Elite Visa Denied due to a previous overstay?

[CrossBones]

Hi

A friend told me that Elite Visa applications can be rejected if you have EVER overstayed a visa.

The worst part- they keep your 500k baht! And no visa issued.

 

Has anyone experienced this? First-hand, or confirm anyone else having this problem?

 

Im just trying to see how likely this is.

 

Thanks

[CrossBones]

I'm assuming a rare occorance or a "threat" by immigration because I have not heard any first hand accounts

On other hand I haven't heard many first hand accounts of anyone getting an elite visa.

 

Its just my company here doesn't employ 4 staff. So I have to get a visa every 3 months for it by leaving the country. I worry in the future they will clamp down and stop visas altogether for small businesses and perhaps increase the cost of elite visa. So I consider getting it now for 500k very expensive for me.

[mduras01]

You first send in your application. If denied, you don’t pay. If approved, they send you bank details to pay. Your friend should get into Showbiz.

[thaitero]

Thai elite is not for people who want to run Thai - business.

[ukrules]

I very much doubt it, there is one question on the current 2019 TE application form about overstays and this is it :

 

 

If you have overstayed within the last 3 years then maybe there's an issue.

 

If they ever take the money, don't issue a visa and don't refund then the publicity will be so big and so negative that I believe it will end the program due to lack of sales of new memberships. I don't believe this will ever happen.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2019 by ukrules

[elviajero]

4 hours ago, CrossBones said:

A friend told me that Elite Visa applications can be rejected if you have EVER overstayed a visa.

If you have more than one overstay, or one long overstay, the application is likely to be rejected.

 

If you disclose any overstays when you apply they will check with immigration before accepting your application so you won't lose any money. However, if you don't disclose all overstays, get accepted and pay the money, immigration could still deny the visa if they see a history of overstay when issuing the visa.

 

The visa is issued by immigration, not Thailand Elite, so ultimately the decision is with immigration.

 

[lupin]

4 hours ago, CrossBones said:

The worst part- they keep your 500k baht! And no visa issued.

 

Utter rubbish, you dont even pay until you are approved

[elviajero]

11 minutes ago, lupin said:

Utter rubbish, you dont even pay until you are approved

That is true, but immigration can still deny the visa after you've paid if they find an undisclosed overstay.

[lupin]

1 minute ago, elviajero said:

That is true, but immigration can still deny the visa after you've paid if they find an undisclosed overstay.

Of course... that is true of any visa and has nothing to do with Thailand Elite.

Would you expect to get back your visa application fee for say and OA from your Thai Consulate/Embassy if you we denied entry?

[Matzzon]

They not steal your money, because you do not pay before approved.

Yes, if you have overstayed in Thailand, they have the right to deny your application.

[elviajero]

3 minutes ago, lupin said:

Of course... that is true of any visa and has nothing to do with Thailand Elite.

The OP is asking if it's possible to pay the 500K and lose it because of an overstay history. The simple answer is yes, and I've explained how.

[ChipButty]

Immigration make their own rules on a daily  basis

[lupin]

1 minute ago, elviajero said:

The OP is asking if it's possible to pay the 500K and lose it because of an overstay history. The simple answer is yes, and I've explained how.

No, that's not even close to what the OP asked, you're twisting the original question to fit your narrative.

 

the OP asked if "Thai Visa APPLICATIONS can be rejected" ..... applications.

[elviajero]

6 minutes ago, lupin said:

No, that's not even close to what the OP asked, you're twisting the original question to fit your narrative.

 

the OP asked if "Thai Visa APPLICATIONS can be rejected" ..... applications.

"Narrative", 555.

 

The OP also said; "The worst part- they keep your 500k baht! And no visa issued."

 

If you apply for a PE visa and have your application accepted by TE that does not guarantee that you will get the visa and not lose your money. Your application is at risk right up to the point immigration stick the visa in your passport, which is done after you pay; IF you have an undisclosed overstay history.

[ubonjoe]

45 minutes ago, elviajero said:

That is true, but immigration can still deny the visa after you've paid if they find an undisclosed overstay.

The approval is granted by immigration after they check an applicant's  record. If immigration finds that there were overstays it would not be approved. That is why it can up to 2 or 3  month to get approval dependent upon a person's nationality since they also do a background check,

The approval  is certainly not based upon what the applicant tells them.

I think might of been one case where immigration discovered a overstay after approval but that been a case of person going on overstay while waiting or during the approval process. From what understand the fee was repaid.

[lupin]

4 minutes ago, elviajero said:

"Narrative", 555.

 

The OP also said; "The worst part- they keep your 500k baht! And no visa issued."

 

If you apply for a PE visa and have your application accepted by TE that does not guarantee that you will get the visa and not lose your money. Your application is at risk right up to the point immigration stick the visa in your passport, which is done after you pay; IF you have an undisclosed overstay history.

