Extended my Thailand Elite visa today. Some surprises.

[paddyfield7]

9 hours ago, wasabi said:

 

 

For a long time I thought the TE visa was a waste of money and it'd be better for us to just use METV. My wife and I did this for a time up until immigration became increasingly hostile and critical of why we were staying so long in Thailand. Furthermore that visa requires you to periodically cross the border which would be a huge problem in our current Covid situation, but I didn't even know Covid was coming when I got the TE visa.

 

I got the TE visa when I was 44 and my wife was 41. I do not work nor want to work. My wife is from Laos. I am too young for a retirement visa. We could all debate the merits of living in Thailand but bottom line this is where we want to live. I could not find any other option for us to stay in Thailand long term. One of the key reasons to stay in Thailand long term is the lower cost of living vs the USA. The TE visa for us has ALREADY paid for itself in cost of living savings. IMO the rest of our stay here is now free. Furthermore TE gave all holders an extra 6 months due to Covid so we got 20 years and 6 months. I am not going to say what we paid but I will tell you dividing our time remaining vs fee paid means we each will pay less than 1,000 a year for our TE visas and we have the ones with all the various 'perks'. I didn't want or expect these perks but randomly ended up getting them due to purchasing our visas from a couple who had the original Special Entry version of the TE visa. The airport transit, monthly access to Thai spas, help with 90 day reporting when needed, free annual check up at Bummrungrad all are worth MORE than $1,000. So not only is the visa free when contrasting cost of living but the visa is paying us back in a similar manner a credit card would with bonus points.

 

Was the immigration experience frustrating and a hassle not becoming of a visa called "Thailand Elite" yes. It was annoying, but it was about 20 minutes of annoyance which I will be able to avoid in the future vs all of the aforementioned benefits that'll last decades. I totally get this visa is not for everyone, but it is fantastic for us. NO REGRETS. I made my living filtering out the signal through the noise with financial analysis in my past life. Those skills, knowing what matters and what doesn't remain valid. The immigration was temporary static. Hassle free living in Thailand with a bit of pampering here and there, well that sends a strong positive signal.

No problem with your views! If Elite is fine for you, my pension certification from my embassy is fine for me as well.

[GrandPapillon]

10 hours ago, DUS said:

I’m also a TE member and went to CW yesterday as well to get my extension. I hesitated to depart with 2,000 Baht at first, but as it was my first extension ever at CW, in the end I decided to book their “concierge service”. Reading your story, I am glad I did.

 

Appointment was made for 13:00. She gave me a call and met me outside the Immigration office at 12:50, checked my paperwork, provided the 2 other forms you also mentioned and then she went in with all docs and my passport shortly before 1pm. She said she’d pick

me up again shortly after 1 when all those waiting in line would have gone inside.

 

She appeared back 2-3 minutes after the door had been opened, took

me straight to a desk with an IO. IO did  whatever she had to do on the computer, took my photo, took my 1,900 Baht and that was it. The TE staff asked me to wait for her at the exit as there was one more step she had to take care of. In the end I was back in a taxi at 13:17. 

 

Now, even with yesterday’s very satisfying experience with the TE staff, I hope the borders reopen fully before Feb 22 as I’d still rather do a trip

abroad than going to CW to get a new 12 months extension. Fingers crossed! 

nice, good feedback ????

[ukrules]

Use the concierge service if it's available - it's worth it.

 

I did my 1 year extension in November in Hua Hin without the concierge (not available in Hua Hin)  but I emailed them prior to doing it as I had an enquiry about where exactly I could extend.

 

They sent me some forms I've not seen before and an exact list of what's needed to do the extension - copied here :

 

Please do not forget to bring the following documents with you to the immigration office for Stay Extension:

 

1. Passport
2. 1 Photo (4x6 cm) 
3. Departure Card (TM6)
4. Thailand Elite Membership Card
5. TM30 Receipt
6. Filled TM7 form, STM2 form, and Acknowledgement form (all forms are available in attached file)
7. Extension fee of 1,900 Baht to be paid to immigration office
8. Thai official letter by us (we will forward to you before XX Nov 20)
9. Two photocopies (with your signature on all copies) of the following documents : 
   ✰ Front page of passport showing name / surname / passport number
   ✰ Current Thailand Elite visa
   ✰ Latest entry stamp in your passport
   ✰ Departure Card (TM6)
   ✰ Thailand Elite Membership Card 

    

I filled it all out, and made an appointment at Hua Hin immigration for a specific time - this was also new.

