Bangkok Immigration

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Trongpai
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Bangkok Immigration

Post by Trongpai »

The following are my recent observations and personal experience at Bangkok Immigration. Pattaya is a different animal so probably not good to infer anything specific.

I obtained a new Passport so went to Bangkok Immigration to have the Visa stamp transferred to the new Passport. I've done this three times in the past and it was not complicated or time consuming. Not so now. First, the section for this has changed and I got a queue for section L2, that's the same as the O, OA Visa extension section. There was a long queue.
I needed the "Change Passport" form, letter from Embassy (came with new passport) and the following copies:
1. Face Page old passport
2. Visa extension page old passport
3. Last entry stamp old passport
4. TM card, both sides
5. New passport face page
6. The bank book face page you used for the visa
7. Bank book showing one year line item deposits/withdrawals

6 and 7 was not expected!

As I was waiting I observed many applicants getting rejected for visa extensions for not having the "correct" bank documentations. They were being sent to the banks one floor below to obtain a one year balance sheet, dated on date of application, updated passbook and copies of everything.

The 90 day section is no longer located at the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex. If you thought Chaeng Watthana was hard to get to then you've not seen nothing yet. The new ("Temporary"') Thai Immigration Center is located near the Impact Exhibition Center. There's limited parking, no food and even water was hard to find. Once you find the entrance to the building you go through a maze and up a fire stair case to a parking garage full of chairs, full of people and hot. You have to follow the signs, lots of them! Numbers are called by bull horn. Good luck!

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Thai+ ... 4?hl=en-TH
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Gaybutton
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Re: Bangkok Immigration

Post by Gaybutton »

Trongpai wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:27 pm The following are my recent observations and personal experience at Bangkok Immigration.
I don't know what is going on with immigration, but it certainly isn't getting any easier. It seems apparent to me they have simply and tacitly done away with 90-day address reporting online - and the 90-day address report, in my opinion, is absurd in the first place. At least in Pattaya all you really have to go through is a long wait, but in Bangkok what in the world are they thinking? Somebody had to be the one who approved this "temporary" location. I'd kinda like to know who and why. Is it at least anywhere near a BTS or MRT stop?

I also have no idea how banking information is even relevant when it comes to informing immigration that you now have a new passport. You're simply reporting a new passport, not applying for any kind of visa.

I was seriously considering trying to switch over to the 65,000 baht per month method for renewing my retirement visa. I'd like to spend some of that 800,000 just sitting there in a Thai bank account. But now, considering all that's going on, much of which is without prior notice, I'm afraid to do it. I'm going to stick to the 800,000 baht method until it becomes clear, if it ever does, what is behind these changes that almost seem purposely designed to make things much more difficult for farang expats.

More items for my "I Don't Get It" list . . .
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Trongpai
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Re: Bangkok Immigration

Post by Trongpai »

Gaybutton wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 6:00 pm Is it at least anywhere near a BTS or MRT stop?
No, not now but one of the new lines under construction will be but not any time soon. If you don't own a car you'll have to take a taxi and follow google maps.

The new place was just amazing and I took several photos of the "facilities" but then noticed a sign 5000B fine for taking photos. I shall not post them!

Also, when getting a new passport you have to go to the bank you use for the visa extension to update to the new passport number so when you get the one year balance statement the information matches. Generally you have to go to the branch where you originally opened the account. Perhaps I have to do that with medical insurance too?
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Re: Bangkok Immigration

Post by Gaybutton »

Trongpai wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 6:11 pm Perhaps I have to do that with medical insurance too?
You have to do it with everything, ranging from bank accounts to immigration - and anything else where a record is kept of your passport number. That includes any bills in your name and possibly your telephone number.
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Re: Bangkok Immigration

Post by Trongpai »

I went to the main branch or K-Bank to update my passbook information. Seems like a simple thing to do.....
First, you have to figure out how to get in via the COVID restricted entry. Then take a queue. Most of the desk stations were unmanned. It was a few hour wait. Then finally my number was called and I passed her my two passports (old and new) and bankbook. I have no idea what she was doing on the computer but there must have been over a hundred key strokes. Then copies and duplicate copies, stamps, four signatures and staples. It took two ladies working on this task with a consult from someone else. I sat there in amazement at what I would think should be a simple task. Not a word said to me and finally all was passed back to me with a thank you, you're all set.

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