What is the current situation for yearly extensions at Chiang Mai immigration in terms of queuing times?

Jul 11, 2018
6 years ago
Shawna ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
What’s the situation at Chang Mai immigration been like in terms of getting her yearly extension recently? Specifically I’m wondering if people are queuing up in the middle of the night or coming later in the morning toward 5, 6, 7?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Recent reports indicate a mixed situation at Chiang Mai immigration for yearly extensions. Many expats are advised to arrive early, around 7am, to secure a queue number as the lines can become very long, particularly for marriage-related extensions which may be capped at 10-15 people per day. Some individuals have camped out overnight, while others have arrived just before opening hours and still faced long waits. Accessibility issues at the immigration center, including locked bathrooms and parking barriers, have also been noted.
Shawna ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Here's my report. I am a professor so my visa is attached to work. I have two dependents on my visa (1 spouse, 1 child). We arrived at 4am and the entrances to the mall were closed. We saw other cars inside so we moved the barrier, drove through, and replaced it. The parking lots were completely dark and had barriers, unlike the last time I was here super early in March to have my visa updated in a new passport. My husband queued up so I could keep our son asleep in the car. He was the 7th person in line. A few people (paid stand ins) had camped out the night before. We will likely be here many hours. Not sure if it will extend into the afternoon. Also, the mall itself (inside) has more barriers around. Bathrooms locked. The last time I was here the bathroom was not locked. It's not as busy today as I often see it for things like 90 days but the extension line was really long after my husband. I think at some point they put almost all extensions in the same queue whereas in the past there were more separate categories.
Robert *********
thats why I use a paper pushing agent
Shawna ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Mike *******
That makes sense for marriage/family bc the process takes a lot longer from what I've seen. It's in the same room as "change visas into new passports" so I witnessed it a lot in March as I waited for my passport to get updated.
Mike ********
2 lines now

Marriage/family

Everyone else
Mike ********
Family & Marriage have their own line. I got there at 7:45 got my cue by 8:15 came back after lunch to do the paperwork.

All others were in the other line that stretch back as far as I could see.
Ashley ***************
Well.im sure depends on yr extension based on what will make a difference. For marriage they suggest to be there by 7 To get que number for 8am. Then they start to go through ur doc bout 8:30 . I believe they cap it at 10-15 ppl per day (depending on extension as they take diff times to go through ) so based on marriage extensions take around30- 45 mins per person for example so that's how they judge it. U can call and they give u pretty good idea anyway of when u should go. Mon & friday being the busiest
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