Renewing my visa at Chiang Mai Immigration

In a nutshell, the immigration office is a small room filled to the brim and overflowing with foreigners who do not want to be there.  You can almost physically feel the tension, aggravation, and anger that hang in the air.  Every 90 days I have to go to the immigration office in Chiang Mai to check in and tell them I am still here.  Sometimes it takes 20 minutes, sometimes it takes over an hour, and you just never know which it’s going to be.

Once a year I have to renew my visa at immigration.  Today was the day, and this is how it went:

7:10am – Leave home.  I had planned to leave at 7:00.  At least I get three consecutive green lights on my drive. Thanks, God.

7:22am – I arrive at immigration, and write my name on a list. I am #25.  They start calling names at 8:00. This list is the list they call to give you a “real” number.

7:23am – I go to 7-11 to pay my electric bill and pick up a pack of tissue.

7:34am – I come back from 7-11, take a bathroom break (free toilet paper! I am trying to find all the positive things I can today), find a table and chair outside and set up shop for the day.  I work on my quarterly report, entering expenses and mileage.  I work on my monthly report.  Another positive thing: the immigration office now has free wifi.  Nice.

8:20am – They have started calling names.  I go inside to wait for my name and number to be called.

8:27am – I am called! I receive #215.  The 200 line is the line for renewing longer-term type visas.  There’s a sign on the wall that says #201-217 will be serviced before noon, and #218 onward will be serviced after 1pm.  At least #215 is in the morning and I don’t have to come back in the afternoon… but it’s going to be a long morning.

8:28am – I go back to my desk and chair outside.  The air conditioning compressor is blowing on me, so it’s kinda like air conditioning outside.  I work on my monthly report.  Another positive thing:  it’s a nice cool day today, so sitting outside isn’t miserably hot and sweaty.

8:40am – Some older American guy sits next to me and starts asking me about my visa and how old I am.  Slightly creepy.  The chair next to me is against the wall next to the desk, so whoever sits in it is face to face with me.  Also slightly creepy.

9:03am – His number is called so he leaves.  They are on #203 in my line. Hooray.  I do some more work.

9:10am – Fiona, an Australian AG missionary, comes up to me and says hi.  She’s here for a re-entry permit (which I’ll have to get after I renew my visa), but it shouldn’t take too long.  A group of Japanese workers are in the seats behind me.  Their Thai assistants explain to them in English what lines they’ll have to wait in today.

9:14am – A very old man sits down where the other guy was sitting. This one has flip-up sunglasses, striped pants, and purple and white shoes that match his shirt.  Chiang Mai collects all kinds of people.  They are on #204.  Good thing I have a lot of work to do.

9:26am – #205 and 206.

9:29am – Striped pants man moves to another chair.  I snack on a few crackers.  Believe me, I have come prepared today!

9:32am – Another old guy sits down in the seat next to me.  He looks familiar, probably from a previous trip to immigration.

9:43am – #207, almost halfway there!

9:56am – #208.  I smile at the cute kid standing on a chair inside on the other side of the window.

10:01am – #209, getting closer!  There are two desks that call the 200 numbers.  One has been stuck on #203 since it was called, and the other one is the only one that’s moving. Hm.

10:12am – #210 – and at the #203 desk! Hallelujah!

10:26 – #212.  #211 was a few minutes ago, I missed it.

10:30am – #213.  Maybe I will get out of here by noon after all.

10:40am – #214. Time for a bathroom break and move inside!!!  I eat an apple, and I still have time to throw away the core and wash my hands.

10:50am – My number is called!  I go behind the counter to the 200 desk where a lady takes my paperwork, circles a bunch of things, copies some pages, asks for my signature, stamps some things in my passport, and takes my money.  After sitting there for ten minutes, she tells me to wait in the room for my name to be called.  I find a seat and read.

11:22am – My name is called, and I am handed my passport, a receipt, and my change.

11:23am – I receive a queue number for my reentry permit – I’m #45.  Right now the counter is at #40.  I’m not sure if I’ll get out before noon, when they close for lunch.

11:40am – My number is called!  My form is not filled out completely (oops! New visa numbers, forgot to put that in), so I have to fill out some things and make copies.  The man who is telling me what to do has probably had a long morning too.  He stamps my passport with a few different stamps, and tells me to pay and sit down.

11:45am – I pay the money and sit down to wait for a receipt.  I read.

12:08pm – The guy behind the counter calls my name, has me sign a paper, and gives me my passport.  DONE.

And so I may legally stay in Thailand until September 28, 2012, at which point I get to do all of this over again!