2 Minor Points on 1 Year Non-O (RE) Extension

[TWS60]

Did my 1 year extension of stay renewal (Non-O Retirement).  No major issues, just 2 minor observations that may or may not be useful to others.

1.  Flew out of Thailand during the previous 1 year period, about the time the TM30 issue seemed to be winding down a bit, meaning they'd gone nuts about it at first, and then after a while, remember seeing unofficial reports here and elsewhere that some Immigration offices around the country reportedly quit bothering with it, so I did not report when I flew back into Thailand.   

Indeed, I/O flagged it within the first few minutes of reviewing my passport and extension documents, so off I went to do a TM30, make copies of it, then return to continue the 1 year extension process.   She confirmed reporting return to Thailand within 48 hours is required.  I didn't ask if inter-province travel still required a report.

2. Have always applied for a Single Re-Entry permit at the same time as the 1 year extension.  Small wrinkle this time was they now want a copy of the new Extension of Stay stamp, so had to go make copies of that, then return to finalise the process.   I don't remember having to do this in the years prior, both tasks seemed to flow without any extra Xerox hiccups.   Nice that she didn't call the next person's queue number while I went to make a copy.

[BlueSphinx]

1 hour ago, TWS60 said:

Did my 1 year extension of stay renewal (Non-O Retirement).  No major issues, just 2 minor observations that may or may not be useful to others.

1.  Flew out of Thailand during the previous 1 year period, about the time the TM30 issue seemed to be winding down a bit, meaning they'd gone nuts about it at first, and then after a while, remember seeing unofficial reports here and elsewhere that some Immigration offices around the country reportedly quit bothering with it, so I did not report when I flew back into Thailand.   

Indeed, I/O flagged it within the first few minutes of reviewing my passport and extension documents, so off I went to do a TM30, make copies of it, then return to continue the 1 year extension process.   She confirmed reporting return to Thailand within 48 hours is required.  I didn't ask if inter-province travel still required a report.

2. Have always applied for a Single Re-Entry permit at the same time as the 1 year extension.  Small wrinkle this time was they now want a copy of the new Extension of Stay stamp, so had to go make copies of that, then return to finalise the process.   I don't remember having to do this in the years prior, both tasks seemed to flow without any extra Xerox hiccups.   Nice that she didn't call the next person's queue number while I went to make a copy.

Thanks for the report, but in which Thai province is your Imm Office? 

Every Imm Office in Thailand has the authority to impose additional requirements or interpret the 'general' ones as they see fit, and that's why what is smooth sailing at one office is a journey into bureaucratic hell at another one. 

Re #1 - The general rule is that as long as you are on a continuous 'permission of stay' that there is NO need to notify your Imm Office that you returned from a domestic or international journey.  But yes, there are some offices that do require such notification, and some even want you to resubmit a new TM-30 after return at your 'official address' in their province.

Re #2 - Yep, new rule imposed by your Imm Office, and instead of them making the copy themselves of your Permission to stay, they ask you to provide them with a copy of that new Permission to stay which they just gave you.  

>  No such bureaucratic nonsense at my SiSaKet Imm Office, but I realize that I am lucky dealing with that friendly and super efficient office.