Udon Immigration

[samuel]

Don't take your wife with you, they will try to get her to pay and hit her for a tip. When i do my marriage extension....

to my knowledge for the past 5 times i had my visa extended based on marriage, my wife had to show up with me while applying.
i never heard from anybody else that the extension based on marriage could be done in udon thani without the wife showing up.
but you are right concerning 90 days report, extensions based on retirement and all other paperwork. it's easier without the wife.

[seagulls]

I have to wonder how many of the people on this Forum have never received any kind of "Graturity"
during their working life yet are so proud of themselves in obtaining a receipt .What do they do with it?
It surely can,t be for tax purposes .Maybe they put it in a little frame and can show it to all their friends .
Live and let live as life is too short for this trivia .

[stattointhailand]

"I have to wonder how many of the people on this Forum have never received any kind of "Graturity"
during their working life"

Hello ..... over here ....... it would have been the quickest way to get the sack

[Brian Davis]

Live and let live as life is too short for this trivia .

The trivia, as you put it, may be a genuine thank you for good service. But it counts as corruption when not given freely, when money is taken 'to grease the wheels', or pocketed for a procedure which is officially free.

[mathusalah80]

I have travelled, worked, renewed passports, toured and had business trips to many countries many times and my experience and my limited memory is that when dealing with immigration or visa offices there is always a separate window or desk for paying any fees with receipts issued 100% of the time, EXCEPT Thailand. Where quite often people have to ask for the receipt.
Why is that? No need to answer.

=D> =D> Thanks Barney. At last someone has raised something new and interesting, on this most repetitive of threads. You have caused me to realize that, in my dealings with Thai Immigration Offices over many years, (including Chiangmai, Pattaya, Koh Samui, Bangkok, & Nong Khai, and I think Khon Kaen), ONLY Udonthani Immigration does NOT have a separate Cashiers station to which all payments must be made, and receipt obtained, before the documentation is issued. Begs the question..."Why?"
Even better you have provided the easiest of solutions to the allegations of corruption constantly being levelled against the Immigration Officials here. Set up a separate Cashiers Department, where THE APPLICANT, (NOT the Official dealing with the application ) has to submit the account, make payment and receive a receipt. Problem now is, how to get that procedure implemented. Perhaps time for the American Consul to use his happy relationship with the Immigration Department, or perhaps get Khun Paul to use his influential Thai friends to intercede.

[12345]

I have to wonder how many of the people on this Forum have never received any kind of "Graturity"
during their working life yet are so proud of themselves in obtaining a receipt .What do they do with it?
It surely can,t be for tax purposes .Maybe they put it in a little frame and can show it to all their friends .
Live and let live as life is too short for this trivia .

Hello ..... over here ....... it would have been the quickest way to get the sack

Yea........over here also, and have turned down a lot of 'tips' as simply doing my job, that I received a salary for. Especially when working for the airlines, as first one going through the cabin of international charter / military, and finding a wallet once a year was normal. Found this guy,s wallet, went through it of course and put in pocket, awaiting his return, also, not sure if all fellow employees are as honest. "yo Bob, looking for something..... " so grateful to have intact, he offered my $20 USD..................no thanks, and thank you for your service. Thinking, that was all he had in his wallet, and I earn more than that for just being there for one hour...

Being a pet person, people used to try to tip me for just doing a good job, if they noticed, such as filling water up in kennel, and taking great care when delivering. Also when I did Air Freight delivery, or home heating oil, when making one of those totally screw up deliveries in really bad conditions.

Did work in restaurants, and we did get tips or portions of, depending, as that is how the salary was structured, in the USA, and why Yanks are usually good tippers, especially if from a tip oriented salary, as opposed to the rest of the world, as most not tip oriented.

Barring that, I don't expect to charge people, extra, stealing their hard earned money, simply doing my job, and a job, many would want to have. I sure as hell don't want to be charged extra, simply because I'm an expat, and they already get a decent wage and bennies.

If those with that argument, why not give the cashier at Makro / Tesco Lotus or Big C an extra 100 baht every time you shop, as they probably could use it more. An extra 50-100 baht every time you fill up at the petrol station, or if they clean your windshield.

