Retirement Ext CM...time to appear these days?

[cheeryble]

(Chiangmai Immigration)

 

Hi there

 

My retirement extension ends Sept 28.

A friend's ends Sept 14th.

My wife has previously paid someone from her hospital she works 500bt to go and pick up the number early.

I think it entailed two visits to Airport IMM, one early and another to get the appointment time a wee bit later.

 

I believe one can now do the extension 45 days early?

IF so, friend and I think maybe we could share one person to go and get an appointment for both of us for the same day, give her a bit more as incentive.

 

1. Think this would be OK?

2. Presume it's Promenada?

3. We've heard the crazy-early times have become more civilised. What time should she go to be safe?

4. Want to make it simple and pain free as poss about times etc......last time she woke up wife about three times on phone......to avoid this what would be her instruction sheet?

 

thanks for help!

[Dazinoz]

I know a lot of people don't like to pay the money but I use a visa agent. They message me when near renewal time. I goto their office and sign all the paperwork they have already prepared. In the next day or 2 I go back to their office and they drive me to immigration at Promenada and get photo taken. This usual is less than 30 minutes at immigration. All done.They then do the next 4 x 90 day reports in that fee and I only have to goto their office, no waiting in queues.

[maybefitz]

Just done mine. Arrived 6.15 am, done by 11.30. Note, a new TM 7, slight different page 2. Also now want a copy page of your 90 day sheet. Photo size now 6 x 4 cm.

 

I was 10 in the queue, only about 20 in total, yesterday.

[HHTel]

Oh, the advantage of living in Hua Hin.  Did mine a couple of weeks ago.  Arrived at 14:00 and back in my car at 14:15 duly stamped for another year.

Pat on the back for Hua Hin immigration staff.

[roo860]

Oh, the advantage of living in Hua Hin.  Did mine a couple of weeks ago.  Arrived at 14:00 and back in my car at 14:15 duly stamped for another year.
Pat on the back for Hua Hin immigration staff.

He's asking about CM immigration, not God's Waiting Room (Hua Hin).

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[NancyL]

Recent reports are that Chiang Mai has indeed become more "civilized" if you consider arriving at 6 am and getting out by noon to be civilized.  At least it's an improvement.  

 

You can apply up to 45 days early.  

 

You cannot have a third party get a queue number for you.  You can have a third party park their bum on a stool and wait in the queue, but when the Imm. officer (or intern) starts to pass out the queue tickets at 8.30 am, they look at passports.  Now, the visa agents have their own Imm. officer upstairs so they don't queue with the "retail customers" which is the main reason the morning queue is more sensible.  You're just competing with the other old codgers and their paid sitters.

 

Every time I go to CM Immigration, even for something unrelated to a visa extension (i.e. 90 day report, re-entry permit), I make a point of arriving at 8.15 am so I can watching the morning queue process.  I've been maybe 5 times since December and every time, everyone who was in the retirement queue at 8:30 am received a queue ticket for that day.  No one was turned away.  

 

For my own retirement extension application in January (45 days ahead of expiration), I tempted fate by arriving at 8:45 am, after they started to process the queue, figuring I'd get turned away but still got a queue number for the day.  Of course, my interview wasn't until later in the afternoon, so I had a nice breakfast and went to see LaLa Land at the theater to kill time.  Don't understand why everyone thought that movie was so good. 

[StevieAus]

2 hours ago, Dazinoz said:

I know a lot of people don't like to pay the money but I use a visa agent. They message me when near renewal time. I goto their office and sign all the paperwork they have already prepared. In the next day or 2 I go back to their office and they drive me to immigration at Promenada and get photo taken. This usual is less than 30 minutes at immigration. All done.They then do the next 4 x 90 day reports in that fee and I only have to goto their office, no waiting in queues.

