Non-Imm O Extension
Legal for another year. Long day. Nonthaburi Immigration Office. Never had a problem with them – no “problem” this time just a whole lot longer than usual.
Nonthaburi requires bank letter, bank statement and bank book all updated and dated the day of extension application. Bangkok Bank branches in Nonthaburi all open at 10:30AM.
So, hit the local mall at 10AM get photos taken (extension and re-entry permit). Number two at the bank queue so quickly out with the updated bank book, statement, and guarantee letter. Cake walk. Certain I’ll be home quickly this annual trip.
Full package of documents completed the day before including signed copies of 90 day reports, blue book, yellow book, wife’s Thai ID card, last couple of TM30’s, passport all pages, receipts. Some stuff I didn’t think was needed but the Attorney put together. Well, that’s what I pay him for. His firm prepares the applications and document package, I provide signatures.
Get to Nonthaburi Immigration by 11:30AM. Certain I’ll be out of there in two hours or so. Good day. Oh, well, anticipation.
Get queue number 53, counters at 27.
Fantastic – good to go. Will be called up soon. Noontime – everybody kicked out for lunch. 1 PM – all back in. The counter in now at 28. One person done in an hour?
Note: the place is full, very few empty seats. A dozen or so IO’s, six counters (desks) plus three photo booths – two active. The big boss IO sits at the reception desk and he is “meticulous” in a good way. He reviews those inch thick packages of paperwork. Of course, he’ll still miss a thing or two. But, saw him send a couple of dozen folks back for additional copies before their number is up and they see their IO.
Another note – I’m in the “foreign services” section. Deals only with extensions and work permits. But, it is packed. Busiest I’ve ever seen it.
Anyway, sit and wait – watching the counter ticking up at a half hour per number? Hell, 53-33 is twenty – ten more hours to go. Now the Nonthaburi IO closes at 1600HRS (4PM). So, what now. Gotta come back tomorrow? At 3 PM no way my number will be up by closing time. Attorney goes to the boss IO at the desk at 3 PM. This is/was his second inquiry concerning the “rate-of-progress”, or lack thereof. Big Boss IO replies I gave you a number – nobody goes home until all customers are seen.
Yup, It’s his show and he is in control. And the junior IO’s know it. Again, he is meticulous. Saw him and a junior IO spend close to an hour reviewing the documentation of a Chinese “working” couple and the large book of IO regulations. Boss IO got a big book opened to a page, junior IO got his copy opened to another page, Chinese couple got a few sheets of their paperwork spread out in front of the IO’s for review. FYI spoke to them after the fact – their work permit application on hold until the employer provides a couple other tax and employment certificates or documents.
Anyway, 5 PM and the place is thinning out more empty seats fewer customers. Ant the counter starts moving “faster” – in spurts.
My number comes up at about 6 PM. My junior IO reviews my paperwork “quickly” barely glances at it, except the bank statement. He spend about two-three minutes reviewing the bank statement. I maintain a balance around THB 1M with my monthly IRA deposits of THB 80k FFT coded. I then transfer living expense money to our joint account. So, a quite simple review.
After the review, then pay the fees, then off to the photo desks, two photos, one for extension one for re-entry permit.
Nothing said or mentioned about “insurance”. But, this was on Oct 29, two days before the rules take effect.
Out at 7 PM with my stamped passport. Home at 8 PM.
Interesting observation, counters had I think five sequences of numbers. Two or three sequences counted fairly quickly my double digit counter was at a snails pace until about 4 PM, then it counted a bit quicker.
Don’t know if Tuesday was a busier than normal day or if Nonthaburi Immigration typically runs ‘till 8 PM. Previously I've been home by 3 PM.