Covid-19: Don't believe online fraudsters who can process your visa extension, say immigration

[fforest1]

Why are crowds banned everywhere except in the immigration line...?

Why is social distancing enforced every where except the immigration line?

Why are people encouraged to stay home except for immigration?

Why are people encouraged to work from home except immigration must be in person....?

Why is immigration not worried about their employees health?

Why is immigration not worried about tourist and expats health?

 

[timendres]

2 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Why are crowds banned everywhere except in the immigration line...?

Why is social distancing enforced every where except the immigration line?

Why are people encouraged to stay home except for immigration?

Why are people encouraged to work from home except immigration must be in person....?

Why is immigration not worried about their employees health?

Why is immigration not worried about tourist and expats health?

As they have so clearly stated: it is for national security reasons.

Heaven forbid we should be running loose...

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, patsfangr said:

I remain very "disappointed" in the failure of the Thai government to step up and grant automatic 1 year extensions to all retirement visas. I see no reason why they cannot simply decree that any visa stamped as expiring on or after April 1, 2020 (2563) is automatically extended to the same date in 2021. ... I ask how many lives could be saved by this? What damage would it do to Thailand? I'd even be OK with doubling the fee for extension to 2800 baht for those renewing these "automatic extensions" next year. 

Don't be silly, you're making sense.

[Lacessit]

16 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Why are crowds banned everywhere except in the immigration line...?

Why is social distancing enforced every where except the immigration line?

Why are people encouraged to stay home except for immigration?

Why are people encouraged to work from home except immigration must be in person....?

Why is immigration not worried about their employees health?

Why is immigration not worried about tourist and expats health?

 

They will worry about it soon enough when IO's become hotspots.

I'm sure the officers on the front lines are worried about it, but they have to follow the directives from Bangkok.

[outsider]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Don't believe online fraudsters who can process your visa extension

We find it hard to believe you gits on the best of days, never mind fraudsters!

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

must go to an immigration office in person with the required documentation. 

And it's obvious you lot missed the 'social distancing' memo eh. Or is it a case of 'never mind and don't care if the foreigners get it'?

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by outsider

[Jimbo53]

6 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

Still practicing their social distancing I see, or will their amulets protect them?

Look at the 3 guys behind them!!!

[Muzzique]

1 hour ago, timendres said:

As they have so clearly stated: it is for national security reasons.

More like the agents aren't giving them their normal kick back now. Never done mine through the official channels,  just pay the right guy some money and hey presto all done. Pain in the ass to do it the official way now. Even corruption is being affect by the Coronavirus it seems. Life was so much easier before CV19  rocked the boat.

[Destiny1990]

Well i guess they are so intrigued  with us that they need seeing us face2face every 15 days..

It does explain while mosts these online visa apps aren’t  working.

 

[Abmong]

3 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

You would think the Thai government and immigration to come up with a better way of handling retirees that are living in Thailand Iike going to go to immigration at this time with this virus is like Russian roulette TIT

It's weird why they don't just make the "Retirement Visa" an "ILR" with employment restrictions... Just set the one time fee higher (much higher) than the 1900 baht p/a

 

Leave the current annual renewal visa as an option, but for those who are serious about spending the rest of their days in Thailand with as little hassle as possible they might go for the ILR-RV option. I donno, maybe set the (non-refundable) fee at 40,000 baht for 60yr old applicants. If they live 20 more years in Thailand that's equal to 1900 p/a + 2000 one time admin fee. Younger and Older applicants gets their fee adjusted accordingly.

 

If the retiree comes out of retirement? They invalidate the ILR-RV and has to apply for normal work permits etc. But if the business is not based in the kingdom and income is coming in from abroad, I'm sure something can be arranged... with appropriate *cough* brown envelopes *cough* taxes

 

At least that's how I would do it if I were in charge... Cuts hassle, red tape and gives the country more immediate cash injection.

[Chazar]

3 hours ago, herwin1234 said:

classy, ridiculing someones personal religious believes during a global crisis in his own country! cant make that sh#t up.

no problem, theyre  all ridiculous

[kickstart]

6 hours ago, Is this real said:

I need to get my normal 1 year "Retirement" extension.  I have gotten it since 2015 meeting all the requirements.

