I finally beat Immigration... until next year my old foe!!!

[greenmonkey]

So every year for the last 7 years I have meticulously prepared my documents for my Non O extension (made sure that everything on the checklist has been acquired) and every year the immigration staff have found a reason to send me away to get more paperwork. I am sure... absolutely sure that they have been instructed to find any means possible to make my life difficult (maybe I am being paranoid). Anyway, I was determined to not be sent away this year and so employed the following tactics which I encourage you to take up. The tactics are pretty simple. Provide exactly what you have been instructed to provide and then think to yourself what possible other copies/documents could be asked for. Get those copies/documents, bring them with you and keep them hidden away/separate from the documents you hand over.

 

This is how my application process played out. After perusing my documents/copies, the Immigration Officer requested that I go away and I copy every page of my passport. "So not the page with latest stamp and first page with photo of my passport as stipulated by the official requirements" I politely enquired. "No, you need to go and do this" came the reply. Ha! Not today my old foe! And I magically whipped them from my folder and handed them to him. 1-0 to me.

 

And so the dual continued! After looking at my official bank letter and copies of my updated bank book for the last 3 months (I'd given an extra month). He handed me back the bank book and requested that I go and make copies of all the pages in the bank book. "But I am only required to show 2 months of statements, do you really need a copy of my entire bank book?" I politely asked. "Yes. I need it". Ha again as I magically pulled them from my folder and handed them over. 2-0 to me. What next I thought!?

 

He studied the photos I had provided of myself and my family (4 photos on A4). "I need more photos from you" he said. "Every year I provide 4 photos like this and have done so for the last 7 years" I politely said. "I need more photos" came the reply. And one big final "Ha" as I triumphantly handed over the extra set of photos I had made as a precaution. 3-0 my friend!

 

He was not happy! He started to go back through the paperwork and then started analyzing my bank statements. The calculator came out, God only knows what he was trying to get me on. He even took the bank book away to discuss with a superior. He highlighted a payment of interest accrued from the bank to me, and I am pretty sure he was seeing if he could deduct it from the balance to see if it took me under the 400k mark but surely he was clutching at straws (I hoped!). Nothing mentioned about the statements as he returned, now he was back to the photos I had provided. Back and fourth between the 2 A4 sheets of photos - you could see he was desperately trying to find a reason to send me away until finally it dawned on him that he had to accept my paperwork and so it was done. The battle was was won (but the war most definitely not!).

 

Until next year my old foe!

 

[ukrules]

The level of 'service' they provide is disgusting.

[Bob A Kneale]

Which office?

[DrJack54]

Not being a smart A, but if you can afford it use money in bank retirement. Zero issues.

Agree you should not have to. 

I have black texta through marriage extension if you have rubbish immigration office along with income method across the board.

[Dumbastheycome]

3 minutes ago, ukrules said:

The level of 'service' they provide is disgusting.

Maybe the  hard  hat, camouflage  gear  and  empty  pistol  holder  makes  em  jumpy?

Did they  flinch each  time  you  "whipped out" requested supporting  evidence ?  ????

 

 

 

[G Rex]

Well done that man!

may the force be with you...

 

[bestie]

Awesome

[Peter Denis]

I couldn't help laughing loud when reading your Duelling Banjos story with Immigration.

Hilarious because it is so recognizable.

Great Post!

Edited July 17, 2020 by Peter Denis

[steven100]

well congratulations to you on the story provided.   I'm not that naive thankfully.

[Andrew Dwyer]

The IO at my immigration ( Ayutthaya ) also said he needed copies of every page of my passport instead of the usual suspects I had supplied.

I looked blankly at him showing no sign of annoyance or acceptance until he stood up and went and got the copies himself.

Same scenario with my bank book even though he had the relevant copies, statement and bank letter in front of him.

 

I also felt like it was a small win for me !!

 

( retirement extension, money in bank method )

[MrMilk]

Another good example of the benefits of a 3 months of lock-down. Well played!

[Andrew Dwyer]

5 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

I couldn't help laughing loud when reading your Duelling Banjos story with Immigration.

Hilarious because it is so recognizable.

Great Post!

I often think a soundtrack would liven these threads up , Dueling Banjos was an ideal choice Peter. Could I also suggest the Keystone Kops theme for any police based threads !

[pineapple01]

No wonder i feel sorry for Immigration.

[Why Me]

I chief IO officer top boss. IO he help you tell me how you tricks man. Chalad maak maak. You thinking you clever, greeenmonkey. Not so easy farang man. We having now meeting every day for planning IO for win next time. Sure have idea make for you impossible for next time. Believe me.