Totally agree if you can afford the fee I think it's worth the cost certainly for me as it's a 5 hour round trip to Chiang Mai

[jeab1980]

3 hours ago, Dazinoz said:

I know a lot of people don't like to pay the money but I use a visa agent. They message me when near renewal time. I goto their office and sign all the paperwork they have already prepared. In the next day or 2 I go back to their office and they drive me to immigration at Promenada and get photo taken. This usual is less than 30 minutes at immigration. All done.They then do the next 4 x 90 day reports in that fee and I only have to goto their office, no waiting in queues.

The all important question how much do they charge.

[Dazinoz]

3 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

The all important question how much do they charge.

Its like any thing you buy. Shop around.

[jeab1980]

2 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

Its like any thing you buy. Shop around.

How much do you pay?

[Dazinoz]

How much do you pay?

Pm sent

[cheeryble]

Recent reports are that Chiang Mai has indeed become more "civilized" if you consider arriving at 6 am and getting out by noon to be civilized.  At least it's an improvement.  

 

You can apply up to 45 days early.  

 

You cannot have a third party get a queue number for you.  You can have a third party park their bum on a stool and wait in the queue, but when the Imm. officer (or intern) starts to pass out the queue tickets at 8.30 am, they look at passports.  Now, the visa agents have their own Imm. officer upstairs so they don't queue with the "retail customers" which is the main reason the morning queue is more sensible.  You're just competing with the other old codgers and their paid sitters.

 

Every time I go to CM Immigration, even for something unrelated to a visa extension (i.e. 90 day report, re-entry permit), I make a point of arriving at 8.15 am so I can watching the morning queue process.  I've been maybe 5 times since December and every time, everyone who was in the retirement queue at 8:30 am received a queue ticket for that day.  No one was turned away.  

 

For my own retirement extension application in January (45 days ahead of expiration), I tempted fate by arriving at 8:45 am, after they started to process the queue, figuring I'd get turned away but still got a queue number for the day.  Of course, my interview wasn't until later in the afternoon, so I had a nice breakfast and went to see LaLa Land at the theater to kill time.  Don't understand why everyone thought that movie was so good. 

 

Thanks for the advice everyone but I'd prefer to pay someone to pick up my number.......id have to go later with the agent anyway and it's a few thou difference and timing on the appointments as I remember is pretty punctual.

 

Nancy, great info about the later time.......the one problem is you say people can't get others' numbers.

Are you quite sure if so has there been a change, because the year before last I think it was we did just that, paid someone to get the number, then they returned before 9 to get the time. Knowing you I'd dare say you're right. Do you think if I tell them I turn the lights out about three eye make an exception?(no answer required).

 

Thanks

 

 

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[cheeryble]

Hmmm a small addition my friend points out that I am doing retirement extension and he is doing marriage extension. He says they're different queues. Correct?


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[Psimbo]

I love Chiang Mai but one thing that puts me off about moving up there is immigration- turning u at dark o'clock fora 90 day report is ridiculous. 

 

it took me a grand total of about 10 minutes (less travelling time) to renew my retirement extension last month in Pphuket.

 

I understand there are moves to upgrade and improve the buildings and service in Chiang Mai and I hope it happens soon.

[NancyL]

To answer a couple questions -- yes marriage and retirement extensions are indeed separate queues, not even next to each other, at Promenada.

 

If a third party is going to physically be handed the queue ticket for you, then they need a Power of Attorney form, with tax stamp.  This is one of the documents that a visa agent has you sign when you visit them ahead of going out to Immigration, so the visa agent can take your passport, send someone to wait in the queue, present your passport, the POA form and get a queue ticket for you.  At least, this was the procedure before Imm. went to the newer system of having an Imm. officer just for the visa agents in their upstairs office.  Now, I think that the agents simply call in and reserve an appointment, no need to send someone out to wait in an early morning queue.  

