BuckBee

If you printed your own tm7 turn up 12:30-12:45 latest and get straight in queue for after lunch 1pm opening, could be out 3:30pm if know what you doing, all paperwork done/present and get to ticket counters quick .

If don't have a tm7 then need turn up 11:45 and get tm7 before close for lunch and go down basement and get passport copies (copy shops likely source of tm7, can download tm7.pdf, needs duplex printing) then use food hall or somewhere to sit and complete paperwork and go get good spot in queue for 1pm opening.

Going too late makes leaving commute super slow with potential for over hour wasted in traffic .

On 7/7/2018 at 2:18 AM, puchooay said:

Yes, they have been asking for this copy.

I never seen it needed in over 4yrs of dealings with them .

If low on pages IO's often use spaces on older pages , caused me issues once with exit stamp from singapore that took ages to find .

Bangkok airports been unfriendly to visa exempts history for some time now, even a few setv entries could get you questioned.

They best avoided when can as exact rules and consistency changes like the wind so even 2 people very identical in details  with more than adequate funds visiting for leisure tourism likely get different outcome .

Due to fact officers have discretion in the rules on letting you in they can and do refuse whoever they like regardless of funds etc, you never going tell them how do the job or no legal codes for refusal as here in thailand rules very flexible, I seen guys pretty much told f00k off at land borders & IO's refuse talk with them.

In these scenarios like OP you only likely get in if they get to like you and feel your friendly and not taking advantage or in true thai style taking a special services payment ? . A better visa category requiring thorough documents and scrutiny only issued from country of residence for those with funds, condos etc wanting longer periods of leisure/holiday stay would help filter the good guys from the bad guys more smoothly .

^

Funny thing is when go for a 30day extension hardly ever do you see people being heavily questioned on finances and reason for extensions even if it 3rd one, they quick ask you for 1900bt and that it ...

If you make effort have documents meeting savannakhet consulate guidelines then you never get any bother, those getting the bother are ones who turned up without required docs or docs not meeting requirements and then the ballache starts,

For tourist if you hand in printed bank page or pdf statement and it above 20k baht and has your name on it or you have bank card with name to verify that account number is yours you should be fine.

You will see them highlight these points on docs as pass them in .

Main problem for genuine backpackers is they come with no knowledge as first time and consulate has no useful guide on the notice boards, the guys who been before and working in thailand on tv's get through pretty easy as likely know the system .

When I was there last a french guy working illegal got through after making quick effort get a bank statement printed, a couple genuine decent backpackers had ballache as simply didn't know system, had language barriers and if you get wrong consulate staff and it busy they very unhelpful and rude .

Plenty to do if make effort, got disco's and  open air live music with food etc . Just look at some of the suv's driving around, some money and life there if look for it .

If you in bkk then savannakhet or vientaine . vientaine easiest in terms of docs, savannakhet easiest in terms of transport as works perfect transition times at every stage with tour buses going and on return, docs they do require easy enough put together before the trip and savannakhet can be done all in for not much more than 4,000bt .

Yangon nice if want a bit of a trip . Lot going depend on where you based and how much cost you want .

^

No that won't be issue and even if was questioned on it just point out how long ago it was and due to complications before employment fully organised .

Generally even those who doing lot of back to back setv using every day of it plus every extension possible don't get too much hassle and if got proof of funds and polite sensible people they still generally get in .

Or Yangon , that easy and nice trip if want make a little more from a setv trip.

Savannakhet pretty easy, travel transition one of best and potentially very low cost and pretty easy organise docs they do require all in advance .

^

as above for mukdahan-savannakhet . would say savannakhet your best option as very easy trip if read up on it and buses take you almost door to door so very little extra running about and anyone who can walk for 10-15 minutes needs no additional transport .

bus is generally better as more time options meaning you can make transitions in transport ssmoothly and be in savannakhet early enough on first day to drop application in.

flying wastes more time getting to airports, checking in flights etc and downtime between flights and crossing/consulate opening hours and costs including extra hotels and nights stay .

33 minutes ago, prb said:

yeah i regret i did not show my bank statements. TBH i was expecting being asked about illegal work, her argumentation if you can name it like that left me speechless.

 

By the way, it did not happen in the general queue, i was moved to an other counter in the back, away from the crowd

You had same speech I expect if had shown funds for you scenario, main thing remember if ever have more serious incident is get you cash and onward travel docs and anything prebooked out on display before things go too far.

I seen some right odd scenario's over the years with a black french man told go away back to no mans land by hand gestures to rude speeches like they talking to 6yr old children and stating things they see as fact that clearly stupidity rather than fact .