Immigration is a primo job in Thailand.........but yet.......the same people who we trust our security to, think about that.............want to take a little extra from our wallet.........for simply doing their job.....NO THANKS.

dealings with Thai Immigration Offices over many years, (including Chiangmai, Pattaya, Koh Samui, Bangkok, & Nong Khai, and I think Khon Kaen), ONLY Udonthani Immigration does NOT have a separate Cashiers station to which all payments must be made, and receipt obtained, before the documentation is issued. Begs the question..."Why?".....................Perhaps time for the American Consul to use his happy relationship with the Immigration Department, or perhaps get Khun Paul to use his influential Thai friends to intercede.

Good point, as didn't realize, though should have, since dealing with BKK and other offices, but other offices, PKK, HH, Ranong were all free services, so didn't realize how 'unique' UT Imm was........

No need for US or any outside rep to pressure UT Immigration to not extort money from expats. SIMPLY SAY NO. They'll keep charging if expats keep paying. That office across the street apparently will straighten out any 'misunderstanding' and suggest those without a set, start using.................or simply keep paying UP2U, it's your money, but you do make the situation harder for the rest of us.........with a set.

What seems to be lost on the 'tip' crowd, picky picky, it's only a few baht...............yea it is, well usually, 1000 to transfer visa is downright silly..........but yes, chump change for chumps to give away.

IT'S NOT THE MONEY............IT'S THE PRINCIPLE. the receipt goes in the trash, once not needed, sometimes before I leave the building.

[pal52]

Did work in restaurants, and we did get tips or portions of, depending, as that is how the salary was structured, in the USA, and why Yanks are usually good tippers, especially if from a tip oriented salary, as opposed to the rest of the world, as most not tip oriented.

Have only been to the USA twice on work related business.
I did notice the service you get in a bar or restaurant is 2nd to none.
The staff actually go out of there way to help you & satisfy you.
That is when you really feel obliged to give a good tip not for someone just doing there job & not being really helpful as Immigration does most of the time.

[Khun Paul]

At the end of the day we are possibly forgetting that all aspects of Immigration is down to the officers discretion it would appear.
Now having said that with the fees proudly on the Thai Immigration web-site and generally known to most of us who have lived here for some time , it is reality I#s only the waiting period for the VISA to be stamped in ones passport that is a bug bear, due to administrative reasons quoted by the IO and kept to, to ensure speedy insertion they have opted for a fee, for what I have no idea , as if they can give you the VISA immediately upon payment then suddenly the administrative reasons fly out the door.

So those whop complain about extras and they also moan and groan about paying said extras. Check the fees have it correct, and hand over what is required when it is asked for. payment for one passport to another does not exist, as do other spurious requests, politely say no and leave.
IOn all the years I have been going there I have never had a problem until I was flying out 5 days after the visa renewal and I had to pay the fee so I could fly. I did happen tpo mention that in passing after my return and I got as sorry. needless to say I now plan my visa renewals and my trips more carefully as well as check the fees yearly just in case.
Planning is everything as is going fully loaded with copies and the originals is also a must, PLUS the correct amount in an envelope so marked.
it is not rocket science and you do not need a degree from MIT or even Oxbridge, just a degree in life skills and commonsense and life would be so much easier.
Lastly and not least if you forsee a problem ask them before you make the journey, take the stress out of the equation , they after all have to deal with the stupid, the ignorant and the bloody awkward, as well as speak to the public ( us ) .

[RLTrader]

dealings with Thai Immigration Offices over many years, (including Chiangmai, Pattaya, Koh Samui, Bangkok, & Nong Khai, and I think Khon Kaen), ONLY Udonthani Immigration does NOT have a separate Cashiers station to which all payments must be made, and receipt obtained, before the documentation is issued.

Hmm, don't remember seeing separate Cashiers station in Khon Kaen or Karat or Nong Khai.

Don't remember experience in Bangkok, well. Just that had to go to a couple of places to get what I needed, but don't remember a Cashiers station stop or stops. Needed 2 services and both had charges, but 1 on 1st floor had to be done before 2nd service on floor 2 or was it 3.

