Crackdown On Back-to-back Tourist Visa Applications

[bernie66]

With the restriction put upon them by our countries we are lucky that they do not treat us the way we treat them. This might have something to do with why my Nigerian friends get 1 year tourist visas and Thai residence when married. It would take me more than a month just to get a tourist visa for my wife to go visit my family in the states. And the bastards can deny it just because they ran out of sugar in the coffee room or they are just tired of dealing with people that day. Our countries treat the Thais and their spouses like sh!t. If the Thais were as lax as the majority of you wish them to be. Inflation would be through the roof, Burmese and alcoholic white people would be sleeping in the alleys, and gangs from Africa would be collecting entrance fees at every bar in Bangkok. As I see it they are on the verge of being over run by people entering the country under false pretence and are doing what needs to be done. Sounds like some of you think you should be given some kind of special treatment because you are from the U.S, Europe, or AUS. Maybe our complaints should be sent to our own consulates about their restrictions put upon the Thais.

[easybullet3]

oy vey... another crackdown... tisk, tisk. I'm hapy I have a Non-Imm-O....

I have been here for about 3 years (on holiday) with my son. (always doing back-2-back 60 day-90 days).. visa runs to wherever.

if I am genuine on holiday and have my own money, (and I DONT WORK), then, am I screwed? does this non immigrant visa allow for someone to just stay on holiday if they have their own cash?

thanks,

[thurgauer]

If you come to Australia on a tourist visa and the Immigration department or Customs get the slightest impression you may seek work then you would not even get out of the airport before being returned back to where you came from.

Thailand has every right to enforce it's immigration laws. Nothing to complain about here.

I couldn't agree more with you rjk. Australia is incredibly tough these days on any foreigner it suspects of being up to no good. Like I said before Thailand has been and still is very lenient despite the number of farang doing the wrong thing and also the kinds of things they seem to be getting up to.

[astral]

You forgot all the foreigners who are less than 50, not married with Thai and don't work, just spend time and money here.

People like that are not catered for, except the double Tourist visa, good for 6 months

and in reality there will only be a handful in this category.

There is a slot here in immigration policy for long stay tourists, who do not meet marriage or retirement requirements.

Where I live I have to maintain $60,000 in the local bank to get my one year residence permit.

Mind you the bank pays 5% on US$ and 8% on local currency, and that pays my rent here.

I have to sign an affidavit that I will not work. No problem there.

[Lite Beer]

does this non immigrant visa allow for someone to just stay on holiday if they have their own cash?

thanks,

It does if you qualify for it.

At the moment the nearest place to Thailand that will issue for the reason of Visiting Friends is Perth Australia.

This would allow up to 15 months stay with border runs needed every 90 days.

[munirkn]

and what about people doing business while they are on tourist visa??? i know many who are ruining our business here. we have to pay alot of baht for work permit and company expenses and they enjoy business without any headache......just paying little tea money to custom department. ahaaaaaa

[koheesti]

This will be a problem for farang with internet business. The problem is that you cant just start a business in Thailand and get a work permit you need to employ 5 Thais. If they would get rid of that stupid rule a lot of people with internet businesses would pay tax and get a work permit. Many internet business are just not big enough to employ 5 Thais its completely crazy. They are not stealing jobs from Thai they are creating new jobs and spending money in the economy.

I fortunately am married so i dont have a problem, but they should really make it easier for internet businesses.

I would say get more strict with internet businesses.

I don't have an Internet business but the work I do for my company is done entirely over the Internet. I can do that from anywhere in the world without involving my host country or anyone in that country in the business (I'm currently in a hotel in Europe). I'm not buying or selling anything. No money exchanges hands. I just get a salary in my home country. I'm not taking a job from any local people. Just the opposite, the money I spend wherever I am helps employ local people. When I lived in Thailand last, I stayed 8 months at a tiny resort and was often the only person there. Without what I was paying for rent, food, etc, they might not have been able to pay the staff to hang around doing nothing and the Thai-owned & run resort might have closed. I don't want to stay in Thailand indefinitely. Nine months out of the year is enough for me and back-to-back tourist visas have worked for that.

[AGareth2]

I was planning a trip to Penang to get another tourist visa this month.

Anyone got any experience of this consulate?

[Scott]

We encourage people to ask questions and to comment. Keep your comments limited to the topic, rather than your personal views on people wishing to remain in the kingdom.

Posts have been deleted and posting privileges suspended. There will be more....."Up to you."

[siamjj]

it all doesn't matter,soon every farang will be outside thailand looking in,they want it that way,???????????//////

[Lite Beer]

I was planning a trip to Penang to get another tourist visa this month.