Edited July 17, 2020 by Why Me

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, greenmonkey said:

the last 7 years I have meticulously prepared my documents for my Non O extension (made sure that everything on the checklist has been acquired) and every year the immigration staff have found a reason to send me away to get more paperwork. I am sure... absolutely sure that they have been instructed to find any means possible to make my life difficult (maybe I am being paranoid). Anyway, I was determined to not be sent away this year and so employed the following tactics which I encourage you to take up. The tactics are pretty simple. Provide exactly what you have been instructed to provide and then think to yourself what possible other copies/documents could be asked for. Get those copies/documents, bring them with you and keep them hidden away/separate from the documents you hand over.

 

This is how my application process played out. After perusing my documents/copies, the Immigration Officer requested that I go away and I copy every page of my passport. "So not the page with latest stamp and first page with photo of my passport as stipulated by the official requirements" I politely enquired. "No, you need to go and do this" came the reply. Ha! Not today my old foe! And I magically whipped them from my folder and handed them to him. 1-0 to me.

 

And so the dual continued! After looking at my official bank letter and copies of my updated bank book for the last 3 months (I'd given an extra month). He handed me back the bank book and requested that I go and make copies of all the pages in the bank book. "But I am only required to show 2 months of statements, do you really need a copy of my entire bank book?" I politely asked. "Yes. I need it". Ha again as I magically pulled them from my folder and handed them over. 2-0 to me. What next I thought!?

 

He studied the photos I had provided of myself and my family (4 photos on A4). "I need more photos from you" he said. "Every year I provide 4 photos like this and have done so for the last 7 years" I politely said. "I need more photos" came the reply. And one big final "Ha" as I triumphantly handed over the extra set of photos I had made as a precaution. 3-0 my friend!

 

He was not happy! He started to go back through the paperwork and then started analyzing my bank statements. The calculator came out, God only knows what he was trying to get me on. He even took the bank book away to discuss with a superior. He highlighted a payment of interest accrued from the bank to me, and I am pretty sure he was seeing if he could deduct it from the balance to see if it took me under the 400k mark but surely he was clutching at straws (I hoped!). Nothing mentioned about the statements as he returned, now he was back to the photos I had provided. Back and fourth between the 2 A4 sheets of photos - you could see he was desperately trying to find a reason to send me away until finally it dawned on him that he had to accept my paperwork and so it was done. The battle was was won (but the war most definitely not!).

 

Until next year my old foe!

i dont see the problem , if they ask me next day for one more copy i bring 300 and drop on the doorstep; if they ask me to bring a thai, i bring 30; we will sing in the office and video; if they ask me for bank letter updated to the minute; i pay the bank officer 500 and have her sponsor me to the second at the counter and sign

[ubonjoe]

A post containing a off topic viido has been removed and a reply to it.

[ChouDoufu]

next time you bring correctly sized photos, yes. 2.1 cm, not 2.0 cm

this year blue background for photos, next year white background.

year after that, must wear plaid shirt in photo.

this year google printed map, next year hand drawn map.

this year printed pre-filled forms ok, next year must hand fill.

next year blue ink, year after black ink.

 

give it up, grasshopper.

[Isaan Alan]

3 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

next time you bring correctly sized photos, yes. 2.1 cm, not 2.0 cm

this year blue background for photos, next year white background.

year after that, must wear plaid shirt in photo.

this year google printed map, next year hand drawn map.

this year printed pre-filled forms ok, next year must hand fill.

next year blue ink, year after black ink.

 

give it up, grasshopper.

It's really a circus isn't it? Oh they are such devils!

 

you need to carry a wheelbarrow full of copies into the place, anticipating every possible extra

 

[perconrad]

Amazing all the troubles some have at immigration.

 

In Sisaket IO it goes like this when you apply for retirement extension: You give the IO your passport and the letter from your embassy and say retirement extension, 90 day report and reentry permit if you also want these. 

He looks at the embassy letter, goes and make some copies, fills in some forms and have you fill in your part and sign them, take pictures of you with webcam and deliver all the paperwork to the boss and in the meantime settle the payment with you, shortly after you get your passport back with the new extension, the reentry permit and the 90 day report stapled in.

 

Most times the copies are free, but sometimes it is 20 baht to the coffee box.

Edited July 17, 2020 by perconrad

[Puchaiyank]

You are my hero!  Kudos to you for your mastery of the visa process.

 

May I go with you next year?...priceless entertainment value...????