But anyways Think its a great idea.

The only place I remember having a separate Cashiers station is the American Embassy.

[Brian Davis]

Hmm, don't remember seeing separate Cashiers station .... or Nong Khai.

Me neither, although it has been years since I had to use that office.

[stattointhailand]

If memory serves there was a type of separate Collection desk, not cashier desk, in NK at the left hand end. You paid your money to old grumpy (and he ALWAYS returned your change :-" once even with the hint of a smile ) and then you waited for the return of your passport which occasionally was from Grumps himself, but more often from one of the others at the end desk. I'm guessing that they had to enter the details in the ledger (number bb276/4b and add sixteen further rubber stamps ??) before the passport could be returned.

[semperfiguy]

Today I went to have my permanent Non-Immigrant O-A annual extension stamped in my passport after waiting through the now customary 30 day conditional period, and as always was treated with respect and all was taken care of in short order. For the past 6 years I have used the Income Affidavit to show evidence of my 65,000+ per month in income and have never had a problem.

As I was leaving I asked the officer if next year I could bring a letter from Bangkok Bank showing that I had a US Dollar Foreign Currency Deposit Account well in excess of the value of 800,000 Baht as required for the extension. By next June it will have been seasoned for way over the 3 month required period, and it is a fixed deposit account which can be accessed by me at any time should I need to take money out.

My motivation for using this method is simply to save having to pay the US Embassy 1600 Baht to notarize my signature on the Income Affidavit. This officer is one of the newer ones and speaks excellent English, but he just couldn't get a grasp on what I was trying to explain to him. After several minutes of hesitation he went to ask one of the other officers, then she referred him to two other officers, and still no one could give me a definitive answer. Finally, one of the female officers simply replied to my wife in Thai that I should just continue to use the Income Affidavit since it will be much less complicated.

So, I would genuinely appreciate hearing from other members of the forum who have used the specific deposit method that I have described, and Udon Immigration accepted the bank's letter. I'm prone to just forget about it and continue to use the Income Affidavit, but it really frustrates me that no one in that office could answer such a simple question when they deal with these situations day in and day out for years on end. They all looked at me as if I had asked them the diameter of the moon!

[Khun Paul]

Semper if my memory serves me correctly< I feel the general answer is that if you use a bank as opposed to a Income affidavit then the account MUST show movement of money. In and out on a regular basis. This was pointed out some time ago and although the Income letters are a pain and getting more expensive, it is far easier .
However please feel free to check with other sources I ,may be mistaken. Why the double standards I have no idea. But as we all know logic is not their strong point.

[Lone Star]

.

[Hoopoe]

Semper if my memory serves me correctly< I feel the general answer is that if you use a bank as opposed to a Income affidavit then the account MUST show movement of money. In and out on a regular basis. This was pointed out some time ago and although the Income letters are a pain and getting more expensive, it is far easier .
However please feel free to check with other sources I ,may be mistaken. Why the double standards I have no idea. But as we all know logic is not their strong point.

In correct info for Udonthani Immigration , i have long term fixed rate accounts that i show at immigration , no movement of money over the last 3 years and perfectly acceptable ,

[udonmark]

if their concern is you can support yourself does it matter if you have a lot sitting in the bank or receive money regularly?

[Somchai499]

Good news. Today I went to Udon Thani Immigration for my annual renewal of an Extension based on Retirement.

To my surprise I got the 1 year extension on the spot, do not have to come back in 4 weeks.

Happy customer!

[Lone Star]

.

[Khun Paul]

Maybe just maybe the debacle following on from the problems that beset them a couple of years ago have been concluded as they now know who is legit and who is not, so therefore upsetting long term residents is not considered an option any more. Plus I feel many of us will wait and so the pot has shrunk to almost being nil.

[parrot]

I've likewise used either fixed or regular savings for the past 5 or so years.....my name only......the balance being the same for the 3 months shown on the letter. Immigration has not questioned funds going into or out of that account. At least in Udon.