I agree with all you have just said.... and you have made my point for me.

"If you apply for a PE visa and have your application accepted by TE"

" A friend told me that Elite Visa applications can be rejected " and they keep your money

Anything after application approval and after payment... has nothing to do with Thailand Elite.

 

Lets both agree that not disclosing an overstay history in any application of any visa is a bloody stupid thing to do and if you lose any paid fees as a result, you probably deserve it.

 

 

[Ratt Thai]

5 hours ago, CrossBones said:

A friend told me that Elite Visa applications can be rejected if you have EVER overstayed a visa.

The worst part- they keep your 500k baht! And no visa issued.

they only make you pay if your application is approved. 
But If you lied to them on your application and immigration does find this at the moment that your visa should be issued, then immigration can refuse the visa.

To me it seems highly unlikely since immigration does checks prior approving. But the phrasing is there as a failsafe to sift out / protect against fraud.

So far i have not seen such case.
If your friend does fit the requirements, honestly there would not be a problem...

However , if for some reason your friend can not convince TE to have him as a member, they can reject prior to payment.
There are still clear stated rules in places about membership conduct, please read them carefully beforehand.

They have no fizzy fuzzy fine print. Just plain straight forward rules.
They are clear about what you are going to pay for and you will get what you payed for. By the rules...

[Ratt Thai]

i will ad, to be complete, read the FAQ section of Thailand Elite

https://thailandelite.com/faqs?locate=en

and ask them for more information 

[elviajero]

18 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The approval is granted by immigration after they check an applicant's  record. If immigration finds that there were overstays it would not be approved. That is why it can up to 2 or 3  month to get approval dependent upon a person's nationality since they also do a background check,

The approval  is certainly not based upon what the applicant tells them.

I think might of been one case where immigration discovered a overstay after approval but that been a case of person going on overstay while waiting or during the approval process. From what understand the fee was repaid.

Immigration can deny issuing the visa based on an overstay history right up to the point they issue the visa.

 

It is/was stated in the TE acceptance letter.

[Good Lord]

I got my application approved 2 months ago for the 20 years option for 1 mil THB.

 

You fill out all the information. This should be done in a correct manner. If you lie that you did not have any overstay then shame on you. 

 

Once you provide all the information and fill out the documents then you make payment.

 

After payment comes the approval process which may take some time. If you do not get approved then you will be refunded. 

 

If you get approved then you need to go obtain your visa at the airport. Now here come the clue: YOU MUST MAKE THAT WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER GETTING APPROVED BY IMMIGRATION. Otherwise Thailand Elite will not refund you in case Immigration missed something on your person during the approval process. I quote from their email:

 

 *After your membership activated, please book a service to obtain Elite Visa stamp within 30 days. In case of a failure or immigration rejection to obtain Elite Visa that occurs within this 30-day period, the member will get a full refund. Any failures or rejections apart from the aforementioned, no refund will be given.

Edited October 16, 2019 by Good Lord

[TopDeadSenter]

13 minutes ago, Good Lord said:

I got my application approved 2 months ago for the 20 years option for 1 mil THB.

On the Thai Elite website they say the 20 year option costs 2 million, plus 20k per year on top of that.??

[Good Lord]

"Elite superiority extension" has no fees and just cost 1 mil THB for 20 years, Essentially it is a version of the 2 mil THB option with less luxury privileges.  

 

https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-superiority-extension-membership?locate=en

Edited October 16, 2019 by Good Lord

[ubonjoe]

37 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Immigration can deny issuing the visa based on an overstay history right up to the point they issue the visa.

But it would be an overstay that was not in the applicants record when immigration checked for a overstay..

I think that might of been put in the acceptance record as a warning after they had a case of that happening.

As I wrote it could of been a overstay after immigration approved the application.

 

[jackdd]

6 hours ago, CrossBones said:

Its just my company here doesn't employ 4 staff. So I have to get a visa every 3 months for it by leaving the country. I worry in the future they will clamp down and stop visas altogether for small businesses and perhaps increase the cost of elite visa. So I consider getting it now for 500k very expensive for me.

You are not allowed to work with a Thai Elite visa

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, mduras01 said:

You first send in your application. If denied, you don’t pay. If approved, they send you bank details to pay. Your friend should get into Showbiz.

There were reports that the approval for Thailand Elite did not guarantee that Immigration would actually affix the visa and admit you when you arrived at Suvarnabhumi. This is after you have paid. As I recall, one Thailand Elite member did confirm that the membership fee would be refunded if Immigration at the last minute refused to provide the visa. However, I am not certain what the worst case scenario is.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

But it would be an overstay that was not in the applicants record when immigration checked for a overstay..

I think that might of been put in the acceptance record as a warning after they had a case of that happening.

As I wrote it could of been a overstay after immigration approved the application.

 

I think another case could be where the application is made using a new passport number, and immigration fails to find the applicant's history during the approval process.