red stamp - advise please

[fullofmax]

Hi,

 

Short details:

 

-from germany

-23 years old

-current passport has:

1 visa exempt entry

2x SETV from Vientianne

1x SETV from Bali

1x SETV from Penang (this one got the red stamp remark saying: "Remark: The holder of this passport travels to Thailand under a tourist visa several times which may result in the refusal of a visa in the future")

-There are also a couple of old SETVs from various countries in my old passport. (not sure if that matters)

 

First of all the most important thing, I dont work in thailand and have no intention to work here.

I just want to continue to travel around thailand because I love the country. 

Reason I dont get a elite visa is because the 5 year period is too long for me. I would like to stay here for a while but I dont want to commit to something that expensive when its possible that I just change my mind and want to travel further to other countries.

 

So what are my options for staying here longer ?

 

Im very grateful for your thoughts and help guys 

 

 

 

[Lamkyong]

with respect sir you have been warned purchase longer stay visa  more suited to your  semi permanent visits to Thailand  or do not come again  on tourist type

[Sigma6]

Get a new passport, or enrol to study something (and actually study it)

[sanemax]

Just for clarification :

Does getting a red stamp mean that you will definitely get refused another TV , or does it mean you will face questioning (and if found to have a legitimate reason for staying in Thailand, then be granted a tourist visa ?)

[Lamkyong]

2 minutes ago, Sigma6 said:

Get a new passport, or enrol to study something (and actually study it)

whilst a new passport might get rid of the stamp would not the info still be available to the IO from the data base ?? 

[Sigma6]

4 minutes ago, Lamkyong said:

whilst a new passport might get rid of the stamp would not the info still be available to the IO from the data base ?? 

The red stamp will most likely stop the OP getting a new TR visa anywhere. 

With a new passport they will get a another tourist visa. 

Providing the OP jumps through all the hoops that immigration set (20k, onward flights etc) they’re unlikely to have a problem entering thailand, im my experience. 

 

Though the OPs age makes it unlikely that they’re not working in some capacity whilst here,  which could raise questions with the IO

[Suradit69]

1 hour ago, Lamkyong said:

whilst a new passport might get rid of the stamp would not the info still be available to the IO from the data base ?? 

The information would be available to immigration officers even if he is carrying a new passport, but embassies would not have that past record. If he uses an embassy he's used before, they might have records of visas he's obtained specifically from them.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, sanemax said:

Just for clarification :

Does getting a red stamp mean that you will definitely get refused another TV , or does it mean you will face questioning (and if found to have a legitimate reason for staying in Thailand, then be granted a tourist visa ?)

The "red stamp" has only one effect: Many/most Thai-consulates nearby will no longer issue you a Tourist Visa.  I received a Tourist Visa at Savanahket to spite a stamp from somewhere else (not in Laos), after providing the full list of Savanakhet's requirements - but that may have been good luck.  I was later denied a Tourist Visa at Vientiane, due to the same stamp, to spite having proof of money, where I stayed, etc.

 

Time for a new passport, unless changing to another type of visa for stay.  Some consulate-personnel will advise you that this is the only available workaround.  They don't access the immigration-db, and the immigration-db doesn't have "red stamp" records in it.

 

1 hour ago, Lamkyong said:

whilst a new passport might get rid of the stamp would not the info still be available to the IO from the data base ?? 

Yes, but that is only a problem if entering at lawless immigration checkpoints, where the laws/rules regarding Tourist Visa use are not followed, and "made up" rules are applied.  These checkpoints include many/most airports (both in Bangkok) plus the Poipet/Aranyaprathet border crossing.  There is no "real law or rule" limiting the number of times a person can enter Thailand on Tourist Visas in a given time-period.

 

Even at the airports, denials are very rare if the foreigner has 20K Baht in cash - though there was one case where someone was forced to buy a "ticket home" they did not need/use (so it could be an expensive risk), and another where they are accused of working illegally (absent any proof of such), denied entry, and forced to buy a last-minute ticket back where they just flew from. 

