Possibility of refusal - tourist visa

[Krimse123]

Hello.

I arrived in Thailand through Suvarnabhumi Airport on the 30th of July with just a visa on arrival. I've managed to extend my stay until the 27th september. H

As I have not yet finished travelling and exploring Thailand I wish to stay here further however I'm unsure of my current possibilities to do so.

 

My plan so far is to go and apply for a tourist visa at the Thai consulate in Vientiane later this month, but I'm a little worried that they could deny the visa application as I have already spent quite a bit of time in Thailand. (1 month VoA + 1 month extention).

 

What are you thoughts? Will they deny the application and if so, what are my options to stay in this wonderful country?

 

Thanks in advance.

[BritTim]

Your visa exempt entry (it is not a visa on arrival) and extension will not prevent you getting a single entry tourist visa in Vientiane.

 

If you think 60-90 days will be sufficient more time, that is probably the simple and best approach.  If, however, you have financial security, and anticipate spending years in Thailand, it is worth planning ahead. Getting a couple of visas in Vientiane is easy, but you will not be able to get more than about 3-4 from there. It is necessary to spread the applications over different consulates to stay a lengthy period, and some locations are difficult if you have already spent significant time in Thailand. You may want to reserve the Vientiane trips for when other locations are dubious.

 

There are alternatives to tourist visas. If you are over 50 years of age, an extension of stay on the basis of retirement could be a good option. Especially if you want to learn Thai, an education visa could be good for a year or two. Marriage to a Thai or a job offer possibilities. The VIP visa is provided by Thailand Elite. It makes staying super easy, but it is expensive.

[elviajero]

6 hours ago, Krimse123 said:

I'm a little worried that they could deny the visa application as I have already spent quite a bit of time in Thailand. (1 month VoA + 1 month extention).

Two months shouldn't have any affect whatsoever on your application for a Tourist Visa.

[darrendsd]

You will have no problems getting a TV at Vientiane, in fact you can get 3-4 there if you decide to extend your stay longer

[Krimse123]

Thank you so much for your responses. It really puts my mind at ease.

I'm staying for up to 8 months. This time I'll be going for a tourist visa. Maybe next time I'll join a language course and get an education visa for the remaining 5-6 months.

 

 

[hawker9000]

15 hours ago, Krimse123 said:

Thank you so much for your responses. It really puts my mind at ease.

I'm staying for up to 8 months. This time I'll be going for a tourist visa. Maybe next time I'll join a language course and get an education visa for the remaining 5-6 months.

 

 

Your tourist visa will be good for 60 days, plus you can then get a 30d extension on it.  Your initial visa-exempt entry is good for 30 days, and can ALSO be extended by 30 days.  So that's five months.   Since that's your entire history for Thailand, I wouldn't think you'd have any trouble at all hopping up to Vientiane for a 2nd single-entry tourist visa, which (along with the extension) would give you another 3 months.  If you want to stay longer than that, the education visa might be a good option, providing it's legitimate, but I think you could probably get a 3rd tourist visa from Vientiane without them squawking.

 

Consider this "fine print", but you need to understand that obtaining the visa is one thing; going through Immigration is another.   It wouldn't be too surprising if going through Immigration with a 3rd tourist visa, and your first two visas and initial v-e entry all being back-to-back, you didn't at least get a couple of questions asked by an IO who got it into his head that you might be trying to live or work in Thailand on tourist visas.  But that being the sum total of your immigration history, I think the odds of a problem would be very slim. 

 

Before you left home you might've considered getting a multi-entry tourist visa which would've carried you for up to nine months (incl an extension at the end).  But they can usually only be obtained in your home country that I know of.

 

[darrendsd]

4 hours ago, hawker9000 said:

Your tourist visa will be good for 60 days, plus you can then get a 30d extension on it.  Your initial visa-exempt entry is good for 30 days, and can ALSO be extended by 30 days.  So that's five months.   Since that's your entire history for Thailand, I wouldn't think you'd have any trouble at all hopping up to Vientiane for a 2nd single-entry tourist visa, which (along with the extension) would give you another 3 months.  If you want to stay longer than that, the education visa might be a good option, providing it's legitimate, but I think you could probably get a 3rd tourist visa from Vientiane without them squawking.

 

Consider this "fine print", but you need to understand that obtaining the visa is one thing; going through Immigration is another.   It wouldn't be too surprising if going through Immigration with a 3rd tourist visa, and your first two visas and initial v-e entry all being back-to-back, you didn't at least get a couple of questions asked by an IO who got it into his head that you might be trying to live or work in Thailand on tourist visas.  But that being the sum total of your immigration history, I think the odds of a problem would be very slim. 

 

Before you left home you might've considered getting a multi-entry tourist visa which would've carried you for up to nine months (incl an extension at the end).  But they can usually only be obtained in your home country that I know of.

