90-day reporting gets serious

[diaw]

The Thai Immigration mob are beginning to get rather serious about the whole 90-day reporting thing. There does seem to be some confusion about if & how a visa extension resets the 90 clock, or not. I had a case where I received an annual extension a few months ago, with an upcoming 90-day report due within a few days. I understood that the extension rest the 90 clock. Well - it does not. I have an A4 sheet of paper with how the whole thing actually is supposed to work (I'll scan & upload it soon). The nice people then stuck me with a B2,000 fine & a stamp in the 'visa section' of my passport saying I'd paid the fine. The fine itself is not the major beef I have - this is the usual Thai Immigration money-grinder, but the fact that the officer had no problem with defacing the centre of the 'visa section' of my passport & wasted a new page. Why did he not turn to the rear section which makes place for this kind of thing. These folks seem to feel zip about following most accepted international protocol when it comes to matters of this nature. Wierd. Be careful of this, folks.

[Thetyim]

The 90 day report clock starts when you enter Thailand.

Any extensions of stay (not visa extension please) will not affect the 90 day reporting.

[NickA]

^I think it's quite clear that extending your "permission to stay" (not visa) does not reset the 90 days - the only way to reset it is either do a 90 day report or leave the country and re-enter.

(edit: Damn, Thet, I knew you'd get there first)

[stroller]

the officer had no problem with defacing the centre of the 'visa section' of my passport & wasted a new page. Why did he not turn to the rear section which makes place for this kind of thing.

They made the stamp prominent, so everybody will notice, you're marked for life now!

[lom]

There is nothing new with this and you are just another one of those who
believes it is working in another way than it does in reality.

You could have done your 90 day reporting at the same time as you did the extension since it was "upcoming within a few days".
But it is up to you to keep track of your reporting due day, not the immigration officers.

To assist you in this, they affix a coupon in one of the last pages of your passport.
But if you don't bother to check it , then shit like this will happen.

[diaw]

Did you know that the "first" extension resets the 90-clock to zero?

[diaw]

the officer had no problem with defacing the centre of the 'visa section' of my passport & wasted a new page. Why did he not turn to the rear section which makes place for this kind of thing.

They made the stamp prominent, so everybody will notice, you're marked for life now!

Ok, so why the big deal about it, then? It's against most international rules to deface a visa section like that, anyway. When folks get a black mark, for instance, it is placed at the rear of the passport.

[NickA]

I can't count the number of people in the last few years who have told me they are special and don't have to do 90 day reporting....they're all doing it now

[diaw]

As a matter of interest, can I ask how folks feel every time they have to go in & report themselves? Compare this with my homeland where you go in for an annual extension & after 2 - 3 years the Home Office asks you to apply for permanent residence. In the USA, on a H1B visa - you're good for 3 years, renewable for another 3 years.

[kingwilly]

my work place did every 90 day extension for me - i never had to go in once

[Thetyim]

As a matter of interest, can I ask how folks feel every time they have to go in & report themselves?

I do it by post.
It is no big deal, I have no problems with having to report 4 times a year

[lom]

I do it by personal visit. It feels good diaw

[Thetyim]

Did you know that the "first" extension resets the 90-clock to zero?

I'm not at all sure that it does.
If your original entry permit was for 90 days then this would co-incide with the beginning of your extension.

[lom]

I'm not at all sure that it does. If your original entry permit was for 90 days then this would co-incide with the beginning of your extension.

You are right Thetyim.
The only way of changing the timing is to leave and reenter Thailand.

[Thetyim]

LOM,

I was recently issued with a yellow Tabien Baan .
This registers my permenent address.
Do you think there is any chance that I might be excused the 90 day reporting now ?
I guess my chances are almost zero but it might be worth asking.

What do you think ?

[diaw]

Did you know that the "first" extension resets the 90-clock to zero?

I'm not at all sure that it does.
If your original entry permit was for 90 days then this would co-incide with the beginning of your extension.