 

If entering elsewhere with a valid Tourist Visa and in possession of 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks, there are no recent reports (in years) of problems with entry.  The 20K is usually only asked to be shown when coming in from Malaysia.

Edited November 3, 2017 by JackThompson

[gandalf12]

We see all these issues because Thailand doesn't want working illegally and I have no problem with that but wouldn't it be better to clamp down on the companies that hire them? If no one will hire you to work illegally then it wouldn't matter how many tourist visas you have in your passport. I guess that is too much to ask though

Edited November 3, 2017 by gandalf12

[portroyal]

Let’s remember that the immigation officer is solely able to deny an entry. admission is of his responsability, according to thai law

However, coming from Germany, with a tourist visa issued on a new passport will certainly give you access to The Kingdom

[natway09]

Whats a 23 year old doing wandering around anyway on extended holidays ? Not working?

If you are wealthy (& good on you if you are ) then you can get the elite card or the proper visa before 

leaving home., or is there some reason why you can't go home ?

All a bit fishy to me

[jspill]

Pay for tuition at a language school to get the Ed visa paperwork, then when you actually go to get the visa (in Laos), go with an agency in a van. Often what these agencies do is present a van-load of passports at a time to one of their 'contacts' at immigration, who quickly stamps them all without really scrutinizing, while you all wait in the van, then you're back in the country and you have a year's stay on the Ed visa. 

 

Once you're towards the end of that year's stay, you can consider renewing your passport for a fresh one at that point, then doing another Ed visa after that. Or, just do a 2nd Ed visa on that passport and again, go with an agency. Then definitely renew once you're towards the end of the 2nd year.

 

This was the advice given to a friend of mine who is on his 2nd year of Ed visas, after 5 SETVs, so even more than you. He's currently in BKK he got questioned flying in on the 2nd Ed visa, but after a phonecall to his school they eventually let him in. A lady at his school recommended next time he go with an agency in a van. And at the airport one of the IOs even recommended he get a new passport, haha.

[NorthernRyland]

Did you return home for any amount of time between all those tourist visas? 4 tourist visas +1  visa exempt is honestly pretty excessive in todays climate.

[Tony125]

I hope you are aware that you can extend the tourist exempt entry and the SETV for an additional 30 days by going to immigration and paying 1900 baht. You also could get a reentry permit (single 1,000 baht-----multi 3800 baht) either at airport or immigration so that you could travel around to other countries without losing your visa time in Thailand.

[Foozool]

Many of long term tourist visa holders  teach English or other subjects without degree and work permit (for low paying jobs) since it is hard to earn even that in their home country. They use agents to get those jobs. 

Edited November 3, 2017 by Foozool

[alex8912]

46 minutes ago, natway09 said:

Whats a 23 year old doing wandering around anyway on extended holidays ? Not working?

If you are wealthy (& good on you if you are ) then you can get the elite card or the proper visa before 

leaving home., or is there some reason why you can't go home ?

All a bit fishy to me

And you are??

He explained why he does not want the elite visa already. 

Many people young and old take off more than a year and travel and perhaps do other legal things that are none of your nosy assed  business! 

[BritTim]

Replace your passport! The red stamp is too likely to cause grief.

 

If you are really planning to do a lot of travel outside Thailand, the Non Ed visa and extension is not a great idea. Some immigration officials will question how you can be a genuine student when out of the country so much. The Non Ed may be your best bet, though, if you want to be mainly in Thailand for a year or so. If you are traveling a lot, the best solution would be a multiple entry tourist visa (which you will need to get in Germany).

