Stricter Requirements For Tourist Visa Applicants

[FarangBuddha]

I would go crazy if I got worked up every time a thai official says or does something stupid.

I know from my experience with many different Thai consulates that very few follow the guidelines exactly and rarely are two the same.

I suggest people relax and wait and see what comes of this, my guess is it will be nothing, and all this ranting and raving may end up proving a bit silly.

IF YOU LIVED IN THAILAND LONG ENOUGH< YOU WOULD KNOW BETTER. I WAS IN CAMBODIA IN JULY AND WAS ASKED FOR AN EXIT AIRLINE TICKET FROM THAILAND.

Maybe your an "undesirable." I've been in and out of Thailand/Cambo 3x this year on tourist visas and have never been questioned by either Cambo or Thai immigration officials.

[tommyyoung]

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<br />Thailand is clearly against backpackers omg what happend to the former backpackers-heaven - time to move on to another countries. Let them build their family destionaion and lets go cambodia everybody!<br /><br />Now backpackers have to book hotels or guesthouses to show the paper for their visa only to cancel it right after or what? looool<br />

<br /><br /><br />Backpackers are not a priority for intelligent tourism ministries because backpackers do nearly nothing for the economy. Surfers are about the same and tennis players as well. These categories are typically cheap and do not contribute much to the tourism infrastructure in particular or the general economy as a whole.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

I disagree. There are 1000 budget tourists for every rich elite tourist. Sum up all the hundreds of thousands of budget tourists and the thousands and thousands of family-run small accomodations and restaurants which depend on them.

[Crushdepth]

The new regulations are quite fair and are the same as a Thai applying for a visa to visit a European country. It says that if you can't supply a hotel booking

all you need to do is have a covering letter saying you will be staying with friends. I can't see what all the fuss is about. Such remarks as "killing tourism" are pathetic.

Tourists are coming here in increasing numbers.

You seem unaware of the impact the last few years has had on tourism.

[TechnikaIII]

Intending to repeat previous plan: (60+ on UK passport) Arrive with 30 day Permission to stay, then slip down the Penang for 60 Day Tourist visa.

I rent a dwelling in a village 160 k from Bkk, and may well be getting an additional small place near the girlfriend in Bkk (cheaper than hotels, if I'm visiting Bkk every weekend)

However, gathering from other posts above, the announcement only pertains to applications from Cambodia?

If so, I would prefer the site owners be a little more diligent in checking the substance of content before posting it with such "BREAKING NEWS" sensationalism, obviously with the intention of causing alarm.

[tommyyoung]

It\'s a very nasty thing to apply the new rules straight away.I own a condo in Thailand and I don\'t need to stay in a hotel. But the papers of the condo are inside my condo and I will go to Thailand next month.How can I prove I own a condo if the papers are in Thailand ? Should have imagined they have changed the rules during these weeks ?Thailand is unpredictable, they can change anything at any moment and they create situations.

[TomJoad]

If it keeps going like this....someday Thailand will be as hard as the USA to get a tourist visa.

[FarangBuddha]

It\'s a very nasty thing to apply the new rules straight away.I own a condo in Thailand and I don\'t need to stay in a hotel. But the papers of the condo are inside my condo and I will go to Thailand next month.How can I prove I own a condo if the papers are in Thailand ? Should have imagined they have changed the rules during these weeks ?Thailand is unpredictable, they can change anything at any moment and they create situations.

Okay...we get it already...for the third time Or are you a "bot"?

[frankiebaby]

From all the bad shit that's happening to tourists in Thailand why bother going there at all. Let them tighten up all they like!

[NanLaew]

How about owning a property in Thailand?

If you own a condo can you use the ownership paperwork for the visa?

Obviously if you own a property in Thailand you dont need a hotel booking?

And you obviously aint a tourist either so shouldn't get a TR visa!

[riley76]

Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad to be stricter with requirements when applicants are applying for Tourist visas for Thailand.

Does this apply to "Visa Exempt" entry also?

What happens if the tourists are staying with friends?

=4651090= yes i want to know about that , i have lived in my house here for ten years and want as normal my children and grand children to come and stay with me as normal for holidays are they trying to enfoce the use of Thai accomodation rilet 76

[Cuban]

This is just a stepping stone to the 'final solution' to the problem of tourism: which is falang arrive at the airport, discover missing luggage, deposit all their money at the gift shop, then board the next flight out.

