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Denied entry at Don Meung even with a valid 60 day Tourist Visa


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8 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Are you sure about that? How does that work?

 

I dunno how it works in Vietnam, but in Cambodia you just drop your passport off to some agency and they bring it to the border and stamp it for you. 

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34 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

Are you sure about that? How does that work?

First get a three month visa on arrival. You need a letter first from any travel agent. I can give you email of agent if you care to send me a message. US$50. Plus US$30 fee for the letter. Vietnam now has 12 month visas for regular stayers. A friend just got one recently. About US$350 all up.

Or better still go to Vietnam and get a hassle free marriage visa. US$10 for 5 years. No strings. No pestering, no going in and out, no photos, no neighbour verification. Just go to the office every 6 months and get a stamp. Vietnamese like you to stay there. Unlike obstructionist Thai government.

Added benefit it is half the cost of living compared to Thailand.

Rents are about the same but everything else is about half price or less. 

Edited by Cadbury
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3 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

Vietnam now has 12 month visas for regular stayers.

and as i understand it, you fill out a form, provide a picture and pay a fee.  no over 50 only, no proof of employment (as they require in thailand for the METV), and no money shown in bank account.

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1 hour ago, ssizz said:
 

The person at the immigration desk was flipping through looking at all my previous visas, he pointed to my visa exempt stamp from April and asked if I overstayed and I politely pointed that its a visa extension stamp. I then proceeded to point him to the Thai Tourist Visa page on my passport and they pretty much just shrugged off and called the other people over.

 

I didn't have a ticket out of Thailand in order to get the tourist visa, it wasn't a requirement. I did write my tourist visa on my TM6 card and pointed every single person that was looking through my passport towards my tourist visa page.

Ive notice some of these these guys and especially female officer can be very sensitive to the tourist who show up and dont really have experience in how to act when in front of a Thai IO.

 

Myself, i not try to "show" them anything in passport, especially if it mean you must take the passport from them or put your hands anywhere near or over the counter towards them.

They already did see your tourist visa stamp, so continually pointing to that probably annoyed them also.

They will probably find this behaviour a bit aggressive and arrogant which may intimidate them enough to want to cause you trouble and call the supervisory.

 

Also i would not try to over explain things.

Most the time they dont understand your accent (another loss of face) and dont even listen anyway so its pointless and just look like you talked down to them..and even to do in the smallest way and you will certainly be toast!

 

IMO, best to just answer any question polite and to the point with as few words as possible with a slight smile.

 

Not saying you did like this, but if some tourist have all boxes ticked, a proper visa and no real reason to get denied, but still they are denied, there must be something else going on.

 Actually i agree as another poster said. i think maybe the computer flagged you for those visa exempt before they realise you had a proper tourist visa

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2 hours ago, Cadbury said:

First get a three month visa on arrival. You need a letter first from any travel agent. I can give you email of agent if you care to send me a message. US$50. Plus US$30 fee for the letter. Vietnam now has 12 month visas for regular stayers. A friend just got one recently. About US$350 all up.

Or better still go to Vietnam and get a hassle free marriage visa. US$10 for 5 years. No strings. No pestering, no going in and out, no photos, no neighbour verification. Just go to the office every 6 months and get a stamp. Vietnamese like you to stay there. Unlike obstructionist Thai government.

Added benefit it is half the cost of living compared to Thailand.

Rents are about the same but everything else is about half price or less. 

 

I didn't know about the 12 month visa, that sounds very interesting. I obtained a visa for Hanoi and Saigon but had no idea you could get an extended version. That is worth thinking about for next year, thanks.

 

Apart from Hanoi and HCM, where are expats staying?

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4 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Don Meuang.

Flight in from nearby country.

Female IO.

 

3 aspects of the case that occur frequently with these type of cases and are able to be avoided.

You forgot the 4th one....

 

Staying/Living here on 'Tourist Visa's and Visa Exempt Entry stamps while doing in-out border/visa runs....