 

I went along and everything went smoothly.

 

Had I not known about the changes then I would have turned up with many things missing.

 

[Ventenio]

OMG.....  I would have concluded with the following...

 

wow, what a waste of money.  wow, that service.......wow, i feel bad.  wow, never again.  wow, i've seen backpackers with 1900 baht get their stamp faster (imagine some crazy backpacker).

 

didn't pay for the concierge service?  the million baht was for what, exactly?  

 

been here for over 5-years, never had this kind of problem. 

 

all my fees.....well, let me think.....it's not small since trips to Laos... hmmm...

 

maybe 75,000 baht.  5 years.   idk....  over 50,000... think about it later.  

 

 

[ukrules]

10 hours ago, paddyfield7 said:

When I read all this, I'm happy NOT to have a TE permission. I did my annual extension last week at CNX immigration based on pension certified by Swiss Embassy in Bangkok. No questions asked and no additional signatures required, just 2 pictures taken. I was done in less than 25 minutes. I used an agent which did cost me THB 9,500 "all in", i.e. I/O extension fee of THB 1,900, I/O multi re-entry fee THB 3,800, and agent commission of THB 3,800 including THB 300 for 90 days report.

When I'm am old geezer like you I might also go down that route but that will be well into the 2030's

[Bradmeister]

Dear Wasabi. 

 

My heart and prayers go out to you and your family for enduring this non sense, while simutaneously keeping your cool.

 

This is the surperfolpus indignation No One Should have to Endure. 

 

The fact is: You are paying them, they are public servants. Period.  They, as well as us seem to forget this small but important detail.

 

They can make the copies. If they wish to squander natural resources. They can (at any time) use a scanner, a debit card, and a fingerprint ID,  and stop the maddness anytime they want.

 

I constantly remind Immigration Offices that they are here to serve the people..... Not, I indirectly work for them, or directly. The Thai Government is not paying us, Iwe are not being compensated by The Royal Thai Police, nor are we obligated by immigration offices to do handstands, and Patt our heads.

 

This can be as easy as mentioned above in less than 30days. Stop the spread of Covid, or any other communicable diseases, stop the inefficiencies and waste of in person visits and make this easirmer for all !

 

Globañ unity and an end to malfiases in the Thai Immigration Offices today!

 

 

[wasabi]

28 minutes ago, Bradmeister said:

Dear Wasabi. 

 

My heart and prayers go out to you and your family for enduring this non sense, while simutaneously keeping your cool.

 

This is the surperfolpus indignation No One Should have to Endure. 

 

The fact is: You are paying them, they are public servants. Period.  They, as well as us seem to forget this small but important detail.

 

They can make the copies. If they wish to squander natural resources. They can (at any time) use a scanner, a debit card, and a fingerprint ID,  and stop the maddness anytime they want.

 

I constantly remind Immigration Offices that they are here to serve the people..... Not, I indirectly work for them, or directly. The Thai Government is not paying us, Iwe are not being compensated by The Royal Thai Police, nor are we obligated by immigration offices to do handstands, and Patt our heads.

 

This can be as easy as mentioned above in less than 30days. Stop the spread of Covid, or any other communicable diseases, stop the inefficiencies and waste of in person visits and make this easirmer for all !

 

Globañ unity and an end to malfiases in the Thai Immigration Offices today!

 

 

Thank you for your sentiment..

 

With the exception of air pollution I love most things in Thailand. But going to immigration is often where my happiness goes to die:

 

While Thailand lags my home country the USA in some ways -- technologically they have come a long way. Therefore I cannot understand the government's and in particular immigration's obsession with paperwork and photo copies. If they need me to be there in person to sign the TM7 form, that I can accept. But the rest of the entire process should be possible to do online and digital. So many forms, so many copies. What do they do with all of this paper? I sincerely want to know? While I am not supportive of illegal immigration it is ironic how tolerant the US is of "undocumented immigrants" whereas I have demonstrated I have the means and legal clearance to stay in Thailand long term. I am the exact type of person they should roll out the red carpet for because all I do is spend money and support the Thai economy, but they constantly pull the carpet out from under me. They should be nicer, they should be more efficient. Yes we can all dream that is the way it is, but I will splash cold water on my face and wake up from this dream right now because I don't expect any improvement in my lifetime. For now the good far outweighs the bad so I tolerate this bureaucracy, rudeness and inefficiency but as a famous poet once said, "Patience has its limits."

