Good news for ex-pats

[lovedog100 1,372]

New Immigration Chief Allows 90-Day Reporting by Mail

 

According to the Pattaya Times, of today, foreigners who were issued their six-month or one-year visas by the Chonburi Immigration Bureau no longer have to go to the immigration office to report in person every 90 days.

 

Visa holders wishing to stay legally in Thailand more than 90 days and hold valid visas now have two other choices. The first choice is to sign a Power of Attorney form and let someone else submit the form.

 

The second and easiest choice to report is by mailing the “Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days,” form TM. 47 to the immigration office before the due date of reporting which is 90 days after the last entry into Thailand and is stamped in the passport.

 

Police Colonel Chusak Panutumpon, age 50, is the new Chief of Chonburi Immigration located in Pattaya on Jomtien Soi 5. On his second day in office the new chief, as is customary, was introduced to the Pattaya Times newspaper Publisher, Drew Noyes and Editor Wanrapa Boonsu to clarify his role and discuss his objectives for his new assignment in Pattaya and ask for suggestions.

 

Most recently Pol. Col. Chusak was the Chief of Immigration for the Ubon Rachathani station for three years. Last year Pol. Col. Chusak was awarded a trophy for his excellent work in developing his immigration police station into becoming a citizen-friendly police station. His trophy was granted by the Royal Thai Police Chief Police General Wichian Potphosri. Now his goal is to make the improving Chonburi station even more accommodating to foreign residents and tourists.

 

In Thai, the new Chief said, “I am very happy to meet you both. My goal is to find solutions to improve customer service and improved ways to operate this busy immigration office and I would like your help.”

 

The new Immigration Chief told 14-year Pattaya resident, American Drew Noyes and his Thai wife “Kung” who is from Ubon Rachathani that on his first day the office was open until 7 pm because of all of the foreigners needing services and he was amazed at the number of foreigners his staff deals with per day. At his last posting as Chief in Ubon Rachathani there were only about 1,000 foreigners - mostly married to Thais – and some tourists his office serviced.

 

Drew Noyes, who also owns PAPPA Co., Ltd. Legal and Visas Services, suggested that many of the foreigners go to Immigration simply to say they are still in Thailand by submitting a mandatory 90-day notification form to an officer and having it processed while they wait.

 

The expat continued to explain that most foreigners are troubled to go to the office in Jomtien because it is far from central Pattaya and the Immigration officers are overwhelmed with the crowded waiting area every day and sometimes understandably become annoyed by being overworked.

 

Drew Noyes said this situation is a burden to all and a solution would greatly improve the service to those having to submit the form, the foreigners waiting for visas or extensions of stay while lightening the work load of the new chief’s officers.

 

The two new friends worked to find a solution to the mandatory 90-day reporting situation by using the internet to get the form and the Thai Post Office to send the form to the Immigration Office.

 

“All foreigners, regardless of the number of days or months remaining on their visas, must appear to complete the 90-Day form 90 days after their most recent entry into the kingdom and this is unnecessary if it can be done by mail,” stated Drew Noyes, who with his company PAPPA Co., Ltd. has helped more than 4,000 foreigners with legal and visas problems and was the founding chairman of both Pattaya Expat clubs and the Optimist International Club of Thailand and also sits on the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) law board in Bangkok.

 

Drew Noyes suggested that registration on the internet had been proposed last year was one solution, but since there was no system approved yet, the chief could approve submission of the 90-day reporting form by mail. This would also be easier than having to appear at the Immigration Office in person or send someone to notify immigration the foreigner is still in Thailand, Drew Noyes added in his conversation with the new Chief.

 

The seasoned Chief immediately called for the officer-in-charge of 90-Day reporting and asked him, “How many foreigners come here each month only to submit the 90-day reporting form?”

 

“Between 4,000 to 6,000 foreigners come here just for this reporting, sir,” was the reply.

 

Drew suggested that the form could be uploaded to the www.Pattaya-Times.com website with instructions. The foreigners who get their visa from his immigration office could mail the 90-day reporting form.

 

Pol. Col. Chusak agreed to the request and now allows the form to be copied and mailed to his office. The two men shook hands and were delighted with their agreement as it benefits both the foreigners and the overworked immigration officers.

