Thread: My Immigration misadventure today.

Originally Posted by Headworx

You're new here aren't you

Yeah 14years now. Still a rookie.

I have had my various immigration issue over the years. My worst office was Hua Hin. It was all about bribes, gifts and it was a dump. However a lot of the expats there were suspect.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

Yeah 14years now. Still a rookie.

Being a "rookie" isn't the issue its the fact that you are a short American.
I suppose it could be worse you could have been born in the UK.

Originally Posted by ootai

Being a "rookie" isn't the issue its the fact that you are a short American.
I suppose it could be worse you could have been born in the UK.

See. There is always upside if you think about it.

All kidding aside and I do enjoy your jabs ootai, yes the trainee clerks are problematic. Our immigration brings in students from the nearby university. However they do not do the front desk processing and application reviews. They make copies, fill out receipts etc.

I do have a question for you guys, when you go and most probably do with their wives, doesn't your wife jump in and smooth out any confusion? I have had various issues over my years but my wife usually chimes in and politely discusses the problem with the officer and it is usually fixed.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I do have a question for you guys, when you go and most probably do with their wives, doesn't your wife jump in and smooth out any confusion? I have had various issues over my years but my wife usually chimes in and politely discusses the problem with the officer and it is usually fixed.

Work does everything for me but if I realllllly have to do something I just sign a form and my wife goes on my behalf. The fact that she does the visa's for her staff helps...

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I do have a question for you guys, when you go and most probably do with their wives, doesn't your wife jump in and smooth out any confusion? I have had various issues over my years but my wife usually chimes in and politely discusses the problem with the officer and it is usually fixed.

Stumpy
I would happily let my wife do the "smoothing" for me but unfortunately she always wants to smooth it the Thai way i.e. pay to make the problem go away. I am the opposite I want to hold them accountable for doing their job and follow the rules that they make, I question whenever they pretend they "can't do" which I interpret as "show me the money".

One time I was having an issue getting our marriage certificate translated and certified and was running out of time so the missus's solution was to fork over 20K, whereas my solution was stuff them I'll put that money toward the airfare for a trip back to Australia. In the end I had to stop or we would have had a very public argument. I am not sure what pisses me off more them wanting extra money to do their job or the Missus being happy to pay.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I do have a question for you guys, when you go and most probably do with their wives, doesn't your wife jump in and smooth out any confusion? I have had various issues over my years but my wife usually chimes in and politely discusses the problem with the officer and it is usually fixed.

My workplace takes care of all the paperwork. I just need to show up and sign where asked to.

A half a dozen or so years ago I was sitting in the immigration office waiting for my turn to sign the forms when a westerner sat with his Thai wife started to lose it. His wife tried to calm him down to no avail. He got angrier and angrier and louder and louder. The immigration officer just kept calmly repeating why the westerner was in the wrong, the westerner got angrier and louder and his Thai wife was doing all she could to calm him down. Eventually the wife was able to persuade the husband to take a break outside while she handled the IO. She calmly with a smile asked a couple of questions of the IO, didn't receive the answers she was expecting and then bang. pow, she lost it. She looked angrier than her husband, if not quite as loud. I thought I would have to go up to the desk and get to sit back down and/or join her husband in a break outside. Then just s quickly as it started it was over as she realized the IO was never going to change his mind and that she and her husband would have to come back on another day and hope for a better outcome.

Originally Posted by Shutree

Occasionally they have trainees doing that triage function at the front door and they are worse than useless,

That's how everything got screwed up. There was a guy filling in for the girl that is normally there and clearly he was over his head. And being Thai could not posible admit that he had made a mistake.

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

Life is too short for this kind of aggravation.

It is indeed and sorry this one jumped out to bite you. I have had mixed experiences at different offices and the one time I ran into a brick wall and running out of time I was very stressed so I went to an agent and by that afternoon I had my retirement visa. Renewals have been painless to do in person because my local office is very small and the staff are very helpful. Occasionally they have trainees doing that triage function at the front door and they are worse than useless, I just nod and smile and work through it.
I try to keep my gf out of things. She is a good person but when dealing with bureacracy things always seems to get more difficult with her there. When I renewed my driving licence the woman there told me my Thai was good enough and next time come alone.

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

Now I am even more confused, because, Now when this extension expires It would have been 2.5 months visa exempt, + 3 months Non O + two month Non O extension = 7.5 months before I get a 1 year extension.
Is that possible?