I had a right swine of a senior  officer who obsessed I working (hadn't even been in the country for 10months) and he was almost impossible verbally deal with, took over hour get my records off the database (counter computers show very little history) and they were wrong and interpreted wrong by the IO who also lost my arrival card and boarding pass (put with chinese girls documents). All worked out fine in end and ended up pleasant chat with 3 officers but you got keep calm and be alert and done your due diligence so you get best chance and least hassle possible . Having had this experience and learning from it future entries should be easier even if pulled from queue again .

That was just a counter officer then, funds come into play when get interviewed.

The talk about to many free entries and you must get setv is pretty much hot air speech they get taught, if ever get moved on to interview be polite and if not asked for funds or onward flight be sure bring it up and show it  .

Some of the counter immigration officers can be completely silly due to orders they given and way they enforce and word it . Just don't worry too much and be more prepared and try make use of setv when can .

Re-entry permit could be option pending how long you going out of country but on cost basis new setv mixed with odd visa exempt better, metv sounds best for your needs but is hard to get and more so in France, in UK it easier as they bit flexible and actually do allow issue if not working and submit extra suitable funds and reasons for wanting the metv .

Mixing setv with a few visa exempts and making use of re-entry permits when beneficial should work fine, if get questioned again just be super calm and polite and explain your travelling holiday liking and how love thailand as a hub due to best travel infrastructure, shopping, food and culture in asia . Have cash and copies of bank/saving funds and onward travel plans flights and don't be shy in showing any of it at suitable point in conversation even if have make that conversation point yourself . With a little effort and if you actually got money entry here on a long leisure holiday quite easy .

14 minutes ago, prb said:

Sound interesting, can a non resident of the neighnouring countries do a SETV at thai consulates now? The last time i looked, it seemed that the only way was to do it in the country where you are officialy a resident.

setv is single entry tourist for 60 days, you can do that in most regional consulate (some easier than others, yangon good one and nice trip, be sure ride the viaduct railway)

the one you thinking of is the metv, multi entry tourist which needs be done in your residing country, you can get enough setv visas in asian region to stayinthailand for a good year without much bother assuming you do have sensible money/income and do due diligence on rules and ever changing scenarios at entry points and consulates .

Only other requirement is being super polite . calmness and turning a cheek goes a long way here as does appearance, turning up looking like a 20euro tramp does the situation no favours and considered disrespectful when dress code rules maybe present .

20 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

there is already a flag on him by the looks of things seeing that he has been warned to have a visa next time and that will be on the database so even with a new passport that flag will still come up because the information on the new passport will be the same as on the information page of his old passport, the only things that will be missing are the entry and exit stamps and any visa's that he had in his old passport. Mine is from personal experience as well but from a different side to yours

They don't manually put a flag on you with the warning, it more curt scare tactics (do same on under 24hr overstay now), I have had exactly same happen at swampy, I came back few months later on visa exempt no issue, just be sure have onward flight and funds . Technically there is no limit to visa exempt issue via airport entry but you don't want be obviously abusing it and do need make effort prove you here as on genuine tourist and leisure and use setv in region rather than more visa exempt entries .

The more you look likely be working illegally the more hassle you will get (and rightly so), number 1 thing that bites immi's biscuit is cocky farang working illegal on cheap and easy visa entry, younger guys and those looking bit poor, make no effort break up visa exempt pattern or with bad manners get the most hassle .

4 hours ago, Russell17au said:

A new passport will not remove your information that is on the Thai immigration database. Remember that when you apply for your new passport you will have to supply all your information so that it can be put on your new passport, so the same name, the same date of birth, the same nationality, so when the new passport is placed in the reader when you arrive back in Thailand it is going to bring up your complete visa history which is on the database here in Thailand. Which will bring up more red flags to the IO. You should really look at the amount of time you are spending and the amount of time you want to spend in Thailand in the future and stop trying to take short cuts and apply for the right visa.

New passport can make a huge difference, they only take notice of computer if alerts on a select entry pattern, they still looking at passports for O and tourist visa issue patterns so a new passport helps,  this from personal experience and watching others get hassle at the booths over the years plus advise from people working in visa and immigration network, also helps using local asian regions for setv issue .Good effort on passport, paperwork and getting visas over constant visa exempt entry would save all the drama. Having said that if OP came back after break of like 6months with new passport, onward flight and 20k baht in his pocket he get in on 30day exemption and if wanted stay much longer could then do his desired yangon trip and get a setv at the yangon consulate . That would give the OP almost 5 months if done extension on both your first visa exempt entry and setv entry .

4 hours ago, prb said:

SETV would be a good option, but first i don't have a regular job, so no employment certificate and second if i can show proof of funds largely exceeding the 5000€ or something that they want to see, that money is of course not sleeping in my current account. So that's it.

 

Just done an extension of my Visa exemption, 2000 THB gone and a flight ticket to Yangoon that i wanted to visit lost.

After 13 years of regular trips, that will be probably my last stay in Thailand like that.

