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What are the new documentation requirements for retirement and marriage extensions at Chaengwattana Immigration Office?

Aug 8, 2018
8 years ago
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
ATTN Bangkok Members

Change in the documentation for retirement/marriage extensions of stays at Chaengwattana Immigration Office

You now need to supply a hand drawn map of your neighborhood (major roads, your Soi, your house, big landmarks). They were announcing it many times yesterday at Chaengwattana for everyone queuing up in section L..

The time it took all the applicants to hand draw a map of their neighborhood really SLOWED the thru-put of that section down a LOT.

Just wanted people to know.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Recent updates from Chaengwattana Immigration Office indicate that applicants for retirement and marriage extensions of stay are now required to provide a hand-drawn map of their neighborhood, including major roads, their Soi, home, and significant landmarks. This requirement aims to verify the applicant's residence and may have caused delays in processing times. Many expats have discussed their experiences with this new rule and how they prepare for their immigration trips.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
  • Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
  • For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
  • Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
  • Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
Krishn *********
Thanks
@Tod ********
to updates.

Appreciate your Helping nature and efforts.
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Ron *******
@Tod ********
did they allow a Google map? You said you was going to ask them.
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Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Nope :/ Hand drawn only :O

I was there yesterday with both a hand drawn map and a google map print out. I had the person turn the google map in with their paperwork and hold back the hand drawn one. The immigration officer pulled out the google map and wanted a hand drawn one.

It does NOT have to be from your house to the immigration office just a map of your immediate neighborhood
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Francis ********
No it has to be hand drawn all you do is draw it one time and photo copy it so you have for next time unless you move then you have to do again
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Francis ********
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Han ********
Wow, sounds like a April fool! Hope will not reach CNX!
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Dario **********
And crankier Thai gov't employees.
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Jennifer *********
CNX has way more annoying requirements than Chang Wattana already.
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Jennifer *********
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Christopher ***********
As far as anybody knows is it acceptable to draw your map in advance rather than be forced to draw it in the presence of the IO?
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Francis ********
Yes mine is always done before plus it also saves a lot of time to have to do it there
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Christopher ***********
@David ***********
Thanks David!
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David ************
Always do mine in advance. I apply at Samut Prakan
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David ************
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Jennifer *********
Here's mine, that was easy.
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David ************
555
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Paul *******
That's perfect well done .. :-)
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Paul *******
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Betty *****
For Non O based on Thai Husband the hand drawn map has been a requirement for years (Bangkok). I got my queue number at 1:30pm today and was finished by 3:30pm... Two hours for the whole process, pretty happy with that.
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Jennifer *********
@Bettina **********
Aha! Thanks. That would explain your relatively quick time at Immigration. If you'd had to wait in the "re-entry permit" queue, you'd have been there til it closed!! I prefer just getting a multi-entry "re-entry permit" and then that's one less thing to deal with at the airport. Thus I guess I'm gonna be arriving early at Chang Wattana after all. Sigh. However, I don't plan to get there quite as early as our fearless TVA leader
@Tod ********
,
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Betty *****
@Jennifer ********
I didn't get a re-entry permit but was confused by the terminology as well πŸ˜… last few times I got it right at the airport within a few minutes before heading out of Thailand
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Jennifer *********
Whatever you want to call it. I'm just saying it takes a looooong time to sit around til these people shuffle the passport from one cubicle to another and finally deign to return the correctly stamped passport with the multi-entry stamp. I just wondered if Bettina got one or not.
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Richard *******
@Jennifer ********
I think you mean 're-entry permit' !! If you have a retirement extension, you do not need a visa.
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Jennifer *********
@Bettina **********
It's a multiple entry visa. After you get your retirement extension in one part of the huge office, then you have to go downstairs, photocopy the new retirement extension and come up and hand in the passport and wait FOREVER to get either a single entry or multiple entry visa. I think Tod said ther visas were finished by 08:50 but they didn't get through the ME visa section til after 10 am. I always get them both simultaneously because who wants to schlepp up to that place any more often than one has to?!
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Betty *****
@Jennifer ********
what's an ME visa? I got an extension. But was surprised too that afternoon was quicker than the two previous years, when I went there even before it opened.
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Jennifer *********
Wow. I've been meaning to put up a post asking about going in the afternoon. Did you get an ME visa too or just the extension?
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Jennifer *********
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George *******
Sounds utterly ludicrous! Don't they have Google maps there?
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William **********
One has to assume - it’s another way of checking on the individual or individuals, to see if they can accurately describe where they reside...... albeit ridiculous as you quite rightly, imo, point out. πŸ€—
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William **********
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David *******
what next a self portrait? lol
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AliJames *****
I guess it would be the same in Samut Prakan too right?
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David ************
Yes they require hand drawn.
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David ************
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Daz ************************
Same in Rayong (Mapthaput) last time i did an extension.
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Dylan *********
just another piece of paper for them to put im the bin out the back with all the other pointless paperwork
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Jennifer *********
@Tod ********
kinda like in India.And what an administrative mess that place is. So do you think the Thais have farm of data entry personnel actually recording all this stuff for perpetuity and cross referencing???
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Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
believe it or not, they KEEP all the documents you turn in every year and you file grows every year.
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Tod *********
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Mike ********
They want hand drawn in Chiangmai too. I brought them a printout in google maps was not acceptable even though it was in Thai. Go figure!?
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Richard *******
Just did my one year extension again today at Samut Prakan, no map needed, although they did make me fill in the forms again by hand rather than the ones I had already printed out in PDF with the replies done. They claimed the forms had changed, but I really could not see any difference.
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Richard *******
@David ***********
I had to give a map when i was on a marriage extension, but never since I switched to retirement extension.
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David ************
Recently did mine there too except they wanted the map even though they said they would not come to the house.
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David ************
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Tom *****
Required in Kanchanaburi. Has to be hand drawn not Google maps.
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Joseph ********
Its required in phichit
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Mary ********
OMG don't let Chiang Mai immigration hear this! Another document.
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Joyce *******
A hand drawn map is already required for the extension based on marriage in Chiang Mai.
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Joyce *******
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Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Okay I just wanted to put this notice up because it's a change as far as how Chaengwattana was doing documentation for retirement and marriage extensions of stays in section L.