 

 

:coffee1:

 

 

 

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Unfortunate but this reminds me of several episodes I have seen on the Australian TV show border security where people that had the approved online electronic visa in advance, but then, after spending money and vacation time and flying to Australia, they were denied entry at the border.  I understand some of the reasons, but that stuff really should have been properly sorted out in advance so the traveler didn't spend so much time and money

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6 hours ago, Chou Anou said:

Gotta love ThaiVisa. Everyone's bending over backwards to tell this guy how he can keep abusing the Thai immigration system, with nobody stopping to say: if you've continually been in Thailand since 2017, you are NOT a tourist, and you're abusing a system (visa-exempt stays and tourist visas) meant for tourists. I'd love to sit down with the OP over a beer and hear his opinion on immigrants to his country and their (real or imagined) abuse/skirting of his country's immigration laws. 

He has not been in the country continuously, he had to leave at least every 90 days.

I'm sure everybody here would be happy if immigrants came to our country to make holiday and spend their money.

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Happened to my friend coming in a visa exemption (his first) from KL after previously being on an ED for 12 months (lessons for which he attended regularly), initially they told him he had to book a flight back to the UK before they would allow him in. The lady he met was *extremely* rude and sneering, and made some very edgy nationalistic comments - put it this way, it seems she didn't really want to have *any* foreigners coming in to Thailand, and intimated that she believed that may be the case in the near future.

And yes - Don Muang, female immigration officer.

My wife spoke to her on the phone, and eventually the officer accepted that he could book a flight for 29 days time to Malaysia and allowed him in once he printed out the ticket.

She also specified he had to leave after 30 days and then would not be allowed back in to the country whatsoever for six months, and that she had placed a red flag on his name and added that requirement so that all other officers would know.

He immediately went to extend it, on my advice, just to see if they would do it. No problem whatsoever, very friendly officer though they did indeed mention with a quizzical look at the computer that he had a 'flag' on his name.

He subsequently signed up with a Muay Thai school (which he attends regularly) for another ED visa, left the country and applied for it with the documents they supplied, it was granted no problem and he passed through immigration no problem.

To pre-empt the questions, British, white, 20k THB in his pocket, mid 30s, always presentable and polite, no he isn't working.

Edited by rwdrwdrwd
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Similar things happened to me at a land border .

They refused to let me in back in on a VES , I stayed so long trying to convince them to let me back in , that the border on the otherside closed for the night , switched all the lights off , locked up and all went home .

  They finally agreed to let me in to Thailand , but they said that I couldnt stay for 30 days , I told them that I would just stay for 15 days and they wrote that in Thai and English on my arrival card "Only staying for 15 days".

   They gave me a 30 day entry , which I extended for another 30 days at immigration and stayed for 60 days .

   The IO just looked a bit confused when he read my arrival card when I did my extension and I just told him that I changed my mind about just staying for 15 days

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Similar things happened to me at a land border .
They refused to let me in back in on a VES , I stayed so long trying to convince them to let me back in , that the border on the otherside closed for the night , switched all the lights off , locked up and all went home .
  They finally agreed to let me in to Thailand , but they said that I couldnt stay for 30 days , I told them that I would just stay for 15 days and they wrote that in Thai and English on my arrival card "Only staying for 15 days".
   They gave me a 30 day entry , which I extended for another 30 days at immigration and stayed for 60 days .
   The IO just looked a bit confused when he read my arrival card when I did my extension and I just told him that I changed my mind about just staying for 15 days
Seems like there is a war going on with some IOs
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4 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:
12 minutes ago, sanemax said:

 

Seems like there is a war going on with some IOs

The difficult situations seem to arise then a Male IO in the booth has to call  Female supervisor over and she needs to show that shes tough and not a push-over and so they become strict and not lenient

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If you are coming and goimg on tourist visas and free 30 day entry visas and your passport if getting rather full and it is mainly thailand that can be a issue.