There is absolutely no need to turn up in the dark to submit a 90 day report and people who do so are gluttons for punishment.  Yes, sometimes I'm one of them, but that's just because I want to see the latest enhancements that Imm. has made in handling the early morning queues, not because I think that's the only way to submit a 90 day report.  I'm amazed at how 30 - 40 people are in the 90 day report queue at 8:30 am, some having arrived at 6 am or earlier.

 

The two Immigration ladies who process 90 day reports are efficient and quick.  They're capable of doing at least 180 per day and have bragged to me that some days they get up to 200 if there are enough customers.  It's very, very rare that they turn away customers for 90 day reports and that's only when someone arrives at 3 pm and expects to get their report done that day.  In fact, most people arriving in the afternoon are seen quickly.

 

Customers who mail-in their 90 day reports have high satisfaction.  Remember to mail in your report early, following instructions at the top of the Chiang Mai forum.  At times, online reporting works also.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post has been removed.

[jeab1980]

It seems Chiang mai immigration is wiping its nose and getting there act together. Finally  <removed>

Edited August 13, 2017 by ubonjoe
comment about moderation removed

[cheeryble]

To answer a couple questions -- yes marriage and retirement extensions are indeed separate queues, not even next to each other, at Promenada.

 

If a third party is going to physically be handed the queue ticket for you, then they need a Power of Attorney form, with tax stamp.  This is one of the documents that a visa agent has you sign when you visit them ahead of going out to Immigration, so the visa agent can take your passport, send someone to wait in the queue, present your passport, the POA form and get a queue ticket for you.  At least, this was the procedure before Imm. went to the newer system of having an Imm. officer just for the visa agents in their upstairs office.  Now, I think that the agents simply call in and reserve an appointment, no need to send someone out to wait in an early morning queue.  

There is absolutely no need to turn up in the dark to submit a 90 day report and people who do so are gluttons for punishment.  Yes, sometimes I'm one of them, but that's just because I want to see the latest enhancements that Imm. has made in handling the early morning queues, not because I think that's the only way to submit a 90 day report.  I'm amazed at how 30 - 40 people are in the 90 day report queue at 8:30 am, some having arrived at 6 am or earlier.

 

The two Immigration ladies who process 90 day reports are efficient and quick.  They're capable of doing at least 180 per day and have bragged to me that some days they get up to 200 if there are enough customers.  It's very, very rare that they turn away customers for 90 day reports and that's only when someone arrives at 3 pm and expects to get their report done that day.  In fact, most people arriving in the afternoon are seen quickly.

 

Customers who mail-in their 90 day reports have high satisfaction.  Remember to mail in your report early, following instructions at the top of the Chiang Mai forum.  At times, online reporting works also.

 

 

Thanx for the great info Nancy

But....a girl we send will need POA.....which we can write I presume.......but what form does the tax stamp take?

One can only guess why another little bit of complication's been added......

 

 

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[scottiejohn]

18 hours ago, NancyL said:

For my own retirement extension application in January (45 days ahead of expiration), I tempted fate by arriving at 8:45 am, after they started to process the queue, figuring I'd get turned away but still got a queue number for the day.  Of course, my interview wasn't until later in the afternoon

What is this "interview" you mention.  Are you asked questions, interrogated  or what?

 

I just sign the papers and let my agent take me to Prom, get a Photo taken and all done in 30 Minutes.  No interrogation (sorry interview) or time lost.

 

As you know, from my previous posts, I am totally amazed that anyone would wish to go to Prom at 8.45AM and then either hang around there for hours or go home etc; to then get "interviewed" in the afternoon when they can do it in 30 minutes via a local (not necessarily G4) visa agent.

My time is more precious than money!

[Dazinoz]

 
As you know, from my previous posts, I am totally amazed that anyone would wish to go to Prom at 8.45AM and then either hang around there for hours or go home etc; to then get "interviewed" in the afternoon when they can do it in 30 minutes via a local (not necessarily G4) visa agent.

My time is more precious than money!

Agreed.

