The perpetually annoying "onward flight" requirement for visa runs.

[asdfrules]

Looking into HCMC Vietnam for my visa run next week.
But apparently they require an onward ticket. 
? I don't want to plan where I'll go 3 months ahead of time. ?

 

 

So a couple questions:

1. What can I do?  How to circumvent the onward flight requirement?
2. Which visa run spots don't require an onward ticket?

 

 

[JackThompson]

Vientiane does not - but will usually red-stamp you on visa #3 or #4 from them - so you have to get a new passport to continue.

 

A throwaway ticket from an outfit like Air Asia would cost about 1000 Baht - look for specials.  This is the 100% legal way to solve the problem.  Some consulates also allow for a train or bus-ticket leaving the country (Savanahket) - not sure about HCMC.

 

When I was using Tourist Visas frequently, and was going to a consulate that required a ticket, I just planned my next trip 3 months ahead, and bought an air ticket to that location.

 

In some places, agents arrange an outgoing ticket for a fee.  The reported low-cost of the fee would indicate they are using a service which provides a "self-destructing" ticket - easily found with a search-engine.  You are on your own to find such options - and at "your own risk" if you use one.  Bear in mind, it would not be hard to "look up" a booking to verify it is valid/genuine while processing your application.

[Nick ZepTepi]

According to HCMC website they accept any ticket out. I found a cheap bus ticket from Bangkok to siem reap Cambodia for about $15 so it's a legit ticket.
It was hard to find airline tickets for less.

Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect.

[asdfrules]

Thank you both.  Maybe I'll plan ahead 3 months.  But...
 

3 hours ago, Nick ZepTepi said:

According to HCMC website they accept any ticket out. I found a cheap bus ticket from Bangkok to siem reap Cambodia for about $15 so it's a legit ticket.

Really?  On the Thai Consulate website for HCMC all I can find is "ticket showing a transit in Thailand".  It doesn't specify air or otherwise.  When did you apply in HCMC, and did they ask to see a ticket?

[Nick ZepTepi]

A couple of months ago, but I planned ahead and got a 89 day flight ready for the next one.

But transit could mean any method of exit from Thailand. They do ask for everything on the list, email them and check about a bus ticket. They were quite quick to respond about allowing a 89 day flight on a 60 day visa.


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[Nick ZepTepi]

Thank you both.  Maybe I'll plan ahead 3 months.  But...
 
Really?  On the Thai Consulate website for HCMC all I can find is "ticket showing a transit in Thailand".  It doesn't specify air or otherwise.  When did you apply in HCMC, and did they ask to see a ticket?

If you know you're gonna get another SETV then planning that trip isn't such a bad thing.

Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect.

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, asdfrules said:

Thank you both.  Maybe I'll plan ahead 3 months.  But...
 

Really?  On the Thai Consulate website for HCMC all I can find is "ticket showing a transit in Thailand".  It doesn't specify air or otherwise.  When did you apply in HCMC, and did they ask to see a ticket?

HCMC, when I went there, wanted to see an air ticket leaving the country. I actually asked if a fly-ride ticket to Mukdahan, and an itinerary indicating my intention to cross the Friendship Bridge to Savannakhet would be accepted. They said no, but offered me the alternative of showing financial proof when they said they would waive the outward flight requirement. This was over a year ago now, so the rules there might have changed.

[Nick ZepTepi]

Although I'm not sure, is it because you did not have a ticket out of Thailand only a intention.
The bus to Cambodia is evidence of a entire booking to leave the country.

It will be interesting to find out. But thanks for the heads up on the financial, they did check that when I went 2-3 months ago. I could show significantly more than the 20kbaht in a UK bank which might grease that ticket out wheel.

The very positive thing about HCMC is they replied to my email inquirery within a couple of days.

Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect.

[Ulic]

You can always book an expensive fully refundable

ticket. Cancel it after printing it out. Also some airlines

allow you to cancel with no penalty within 24 hours of

booking.

[roundtheworld]

You need to show proof of onward travel within the 60 day visa period. 

[Jonmarleesco]

I assume a non-O?

 

Given in all the years I've used HCMC, I've never experienced the problem, they presumably view your return ticket to LoS as an onward one. 

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, roundtheworld said:

You need to show proof of onward travel within the 60 day visa period. 

I was curious about this. So the ticket MUST be within the 60 days of the visa? What if you plan to get another tourist visa after that? I'm just about to get TV from Phnom Pen but I was planning one more before I leave in the summer.