[problemfarang]

Well i know how relax and happy you are and im happy you are ok now. And no more stress or headaches.

 

But... i dont think you beat them. At the end of day they got what they want.. more photos.. more copies.. 

 

But yes you did it in 1 day. I dont know wht its a common thing with the IO that they really dont want to do it at your first visit. There must be something with it. Maybe they want to check like you can do it or not. If you made fake things maybe you cannot do again or likewise. Dont know. But yes they have this habbit of not to do at the first visit.

 

Im going to khon kaen from bangkok tjis monday to extend my expired non o and im doing it just because nonthaburi IO refused to do it for some reason that i dont know... im full ready and sure i have all the paper work.. but im also sure they will find something and send me back to bangkok and do new things... 

 

Wish me luck, i hope i can beat them too. 555

Edited July 17, 2020 by problemfarang

[northsouthdevide]

2 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

couldn't help laughing loud when reading your Duelling Banjos story

Agreed, I also let out a little subdued giggle and got a funny look off her indoors... 

Told with the skill of a comedy writer ????

[Oldie]

3 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

The IO at my immigration ( Ayutthaya ) also said he needed copies of every page of my passport instead of the usual suspects I had supplied.

I looked blankly at him showing no sign of annoyance or acceptance until he stood up and went and got the copies himself.

Same scenario with my bank book even though he had the relevant copies, statement and bank letter in front of him.

 

I also felt like it was a small win for me !!

 

( retirement extension, money in bank method )

You really think that you can command the immigration staff. A bit naive - you don't think so? I can't believe your story. And you sell this very impolite approach in a way that you can command them and are very proud of it... In the end you are very impolite and insulting and nothing else. A shame for Farangs that behave normally here. Nothing else. Really no need to be proud of it. 

[trucking]

4 hours ago, Bob A Kneale said:

Which office?

 

Yes. Name names. There is currently a name and shame on dual pricing venues. About time there was one on immigration offices.

 

Name the ones who don't play fair or are corrupt.

[Raphus]

Great story.

Thanks for sharing.

[EricTh]

@greenmonkey

 

400K is peanuts, you should try changing it into 800K for retirement. The 'battle' is fiercer for retirees. It is more difficult to maintain a minimum balance of 800K.

 

Nowadays, they even require one year bank statement in addition to bank book which essentially does the same thing.

Edited July 17, 2020 by EricTh

[lust]

3 hours ago, EricTh said:

@greenmonkey

 

400K is peanuts, you should try changing it into 800K for retirement. The 'battle' is fiercer for retirees. It is more difficult to maintain a minimum balance of 800K.

 

Nowadays, they even require one year bank statement in addition to bank book which essentially does the same thing.

400k is peanuts.... ummm.. sure pal

[ezzra]

In my many years of experiences with the gals that occupy those cubicles, i have observed that they were polite and helpful to a point, but you can clearly see on their faces that had they have one wish, they would have wished that the lot us would disappear in puff of smoke and stop bothering them like, forever...

[checkered flag]

6 hours ago, EricTh said:

@greenmonkey

 

400K is peanuts, you should try changing it into 800K for retirement. The 'battle' is fiercer for retirees. It is more difficult to maintain a minimum balance of 800K.

 

Nowadays, they even require one year bank statement in addition to bank book which essentially does the same thing.

I did mine based on monthly foreign transfers (65K+) and it was very easy, as usual. I've seen people turned away but they were not following the easy rules. If someone can't handle simple paperwork, it would be better to use an agent. 

That said Non O Marriage requires more, approval from Bangkok and in some cases a home visit.

BTW Married with a green card in US get home visits ,sometimes and grilled about being married. In the US I had several employees that reported this to me. I guess they need to make sure it's not just a marriage of convenience, same here ( i suppose). 

[Peter Denis]

11 hours ago, perconrad said:

Amazing all the troubles some have at immigration.

 

In Sisaket IO it goes like this when you apply for retirement extension: You give the IO your passport and the letter from your embassy and say retirement extension, 90 day report and reentry permit if you also want these. 

He looks at the embassy letter, goes and make some copies, fills in some forms and have you fill in your part and sign them, take pictures of you with webcam and deliver all the paperwork to the boss and in tAhe meantime settle the payment with you, shortly after you get your passport back with the new extension, the reentry permit and the 90 day report stapled in.

 

Most times the copies are free, but sometimes it is 20 baht to the coffee box.

SiSaKet is also my Immigration office.  They are correct, relaxed and very friendly.

Surely one of the better if not the best Immigration office in country.