Ok, until I upload the pics, I'll quote 'Procedures & Notification', #5 "The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days." ----- Confusion anyone? Now, what if, sending by post, the mail got lost? Also, the Immi officer said that you can only send it to the Sua Amplu address, but my extensions are granted at One-stop. He implied that it was not so good.

[Thetyim]

#5 "The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days."

I would say that you have a bad translation

[diaw]

#5 "The first application for extension of stay by the foreigner is equivalent to the notification of staying in the Kingdom over 90 days."

I would say that you have a bad translation

This is the "official" version with Thai one side & Engrish on the other - handed out at 'One-stop' Ratchadapisek Road, this morning. I have quoted verbatim & checked the wording with the officer. He concurred.

[Thetyim]

No need to scan it, Diaw.

Immigration Bureau

From the same website :

"visa extension"

"Wait for queue for an assigned counter "

[diaw]

No need to scan it, Diaw.

Immigration Bureau

From the same website :

"visa extension"

"Wait for queue for an assigned counter "

Nice link. The 5 points they list up top are actually the last say 1/3 rd of the sheet I was handed today. There was a lot of gumf in the top 2/3rd trying to 'cralify' the situation (most covered by your list anyway). I must say that this is the first time I've seen that link. I think I'd listened to a little too much to the crap over on the other channel. They are giving out a very different story to this official line. At least now it's perfectly 'crear'... as mud... I must say - if you folks send in all the paperwork required for the postal version, it must cost you more than it does for me to go in person. Strewth... (I'm not sure I'm gonna stick around for too much more of this visa malarky - its beginning to grate somewhat after nearly 5 years of various changes & whatever. I'm looking to go off on an expat package elsewhere in Asia.)

[Spin]

LOM,

I was recently issued with a yellow Tabien Baan .
This registers my permenent address.
Do you think there is any chance that I might be excused the 90 day reporting now ?

Yes, go to your freindly local immigration office and nail the yellow book to the wall in thier office and shout,

"you know where to find me if you need me u fcukers!"

[lom]

I was recently issued with a yellow Tabien Baan . This registers my permenent address. Do you think there is any chance that I might be excused the 90 day reporting now ? I guess my chances are almost zero but it might be worth asking. What do you think ?

I think the same, because:

I can't find any exception to the 90 day reporting rule.

Your yellow tabien baan was not issued by the immigrations so the only way for them to keep track of your current address is the 90 day reporting.

[diaw]

LOM,

I was recently issued with a yellow Tabien Baan .
This registers my permenent address.
Do you think there is any chance that I might be excused the 90 day reporting now ?

Yes, go to your freindly local immigration office and nail the yellow book to the wall in thier office and shout,

"you know where to find me if you need me u fcukers!"

Perhaps he could add a small map below it detailing how to get to his mansion? Great idea... I'm gonna try that at One-Stop Ratchada...

[ChiangMai noon]

i had never been late for my 90 day reporting in over 3 years.
they give you a 7 day leeway also.
my last report i ballsed up because time flies and i didn't realise i was over.
missed it by a day.
2,000 baht fine, no arguments.
my fault, i knew the rules.

[RDN]

There is nothing new with this and you are just another one of those who believes it is working in another way than it does in reality...

My thoughts exactly.

As a matter of interest, can I ask how folks feel every time they have to go in & report themselves? ...

In Phuket, you fill in the form - TM47 - once per year. You get the tear-off slip at the bottom of the form given back to you. The next three times you go, they just re-stamp the same slip. Last time I was there - last week, for stamp number 4 - it took about a minute.

I sympathise with people who live a long way from the nearest immigration office, but not a lot, as it's probably a damn site cheaper to live there than this place!

Did you know that the "first" extension resets the 90-clock to zero?

I'm not at all sure that it does.
If your original entry permit was for 90 days then this would co-incide with the beginning of your extension.

Yes, I'm sure that is not true that the first extension resets the 90 day clock. The immigration people may try to keep the 4 x 90 day reports in sync with the first year's extension date, but you still have to do the 90 day report. They are not otherwise connected.