 

But again no regrets with my TE purchase. It remains a highly useful tool.

[Letseng]

On 1/25/2021 at 7:50 AM, wasabi said:

My wife and I are both hold TE visas. our visas annual permit was due to expire February 23 2020. You are able to extend a month in advance so with the frequent changes in immigration law and Covid we wanted to do this ASAP.

 

We have both extended education and tourist visas at Thai immigration in the past so I thought I knew the extension process. In addition I read what was required on the TE website, read posts on this site and called Thailand Elite. We prepared and brought the following:

 

Passports

photos

photocopy of relevant pages in passport with signatures on each page.

TM 7 form.

TM 30 form. (Not sure if this was needed but brought it and they accepted it)

1900 THB 

 

We arrived with these and our passports at Chaeng Wattana Government Center in Bangkok at 10 AM today. We didn't breeze through but it wasn't overly crowded. We were given our queue numbers and began to wait. My wife was walking around while we waited and randomly bumped into a Thailand Elite staff member. We did not pay for their concierge service, but the woman graciously offered to review our documents. She took a look and noticed we did not have a scan of our Thailand Elite Cards and informed us a signed copy and the card were required which we did have. She went and scanned the cards. She said we could try informing the immigration agents we are TE members and could move ahead in the queue. We were nearing the dreaded lunch hour when they take a break so I considered this, but worried it would backfire so we decided to wait our turn. About 20 minutes later the TE Staff member saw us sitting and informed us there was another set of documents we needed which she had for us to sign.  I've attached photos I snapped of these with my phone. I had never heard of these document before and after reviewing them didn't want to sign it. At first glance they seem to indicate we had overstayed, but she informed us no it just is an acknowledgement what happens if you overstay so we signed it and put it in our bundle of papers. This was my first time extending the TE visa, but I had never seen or heard of these forms before today or in prior visa extensions. Has anyone seen these before? They are not listed on the TE Website nor mentioned during my phone call to them, but of course this is Thailand.

 

The TE Staff member then spoke with one of the immigration agents and waved for us to come over. It was inching ever closer to lunch so we went for it.

 

I went first. Initially there appeared to be no issue, but then the agent became increasingly agitated. She had the following grievances:

 

• I did not have a photocopy of the SETV visa I used to enter Thailand prior to changing in Thailand to the TE visa last February. I explained that was an old visa, but she insisted it was required. She went and photocopied it herself & I signed it.
• She informed me I needed my Thai phone number on the first page of my TM7 form so I wrote it down.
• She was very annoyed I had paperclipped and not glued my photo to the TM7 form. She stated (This is not my job) but begrudgingly did it. I had paperclipped it in the past so this came as a surprise but lesson learned.
• She told me I did not file my 90 day report and that I would be fined and had to go to Muang Tong Thani after this was done. I politely informed her TE had done this for me a few days prior and the relevant proof was in my passport. She swiped through the passport, saw the document and said okay never mind.

 

The TE Agent stopped by and asked if everything was okay. Flustered, the agent said in Thai, no he is missing everything. I have to do everything for him. It's true I had missed a few things but certainly not "everything." I just smiled and didn't say anything and the TE agent did the same. The TE agent quickly made a copy of my wife's prior SETV and my wife signed it while she waited for her turn after me.

I paid for my 1900 THB. The immigration agent stamped my passport and gave me a stack of papers. I started to walk out but another immigration staff member informed me to go to a 2nd desk for a few additional signatures. This other agent took all the remaining papers except my receipt and I was done. FYI the visa is extend one year from it's expiration date NEXT month, not as of today.

 

My wife had her turn. We had addressed the missing SETV photocopy so no complaints about that. She too had to add her Thai phone number to page 1 of the TM7. BTW I did not see any blank or indication phone number is needed anywhere on the form. The agent did not complain my wife was missing her 90 day report which like me, she wasn't. My wife then went to the 2nd counter. Suddenly a woman (foreigner) looking very flustered and upset cut in front as my wife was at the final step to get a signature. The IA told my wife to wait outside and she'd process her visa in a moment and took care of Mrs. Flustered. It only required one more signature so I am not sure why this other woman was allowed to interrupt. 