[NorthernRyland]

17 hours ago, Nick ZepTepi said:

According to HCMC website they accept any ticket out. I found a cheap bus ticket from Bangkok to siem reap Cambodia for about $15 so it's a legit ticket.
It was hard to find airline tickets for less.

Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect.
 

How did you do that? I just bought a round trip ticket to Phnom Pen from Chiang Mai (Bangkok Air) for an absurd $360!!

[thecyclist]

Buy any promotional flight out of Thailand directly online with your debit/credit card, shouldn't be much more than 1000 Baht, of which the airport tax of 700 Baht is refundable, although it takes a few months for the airlines to credit your account with it.So the whole thing is gonna be only around 300 Baht.

[NorthernRyland]

17 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Vientiane does not - but will usually red-stamp you on visa #3 or #4 from them - so you have to get a new passport to continue.

I'm struggling to understand the visa policies at this point. Do they even care if you travel home in between those visas or is this like a life time limit per citizen, but you can fool them because they're too stupid to keep records apparently when you buy a new passport?

[Nick ZepTepi]

I was curious about this. So the ticket MUST be within the 60 days of the visa? What if you plan to get another tourist visa after that? I'm just about to get TV from Phnom Pen but I was planning one more before I leave in the summer.

It depends on the Embassy this was the reply from ho chi Minh, when I asked.
I booked a flight out at 89 days from arrival.

Dear Sir,


Yes you can book a ticket to leave Thailand after 3 months. Because for the SETV, you can stay in Thailand 2 months and can extension one more months in Thailand.


Best Regards,

VISA SECTION.



Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect.

[Nick ZepTepi]

How did you do that? I just bought a round trip ticket to Phnom Pen from Chiang Mai (Bangkok Air) for an absurd $360!!

From the HCMC website

Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
Visa application form completely filled out
Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph (s) of the applicant
Evidence of travel (air/bus ticket to and from Thailand)

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/services/33685-Tourist-Visa.html

Bus ticket out is OK. But it must be a full trip out not to a border town.

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[NorthernRyland]

1 minute ago, Nick ZepTepi said:

From the HCMC website

Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
Visa application form completely filled out
Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph (s) of the applicant
Evidence of travel (air/bus ticket to and from Thailand)

They just say evidence of travel which is why I asked. I could understand it being within 3 months if they explicitly said you can't get more than 1 tourist visa in any given time period but that's not their policy. They seem to have it setup that after 1 TV you're in some gray area where you're maybe a criminal, maybe not but we're not gonna say just to keep you on the edge of your seat and sweating.

 

[Nick ZepTepi]

They just say evidence of travel which is why I asked. I could understand it being within 3 months if they explicitly said you can't get more than 1 tourist visa in any given time period but that's not their policy. They seem to have it setup that after 1 TV you're in some gray area where you're maybe a criminal, maybe not but we're not gonna say just to keep you on the edge of your seat and sweating.
 

And they give examples of travel.
It is common practice that an individual can back 2 back tourist visas, the number of Embassy's in easy reach means you could go a whole year without visiting the same embassy twice.

The problem arises when the IO counts the total time you have spent in the country without a break of more than a few months.

They suspect people of working especially if your less than 40-45, above that you have to be able to convince them you've retired with sufficient funds and waiting until your 50.

As stated Vientiane will issue 4 SETV before red stamping you - that's 1 year, then 3 or more months break traveling elsewhere would be a good plan




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[asdfrules]

26 minutes ago, Nick ZepTepi said:

From the HCMC website

Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
Visa application form completely filled out
Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph (s) of the applicant
Evidence of travel (air/bus ticket to and from Thailand)

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/services/33685-Tourist-Visa.html

Bus ticket out is OK. But it must be a full trip out not to a border town.

Nice thanks for the link.

Do you happen to remember where you got your $15 bus ticket to Siem Reap ?

[Nick ZepTepi]

It was a travel, backpacker type shop with its own website beaded in bangkok, Google and follow a few links

Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect.

[NorthernRyland]

10 minutes ago, Nick ZepTepi said:

As stated Vientiane will issue 4 SETV before red stamping you - that's 1 year, then 3 or more months break traveling elsewhere would be a good plan

yes this is what I understood also but the time period is unspecified so I'm really pushing my luck. I was back in the US just 1.5 months last summer where I got a TV and so I need to get 2 more before going back next summer. Since they stopped doing the 3 entry TV's and I don't have the 7k for the METV I think I need to go back home  and get a new plan.

