calbts2

I went in 1999 and have not gone back since. Hired a moto driver for 2 days and had 90% of the temple sites all to myself. All they had at the entrance was a small desk manned by one guy collecting the fees. Don't remember any tour groups and definitely no Chinese. Siem Riep was a small village with no significant nightlife and only a few small guesthouses. I am kind of afraid to go back as it will spoil my memories of the place.

I just sent my TM 30 form by mail (within 24 hours of returning into the country)  - all documents and self addressed stamped envelope enclosed. I saved the EMS receipt, made a copy of the TM 30 filled out form, and took a picture of the letter with the postage stamped showing the date mailed. If for some reason I do not get back my receipt, I would think that all of this would be ample proof that I reported on time and not be fined.

Don't know if anyone has used yet but there are now new android apps for TM.30 reporting, 90 day reporting, and TM.6 cards. All have English support:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Immigration+Bureau

My advice - avoid flying into DM internationally at all costs. That entry point has become a complete nightmare. The immigration staff there is rude, inefficient, and incompetent. I arrived on a flight last night before midnight and did not get out of there until 1:30am!! This had nothing really to do with the Chinese tour group crowds that compromise the vast majority as they now have their own dedicated lanes. Standing there in one of the "other foreigners" long lines that inefficiently gets merged from 3 lines into one as I watch just about everyone taking minimum 3-4 minutes each at the desk. Often I see people get spoken to rudely about something incorrect on their form or needing to show paperwork proof of accommodation / finances. I saw a few (mostly younger) people get grilled and then escorted to the back office where I would assume they will be questioned more and possibly denied entry. Then of course right in the middle of this, one of the officers decides to take her break and closes down a lane. This adds another 30 minutes to my wait. Now I was not really fearful of anything as I have a non-o extension with re-entry but I would definitely have been nervous if I was coming in on back to back TV or VE. I remember the good old days (pre-2015) when this airport was actually pretty easy and carefree to enter - not so anymore. I really wish they would create dedicated lanes for re-entry permit holders like Japan does. Hopefully things will change with this election but in the meantime I would advise NOT flying into DM if it can at all be avoided.

Yeah I got my extension over 2 days Tuesday and Wednesday cause the computer system went down at 6pm Tuesday night and could not save my photo. I had to come back Wednesday morning (didn't need to wait in the line thank god) but I have never seen a line that long at CW ever. It was almost 1000 or more I would guess and it snaked around very long. And I have been going to CW for extensions since it opened around 2010 or so.

Also the line to get que tickets for the sections did not dissipate until at least 9:30 or so.

I stayed and got my re-entry which did not take that long - maybe an hour.

But I pity the poor souls doing 90 day reports, tourist visa extensions, and what is by far the slowest and longest wait - ED Visa extensions.

The new man in charge really needs to hire more staff or re-open Suan Plu as a second office.

Yangon is still a very good option although it has been about a year since I got my last tourist visa there. Think they only wanted to see a plane ticket into Thailand and not out. No bank statements required. Very helpful staff there and was never crowded unlike the madhouse at Vientiane.

Yeah it all sounds absurd since I already have the visa. Those agents in effect said I need to cancel my existing Non-O and apply for a new one in order to get my dependents on my visa? I will try and contact the Penang embassy directly on Monday and see what they say.

I was leaning on Penang because I am out of full visa pages in my Passport and I need at least one for Laos whereas Malaysia I don't.

But I am much more comfortable going to Vientiane. Looks like I need to get a new passport ASAP.

 I just called an one agent in Penang and he told me that in order to get Non-O visas for my wife and her child I need to have a bank letter or income affidavit because of money laundering. I find this odd since I already have a Non-O Retirement extension obtained in Bangkok and would be out of the country with a re-entry permit. Anybody else heard about this at Penang? Does Vientiane have this requirement?

Another agent in Penang said I cannot get them dependent visas off of my existing Non-O Retirement extension. I would have to apply for a new retirement Non-0 entirely at the  embassy and piggyback my dependents that way. I am now completely confused.

Thanks Joe.

She is Fillipina. Would she have to get the Non-O in Manila or could she get in Penang/Vientiene?

Thanks for your help.

