to corrupt practices.   These I/Os have the power to deport you.  But they don't have the balls to tell the office boss the truth?   Why should you have to pay so they don't have to confront the actual problem?  It's not your problem.  Don't let them make it yours.

 

I appreciate, and have some sympathy with your point of view. However, a low level immigration official is never going to approach senior officials at the level where policy over expense claims is determined. If anyone ever did, it is unlikely they would still have a job. Leaving that aside, Thai culture has inherited a habit of non confrontation from old village society where maintaining outwardly at least) friendly relations with everyone was essential to cooperation and survival.

[rkidlad]

37 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I appreciate, and have some sympathy with your point of view. However, a low level immigration official is never going to approach senior officials at the level where policy over expense claims is determined. If anyone ever did, it is unlikely they would still have a job. Leaving that aside, Thai culture has inherited a habit of non confrontation from old village society where maintaining outwardly at least) friendly relations with everyone was essential to cooperation and survival.

This is why living here can be so confusing. We get told by authorities that we 'must' respect Thai laws. Okay, absolutely fair enough. We even get told my sanctimonious 'farangs' in a condescnding way, "Respect the law or go home". 

 

Yet, it seems it's okay to break the law (pay driving violation fines under the table or some IO's fuel expenses) with the very people who are supposed to be upholding the law. We're reminded we're outsiders who have to respect the law and stay out of internal matters, and at the same time, we're ambiguously, even blatantly, asked to partake in the internal matters (corruption) when they want their ill gotten gains. 

 

I have no problems with one rule for you and one rule for another. My only problem is - what are those rules?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rhys]

6 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

This is why living here can be so confusing. We get told by authorities that we 'must' respect Thai laws. Okay, absolutely fair enough. We even get told my sanctimonious 'farangs' in a condescnding way, "Respect the law or go home". 

 

Yet, it seems it's okay to break the law (pay driving violation fines under the table or some IO's fuel expenses) with the very people who are supposed to be upholding the law. We're reminded we're outsiders who have to respect the law and stay out of internal matters, and at the same time, we're ambiguously, even blatantly, asked to partake in the internal matters (corruption) when they want their ill gotten gains. 

 

I have no problems with one rule for you and one rule for another. My only problem is - what are those rules?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly what ever they can get away with these days..hit or miss.

[JackThompson]

52 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

This is why living here can be so confusing. We get told by authorities that we 'must' respect Thai laws. Okay, absolutely fair enough. We even get told my sanctimonious 'farangs' in a condescnding way, "Respect the law or go home". 

 

Yet, it seems it's okay to break the law (pay driving violation fines under the table or some IO's fuel expenses) with the very people who are supposed to be upholding the law. We're reminded we're outsiders who have to respect the law and stay out of internal matters, and at the same time, we're ambiguously, even blatantly, asked to partake in the internal matters (corruption) when they want their ill gotten gains. 

 

I have no problems with one rule for you and one rule for another. My only problem is - what are those rules?

Not interfering includes not bucking 'the system' as it is.  Obey the law, yes.  Also follow custom.  

 

That may involve the opportunity of paying a small fine for a traffic violation "on the spot" vs more hassle the 'official' way.  Where I come from, the powerful get their tickets dismissed with connections; here average folks can 'pre-dismiss' them for a price, and not miss a day of work.  Don't violate the traffic-laws, and one doesn't have to pay either way.

In the case of the OP - the gas-money - "local custom" may vary from area to area.  Perhaps inquire with others in your area with a similar visa-process behind them, and ask what they did.

[rkidlad]

58 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Not interfering includes not bucking 'the system' as it is.  Obey the law, yes.  Also follow custom.  

 

That may involve the opportunity of paying a small fine for a traffic violation "on the spot" vs more hassle the 'official' way.  Where I come from, the powerful get their tickets dismissed with connections; here average folks can 'pre-dismiss' them for a price, and not miss a day of work.  Don't violate the traffic-laws, and one doesn't have to pay either way.

In the case of the OP - the gas-money - "local custom" may vary from area to area.  Perhaps inquire with others in your area with a similar visa-process behind them, and ask what they did.

Local custom and culture are often just made up as they go along.

 

One person tells you one thing and another person tells you different. 

 

Which was the point of my post. 

[55Jay]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

I appreciate, and have some sympathy with your point of view. However, a low level immigration official is never going to approach senior officials at the level where policy over expense claims is determined. If anyone ever did, it is unlikely they would still have a job. Leaving that aside, Thai culture has inherited a habit of non confrontation from old village society where maintaining outwardly at least) friendly relations with everyone was essential to cooperation and survival.

Yes, I'm well aware of the cultural cowardice of our hosts, as well as the potential for childish, petty ramifications if one rubs their noses in it.  Had my share of challenges here  - some resolved boldly, some carefully, and some I've let go.  It just depends on the circumstances, parties involved, and if there's a need for continued interaction.

 

[baansgr]

Just now, Psychic said:

Yes, HH Immigration sent two nice ladies up to our home about 6pm after we had filed the info to verify and sit in on photos similar to the ones we submitted, which I thought was kind of silly.

They asked for nothing but we sat and had some food and soft drinks and chatted.

They had to take their own vehicle on a 80km round trip, unpaid after work.

Worse they had to bring them back to work and file them that night, also unpaid.

Sometimes, if you sit and speak with the officers you get the distinct impression they just don't get all this nonsense either. 

They have our marriage certificate, map to the house, passport and id, tabien ban already on file but it has to be redone. Apparently someone came to realize that smiling pictures inside and outside the house (I got told to change shirts for different photos) doesn't really prove anything.

I'd like to know how many people were caught because of any of these "tests".

They spend so much time, energy and paperwork on the 99% of married expats who are abiding by all the rules that they done have enough to chase down the bad guys.

How much man hours a year are devoted to all this nonsense and then the pointless 90 day reports that could be used to go after criminals, scam artists and those who don't have any valid visa and go nowhere near immigration.

Well said, lets hope immigration read and take note. I have always found HH immigration very good but yes they do require everything.

[sinbin]

About 2 years ago all farang using Kap Cheong office had to have a home visit irrespective of what annual extension you were on. No one, as far as I know, were/was charged mileage for it.

Edited July 19, 2017 by sinbin

[Blinky62]

This is why living here can be so confusing. We get told by authorities that we 'must' respect Thai laws. Okay, absolutely fair enough. We even get told my sanctimonious 'farangs' in a condescnding way, "Respect the law or go home". 
 
Yet, it seems it's okay to break the law (pay driving violation fines under the table or some IO's fuel expenses) with the very people who are supposed to be upholding the law. We're reminded we're outsiders who have to respect the law and stay out of internal matters, and at the same time, we're ambiguously, even blatantly, asked to partake in the internal matters (corruption) when they want their ill gotten gains. 
 
I have no problems with one rule for you and one rule for another. My only problem is - what are those rules?
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thai rules , adjustable. Like Ozy rules football [emoji458], no one is quite sure of all the rules. Different every day . Enjoy [emoji4]


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