We anxiously awaited the process to finish. At 11:59 someone came out and began calling names while holding a stack of passports. My wife's name was called and her passport was returned to her. And for the record no Covid-19 test was required.

 

Other than the usual Kafkaesque moving goal post frustrations many of us have with Thai immigration I took away the following lessons:

 

• I am very glad I have Thailand Elite. Though the process was stressful I never was in doubt our visas would be extended. That was not always true in times past. I recognize this experience wasn't "Elite" but TiT and here I am in Thailand.
• If I ever have to extend the TE visa in country again I will definitely pay for the concierge service. It's clear Thai government workers and Thai people in general prefer to deal with other Thai people rather than Foreigners.
• The agent would enable us to be seen promptly. 
• If there are any issues with signatures or pages missing that is on the agent and they will be responsible for addressing it so we won't take the heat like we did this time.
• It seems inevitably a surprise form that's missing will be required and that too would be on the agent and addressed by them.

 

However hopefully borders will open before the year is up and I can simply enter through an airport and avoid the entire process going forward.

 

 

And I had just decided to get a TE visa to make staying easier . The concierge service sounds a good idea ????

[jomtienisgood]

17 hours ago, masuk said:

HA!  The dreaded singed copy.  Just slightly charred!

Just adapts to the local slang. 555555

[paddyfield7]

15 hours ago, ukrules said:

When I'm am old geezer like you I might also go down that route but that will be well into the 2030's

Thanks for the "old geezer", but I'm still quite happy with my physical and mental condition.

[wasabi]

17 hours ago, wasabi said:

Thank you for your sentiment..

 

With the exception of air pollution I love most things in Thailand. But going to immigration is often where my happiness goes to die:

 

While Thailand lags my home country the USA in some ways -- technologically they have come a long way. Therefore I cannot understand the government's and in particular immigration's obsession with paperwork and photo copies. If they need me to be there in person to sign the TM7 form, that I can accept. But the rest of the entire process should be possible to do online and digital. So many forms, so many copies. What do they do with all of this paper? I sincerely want to know? While I am not supportive of illegal immigration it is ironic how tolerant the US is of "undocumented immigrants" whereas I have demonstrated I have the means and legal clearance to stay in Thailand long term. I am the exact type of person they should roll out the red carpet for because all I do is spend money and support the Thai economy, but they constantly pull the carpet out from under me. They should be nicer, they should be more efficient. Yes we can all dream that is the way it is, but I will splash cold water on my face and wake up from this dream right now because I don't expect any improvement in my lifetime. For now the good far outweighs the bad so I tolerate this bureaucracy, rudeness and inefficiency but as a famous poet once said, "Patience has its limits."

 

But again no regrets with my TE purchase. It remains a highly useful tool.

 

It seems I am not the only one shaking their head at the photocopy mania

 

Netizens debate: Why are people in Thailand still being asked for so many photocopies? - Page 2 - Thailand News - Thailand Visa Forum by Thai Visa | The Nation

[tlock]

Regarding the concierge service, is there an option to get the 1 year extension without being in the immigration offices in person?  I was under the impression that the people that normally do my 90 day reports in Pattaya would be able to handle everything for me without necessitating my presence in the immigration office.

 

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, tlock said:

Regarding the concierge service, is there an option to get the 1 year extension without being in the immigration offices in person?  I was under the impression that the people that normally do my 90 day reports in Pattaya would be able to handle everything for me without necessitating my presence in the immigration office.

 

Only if the immigration office where the extension is done will do one without your being present.

Maybe the agent in Pattaya has contacts with immigration there and they will do it without you being present.

[DUS]

15 minutes ago, tlock said:

Regarding the concierge service, is there an option to get the 1 year extension without being in the immigration offices in person?  I was under the impression that the people that normally do my 90 day reports in Pattaya would be able to handle everything for me without necessitating my presence in the immigration office.

 

As for Bangkok, your presence will be required for the extension. 

[clearance]

Extended my TE yesterday, got in around 13:20, out 16:40, queue was very slow.

They actually asked about copy of TE card, but thanks to this post, I had it with other documents.

And today I found that first time use of Personal Liaison is free.

So if you didn't use this service before, you can request it free of charge.