Queues at the passport/immigration desks at the airport

[cookmeister_0]

We had a horrendous wait at the passport desk when we arrived in LOS. We got in on a sunday afternoon.

 

We queued for about 1 hour 20 minutes of writhing boredom. And we did well, finding a good queue with not too many pushing in. There was chaos in some of the lines. It was a very frustrating start to the holiday and they really need to sort it out.

 

Wasn't nearly as bad leaving..

Edited January 27, 2008 by cookmeister_0

[HappyGuy99]

I thought the new air port was supposed to improve this sort of thing;

Last time i was in BKK it was Approx 50 mins to get through Pass Port control;

Do we know if there is anything in the pipe line to improve this suituation?

 

 

[lewis]

I know it's a nightmare going back to england easy 1hour 30 mins waiting i was not happy!

[Mavrick]

On my last trip I was through Immigration within 15 Mins only to end up waiting 35 for my bag to roll of the belt.

[whitespider - RIP]

Its usually no better or worse than most major airports in the "non national". It just depends on the number of arrivals when you land. Aslo if you get a load of people who havent filled in their Imm Cards it takes longer.

 

If you arrive around 3pm there are hundreds of inbound international flights cramming for that 2 hour slot.

 

I have been through in 2 hours but also in 10 minutes on other occassions,.

 

I see you fly the Union Flag - try being Thai and getting through LHR, one hour and 20 minutes would be a blessing.

 

If your a Brit (or EU) passport holder you will fly through British PP control but all others have to wait just as we do here.

[bolly]

Just a tip---when cueing avoid lines that have families with children--these always take longer.

[Scumbag]

Mid-morning is the time to arrive for a quick transit throught the terminal. The last 2 times I have arrived a little after 10am. When I arrived this time there was nobody waiting at immigration. I just walked up to the first available desk and I was away. Last time I only had to wait for the guy being processed for my turn.

[Jeremia]

I flew out on 5 Jan on Thai Airways Business Class to J'Burg. They have there own "Fast Track" immigration desk and I was straight through in less than a minute.....went and had a few free drinks in the lounge then headed off to the gate....

 

 

I got to the security bag check and it was fucking chaos..it must have been 30 to 45 minutes, with all the bloody Chinese tour groups trying to push in...people that gone past their flight times trying to get people to let them pass...I got to the plane 10 minutes past the flight time..and waited at least aother 20 minutes before doors were closed!!

[JASONTHAI]

All the times I arrive I am out of the airport within half an hour and that includes having a cig & buying duty free, here's how I do it

 

After getting off the plane I go to the toilet to freshern up, then I stop off at one of the smoke rooms for a cig, then I take the lift up to the next floor to buy my fags & a bottle of JD then take the lift back down again and walk up to the passport / immigration enterence, now this is the best part every one is like sheep they just follow people so the first enternce is always full so I just carry on walking past this and there is another section just about 30 seconds walk which is surposed to be for cabin crew but you can use this section, there are only a few desks open but there are not many people using this section so you should be sorted out within 10 -15 minutes if not less, now I just go and pick up my bag which in most cases I never wait more than 5 minutes.

 

Now for another tip, after you have picked up your bags and enter the main airport, just get a lift down 1 floor this is where the buses stop, if you go to enterence/exit 8 just before the doors on the right hand side you will see a yellow bus booth stand, this is were you get your ticket for the bus to Pattaya at a cost of only 106 Baht, buses leave the airport at about 6.45am, 9.45am 1pm & 4.30pm (only 4 buses) the bus only takes about 1 hour 45 mins to get to Pattaya, it makes 3 stops on the Sukhumvit Road, ( 1 stop for North Pattaya, 1 stop for Central Pattaya and 1 stop for South Pattaya) then you get a Baht Bus to you hotel for 100 Baht, I was in my hotel within 2 hours of leaving the airport at a total cost of only 206 Baht

[diocletion]

Usually through BKK immigration within 20 minutes but my flight always gets in at an unearthly hour of the morning.

 

Must admit I always look for the Q with the highest proportion of Westerners and tend to avoid any Q with a high number of Indians or Arabs - don't know if this makes me a racist (and, to be honest, I don't really care).

[7-Eleven]

Get your sex tourist visa and you can go in the fast track line

[Esco]

I was through in 15 or so - why the fuck should you get upset about it. You're on holiday. The last I'd do is get upset about 10 mins

[philiplane]

All the times I arrive I am out of the airport within half an hour and that includes having a cig & buying duty free, here's how I do it

 

After getting off the plane I go to the toilet to freshern up, then I stop off at one of the smoke rooms for a cig, then I take the lift up to the next floor to buy my fags & a bottle of JD then take the lift back down again and walk up to the passport / immigration enterence, now this is the best part every one is like sheep they just follow people so the first enternce is always full so I just carry on walking past this and there is another section just about 30 seconds walk which is surposed to be for cabin crew but you can use this section, there are only a few desks open but there are not many people using this section so you should be sorted out within 10 -15 minutes if not less, now I just go and pick up my bag which in most cases I never wait more than 5 minutes.

