Big Change in Penang

[Lovethailandelite]

News from our friend in Penang, Malaysia:

Jim Tachinamurthy

27 mins 

Being reported by a visa agent in Penang. Now requiring a flight ticket back to passport country before being issued a Tourist visa for Thailand.

Hello my bombastic clients and friends,for tourist visa it’s getting harder and harder everyday.please bring a flight ticket to ur own country and a hostel booking for at least 3 days and if u have more than 2 tourist stamps in ur passport or have been in thailand for long time please bring a bank statement in case they ask for it.for divers with work permit please bring ur diving licence please.thank u very big.

Edited March 5, 2018 by Lovethailandelite

[uncleeagle]

What if passport country is not country of residence?

[Lovethailandelite]

12 minutes ago, uncleeagle said:

What if passport country is not country of residence?

I would hazard a guess that that's neither here nor there. Like all these Embassy's and consulates, if you cannot meet there requirements, you simply don't get issued a visa.  

Edited March 5, 2018 by Lovethailandelite

[Get Real]

19 minutes ago, uncleeagle said:

What if passport country is not country of residence?

Don´t think they really care about that.

[SicTransit]

Must be the first embassy ever to implement a crazy requirement like this

 

Edit: this requirement seems highly impractical for any kind of tourist visa applicant as he would have to possess an open-jaw (flying in to Malaysia from home and flying back out of Thailand) or a one-way ticket, often same price as return.

[BritTim]

I have always considered ticket rental services to be a kind of fraud. However, they become very tempting when you need a ticket to home country in order to apply for a tourist visa. I wonder if Kuala Lumpur and Kota Bharu are going to implement similar conditions.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

I have always considered ticket rental services to be a kind of fraud. However, they become very tempting when you need a ticket to home country in order to apply for a tourist visa. I wonder if Kuala Lumpur and Kota Bharu are going to implement similar conditions.

I’m pretty sure you can’t choose the destination when using ‘rent a ticket’ services.

[overherebc]

9 hours ago, Get Real said:

Don´t think they really care about that.

Re what other countries embassy would require this?

To GetReal.

UK and USA embassies ?

[looking on the bright side]

An onward ticket has been a requirement for a while in Penang. I got a tourist visa in Penang a month ago. No proof of  funds required, but for someone who stays  longer  time in Thailand it is good to have a bankbook ready. The consulate staff may want to see it. I got my visa through the agency 'Banana' ,paid regular 190 ringgits for the service, and was charged additionally 1500 Bahts , because I come from a country whose passport holder must have a visa to enter Thailand. And  in the agency they only wanted bahts for additional charge. So I paid. In 'Jim's ' agency they say there is no additional charge for nationals from my country. Should have gone to 'Jim's' instead of 'Banana'.  Anyway  it was a nice stay in Penang , a great food place 

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, elviajero said:

I’m pretty sure you can’t choose the destination when using ‘rent a ticket’ services.

Your certainty is misplaced. Ticket rental services vary in this regard. The cheaper services do pick the destination for you, but there are other services that allow you to choose the destination. Also, some travel agents can provide this kind of service on request.

[pearciderman]

8 hours ago, SicTransit said:

Must be the first embassy ever to implement a crazy requirement like this

 

Edit: this requirement seems highly impractical for any kind of tourist visa applicant as he would have to possess an open-jaw (flying in to Malaysia from home and flying back out of Thailand) or a one-way ticket, often same price as return.

 

Unless of course you are Malaysian. 

[SABloke]

8 hours ago, SicTransit said:

Must be the first embassy ever to implement a crazy requirement like this

 

Edit: this requirement seems highly impractical for any kind of tourist visa applicant as he would have to possess an open-jaw (flying in to Malaysia from home and flying back out of Thailand) or a one-way ticket, often same price as return.

Not quite true, this caveat is the important part: "...if u have more than 2 tourist stamps in ur passport or have been in thailand for long time.."