I just got my one year Non-O extension Based on Retirement in Changwattana. I now need to get my Non-Thai wife(we just got married in Thailand) and her child 90 Day Non-O Dependent Visas and then piggyback those onto my extension back in Bangkok. Where is better - Vientiene or Penang? Anyone have recent experience? Documents required?

Thanks

31 minutes ago, Wake Up said:

I am from Texas. Just be aware that American Airlines or any airline based in America will not allow you to fly to Bangkok on a one way ticket without a visa.  They do not allow you to fly to Bangkok and get a visa exempt 30 day admission without a return flight within 30 days of arrival  so look at ubonjoe's advice. 

You don't need an international drivers license. Thailand has three easy physical tests to pass and Thailand will give you the same drivers license like you have in Texas. Meaning if you have a car and motorcycle license in Texas you get same in Thailand. The tests are easy to pass and they have an English video before the tests telling you how to pass the tests. Just make sure you wear long pants when you show up to get your thailand drivers license. They don't allow shorts above the knee to be worn at the drivers license office in Bangkok. Good luck. Sorry for the flooding in Houston.  

 

I just flew round trip Bangkok to SFO and back on Visa exempt. I have 3 years of ED and tourist visas along with a few recent Visa exempts. I was not even questioned at all about my visa status checking in at SFO. I even had a "pay later at the airline office" reservation for Thai Air ready but it was not needed.

I did not however fly on an any American based airlines.

I try to avoid flying any airline based in the US, China, or India as from my travel experience - those carriers are some of the worst in the world..but that is another subject altogether.

My method not be the best for you but it is certainly less hassle and cheaper than getting background checks, paying for US Medical tests, etc. in getting a NON-O-A in the US.

The easiest and cheapest way to do this for an American in Bangkok is as follows:

1. Enter on visa exempt.

2. Go to US Embassy and pay $50 for income affidavit.

3. Go to Changwattana and convert Visa exempt to 90 day non-O...2000 baht.

4. Go back to Changwattana and get stamp after 2 weeks.

5. Within last 30 days of your permission to stay go back to Changwattana and apply for one year extension...1900 baht. Also of note...when getting your 90 day O-Visa, immigration makes a photocopy and certifies your income affidavit so you do not need to go back to your Embassy and pay to get a new one if you bring your copy when applying for extension.

6. Return to immigration and get your one year extension stamp.

I am going through this process right now...total costs $50 + 3900 baht.

No doctor or police reports needed.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

It is actually better than Vientiene mainly because it is usually never crowded and the staff who work there are very nice and helpful. My last run to Vientiene was a pain in that I had to wait almost 3 hours to collect my passport whereas in Yangon you can pick up right at 1:30 without waiting.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

I got the stamp in Vientiene last week but I had 6 SETVs in my passport. I laughed it off since this was my last SETV as I turn 50 in 3 months and I need a new passport anyway with only 3 blank pages left.

I can tell you submit monday collect tuesday is one of the busiest. Was there last week and many visa companies there. Submitted application at about 11am on Monday and that was quick and took 5 minutes. At that time no line. But Tuesday did not collect until 4 pm as I was in the high 500's.

Thanks Joe.

(together with reference documents showing the source of said monthly pension) - does this mean Chang wattana wants to see additional documents aside from the actual notarized affidavit? I am a US citizen tuning 50 in 3 months and going to do this exact same visa exempt to Non-O conversion process and would rather do the affidavit than deposit 800, 000 baht in a bank account.

Actually yes. I got a SETV in Yangon in late January, came back to Bangkok for a week or so, left Thailand for over a month and acquired a re-entry permit at Changwattana before I left.

When I returned to Don Muang (which is notoriously not one of the friendlier entry points) last month the IO at first could not understand why I used a re-entry permit and was out of Thailand on it for so long. But she was not confrontational or questioning - it was more bewilderment. I just calmly told her that I try to avoid coming by Visa Exempt as much as possible and she stamped me in no problems.

On 4/21/2017 at 7:44 PM, Psimbo said:

I think you will find you will not get an re-entry permit based on a tourist visa. Once you get the Non- Imm O and retirement permit you can then apply for a re-entry permit (single B1900, multiple 3800).

Not true. I have done this many times no problems. Here is what they look like. And single entries are 1000 baht not 1900.