 

He is only likely to face questioning if coming back through a Airport, even with 3-4 TV's from Vientianne he will have no issues coming back through the land crossing at Nong Khai

[cacahootie]

Just to add to everyone else's comments here - I have had 7 visa exempt entries and am on my 2nd tourist visa.  I have gotten 3 extensions on VE entries, and I extended my first TV and will extend my current.  The primary "break point" for scrutiny is 6 visa exempt entries, particularly if you arrive by air.  I was asked a few questions on my 7th VE entry at BKK airport after a one day out & back to HCMC Vietnam.  If you have your 20k baht in cash in hand and cross at a land border other than Sadao or Poipet, you'll be very unlikely to have an issue.  If you're only looking to spend a total of 8 months, you don't need consider the more costly option of an Elite Visa (which frankly is for people with more money than sense), and no need to go home to get a METV.  If you want to learn Thai language or Muay Thai, an ED visa is an option, but frankly it's not necessary and tourist visas are going to be a simpler and cheaper solution.  Also, Penang is a good spot to get a visa.  I like George Town as a city.  Check my recent post for a description of the requirements and process.

[acenase]

1 hour ago, cacahootie said:

Just to add to everyone else's comments here - I have had 7 visa exempt entries and am on my 2nd tourist visa.  I have gotten 3 extensions on VE entries, and I extended my first TV and will extend my current.  The primary "break point" for scrutiny is 6 visa exempt entries, particularly if you arrive by air.  I was asked a few questions on my 7th VE entry at BKK airport after a one day out & back

 

I'm starting to stress out when I do my next Visa Run to Hong Kong.

 

I counted how many Visa Exempts I have, and the total in my passport is 7 also.

 

The first 4 VE's I was only in Thailand for a few days, but that's when I realized I really liked it and wanted to come back.  When I came back on my 5th VE, thats when I rented a condo for 1 year but I wasnt educated yet and know about the Visas, so i just extended the 5th and 6th. Then i got questioned when i flew to kuala lumpar and back to Bangkok on the same day.  The IO looked at my exit stamp that said 20 Feb, and my entry stamp was the same day, and he just asked me if im working and I said No i have a thai girlfriend that Im staying with.  Then he just said next time get a tourist visa.

 

So since then, I have 2 back to back Visas from Vientiane Laos, and im currently about to get a 3rd Visa in Hong Kong because I am bored of going to Vientiane.  Should I be scared when I come back and they see that I have 7 VE stamps and on my 3rd TR Visa?

[cacahootie]

I'm not an expert, but I seem to recall the esteemed UbonJoe mentioned at one point they only see the warning on their system if you're requesting a visa exempt entry.  But with that said, entering via air is somewhat more risky than overland.  Last time, I went to Penang (easy process) and entered via Sadao.  The IO looked through my passport many times but ultimately stamped me in with no comment.  When I was taken aside at BKK was my last entry by air, so I can't say what it's like with visa exempt.  I was in a similar boat, my first 4 VE entries were for short trips, then I stayed 60 days last year, and I've been in Thailand since the beginning of Feb last year, except for visa runs.  Best course of action is have 20k baht in your pocket if it becomes necessary.

[acenase]

Since I havent been taken aside yet do you think maybe this next Visa run if I go by Air they might take me aside then just avoid air from then on? I stopped getting VE since my 7th when the IO told me about Tourist Visa, and thats all I have been getting since because it is more convenient to have 90 days total instead of 60.  i actually thought like many people before getting educated that the Visa Exempt stamp was a tourist visa before i learned about it.

 

I will be sure to have 20K baht just in case, but I am also debating if I should just change my plans and instead of going to HK, go back to vientiane for my 3rd TR Visa... But then this means 3 back to back TR Viss at Vientiane... so shouldn't I switch it up a bit? Instead of going for a 3rd Visa at Vientiane... Try HK and then that way after 90 days, i can go to vientiane, and they will see that I went to Hong Kong last and it wont seem like i just got 3 back to back visas at vientiane.

 

 

[BritTim]

11 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

I'm starting to stress out when I do my next Visa Run to Hong Kong.

 

I counted how many Visa Exempts I have, and the total in my passport is 7 also.

 

The first 4 VE's I was only in Thailand for a few days, but that's when I realized I really liked it and wanted to come back.  When I came back on my 5th VE, thats when I rented a condo for 1 year but I wasnt educated yet and know about the Visas, so i just extended the 5th and 6th. Then i got questioned when i flew to kuala lumpar and back to Bangkok on the same day.  The IO looked at my exit stamp that said 20 Feb, and my entry stamp was the same day, and he just asked me if im working and I said No i have a thai girlfriend that Im staying with.  Then he just said next time get a tourist visa.

 

So since then, I have 2 back to back Visas from Vientiane Laos, and im currently about to get a 3rd Visa in Hong Kong because I am bored of going to Vientiane.  Should I be scared when I come back and they see that I have 7 VE stamps and on my 3rd TR Visa?

You have spent enough time in Thailand that, if you hit the wrong immigration official, you may be in for some questioning. As often suggested, having 20,000 baht equivalent in cash or travelers' checks is a good idea. Proof of overseas savings/income may also be handy. As a practical matter, however, because Hong Kong is not directly neighboring Thailand and is an expensive location, the officials seem to regard your arrival from there as a positive sign (at least that was my impression). It is conceivable you could have a problem, but denied entry would only occur if you were extremely unlikely. The chance is probably less than 1 in 1000.