Just got a VOID stamp on my new tourist visa , help?

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

If married, can get a marriage visa. Why elite?

He stated has a GF. He can obtain non o based on marriage (if he got married) OR being parent Thai kid (if he started now in 9 months all good). Of course he can obtain ed visa, learn Thai etc etc. I suggested elite visa better option

Edited March 15, 2019 by DrJack54
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[lamyai3]

1 hour ago, Fixit89 said:

Maybe I don’t have to get a new passport in Cambodia and just head for the land in Laos and get back to my “home” in Thailand ? Thoughts?

I'd try entering at the land borders on your existing passport first, once you're back in you're good for 60 days (30 + 30 ext). New passport can be a fallback option. Nong Khai is a good entry point, and the places in Cambodia (other than Poipet, which is best avoided) are also worth trying. The other advantage of land borders over airports is if you're rejected you're just bounced back to the country you were in, fine as long as your visa for there is still valid. Getting denied at the airport is a headache of a whole different magnitude, where you're forced to pay to stay in a locked dormitory, and pay top rates for a quick flight out to where you arrived from. There was a recent case on here rejected entry and forced back to Vietnam, where he was also rejected entry and forced to buy another flight back to the US. These kinds of problems are avoidable at land borders. 

 

Sympathies for your situation, this kind of thing really stinks. 

 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

I'd try entering at the land borders on your existing passport first, once you're back in you're good for 60 days (30 + 30 ext). New passport can be a fallback option. Nong Khai is a good entry point, and the places in Cambodia (other than Poipet, which is best avoided) are also worth trying. The other advantage of land borders over airports is if you're rejected you're just bounced back to the country you were in, fine as long as your visa for there is still valid. Getting denied at the airport is a headache of a whole different magnitude, where you're forced to pay to stay in a locked dormitory, and pay top rates for a quick flight out to where you arrived from. There was a recent case on here rejected entry and forced back to Vietnam, where he was also rejected entry and forced to buy another flight back to the US. These kinds of problems are avoidable at land borders. 

 

Sympathies for your situation, this kind of thing really stinks. 

 

OP this is best advice so far from lamyai3. Puts together a post by BritTim very early and the one I  posted about possible disaster if refused bkk airports. That was based on fella same experience as lamyai3 post except he was flown back Saigon and refused then on to UK.

[NorthernRyland]

42 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Guys have given you good advice .....But honestly the long stay situation for under 50s is terrible in Thailand....So for your sake I hope you can figure out a better game plan than Hodge podge visas ..... 

Yeah its terrible. The worst part is seeing the Thai's with American passports after we get denied entry and have to fly back home.

[Inn Between]

Perhaps you could spend your time and money in a country that both welcomes and values people who decide to make it their tourist destination, even if they like the place so much they want to stay longer and spend even more money. Certainly there are some other countries in the area that offer similar attractions and make their tourists feel more welcome while being more obliging with issuing visa extensions. If not, then I guess Thailand may as well be uppity about refusing entry as they have no real competition.  

[PingRoundTheWorld]

1 hour ago, fforest1 said:

the long stay situation for under 50s is terrible in Thailand....

Amen... Used to be no problem just doing visa exempt entries and going out every month or two. Now even with SETVs and METVs and adequate funds people are being denied based on made up rules like "too many days in country".

 

To the OP - get a new passport - that'll erase the visa denial - and get a new SETV. I wouldn't worry too much flying to BKK with a SETV as long as you have 20k cash and onward ticket (best to buy a refundable ticket back home). Absolutely avoid DMK.

[JackThompson]

25 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

I wouldn't worry too much flying to BKK with a SETV as long as you have 20k cash and onward ticket

Last year, it was long-odds of denial.  Recently?  I would not consider it with his stay-history.

 

25 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

best to buy a refundable ticket back home

With some recent denials, they didn't even let the person denied show money, ticket, where they were going to stay, etc - straight to the detention-jail, with the next contact being the airline people selling a rip-off priced last-minute ticket straight back where they came from.

[Fixit89]

18 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Last year, it was long-odds of denial.  Recently?  I would not consider it with his stay-history.

 

With some recent denials, they didn't even let the person denied show money, ticket, where they were going to stay, etc - straight to the detention-jail, with the next contact being the airline people selling a rip-off priced last-minute ticket straight back where they came from.

 

He states that I should get a new passport , and with a new passport I could get a new SETV. Would this be feasible ? Does the IO really have info that will scrutizinize me from further entry from an air border with a new passport ? I find that highly u likely . Even if it was just visa exempts ?

