Hello Few -Farang

[alex1]

didn't they make you sing the national song as well ?

yeah he need to sing before he learned, he've lost 200 000B for nothing, the angels in white uniform will say, oh I'm so
sorry, have a nice day.

[villager]

For a residence permit there is also a quota - a maximum of 100 persons from each country per year.

If you want to work, you still need to obtain a work permit. I don't expect that to be free. So all you are saving is the cost of five annual visas (5 x 1,900 single entry = 9,500B; 5 x 3,800 multi-entry = 19,000B) but you're paying up to 199,000B for residency. And you still need to get a re-entry permit if you leave the country and want to come back (cost 1000 baht).

An alien with permanent residency status will be eligible to apply for Thai citizenship after 5 consecutive years under this classification. They must be of the age of majority, be of good character, be gainfully employed, have continuously lived in Thailand for not less than FIVE years and have knowledge of the Thai language. The applicant must complete an application form and submit various required documents to the Criminal Investigation Division Group I, Subdivision 3, Police Department, R.ama I Road, Bangkok. The official fee is Baht 5,000. The processing takes 2 to 3 years. (http://www.thaivisa.com/301.0.html)

How long will it all take? 10 to 11 years minimum (3 years plus 5 years plus 2 to 3 years), if you pass all the criteria (language test, criminal background check etc,), provide copies of even more documents, can afford all the various fees, and are lucky enough to be one of the quota of 100 from your country. Not so difficult after all. Bring on the hoops of fire.

I still wonder, how to get 5 consecutive years if you need to leave the country at least once a year, to get a new visa?
In this country to apply for something and pay the fee you can do, but to get what we want is another cup of coffee.

Hi Alex, I,m not quite sure what kind of visa you have , but i,ve been here since Nov 03 and just changed my non immigrant O visa for a retirement visa for the annual fee of 1,900 baht and i,ve never had to leave Thailand , it would appear though that the visa issue is one of the more confusing things about staying here mainly because every immigration officer seems to have a different opinion on the "rules" , luckily for me our local officers could not be more friendly , helpful, and in many cases from what i,ve heard sympathetic too.

[BangkokRay]

Villager,
Did you ever think that the Thai's at your immigration office see this old and fragile man at their counter, feel sorry for him and make an exception to the rule just to accomodate "Grandpa"?

[villager]

Villager,
Did you ever think that the Thai's at your immigration office see this old and fragile man at their counter, feel sorry for him and make an exception to the rule just to accomodate "Grandpa"?

Hey, Ya know Ray I,ve had that sneaking Suspicion for quite some time now as I stagger in on my zimmer frame that there just has to be a strong element of pity for me especially when my colostomy bag is in full view,LOLOLOL.

[BangkokRay]

So, Villager, you really are "full of it" and it's more obvious in your case huh?

Staying on topic here(don't want to upset the unofficial topic mods do we?), I have had good experiences in dealing with Immigration here in BKK. Two hours total to get both retirement visa and multi entry/exit visa and 15-20 minutes for my 90 day check ins. My taxi ride to the office takes longer than the process does. Do you suppose they take pity on me also(my pacemaker is hidden)?

[villager]

So, Villager, you really are "full of it" and it's more obvious in your case huh?

Staying on topic here(don't want to upset the unofficial topic mods do we?), I have had good experiences in dealing with Immigration here in BKK. Two hours total to get both retirement visa and multi entry/exit visa and 15-20 minutes for my 90 day check ins. My taxi ride to the office takes longer than the process does. Do you suppose they take pity on me also(my pacemaker is hidden)?

Pacemaker eh,LOLOL, Joking apart Ray although we,ve both heard of some posters bitter experience , I can only write of mine which has always been completed in a pleasant and professional way, our IO is very small and one can go there most days with hardly a farang in sight , my 90 day report paper is always filled in at my home and i,m in and out in less than 5 minutes, same thing with my annual extension which I completed 3 weeks ago in and out in 15 minutes , it would appear that the many farangs who live in this area are of a similar opinion to myself.

[Ian]

So, Villager, you really are "full of it" and it's more obvious in your case huh?

Staying on topic here(don't want to upset the unofficial topic mods do we?), I have had good experiences in dealing with Immigration here in BKK. Two hours total to get both retirement visa and multi entry/exit visa and 15-20 minutes for my 90 day check ins. My taxi ride to the office takes longer than the process does. Do you suppose they take pity on me also(my pacemaker is hidden)?

Pacemaker eh,LOLOL, Joking apart Ray although we,ve both heard of some posters bitter experience , I can only write of mine which has always been completed in a pleasant and professional way, our IO is very small and one can go there most days with hardly a farang in sight , my 90 day report paper is always filled in at my home and i,m in and out in less than 5 minutes, same thing with my annual extension which I completed 3 weeks ago in and out in 15 minutes , it would appear that the many farangs who live in this area are of a similar opinion to myself.

If your IO is in the sticks I suspect villager is correct in his comments, but as you move upscale, Ayuttaya, Pattaya, Bangkok, it gets steadily worse. Next time villager go to Bangkok IO you will need to go to floor 5 room 7 as you are not a local, then afterwards give me your opinion of IO.

[villager]

So, Villager, you really are "full of it" and it's more obvious in your case huh?

Staying on topic here(don't want to upset the unofficial topic mods do we?), I have had good experiences in dealing with Immigration here in BKK. Two hours total to get both retirement visa and multi entry/exit visa and 15-20 minutes for my 90 day check ins. My taxi ride to the office takes longer than the process does. Do you suppose they take pity on me also(my pacemaker is hidden)?

