Answered8 years ago

What are the recent changes to visa extensions in Chiang Mai and the Certificate of Residency requirements?

Visa Extensions Certificate of Residency Non-Immigrant Visa Tourist Visa Chiang Mai Immigration Expats in Thailand

Tom ********

asked Oct 22, 2018

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Seems something has changed. The agency that I always use told me last week that they are unable to help with my extension since some changes just happened. 

So I went on my own. It took 30 minutes to get an extension done. Zero need for agents now. 

Also there was a thread here before about the Certificate of Residency... that you need 10 weeks left on your visa. Not the case. You need a month left... their definition of a month is 5 weeks to get it.

I just got my extension and have a bit under 5 weeks. They were able to move me up so that I get it in around 4 weeks. Then I can come back in the country again after (within 30 days) and renew my license. 

This is in Chiang Mai.

Answer summary

The original poster experienced changes in the process of obtaining a visa extension in Chiang Mai, reporting that they successfully completed the extension on their own without the help of an agency. They clarified that the requirement for a Certificate of Residency is now a month left on the visa, which is defined as 5 weeks. Several commenters discussed the lack of necessity for agents for tourist extensions, while noting that the issue with queuing for extensions is mainly associated with non-immigrant visas. Overall, recent changes are highlighted regarding the ease of obtaining extensions.

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Tod *********

As this person was ONLY talking about using an 'agency' to hold the queue for them I'm closing the topic

8 years ago

James **********

What kind of extension? Things are changing again this week.

8 years ago

Ivan ************

There was _never_ a need for an agent for a tourist extension. The issue in Chiang Mai with queuing overnight is for non-immigrant extensions. Possibly specifically, retirement and education. 30 minutes is normal for a tourist extension, depending on when you went, this is not a change.

Good to get clarification on the residence cert.

I'm presuming this was a tourist extension as you say you have five weeks left now. It's important to be clear on this as the problem in Chiang Mai with requiring agents or queing for hours is specific to certain visa classes that they have a daily limit on extensions. It is not, and never has been, a problem with tourist extensions.

8 years ago

Christopher ***********

@Ivan ***********

Thank you for the info Ivan!

8 years ago

Noel *************

Yes, things are definitely changing. There is never a need for agents if you have your documents in order. I do my own Non-B every year without problem.

8 years ago

Ivan ************

I don't think your class of visa is one of the ones with problems. This problem is specific to Chiang Mai, and certain classes of non-immigrant visas. If you don't use an agent, you have to get there (with your documents in order) as early as 2AM to get a space in the queue, and queue all night until immigration opens in the morning. They have a quota for how many retirement or education extensions they will do per day, and it is not enough for the number of people who want to renew them.

8 years ago

Noel *************

I am married here but it is based on work. We have our own business. Mine is in Bangkok.

8 years ago

Ivan ************

Is your non-B based on work or marriage? The people reporting queuing from 2AM seem to be mostly retirement and education. It varies depending on the type, this is not the same for everyone in Chiang Mai.

8 years ago