I know it has been standard at many immigration offices to have a hand drawn map to your house from the immigration office but this one in Bangkok is more like just your immediate neighborhood not necessarily a way to get to your house from the immigration office
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Francis ********
@Jennifer ********
it can be in pencil or pen
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Jennifer *********
@Tod ********
Ouch! I sure hope they didn't dare "hammer" you!! And I'm still serious about my question about pens vs. pencils, colors etc. It's so easy to be told to go back and do it all again.
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Francis ********
@Tod ********
ok understand
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Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Francis *******
ahh, it might have been one for getting the extension based on marriage. I know yesterday they were hammering people who were getting extensions based on retirement to do one too.
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Francis ********
I thought this was always a requirement because my wife had done this every time we renewed my non O
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Francis ********
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Francis ********
I just finished with immigration with renewing my non O .I was 84 in line but inside 10 queue I was finished by 9:05 I had all required paper work πŸ™‚
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Phil *******
@Alan ******
My kids were going to travel abroad alone and I prefered they get a re-entry permit before leaving. Not have to go get one after passing Immigration.
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Alan *******
why bother with waiting for re-entry permits

I did mine on way out at Don Mueang. took 5 mins
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Phil *******
@Tod ********
Oh yes it is... last time I wasted 6 hours with my kids
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Francis ********
@Tod ********
my wife already knew about it . My wife is a Probation officer and she often has to make maps like you said. My had done it before we went to immigration
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Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Francis *******
did they ask you to do the map?
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Francis ********
Have all the paperwork ready before you go it makes it so much faster
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Francis ********
@Robert ******
I got there at 6:30 there was already 83 people in front of me
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Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ******
They open the doors at 6AM and at that time there are usually about 30 or so people in line. Then you queue up in front of the immigration office again until 7 and by the time they bring out the mobile queue ticket printer at 7 there are usually over 150-200 people in line.

Then we queue back up at 8 in the order of our queue tickets and get in the immigration doors at 8:30 in that order. Once you get inside is when you get the REAL queue ticket for your section
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Robert *******
Francis, may I ask what time you arrived there this morning? Was it before or after the doors opened to get in the building. Just wondering as I am making a trip there soon also.
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Jennifer *********
@Tod ********
They probably want people to practice waiting skills for those long lines in the Immigration queues at airports!
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Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
yesterday I got there at 4:40 AM got numbers 15, 16 & 17 outside. In section L we got numbers 3, 4 & 5 inside.

We were done with the year extensions by 8:50 and then the re-entry permits took until 10:10. <- that re-entry section is a SLOW section :/
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Tod *********
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Jennifer *********
All I care about is drawing it with the CORRECT colored pen so it doesn't get rejected. While you're there today, please ask for specifics. Can we do it in colored pencil so I can draw the Chao Phraya in blue and the trees under my window in green? It'll be interesting to see how the parameters have changed after a couple of days under this new "artistic capabilities" regimen. THANKS as always!
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Phil *******
@Jennifer ********
and the 7.11 in green and orange
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Jennifer *********
You should include that photo of you and those cops arm in arm outside your house! I could include sunsets from my bathroom window!
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Jennifer *********
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Giles ****************
Whats next? Blood samples?
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Francis ********
I have to renew today thank you
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Robert *******
Thanks Tod for the heads up. Just as a follow up, I am still wondering if I have a nicely printed sheet off of Google Maps, that shows my building, adjacent streets and general neighborhood, that would not be sufficient? They would still require a hand drawn one? I always have that in my folder anyway when I get my extensions but have never been asked for it. It is actually better than I could draw one. Thanks.
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Mark **********
@Tod ********
google maps are not accepted only hand drawn like I said with Roi Et immigration.
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Dario **********
Derek, check your pm.
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Phil *******
Google map would take all the fun out for them!
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David ************
I once used Google map at the Samut Prakan office. Even though it was exact they wouldn't accept it. Had to give them a hand drawn map.
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David **********
It has to be hand drawn map, and Nonthaburi have been asking for that for a long time, I always thought it has been a requirement for a long time.
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Derek ***************
Korat Immigration sometimes ask for a hand drawn map from your house to the Immigration office. Easy if you live nearby not so easy if you live some distance away. They will not accept a Google map!
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Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
To be completely honest I believe it's more a "test" to see if you really live at the address you're using and can draw a rudimentary map of your area.

All I know is the red vest (thai volunteerz) were walking around handing out A4 paper and pens and telling people waiting in section L to draw a map of their neighborhood.

I'm going back out there again tomorrow and will ask if a google map one can be submitted.
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Tod *********
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