Next time i will have new passport and a tourist visa, if there is a next time: although not as well balanced as Thailand for safety, activities, infrastructure, nightlife etc... other ASEAN countries have a lot to offer too and many of them are cheaper. Ahaha no, i'm not bitter 

You don't need a regular job or funds for a setv, I know France is big pain for setv but you can pick them up from loas, hongkong, veitnam and also yangon which a pleasant little trip with nothing more than basic paperwork/photos and a smile .

^

Immigration computer is just one side of it and may flag you when they scan your passport, they also looking at your passport and page after page of setv and laos stickers for example rings alarm bells. Swampy and DM are being quite fussy and have been for some while. You can see the extra scrutiny and less lapse approach, even an under 24hr overstay gets more abrupt unfriendly approach than use to at swampy . Most people who get hassle simply made no effort on passport, onward flight and funds and probably had bad verbal approach with immigration . If you coming a lot on setv you going need make more effort and have money and expect an interview .

I don't think it be long before a limit on setv per year is bought in, most of the remaining illegal working farang are using back to back setv and swampy and DM keen on catching them . Even land borders giving warnings and limiting entry days for few people  who used crossings loads in a pretty much back to back way .

History in your passport made it worse, trouble is they quick to shoot without checking dates, I had same issue at swampy and I hadn't been in thailand for 18months and O and tourist visas I had went back over 6yrs with big time spans between use but officer just assume worst and check nothing.

I had a good session with grumpy senior officer who would only speak thai and obsessed I working in Thailand even when showing them clear evidence of working in singapore and taiwan .  I let them state that I had been back to back for alomst 3 years then pointed out the facts and that you don't get stamps from your home country :-)

All worked out good but did have show funds, I wanted rip right into the senior IO but bit my tongue, stayed polite and let his ignorance slide .

You best getting new passport if back in france and if come back on visa exempt have onward flight, 20K+ funds and things like hotel booking/trip schedule so hard for them refuse you .

I know france can be ballache for getting setv so other option is flying to perhaps hongkong/veitnam/cambodia/myanmar/laos and getting setv there.

somewhere with land borders tends be easiest for entry although you could come in airport easy enough on visa exempt or with setv if you prepared with required papers/money and super polite and have new passport .

The setv will likely have an enter before date that runs for 90 days from date of issue, you enter thailand any time before this date and you granted 60days stay from date you actually entered at the immigration point .

You can have 2 visas in your passport for different countries at one time, I done this several times .

IO's obviously took a dislike to your friend.

A brash IO can jump to conclusions on a passport with load of previous setv's etc even if years apart as they don't check dates well (had this issue myself and got interviewed)

bad dress. bad manners, large amount of previous back to back entries etc all take a toll.

Swampy & DM airport is getting tough on those with repeat setv and visa exempts.

IO's can refuse you even with onward travel if really want to and not a lot you can do about it easily or cheaply .

Best approach is proper planning . Guys like your friend likely best getting setv in asia then travelling to thailand or if entering on visa exempt make effort for for onward flight to home country and have 20K+ funds plus be calm and professional . 

On 08/05/2018 at 12:41 PM, darrendsd said:

The procedure is exactly the same as it was, Penang have had these requirements for a while now

 

All they are doing is ensuring that no time is wasted by people who don't know how to fill forms in, I can't imagine how frustrating that must be for the staff

 

All that has really changed is that they may or may not actually start checking flight tickets, hotel reservations to see if they are real, genuine applicants will have no problems with this

 

It will be more stringent and messy from after the 14th for a while, always is when implement these notices and start dates, 100 limit on visa issue is also very low unless for direct applicants only as agents exceed that on their own customer applications a day ... they won't be able check flights besides fact time and flight number real as passenger info restricted and requires lot of steps to have access to easy database checking, checking reservations possible but time consuming and costly.

Would be better if just implemented better requirements of financial evidence and increased prices and require 7 days before re-entry for those with more than 2 setvs in a year.  2 things the guys working on setv don't have is money and spare time, more tourist leisure individuals have the money and happy spend a week plus touring while applying for setv .

^ Go after 14th and see if same straightforward procedure .

I expect some of this is likely roll on to other local consulates in time .

In 18years I never seen an airline enforce onward ticket requirement with a valid visa, it always a mistake rather than a policy .

I f you have a valid visa you will not require a onward flight booking.

I had few scenarios booking in and staff pulled me on no onward flight, I highlight my visa, they get briefed by people who do know the rules and on you go.

Highly unlikely have issues with thai immigration and onward flights when have a visa but if been spending fair bit of time here it is possible if pull you in for questioning.

Those on visa exempt will need onward flights as most airlines stricter at following rules as they know currently thai immigration at 2 main airports are being more stringent especially for those with lot of previous entry history .

If you got lot of entry history a belt and braces approach to onward travel and finance requirements is best to save potential unrecoverable hassle at flight booking in and thai immigration counter.