Edited November 3, 2017 by BritTim

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, genericptr said:

Did you return home for any amount of time between all those tourist visas? 4 tourist visas +1  visa exempt is honestly pretty excessive in todays climate.

seems IOs are targeting people like OP; (and those of us that havent had a stamp in/out in years and years and years (never figured out why they target us)); for him i would consider a different strategy;

if finances are little issue, then keep doing the visa exempt by air

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

seems IOs are targeting people like OP; (and those of us that havent had a stamp in/out in years and years and years (never figured out why they target us)); for him i would consider a different strategy;

if finances are little issue, then keep doing the visa exempt by air

huh, who are they targeting now? if all those are back to back then he's not been home in nearly a year which is a red flag I assume.

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, gandalf12 said:

We see all these issues because Thailand doesn't want working illegally and I have no problem with that but wouldn't it be better to clamp down on the companies that hire them? If no one will hire you to work illegally then it wouldn't matter how many tourist visas you have in your passport. I guess that is too much to ask though

I don't think that "illegal working" is really the "why" of all this, but I agree entirely with cracking down on those who hire them, and locking-up any caught doing it.  The deterrent-value of consistent "perp-walks" and published jail-time would be 100x more effective than attempting to "drag-net" the entire under-50-longer-stay visitor-population, plus some over-50 snowbirds.

 

2 hours ago, Foozool said:

Many of long term tourist visa holders  teach English or other subjects without degree and work permit (for low paying jobs) since it is hard to earn even that in their home country. They use agents to get those jobs. 

Easy to find them in concentrated-groups - Hint: "At Schools"  Not at "The Airport," mixed with thousands of others.  And at the airport, a simple "median-income" comparison with Thailand to the foreigner's home-country would answer question of "likelihood to work illegally." 

 

3 hours ago, natway09 said:

Whats a 23 year old doing wandering around anyway on extended holidays ? Not working?

If you are wealthy (& good on you if you are ) then you can get the elite card or the proper visa

He may have good income from offshore businesses.  "Enough money/income to live well in Thailand" is a fraction of the wealth needed to responsibly buy an Elite Visa.  And if not married to a Thai or working (i.e. taking a Thai-job with a B-visa), Tourist is his only remaining option to spend his time and money here.

3 hours ago, natway09 said:

or is there some reason why you can't go home ?

If he is like me (USA) - The bottom-line answer is, "Because it absolutely sucks, there."  Even Latin-America is better, in terms of "quality of life," if you have an international-based income - as more and more people do, these days.

 

Outstanding warrants (guessing your implication?) would preclude getting a new passport or going anywhere near any place that scans a passport (i.e. "border checkpoints"). 

 

I envy, but do not resent, those lucky enough to get here at such a young age.  I wish "The Internet" had existed sooner, so I could have done this.

[hawker9000]

11 hours ago, natway09 said:

Whats a 23 year old doing wandering around anyway on extended holidays ? Not working?

If you are wealthy (& good on you if you are ) then you can get the elite card or the proper visa before 

leaving home., or is there some reason why you can't go home ?

All a bit fishy to me

And if it seems fishy to you, then there's certainly at least a possibility that it's going to seem so to an IO as well.  I'd be curious to know over what timespan those existing entries were actually made.   The OP says he's 23, but I'm guessing the entries occurred over a fairly compressed period of time, and this could be yet another case of simple refusal to accept the fact that tourist visas are NOT an appropriate means for indefinite or semi-permanent stays.   I'm sure IOs know all the tricks & gimmicks (like getting a new passport)...    IF (I need to emphasize "IF" since I don't pretend to know the OP's actual intentions) someone is going to skirt the rules on this point, Thailand at least wants you to pay the piper and throw down for the elite card.

[hawker9000]

4 minutes ago, Mansinthe said:

Should have gotten a multi entry tourist visa in Germany with 3 x 60 days. And extend that each time by 30 days for 1900 baht.

 

Maybe go back for a while. Get a new passport and do the METV thing or a education visa.