 

So your normal tourist flying to Malaysia and wanting to visit Thailand shouldn't have a problem. I also suspect that the "2 tourist stamps" refers to having them in quick succession rather than one from 2009 and one from 2015.

 

This just seems to be another way (rightly or wrongly) people that they suspect are working in Thailand on tourist visas.

[Get Real]

4 hours ago, overherebc said:

Re what other countries embassy would require this?

To GetReal.

UK and USA embassies ?

I am not so well aware over their rules and regulations, but I would like to hear from you, how long time you can reside on tourist visas without risking refusal or questions regarding your stay?

[SicTransit]

Not quite true, this caveat is the important part: "...if u have more than 2 tourist stamps in ur passport or have been in thailand for long time.."

This caveat applies to the additional bank statement requirement, according to the original post.

[sanemax]

3 hours ago, Get Real said:

I am not so well aware over their rules and regulations, but I would like to hear from you, how long time you can reside on tourist visas without risking refusal or questions regarding your stay?

Depends on the person, rather than the length of time .

[SicTransit]

I am not so well aware over their rules and regulations, but I would like to hear from you, how long time you can reside on tourist visas without risking refusal or questions regarding your stay?

Most of these countries have concrete guidelines on how long can you stay and a stable set of requirements across the embassies instead of inventing them ad-hoc on a honorary consul’s whim.

[elviajero]

5 hours ago, BritTim said:

9 hours ago, elviajero said:

I’m pretty sure you can’t choose the destination when using ‘rent a ticket’ services.

Your certainty is misplaced. Ticket rental services vary in this regard. The cheaper services do pick the destination for you, but there are other services that allow you to choose the destination. Also, some travel agents can provide this kind of service on request.

I’m not certain, which is why I said “pretty sure”.

 

I seem to remember that you don’t have a choice with the ‘rent a ticket’ service, that often gets recommended on TVF (can’t remember the name).

 

Can you provide a link to one that gives a choice?

[BritTim]

20 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Can you provide a link to one that gives a choice?

One service (used mostly by Filipinos) is https://mrandmrshowe.com/lifestyle-blog/rent-a-flight-ticket. Personally, if I was thinking of doing something like this, I would talk to a clued up travel agent, and see if they would arrange it for me. They can easily arrange confirmed reservations with free cancellation within 48 hours, and should only charge a service fee.

[overherebc]

5 hours ago, Get Real said:

I am not so well aware over their rules and regulations, but I would like to hear from you, how long time you can reside on tourist visas without risking refusal or questions regarding your stay?

Generally for a Thai who gets a visa for UK is issued a 6 month multi entry visa. They do like to see proof of bookings for hotels etc and although not specifically asked for a round trip ticket. If the traveller overstays the visa for a few days there won't be any fine at the airport on the way out but the chances of getting another visa are in realms of no hope and bob hope. 

Not sure but it's 6 months in a year for length of stay, prepared to be corrected.

Edited March 6, 2018 by overherebc

[overherebc]

Sort of add on to last post.

I feel a slow but steady change is happening on the issue of tourist visas for Thailand.

In the not too distant future I reckon visa free entry and visa on arrival will both be phased out to be replaced by a visa issued in your own country prior to arrival in Thailand.

In truth that's what a lot of tourists get now and will soon be the norm.

A multi entry with 3 or 6 months validity for all but only issued in your own country.

[norrska]

OP, do you have the original weblink from this agency showing that requirement.

[scuba2day]

Never use agents.

However, as for the actual requirements the only thing new for this year is the requirement for confirmed ticket out of the country. Can be train, bus or airplane. I did confirmed this with the fellow at the embassy. It also certainly does not have to be to your home country. 

In my case, I didn't have any ticket but I do have a Malaysian MM2H visa and this was enough.

[Mattd]

49 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Generally for a Thai who gets a visa for UK is issued a 6 month multi entry visa. They do like to see proof of bookings for hotels etc and although not specifically asked for a round trip ticket. If the traveller overstays the visa for a few days there won't be any fine at the airport on the way out but the chances of getting another visa are in realms of no hope and bob hope. 

