Thread: Marriage Visa renewal

That's a new twist to it.

Pragmatic; that is indeed quite strange.. I'd almost agree with Neverna, but changing the reason you're getting yearly extensions of stay doesn't change the fact they're issued a year at a time.

I don't see how or why they'd take a week away.. Did you ask them about it?

Then again being KCI anything is possible. They make up the rules as they go. The 30 day under consideration for extensions based on retirement are one of their hare-brained 'new rules'...

Originally Posted by toddaniels

I don't see how or why they'd take a week away.. Did you ask them about it?

I'd been told I could report up to 30 days early but I never knew it shouldn't affect my next annual extension date.
When one questions them at Kap Choeng one has to be careful as they spit the dummy out very easily. The same used to apply in Korat.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

When one questions them at Kap Choeng one has to be careful as they spit the dummy out very easily.

Slightly OFF-TOPIC;
I've called KCI a bunch of times and speaking thai (even with my Ohio hillbilly accent) they were always fine with me asking mundane questions.

Now they are most definitely NOT fine when I asked why they stopped 90 day reporting by mail and hinted that I'd heard people were encouraged to put donation money in the envelope to get their 90 day slip back.

They also came right off the rails when I asked about their imaginary rule for the 30 day under consideration for retirement extension and alluded to an 'expedited service' where if you grease the wheel with the right amount of lubricant you can pull the year extension on the same day you apply.

In their defense, I did say it seemed like they were trying to "wring money" out of foreigners who have make a couple hundred km trip there and back. I used "wring money" (รีดเงิน) which alludes to extortion like practices.

The gurl started shouting at me over the phone. She wouldn't give me the name of the head guy (which I'd already googled) and wouldn't give me her name either. Then, when she said I could talk to the head guy, rather than transfer me, she hung up on me and their phone was busy for the next 30 minutes.. They are pricks if you start calling them out on their "quirky rules".

I think you'd be okay asking them a totally legitimate question like "Why did I just lose a week from my yearly extension?" All I can say is thank the stars I don't use that office!!!

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

Same goes for the 90 day report

As I recall, will always be 90 days from report date so yes this date will vary. No prob now with on line report but prior always kept my 90 day in sync with extension to stay.

They did actually close the KC office for about 5 years and everyone, Surin and Buriram, had to use Korat. Then after much rumour that they were going to open an office in Buriram they instead went back to Kap Choeng. It's a one horse village 10km from the border and serves no location benefit other than to piss off the staff that man it. They actually close their doors on Friday's at 12:00 noon so the staff can go home to where ever they live in Thailand. I doubt any of them live in close proximity.

I had the same experience as Pragmatic, in Khon Kaen last year. The extension was to 2 Dec '14; renewed on 26 Nov '14 to 25 Nov'15. This was also a change from marriage to retirement.
I would like now to repeat my question on the online 90 day report thread which received no response:

"Anybody else whose online report has simply been ignored by our dear friends at immi?...........12 Sept 2015.
Thanks.

Sorry double post.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

I went to Kap Choeng Immi Office today to renew my Retirement Extension. A woman on the door checks your paperwork. I'm on my own wife and kids in the car. I was asked for wife's ID card. I said 'I'm not wanting a Marriage Extension'. She explains rules have changed. I get my wife to come in. She has to fill out 3 forms written in Thai. One was 'Agreement of terms for permit of temporary stay in the Kingdom of Thailand'. She duly fills out the forms. Also they need a hand drawn map. I only ever did that once for an extension by marriage.

I'd filled out my TM 7 in advance with copies of my passport pages according to what is published on the net. Not good enough. Now they want copies of every page in your passport. Plus copies of the 3 forms my wife filled out. And my 'Yellow Book'.

We get shown in to a room with an officer on his own. He goes through all the papers etc. He then hands my wife the bundle of papers and told her to go copy the lot. He also asked when was the last time I'd been house visited by Immi officers. I told him 'never in 10 years'. 'Right, you're going to get one next week' said he.

