Udon Thani Immigration Office

Tafia,

I will be grateful if you let us know whether they process your reentry permit in Nong Khai or send you back to Udon.

As of the day I was there they didn't even have their stamps yet. But. it's a short drive over there to see if the stamps have arrived before heading to Nong Khai. My guess is they were right next month, hopefully they will be fully operational.

A friend of mine went to the new airport office yesterday to get a proof of residence letter so he could renew his driver's license. From his account it seems like it was a brand new experience for them. He had brought along his landlord, with blue book, and it still took a couple of hours, numerous questions, lots of reference to the computer, problems with the computer printing out the form, and 1,800 baht. I don't know what the current fee for the letter is but I would think it's a lot less than that. He did finally get his letter and did renew his license but said he would have driven to Nong Khai had he know what the process in Udon was going to be like.

The letter you speak of is free, or always has been, in my 2 times at getting one. I can't imagine what the 1800 baht was for. It would be interesting to know more. Sounds like we are not getting the whole story.

Yellow Book, research it.

Yeah, you always wonder if you're getting the full story when you hear something second hand. But I've known him since I moved to Thailand 10 years ago. He's gotten the letter before for driver's licenses and buying vehicles. And he's easy going and knows to dress "politely", etc. for immigration. He figures they'd just never done one before and it was a case of the universal bureaucratic CYA coupled with Thai style fear of losing face by saying you don't know how to do something.

This did convince him it was worthwhile getting a yellow book when I told him how easily I'd gotten mine.

Anyway, I just posted this for anyone using the new office. If you're doing something that doesn't have a standard form with the fee printed on it you might want to ask how much first.

New airport office????

Yes

So ............ Is it "up and running fully" yet, or is it still a NK trip for 12m extensions?

Anyone live near enough to the Airport to "wander over" and check with them.

As a follow up to a previous comment on this thread about having to go back to Phuket to get the visa renewed, I went to live in Chiang Mai for a few months and Mrs "Arfur Daley" in NK Immigration told me that I would have to drive back to NK from CM to get my visa done. She didn't even mention that there was a form I could use to get my papers transferred.

I was there Monday 90 day reporting only. That yellow book really helps for drivewrs licences, vehicle registration utilities . Confusion on vehicle registration Around the first of the year is why I got mine.

At that time the motor vehicle office said they would not issue the registration, without a letter from Immigration.

Immigration said they would not issue the letter without a written request from the Vehilce office. Who of course would not do so without a letter from Immigartion, I got my yellow book and the silliness was over.

Never did hear how it all go settled it was real mess. The guy at the motor vehicle place was adoment the only who one could register a vehicle in their name was people married to a Thai, in one case during that time, to a friend of mine who was single with Non O Annual visa. Thats not hearsay I was sitting right there when he said it. The officials answer to the problem go marry a Thai girl. He got his yellow book and regfistered the bike at Nong Khai Highway office here in Udon with no problems at all.

This isn't the first time this issue has came up.

I wound up going to Nong Khai for my annual extension earlier in the week. When the young lady mentioned that I would have to go to Udon for my 90 day report, I asked if they were doing extensions yet, and she replied that it was her guess that Udon might be dealing with extensions in about two months.

As an aside, it was disturbing to witness two applicants for visas who were turned down raising their voices. In one instance, even the guy's wife or girlfriend let loose with a piece of her mind at the Sr. officer. Very disturbing.

One guy, applying for a retirement visa based on a bank balance only, had let his balance slip to about 760,000 baht in September for only one day, and became very frustrated when the Sr. officer would not bend the rules for him ("only 24 hours!"). I can understand his frustration since this came at the very last step of the extension process, but did he think that raising his voice and making a huge fuss would help his case in the least?

Now, back to our regular programming....

A friend was just turned down because he 5K short. They are following the law, I still do it with a monthly income.

Actually to have accepted it wouldn't have been bending the rules it's up to the Officers discreation. I think they are sending a clear message.