No more 60 day tourist visas at the Thai embassy in London

[BritTim]

8 hours ago, Guderian said:

He's been using the METV route to stay here for several years so I think he knows the requirements.

The METV has not existed for several years (actually less than two). I suggested in an earlier post that he had previously been getting the METV without satisfying all the normal conditions. They probably initially allowed that as he had previously been receiving double entry tourist visas when they were available. I think the problem is that they insisted he meet all the conditions for an METV and he could not do so.

[Guderian]

This is what he wrote to me yesterday:

 

"Re my new visa, the young woman who was dealing with me told me that the visa was good for 30 days, after which I would need to do a visa run to get a further 30 days. Having only been issued with a single entry visa, this sounded potentially tricky to me but she didn't seem to regard it as a problem."

 

What kind of a visa would that be? I'm no expert, but I wouldn't want to depend on getting multiple 30-day extensions by leaving the country with a used single-entry visa of any sort. As soon as you arrive here the first time they stamp it with a big "USED" notice don't they, and then that's the end of it?

 

I've asked him to tell me exactly what is written on the visa stamp in his passport itself, but as of now I have no further information

Edited October 20, 2017 by Guderian

[ubonjoe]

44 minutes ago, Guderian said:

What kind of a visa would that be?

A transit visa is the only visa that allows a 30 day entry. In some cases they can be issued as a 2 entry visa. The fee shown on the embassy website is 20 pounds for a single entry.

But I think he has a regular single entry tourist visa. You posted this yesterday.

On 10/19/2017 at 10:09 AM, Guderian said:

My latest visa is a single entry tourist visa whereas previously, there was no problem getting hold of a multi-entry versions. They cost more at £125 but it simply wasn't available as an option, according to the young woman who dealt with me at the Embassy. I had no problem getting hold of a multiple entry tourist visa in April of this year. The latest single entry visa was just £25.

That is the correct fee for a single entry tourist visa.

Ask him which category is shown on his visa. A transit visa is a TS and a tourist TR.

[JackThompson]

When the METV first came out and replaced the double/triple options, requirements were more-lax.  The money in bank for 6-months was not always enforced (so a single, current bank-statement could have worked), the "ongoing employment" was not always enforced, and they were available at unofficial consulates. 

 

It is quite possible he could have used Doubles for years, then an METV once, last year, then run up against the more-strict requirements this year.

 

I seriously doubt the consulate sees him as someone "staying too long" - and that this had anything to do with his recent experience attempting to get an METV.  Many have gotten METVs back-to-back with 95% of their time spent in Thailand on their previous METVs.  The key is to have everything on the Consulate's list exactly right.

 

7 minutes ago, Guderian said:

This is what he wrote to me yesterday:

 

"Re my new visa, the young woman who was dealing with me told me that the visa was good for 30 days, after which I would need to do a visa run to get a further 30 days. Having only been issued with a single entry visa, this sounded potentially tricky to me but she didn't seem to regard it as a problem."

 

What kind of a visa would that be? I'm no expert, but I wouldn't want to depend on getting multiple 30-day extensions by leaving the country with a used single-entry visa of any sort. As soon as you arrive here the first time they stamp it with a big "USED" notice don't they, and then that's the end of it?

 

I've asked him to tell me exactly what is written on the visa stamp in his passport itself, but as of now I have no further information

This sounds like a mix up of several different things, which became have been mixed-up and boiled-down into invalid assumptions - either by the "young woman" or him.  To help clarify what he needs to know:

 

A Tourist Visa grants 60-days upon entering the country. 

 

He cannot "extend a visa by leaving the country."  With a Multiple-Entry Visa, you can "activate a new entry" by leaving and returning - but it appears this will not apply to him. 

 

When he enters with a Single-Entry visa, "USED" will be stamped on it upon first-use (as you said), and it won't do him any good upon leaving Thailand and returning.

 

He can "extend a permission of stay" by visiting an immigration office, if your entry-type and circumstances qualify you for an extension.  This is what he will do to take his initial 60-days to 90-days.

 

He can get a new Tourist Visa at a Thai-Consulate nearby.  Vientiane would be the easiest choice (fewest requirements / paperwork).  This is what he will do at the end of his 60+30 days, so he can start a new 60+30 day stint in Thailand, to complete his 6 months.

[Guderian]

38 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

When the METV first came out and replaced the double/triple options, requirements were more-lax.  The money in bank for 6-months was not always enforced (so a single, current bank-statement could have worked), the "ongoing employment" was not always enforced, and they were available at unofficial consulates. 

 

It is quite possible he could have used Doubles for years, then an METV once, last year, then run up against the more-strict requirements this year.

 

I seriously doubt the consulate sees him as someone "staying too long" - and that this had anything to do with his recent experience attempting to get an METV.  Many have gotten METVs back-to-back with 95% of their time spent in Thailand on their previous METVs.  The key is to have everything on the Consulate's list exactly right.