 

This year I'm told to stay home.  Do not go anywhere.  The Prime Minister says I could be arrested and fined if I did.  Which is OK with me since I am 72.  I can stay safe and alive.

 

Immigration tells me I have to got to their offices to get the extension 2 times.  The first to drop everything off and pay the fee.  The second, the next day to pick everything up.  If I don't do this, I could be arrested and fined.  I can lose money and die.

 

The Land of Smiles.  So, what should I do?

 

 

My local office dose my retirement extension on the same day ,no need to go back ,done this 4 times now ,will find out in two weeks if will be for the fifth time .

Sounds like another case of no two offerices are the same ,ask your office if they can do it all in one go .

[Chongalulu]

5 hours ago, herwin1234 said:

classy, ridiculing someones personal religious believes during a global crisis in his own country! cant make that sh#t up.

It was ridiculous religious beliefs that got a load of people infected in S Korea and elsewhere. Iran’s too.

[marko kok prong]

Well i agree for once ,1,200 is way to cheap,i did mine this year through an agent,8,500 cos i had the wedge in the bank,no fine for not doing a tm 30 or 90 or whatever the thing is, took a day and passport ready for collection next day,much easier than dealing with the incompetant crooks at my local office,but as the official renewal is 1,900 i agree 1,200 a scam. by the way i live in Pattani province as i am muslim and the mosque is right next door and i am very religious ,don't get me mixed up with that other Marko,you know that jerk who lives in Phetchaboon province,jeez what an idiot that guy is and some of his post's ,gor blimey.

 

[Janner1]

Hey what is it with you guys?

The Thai immigration has understood the problems with visa’s running out and are trying to be helpful so why don’t you help them instead of constantly knocking them.

All they are asking from you is to show a little respect. They are in a position of marching you all to the airport and sending you out in any direction on any plane leaving the kingdom, or giving you lodgings in the Bangkok Hilton for the duration so just remember that, and try being polite and helpful, and whilst you are at put some decent clothes on.

They present themselves to you in smart clean pressed uniforms and if you stand in front of them in a smelly T shirt and shorts you do no more than play into the hands of the likes of Anutin who rightly refers to you as dirty farang.

Try it with a wei and a sawatdee and you will be surprised at just how far it gets you

[sandrabbit]

There are reasons why people are falling for scammers because they are scared of falling foul of the immigration rules and looking for the easiest paths to stay legal. If immigration had given clear easy paths to staying legal without resorting to embassy letters, queuing in the sun at immigration etc there would be no scammers. Most of us know how this should be dealt with (and then you get an apologist poster like above) but as we all know this is Thailand and everything will always be done in the most convoluted and hardest way possible. I'm lucky that my marriage extension was admitted the beginning of Feb and accepted the beginning of this month. I really feel for these holiday makers still stuck here and scared & unsure of their futures especially when the host country is making them jump through hoops.

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Janner1 said:

Hey what is it with you guys?

The Thai immigration has understood the problems with visa’s running out and are trying to be helpful so why don’t you help them instead of constantly knocking them.

All they are asking from you is to show a little respect. They are in a position of marching you all to the airport and sending you out in any direction on any plane leaving the kingdom, or giving you lodgings in the Bangkok Hilton for the duration so just remember that, and try being polite and helpful, and whilst you are at put some decent clothes on.

They present themselves to you in smart clean pressed uniforms and if you stand in front of them in a smelly T shirt and shorts you do no more than play into the hands of the likes of Anutin who rightly refers to you as dirty farang.

Try it with a wei and a sawatdee and you will be surprised at just how far it gets you

Where to start with this post???.... Immigrant Stockholm syndrome !!!

 

Immigration have placed hurdles and are preventing their own people from returning, everyone gets the need medical certification at this time, but a letter from the Embassy isn’t a Thai passport sufficient?

 

So, we move on to the fun and games encountered by foreigners unable to travel etc, or those who don’t want to queue in all day etc - why should they have to? are we not in a civilised world?

 

Of course, the rest of the year its fair enough that immigration regulations are strictly enforced, but we are now in a time of global crisis and immigration have not chosen to make things easier and more importantly ‘safer’ they are still playing it tough and cockwombles like you are applauding them.... you’ve gone too native and have lost sensible reason. 

[richard_smith237]

8 hours ago, fforest1 said:

Why are crowds banned everywhere except in the immigration line...?

Why is social distancing enforced every where except the immigration line?

