^ agreed - so use an agent as HW suggests - a pittance in reality for the arse ache.
^ agreed - so use an agent as HW suggests - a pittance in reality for the arse ache.
when you get the notification of your address DO NOT use the original paper,eg.for opening a bank ac.or when you do your next ext.or 90day report you can give them a copy this is what i was told.
^ U S E an A G E N T Headhunter Molly will appreciate it
Hello HH, yes, it's becoming a pain. What you explained ^there, I have learned over the last three years up in Northern Thailand, So for those that live closer to the big city areas of Thailand, get ready, you will have to make an appointment first, and don't try to make the appointment more than 45 days before your visa expiration date, you will have to bring a Thai person with you that can speak English, and knows you personally (they will ask), that Thai person needs to bring their ID, Bluebook and copies, you have to go to the bank first and make a transaction so it shows up on the bank statement (on the day) (yesterday is no good). I found it getting difficult up here, but most expats live close to BBK and they will be overwhelmed by waiting and booking times, Just get ready guys, Sorry.
^^ Varies from office to office. What's happening to you is no reflection of what may be happening elsewhere. In Chiang Mai, for example, they are sticklers for just about everything else but the bank book transaction can be within the previous week.
In summary though, it makes no sense whatsoever to think that what's happening in rural offices is going to be hitting Bangkok. Where national policies exist they are formulated in Bangkok, obviously.
after thursday fiasco it was time to go and get vacinated,not looking forward to it as i have so much health problems,so the wife had all my history written in thai for the doctor,security got a wheel chair for me,registered me,took me to the front of the queue,all done and dusted in less than arriving at the mall [korat] its a shame that thailands immigration cant follow the same profesional attitude that was administered to me,its a pity that boris johnson the uk.prime minester didnt ask the thai pm.why cant you treat expats the same way as we do.
THANKS TO ALL THE STAFF AT THE MALL, and you lot at korat immigration,DELETED.
once again i will say,its not and has never been an issue with the immigration officers,in over 10yrs,its only the past 2 extensions since they have been useing volanteers to check all your documents.they are the ones causing aggrivation,one for example not understanding a fixed bank acc.she made me photo copy every page in my pass book for the past 6yrs.totely ignoring the letter from the bank issued 30minutes before attending imm.
You originally converted a Non O to Retirement visa then I guess, same as me, and insurance wasn't required (though I have private cover anyway).
Pretty sure people can only get Non O-A these days and they've got to have health insurance to convert to Retirement. Could be wrong though..
i have always been on retirment stay,with enough self cover besides the 800k.i have used gov.hospitals for the past 5yrs.or more and always paid the bills,never been asked about ins.but now and then imm.askes me what we live on,so i always carry an extra acc.book with living exs.so i shouldnt be classed as a dirty farang who doesnt pay my bills.
I concur with Cyrille and Norts. I just did my 90 day check and annual extension submission and had zero issues. In and out in less then 30 minutes. Now return in late December for my stamp and done for a year. I am here on a marriage extension.
But to others I know, it's all over the map in regards to service frustration etc. Again I think it all boils down to preparation and your personal demeanor at immigration. I have witnessed many foreigners that start going off on the office gal when they get frustrated. That usually leads to a long drawn out process and typically more grief.
reading your post its obvious that you have never had to deal with volanteers that check your papers and dont speak a word of english,90% of them doing an extension of stay will tell you doing a retirment one is a piece of cake,IT WAS TILL 2YRS AGO when they started to use volanteers.i have always been polite dress smart but it doesnt make a bit of difference when you have vol.who dont understand the rules,but its always we who are wrong.
HH,
If this becomes an ongoing issue then I would pass it off to an agent as was mentioned up above. Admittingly, I have not had to deal with "Volunteers" at immigration in years. In fact back when I lived in Cha Am and had to use the Hua Him immigration office, it was always a messy visit. I am not sure if they were volunteers or just bored immigration officer gals but you could sense the office people were tired of dealing with foreigners all day. It has to be a thankless job to them but extremely important to us. Is Korat immigration a busy office? One thing to also keep in mind, If the office is busy who is to say that while you prepared well and you were extremely pleasant, that the 2 or 3 foreigners before you didn't set them off. I am sure they speak enough English but they may choose to play as if they don't because they see another foreigner and expect the worse.
yes stumpy i have been there many times when some really nasty blokes have given officors a hard time,but the io's never forget them.now korat imm.doesnt have to deal with them,regarding all the paper work,its left to these volanteers.korat is always busy,except when you do your 90 day report.i think the one i done previous took less the 5minutes.in and out,this time the IO did it with my extension.luckily korat has a seperate building where you do your 90day with 3 officers.
Where's Prags when you need him.
Still in the queue after refusing to pay 500 baht.
Let's just step back a little, and look at this from the Thai point of view. You want to live in our country? We want you to prove that you are who you say you are? We want you to prove that you can support yourself? We want you to prove that you are not of the type we have busted over the last 20 years cheating the system. <<< that is the one that 10 year expats like us get caught up in, Just because we have been here for 10 years doesn't make us exempt from scrutiny, Im sure there are many illegals in Thailand that have been paying off Immi for years.
And to be quite frank, if other countries did the same it might cut down the human trafficking that goes on.
So I'm up for the extra scrutiny to live here, I don't a right to live here, I am living here as a guest, Same as any other country.
From my perspective, The volunteers where more help than a hindrance at the Chiang Mai Imm, because so many people cued up without all the correct paperwork.
As far as my situation goes, I went in to Imm today to book my appointment for my retirement O extension, the current visa expires on Jan 14, and the officer booked me in to apply on Jan 06, and stipulated that I must bring a Thai national to vouch for me that can speak Thai and English and that I must make a transaction on my bank account before getting a statement on the day for the whole year as well as the bank document stating how long I held the the Thai bank account. The friend also has to bring Tumbien Ban and Thai ID with photo copies, I will update on how it all goes after Jan 06.
as i have had SO MUCH AGGRAVATION these past few yrs.from volunteers when doing my retirement extension,useing a fixed acc.can someone advise me on this?
my next ext.date is in december 2022.as i have one of my fixed accs.maturing next month i am planning to put it into a savings acc. so not to suffer from the vols.not knowing how a fixed acc.works.so i can then get the savings pass book updated on the day i go to immigration.
do i need to take my fixed acc.book with me as that one doesnt mature till aug.2023, also as my new savings book will only be opened in feb.
do you think a volanteer will understand the fixed acc.will cover the 800k. till feb.when the new one opens.yes it will have funds to cover both 800k and self cover for any hospital bill. being a dumb taff have i explained clearly.
HH.DOG LOVER.
For those that find getting an extension a bit too much or time consuming.
Send email to agent.
Send documents.
Send money.
Receive extension.
^ And never have to go near an immigration office ever again!
^ Someone has seen the Ed and been converted.
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