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  1. #26
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by toddaniels
    There haven't been ANY immigration regulation changes in a while now which affect yearly extensions of stay.
    Yep!
    Quote Originally Posted by toddaniels
    Stand up for your rights, because we most definitely have them here
    Yep!!

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickschoppers View Post
    ^
    While I definitely agree with your comment about being told "CANNOT" when the Thai does not know how to do something, I have to question your comment about the one year extension available in Chiang Mai.

    My last trip to Vientiane, we shared a van with a business lady from Chiang Mai. She own and ran, what seemed, a reputable cosmetic business and had been doing so for 13 years. For most of those years she was able to just obtain a multiple entry visa in Chiang Mai, but she stated as of last November, she had to take a trip to Vientiane every 3 months to obtain an O visa. Is this a case of the local immigration office not knowing the rules, or have they truly changed recently?

    Todd, since you have always done your visa business in Bangkok, is there a possibility that they do things a little different there? Also, it has always been my understanding that one had to use the immigration office in their jurisdiction. In my case that is the office in Udon Thani. Am I able to go to Bangkok for visa extensions? A lot of questions, I know, but things are still not perfectly clear to me since I have been told different stories by different immigration officers.
    I dunno about the business lady from Chiang Mai who'd been getting "multi entry visas" in Chiang Mai as there's no such animal available inside thailand. Also I don't know how "reputable" her business was seeing as IF it was a legal business she'da had to employ four thais to hold a work permit. Sounds like an "under the table" business but as I said, dunno and don't really care all that much either.

    There ARE yearly extensions of stay with a re-entry permit which gives unlimited exits/entries during the year, but as far as I know there is nothing like "a multi-entry visa" available inside the country from ANY immigrations office.

    I also dunno why after 13 years, she wasn't doing a yearly extension of stay based on business, retirement, etc and instead is slogging up to Vientiane to get a single entry Non-0 visa.. Something's not quite right with her story.. I'm not sayin' it ain't true, I saying you weren't told everything about it.

    I think it's been about 2 years now that Thai Immigrations went to "Zone Immigrations"; which is where they divided the country into zones (hence the catchy title). You are compelled to go to the Immigrations office which controls the zone where you live. It doesn't matter if you're a kilometer from an Immigration office, if that's not the office which controls your zone, you slog to the one that does. Some people live almost in sight of one Immigrations office yet because of where they drew the line for the zones, have to go to one many, many kilometers away.

    Ever since this happened those "satellite offices" have become little fiefdoms of their on. The officers in charge try to โชว์พาวเวอร์ (the english words "show power" which is now actually a thai idiom!) when ever they can. They make up arbitrary rules which aren't written into the real Immigrations regulations, they act like primadonnas, like their shit doesn't stink, and they're just plain fucked to the n-th degree to deal with. That's why I quit goin' up country to fool with visas for acquaintenances.. It got to be more of a headache than it was worth and I just quit goin' upcountry anymore.

    Now believe me I'm most definitely NOT afraid to argue with a thai, any thai, even ones in a uniform which is too tight and has a bunch of colored string and doo-hickeys hangin off it. I certainly possess enough thai language skills to back someone into corners and make them do what I want, but I got sick of doin' it.

    The thing is, IF you call the Immigrations hotline, get someone from Bangkok to call back, have them tell the officer you're in front of that NO that's not the rule, this is and yes they have to follow the real rules.. Well, it doesn't exactly endear you to the half wit official you're sitting in front of.

    Thankfully they mostly remember me, the blunt, direct, coarse, thai speaking foreigner wearing levi jeans, a black KISS tour t-shirt who walks with a cane which looks like a baseball bat. They usually don't remember the foreigner I was with. That's mostly because I made it clear to the official that I was the person calling the hotline, I was the person questioning their imaginary rule, and I was the one who got someone to set them straight.

    That's why I ONLY do stuff in Bangkok, they follow the rules to the letter, and after 7+ years of slogging out there with this or that foreigner in tow, they know me by sight, know that if I show up with someone, the paperwork is correct as far as forms, copies, signatures, etc. and the application will fly thru. Now they know as well as I do that being a "visa agent" is a prohibited trade for foreigners, however I've always told Immigrations I'm the "cheering section" (ผู้เชียร์) for the foreigner I'm with. So far, never had a problem with them, ever.

    So, unfortunately you are compelled to go to the Immigrations Office which controls your zone to get yearly extensions of stay.

    Good Luck,
    "Whoever said `Money can`t buy you love or joy` obviously was not making enough money." <- quote by Gene $immon$ of the rock group KISS

  3. #28
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    any day of the week with the proper documentation, copies, etc.
    this was not in bangkok and was done without ANY supporting documentation whatsoever.