[thaiIand]

Well.. time to sell my house and say a big ************ to thais.. moving with the kid and gf out of this shit hole, they really dont want my money.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Mario2008
profanity

[FarangBuddha]

Well.. time to sell my house and say a big ************ to thais.. moving with the kid and gf out of this shit hole, they really dont want my money.

Wow surprised it took a whole 7 pages for this recurring rant to make its appearance

Edited August 26, 2011 by FarangBuddha

[MacWalen]

Well.. time to sell my house and say a big ************ to thais.. moving with the kid and gf out of this shit hole, they really dont want my money.

It is not so bad, Thailand is a wonderful country but a lot of people immigrated here on tourist visas and it seems the government does not like it. When people get proper visas there is no problem.

[TechnikaIII]

Well.. time to sell my house and say a big ************ to thais.. moving with the kid and gf out of this shit hole, they really dont want my money.

Upon departure, be so kind as to delete your subscription, or at least change your screen name:" thailand"?

[Beetlejuice]

This applies to Visa, not entry permit of 30 days.

It seems they really don't want us there, if you really have no reason (like marriage, property, business etc) to stay here, why bother?

Not true.

You can blame those that abuse the system, whose actions create these consequences for everyone else.

[housepainter]

Explanation of Explanation Letter:

To Whom it May Concern - I haven't got one.

Next.

Tough on Tourists - Tough on the causes of Tourists; Holidays.

Hence Thais don't get any, many, one day a month as in time off off for good behaviour.

Oh, don't forget to certify your 'I haven't got it' letter.

Example: 'I haven't got one - honest.'

That'll do nicely.

[rikkie]

Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad to be stricter with requirements when applicants are applying for Tourist visas for Thailand.

Does this apply to "Visa Exempt" entry also?

What happens if the tourists are staying with friends?

Or if you are married to a Thai citizen and will be staying at their/your residence.

Too me this sounds like another way to kill tourism.

yes tourism is at a high wright now 5555 some more stupid rules will make this country really a third world country, but still love it because my best friend is police Major 5555

[smokie36]

I can see an opening for a food and drink stall right beside the immigration queues at the airport........sleeping bags even!

[ozzieovaseas]

The link provided for the story seems a little confusing. The article on the link is headed "tourist visa", yet the paragraph below goes on to stipulate requirements regarding business people, investors and students.

Why would other requirements for all sorts of other visa classifications appear under the tourist visa heading??

It does not clearly differenciate between what requirements go with what visas, so to me this looks like a erroneous page that contains jumbled up basic info, rather than tourist visa specific.

Whats more, the news and daily press release tabs on the same immigration site makes no mention of the changes on its daily updates.

A poster has already demonstrated that the UK website states nothing has changed for people who travel on a pre arranged visa.

And this, taken off from a Thai consulate in Australia.

Persons without confirmed outbound airline ticket must have a visa. Please note that these exemptions do not apply to visitors from any countries entering Thailand by land, rail, sea or private aircraft, or who visit for business, professional or other non-tourism purposes.

These are the same words i noticed last month and theres been no changes to the site as far as requirements for a pre-arranged visas go.

To me these are not changes at all, but existing requirements that have never, or rarely been enforced on tourists who obtain visa ON ARRIVAL.

Oh well, good for a 30 page thread of arguments full of richard-heads and "see-khao" wannabe thai farangs telling every longer staying tourist to get out of HIS Thailand.

Edited August 26, 2011 by ozzieovaseas

[grahamhc]

one has to wonder what the official thought he/she was truing to achieve by these measures - apart from making a fool of themselves.

It is only for double entry tourist visas. I suspect it is to target to people who are now refused Non-Imm O visas, as they cannot justify under the new regs.

I know 3 people who have returned on double entry tourist visas, as they were refused to renewal of their one your Non-Imm "O" visa. 2 of those are over 50, but do not have enough static savings for the 800,000 baht required.

[george]

UPDATE:

I just talked to our contact at MFA again, and I will be granted an phone interview with one of the seniors there at the visa section on Monday and Tuesday next week.

It looks like MFA is very tired of the consulates issuing the wrong type of visas, or applicants are applying for the wrong visa type, to people who are de-facto living here permanently on tourist visas, "TR". They should instead apply for, and be given, a NON-Immigrant visa, but as we all know there is no decent visa class for those under 50 and not married to a Thai, not investors or not having business/ work permit or retired.