[cheeryble]

What is this "interview" you mention.  Are you asked questions, interrogated  or what?

 

I just sign the papers and let my agent take me to Prom, get a Photo taken and all done in 30 Minutes.  No interrogation (sorry interview) or time lost.

 

As you know, from my previous posts, I am totally amazed that anyone would wish to go to Prom at 8.45AM and then either hang around there for hours or go home etc; to then get "interviewed" in the afternoon when they can do it in 30 minutes via a local (not necessarily G4) visa agent.

My time is more precious than money!

 

I used to get a wee bit bored driving a half hour home down the river at night. I set myself up with in car Bluetooth and I subscribe to a mass of podcasts. It became the best part of the day. Sometimes a podcast hasn't finished when I arrive and I sit in the carport alone listening to the end and perfectly happy. At immigration I shall continue with a biography of Dirac.

As one of Kurt Vonnegut's characters said when asked why he was wearing dark glasses inside: "The big picture's in my head"

 

The money I save on the agent will help me keep a dog who's being professionally rehabilitated.

 

 

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[scottiejohn]

58 minutes ago, cheeryble said:

 

I used to get a wee bit bored driving a half hour home down the river at night. I set myself up with in car Bluetooth and I subscribe to a mass of podcasts. It became the best part of the day. Sometimes a podcast hasn't finished when I arrive and I sit in the carport alone listening to the end and perfectly happy. At immigration I shall continue with a biography of Dirac.

As one of Kurt Vonnegut's characters said when asked why he was wearing dark glasses inside: "The big picture's in my head"

 

The money I save on the agent will help me keep a dog who's being professionally rehabilitated.

 

 

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In simple English can you please explain what you think you are trying to say?

 

If you cannot elucidate on your above ramblings can the rest of us in this discussion carry on and stay on topic please.

Edited August 13, 2017 by scottiejohn
correction

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, cheeryble said:

I used to get a wee bit bored driving a half hour home down the river at night. I set myself up with in car Bluetooth and I subscribe to a mass of podcasts. It became the best part of the day. Sometimes a podcast hasn't finished when I arrive and I sit in the carport alone listening to the end and perfectly happy. At immigration I shall continue with a biography of Dirac.

As one of Kurt Vonnegut's characters said when asked why he was wearing dark glasses inside: "The big picture's in my head"

 

The money I save on the agent will help me keep a dog who's being professionally rehabilitated.

I have used the same technique for visa-runs - usually have a few books on tape plus a few episodes of podcasts.  With modern-tech/access, I'd need dozens of lifetimes to have time to listen to everything on my list.  Back in the old-days, I carried a book or two.  Waiting in line a bit - not a problem.

[Dazinoz]

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

  Waiting in line a bit - not a problem.

 

You call waiting 10 or more hours a bit?

[JackThompson]

6 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

You call waiting 10 or more hours a bit?

As I understand it, it's "a bit" to get the queue#, then return later for "a bit" to wait and submit paperwork - so two bits, it would seem.

 

I understand it used to be some 4AM thing to get a queue-ticket, which was crazy.  The waiting wouldn't kill me, but getting up at 3AM would knock me out for several days (not as young as I used to be).

[Dazinoz]

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

As I understand it, it's "a bit" to get the queue#, then return later for "a bit" to wait and submit paperwork - so two bits, it would seem.

 

I understand it used to be some 4AM thing to get a queue-ticket, which was crazy.  The waiting wouldn't kill me, but getting up at 3AM would knock me out for several days (not as young as I used to be).

I went to the old airport immigration one day with my Agent. We arrived 3pm. I started chatting with a guy that had been there since 5am. The guy in front had apparently arrived earlier. I told him I used an agent. He quickly said he wouldn't waste his money on one. Then I was called and walked out at 3.15. I just said to him sometimes worth it.

 

To each his own but I am an impatient man and prefer to pay than wait.