    That bull-shit mindset of "enquiring about additional services available and the service charges for those services" is doing nothing to make these people follow the Immigration rules as they're written and instead is just feeding the greed of some less than honest officials.
    not when paying for "additional services" will save the foreigner (who was incapacitated with a broken leg) the hassle and expense of trips to bangkok for embassy verifications, and visa runs involving air fares and hotel expenses.

    it would seem like a very prctical solution to the problem. such a solution could not be found in the rigid box ticking systems that western countries employ.

    when asked about the "extra charges", the immigraqtion officer explained that these procedures are all authorised by bangkok, who receive their percentage of the charges.

    the walking cane/ kiss t-shirt/ loud coarse approach may indeed work for a known and regular punter at an immigration centre, but for the one off visit to clarify or resolve a problem, it most definitely will fail.

    p.s. at least show some good taste and wear a neil young or pink floyd shirt.

  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phuketrichard View Post
    if u have a Thai child why not just do ur extension in country? its quite easy an less paperwork than for a marriage extension.
    I did that for years
    First I've heard of this...more info, please?

    tia

  5. #30
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    Personally I HATE as in deplore to the utmost those "work arounds" which don't involve supplying the correct support documentation. Everyone here knows when their visa comes up for renewal and it's not like the date sneaks up on you.

    I am of the mind that IF you can't meet the finanaical requirements for the visa you're wanting so you can be here, well, you don't belong here, period.

    The proverbial "bar" is set pretty darned low for foreigners to stay here. 800K either banked here, in your country or a combination of the two for single retirees and just 400K or proof of income of 40K a month if you're a guy married to a thai national.

    Interestingly enough there is NO financial requirement for a foreign woman married to a Thai guy. It's ONLY for foreign guyz married to thai gurlz..

    You can renew your extension of stay a month early everywhere AND if you show you're going to be out of the country when your extension expires you can renew it earlier than a month as well. Plus if you show you're going into the hospital for a surgery etc they'll let you renew your extension early too.

    IF indeed a foreigner has a broken leg or is otherwise incapacitated, all they need is a letter from the hospital and attending physician saying they are unable to travel to Immigrations, and another letter hand written saying, "I allow the person named XXXX to process my application".

    Also now Immigrations has changed their interpretation of how long the Embassy income verification letters are good for. There's NO rule written about this but it came down from the powerz-that-be-in-Bangkok that they would recognize the validity of those letters for a longer time frame than before. At least the US Embassy does ACS outreach every year in various cities of Thailand...

    Here's the schedule;
    Wednesday, January 15, 2014 Pattaya
    Wednesday, January 22, 2014 Khon Kaen
    Wednesday, January 29, 2014 Phuket
    Wednesday, April 2, Pattaya
    Wednesday, April 23, Udon Thani
    Wednesday, April 30, Phuket
    Wednesday, July 9, Pattaya
    Wednesday, July 16, Khon Kaen
    Wednesday, July 23, Phuket
    Wednesday, October 8, Pattaya
    Wednesday, October 15, Udon Thani
    Wednesday, October 22, Phuket

    I know it's not everywhere, but it's at least in places which make it easier for people living up country in those one buffalo villages to use the service and forgo a trip to Bangkok..

    FYI: there's no "additional fees" for someone else to applu on behalf of a person who can't physically make the trip to Immigrations. I've went out, applied for and received extensions of stays for people who were at home recuperating from surgeries, moto-cy accidents, dengue fever, etc without a bit of a hiccup, albeit with the correct documentation as far as financial proof, copies, etc.

    As I said, if you don't meet the criteria, $25,000 US as a single retiree, or $12,000 US for a foreign guy married to a thai, that you can bank for 2-3 months and not go broke, you just plain and simple are living WAY to close to the edge here.

    Keep feeding the greed of these officials and then complain out of the other side of your mouth about the injustice of it all.

  6. #31
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    Personally I HATE as in deplore to the utmost those "work arounds" which don't involve supplying the correct support documentation. Everyone here knows when their visa comes up for renewal and it's not like the date sneaks up on you.
    me too, but sometimes they make sense.

    the case i was referring to involved a guy who, due to a mistake at suwannaphum had his multi re-entry permit cancelled when entering the country after a short trip abroad, this was his first trip out on a multi re-entry. he didnt notice the mistake at the time and was given a 30 day tourist entry stamp, when it should have been entry until the end of his permission to stay according to his non immigrant visa which was 5 months and with no cancellation of the re entry permit

    back at his local immigration office he was advised to return to suwannaphum to sort it out. seeing as he had broken his leg by then and didnt want to travel back to bangkok, visit the airport, re arrange all the paperwork with his embassy for a new non imm visa and leave the country in order to apply for one, he asked for help in re-instating his incorrectly cancelled visa.

    eventually a compromise was worked out, fees paid and the job was done in 30 minutes.

    now if paying a little bit extra to sort that out that doesnt make sense ??????