 

This sounds like a mix up of several different things, which became have been mixed-up and boiled-down into invalid assumptions - either by the "young woman" or him.  To help clarify what he needs to know:

 

A Tourist Visa grants 60-days upon entering the country. 

 

He cannot "extend a visa by leaving the country."  With a Multiple-Entry Visa, you can "activate a new entry" by leaving and returning - but it appears this will not apply to him. 

 

When he enters with a Single-Entry visa, "USED" will be stamped on it upon first-use (as you said), and it won't do him any good upon leaving Thailand and returning.

 

He can "extend a permission of stay" by visiting an immigration office, if your entry-type and circumstances qualify you for an extension.  This is what he will do to take his initial 60-days to 90-days.

 

He can get a new Tourist Visa at a Thai-Consulate nearby.  Vientiane would be the easiest choice (fewest requirements / paperwork).  This is what he will do at the end of his 60+30 days, so he can start a new 60+30 day stint in Thailand, to complete his 6 months.

 

Yes, the tourist visa gives 60 days as you say, this is what he's had in the past. But he seems to be adamant that whatever he's got now will only be good for 30 days and then he'll have to do a visa run. As somebody said earlier, there's not a lot of point to this as you can get 30 days simply by arriving at the airport with no visa.

 

I'll drop him another line now to ask him if the visa has TS or TR on it, that may clarify matters.

[Guderian]

Well I've done my best to try and help the guy but he won't tell me what it says on his visa and seems happy to stick his head in the sand as long as he gets back through the door into Thailand one way or another. This was his reply yesterday and I won't bother raising the subject with him any more. Thanks for your time and help in posting the replies here. As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

 

"It's a Tourist Visa but no way of telling if it's for 30 days or 60. Up until now, I've had to wait until the immigration officer at the airport after landing does whatever checking he or she requires, stamps the passport with a visa expiry date and hand's it back. I might get lucky but the girl at the embassy seemed to be promising only 30 days. She said that 60 day tourist visas were no longer available. I think that much of the problem is created by the London embassy still issuing visa application forms that are no longer applicable or appropriate, if indeed 60 day visas are no longer available. That sounds very Thai and all to possible. "

[Mattd]

Oh dear, he does sound stubborn!

He will get 60 days, of that I'm certain, it doesn't actually say the entry duration on the visa sticker, so as he says, he will know once he arrives.

I reckon he might be getting the 30 day bit mixed up with the extension he can apply for once here, which is probably what the embassy girl was trying to tell him.

[Guderian]

2 hours ago, Mattd said:

Oh dear, he does sound stubborn!

He will get 60 days, of that I'm certain, it doesn't actually say the entry duration on the visa sticker, so as he says, he will know once he arrives.

I reckon he might be getting the 30 day bit mixed up with the extension he can apply for once here, which is probably what the embassy girl was trying to tell him.

 

Yes, something evidently changed on the application form (he hasn't said what) which made him go to the embassy rather than sending it by post as he usually does. Given that he owns a condo here and has lived here for most of the time every year since 2005 I guess the prospect of not being allowed back into the Kingdom must have put him in a blind panic and he's been none too clear on the details.

 

P.S. the title to the thread is misleading, but it was what I understood from the guy when I first posted it. If a mod or admin wants to modify it to something more correct like, "Problems getting a 60 day tourist visa at the London embassy" then please do so. Thank you.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, Guderian said:

 

Yes, something evidently changed on the application form (he hasn't said what) which made him go to the embassy rather than sending it by post as he usually does. Given that he owns a condo here and has lived here for most of the time every year since 2005 I guess the prospect of not being allowed back into the Kingdom must have put him in a blind panic and he's been none too clear on the details.

 

P.S. the title to the thread is misleading, but it was what I understood from the guy when I first posted it. If a mod or admin wants to modify it to something more correct like, "Problems getting a 60 day tourist visa at the London embassy" then please do so. Thank you.

I think @ubonjoe's analysis earlier almost certainly indicates what he received. If the embassy intended only to give him a transit visa (visa class 'TS' allowing only a 30-day stay) they would have charged £20. The charge of £25 implies a tourist visa (visa class 'TR' allowing 60 days). If he had not discussed the matter with the embassy before submitting the application with the £25 fee, it could be possible that the embassy would issue only a transit visa because of his prior history, not returning the excess fee. However, that does not seem to be what occurred.

[Maestro]

8 hours ago, Guderian said:

Yes, something evidently changed on the application form (he hasn't said what)...

 

Yes, something changed. 

 

The previous visa application form had one line for the tourist visa,  where you had to fill in the desired number of entries (1, 2 or 3) or M for multiple entries.

 

The new form also two choices, one for one entry, the other for multiple entries.

