Fedexpat

Hi,

Maybe you already solved but would like to share my story. My situation was very similar to your when i applied 2 days ago for the 1st ED-VISA. I already started school in Pattaya from 1 month and had every document from school, from ministry of education and bank statment.

I applied for the 1st time in Laos, Vientiane. Same like

I had 2 Touristic Visa in my passport that I got in my home country at Thai Embassy.

- 1 in 2018

- 1 in 2019

Yesterday they give me my visa so it was ok.

But I was worried because when I gave my passport at the counter the lady immediately checked it and said " ohh! I see you already stay in Thailand from long time, if you don't get the visa the 2000 baht you are paying now are not refundable".

I asked if there was a problem with my passport and she said " embassy will check your background and they will tell you tomorrow, now go go go" with an angry tone. So I was thinking to myself: if you don't know then why the eeek you speaking ?

Same story when I got my passport the man was like super mad and talk to me like I was an idiot or something like that. I didn't like their manners

Honestly what I would recommend is to avoid Vientiane. People working at the embassy look mad and make you feel unwelcomed and uncomfortable without a real reason. Too Many people go there to apply for any visa. I believe they all thinking that you not really going to study or not a real tourist. 

I had the same feedback from other people applying in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia. 

I think you should avoid these places when applying for any kind of visa. Apply somewhere else.

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Thanks for update. Question. For your boarding pass in pp, did the airline not ask to see flight out of Thailand? Which airline.

JC airlanes. 

Yes they did ask me for onward ticket at the check in but not at the immigration.

1 hour ago, buick said:

i assume you don't have a thai wife ?  did you mention a thai GF ?  i've always thought it was best to say no wife, no GF.  just a tourist coming to see the sites, enjoy the warm weather, food, etc... 

 

did the IO suggest getting tourist visa's in the future, even though your trips are less than 30 days ?

I think there's nothing wrong saying you have a Thai GF and you came to stay with her. They'll probably understand the reason of your visit much more... Just thinking.

4 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

I was stopped today. First time .. so many stamps all under 30 days and no overstays . I explained politely that I come and go up to 5 trips s year under 30 days. Showed them an email from the Thai consulate in Ireland saying that is ok. ..the only question they asked after that was have I got a Thai wife. Oh I told them I always have money and told them I had 2500 € .. they did not ask to see it. When they said it was all ok.. I said but what about next time ? Am I doing something wrong I'd be happy for you to tell me.. no nothing is wrong and I went on my merry way . Hope that helps .

So basically you stay around 5 months per year in Thailand entering with VE without any visa run right ?

9 hours ago, keysersoze276 said:

I think the OP has a legitimate concern and I think the above responses that he should not have a problem, considering his history, are correct.  All due respect.  I do feel one step closer to edge having even read it, though.  What is really going on here?  This guy is from Italy and on his first SETV and worried he can't come back to Thailand?  I understand why he is concerned, but why should he be concerned?  We don't need tourists, we need a submarine?  Anyway OP- Lucky Lucky has mixed reviews.  I've heard horror stories from renting bikes to getting visas.  If you want to try again in Phnom Penh, I would suggest LMN.  Within walking distance, riverside.  Can't send links here, but I used them about a year ago and it was smooth.  Note that today, 19th Feb is a holiday so the embassy won't be open and it takes 3-4 days in Phnom Penh (mine was three, but yes...they seem to be the slowest and unfriendliest and most corrupt of all), so you probably have to be on overstay.  500 baht per day.  Otherwise, just follow the advice of coming in visa exempt or going to basically anywhere else.

Thanks for the answer. 

I have been to both agencies luckylucky and LMN.

They both told me the same things:

Thai Embassy as recently changed their rules from 2 months and want people to go apply themselves instead of using an agency.

Agencies they can still do the work if you want but they cannot guarantee you'll get it 100%.

2 working days to get a VISA paying extra is no more possible.

3 working days for 50$ and 4 working days for 40$.

50%-40% of the VISA get voided and they told me from their experience that if you asked an extension while you were in thailand 90% of the times they give you a void VISA on your passport. 

That's why i didn't apply for a new VISA and decided to go back trying to get a VE. I just stay in PP for 7 days so don't need to go on overstay...