The ministry is also concerned that many foreigners here on "TR" is working illegally in the country.

And it looks to me, based on this new info, that this new requirements of flight tickets and hotel booking confirmations for "TR" at this time is targeted to the Embassies and consulates in SE-Asia, but it will be world wide policy shortly. I have not been able to get this confirmed today though.

Hope I can get this sorted and explained to you guys so we can go out with new info in the beginning of next week.

Cheers

George

[sirchai]

Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad to be stricter with requirements when applicants are applying for Tourist visas for Thailand.

Does this apply to "Visa Exempt" entry also?

What happens if the tourists are staying with friends?

Or if you are married to a Thai citizen and will be staying at their/your residence.

Too me this sounds like another way to kill tourism.

If you are married to a Thai Citizen you can get a Non-O visa.

But only if you can come up with 400,000 baht sitting on your Thai bank account for at least three months. Guess not all can do that...:jap:

[Tokay]

Whatever it takes to make it more difficult to enter a country that is going to scam them and double price them for everything they do.

I just don't understand why they are always changing the rules. Just stick to a set and let it be.

[thaigold]

Good for Thailand. Raise the bar, keep out the trash. For those that find fault with this premise, merely take a peek at Australia's / New Zealand; the US; or the Euro's requirements. The Thai Kingdom is more than fair.

Stop your whining...follow the law. Easy...

[sirchai]

one has to wonder what the official thought he/she was truing to achieve by these measures - apart from making a fool of themselves.

It is only for double entry tourist visas. I suspect it is to target to people who are now refused Non-Imm O visas, as they cannot justify under the new regs.

I know 3 people who have returned on double entry tourist visas, as they were refused to renewal of their one your Non-Imm "O" visa. 2 of those are over 50, but do not have enough static savings for the 800,000 baht required.

800,000 baht is for people being not married.. You can easily apply for a Non- O showing 400,000 baht, even older than 50, but you'll have to be married to a Thai citizen. .:jap:

[ignis]

800,000 baht is for people being not married.. You can easily apply for a Non- O showing 400,000 baht, even older than 50, but you'll have to be married to a Thai citizen. .:jap:

There is a problem to this statement, yes IN Thailand, but outside Embassy and Consulates have there own rules/views/interpretations to this figure, if married to a Thai citizen is common to get a years Visa with proof of 100k in bank, likewise Single non married 400k in Bank.. even in UK the Consulates issue a year visa with 500k in bank...

[luvU2much500THB]

But only if you can come up with 400,000 baht sitting on your Thai bank account for at least three months. Guess not all can do that...:jap:

My guess is that there are ways to show proof of that 400k for 3 days on my bank account even if i dont own 400k

[jbhh]

Tourist come here to relax not to be hassled

where are you going? On what day? Why are you going? Who are you going to be with? What are you going to be doing?

Wow might as well go to North Korea for a holiday

Or to the USA, where you get the exact same question, as well as a full body x-ray or a nice little groping..

The new regulations are quite fair and are the same as a Thai applying for a visa to visit a European country. It says that if you can't supply a hotel booking

all you need to do is have a covering letter saying you will be staying with friends. I can't see what all the fuss is about. Such remarks as "killing tourism" are pathetic.

Tourists are coming here in increasing numbers.

Agree 100% :jap:

[softgeorge]

They wont check it all anyway.

Oh YES THEY WILL and Yes they do. It is not just for 60 day visa's but also for 90 day visas. This has already been in place for a couple of months. No big deal really. I normally get a 12 month multiple but in early july this year I went to the consular office in Melbourne, Australia and applied for a 90 day non imm visa. I was required to provide 2 passport photo's (Not one as listed) proof of a return airline ticket and details of accommadation. When you fill out the application form you are required to provide an address in Thailand with a contact number. No different to filling out the arrival card. It does not matter if you are staying in a hotel or private accomadation they don't really care where you stay. I had been in Thailand for a couple of weeks when my wife got a call on the home phone, it was immigration checking to see if I was staying in my home. Guess it will all die down after awhile or maybe they will do random checks. What I don't understand is why you have to provide a ticket and date for your departure from your own country to Thailand. When I got my 90 day visa it gave me 90 days to use. If I arrived in Thailand on the 89th day of recieving it I would still get the 90 day stay in the LOS.