So it turns out, it's not possible and they screwed up.
This morning I get a call, "Sorry we made a mistake yesterday " ( I know!! a Thai admitting they made a mistake)
Anyway, "Come back to the office and we will figure it out" they said to my wife.
So I went back to the office, They said " Don't worry about the bank deposit being late two days, come back the 10th , youl pay two days overstay, and we will do the extension then"
I asked if I would be in any trouble for doing a two day overstay, they said NO and showed me the regulation concerning overstay. It stated that if you overstayed 90 days you get blacks for a Year,
By now I am exhausted with this thing and said , OK.
Will post the tenth and tell you how it worked out, , if in Jail please bring me cigarettes

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

I would be lost without my wife

I usually go in and sit at officer desk and my wife off to the side. I go through all the docs. If something is not clear I attempt to clarify. If they are confused my wife chimes in and we move on. Again I am always polite, smile and laugh.

It sounds like you have it all sorted now BB. I have had a 12 day overstay and they ignored it. I was in CB and couldn't get to immigration.

Originally Posted by armstrong

Work does everything for me

That is usually how it was for me Armstrong. Didn't deal with it much and never the work permit. This recent position I could have it done with an agent and the company would reimburse me no issue but my wife and I agree we would prefer to do it because when I retire it's business as usual and not trying to go figure it all out.

BB you feel confident your 2 day overstay will be nodded through when the time comes given the previous request for cash.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

BB you feel confident your 2 day overstay will be nodded through when the time comes given the previous request for cash.

Might be asked for 1k baht. 500 per day for overstay.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I do have a question for you guys, when you go and most probably do with their wives, doesn't your wife jump in and smooth out any confusion? I have had various issues over my years but my wife usually chimes in and politely discusses the problem with the officer and it is usually fixed.

Just the reverse in my case.

Originally Posted by Norton

Just the reverse in my case.

Same here . I sit on the side looking pretty and smiling, while the wife takes care of everything.
Thais deal much better than other Thais and I am happy to let them

Originally Posted by malmomike77

BB you feel confident your 2 day overstay will be nodded through when the time comes given the previous request for cash.

Having never had an overstay , I had the same concern and had the wife ask the supervisor, she said no problem. She said , she is dealing with a bunch of overstay blacklists , and actually walked over to another desk and showed me a thick pile of documents . I was surprised to see so many at a regional office. I could see the pictures of some of the people , and I did not know any of them. Actually the ones I saw, all looked young. She said , and showed me the regulation pertaining to oversty blacks, and it said 90 days or more you get blacklisted for a year. Also the overstay will be dealt with at her office when I go there the 10th to do my extension to stay.

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

Long story, I will try to be brief.

...fail...

Much easier in Laos,the Philippines etc etc, that shit would wear me out real quick

Originally Posted by tomcat

...fail...

I did not say how hard I would, in the end I decided to take the advice of master Yoda .

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

Having never had an overstay

If you ask the IO nicely, is there any way that you can get a few days of extension so that the overstay risk disappears?
Or pop over to Laos for a weekend?
I know you have other options, I am looking for something cheap and easy. (Story of my life. )

Originally Posted by ootai

but unfortunately she always wants to smooth it the Thai way i.e. pay to make the problem go away

Man ootai. My wife absolutely refuses to pay extra for anything here. She wouldn't pay 1 satang to IO and same goes for the random roadside ticket scams that we see when I drive from here to CB. In fact in most cases I just stay completely out of her way. Her sister is the same. I am with you, I refuse to pay under the table money for something, and I won't.

As Happy as Larry said, I can't count the times I have seen westerners lose their minds at immigration. It's an awkward situation as everyone stares and then if you are next they think you will go ballistic.

Just on the overstay topic and even if it's only for a day or two which I've done before a few times long ago too, you do not want to be getting into an accident (even if you're 100% not at fault) or having any other issues where you need to produce your passport and they see you're here illegally. Any rights and freedom you had when your visa was valid may not apply once its expired, be aware of that.

Originally Posted by Headworx

Just on the overstay topic and even if it's only for a day or two which I've done before a few times long ago too, you do not want to be getting into an accident (even if you're 100% not at fault) or having any other issues where you need to produce your passport and they see you're here illegally. Any rights and freedom you had when your visa was valid may not apply once its expired, be aware of that.

That's a good point, that I did not consider.

Originally Posted by Headworx

Any rights and freedom you had when your visa was valid may not apply once its expired, be aware of that.

yep, you are an illegal alien

Originally Posted by Stumpy

I am with you, I refuse to pay under the table money for something, and I won't.

Agreed . . . and for visa issues just pay someone to do it or the company if you're in Thailand with/for work Why go through the hassle.