Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

[PeteC]

^ The below site has the above forms in PDF format which may be easier for some:

http://donslifeinthailand.com/Immigration_Forms.html

[Big Boy]

^ I would report you just got back to HH the day before after being in Bangkok since coming back into Thailand.

In view of your earlier statement, "If no computer record of a 24 and house owner report, you get a warning you'll be fined next time (800-2000 Baht...varies with mood) and you have to fill out what you can on the spot, and return with the rest the next day," I'll turn up next week as planned with the form completed just in case.

If I take the form today, they'll probably take it and we won't know if it was really needed. If I get a warning next week, I'll be able to report back that its definitely required. Fingers crossed that the warning phase exists at Hua Hin Immigration.

[lomuamart]

I doubt that anything will happen, BB. This 24 hour reporting rears its head every now and then and we've had discussions about it on the forum before. It's an old, archaic law that is dragged back into force by different Imm offices when they feel like it. I've never known anyone get a fine for failing to do this report though.
If I were asked about the last time I re-entered back in 2013, I'd just say that I thought I'd reported by filling out the entry/departure card on arrival. After all, it resets the 90 day clock.
Of course, I could be totally wrong and you find that HH have decided to dredge this up again. It'll be interesting to see what happens when you go for your extension. I wouldn't hand over your pre-filled in form unless asked for though!!

[Terry]

Went last Thursday for my 90 day report.

Had downloaded and completed my TM47 prior to the visit

Was there when they opened - first in

Less than 5 minutes - all done - no extra forms or info asked for.

[caller]

To clarify, they are enforcing it in Rayong now and they never have before, and I've read in Bangkok, Phuket and Korat as well. Pete

The first I've heard of this happening in Korat, despite accessing two local forums and a facebook group.

The immigration office in Korat is a sleepy little place and I can't imagine them wanting to take on any extra work! I had three people soring out my recent 90 day report, a volunteer who took everything from me and checked the documents and passport, that was handed to a uniformed female immigration officer who did a further check before being passed to the main man who tore off the strip at the bottom, signed something, before passing it back to the uniformed lady, who then passed it back to the volunteer who stapled the form into my passport. That's probably why it took as long as five minutes this time and as usual, I was the only one there!

[Big Boy]

It'll be interesting to see what happens when you go for your extension. I wouldn't hand over your pre-filled in form unless asked for though!!

No, I won't volunteer anything, but I'll have the completed form with me to prevent a further visit the day after, if required.

[Nereus]

This 24 hour reporting rears its head every now and then and we've had discussions about it on the forum before

It may have changed, but several years ago I asked my lawyer about this. He said it did not apply to aliens such
as ourselves.

It applied to alien workers such as Burmese etc. It also includes workers that have been out of the area where they work for a period of more than 24 hours. Cannot remember if Farang work permit holders were included in that part, but I do not believe so.

[Ratsima]

The immigration office in Korat is a sleepy little place and I can't imagine them wanting to take on any extra work! I had three people soring out my recent 90 day report, a volunteer who took everything from me and checked the documents and passport, that was handed to a uniformed female immigration officer who did a further check before being passed to the main man who tore off the strip at the bottom, signed something, before passing it back to the uniformed lady, who then passed it back to the volunteer who stapled the form into my passport. That's probably why it took as long as five minutes this time and as usual, I was the only one there!

I'm amazed at this description of Korat Immigration. I've been using the office ever since it was first established at St Mary's College almost ten years ago. Back then, "sleepy" might have been an apt description, but recently it has been anything but; at least on the days I've visited. Every time I've gone in the past few years it has been jam packed with contract workers doing 90 day reports and extensions of stay.

That said, the 90 reporting is pretty fast and efficient. It is done in a separate room with a separate queue. Last time I went the queue machine was broken so I just walked in and handed the officer my completed form. He processed it quickly and handed me the receipt on which he had written the online 90 day report URL. Never heard any mention of the 24 hour or householder report.

My wife is an attorney who frequently has business at Korat Immigration. She also finds it to be a madhouse most days and claims that the best time to go is in the afternoon on a day other than Monday or Friday.

Are we really talking about the same Korat Immigration?

[Dannie Boy]

I guess HH immigration is very similar to Korat, very busy if you go early morning any day of the week and busier on Monday and Friday than the rest, but having said that, I went to HH immigration on Monday about 3pm and as soon as I took my ticket, my number was called. I was doing the annual visa renewal and re-entry permit and both completed in about 20 minutes and as others have reported, no mention of any additional information being required.
In the past I've always arrived about 8.15 in the morning trying to beat the queue but always failed as it's normally a stampede to get through the door to the ticket machine at 8.30 and invariably the immigration staff arrive anytime between 8.30 and 9.00 so further built in delays.

