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Denied tourist visa at Vientiane - new rule 1x per year


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3 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

I actually agree with their rules (even though it does affect me as well) and wish that countries like the UK would adopt the same attitude

So you agree with 90 day reporting and TM30?

 

Or just the visa part?

Edited by lkv
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To the OP: was your last US passport renewal done in Thailand? Did you have a significant history of tourist visas (especially from Vientiane) in a previous passport? I am wondering if now, with less pressure on the embassy, they are doing some checking back on prior applications, at least in some cases.

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This was my second tourist visa in Vientiane on this passport. First was December 2018. Before that I had an exempt stamp in October. After the tourist visa I got 2 visa exempt stamps. 

So, it seems that vientiane is only allowing 1 tourist visa per year. Either that or they’re counting exempt stamps or have records of you in the computer like thai immigration does. 

My girlfriend is Japanese but works in Bangkok with a work permit. I guess we could get married and I could get a dependent visa. 

Anyway, to update further: I booked a VIP fast track service at bkk airport. I had used them in the past. This time the woman at the desk BARELY let me in. She was staring at the screen shaking her head. The VIP guy said there’s nothing he can do. I kept wai-ing to her and begging her. Finally after five or ten minutes she let me in after saying “promise ten days you leave?” I said ok, I just need to get my laptop and belongings. 

Im considering moving to Vietnam if my girlfriend can find work with a Japanese company there. Either that or move to japan if we marry. 

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Their thinking is pretty simple. If you are genuine tourist you can only realistically travel for 2-3 months, anything over that and its highly unlikely you are a tourist but more likely doing some work.

 

If you are rich enough to stay in the country without working, then Elite is what they want you to buy.

 

If they made Elite possible to be paid in yearly installment, i think a lot more "tourists" would be getting it

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3 minutes ago, lkv said:

So you agree with 90 day reporting and TM30?

 

Or just the visa part?

I tend to ramble (personal issue). Think you have hit the nail on head. Some regs are important as Darren mentioned. Some are just nonsense. The lack of efficient methods in Thailand should/is an embarrassment to them. Especially given modern technology. Just have a read of threads about registering for online tm30 etc. Absolute joke. Let's do it by snail mail instead.

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4 hours ago, Pattayabeerbacon said:

Find a new country my friend

Wouldn't we know that by now if there's only one? 

 

   Immigration officers can deny whatever they want to for whatever reason. Perhaps there were too many stamps????

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1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

I tend to ramble (personal issue). Think you have hit the nail on head. Some regs are important as Darren mentioned. Some are just nonsense. The lack of efficient methods in Thailand should/is an embarrassment to them. Especially given modern technology. Just have a read of threads about registering for online tm30 etc. Absolute joke. Let's do it by snail mail instead.

It would be great if other ( Western)  countries would change their laws for Thai citizens and do not give them a passport after a short period of time. It's not fair anymore, it's getting worse by the hour. 

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7 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

It would be great if other ( Western)  countries would change their laws for Thai citizens and do not give them a passport after a short period of time. It's not fair anymore, it's getting worse by the hour. 

You mean give Thai a passport to another country?

Edited by DrJack54
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Just got a chance to read through the thread as I’m on the airport rail link now. I wish I was making this up like some people think. But, i do understand being skeptical of course. I think we will be seeing more of these posts soon. Last week on Bangkok expats fb group I saw one from a girl with a similar story. 

I guess this could suffice as some kind proof that I applied for a tourist visa and got stamped in exempt. 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, Zikomat said:

My guess (and hope) is those stamps are to be blamed. But there should be no discussion: Thai authorities keep making life more and more difficult for those who wish to stay in Thailand for a longer period. Xenophobia is my only explanation for these actions.

I’m thinking this too about the visa exempt stamps. 1 tourist visa per year sounds too far fetched. But according to the guy’s girlfriend that’s what they told her. Who knows. Seemed more likely to me that they either didn’t like the 3 visa exempt stamps along with the tourist visa or they somehow have access to computer immigration and saw all my history. 

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When do you stop being a tourist after the first, second or third. This has been coming for a while, you guys are slow on the up take. They are just tired of people living here on tourist visas and 30 day entries. I wonder if they have been consulating the US

Edited by moe666
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3 minutes ago, moe666 said:

When do you stop being a tourist after the first, second or third. This has been coming for a while, you guys are slow on the up take. They are just tired of people living here on tourist visas and 30 day entries. I wonder if they have been consulating the US

What makes them tired of the LONG time tourists? Is there something disgusting about staying in this country for a longer period? They could easily solve the problem by introducing, let's say, one year tourist visas. 

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7 minutes ago, Zikomat said:

Let's compare the average salaries in USA and Thailand. What are the chances an American citizen will come to Thailand to work illegally? And making all those costly trips every 3 month just to stay here and work? I have no other explanation but xenophobia. 

Actually quite a few American citizens come to Thailand to work illegally . Not all work 9-5 jobs. Plenty of digital nomads, guys playing stock market or poker.

 

Some decade ago was mates with American programmer who earned big bucks and did not need to go to office, he was living in BKK and sending all codes via email.

 

Not to mention many working as "managers in bars" or teachers(without education) because they enjoy the life style

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21 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

Actually I don't agree. I think the issue is people not going back to their home country in between visas.

I used to argue that returning to home country would reassure immigration that you had not set up home in Thailand. Then, there was a case of someone coming with an METV from home country after over four months away, and being denied entry. Soon after, there was a similar occurrence.

 

I now still believe both having an actual visa, and coming from home country, improve your chances. However, every immigration official and supervisor has their own biases, and nothing guarantees entry if the official wants to designate you as "not a genuine tourist".

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8 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

sounds like they finally found out a way to deal with all the digital nomads to me

 

 

They just realised if you rich enough to have such a long holiday, you should have enough cash to buy into Elite and if you are not, either you working or not worth having around anyway.

 

 

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