At the end of my rope.. I need help

[1happykamper]

No, I have the rope, it was merely a metaphor. OK.. I will try to keep the situation brief. But I THINK that a small problem is turning into a BIG problem. 

 

I have been living Thailand for the past 3 years staying here on OA visas. My current OA visa expires May 2018. I have left Thailand on 2 occasions since may 2018 and all was well.. multiples entry OA visa. My most recent ENTRY stamp is/was wrong it was stamped for a 30 day stay which expires December 9! I am leaving from Surat Thani via DMK next week to Japan... I went to my local immigration office .. I live in Khanom Nahko si Thamorat...today thinking I was being proactive a "good man". 

 

The officer not only refused to help me one iota but he also threatened me with a 6.000 baht fine because I had forgotten to update my address via a TM47. Now I have TWO problems. However I rent a house here and my landlord has, in the past, he has updated my address..is the really HIS responsibility or mine? I was refused any help at all and direct to go to BKK where "they made the mistake". 

 

QUESTION... do I really have to travel to BKK to fix this by law... or by law is any immigration supposed to be able to fix this mistake? I mean, after Dec 9th I am here illegally because my passport is stamped dec 9 leave by date and yet I have an OA visa that says leave by May 2017. Which of these takes precedence?? I am thinking of going to the immigration people at Surat Thani city to fix this.. am I allowed to do this if I live in NST.. my wife does have family in Surat and I suppose I stay there a few days a month too.. so that's also my house to.. ..

 

I spent 3 hours driving on partially flooded roads to fix this mistake.. they said it was my responsibility to check ..I'm thinking... I don't get paid to check your stamps.,, but YOUR men do!! BTW .. I always dress up for the occasion.. jeans and real shoes 55 and a nice clean shirt.. out of respect.. and I always smile and have a relaxed demeanor.. I got zero respect in return was treated like garbage ..I also had my thai wife with me.. who tried to help.. but to no avail.

 

TIA for any help offered.

[tonray]

5 minutes ago, 1happykamper said:

and yet I have an OA visa that says leave by May 2017.

 

Huh ?

[ubonjoe]

I have seen report of NST immigration being unfriendly and not being helpful.

I think you need to double check some of the dates your wrote in your post.

Since you are on a non-oa visa issued by an embassy Surat Thani immigration should be able to sort out the stamp for you.

[1happykamper]

 
Huh ?

Sorry.. May 2018

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[overherebc]

Does the stamp just say 

'until 9th Dember' and no other mention of OA?

Please excuse for asking, did you put the visa number on the TM6 card?

[BritTim]

The TM47 (90-day report) is your responsibility. You must report any time you are 90 consecutive days in Thailand, and you can be fined for not doing it. Separately, there is a TM30 (notification of foreigner staying at the property). Each office applies the rules on that differently. However, some offices insist that a TM30 notification be done each and every time you have left and then return. Some offices will make you responsible for the TM30, although the primary responsibility should probably rest with the property owner.

 

As @ubonjoe says, immigration are empowered to correct errors made by airport immigration. Check first that the O-A visa does have an Enter before date in May 2018, and you are not making the common mistake of assuming an older entry's Admitted until date covers you (even after the visa has expired) if you exit and re-enter Thailand without a re-entry permit.

[JackThompson]

If your local office(s) won't fix the mistake, and you are leaving within a week of Dec 9, you could apply for an extension, which will be denied, but you will get 7 additional days (Dec 16) to leave the country.  This costs 1900 Baht, but might be easier than a trip to Bangkok to fix the problem. 

 

It is even possible, that by asking for the 7-days extension, they won't be able to do it, because the existing stamp is, essentially, bs.  In that case, they will have to fix the incorrect stamp to get out of the box.

[1happykamper]

Does the stamp just say 
'until 9th Dember' and no other mention of OA?
Please excuse for asking, did you put the visa number on the TM6 card?

No I did not.. Well at least not the part I have in my possession.. I can not remember if there is a space for that number on the TM6 card for leaving Thailand..