Anyone got any experience of this consulate?

Penang has not been a good choice for the past few months. They have been refusing Visas for people who already have some in their Passport. Looks like they started a bit early.

[sorensen]

You forgot all the foreigners who are less than 50, not married with Thai and don't work, just spend time and money here.

People like that are not catered for, except the double Tourist visa, good for 6 months

and in reality there will only be a handful in this category.

There is a slot here in immigration policy for long stay tourists, who do not meet marriage or retirement requirements.

Where I live I have to maintain $60,000 in the local bank to get my one year residence permit.

Mind you the bank pays 5% on US$ and 8% on local currency, and that pays my rent here.

I have to sign an affidavit that I will not work. No problem there.

Say what? Can you get a residence permit just by keeping $60,000 in a Thai bank? More info please.

[robblok]

This will be a problem for farang with internet business. The problem is that you cant just start a business in Thailand and get a work permit you need to employ 5 Thais. If they would get rid of that stupid rule a lot of people with internet businesses would pay tax and get a work permit. Many internet business are just not big enough to employ 5 Thais its completely crazy. They are not stealing jobs from Thai they are creating new jobs and spending money in the economy.

I fortunately am married so i dont have a problem, but they should really make it easier for internet businesses.

I would say get more strict with internet businesses.

There are a lot of fakes out there on the WWW.

Found some guys using fake company names, wrong licenses, wrong phone numbers, wrong addresses, stolen copyright text and stolen copyright pictures from others etc etc etc.

I think you can agree with that Rob.

If you are married you do not need to employ 5 people.

You need at least a 2.000.000 baht investment or sometimes even not, depending on the set-up. (ask around)

If you need people, you can employ your sister in law, your brother in law your maid, your driver etc etc on paper.

If they make less than 5000 or 6000 (on paper) they don't pay tax and your contribution to the social welfare is less than 400 baht a month a person before it was 200 for you employer and 200 for the employe.

If your company makes less than 1.800.000 your do not need the 7 % VAT etc etc. (this to keep things simple)

Sometimes withholding tax (3 %) will apply. etc etc.

But.... be warned even with a work permit and all de legal papers you are doing at least 20 things a day that are not legal according to your legal papers anyway. (if you have to leave your office for example or have to drive the company car, or visit your customers, buy your goods, teach your staff English, train your staff outside the office, go to a meeting at a hotel etc. etc.)

There are some businesses that only can employ Farang illegally as they are not allowed to do it legally because the law does not allow it.

Do a little home work and it will help a lot, even accountants and lawyers don't know or don't want to tell you.

I was talking legit companies not fakes.. so i agree fakes should be taken care off.

The thing is by putting people up that are not really working your committing fraud already.. so in order to get a work permit your committing fraud already. That is not what i want. Its crazy. I have read up and i had a sister in employment before.. they said you can have a workpermit if you have 2 thais.. then i went to labor department and it had to be 5. The company did not make enough money yet. So in the end I closed it because i had to commit fraud to get a workpermit. Then why would i pay taxes and so on if im doing stuff illegal already.

[thurgauer]

it all doesn't matter,soon every farang will be outside thailand looking in,they want it that way,???????????//////

This does seem a tad gloomy to me. Everytime there is a crack down, and there have been quite a few lately people are predicting that all farang will soon be forced out of the country. So far that hasn't happened and it won't happen. There will be some who are affected but I would say they're a small minority

[billshot64]

Hi, What a Jambo Mambo, can I not work? whit a NON-Immigrant single entry or one year. Why only whit the tourist visa Thailand is already full whit illegal workers. Dont mis understand me I have stop to work when I was 57 years old and I dont work again and I dont like to work by this temperature. And I dont want to take the work from local people. It just a other brackdown on Thailand itself.

Best regard

billshot64

[punkonater]

finally ! was about time. i guess in your "civilized" country you welcome illegal workers with open arms...

Yes, who would do the "dirty" work.

Not the brats in northern Europe, better to go on welfare.

Ahem.... most of the illegal workers in Thailand are Burmese, and they don't get tourist visas, because they actually sneak in.

[diehard60]

Another nail in the coff.........

This one will come soon too

"Another nail in the coffin?"

Why would you say that. It's not to stop tourism - it's to stop the ILLEGAL TEACHERS.

And I hope it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[twister]

Another nail in the coff.........

This one will come soon too

"Another nail in the coffin?"

Why would you say that. It's not to stop tourism - it's to stop the ILLEGAL TEACHERS.