 

thank you again everyone for the containued support . Your long posts and valuable information really boosts me up!

 

that being said , I already want to go to Cambodia for vacation . So I might as well stay there for 2 weeks . Get a new passport and go back to Thailand  via the Nong Khao Laos bridge . 

 

The unfortunate thing is that I would need to leave around or before songkran time after my 30 days is expired. I went to hcmc to get my visa because I avoid extensions like the plague . Changwattana is dreadful for me especially after this many years. 

[PingRoundTheWorld]

37 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

With some recent denials, they didn't even let the person denied show money, ticket, where they were going to stay, etc

All of the cases I've seen have been in DMK. Do you have any examples from BKK? (I hope not - I'm coming in through there next week!)

[SteveK]

Thailand doesn't want people 'living' in the country on tourist visas, because they are not tourists and are abusing the system.

 

Which is exactly what the OP is doing, and precisely why they feel the need to keep tightening the regulations.

 

Once you start getting denied entry, or visas being voided, that will all be on record and it will only get worse. Time to seriously consider looking at different visa options if you still want to visit Thailand.

 

If you manage to wangle your way back in via a land crossing, consider yourself lucky, but don't bank on it working next time - you definitely need a longer term option, particularly if you have assets/family/girlfriend in Thailand.

Edited March 15, 2019 by pr9spk

[PingRoundTheWorld]

3 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

Thailand doesn't want people 'living' in the country on tourist visas, because they are not tourists and are abusing the system.

That's your personal opinion, not official policy. The official rules do not have a limit on the amount of times a person may enter Thailand via air, nor on the amount of days they may stay per year.

[stud858]

So far, I haven't had issues getting my visas from home country. I've had issues in Penang and China. I think the golden rule has been and still is, get an metv from your home country. It shows your tied with your country still and acknowledging you are being honest about being a long stay tourist.

[DrJack54]

24 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

That's your personal opinion, not official policy. The official rules do not have a limit on the amount of times a person may enter Thailand via air, nor on the amount of days they may stay per year.

Can people stop posting that there is no limit that you can enter Thailand via air... etc etc. Its beyond boring. For example there is no limit on visa exempt to Thailand via airport. Guess what. Try doing 3 or 4 turn a rounds back to back to eg Vietnam. Good luck with that. So many kankers quoting rules without acknowledging fact. YOU WILL BE REFUSED. Get correct visa. Stop complaining.

[DrJack54]

31 minutes ago, stud858 said:

So far, I haven't had issues getting my visas from home country. I've had issues in Penang and China. I think the golden rule has been and still is, get an metv from your home country. It shows your tied with your country still and acknowledging you are being honest about being a long stay tourist.

Sorry that won't work. Back to back METV,s are also having problems with Thai imm. The METV was never designed for what you suggest.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

All of the cases I've seen have been in DMK. Do you have any examples from BKK? (I hope not - I'm coming in through there next week!)

It will depend on your history of stays in los. Which you did not state.

[stud858]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Sorry that won't work. Back to back METV,s are also having problems with Thai imm. The METV was never designed for what you suggest.

Well, I got a border run next week, so we'll see. Things just recently seem to becoming tighter.

 

My home embassy replied no such restrictions when I quizzed them on my multiple visas and long stays in Thailand. It is up to IO though. That along with not hearing of any issues from people who get their visa from home country. I will surely post when I'm being denied or hassled over my home purchased metv.

[fforest1]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Can people stop posting that there is no limit that you can enter Thailand via air... etc etc. Its beyond boring. For example there is no limit on visa exempt to Thailand via airport. Guess what. Try doing 3 or 4 turn a rounds back to back to eg Vietnam. Good luck with that. So many kankers quoting rules without acknowledging fact. YOU WILL BE REFUSED. Get correct visa. Stop complaining.

Its easy to be smug when your over 50....

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, stud858 said:

Well, I got a border run next week, so we'll see. Things just recently seem to becoming tighter.

 

My home embassy replied no such restrictions when I quizzed them on my multiple visas and long stays in Thailand. It is up to IO though. That along with not hearing of any issues from people who get their visa from home country. I will surely post when I'm being denied or hassled over my home purchased metv.

First of all, I hope you have zero problems. Fact is consulates and embassies outside of thailand can issue visas. They are not connected to imm officers. For example you could have a valid tourist visa and be refused entry by io (especially at airports)

[DrJack54]

13 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Its easy to be smug when your over 50....