Why are people encouraged to stay home except for immigration?

Why are people encouraged to work from home except immigration must be in person....?

Why is immigration not worried about their employees health?

Why is immigration not worried about tourist and expats health?

 

 

Those in positions of power don’t care... until social media or the news make them care with sufficient coverage. 

Common sense and making things simple is not a strong point in any bureaucratic system world wide - Thailand is no different, but at a time of global crisis there are more important factors at play - this is not about secure borders, people looking for extensions are already here - this is nothing more than bureaucratic stubbornness, stupidity and outlandish ‘twatedness’ on the part of those who could effect meaningful resolution to many at a time of need. 

 

 

[Tayaout]

14 hours ago, Just Weird said:

So some agents provide their services for no fee?

No it costs 1900 to get an extension in person so 1200 baht is an obvious scam. 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Tayaout

[balo]

They can do it for 20000 baht, not 1200. The real agents....

[jonclark]

The government has let down both the tourists and the immigration staff and their families. A huge loss of face. Someone needs to give prayut a massive kick in the stones and remind him that it is covid 19 that is the threat to national security.. Not foreigners. Take a long hard look at yourself Mr. PM and consider how you would feel if Thais were treated in this manner by a foreign government in the current situation. Massive loss of face. 

[Leonard Thong]

12 hours ago, Abmong said:

It's weird why they don't just make the "Retirement Visa" an "ILR" with employment restrictions... Just set the one time fee higher (much higher) than the 1900 baht p/a

 

Leave the current annual renewal visa as an option, but for those who are serious about spending the rest of their days in Thailand with as little hassle as possible they might go for the ILR-RV option. I donno, maybe set the (non-refundable) fee at 40,000 baht for 60yr old applicants. If they live 20 more years in Thailand that's equal to 1900 p/a + 2000 one time admin fee. Younger and Older applicants gets their fee adjusted accordingly.

 

If the retiree comes out of retirement? They invalidate the ILR-RV and has to apply for normal work permits etc. But if the business is not based in the kingdom and income is coming in from abroad, I'm sure something can be arranged... with appropriate *cough* brown envelopes *cough* taxes

 

At least that's how I would do it if I were in charge... Cuts hassle, red tape and gives the country more immediate cash injection.

Can't understand why some suggest about brown envelopes as you mentioned to make life easier. It is precisely because of such stupid actions that breeds problems. As mentioned, agents fees / monetary charges in relation to immigration approvals and hassles / frustrations we faced may be an intentional diversion for us to to seek the services of agents. With no que cutting and priority given to agents, the efficiency of the public service may actually speed up. 

[Leonard Thong]

2 minutes ago, Leonard Thong said:

Can't understand why some suggest about brown envelopes as you mentioned to make life easier. It is precisely because of such stupid actions that breeds problems. As mentioned, agents fees / monetary charges in relation to immigration approvals and hassles / frustrations we faced may be an intentional diversion for us to to seek the services of agents. With no que cutting and priority given to agents, the efficiency of the public service may actually speed up. 

I must give credit to the IMO working under such trying times. I am sure it is not by choice. It is not a joke watching all those infected in the hospital beds. Hope they are safe and protected. At least, remember to wear a mask when you are present.

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Leonard Thong said:

I must give credit to the IMO working under such trying times. I am sure it is not by choice. It is not a joke watching all those infected in the hospital beds. Hope they are safe and protected. At least, remember to wear a mask when you are present.

Compared to the Doctors, Nurses (and all Healthcare workers), Farmers, delivery drivers, restaurants, rubbish men, oil rig workers, etc...  Immigration do nothing essential, the world would not stop without them... 

 

IMO’s ?.... nothing stops without them, the are a human barrier and have placed additional restrictions on their own people and not made things simpler for those already in country. Thailand has announced a state of emergency which is a perfect time for them to enact legislation to extend all foreigners in country a stay of amnesty until this washes over - its just safer for everyone that way. Instead fv<kw!ttery rules... 

Edited March 31, 2020 by richard_smith237

[Muzzique]

6 hours ago, Leonard Thong said:

Can't understand why some suggest about brown envelopes as you mentioned to make life easier. It is precisely because of such stupid actions that breeds problems. As mentioned, agents fees / monetary charges in relation to immigration approvals and hassles / frustrations we faced may be an intentional diversion for us to to seek the services of agents. With no que cutting and priority given to agents, the efficiency of the public service may actually speed up. 