And I hope it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess you didn't understand the sarcasm about it being said in every crackdown topic.

[asiawatcher]

Everyones pretty much covered all angels in the forum. Simply put, anyone can come in stamped on arrival for 30 days - those who are legitimate get Non Imm B Visas from outside.

Those who do arrive and want to stay to extend a tourist visa or who decide to seek work thus go back to back whilst doing that. But if there is a case for removing paedophiles, sex tourists, bail jumpers and crims, I am for it. The only real sufferers here are the retirees who have not got the means to evidence sufficient funds (other than their pension payments coming in) to legitimately be here so they are forced to do the back to back situation. They simply live here because its all they can afford.

There are arguments for a lot but as already previously stated, border runs have ben a way of life, support a lot of businesses and create employment. On the immigration side they are quite within their rights. Maybe - people should be encouraged to apply for retirement based on proof of retirement even if they do not have the liquidity to support. Tourist come in on 30 days, border hop for an extra stamp and only get 15 days so not much of an extension no matter. And if this is only against back to back from border crossings I think there is a case.

Who knows? As also pointed out - it is far easier here than any western country. There are pros and cons for both sides of the argument.

[Huey]

SSDD How many of these so called "crackdowns" have we heard about, just someone wanting to look like their doing something in immigration. If they were really worried about illegals they would deport their Burmese maids.

[Beachresort]

I think the change maybe a good thing because there are many legal ways to stay without using a tourist visa. I do not think the new rules will affect any true tourists.

I have plenty of money, I dont need to work.

I am young, I stay in hotels and eat out every day all year

helping Thailands declining tourism industry.

Explain to me how to stay here for 2years.

I dont want to work, I dont want to marry some thai citizen,

I dont want to study.

I want to relax by the hotel pool by myself with my laptop,

eat out and keep enjoying my tourist life, I am happy.

Is my lifstyle forbidden in Thailand?

People keep saying get the proper visa...

What proper visa??????

[koheesti]

it all doesn't matter,soon every farang will be outside thailand looking in,they want it that way,???????????//////

This does seem a tad gloomy to me. Everytime there is a crack down, and there have been quite a few lately people are predicting that all farang will soon be forced out of the country. So far that hasn't happened and it won't happen. There will be some who are affected but I would say they're a small minority

If someone were to post a chronological list of visa crackdowns over the past 2-3 years I think the pattern would make those gloomy predictions seem more realistic.

[Lite Beer]

People keep saying get the proper visa...

What proper visa??????

Non Immigrant O Visa Multi Entry.

Some Consulates in Europe and a couple in Australia will issue with the reason of Visiting Friends.

[Rhys]

Time again to pay out..tit they got us short and curlies..55555

[koheesti]

Why would you say that. It's not to stop tourism - it's to stop the ILLEGAL TEACHERS.

And I hope it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If that were true, Immigration would just send people by all the schools to check paperwork.

[wlcart]

In a theoretical manner, any human should be able to live and work anywhere on God's earth.

However, in a more realistic world, I can tell you this, my Thai wife has residency in the USA simply because she married me. Unfortunately is not that simple for me to stay here is it? We are a legitimate married couple and family so why should that not be enough for me to get some sort of extended residency?

My residency issue in Thailand forces me to work here so I can get a work permit and visa. All other visa types prove much to difficult. So i guess the visa laws took a job away from a Thai national and gave it to me instead.

[richard_smith237]

Well people can still fly in and out every 30 days to use 30 day stamps.

Do you always have to let us know how rich you are? The day I see you on a Baht bus sitting next to me I'll buy you a drink.

I think was is quite a daft and unnecessary comment. What are you jealous of ?

Flights to Singapore can be purchased for as little as B5000 and are no more expensive than doing 2 visa runs per month (last thread I looked at someone was being charged B2500 per time).

Some people have more money than others, but someone identifying that they do a monthly visa run by flight certainly does not indicate that they are trying to show off their wealth...

[doj975]

So why don't they crack down on the employers hiring us illegally... eventually they're gonna have to pay a lot more for legitimate, qualified, teachers.

[christcourt]

finally ! was about time. i guess in your "civilized" country you welcome illegal workers with open arms...

In the UK apparently Yes !! as of a month ago there was approx 480.000 or so illegal workers according to a Government source and that it could be worse.

[Beachresort]

People keep saying get the proper visa...

What proper visa??????

Non Immigrant O Visa Multi Entry.

Some Consulates in Europe and a couple in Australia will issue with the reason of Visiting Friends.

Thank you.

I hate to lie, but I guess I have to pretend to visit some friend.