I'm not being smug. I'm relating fact. Personally if I was under 50 and wanted to live in Thailand, I would obtain elite visa. Also consider I'm lucky that Thailand provides such a visa rather than whinge.

[stud858]

19 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Try doing 3 or 4 turn a rounds back to back to eg Vietnam.

Yes that would be risky.

I have always felt that doing the border runs metv) with the minivan speedsters reduces risk of problems too.

When that blows up in my face I'm outta here.

I've always despised the BR. Sitting on a bus risking life for what? So I get a pretty stamp like a well behaved kindy student. Life is real odd sometimes.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

That's your personal opinion, not official policy. The official rules do not have a limit on the amount of times a person may enter Thailand via air, nor on the amount of days they may stay per year.

Official policy is evidently to give IO’s the discretional power to decide the limit. So it’s wrong to give people the impression that the absence of a set limit means you can live months/years in the country as a tourist.

 

It has never been “official policy” and toleration of the practice is clearly ending.

 

Edited March 15, 2019 by elviajero

[elviajero]

30 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

Its easy to be smug when your over 50....

More like; it’s easy to see the situation as it actually is and not as you want it to be!

Edited March 15, 2019 by elviajero

[SteveK]

1 hour ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

That's your personal opinion, not official policy. 

Idiotic comment.

 

Official policy is that tourist visas are for tourists. I think you will find that this is the case for many countries around the world. People getting back to back TVs are clearly NOT tourists and Thailand is quite right in refusing them. Get the correct visa for your visit. If there is no visa for someone who wants to slob around Thailand doing nothing for years on end, then you are shit out of luck.

 

Just because there is no "written" limit on how many times you can visit Thailand on a tourist visa, the IO still has the power to refuse you entry if you are the kind of person getting repeated tourist visas - and quite rightly too.

 

The tourist visa is 60 days plus a potential 30 day extension, that is plenty of time to see the sights of Thailand, yet they let you do this a few times. Maybe some tourists are slow, but after 2,3,4 of these visas, any moron can see that the subject is doing more than tourism, so it's no wonder these people are being interrogated or refused.

 

Just because you come from a first-world country, that does not mean that you can circumvent the rules and regulations of a less-developed country, quite the opposite, in fact. First-world privilege carries no weight in Thailand, unless you are very well off, in which case they will welcome you with open arms via the elite visa scheme. If you don't have that kind of money and can't meet the requirements of one of the longer-term Thai visas, you'd be much better off going somewhere else!

Edited March 15, 2019 by pr9spk

[DrJack54]

This is bit off topic, but..

To quote elviajero above "toleration of practice is clearly ending"....

I just returned home tonight from popular night life area Ratchada bkk. Market/bars etc. Few years ago there were very few Chinese and Korean tourists. How times have changed. Also to add I have read (not Thaivisa) that Thai imm expect next BOOM to be be from India and Chinese tourist growth to continue. IMHO Thai do not need/want long term tourists living in los.

[Happystance]

4 hours ago, JackThompson said:

...plus a flight-out within 30-days (throw-away ticket)...

 

@Fixit89 Another thing to consider is an ED Visa + extensions, if you want to stay long-term in Thailand....

 

...Just be sure to pick a school that "handles" your extensions for you, so immigration gets their envelope, then don't make problems for you.

Why anyone would buy a "throwaway ticket" is a mystery to me, it's like burning money.

It's just too easy to buy a refundable Expedia ticket then cancel and not lose a dime.

 

ED visas sound good, but what you really have to ask yourself is:

-Do I really want to learn Thai?

-Do I really want to spend all that money to stay in one place and learn Thai?

-Am I really committed to staying in one single geographical location in Thailand for that duration of time?

-Can I really commit to 4 days a week, every week, to this part-time journey?

 

If one happens to have chosen Chiang Mai as a home base, that Self Defense ED Visa looks like a potential lifelong useful skill and it only takes your weekends plus apparently the owner has serious clout with immigration.

Beware of burning season however.

 

[Fixit89]

49 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

First of all, I hope you have zero problems. Fact is consulates and embassies outside of thailand can issue visas. They are not connected to imm officers. For example you could have a valid tourist visa and be refused entry by io (especially at airports)

I like this comment . My girlfriend has a close friend she rang up for me at immigration at DMK . She said it a gamble when you are being issued vissues outside of Thailand . It is actually out of their discretion (the embassy out of Thailand) to issue the visa or not according to thai laws . So it has nothing to do with immigration officers outside of Thailand correct. There is no connection between the officers in HCMC consulate and DMK airport for example

 

no guarantee I will get accepted by the airport and most certainly she told me to re apply for a visa somewhere else.