[caller]

I'm amazed at this description of Korat Immigration. I've been using the office ever since it was first established at St Mary's College almost ten years ago. Back then, "sleepy" might have been an apt description, but recently it has been anything but; at least on the days I've visited. Every time I've gone in the past few years it has been jam packed with contract workers doing 90 day reports and extensions of stay.

That said, the 90 reporting is pretty fast and efficient. It is done in a separate room with a separate queue. Last time I went the queue machine was broken so I just walked in and handed the officer my completed form. He processed it quickly and handed me the receipt on which he had written the online 90 day report URL. Never heard any mention of the 24 hour or householder report.

My wife is an attorney who frequently has business at Korat Immigration. She also finds it to be a madhouse most days and claims that the best time to go is in the afternoon on a day other than Monday or Friday.

Are we really talking about the same Korat Immigration?

I don't believe the ticket machine for 90 day reporting has ever worked, has it? Well not since I did my first 90 day report anyway. I just walk down the step or two to the little ante-room that deals with 90 day reports. I've never had to queue, unless someone already there is having there's processed, but otherwise it's just me.

I was there the other week and there must have been 2-3 people in the main office queuing (a Thursday at about 11.00). I have however had to queue twice, in what I would call a proper queue, one was to sort out the issue of a missing arrivals card from my passport, had to report that to the Police and then return with a report of my report, so to speak. The other time was to get a multi-entry stamp. I did get annoyed with people turning up with a dozen or so passports to process, who seemed to get preferential treatment.

Another time I had to go upstairs to get a residents certificate and the lady who dealt with that was seemingly having her lunch with colleagues. I'm good at noticing things like that, especially when they were all sat around a huge dining table! She checked the papers were in order then asked me to wait for 10 minutes whilst she finished eating. Seemed fair enough to me. I just looked at the poor soul held in their detention room while I waited.

Maybe I've just been lucky?

[Ratsima]

Caller, I think you've been very fortunate, indeed. Or, both my wife and I have been extremely unlucky.

I have been there when the 90 day queue machine worked. Actually, I rarely have to do 90 reports because I usually leave the country often enough to avoid it.

Let's see what I remember: Two years ago when I went for my extension the office was jammed with monks from Cambodia who were doing both 90 day reports and extensions. My wait was quite long. Then, the boss wasn't there to sign off, so we had to go back another day to pick up my passport.

Last year the office was full of Filipino teachers doing both extensions and 90 day reports. Again, the wait for me was quite long.

When I did a 90 day report last December the office was cluttered with Burmese contract workers. As I mentioned, I managed to sneak in to the 90 day report room and was in and out in under five minutes.

I do remember the days when the office was often empty: St. Mary's College, the TOT building and the townhouse in Chokchai. But, since they moved to Dan Kwian it has always been a madhouse on the days I've been unlucky enough to visit.

[caller]

When I did a 90 day report last December the office was cluttered with Burmese contract workers. As I mentioned, I managed to sneak in to the 90 day report room and was in and out in under five minutes.

Well you don't sneak in do you, that's where you go. I enter via the back car park entrance so avoid everyone really.

By the way, they are apparently on the move again, to somewhere around the industrial area between Do Home and Dan Kwian.

[Ratsima]

Well you don't sneak in do you, that's where you go. I enter via the back car park entrance so avoid everyone really.

What happened was that a bunch of people were milling around the machine wondering what to do since it wasn't spitting out tickets. I guess none of them were willing to enter the room without a queue number. I did and was helped right away because the room was empty. Perhaps "sneak" was the wrong word to use.

[STEVE G]

By the way, they are apparently on the move again, to somewhere around the industrial area between Do Home and Dan Kwian.

Which serves to highlight the fact that some of these Immigration offices that are away from border crossings and airports aren't 100% official, they're outposts of other offices that have been set up by enterprising senior Immigration officers to make money, that's why they don't have dedicated government buildings.

[GroveHillWanderer]

Went last Thursday for my 90 day report.

Had downloaded and completed my TM47 prior to the visit

Was there when they opened - first in

Less than 5 minutes - all done - no extra forms or info asked for.

Same for me (except for being first in) for my 90-day report this Tuesday (May 31) - I've not seen the HH immigration office so quiet, on any of my previous visits. Also no sign nor mention of extra forms being required.