 

Now the new, approved alternative process for 90-day report of stay, TM. 47is as follows:

 

1). Download the TM. 47 Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days at http://pattaya-times.com/a6847-90-day-immi...ng-form-by-mail or use a form obtained from any Thailand Immigration office.

 

2). Completed the form in block print letters making sure it is easy to read and sign it on the “Signature” line. No photo necessary, but copy your passport photo page and the passport page with the most recent entry stamp.

 

3). Put the form and passport copies in a regular business envelope

 

4). Simply affix a 5 baht Thailand Post Office stamp onto the envelope and mail it before your 90-day reporting is due.

 

5). Mail it to: Chonburi Immigration, 74/265 Moo 12, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20260.

 

Complete instructions and the ability to complete the form online are available on the Pattaya Times website.

 

If anyone would like to submit their 90-day reporting by using a Power of Attorney form and having another person go to immigration to submit the form on their behalf a form can be obtained from PAPPA Co., Ltd. 448/21 Moo 12 Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi, or by requesting by email to Drew@PattayaLawyers.com.

 

Pol. Col. Chusak is not new to Pattaya as he was formerly a Royal Thai Police officer serving at the Pattaya Police station on Soi 9 holding the rank of Inspector before he was transferred and began serving as a Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau officer serving duty on the border of Cambodia and then the border of Laos.

Edited February 23, 2011 by lovedog100

[jacko 8,866]

Well I for one would be glad not to have to report every 90 days....

Sure it isn't often, but it's like going to the airport, you have to switch off and go into a trance so as not to react to having your time wasted or being fucked with. Sure sometimes it is a breeze... sometimes not.

I hope Mr Colonel gets rid of that unpleasant man who has the button pushing job who specialises in giving you the wrong form and being rude.

 

I live 12 km North of Pattaya so Jomtiem is a bit further, there is near zero parking, roads that wouldn't be good enough in Zaire, and if I never have to go there again it would be too soon.

 

Pity Internet reporting can't be sorted..... not sure of the postal system.

[LocalYokul 223]

I for one would gladly make the trip to Immigration to avoid having the Postal Service make my passport disappear.

[GREEN MALAKA 56]

I for one would gladly make the trip to Immigration to avoid having the Postal Service make my passport disappear.

 

maybe a copy of your passport?

[LocalYokul 223]

aha, now I see "Put the form and passport copies in a regular business envelope"

 

 

I'm so used to them wanting the ORIGINAL

[Emil 0]

I've had my retirement visa since Sep 2006 and have never done a 90 day report as I've taken the extreme option of flying in and out of LOS every 2 months.

 

Has anyone heard anymore of the rumor of Immigration opening a satelite office in either the Avenue or Centeral Mall?

[bratpack 91]

Hopefuly doing visa runs every 90 days will be a thing of the past too.I could get a retirement visa but dont want to have 800,000 baht doing nothing in a thai bank

[lovedog100 1,372]

Hopefuly doing visa runs every 90 days will be a thing of the past too.I could get a retirement visa but dont want to have 800,000 baht doing nothing in a thai bank

You can pull the money out after getting your visa. You can also get a visa showing that you an income equaling that amount. Or even an income of less, with a bank account covering the difference.

[jacko 8,866]

aha, now I see "Put the form and passport copies in a regular business envelope"

 

 

I'm so used to them wanting the ORIGINAL

Yeah but they will send it back asking for a copy from another page.

(They ALWAYS do that to me!)

[jacko 8,866]

Hopefuly doing visa runs every 90 days will be a thing of the past too.I could get a retirement visa but dont want to have 800,000 baht doing nothing in a thai bank

Do you have some lucrative alternative for that 800k baht you can share with us all?

 

You can get interest on the Thai account... even have it in a fixed term deposit in Thailand getting over 2%. Better than what I get in the UK current account.

[kdc1899 1]

Hopefuly doing visa runs every 90 days will be a thing of the past too.I could get a retirement visa but dont want to have 800,000 baht doing nothing in a thai bank

 

 

Your other option is getting a letter from your embassy stating that you have monthly income of at least 40K baht.

Once you have that all you have to do is report every 90 days ( do not need to leave the Kingdom and you do not need any balance in a Thai bank).