I had ed visas tourist visas and the like and I then I lost my passport  and applied for a new one and all ok 

Coming in from Loas by train or bus is the best they are pretty easy going 

As for Don mueng different story. 

Also it depends on nationality too. 

I have friends that get harassed alot at  the airport because of there nationality. 

But your OK if it says 60 days stay 60 

 

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3 hours ago, sanemax said:

Similar things happened to me at a land border .

They refused to let me in back in on a VES , I stayed so long trying to convince them to let me back in , that the border on the otherside closed for the night , switched all the lights off , locked up and all went home .

  They finally agreed to let me in to Thailand , but they said that I couldnt stay for 30 days , I told them that I would just stay for 15 days and they wrote that in Thai and English on my arrival card "Only staying for 15 days".

   They gave me a 30 day entry , which I extended for another 30 days at immigration and stayed for 60 days .

   The IO just looked a bit confused when he read my arrival card when I did my extension and I just told him that I changed my mind about just staying for 15 days

 

Stories like this confirm why IOs should indeed proceed much much much much much more stringently with their admissibility assessments. That's just plain fraud. Procedurally you followed the rules but your motives deep inside that mind of yours were as plain as day. Fraud.

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1 minute ago, mvdf said:

 

Stories like this confirm why IOs should indeed proceed much much much much much more stringently with their admissibility assessments. That's just plain fraud. Procedurally you followed the rules but your motives deep inside that mind of yours were as plain as day. Fraud.

The IO had no legal right to only allow me to stay for 15 days (when the usual rate is 30 days) , She had no right to act in the way that She did .

  She made up a rule , which had no legal basis and I didnt follow that no existent rule .

   Her opinion that I should only stay for 15 days carried as much weight as a girl from 7/11.

   I got stamped in for 30 days and thats how long I stayed .

It really none of her business as to how long I stayed for 

 

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26 minutes ago, sanemax said:

The IO had no legal right to only allow me to stay for 15 days (when the usual rate is 30 days) , She had no right to act in the way that She did .

  She made up a rule , which had no legal basis and I didnt follow that no existent rule .

   Her opinion that I should only stay for 15 days carried as much weight as a girl from 7/11.

   I got stamped in for 30 days and thats how long I stayed .

It really none of her business as to how long I stayed for 

In fact, she had total discretion on whether to issue you with a visa exempt entry at all (with you having no right of appeal). This is pursuant to powers given to immigration officials around the middle of 2014. This power means that they can impose pretty much any prior conditions they wish, though, once they decide to grant a visa exempt entry, it is always for 30 days.

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Just now, BritTim said:

In fact, she had total discretion on whether to issue you with a visa exempt entry at all (with you having no right of appeal). This is pursuant to powers given to immigration officials around the middle of 2014. This power means that they can impose pretty much any prior conditions they wish, though, once they decide to grant a visa exempt entry, it is always for 30 days.

Yes, she did have the right to deny me entry , I am not disputing that .

If She had the authority to only allow me entry for 15 days , which didnt She just give me 15 days instead of 30 ?

   My departure date stamp takes preference over any  agreement that She forced me into making

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26 minutes ago, sanemax said:

The IO had no legal right to only allow me to stay for 15 days (when the usual rate is 30 days) , She had no right to act in the way that She did .

  She made up a rule , which had no legal basis and I didnt follow that no existent rule .

   Her opinion that I should only stay for 15 days carried as much weight as a girl from 7/11.

   I got stamped in for 30 days and thats how long I stayed .

It really none of her business as to how long I stayed for 

 

Apparently In English its "over-inflated sense of self importance"

and try to argue with any woman is hard and futile..a woman, an IO and Thai..lol forgettaboudit

 

 

And unfortunately she does have all legal rights to do all those things because the government set only the basic rule but then give the IOs 100% authority to make whatever decision they wish at the entry point.

 

actually i think we are lucky that Thai Immigration has not westernised their system so that one stupid decision from these IO idiots is final, cannot be reversed and then they will shut you out for good.