[cheeryble]

In simple English can you please explain what you think you are trying to say?   If you cannot elucidate on your above ramblings can the rest of us in this discussion carry on and stay on topic please.  

 

 

 Jack Thompson kindly elucidated :)Point is also some of us would like to leave everything to an agent but when we find ways to make things as painless as possible are happy to compensate for our lack of pension.Having someone wonder on the forum why anyone would make the effort is a bit like them saying "why would I drive a 17 year old Suzuki (true in my case).......when I prefer to drive a shiny XXX?"

 

Add to that that 90days are now reliable and easy by post, really no effort (especially as the wife does it!)

 

Yet maybe if I can't get someone to queue sorted, I might just have to spend the money, but would way prefer to find a solution to getting the number.

 

Hope that helps....

 

 

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[cheeryble]

On August 12, 2017 at 6:24 PM, NancyL said:

Recent reports are that Chiang Mai has indeed become more "civilized" if you consider arriving at 6 am and getting out by noon to be civilized.  At least it's an improvement.  

 

You can apply up to 45 days early.  

 

You cannot have a third party get a queue number for you.  You can have a third party park their bum on a stool and wait in the queue, but when the Imm. officer (or intern) starts to pass out the queue tickets at 8.30 am, they look at passports.  Now, the visa agents have their own Imm. officer upstairs so they don't queue with the "retail customers" which is the main reason the morning queue is more sensible.  You're just competing with the other old codgers and their paid sitters.

 

Every time I go to CM Immigration, even for something unrelated to a visa extension (i.e. 90 day report, re-entry permit), I make a point of arriving at 8.15 am so I can watching the morning queue process.  I've been maybe 5 times since December and every time, everyone who was in the retirement queue at 8:30 am received a queue ticket for that day.  No one was turned away.  

 

For my own retirement extension application in January (45 days ahead of expiration), I tempted fate by arriving at 8:45 am, after they started to process the queue, figuring I'd get turned away but still got a queue number for the day.  Of course, my interview wasn't until later in the afternoon, so I had a nice breakfast and went to see LaLa Land at the theater to kill time.  Don't understand why everyone thought that movie was so good. 

 

Hi Nancy

the time has come and I got go do the extension next days.

 

You still stand y the excellent info you posted above?

No sitters allowed to get number/time? (would dearly love someone to do that)

8.30 safe time to arrive? (that;s the middle of the night for me)

 

extra questions open to all:

i seem to remember getting there outrageously late one time like 3pm......and getting my stamp. Could this have happened? The place was near empty if i remember.

2. I've heard that if youre seventy there's preferential treatment. As I'll be in that esteemed category of survivors before long anyone know the benefits?

 

thanks for great advice and research!

 

ps How many days is bank letter valid?

 

Edited September 18, 2017 by cheeryble

[NancyL]

Recent reports are that everyone queued up at 8.30 am is receiving a ticket for a retirement extension.

 

Definitely can't have a "sitter" get a number/time for you.  That person would be acting as an "agent" and they have a separate procedure for agents.  Of course, you can employ a visa agent if you want to be able to go into Imm. at a preferred time, like late morning or early afternoon and they can make the necessary arrangements since all agents are now handled upstairs and make advance appointments.

 

There are stories of people arriving late in the day and still receiving service for a one-year extension, but it's not the norm.  Usually you're told to come back tomorrow morning.

 

Yes, people over age 70 can use the "Priority Lane".  Someone could go and make an appointment for you on your behalf.  I've known people who do this for older friends who have mobility issues, etc.

 

I seem to recall hearing that the bank letter is valid for seven days, but they'll probably ask you to update the bankbook on the day, also.  They asked me to do this in January when I brought a letter and bankbook that were four days old.  

[cheeryble]

Thanks for that Nancy.

That sounds a bit naughty about updating the bank book same day eh?
I've certainly never heard of it and if you get an early slot how could you possibly do it especially as the bank usually says come back and pick it up later.


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