    FYI: there's no "additional fees" for someone else to applu on behalf of a person who can't physically make the trip to Immigrations.
    its not always so easy in the up-country fiefdoms for a first timer.

  7. #32
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    anyone seen a "NEW" ruling comcerning the 30 day visa exempt stamp at the border?

    PHUKET: -- Immigration is to bring in a new rule soon aimed at discouraging repeat visa runs by visitors to Thailand who get visas on arrival and then extend their stays by doing visa runs.

    Currently, visitors who come from countries on Thailand’s list of nationalities that may arrive with no visa and receive a visa on arrival can also hop out of Thailand into a neighbouring country and back, and get another 30 days. Some repeat this indefinitely.

    Now, however, Immigration has announced that anyone arriving in Thailand across a land border will receive only 15 days. This will not apply to the first arrival in Thailand, whether by land or air, but will apply for subsequent arrivals by road or rail.

    The number of back-to-back visa runs may also be limited.

    The main aim is to discourage foreigners from staying long-term in Thailand by doing multiple back-to-back tourist visa runs.

    Immigration has attempted before to discourage visa hoppers. The most recent attempt was when it was announced that no one would be able to spend more than 90 days total in Thailand on multiple visa runs. This has apparently been applied selectively, and will continue to be used this way, along with the new 15-day rule, in cases of people recognised as serial visa-hoppers.

    A Phuket Immigration officer told The Phuket News they knew about the new rule, but that it is not yet being applied, and they are not sure just when it will be.
    Source: http://www.thephuket...-runs-45216.php

    Not sure if this will happen as the article is very poorly written , confusing visa on arrivals with visa exempt.
    "I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol or insanity, but they've always worked for me" HST

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  8. #33
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    I think this is the case of yet another Immigrations official trying to โชว์พาวเวอร์ (show power) or flex their imaginary muscles.

    Despite the "un-named Immigrations officer" stating what he did, Phuket most certainly doesn't make up immigrations rules or regulations (no matter what they think). I just got off the phone (with an also un-named Immigrations officer) who said there's no such thing even being considered, especially seeing as just 2-3 months ago they changed the land border crossing rules to give G7 countries a 30 day visa exempt stamp.

    In fact, if you are indeed the same "phuketrichard" who posts on T/V, you said; "as always, i prefer to wait an see if its enforced or forgotten about as most things are". . .

    I too weigh in on the let's just see if it pans out side of this story. If I was a betting man, I'd bet dollars to durian it's like that 500baht manditory health insurance bull shit story someone half-wit thai offical thought up, and will turn out to be much-ado-about-nothing.

    Don't get me wrong, I don't like "runners" or people who live here solely on visa exempt stamps one bit. There're enough ways to facilitate a stay here IF you want to rather than running-4-the-border every 30 days.. Still let's see what happens.

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by toddaniels
    ...foreigner wearing... a black KISS tour t-shirt who walks with a cane which looks like a baseball bat...

    The Kiss t-shirt I can (regrettably) imagine all too well, but what the hell is a cane that looks like a baseball bat? Is it one, or the other?

    I ask for clarification, and an image (if at all possible).




  10. #35
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    as i stated here , not sure it will happen. Just posting what was in Thai visa

    I always wait and see an as i am here on an extension it does not bother me one way or the other.

    Its the government not knowing what they are doing.

  11. #36
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    It looks like a 1 year multiple entry O visa is still attainable from the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles. I have sent a query to them via email to verify and will post their reply.

    There is still hope...

  12. #37
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    I have noticed many posters saying how much trouble they have at the Udon Thani office , I have been doing my yearly extensions and 90 day reports there for 4 years now and have never had a problem in fact they have been very helpful , maybe it has to do with attitude , if they ask for something different, get it, and no there has never been any tea money supplied.

  13. #38
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    ^
    The problems have come from different people telling you different things. If you have not had any problems, then good on ya. I get frustrated with doing what one person tells me to do with regard to documentation and then being told they need more when I go back by another person.

    Just part of living in the LOS I suppose.

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ozcol View Post
    I have noticed many posters saying how much trouble they have at the Udon Thani office , I have been doing my yearly extensions and 90 day reports there for 4 years now and have never had a problem in fact they have been very helpful , maybe it has to do with attitude , if they ask for something different, get it, and no there has never been any tea money supplied.