 

Its not that difficult to save up money to spend 6 month or a Year for S.E. with a decent job in Germany. Beeing 23 or 30/40 doesn't make that much of a difference. 

It's that easy to get a 6mo or year-long leave of absence from a "decent job" in Germany, simply for personal travel?  German employers must be very accommodating.

Edited November 3, 2017 by hawker9000

[hawker9000]

7 minutes ago, Mansinthe said:

Im from Germany . Im 30 years old. I got 3.5 months leave of absence no problem at all. Its called sabatical and many companies in Switzerland/Germany/austria do that . 

 

I work as Teamleader in a big U.S based company and it was not much of a problem for them . One of my bosses even did that himself in his younger days. ? 

 

Took me not more than 6 months to save up the Money for the trip as well. 

The mention was of 6mo or a year!  Not 3 1/2 months. (And the OP could've done 3 months on a single tourist visa and a single entry, so I think it's fairly obvious we're talking longer than 3 1/2 months.)    

[jacko45k]

If you can afford to travel around like this without working, and wish to do so, I would have thought the elite visa would be the best option.

Alternative an ED visa, learn Thai, but actually go to school as you could be tested one day entering the country.

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, alex8912 said:

And you are??

He explained why he does not want the elite visa already. 

Many people young and old take off more than a year and travel and perhaps do other legal things that are none of your nosy assed  business! 

Perhaps playing devil's advocate, and being as nosey assed as immigration officials might be.

If he is travelling, the option would be less time in Thailand and more in other countries, but so far, we have 1 exempt and 4 tourist visas, a total of 9 months of stay possible, more with an extension or two.

 

Nothing is stopping him travelling to other countries whatsoever, simply he has got the attention of Thai immigration. Fortunate young man.

[hawker9000]

47 minutes ago, Mansinthe said:

Sabaticals are up to a year. I could have gotten 6 months or more if i wanted to. 

Just google it if you feel like someone would have a reason to make that up. 

 

Even without unpaid time off from work someone could just stop working for a period of time. I pay the montly fees for retirement benefits myself so i dont even lose money there later. 

 

 

 

Well, as I said, German employers must be exceptionally understanding.  Sabaticals certainly aren't unheard of in the states, but not for most working class.  One can certainly leave one's job to travel, but depending on how hard it was to get it in the first place (and we're talking about jobs lucrative enough to pay for extended holidays abroad...), that, in the states at least, and I suspect a lot of places, especially for someone only a couple of years into his employment (23), isn't going to be practical and very much the exception rather than the rule.  (Oh, and the unemployed time would certainly not be creditable for Social Security purposes.)

 

What you're describing might make a lot of sense to you, but a Thai IO is quite likely to consider it questionable...

 

Edited November 3, 2017 by hawker9000

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Just get a new passport. Fly to Cambodia and stay a month then apply for a Thailand visa at any travel agency. Problem solved. 

[scubascuba3]

Sabaticals are up to a year. I could have gotten 6 months or more if i wanted to. 
Just google it if you feel like someone would have a reason to make that up. 
 
Even without unpaid time off from work someone could just stop working for a period of time. I pay the montly fees for retirement benefits myself so i dont even lose money there later. 
 
 
 

Yes you can do that in UK too, probably most of Europe and Aus. Anyone can quit. Just the US where it's questionable, most have little holiday there. When I was a backpacker for a year, I think I only met 1 American travelling. He'd quit his job

[NorthernRyland]

46 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yes you can do that in UK too, probably most of Europe and Aus. Anyone can quit. Just the US where it's questionable, most have little holiday there. When I was a backpacker for a year, I think I only met 1 American travelling. He'd quit his job

I don't get this, who can afford to pay their employee to not work for 6 months? In the jobs I had if a person left for 6 months we'd be screwed and have to replace them within a week (then that guy would have be to fired and find a new job when the other guy came back).

[Media1]

Once again immigration doing there best to remove quality tourist and replacing them with Chinese time wasters.