Edited October 22, 2017 by Maestro
corrected information a d added links

[LongTimeLurker]

On ‎18‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 12:50 AM, Mark1066 said:

The banks are more than willing to open an account without a work permit in my experience, and you don't need to have had the money in the account for 90 days when applying to convert to a stay based on retirement or marriage, that's only for the extensions. Please stop posting completely inaccurate information.

Just providing the information I received from the IO at the front desk at Jomtien. If you have any problems with it being incorrect I suggest you go tell him to stop providing incorrect information.

[LongTimeLurker]

On ‎18‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 1:10 AM, JackThompson said:

Yes, they seem not to to know that the person at the Conversion (Desk/office #7) has no intention of doing their job.  They handed me the "official" rules for doing one, at one point

 

That is what I have read also on these pages.

 

On ‎18‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 1:10 AM, JackThompson said:

 

Agree on banks - if you go to enough branches to find one who will do it (most won't, some will).

 

IME all banks ask for a work permit, even my own branch when I wanted to open a new fixed term deposit account. I have only heard one first hand report of a branch in Pattaya that opened an account on a 30 day entry stamp.

 

On ‎18‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 1:10 AM, JackThompson said:

 

On Jomtien-conversions - good luck getting one there At All.  And, yes, the "conversion" boss told me the same thing about seasoning-funds for a conversion, and then presented me with a "home-made" list of requirements which contradicts the official list (which I had received at the front-counter, weeks prior).  They won't even accept income-proof, MFA-stamped, with bank-book proof the income is genuine.  Other services tend to follow actual laws/rules at Jomtien - but not conversions.

 

I was actually out of time for doing the TR extension for retirement so went to Penang and got a non-O so hopefully will have no issues with the retirement conversion.

[JackThompson]

2 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

IME all banks ask for a work permit, even my own branch when I wanted to open a new fixed term deposit account. I have only heard one first hand report of a branch in Pattaya that opened an account on a 30 day entry stamp.

I did this as well in Pattaya.  My then-gf was with me, who did not even have an account there - but they looked at her ID card, so was likely a factor in my success.

 

2 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

I was actually out of time for doing the TR extension for retirement so went to Penang and got a non-O so hopefully will have no issues with the retirement conversion.

Jomtien is reported friendly for retirement-extensions, if you already have a Non-O to start with.  This is handled by a different desk/personnel than the conversion process.

[moe666]

Some people are beyond help, they come here and stay on tourist visas for years when it would be so much easier to get a non-o and then extension of stay

[darrendsd]

2 hours ago, moe666 said:

Some people are beyond help, they come here and stay on tourist visas for years when it would be so much easier to get a non-o and then extension of stay

If they are not married or not at retirement age how do they get them exactly?

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, darrendsd said:

If they are not married or not at retirement age how do they get them exactly?

The person discussed by the OP in this thread sounds to be old enough for retirement. 

 

7 hours ago, moe666 said:

Some people are beyond help, they come here and stay on tourist visas for years when it would be so much easier to get a non-o and then extension of stay

He only stays part of each year - a "snowbird" it sounds like - so I can understand why he may take an "But I'm just a tourist," perspective.  What the OP's friend doesn't understand, is that Thailand is not as easy for longer-stay (even 1/2-year) tourists as it used to be.

 

This is evidenced by his preferred method of stay, the simple 2x-entry tourist-visa, being removed from available options and replaced with the METV, whose requirements are not at all designed for people who aren't stuck in a brick-and-mortar job year-round, and are coming to stay awhile.

[pearciderman]

On 10/17/2017 at 12:23 PM, Mattd said:

There would be no point in a British person applying and paying for a 30 day tourist visa,

 

It would also be impossible as there is no such thing as a "30 day tourist visa".

[Mattd]

3 hours ago, pearciderman said:

 

It would also be impossible as there is no such thing as a "30 day tourist visa".

Yes, however, for whatever reason, the OP's friend seems to think there is and that is what he also thinks he may have been given, which we all know as being incorrect, so the point being, even if such an animal existed, then why, as a Brit would you pay money for something that is no better than a visa exempt entry!

[Guderian]

The guy I have been trying (but failing) to help here is 63 years old. He stays in Pattaya for around 9 to 10 months a year, returning to the UK twice as his mother is still alive back there and he has other family too. The regular trips back made it possible for him to stay here on tourist visas, though I have been trying for several years to encourage/goad him into converting to a Non-Imm O and then extensions based on retirement.

 

When he wastes a day going to Cambodia on a visa run I've gently prodded him by mentioning that it also takes several minutes to do a 90-day report in Jomtien Immigration. And when he mentions the cost of getting the tourist visas he uses (£125 I think he said, and he has to pay that twice a year) I simply tell him that the retirement extension isn't free, it costs 1900 Baht for a year! But all my goading and prodding has done nothing to convince him to change his visa type.

 

Anyway, now he'll presumably have no choice but to change when he returns I guess.