He gives us the 2 piles of paperwork and sent us to the main office. In there the officer rechecked all the paperwork. He wasn't happy my bank money was in a 'fixed term' account. So the top man gets involved he asked to see our ordinary account book. He wanted to see movement of money. We didn't have that book with us. He says we can show it when they come visit next week.

I I get the stamp in my passport. It's for 30 days. You now have to wait 30 days before they grant your extension. Officer says 'new rules' So another approx 250km round trip along the shittiest road in Thailand, Route 24 from Nang Rong to Surin.

Time at Kap Choeng was close to 2 hours. I fcuking hate immigration.

jeez what a palaver. i'm glad i have decided to go back to multi entry for the foreseeable future ....

Prag. I know you wanted an extension based upon retirement. Did those fookers realise this?

I've had to jump through many hoops over here and I empathise with your situation.

Surely, Tod could make a call to the big boys in Bangkok.

My missus just been to speak with the Yipoon's wife who lives nearby. Same happened to her and her husband. Got their first home visit in 15 years recently by Immigration. She says that the big change/clampdown is/was because of the Bangkok bomb episode.

Originally Posted by charleyboy

Prag. I know you wanted an extension based upon retirement. Did those fookers realise this?

Yes they did. It makes no difference. Someone has had their knuckles rapped and now they're covering their arses.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

When I alluded to the fact I thought they were being heavy handed wanting b/s documentation in an attempt to ring donations out of foreigners, they hung up.

I don't see this being about 'donations'. Before they'd do photocopying for you and ask you to make a 'donation'. Now they won't. You have to go 200m or so to a shop to get it done.
Also when paying 1,900 Baht with 2,000 Baht they'd ask if you want the change. Not now.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

there haven't been ANY changes in extensions since the current Police Order back on the 15th of August 2014.

When I was told they wanted to see movement in ones back account I pointed out that this had been raised before and the top woman, at that time, said 'fixed term' accounts were acceptable. This top guy then tells me 'that was then. And now I'm telling you it's not acceptable.' End of story.

Not to sound snarky but;
By chance you didn't bother to take a pic of that guys name placard on his desk, ask for his card or have him write his name down did you?

That's the thing, you guys won't push them, you just take what ever they say. You won't even find out the rank of the person who's telling you the information.

Here; I found the chain o command supposedly from KCI
Command Chain KCI
Which guy was it?

The photo's do not correspond with the list of names at the bottom. The first guy I saw was number 11 on the list. He is middle photo on row 4. The second guy I saw I can't find. The 3rd guy, who gave me my stamp of 'consideration', is number 9 on the list. Photo, last on right row 3
In my opinion Kap Choeng is not big enough to house all these officers. And 4 officers are all you'll probably see there.

Thanx for even taking time to respond to my mundane question;

That photo is probably EVERYONE who works for Kap Choeng immigration, border crossings, b/s paper pushers, file clucks, people who work there but aren't old enough to retire and are just cling-ons, plus the staff at the immigration office too.

The ร.ต.อ. - Police Captain and ร.ต.ท. - Police Lieutenant, in reality, aren't all that high up (no matter how they act to you). They answer to someone else WAY higher up the food chain. It's getting to the right person.

No wonder so many guys out there married to thais are just goin' to Savannakhet and pulling a year long multi entry Non-0. No 90 day reporting, no extensions, just border bouncing every 90 days for 15 months.. Too bad you can't get that for being over 50.

I had a foreigner recently denied anything but a single entry, showing 800K baht banked in his account when he went to Savannakhet. All they'd give him was a 90 day single entry Non-O.

I am so sorry you guys deal with them, I'd bite out my own veins first.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

No wonder so many guys out there married to thais are just goin' to Savannakhet

I only know one that does that but he's so old and overweight that I can't see him doing it for much longer. Where does he go once it becomes too much?
The biggest visa dodge around here is done via Pattaya, under the table.

Yeah those chonburi year long stamps are pretty easy to come by in that fashion. For now..

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Thanx for even taking time to respond to my mundane question;

It was 'mundane' but thought you genuine. Silly me?