Renew marriage visa

[mackayae]

I renewed my 1 year extension early and they dated it 12 months from that date. This is the second year they have done that. The previous 25 years my expiration date never changed no matter what day I renewed the extension. Does anyone know what the official policy is?

[Brian Davis]

Congratulations on another renewal BTW.

Actually, Tamada, that was last year, but I'm in the process of preparing another pile of paperwork at this moment for this year's 'permission to stay' extension (see sometimewoodworker, I've picked up the terminology ). Trying to avoid any possible officer's whim/excuse to make a problem. Paperwork nearly identical to the last 20 years, but those trees and my time here counts for nothing. I suppose I could try to be Chinese, or slip in a what? 500 baht note with the application?

[Old Grumpy]

I am due soon, will I have to get renewal forms from going to the office or can I download.I ask because the form is two sided.

[ladda3904]

You can download from the Immigration website

[Brian Davis]

I was just looking too. Think you can download from this link.

ตม.7 TM.7 คำขออนุญำตเพื่ออยู่ในรำชอำณำจักรเป็นกำhttps://www.immigration.go.th › uploads › 2022/10
PDF

[sometimewoodworker]

I am due soon, will I have to get renewal forms from going to the office or can I download.I ask because the form is two sided.

The link is here
https://www.immigration.go.th/wp-conten ... 8%A1.7.pdf

But you need to print it out 2 sided

[tamada]

Just use their forms once you get there. All this downloading and printing and filling in ahead of time uses your electric, printer ink and erodes your personal, quality time. It's doubtful that it makes their job easier and even if it does, it's still your loss (see above). It also eliminates their option of rejecting your paperwork just because they can.

[Brian Davis]

I'm not certain that the TM7s (and their photos) provided by the applicant are retained now, but perhaps looked at only to confirm/change information held on computer. After all, don't they print out a computer-generated TM7 for you to sign and get you to grimace for their own camera? Seems the process could do with some streamlining. I've said before that there's another form you're asked to sign, provided in Thai only, containing personal details you've provided at some point(e.g. names of parents). You're not given a copy, or an English translation, so cannot check the accuracy and are signing 'blind'. Officers have said a couple of times that your wife can translate for you. Ok, but I doubt they'd be happy with the time taken for a wife to attempt to do so! It's not right, in a busy office, you're asked to sign something you can't understand, check for accuracy. Indeed, could backfire on you if there was a future problem i.e "But you signed this".

[ladda3904]

I probably will regret getting more involved in this discussion. I believe the only form you actually fill out is the TM 7. Also I believe you are required to provide the original and a copy of each of the items required. I guess you could go in with just the originals and tell them to make their own copies. Just explain your time is too valuable to spend on such trivial matters. The system could definitely use some streamlining but the bureaucracy does not die it only grows.

[sometimewoodworker]

Just use their forms once you get there. All this downloading and printing and filling in ahead of time uses your electric, printer ink and erodes your personal, quality time. It's doubtful that it makes their job easier and even if it does, it's still your loss (see above). It also eliminates their option of rejecting your paperwork just because they can.

If you live close enough you have a point. I certainly don’t see any point in using 5 litres of fuel and 3 hours of my time.
I have the from on my computer and it gets printed with all the details required I just change dates, so far it has been accepted.

TIT YMMV

[sometimewoodworker]

I believe the only form you actually fill out is the TM 7. Also I believe you are required to provide the original and a copy of each of the items required.

The only exception to that AFIK is the TM7 itself and the photos, though even those could probably be copied.

I guess you could go in with just the originals and tell them to make their own copies. Just explain your time is too valuable to spend on such trivial matters. The system could definitely use some streamlining but the bureaucracy does not die it only grows.

While some people may advocate for that in posts here, I am much less sure that they actually do that or that they then spend more of the saved time with an IO who is less than happy.

My personal experience is that two sets of documents, 1 original and the other mostly copies, makes for as streamlined an experience as possible.

[sometimewoodworker]

I renewed my 1 year extension early and they dated it 12 months from that date. This is the second year they have done that. The previous 25 years my expiration date never changed no matter what day I renewed the extension. Does anyone know what the official policy is?

The official policy is that the renewal date is always 12 months added on to your current permission to stay.

The exception to this is if you change the reason (marriage->retirement, retirement->marriage) in that case the change cuts short the current 12 month period.