But the impact on Brown Envelope manufacturing companies and Mercedes dealerships would be disastrous. 

[Janner1]

15 hours ago, sandrabbit said:

There are reasons why people are falling for scammers because they are scared of falling foul of the immigration rules and looking for the easiest paths to stay legal. If immigration had given clear easy paths to staying legal without resorting to embassy letters, queuing in the sun at immigration etc there would be no scammers. Most of us know how this should be dealt with (and then you get an apologist poster like above) but as we all know this is Thailand and everything will always be done in the most convoluted and hardest way possible. I'm lucky that my marriage extension was admitted the beginning of Feb and accepted the beginning of this month. I really feel for these holiday makers still stuck here and scared & unsure of their futures especially when the host country is making them jump through hoops.

There was nothing apologist about my remarks and had you come down off your high horse and read it correctly you would have seen that one was doing no more than trying to get certain elements of the ex pat community to work with immigration and stop knocking them at every turn.

Yes we all know that immigration is constructively obstructive but have you ever thought they are hard to work with not because of a lack of intelligence but more because we are disrespectful and hard on them? Or is that too much of a positive thought for you.

 

As for holiday makers stuck here, really? When it was reported that yesterday Thai airways were still flying to the UK and other countries with open borders for nationals and EVA will be flying today.

 

My only reservation in that comment is, that was yesterday, and may or may not be true, but a call to the respective airlines will confirm one way or another.

 

Those who are stuck here are ex pats whose visa’s are running or have run out and they can not do border runs to extend them.

 

One will make no further comment on this matter as it is plainly obvious that you read what you want and not what is written in good faith.

[Welshpete]

After acquiring a letter from the British embassy I attended the immigration  asking for a 30 day extension as I have a flight home on the 15 April, they gave me an extension until 8april informed me that approval  from Bangkok is required, I had to pay 7 days overstay 3500bht  and 1900thb for my visa this will be my 3rd visit to immigration in 3 weeks surely in light of the current situation there should be more attention paid to decreasing the spread of this virus not insisting that people attend offices where many people from different areas have to attend this surely increases the risk I would like the British embassy to press the Thai immigration authorities to ease up on their current laws and encourage others to do the same whatever country you are from stand together to beat this virus

[berrec]

On 3/30/2020 at 3:40 PM, Just Weird said:

So some agents provide their services for no fee?

[berrec]

On 3/30/2020 at 10:51 PM, Janner1 said:

Hey what is it with you guys?

The Thai immigration has understood the problems with visa’s running out and are trying to be helpful so why don’t you help them instead of constantly knocking them.

All they are asking from you is to show a little respect. They are in a position of marching you all to the airport and sending you out in any direction on any plane leaving the kingdom, or giving you lodgings in the Bangkok Hilton for the duration so just remember that, and try being polite and helpful, and whilst you are at put some decent clothes on.

They present themselves to you in smart clean pressed uniforms and if you stand in front of them in a smelly T shirt and shorts you do no more than play into the hands of the likes of Anutin who rightly refers to you as dirty farang.

Try it with a wei and a sawatdee and you will be surprised at just how far it gets you

Unfortunately cloths don't make the person; for years I always dressed in smart casual long pants, shirt and shoes to attend immigration for my annual visa renewals.  

 

Always polite and respectful.

 

Supplied all the required documentation (as per Immigration instructions) but on every occasion and I do mean every occasion they always found something they did not like (that had been accepted previously by another IO) or a new rule (their local interpretation) to force me to go off and get more documentation and waste endless hours of my life and money. .

 

You also know the legislation says the final visa decision is at the IO discretion (an open ended book). 

 

The end result, I got sick of dealing with these IO clowns and took the financial hit and got a visa agent to do it each year. 

 

Game set and match; now if only the online TM30 and 90 days reporting apps actually worked reliably I would never have to visit these clown anymore. 

 

So please, no preaching to us how great the Thai IO are, money under the table is the only thing that drives that whole organization.

 

Do you think all those visa agents get preferential treatment by Immigration and head of queue service by IO is because of the love between them all?. 

 

If you think i am being harsh or over reacting my apologies; but I am calling it as I have seen and experienced it first hand.