New 90-day address report online launched

[2lz2p]

I received a phone call from a close friend whose most recent (this past week) online 90 day report was rejected and the message said for him to report to Immigration immediately.

He went to Jomtien Immigration office and was directed inside the main building to the 90 day reporting desk. He said she told him the new system just implemented is now all automated and she is no longer involved in the review and approval process.

She told him his online report was rejected because the new system has the passport number from his last entry into Thailand, not his new passport number which he has been using for the past 8 years.

She said the new system will now reject reports that do not include the previous "on entry" passport number. Further, Immigration is working to correct the problem but has no idea if and when it will be corrected. Until it does, those whose passport number has changed since their last entry will have their reports rejected and will need to report in person.

I am providing this information as a "heads up" notice in case your next online 90 day address report gets rejected as this may be the reason.

[Gaybutton]

She told him his online report was rejected because the new system has the passport number from his last entry into Thailand, not his new passport number which he has been using for the past 8 years.

This seems like a simple problem to fix, which means we're probably in for a long wait . . .

And of course not a word from immigration about it and nothing whatever on their online reporting site either. Anyone surprised?

I'm expecting my own new passport to arrive within the next two weeks and the last thing I need would be problems.

Until they do have it fixed, if you still have it, why not simply use your previous passport number for the online report?

When I receive my new passport, what I'm planning to do is take it to immigration to report it, which I would have to do anyway. And as long as I'm there, I'm going to do my next 90-day address report there too - if it won't be a long wait. I'll be certain to ask the clerk to make sure my new passport gets into the system so I won't have any problems using their online reporting.

[Jun]

Almost like they're trying to make it difficult, so you pay an agency to fix it with tea money?

I was going to suggest the alternative solution of a little trip to Cambodia, but if I have been paying attention, expats have to get one of those absurd reentry permits?

[Gaybutton]

I have been paying attention, expats have to get one of those absurd reentry permits?

You have been paying attention. If an expat on the retirement visa leaves the country, upon return without the reentry permit now the visa is null and void.

Apparently, some who made that mistake were not told when reentering that they have lost their visa. They find out the hard way next time they deal with immigration if they have gone beyond the 30 day privilege - or whatever it is now. Most are not arrested and deported, but they are fined for overstay and are forced to start the retirement visa process all over again, meaning they will likely have to leave the country, go to a Thai embassy or consulate, and return to Thailand with a new tourist visa. The non-visa privilege is not eligible for the retirement visa process.

My favorite such story happened several years ago. A farang on the retirement visa was going to make a trip to Lao. He went to immigration to buy a reentry permit, but the officer told him it is not necessary for going to Lao. He was now on the 30 day privilege upon return to Thailand, but no one had told him and he did not realize. When he next went to immigration he found out. He told immigration that the officer had misinformed him. Immigration told him they know all about it because he was not the first to have that happen, and all had been given erroneous information by the same officer. The officer was transferred out, but that didn't help the innocent farang who had only done what the officer had told him.

Immigration told him they know it wasn't his fault, but he was still forced to leave the country. He went to Singapore to go to the Thai embassy and get whatever visa was necessary to start the retirement visa process again and then return to Thailand, gather all the paperwork again, and pay all the fees again. By the time he was done it had cost him tens of thousands of baht and plenty of frustration. The fact that it wasn't his fault and immigration told him they knew it wasn't his fault - it meant nothing.

[Jun]

Can anyone tell me of a good reason for the reentry permit rules ?

This seems like an order of magnitude more stupid than even the 90 day reporting.

[Rocket]

I have to admit that immigration has really upped their game lately. It usually takes me at least three visits to extend my retirement visa. I’m not the most organized person. This time , after fixing my tm30 receipt, or lack of one by going to table 10, I went back the next day and finished it all at table 8( extension for visas). Done in only 25 minutes.

The information line is much quicker now, they have four working instead of two, and you just wait for your number depending on which table you need to use.

Free water is available. I’ve used an agent twice at great expense before but I’ve gotten the process down well now and won’t use an agent unless my account drops too low or something similar.

Maybe going on a Thursday and Friday helped. It’s probably still bad after holidays or on Mondays.

[Gaybutton]

Maybe going on a Thursday and Friday helped. It’s probably still bad after holidays or on Mondays.

Also, for me going in the late afternoon is usually much quicker. Not as crowded by then. Still, due to the numbers of people going to immigration, they need a much larger facility and they need to make much more available online, like they have done with the 90-day address reports.

[2lz2p]

They find out the hard way next time they deal with immigration if they have gone beyond the 30 day privilege - or whatever it is now. Most are not arrested and deported, but they are fined for overstay and are forced to start the retirement visa process all over again, meaning they will likely have to leave the country, go to a Thai embassy or consulate, and return to Thailand with a new tourist visa. The non-visa privilege is not eligible for the retirement visa process.

You can obtain a Non-Immigrant O visa from a Thai Embassy - it is the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa that must be applied for in your home country. Thus, you can go to a neighboring or nearby country to apply for the "O" visa (designation simply means "other" and is used for several categories with retirement being one of them). But one would need to check the particular Thai Embassy/Consulate where they plan to apply for the documents they require - usually passport showing age 50 or over and evidence of having 800k in a bank.

With an "O" visa, one receives a 90 day permission to stay upon entry. They can then apply for a one year extension as usual as there is no need to apply for the "O" Visa at Thai Immigration. This is usually 30 days before the permission to stay expires - 45 days at some Immigration Offices - for Jomtien, it is 30 days before.

[Gaybutton]

You can obtain a Non-Immigrant O visa from a Thai Embassy - it is the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa

I want to make sure people don't confuse the two. The O visa is available only within Thailand. The O-A visa has those additional requirements. I wouldn't want the O-A visa unless there was no other choice.

[2lz2p]

You can obtain a Non-Immigrant O visa from a Thai Embassy - it is the Non-Immigrant O-A Visa

I want to make sure people don't confuse the two. The O visa is available only within Thailand. The O-A visa has those additional requirements. I wouldn't want the O-A visa unless there was no other choice.

The O Visa IS available from Thai Embassies and Consulates including those in neighboring countries. For a long period in the US, the Thai Embassy and Consulates would not issue it for purpose of retirement, rather they insisted the applicant apply for the O-A. However, they now will issue the O Visa for retirement which has been available all along from Thai Embassies and Consulates in other countries. The third purpose shown for an O visa.

Here is a link to Thai Embassy in USA - note, they now will issue an "O" Visa for purpose of retirement as are done by other Thai Embassies and Consulates around the world: https://washingtondc.thaiembassy.org/en ... s-validity