    Can I go with you the next time I am due for an extension?

    BTW, everyone seemed to not believe Phuketrichard's post about the new ruling with regard to the visa exempt stamps. Now there seems to be a lot of believers regarding new overstay regulations along with trying to stay long term in Thailand without proper visas. Any disbelievers left?

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Farang View Post
    what the hell is a cane that looks like a baseball bat? Is it one, or the other?
    I ask for clarification, and an image (if at all possible).
    Here you go "Johnny Farang"; not quite a baseball bat but it'll sure ring your bell if I whack you with it!

    NOTE: cat is for size reference only. NO CATZ WERE HARMED IN THE TAKING OF THIS PICTURE!

    Yes; it appears Phuketrichard was right about what thaiz are calling the "out/in rule" as far as visa exempt stamps.

    Right now it's a little sketchy as different borders interpret it differently. But it's definitely comin' down the pike and will bite a lot of "runnerz" or "border-bouncerz" who live here.

    There's even reports that it's affected some offshore workers who do a 28 dayz-on 28 dayz-off rotation. They've been questioned at the airport comin' back in already.

    The overstay rules WILL most definitely come into effect, although different papers and forums list different dates. There's a HUGE sign out at Chaengwattana Immigrations and now everyone getting an extension of stay is asked to sign the form acknowledging what the penalties for overstay will be.

    Picture of the huge sign;

  16. #41
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    So things are changing and will continue to do so. Along with changes that each immigration officer may make on their own, the visa story is one that remains dynamic. This is the point I was trying to make in my original post.

    Thanks to members like Tod for keeping up with things and sharing them, we all have a better chance of staying informed.

  17. #42
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  18. #43
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    Think off shore workers are fine, friend of mine, oil worker Albert Canada, Thai wife, house etc asked at the airport, if he needed to change to a visa. 4 weeks on 4 off.
    Told now need, few Norwegians oil workers in Ubon, 3 weeks on 4 off, no questions or problems.

    Don't think there looking to give problems to real off shore workers. Jim

  19. #44
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    There's even reports that it's affected some offshore workers who do a 28 dayz-on 28 dayz-off rotation. They've been questioned at the airport comin' back in already.
    and some will be turned away cause their fucking stupid,
    many have homes, families, wife's etc in Thailand so when the immigration asks them they tell them so,
    Bam. nope, your not a TOURIST so u cant come in.

    Note; when u arrive; if ur coming in on a visa exempt or tourist visa, always put down reason; tourism ( not visiting family)
    always put down a hotel address , ( not ur home address) tourist don't have homes here.
    UNLESS ur on a retirement extension or a non o or b ( for which u better have ur wp to back it up)

  20. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by toddaniels
    There haven't been ANY immigration regulation changes in a while now which affect yearly extensions of stay.
    Yep!
    Quote Originally Posted by toddaniels
    Stand up for your rights, because we most definitely have them here
    Yep!!
    IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT!
    One can be polite BUT firm.

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by toddaniels View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Farang View Post
    what the hell is a cane that looks like a baseball bat? Is it one, or the other?
    I ask for clarification, and an image (if at all possible).
    Here you go "Johnny Farang"; not quite a baseball bat but it'll sure ring your bell if I whack you with it!

    NOTE: cat is for size reference only. NO CATZ WERE HARMED IN THE TAKING OF THIS PICTURE!

    Yes; it appears Phuketrichard was right about what thaiz are calling the "out/in rule" as far as visa exempt stamps.

    Right now it's a little sketchy as different borders interpret it differently. But it's definitely comin' down the pike and will bite a lot of "runnerz" or "border-bouncerz" who live here.

    There's even reports that it's affected some offshore workers who do a 28 dayz-on 28 dayz-off rotation. They've been questioned at the airport comin' back in already.

    The overstay rules WILL most definitely come into effect, although different papers and forums list different dates. There's a HUGE sign out at Chaengwattana Immigrations and now everyone getting an extension of stay is asked to sign the form acknowledging what the penalties for overstay will be.

    Picture of the huge sign;

    That be a knobkerry lad

  22. #47
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    With a change in government, it will be interesting to see what other regulatory hoops we will all have to jump through in a years time. Having the one year visa in my passport will makes things much easier and all I will have to worry about is going across the border every 90 days and then returning for another 90 days stay. If I work it right I should be able to have 15 months of not dealing with the local immigration office.

    Once the 15 months is up, I will then either obtain another visa from my home country, or file for an extension in country. Either way, I now have some breathing room, I think.

  23. #48
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    thinking in Thailand can be dangerous to your mental health

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