 

Now for another tip, after you have picked up your bags and enter the main airport, just get a lift down 1 floor this is where the buses stop, if you go to enterence/exit 8 just before the doors on the right hand side you will see a yellow bus booth stand, this is were you get your ticket for the bus to Pattaya at a cost of only 106 Baht, buses leave the airport at about 6.45am, 9.45am 1pm & 4.30pm (only 4 buses) the bus only takes about 1 hour 45 mins to get to Pattaya, it makes 3 stops on the Sukhumvit Road, ( 1 stop for North Pattaya, 1 stop for Central Pattaya and 1 stop for South Pattaya) then you get a Baht Bus to you hotel for 100 Baht, I was in my hotel within 2 hours of leaving the airport at a total cost of only 206 Baht

 

 

Even easier just walk up to the empty Thai only desk and ask politely, they always say yes if your nice to them.

[Bastos60]

My wait time was about 50 minutes at immigration.

[christopzz]

Arrive BKK 12:05 Jan 7th, was 3rd person off plane , no queue at immigration , 5th bag onto carousel , out at 12:17 , had to go to departures to catch internal flight up to Ubon Rachanthani, check in no problem , through to departure lounge time is 12:35 then they announce the fucking internal flight is delayed for 3 hours

[nus01]

Just a tip---when cueing avoid lines that have families with children--these always take longer.

Agree , and women , they stand in line for forty minutes and then soon as they are served have to go through their purse to find there passport etc etc. Same at a supermarket they buy $9.00 worth of stuff but pay by credit card which they take 10 minutes to find.

 

Families are the worst as the mum tries so hard to make sure little Johhny gets everything.

 

I have been through the new airport three times , 10 minutes the shortest about 30 minutes the longest.

Leaving the country always the same about 30 minutes.

[Mr.DreamTransport]

Here is a question that I have though. When I came in to Thailand last trip, I was only staying under the 30 days, so I was able to go through the regular line for non-visa. The wait was only about 10 minutes or so, and going through the baggage checkpoint they just waved me through, so again no biggie there. When I return this time, it will be with an extended stay visa, does that mean I have to go through the regular immigration checkpoint instead of the non-visa line? The people that I saw waiting in that line, after I had finished going through behind 6 or 7 people, they were still on the first person in the visa required line. I will already have my visa prior to arrival, so can I just go through the fast-track lines? And my flight before, as will the one coming up arrive at about 9pm if thats any help. Only concerned as I will be having a car waiting instead of just taking a bus or taxi.

[RedRackam]

Nice tips jason, thanks.

 

I'll follow your strategy next time I visit.

[khagai]

Here is a question that I have though. When I came in to Thailand last trip, I was only staying under the 30 days, so I was able to go through the regular line for non-visa. The wait was only about 10 minutes or so, and going through the baggage checkpoint they just waved me through, so again no biggie there. When I return this time, it will be with an extended stay visa, does that mean I have to go through the regular immigration checkpoint instead of the non-visa line? The people that I saw waiting in that line, after I had finished going through behind 6 or 7 people, they were still on the first person in the visa required line. I will already have my visa prior to arrival, so can I just go through the fast-track lines? And my flight before, as will the one coming up arrive at about 9pm if thats any help. Only concerned as I will be having a car waiting instead of just taking a bus or taxi.

 

I come in with and extended stay visa (tourist visa) and go in the same lines as those who are staying less that 30 days. Have been doing that for a long time at both airports. When they stamp your visa, make sure they have actually seen the visa and stamp a date which reflects your extended stay (2 month, 3 month, 6 month, 1 year, whatever). Some of the clerks don't look hard and just assume you are there for the 30 day stamp on arrival. This has happened to me. If it happens to you find a supervisor immediately (they are usually standing around just beyond the immigration area, point to the kiosk that took care of you and he will the problem fixed and get the correct date stamped on your passport.

[araimeanswot]

I think the old airport worked a lot quicker, allways around 1hr both sides in/out and the staff are not your typical thai, god they are a misarable bunch

[nookiebear]

Never more than 10 -15 mins,I've waited far longer at Spanish airports & they are in the EU & don't even have to make an entry in your passport!!!!!!!!!

[sybarite]

Here is my little tip, to add to Jason's two big tips.

 

Don't tell too many people about this one now as I don't want too many people to get to know

 

It's simple. ALWAYS choose the queue closest to the queues for Thai nationals. There will be a few Thai people using the queues when you arrive and then they will go empty after a few minutes.

 

There will be 4 or more Thai immigration staff at these desks twiddling their thumbs. A lady will walk to the front of the queue nearest the Thai immigration desks and will start waving people at the front of the nearest non-Thai nationals queue to the Thai immigration desks. 4 people from that queue will go to the 4 empty booths quickly followed by another 4.

 

The lady only does this for the queue nearest the Thai queue as to to do it for any other queues would start a free-for-all.

 

Simple? Well try it because it works!

[ingo67]

Generally my experience is the new airport has shorter queues the the old one. My advice is try to pre-booked seat on your plane as near to the front as you can and when its time to get off - RUN and just hope that a plane full of Koreans or Chinese haven't gjust got there before you !!

[ingo67]

Generally my experience is the new airport has shorter queues the the old one. My advice is try to pre-booked seat on your plane as near to the front as you can and when its time to get off - RUN and just hope that a plane full of Koreans or Chinese haven't gjust got there before you !!

[asfalitis]

About 10-20 min in BKK and always more than 20 minutes every time in Phuket