HH Immigration, could be a very long wait?

[chaspul]

Could not find a thread that seemed relevant, Mods please move as you please, but I deem this as very important and current info for other forum members so I decide to start a new thread.

Yesterday went to do 90 day reporting for my wife and I, did some research beforehand and decided that I could be her nominated rep just by holding her passport and signed copy of TM47 (she wanted to go to a book swap).

With both Tm 47s printed from computer (I have posted link for forms on this forum somewhere) arrived at Immigration about 11.00 am. Pre-amble over.

Normaly in and out of Immigration takes about 5 mins for both of us. Now however, the 90 day reporting ticket slot has been covered, without explanation. They are just using a one ticket system with only the slot which says long term visas, work permits etc. I did not fall into any of these descriptions so lost at least 3 places in the line, before realising that one ticket fits all.

This means that all the desks cover all subjects, Visa extensions, exit/entry and the like which take much longer than 90 day reporting. It seems that the officer will not see the next person until the current one is cleared.
This included the form filling, getting photos and passport copies done and in some cases proccesing and signature by a more senior officer.
Could be a new boss at immigration who wants all his officers cross trained, anyone know?

After an hour they had processed about ten persons (tickets), some of these were agents with multiple applications. There were still 20 to go before my number, maybe another 2 hours?

As luck would have it I was stood by the door, near desk 5. A young guy with TM 47 was told to go and get passport copy, guess in may have been first application, or he may have been on a work visa.
I was concerned and took the chance of asking the young lady officer if I needed passport copy also, as I have never needed it since first application and was it a new rule? No reply and I was still none the wiser, took a step back and stood waiting my turn patiently.

A while later and the guy who went for the passport copy had not returned, she took my passports and paperwork. Possibly she felt guilty sitting there doing nothing?
She ruled out the dates on the old TM47 tear off strip in passport, stamped in new dates and signed keeping my new TM 47s without processing them.

No more than 45 seconds later and after showing the officer much gratitude, I was out of there. Feeling slightly guilty that I may have bye-passed the system some what, glad that I did not have to wait another 2 hours.

Forum members and residents, be aware that unless the system changes again you could be in for a very long wait for 90 day reporting!!!!!

Chas

[sateeb]

Thanks for the heads up...I am going this morning to do my 90 day report!!!

[dtaai-maai]

Yesterday went to do 90 day reporting for my wife and I, did some research beforehand and decided that I could be her nominated rep just by holding her passport and signed copy of TM47.

Thanks, chas. Let's hope it's a flash in the pan, as I'll be doing my visa extension + 90 day reporting together next week.

I take it you had no problem doing your wife's 90-day, which is good news as my (Thai) wife usually pops in and does mine for me.

[Virmand]

I was also at immigration yesterday for a re-entry for my wife. There were many people but we attributed that to the public holiday Thursday. However we were done in 20 minutes so I don't understand chaspul's description of the situation.
Another point, I have never filled in form TM47 for a 90-days reporting and never had to submit passport copies. At my last 90-days reporting some 3 weeks ago, the officer simply updated the date for the next reporting in my passport. Simple.

[magobligin]

The bottom section of the completed TM47 is used by the immigration officer who puts your next reporting date in the form and clips that to your passport... that,s how I did it but no passport copies were required.

Totally agree about the poor organisation and queuing discipline of some at the office.

[nanyang]

the officer simply updated the date for the next reporting in my passport. Simple.

There is no requirement for them to write anything in your passport.

You're merely doing a 90 day report.

[sateeb]

In and out in less than 3 minutes today @ 9.15am.....but correct that there is only one queue ticket for everything.

[PET]

If you do not wish to wait longer than 5 minutes then I suggest you go much earlier - I went last week and was out in under 5 minutes

[bapak]

..... Could be a new boss at immigration who wants all his officers cross trained, anyone know? ... Chas

What new boss? I or one of our staff attend there several times a week and to my knowledge there has been no change (and it is a "she").

[chaspul]

Bapak, I stand corrected, wrongly assuming it was a male boss.

There wre 2 guys walking in and out with 4 bars on shoulders, which made me think that they outranked, as the highest female rank that I saw was 3 bars on the lady sat a the desk in the far corner.

I know I picked a bad time to visit Immigration but was tied by other events.

My point was only about not having dedicated 90 day clerks, you could be lucky and have all TM47s in front of you and be out in 20 mins with all seven desks doing them. However, the next 20 tickets in front of you could all be annual extenders or people that do not have the correct paperwork, as seemed to be the case yesterday.

Chas

[bapak]

FYI The boss actually sit in a room at the back with a large window. The 3 bar one is #2. The high ranking guys are field investigators.

[dtaai-maai]

Field investigators? I assume that's an honorary title!

[Uktom]

I went there on the 5th and yes they have changed it as well, maybe the machine is broke and they have not fixed it yet because it is Thaland and everything takes, well forever.

I sat there with my ticket #6, the woman called out 4 and then later 5, after she called out 8. I thought, "what, why?" So I went over and spoke in Thai and said, "why did you not call my number which is 6?"
She then replied "what do you want!?"
"I am wanting to renew my ED visa"
"Then you can go and wait over there"

All of this was in Thai, she then said to her friend that she called out #6 and that I was slow. I heard this and said,
"no, you did not call six"
She then got really stern so I just said "jai yen yen" and laughed and went to my seat.

I am normally calm but she really got my goat.

[dtaai-maai]

Never mind, at least you handled it well.

[sateeb]

Bet she really appreciated Uktom's attitude.....................