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[1happykamper]

No I did not.. Well at least not the part I have in my possession.. I can not remember if there is a space for that number on the TM6 card for leaving Thailand..

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.. and no mention of my OA.

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[JackThompson]

1 minute ago, 1happykamper said:

No I did not.. Well at least not the part I have in my possession.. I can not remember if there is a space for that number on the TM6 card for leaving Thailand..

There is a space for the Visa Number on the "entry" portion of the TM-6, which helps the IO know to look for a visa to use for entry.  This should always be filled, unless entering Visa-Exempt. 

 

But even if you fill in the Visa Number, the IO may forget to change his stamp, or pick up the wrong one, so you really do have to check every time.

[lopburi3]

3 hours ago, 1happykamper said:

My current OA visa expires May 2018. I have left Thailand on 2 occasions since may 2018 and all was well.

This makes no sense to me at all as it is still 2017 in my universe. 

What is the issue/expiration date of your O-A visa?  (The dates on the actual visa - not when you entered Thailand)

What were the actual dates of your last two entries?

[overherebc]

9 minutes ago, 1happykamper said:

.. and no mention of my OA.

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Not sure where that leaves you mate. 

Last time I came through DM I had the visa number on the arrival part of the TM card, the bit they keep, when I checked the OI had stamped 30 instead of 90 days. When I pointed out that I should have had 90 he wrote Non O on the stamp and restamped the date.

I checked at my local Imm' office about the computer date and it was still on 30 days.

With the new stamp my next out in was no problem because the stamp had been changed at the airport.

I was told however that Bangkok Imm' are the only ones who can change computer entries.

Wish I could say what your best way forward is, sounds like it's a pain to go to BKK from where you are.

Possibly try your local Imm' again and kind of admit you're sorry you made a mistake etc etc!!!!!

Really wish I could give the answer that is 100%.

[1happykamper]

This makes no sense to me at all as it is still 2017 in my universe. 
What is the issue/expiration date of your O-A visa?  (The dates on the actual visa - not when you entered Thailand)
What were the actual dates of your last two entries?

My OA visa was issued May 23 2017.. Expires May 22 2018.

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[lopburi3]

9 minutes ago, 1happykamper said:

My OA visa was issued May 23 2017.. Expires May 22 2018.

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In that case perhaps just extend your current 30 day stay tomorrow and then be sure to enter your visa information when you return from trip and check before leaving counter.  As said it is normally easy to correct at Bangkok Immigration where a special counter is available but at other locations it can be a pain as believe agreement needs to be obtained from entry office so not easy.

 

[overherebc]

10 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

In that case perhaps just extend your current 30 day stay tomorrow and then be sure to enter your visa information when you return from trip and check before leaving counter.  As said it is normally easy to correct at Bangkok Immigration where a special counter is available but at other locations it can be a pain as believe agreement needs to be obtained from entry office so not easy.

 

Not stealing your thunder but I was thinking the OP could do that.

If he has a border crossing not too far away, go out, maybe stay one night and come back in with the visa number on the TM6.

For me I can't see a 'legal' problem with it.

[lopburi3]

You can extend 30 day stays now and even if they refuse he would be given 7 days to leave which would cover the time to flight out.

[overherebc]

12 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

In that case perhaps just extend your current 30 day stay tomorrow and then be sure to enter your visa information when you return from trip and check before leaving counter.  As said it is normally easy to correct at Bangkok Immigration where a special counter is available but at other locations it can be a pain as believe agreement needs to be obtained from entry office so not easy.

 

In my case, 30 instead of 90, I filled in a form in the local office with copies of the visa ( non O ) etc etc but on leaving the computer still had 30 days.

They accepted the stamp altered at the airport and disregarded the computer date.

Came back in and said very clearly '90 days' ( gowsip wan kap ) with the visa page open in the passport.

[overherebc]

10 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

You can extend 30 day stays now and even if they refuse he would be given 7 days to leave which would cover the time to flight out.

Cheaper than my idea as well.