Pacemaker eh,LOLOL, Joking apart Ray although we,ve both heard of some posters bitter experience , I can only write of mine which has always been completed in a pleasant and professional way, our IO is very small and one can go there most days with hardly a farang in sight , my 90 day report paper is always filled in at my home and i,m in and out in less than 5 minutes, same thing with my annual extension which I completed 3 weeks ago in and out in 15 minutes , it would appear that the many farangs who live in this area are of a similar opinion to myself.

If your IO is in the sticks I suspect villager is correct in his comments, but as you move upscale, Ayuttaya, Pattaya, Bangkok, it gets steadily worse. Next time villager go to Bangkok IO you will need to go to floor 5 room 7 as you are not a local, then afterwards give me your opinion of IO.

I once went there in 1989 with my late wife to get a 30 day extension , it seemed a busy place but if my memory serve,s me right not overly stressful, of course that was some while ago and no doubt it has changed beyond all recognition for the worse no doubt!!, ours is in a little town called Kap Choeng 10 kms from the Cambodian border of Chong Chom and as I wrote before have no complaint,s what so ever, although it,s my opinion that "attitude" is a big factor, cos a couple of years ago an irate German guy was ordered out of the premises and told to go to Korat at least 4 hours drive away,LOL.

[Just-1-Voice2]

Interesting story in regards to extensions.

When I was granted my 1 yr extension based on my marriage to a Thai, nothing was said to me about having to report every 90 days. I can only assume that because it was busy that day, and because I was one of the last ones, the I.O. simply forgot.

Anyway, while in the Nation’s forums last week I happened to mention that with my “marriage visa” I didn’t have to do the 90 day reporting thing. Within an hour I had 4 PM’s telling me otherwise, and telling me to get my butt down to my local I.O., along with 2,000 baht for the fine, or I could be in serious trouble.

Now, knowing they wouldn’t believe that no one bothered to tell me about the 90 day reporting, I had my wife call the I.O. who came to our house initially to verify our marriage, living status, etc., and who told my wife at that time that if we ever had any kind of problem, give him a call and he would take care of it.

She called him and told him what was going on, swearing that she was with me the whole time at Immigration and that no one ever said anything about the 90 days. He told her to meet him the next morning in the offices across the street from the main I.O. facility and NOT to speak to any of the Immigration officials; otherwise there could be some major problems.

When we got there, he told the senior official that my wife was his half sister, that she had been with me the whole time and no one ever mentioned the 90 day reporting, and that I was a good husband and father who loved his family and took good care of them, and that I was very respectful of all things Thai, even going to the YMCA to learn Thai.

The senior official bought it. He called across the street and told them to delete the information on me from the computer and then enter it again, using “today” as the first day.

My wife and I then walked across the street, handed my passport to a smiling clerk who was waiting on us, and 10 minutes later we left with a new 90 days paper stapled in my passport.

Once in the car and going home, my wife called him again and thanked him profusely, and invited him to dinner at our house. He laughed and said he would love to come sometime and bring his wife, but he was off to Chiang Rai for a week, but would call us again when he returned.

Yeah, I’ve heard all the horror stories in regards to immigration, but I can say that in all my dealings with them here in Chiang Mai, they have always been friendly, answer any question I may have, and are as polite as you could ever hope for.

[Ian]

Interesting story in regards to extensions.

When I was granted my 1 yr extension based on my marriage to a Thai, nothing was said to me about having to report every 90 days. I can only assume that because it was busy that day, and because I was one of the last ones, the I.O. simply forgot.

Anyway, while in the Nation’s forums last week I happened to mention that with my “marriage visa” I didn’t have to do the 90 day reporting thing. Within an hour I had 4 PM’s telling me otherwise, and telling me to get my butt down to my local I.O., along with 2,000 baht for the fine, or I could be in serious trouble.

Now, knowing they wouldn’t believe that no one bothered to tell me about the 90 day reporting, I had my wife call the I.O. who came to our house initially to verify our marriage, living status, etc., and who told my wife at that time that if we ever had any kind of problem, give him a call and he would take care of it.

She called him and told him what was going on, swearing that she was with me the whole time at Immigration and that no one ever said anything about the 90 days. He told her to meet him the next morning in the offices across the street from the main I.O. facility and NOT to speak to any of the Immigration officials; otherwise there could be some major problems.

When we got there, he told the senior official that my wife was his half sister, that she had been with me the whole time and no one ever mentioned the 90 day reporting, and that I was a good husband and father who loved his family and took good care of them, and that I was very respectful of all things Thai, even going to the YMCA to learn Thai.

The senior official bought it. He called across the street and told them to delete the information on me from the computer and then enter it again, using “today” as the first day.

My wife and I then walked across the street, handed my passport to a smiling clerk who was waiting on us, and 10 minutes later we left with a new 90 days paper stapled in my passport.

Once in the car and going home, my wife called him again and thanked him profusely, and invited him to dinner at our house. He laughed and said he would love to come sometime and bring his wife, but he was off to Chiang Rai for a week, but would call us again when he returned.

Yeah, I’ve heard all the horror stories in regards to immigration, but I can say that in all my dealings with them here in Chiang Mai, they have always been friendly, answer any question I may have, and are as polite as you could ever hope for.

Not everyone is so lucky as to have a wife who knows how to make the right phone calls, you married well