So if you changed the reason the change is expected, if not then someone has decided on a policy that should be challenged.

[Chriss]

Renewed marriage extension this morning, Imm office pretty busy, well, it is Monday.. Tor Ror 2, only 1 original needed, asked the IO if there’s any need for 2 originals, “No, one set of papers have originals, one set have copies… apart from TM7 which should both be originals”… but then she accepted my paperwork with an original and a copy of the TM7. Oh well, another job done, go see them again in March.

[Brian Davis]

Renewed marriage extension this morning, Imm office pretty busy, well, it is Monday.. Tor Ror 2, only 1 original needed, asked the IO if there’s any need for 2 originals, “No, one set of papers have originals, one set have copies… apart from TM7 which should both be originals”… but then she accepted my paperwork with an original and a copy of the TM7. Oh well, another job done, go see them again in March.

Good Chriss. Now, if all the officers said/did the same thing all of the time, life would a lot easier.

[semperfiguy]

Renewed marriage extension this morning, Imm office pretty busy, well, it is Monday.. Tor Ror 2, only 1 original needed, asked the IO if there’s any need for 2 originals, “No, one set of papers have originals, one set have copies… apart from TM7 which should both be originals”… but then she accepted my paperwork with an original and a copy of the TM7. Oh well, another job done, go see them again in March.

Good Chriss. Now, if all the officers said/did the same thing all of the time, life would a lot easier.

Their official instruction pamphlet for applying for the marriage extension is one set of originals and two sets of copies. Every year I follow those instructions and they throw one set of copies back at me as if I broke some law. I'm afraid if I go in there with only one set of copies, they will ask me for the second set and send me on my way because I don't have it. The inconsistency is harrowing here and can cause great bouts of anxiety.

[tamada]

Renewed marriage extension this morning, Imm office pretty busy, well, it is Monday.. Tor Ror 2, only 1 original needed, asked the IO if there’s any need for 2 originals, “No, one set of papers have originals, one set have copies… apart from TM7 which should both be originals”… but then she accepted my paperwork with an original and a copy of the TM7. Oh well, another job done, go see them again in March.

Good Chriss. Now, if all the officers said/did the same thing all of the time, life would a lot easier.

Their official instruction pamphlet for applying for the marriage extension is one set of originals and two sets of copies. Every year I follow those instructions and they throw one set of copies back at me as if I broke some law. I'm afraid if I go in there with only one set of copies, they will ask me for the second set and send me on my way because I don't have it. The inconsistency is harrowing here and can cause great bouts of anxiety.

There you go @jackspratt, the churlish and petulant document thrower isn't a myth.

[jackspratt]

Churlishness and petulance may very well be in the hyperbolic eye of the receiver, no?

[tamada]

Churlishness and petulance may very well be in the hyperbolic eye of the receiver, no?

Possible. Never felt like I broke any laws though.

[sometimewoodworker]

Renewed marriage extension this morning, Imm office pretty busy, well, it is Monday.. Tor Ror 2, only 1 original needed, asked the IO if there’s any need for 2 originals, “No, one set of papers have originals, one set have copies… apart from TM7 which should both be originals”… but then she accepted my paperwork with an original and a copy of the TM7. Oh well, another job done, go see them again in March.

Good Chriss. Now, if all the officers said/did the same thing all of the time, life would a lot easier.

Their official instruction pamphlet for applying for the marriage extension is one set of originals and two sets of copies. Every year I follow those instructions and they throw one set of copies back at me as if I broke some law. I'm afraid if I go in there with only one set of copies, they will ask me for the second set and send me on my way because I don't have it. The inconsistency is harrowing here and can cause great bouts of anxiety.

You have misinterpreted the instructions, not at all difficult seeing the way it’s written.

Be advised to bring original and two copies of
each document mentioned below, though if it's a letter
to the Immigration Ofllcer the original document plus
one copy.

The instructions require
1 of any document addressed to immigration plus 1 copy
2 TM7 Original, (EDIT - printed double sided -)
Two copies of documents that you present and retain such as ID card, blue book, marriage certificate etc.

It is easy to understand the confusion given immigration’s abilities writing English

In short immigration keeps 2 sets of documents only, some are all copies, some are not

[ladda3904]

I also went Monday. The cue was long. Other than the long wait no problems. I did not print the TM7 front and back on one sheet. Mine was 2 sheets. That was not acceptable to them.