 

I'll wait for some replies before starting a new thread but I really need to confirm about that date of the exit ticket because there's apparently no official policy. Buying my ticket 3 months from now is going to be a good $300 more expensive then if I buy in the summer like I usually do, even if I just change the date after getting the visa.

[roundtheworld]

My friend tried to use a flight booked for after the 60 day tourist visa period expires. The manager at the Thai consulate in Yangon explained that the tourist visa is for 60 days, not 90. He said the 30 day extension is for those who have a particular reason to extend their stay in Thailand, not for those who want a 90 day tourist visa. He said a tourist can’t say to the consulate he is applying for a 60 day tourist visa but intends to apply for a 30 day extension so will in reality be staying 90 days. The applicant was told to book an onward flight for within the 60 day visa period and had to hand in the print out of this new booking before a tourist visa could be issued. 

[Nick ZepTepi]

yes this is what I understood also but the time period is unspecified so I'm really pushing my luck. I was back in the US just 1.5 months last summer where I got a TV and so I need to get 2 more before going back next summer. Since they stopped doing the 3 entry TV's and I don't have the 7k for the METV I think I need to go back home  and get a new plan.
 
I'll wait for some replies before starting a new thread but I really need to confirm about that date of the exit ticket because there's apparently no official policy. Buying my ticket 3 months from now is going to be a good $300 more expensive then if I buy in the summer like I usually do, even if I just change the date after getting the visa.

You should be ok to do 3 SETV in a row this time, 2 is pretty much certain.
What was your length of stay prior to that?

Some one said a SETV is issued by a higher level of government than a immigration officer. So it's harder to deny entry of you have one but you still maybe given a friendly warning.




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[Sapporillo]

Usually this comes up faster in these discussions, but there are two services that "rent" air tickets for exactly this purpose, meaning that you will have everything you need (flight number, booking number in your name for the desired date) for 10$. I've never used it, but other TV members reported that it's reliable. I only remember one of them: 

 

https://flyonward.com/en/

[Nick ZepTepi]

My friend tried to use a flight booked for after the 60 day tourist visa period expires. The manager at the Thai consulate in Yangon explained that the tourist visa is for 60 days, not 90. He said the 30 day extension is for those who have a particular reason to extend their stay in Thailand, not for those who want a 90 day tourist visa. He said a tourist can’t say to the consulate he is applying for a 60 day tourist visa but intends to apply for a 30 day extension so will in reality be staying 90 days. The applicant was told to book an onward flight for within the 60 day visa period and had to hand in the print out of this new booking before a tourist visa could be issued. 

It depends on the Embassy - I got email confirmation from HCMC that they were ok with more than 60 days.
And the op is asking about applying at HCMC.


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[Just Weird]

"Looking into HCMC Vietnam for my visa run next week.
But apparently they require an onward ticket. 
? I don't want to plan where I'll go 3 months ahead of time. ?

So a couple questions:

What can I do?  How to circumvent the onward flight requirement?"

 

And then some people wonder why consulates tighten-up the regulations.  Why not follow the rules that everyone else has to?

[Nick ZepTepi]

"Looking into HCMC Vietnam for my visa run next week.
But apparently they require an onward ticket. 
[emoji34] I don't want to plan where I'll go 3 months ahead of time. [emoji34]
So a couple questions:
What can I do?  How to circumvent the onward flight requirement?"
 
And then some people wonder why consulates tighten-up the regulations.  Why not follow the rules that everyone else has to?

And consistent application of the regulations across all Embassy's would help people follow the rules.

Sent from my mobile, please forgive the autocorrect.

[Mac98]

3 hours ago, roundtheworld said:

You need to show proof of onward travel within the 60 day visa period. 

I never have needed that in 20 years and 30 arrivals. I always have a return flight out in 59 days for visa exemption on arrival, and 89 days on Tourist Visa. Questioned when flight out is later than that and said I'm planning a visa run by bus. Always let in. Lucky?

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Nick ZepTepi said:

You should be ok to do 3 SETV in a row this time, 2 is pretty much certain.
What was your length of stay prior to that?

Last year same pattern: 1 from USA, 1 from Vientiane and 1 from Phnom Pen for a total of 10 months (one visa exempt entry also). My feeling is I can maybe get away with this again this year (just barely with a warning) but I don't think I should come back to Thailand next year unless I'm prepared to get denied. This is basically what I've been doing for 10 years now but I got 3 entries in the past so I avoided all these single entries and embassies.