Not sure but it's 6 months in a year for length of stay, prepared to be corrected.

A UK visa application for a general visitor does not require a flight ticket, in fact they recommend that you do not purchase the ticket before the visa is approved, a lot of folks do in the hope it will strengthen the application.

Regarding the 6 months in 12 months, this is not really the case, as there is no specific rule, however applying for a back to back 6 months standard visa in such a short time would likely get refused.

Those with ME UK standard visas of longer duration, such as 2 years, could go to the UK for longer than the 6 months by doing two or more trips, again the likelihood of being refused entry goes up a lot if the IO suspects that the person is using the visa as a way of residing in the UK.

[stevenl]

50 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Sort of add on to last post.

I feel a slow but steady change is happening on the issue of tourist visas for Thailand.

In the not too distant future I reckon visa free entry and visa on arrival will both be phased out to be replaced by a visa issued in your own country prior to arrival in Thailand.

In truth that's what a lot of tourists get now and will soon be the norm.

A multi entry with 3 or 6 months validity for all but only issued in your own country.

"In the not too distant future I reckon visa free entry and visa on arrival will both be phased out to be replaced by a visa issued in your own country prior to arrival in Thailand."

 

Since by far most people enter visa exemkpt or visa on arrival, I think you're totally wrong here.

 

The changes made seem to be aimed at long term tourist visa users who are suspected of living and/or working in Thailand. The present rules interpretation seem to be aimed at getting those people a non-immigrant visa and/or workpermit.

[Lovethailandelite]

1 hour ago, norrska said:

OP, do you have the original weblink from this agency showing that requirement.

Jim works solely from a Facebook page I believe.

https://www.facebook.com/jim.tachinamurthy/posts/10155973135480491?comment_id=10155975960095491

[Lovethailandelite]

58 minutes ago, scuba2day said:

Never use agents.

However, as for the actual requirements the only thing new for this year is the requirement for confirmed ticket out of the country. Can be train, bus or airplane. I did confirmed this with the fellow at the embassy. It also certainly does not have to be to your home country. 

In my case, I didn't have any ticket but I do have a Malaysian MM2H visa and this was enough.

That's a big statement to make against Jim Tachinamurthy who's business is actually helping people to obtain visas, all types of visas, hundreds a month. I guess his new business plan is too send himself into ruin by making a statement to his many customers which simply isn't true. I wonder why he would do that? He simply has nothing to gain.
I guess I would tend to believe Jim over someone who 'confirmed this with the fellow at the embassy' before travelling to Penang.

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

Jim works solely from a Facebook page I believe.

https://www.facebook.com/jim.tachinamurthy/posts/10155973135480491?comment_id=10155975960095491

 

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, Mattd said:

A UK visa application for a general visitor does not require a flight ticket, in fact they recommend that you do not purchase the ticket before the visa is approved, a lot of folks do in the hope it will strengthen the application.

Regarding the 6 months in 12 months, this is not really the case, as there is no specific rule, however applying for a back to back 6 months standard visa in such a short time would likely get refused.

Those with ME UK standard visas of longer duration, such as 2 years, could go to the UK for longer than the 6 months by doing two or more trips, again the likelihood of being refused entry goes up a lot if the IO suspects that the person is using the visa as a way of residing in the UK.

I did say the ticket is not specifically asked for.

I should have added ' but may help'

Hope that keeps everyone happy. ???

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

"In the not too distant future I reckon visa free entry and visa on arrival will both be phased out to be replaced by a visa issued in your own country prior to arrival in Thailand."

 

Since by far most people enter visa exemkpt or visa on arrival, I think you're totally wrong here.

 

The changes made seem to be aimed at long term tourist visa users who are suspected of living and/or working in Thailand. The present rules interpretation seem to be aimed at getting those people a non-immigrant visa and/or workpermit.

I didn't say it was going to happen at any fixed time. I just feel it might.

Then those who are working on tourist visas will need to get the proper visa.

[Lovethailandelite]

14 minutes ago, oilinki said:

 

Working fine for me?