Preemptive visit to Immigration prior to visa extension

[Saraburi121 389]

Since I have had problems on my first two Non-O visa extensions (married to Thai) I decided to take my documents to Saraburi Immigration 2.5 months out to ensure no issues.  My first two visa extensions problems were due to the IO not following rules that were current on the Thai Immigration Website and followed in most provinces but not Saraburi. Both you can read about on this forum and neither self inflicted.  I learned that I needed 400k in the bank and no other method was possible in this province for an extension in case of marriage to Thai, got it.  Keep double + now just in case.  I keep copious notes of each visit so I can meet the requirements asked but they keep a constantly moving goal. 

 

Wife and I arrived and went through the COVID screening and a few minutes later my wife was asked in the office by one of two officers in the office and the office put up his hand to me not to enter, I sat outside the entrance door in a chair. Wife is knowledgable about visa extensions but not quite as well read as I.  Wife came back outside and said she asked the officer to let me in so I can ask questions but was told "no need I can explain for you".  There were two others let inside the door to the office and seated while I was waiting outdoors, both looked of Asian descent.  I never was allowed to enter the office to ask questions even though my wife asked several times but was met with polite deflections as she described it.  I didn't protest to get in as figured that would be counterproductive.  I felt like a dog setting on the curb watching traffic go by over something that deeply could affect our lives. 

 

From the wife's debrief the color of the background on my photo changed from white to blue this year which is opposite of two years (always take both anyway).  Finances were good.  I/we need to not sign documents in blue ink before coming, wait for the stamp and then sign which different this year. Last year I was asked why I didn't sign before coming in.  This is the one that got me a bit riled.  In the 4 required photos together at our house we needed to be wearing the same clothes both indoors and outdoors, never a requirement before.  We took the photos prior to going to immigration this morning and it was cold,  dogs were shivering cold.  In our outdoor photos we were wearing a jacket.  Wife told the IO if you have sense you put a jacket on when its cold and I was proud of her as she is usually very reserved.  The checklist given by this office is very generic and doesn't state any details. 

 

To those that don't have any issues doing extensions I am happy you don't have to deal with it. I shave, keep a good haircut, never raised my voice in immigration, shower and wear nice clothes going into any Thai government office.  Who knows what is going to change when I actually apply, yes TIT but is a bit irritating when you are trying to do the right thing. I would pay an agent but there are none around in this area that I can find.  If someone knows one send me a PM.   Somedays its really hard to keep your patience. 

 

 

 

[PGSan 220]

18 hours ago, Saraburi121 said:

they keep a constantly moving goal. 

A hilarious tale!  Thanks for posting.  Never a dull moment at Saraburi IO, it seems.

 

 I really like your turn of phrase in the quote above.

Edited Thursday at 08:32 AM by PGSan

[MJCM 3,193]

B...y H....ll what an ordeal.

 

We just did my extension at Buriram Immigration, and we only used the same docs as last year (only a New date on Tm7, a recent KR2 and new (more recent) pictures) we were out in just over an hour!

 

The only major hassle was to get the Bank Letter, which took well over 1 hour to get

 

[Saraburi121 389]

11 minutes ago, MJCM said:

B...y H....ll what an ordeal.

 

We just did my extension at Buriram Immigration, and we only used the same docs as last year (only a New date on Tm7, a recent KR2 and new (more recent) pictures) we were out in just over an hour!

 

The only major hassle was to get the Bank Letter, which took well over 1 hour to get

 

Maybe I need to move to Buriram lol!  Great that you don’t have to deal with any bs.  

[Seeall 313]

21 hours ago, Saraburi121 said:

Since I have had problems on my first two Non-O visa extensions (married to Thai) I decided to take my documents to Saraburi Immigration 2.5 months out to ensure no issues.  My first two visa extensions problems were due to the IO not following rules that were current on the Thai Immigration Website and followed in most provinces but not Saraburi. Both you can read about on this forum and neither self inflicted.  I learned that I needed 400k in the bank and no other method was possible in this province for an extension in case of marriage to Thai, got it.  Keep double + now just in case.  I keep copious notes of each visit so I can meet the requirements asked but they keep a constantly moving goal. 

 

Wife and I arrived and went through the COVID screening and a few minutes later my wife was asked in the office by one of two officers in the office and the office put up his hand to me not to enter, I sat outside the entrance door in a chair. Wife is knowledgable about visa extensions but not quite as well read as I.  Wife came back outside and said she asked the officer to let me in so I can ask questions but was told "no need I can explain for you".  There were two others let inside the door to the office and seated while I was waiting outdoors, both looked of Asian descent.  I never was allowed to enter the office to ask questions even though my wife asked several times but was met with polite deflections as she described it.  I didn't protest to get in as figured that would be counterproductive.  I felt like a dog setting on the curb watching traffic go by over something that deeply could affect our lives. 

 

From the wife's debrief the color of the background on my photo changed from white to blue this year which is opposite of two years (always take both anyway).  Finances were good.  I/we need to not sign documents in blue ink before coming, wait for the stamp and then sign which different this year. Last year I was asked why I didn't sign before coming in.  This is the one that got me a bit riled.  In the 4 required photos together at our house we needed to be wearing the same clothes both indoors and outdoors, never a requirement before.  We took the photos prior to going to immigration this morning and it was cold,  dogs were shivering cold.  In our outdoor photos we were wearing a jacket.  Wife told the IO if you have sense you put a jacket on when its cold and I was proud of her as she is usually very reserved.  The checklist given by this office is very generic and doesn't state any details. 

 

To those that don't have any issues doing extensions I am happy you don't have to deal with it. I shave, keep a good haircut, never raised my voice in immigration, shower and wear nice clothes going into any Thai government office.  Who knows what is going to change when I actually apply, yes TIT but is a bit irritating when you are trying to do the right thing. I would pay an agent but there are none around in this area that I can find.  If someone knows one send me a PM.   Somedays its really hard to keep your patience. 

 

 

 

sad to hear about all this ...  and I know of an IO telling an applicant he inderstands, but will have to make up other questions next year....  so there it is, they are told to act in this way... so they will always try to find something wrong....

[soi3eddie 1,458]

21 hours ago, Saraburi121 said:

at our house we needed to be wearing the same clothes both indoors and outdoors, never a requirement before.

 

Does it get any more ridiculous than this? Thank god this <deleted> show is only once per year. Good luck when you go for the day of reckoning. Let the Mrs. deal with all the BS. Just do your best savant behaviour and sit smiling and grinning. That's what I would do. Thankfully I'm on retirement extension in BKK. Let's see what traps they have in store for me this year. 

 

Edited Thursday at 12:14 PM by soi3eddie

[pagan1 141]

3 hours ago, Saraburi121 said:

Maybe I need to move to Buriram lol!  Great that you don’t have to deal with any bs.  

Buriram IO provides a great service. Very little hassle and they make it easy. Last year they just took my file, checked documents and completed the forms for me. All done and dusted in 30 mins.

 

Credit where credit is due. Sorry to hear other areas have a little more hassle but some of the posts on TV suggest a number of those having extension problems should look at their own actions & knowledge of the requirements 

[GreasyFingers 1,490]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Just did mine today at Phetchabun and was out in under an hour.

But: 1. even though I had a filled in TM7 had to sit there and complete 2 new forms by hand in blue ink after which they printed out a copy from there computer for me to sign as the official document.

2. had to draw a hand map in duplicate of the house location but they then produced a copy of last year's map for me and wife to sign.

3. had all of the 90 day report documents in duplicate but just gave them back to me and had me sign a computer generated form.

 

Great system (?) but at least there were no problems for me.