 

 

i will just get a new passport enter by land and nothing but greatness will happen. Can we all agree here ?

Edited March 15, 2019 by Fixit89

[SteveK]

Hi Fixit,

 

I do not want to tell you what to do, because your life is none of my business.

 

But how close are you to your girlfriend? Would you consider marriage?

 

Because if you got married, you would be eligible for a non-O visa, which would make your life much easier.

Edited March 15, 2019 by pr9spk

[jmd8800]

One of the things brought up in this thread is what is a tourist. While there may no be any strict numbers given by Thai Imm there are generally accepted rules and definitions of what a tourist and what tourism is. Here is an example on Wikipedia:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism#Definitions

 

The US gov't has treaties:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/intl-treaties.html Yes tourism would be included if you dig deep enough.

 

Another:  http://www2.unwto.org/content/who-we-are-0

 

Thailand has been bringing its immigration policies in line with the rest of the developed world in the last few years. It is in their best interest to do this. As long as Thailand is seen as a hideout for criminals and ne'er do wells than Thailand will always be seen as a third world country. Having said that, Thailand has a long long way to go to rid itself of its various reputations.... corruption and sex trade being a couple.

 

In one of the posts above the OP says something about the hassles of Chang Wattanna Office over the years. Ummm... Over the years? I'd guess the OP is not even close to the definition of a tourist. Time to change visas.

 

If I were the OP I'd follow some of the advice given here and make plans to work out an acceptable long stay situation if the gf is important. I would not have a kid so that I could stay here.  That is a horrible idea.

[SteveK]

16 minutes ago, jmd8800 said:

Thailand has been bringing its immigration policies in line with the rest of the developed world in the last few years. It is in their best interest to do this.

Good post.

 

It always seems a bit odd that so many people are hell-bent on getting into the country on tourist visas, over and over again (and in the case of the OP, as you have rightly pointed out, over a number of years), when there are many other options available.

 

And then posting on the internet about the fact that they have been hard done-by because someone suggested that they may *perhaps* be on the wrong kind of visa.

 

It can only be a good thing for Thailand that they are refusing entry to people on what is clearly the wrong visa, or people who they suspect of working illegally in the country - trying pulling the same crap in Canada and see how far you get.

 

Genuine visitors to Thailand will fall into 2 categories:

 

1. Short-term tourists who arrive on either a visa-exemption or tourist visa, do some sight-seeing and go home, possibly to never visit Thailand again.

 

2. Longer-term visitors who have got a legitimate reason to stay in the country, and have jumped through the hoops to get the correct visa for their stay.

 

Using repeated tourist visas to effectively 'live' in the country is abusing the visa system, and doing so is only likely to spur Thai immigration into enforcing additional measures to keep such visitors out of the country, creating more of a headache for those of us who stay here on the correct type of visa. I would also suggest that offering advice to someone on how to circumvent the rules because they have no genuine reason to stay in Thailand, is only making matters worse.

Edited March 15, 2019 by pr9spk

[BritTim]

9 hours ago, Fixit89 said:

True . Thank you. And How unfortunate .

 

Any other land crossings aside from Nong Khai / Laos ? 

 

Would getting a new passport reset reset everything for me ? I’m willing to get a new one just so I can fly back in . Waiting for some experts to reply back. Thank you all 

From Ho Chi Minh City, I think Vientiane -> Friendship Bridge -> Nong Khai -> Udon airport for domestic flight is going to be your easiest, safe option. Historically, that entry point is also known to be a good one to use.

 

There are certainly other options. If you still want a visa, going by land to Savannakhet (a bit of a rough trip) should allow you to get a tourist visa before crossing to Mukdahan in Thailand (also considered a safe crossing point). You could also fly to Kuala Lumpur, get a tourist visa there (probably) then by rail to Padang Besar crossing into Thailand there, then on to Hat Yai airport. There was a recent report that the Padang Besar crossing is not as friendly as before, but worst case you will still be in Malaysia (no formal denied entry) and can try one of the other land crossings between Malaysia and Thailand.

 

Avoid Singapore. It is a bad place to apply for Thai visas. If of a nervous disposition, do not fly into Bangkok even with a tourist visa. Even if a risk taker, do not fly into Bangkok to ask for a visa exempt entry. You might luck out, but there is a pretty good chance of a denied entry which can escalate into a major incident. If you feel determined to fly direct to an airport in Thailand, Chiang Mai might be best.