Back Packer Visa

[superal]

Went to the border crossing Cambodia / Thailand at Chong Chom to meet a young back packer , friend of a friend and put him up for the night . The I.O refused him entry for a 30 day tourist visa because he had no details of address he would be staying at , however resolved when I gave the details but without my intervention I am not sure what would have happened .    My point is with back packers they often do not make arrangements for accommodation and it is very much selected ad lib and often at cheapest hostels . Same problem when he initially entered Cambodia from Laos but the I.O. told him to just write down a town and let him through .     So the scenario is back packers must have an initial address to stay when coming to Thailand .

[cornishcarlos]

So he didn't learn from the Cambodia border crossing ? 

Just make up something and he would have been through. 

 

Kids these days :)

[Timbob]

I was passing through immigration last week and a young man ahead of me was explaining to the IO that he didn't put an address because he hadn't booked a place yet. This happens a lot. You have to just make something up.

 

I rent an apartment but I don't know the exact address, so I just make it up too.

  

[Crossy]

Yup ^^^, the IOs don't like empty boxes, put something reasonable in and you're good to go.

[theoldgit]

As you seem to be talking about entry into Thailand I'll move this thread to the appropriate forum.

[JackThompson]

The hard part, in my experience, is fitting my address into that little box on the TM-6 form (which seems to be even smaller on the new forms).  As backup, I carry a business-card for my condo-complex.  On recent entries, the IO has asked me about the address.  I showed them the card, and they were relieved to be able to copy from that into their computer, instead of my hen-scratch on the form.

Tell any one you know coming in on any type of Visa or Exempt to print off an online-booking, bring a business-card of their condo, or similar to show. 

 

It's not so much about "proof of accommodation" (as it is when applying for a Tourist Visa), as it is about having something the IO can read, so they can input the address in their system.  For the past year or two, this seems to be something IOs have been told is a "must do" / high-importance step for all entrants.

[rak sa_ngop]

The Lonely Planet guide used to be good for picking a hotel name and address/telephone number.

 

Now that people don't travel with guidebooks I just can't think of how they can get round this problem.

[BritTim]

I do agree that expecting backpackers to know in advance where they will be staying is unrealistic. However, people commonly just making up addresses on the entry form provides some (limited) justification for the absurd TM30 notification system. In 2017, it should be possible to come up with a more rational system to keep track of visitors (should that really be considered necessary) than an address written on a form.

[sanemax]

3 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I do agree that expecting backpackers to know in advance where they will be staying is unrealistic. However, people commonly just making up addresses on the entry form provides some (limited) justification for the absurd TM30 notification system. In 2017, it should be possible to come up with a more rational system to keep track of visitors (should that really be considered necessary) than an address written on a form.

And considering that back packers do not stay in the same place for more than a few nights , a complete waste of time .

    I wonder whether this system has even been put to use , have the Immigration people ever used the address's provided in order to go and visit them ?

[BritTim]

6 minutes ago, sanemax said:

 I wonder whether this system has even been put to use , have the Immigration people ever used the address's provided in order to go and visit them ?

When a foreigner is suspected of carrying out a serious crime, I think eventually their entry card is located and the police make a visit to the address given (should it be a real identifiable location). Of course, should the suspect foreigner actually be present for the police visit, this is probably a good indication that they are innocent of the crime for which they are suspected.

[wgdanson]

49 minutes ago, rak sa_ngop said:

The Lonely Planet guide used to be good for picking a hotel name and address/telephone number.

 

Now that people don't travel with guidebooks I just can't think of how they can get round this problem.

hotels.com, trivago, booking.com, tripadviser, etc etc.

[ChouDoufu]

the last three times entering at land border crossing

by bicycle, simple wrote "guesthouse" on the form.

[Timbob]

47 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

hotels.com, trivago, booking.com, tripadviser, etc etc.

Not much use without an internet connection. The irony being that most backpackers won't get online until they reach a hotel / guesthouse.

[JackThompson]

13 minutes ago, Timbob said:

Not much use without an internet connection. The irony being that most backpackers won't get online until they reach a hotel / guesthouse.

But sims are like $3 now? Usually on-sale as soon as you cross a checkpoint.  I'd think the "FB" generation would be ancy for a connection - to see the pic of what so-and-so ate for lunch today, what some cat did, etc. 

 

I'd expect they would have a working-sim from where-ever they were just leaving.

[Timbob]

13 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

But sims are like $3 now? Usually on-sale as soon as you cross a checkpoint.  I'd think the "FB" generation would be ancy for a connection - to see the pic of what so-and-so ate for lunch today, what some cat did, etc. 

 

I'd expect they would have a working-sim from where-ever they were just leaving.

I could be wrong, but all the SIM cards sellers I've seen at Suvarnabhumi are only accessible AFTER immigration. Plus, you won't get much for $3!

[Mattd]

32 minutes ago, Timbob said:

Not much use without an internet connection. The irony being that most backpackers won't get online until they reach a hotel / guesthouse.

A bit of pre-planning perhaps!

[JackThompson]

2 minutes ago, Timbob said:

I could be wrong, but all the SIM cards sellers I've seen at Suvarnabhumi are only accessible AFTER immigration.

Yes - good point - I was thinking of land-borders.  No "free wifi" in Thai airports, I assume?  So, yes, they'd need to screenshot their guesthouse-page before leaving.

[Timbob]

Just now, Mattd said:

A bit of pre-planning perhaps!

No doubt. Then again, I always plan to bring a pen on board, but nearly always forget and end up borrowing from someone else :).

 

I suspect most people don't think they need to fill in an address. 

[Timbob]

Just now, JackThompson said:

Yes - good point - I was thinking of land-borders.  No "free wifi" in Thai airports, I assume?  So, yes, they'd need to screenshot their guesthouse-page before leaving.

There's free wifi at Suvarnabhumi, but it's still a bit of hassle.  

[Mattd]

Just now, Timbob said:

I suspect most people don't think they need to fill in an address. 

Possibly, though there are not many immigration arrival forms, where still used, that do not ask for an address.

I admit to being a little old fashioned and try to find out as much info as I can before travelling to somewhere, especially if never been before.

[Timbob]

6 minutes ago, Mattd said:

Possibly, though there are not many immigration arrival forms, where still used, that do not ask for an address.

I admit to being a little old fashioned and try to find out as much info as I can before travelling to somewhere, especially if never been before.

I don't recall having to enter an address when I entered Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong earlier this year. Maybe for Hong Kong I did, but I can't remember. Again, I could be wrong.

 

Not everyone is a diligent and well prepared as you. I was in a long queue getting through immigration last week and one reason it took ages was because a number of people had not filled in the form properly. I know for sure that the two people in front of me didn't put an address and suspect quite a few previous to them (I was well out of earshot) didn't either. The IO was a right moody sod though, so it could have been anything.

[Mattd]

5 minutes ago, Timbob said:

I don't recall having to enter an address when I entered Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong

Singapore and Hong Kong do require, Malaysia no longer issues immigration arrival cards.