 

the fact that people are still allowed in after red stamps and even your own story, it seem that many other IOs see things a different way than this xxxx at don muang

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11 hours ago, lkv said:

Sure sure, only new members of this forum seem to encounter Immigration issues lately.

Because the older members are probably working, retired or are on married extensions and don't have passports full of VE's or SETV's.

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1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Because the older members are probably working, retired or are on married extensions and don't have passports full of VE's or SETV's.

I am 67 on a straight retirement extension from the same Immigration office and last time I went to report 90 days the female officer said to me You should leave Thailand You have been here too long'  meaning do a visa run.

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13 minutes ago, spacebass said:

I am 67 on a straight retirement extension from the same Immigration office and last time I went to report 90 days the female officer said to me You should leave Thailand You have been here too long'  meaning do a visa run.

Ignore her, you are perfectly ok if on extensions of stay, I know people who have spent over a decade plus without leaving.

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22 minutes ago, spacebass said:

I am 67 on a straight retirement extension from the same Immigration office and last time I went to report 90 days the female officer said to me You should leave Thailand You have been here too long'  meaning do a visa run.

Yes you do get some strange comments.

I'm probably on my 12/13th multi 0 and sometimes get the 'why don't you convert to retirement?'

I don't want to go through the long explanation that sometimes I get short time work in Thailand and if on retirement extension I would have to change to B to get a WP, as I refuse to work without the WP and anyway we travel a lot and enjoy it etc so I just smile and say I'll probably change next year.

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Agree. Break the rules and get caught - stiff. If you want to stay in Thailand, get the correct visa. Try coming to Oz and pulling these stunts and see how far you get!

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3 minutes ago, Howard said:

Agree. Break the rules and get caught - stiff. If you want to stay in Thailand, get the correct visa. Try coming to Oz and pulling these stunts and see how far you get!

He didn't break any official rules

Edited by jackdd
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2 hours ago, overherebc said:

Because the older members are probably working, retired or are on married extensions and don't have passports full of VE's or SETV's.

Or this are mostly new accounts, because some older member not want to show a connection between this incident and the other posts they do.

So could also be that some or a lot of the new accounts are double or tripple accounts of existing members.

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15 minutes ago, HampiK said:

Or this are mostly new accounts, because some older member not want to show a connection between this incident and the other posts they do.

So could also be that some or a lot of the new accounts are double or tripple accounts of existing members.

Doubt that, to be honest.

If any long time lurker/poster was denied entry while on their tenth extension their posts on here would likely get them a very long posting holiday.

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16 hours ago, ssizz said:

Thank you for the reply. If I were to stay the 60 days and I go to get a 30 day extension will they see anything on their system that will get me into trouble?  I'm just afraid they might have put something on "the system" of what happened today. 

 

Was what happened today just because I was unlucky? My previous stays were July&Aug17 on Visa exempt, Nov&Dec on Visa exempt, Jan&Feb on exempt, Mar&Apr on tourist visa, then May&June on Visa exempt. The lady said I stayed here too long without a proper work or education visa and that in the future I will be denied entry doing any tourist or visa exempts. If I decide to get a future Tourist Visa in Laos and its granted successfully, should I cross over on a land border instead of flying in to Don Meung to avoid this issue?

Don Mueang issues.. please use suvwrnabhumi airport next time..

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16 hours ago, Chou Anou said:

Gotta love ThaiVisa. Everyone's bending over backwards to tell this guy how he can keep abusing the Thai immigration system, with nobody stopping to say: if you've continually been in Thailand since 2017, you are NOT a tourist, and you're abusing a system (visa-exempt stays and tourist visas) meant for tourists. I'd love to sit down with the OP over a beer and hear his opinion on immigrants to his country and their (real or imagined) abuse/skirting of his country's immigration laws.

Which law? 2017 was 7 months ago. A single METV is valid longer than that. I agree there are guys who push it to extreme limits and invite scrutiny but would not say this guy is one of them. Sounds like he just got an unjustified ball breaking from a couple or hardons. 

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