??

[steve187]

you do need to report your address every 90 days that you are in Thailand, have you in fact stayed  90 days on any of your entries.

 

a tm30 also needs to be made by your landlord within 24 hours of your arrival, 

[overherebc]

26 minutes ago, steve187 said:

you do need to report your address every 90 days that you are in Thailand, have you in fact stayed  90 days on any of your entries.

 

a tm30 also needs to be made by your landlord within 24 hours of your arrival, 

How about giving the guy a chance to sort out his visa problem before throwing needless crap at him.

???

[steve187]

10 hours ago, overherebc said:

How about giving the guy a chance to sort out his visa problem before throwing needless crap at him.

???

so 90 days are needless.

 

the op's  3rd paragraph mentions a fine for not reporting, and he seems to be unsure of the procedure, forms etc. you carry on with your advice, i'll cover the other points raised

[1happykamper]

Not stealing your thunder but I was thinking the OP could do that.
If he has a border crossing not too far away, go out, maybe stay one night and come back in with the visa number on the TM6.
For me I can't see a 'legal' problem with it.

I'm off to Japan on the 17th.. So yes.. If the exit date is too difficult to fix.. Ask for a 30 day extension. Thus is the first and LAST time I will allow this yo happen to me. I will be more vigilant when arriving and getting stamped

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[overherebc]

20 minutes ago, steve187 said:

so 90 days are needless.

 

the op's  3rd paragraph mentions a fine for not reporting, and he seems to be unsure of the procedure, forms etc. you carry on with your advice, i'll cover the other points raised

Once he has his visa problem fixed he can then worry about 90 day reports.

[lopburi3]

OK that is good - be sure to enter the visa on the arrival card each time and check after stamp to make sure right stamp made.  Remember after May 18 any return will get previous permitted to stay stamp (so will have to be reset manually) and you must have a re-entry permit prior to travel (which is the information you put on arrival card).

 

The 90 day TM47 address report must be done by you (or someone acting with your signed permission) if you stay in Thailand longer that 90 days at any time.  It has nothing to do with landlord TM30 report of foreigner.  At most locations you have 3 options for this report - online using immigration web site; offline using registered mail or in person (either you or someone you send).

[MaeJoMTB]

I would do nothing and pretend not to have noticed their mistake.

Not your problem.

 

PS.

I always have a 90 day entry, so I write '90 days' in big letters on the entry form.

[lopburi3]

Just now, MaeJoMTB said:

I would do nothing and pretend not to have noticed their mistake.

Not your problem.

 

PS.

I always have a 90 day entry, so I write '90 days' in big letters on the entry form.

He is already on record as knowing and indeed it appears to have been his mistake by not indicating he had a visa on arrival card (at best he is not sure).  Overstay would be charged and his passport would have an overstay stamp.

[ubonjoe]

18 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

I would do nothing and pretend not to have noticed their mistake.

Not your problem.

It may of been their mistake but it your is responsibility to check it and have it corrected. That is how immigration considers it and people have been charged for an overstay because of it.

[Mattd]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

so 90 days are needless.

 

the op's  3rd paragraph mentions a fine for not reporting, and he seems to be unsure of the procedure, forms etc. you carry on with your advice, i'll cover the other points raised

Actually the OP has been out of Thailand at least twice, hence his current problem, so 90 day reports may not have been required in his case, now submitting a TM.30 is another issue!!

[MaeJoMTB]

57 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

He is already on record as knowing and indeed it appears to have been his mistake by not indicating he had a visa on arrival card (at best he is not sure).  Overstay would be charged and his passport would have an overstay stamp.

I don't agree,

You aren't on overstay if you entered with the correct VISA. The stamp is irrelevant.

[lopburi3]

1 minute ago, MaeJoMTB said:

I don't agree,

You aren't on overstay if you entered with the correct VISA. The stamp is irrelevant.

The stamp is what is relevant.  Visa ends at border (invitation letter) and does not allow any entry - it is up to immigration what conditions your entry will be.