New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

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huahin4ever
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New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by huahin4ever »

Here's something new which I couldn't find on any web page. I did my 1 year extension this week, Non-Immigrant based on marriage since I'm under 50 years old. I have done this 8 times now, every year the same more or less, but this year I had to provide a witness person! Very strange indeed. Me and my wife was not enough, and all those usual papers which states address, blue book copy etc. We had to provide copy of ID card and house book for another person which would be as a witness we live here. We used my wife's niece and she had sign on a form from Immigration. since she didn't come with us the Immigration officer was kind enough to give me this document and we brought it to my wife's niece d=for signing and I got her copy of ID card and house book. I find this very strange indeed, since the present of my wife, updated marriage registration from Tessabahn and my wife's proof of address (owning our house) should be more than enough like every year before. And why not put this requirement on any Immigration web site? Could this be something only Hua Hin Immigration requires?

Another strange thing is the pictures too. I provided 8 pictures where 4 was from the same day we applied the extension (same clothes when going to the Immigration office), and I accidentally put all but one of those latest pictures last in the two picture pages I printed. That was not good. In addition they never seems to be satisfied with the pictures even though they have entrance, address on mail box etc., so this time the Immigration Officer wanted to come and visit us in the evening to take pictures himself!! He so did, and basically he took 3-4 pictures with a tablet (much worse quality than what I'm providing them), and the pictures more or less same as what I have already given with my documents. Could this be some kind of way of starting to check that we are who we say we are and live where we say we live?

Another info I got is that Hua Hin do not accept renewal/extension earlier that 30 days prior to expiry of the visa. So the 45 days prior to expiry must be to the discretion of some other Immigration offices.

And one last thing, previous years I have submitted bank letter and copies from my bank book. This is also not enough anymore. Luckily the bank gave me statement letter to, and this is now required. Apparently because if people update there book very infrequently, not all transactions are recorded in the bank book. The statement letter I got from the bank was all my transaction for 6 months back in time. 3 pages of 1 line transactions! And these where not all in my bank book.
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by HHTel »

I don't think this is cooked up by HH immigration. As far as I know, visa and extensions based upon marriage are ultimately controlled by Bangkok. So I guess HH immigration are just doing as they've been told.
I may be wrong.
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

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HHTel wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:12 pm I don't think this is cooked up by HH immigration. As far as I know, visa and extensions based upon marriage are ultimately controlled by Bangkok. So I guess HH immigration are just doing as they've been told.
I may be wrong.
I'm well aware of that Bangkok has the ultimate decision on marriage visas(that is why the waiting time is 30 days from submitting the extension until going back to actually getting the extension. The Officer told me several years back that the documents are sent to Bangkok, that's why the 30 days waiting time before visa extension is actually issued).

The point was that when checking the Immigration web sites (all the official ones), the requirements are still the same and nothing is mentioned of the need of having an additional witness when filing for extension based on marriage. That is new and if all Immigration Offices around Thailand requires this, it should be stated in the official channels which it is not!
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by lomuamart »

I've read elsewhere that a number of other provincial offices also require a witness. Probably by no means all of them.
Agree that Imm should update their web sites if this is indeed an edict from BKK, but there you go!!
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

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The first time I did an extension based on marriage they asked for a witness. That was 3 years ago in HH my wife and I had been married 12 years at the time and have two children together. I think its a random thing based on which officer you get. Of course the second time we gave them a small donation to the orphans fund and amazingly we needed little paperwork and it was perfect.
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

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HHCanuck wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:25 pm The first time I did an extension based on marriage they asked for a witness. That was 3 years ago in HH my wife and I had been married 12 years at the time and have two children together. I think its a random thing based on which officer you get. Of course the second time we gave them a small donation to the orphans fund and amazingly we needed little paperwork and it was perfect.
And you really think that donation went to an orphan fund? 555! I still believe HH Immigration is one of the more corrupt ones in Thailand.
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by HHTel »

I still believe HH Immigration is one of the more corrupt ones in Thailand.
I really can't agree with that. I would suggest quite the opposite.
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

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Always remember, if it simple and easy, Thais will make it difficult and complicated.
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

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Those that think HH is the best immigration office in Thailand are on retirement extensions which are pretty easy to obtain.

Anyone trying to extend any other visa is in for a world of pain, as exemplified in the OP.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by HHTel »

Yes, I have a retirement visa and have found HH immigration efficient in extending, 90 day report, residency certificate, re-entry etc. My daughter who was on an ED visa also praised them for their efficiency when she had to extend every 90 days to the point of helping her with missing documents on occasion.
They have never asked for anything more than the usual fee and I've always found them friendly and helpful.
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

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huahin4ever--you may need a new name-- perhaps -- huahin.as.long.as.immigration.agrees
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by handdrummer »

I changed from a marriage visa to a retirement visa and eliminated 90% of the paperwork.
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by huahin4ever »

handdrummer wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:35 am I changed from a marriage visa to a retirement visa and eliminated 90% of the paperwork.
And so will I when my 50 years of age anniversary is coming :D :D :D
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by fach3003 »

I'm still well under 50..and a few year ago i got totally fed up of all the paper work
we had to prepare and running around for a day for the annual extension...then waiting
30 days for the approval..
Every year something is added that involved whizzing around to pick up a doc or take photos
and coming back in the afternoon.

Wow nowadays there is a witness required!

The final straw was running around to buy house numbers to stick on the house gates
and have several pictures took together by the house numbers...in the living room
in the kitchen and on the staircase...i joked next year it will be bedroom shots they want.

I know logic would never prevail here but it would be great after 5 years of doing
the extension...you just had a quick form to fill in...and there you go..done.

I go elsewhere now and have a holiday at the same time...

Though i do miss the comedy coloured pencil hand drawn maps of where i live that
my son ( then 7 ) and i used to do for them complete with some random packs of soi dogs
on some of the streets and fishes / sharks/ Jet skis / bananas and long tail boats in the sea : )))
They were good : )

Wonder what the next requirements will be ???? hahaha ??? any thoughts ???
The only Geordie in sleepy Cha am since 2009 :cheers:
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Re: New demands from Hua Hin immigration for marriage extension

Post by buksida »

fach3003 wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:53 am Wonder what the next requirements will be ???? hahaha ??? any thoughts ???
Wife's DNA, soiled sheet samples, and the ashes of a dead witness that was at the wedding 15 years ago?
HHTel wrote: Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:33 pm Yes, I have a retirement visa and have found HH immigration efficient in extending, 90 day report, residency certificate, re-entry etc.
Wow, HH is good at doing 90 day reports - which in reality shouldn't even be necessary, and 500 baht cash cow address letters that used to be free from the police station. As confirmed, retirements are easy, try extending a marriage visa and tell us how "great" they are, as in the topic of this thread.

:roll: :banghead: :guns:

FYI even for retirements now they're turning people away if they "only" have the bank book updated on the day and an official bank letter - now its a three month statement they want. Hua Hin only?
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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