1 hour ago, buick said:

OP - are you saying that immigration pulled you aside to ask you questions on your first ever trip to thailand ?  you mention you've never had a VE entry so you are not saying it was your first time entering using an SETV. 

 

 

 

 

Correct. On my first trip ever on a SETV I have been pulled a part asking:

What are you doing in here in Thailand for 60 days ?

Why did you book a onward ticket after 90 days ?

You don't have a job in your country?

Do you have any friends here?

Do you have hotel reservation or rent contract?

Are you aware you not allowed with this visa here?

You know that every overstay day is 500 bhat ?

They were speaking a ridicolous english so was hard to explain things in order to make them understand. I replied that I was in holiday here and I wasn't looking for any job. I just wanted to visit Thailand.

"IMPOSSIBLE! 60 days holiday. IMPOSSIBLE!"

they said. 

After each other speaking and checking my documents one of the IO told me in a disgusting way: "ok, go, go, go".

At the end they let me get in. I know these are some legit questions for an IO but you know after 1 day of no sleep and 12 hours of flight + jetleg I didn't expect so many questions and I didn't like the way they were talking to me.

4 hours ago, yuiop said:

It looks like Vientiane is not as friendly as it used to be, there's a post of a guy in another thread who got the blu stamp at his first Vientiane setv.

Maybe if you do it with an expert agency its easier to get it than applying yourself. Not sure.

But many Russian people I met in Thailand made it by agency with no problem for 5k to 7k baht. 

Thanks for the answers everyone.

I hope I don't have any problem. Will let you know day 22th feubrary.

Yeah can still use Vietnam to get a Visa maybe, but honestly I would rather do a Visa run in 2 days to Laos next time through an expert agency.

I heard that Thai Embassy in Vientiane is much more friendly for this kind of things.

3 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I may be wrong but if you are aiming for a visa-exempt entry, regardless of having 20k cash and on onward ticket, there's a higher probability of getting knocked back at DMK Don Meuang than trying for a visa-exempt entry at BKK Bangkok.

 

Since you have Vietnam on your radar already, what's the chance of heading over to Saigon and applying for a SETV there? There used to be a pinned 'sticky' thread with updates about the difficulty or otherwise of getting various Thai visa's at regional embassies and consulates. Looks like it's been un-pinned, maybe due to lack of current information?

Thank you guys for your answers.

My flight from Cambodia lands at Suvarnabhumi airport. I don't really know if DMK is better or not. 

I bought a ticket for Vietnam but not sure if I will go there 100%. I bought a refundable one just in case I change my mind. But doing so I can also show my onward ticket to airport custom. I hope they will let me get in without any problem. 

The first time I went to Thailand with a regular SETV, ticket, and everything set up they made me a LOT of questions. They even call another official to make some questions to me.

That's why i am worried. 

Hi everyone.

I'm Italian and I have been in Thailand for the first time with a SETV 60 days + 30 days. After that I extended for another 7 days to match my flight date and avoid any overstay on my passport. 

However now I flew out from Thailand to Phnom Penh with the idea to visit the city and eventually get a new visa before going back. So I went to the well reviewed Lucky Lucky visa agency in PP and I got really surprised when they told me that nowadays almost 50% of visas get voided.

They also told me from their experience that if you previously extended your SETV at Thailand Immigration Office , 90% of the times your Visa will get voided if you apply. And that makes things even harder for people to get a new VISA in cambodia.

So I started thinking about applying for a new one. 

On Friday 22th feubrary 2019 I'm trying to go back to Bangkok and try to get a Visa exemption ( it will be my first one ) . 

So, instead of trying the luck with a new SETV and eventually get a voided one on my passport, I decided to save the 50$ and spend them on a new flight out from Thai ( for Vietnam On the 24th march, after exactly 30 days , just in case I need to show as a proof of onward ticket to airport custom ).

My question is: does anybody know if there is any chance they'll refuse to give me a VE flying back to Thailand from Cambodia?

Considering that I never attempt to get a VE before, I will have 20.000 baht cash in my pockets, Proof of onward ticket out of the country after 30 days and rent contract of my condo.

Do you guys think they will say like "you cannot get in another time" ?

I really need to get back because I still have all my things in the condo.

Can anybody tell me his/her opinion?

Thank you so much guys I appreciate any answer.