Stranded in HCMC - they voided the SETV they gave me

[ClaySmc]

Hi,

 

I came to HCMC because I read it was an easy process to get a SETV. When I got into the consulate office, they were giving the fellow in front of me a hard time, asking for a receipt for his hotel, as he had only a booking confirmation.... When it was my turn they questioned the Business visas I had from 2014 and 2015. I mentioned I had applied with a letter from my employer stating I was researching retirement and business opportunities. But after 2015, that visa was not an option and I started to apply for METVs at the LA consulate. Then they asked for a printout of my bank statement and did not want to see the 20k in baht. So I went back to my hotel to be able to get a print out of my bank statement and went back. They accepted the packet and said to come back the next day.

 

I just came back, and they handed me my visa with a SETV dated to June 11, but it has a VOID stamp in the middle. I had to go back in line and ask them about that. They didn't seem to know, except to say that I needed to submit more detail on my travels and would have to apply with a new packet again.

 

I don't have copies of my condo lease or other items I submitted in HCMC. What are my options now? My flight back to Bangkok is Thursday evening. And I just signed an extension to my lease for the condo I am renting for the next six months. I have a ticket back to LA on June 9 to apply for another visa from the Thai Consulate in LA. Between now and June I have one ticket to Chiang Mai for six days at end of April, and then my ticket to LA in June.

 

Are there things I can do to get me to June? I'm not sure of my options to get back to Bangkok.

And what should I do once back in LA, as the Tourist visa route may not work anymore???

 

Thanks for any guidance.

 

Just some added info. The last time I applied for a SETV was last year in Hanoi. When my last METV was set to expire, I had gone to Laos to cross the border and get another 30 days, then paid for a 30-day extension at immigration in Bangkok. Which brought be to today and applying for an SETV here in HCMC. If this had been successful, I was going to get another 30-day extension to take me to June.

---also I've never had problems before this. 

 

Thx.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2018 by ClaySmc

[Essecola]

Looks like Ho Chi Minh might be joining Penang as a place to cross off the list. This isn't the first account from someone who submitted the documents they wanted then got a void visa. I got a visa from them last month and they didnt ask me for receipts for my hotel bookings. Just the bookings alone were fine. Something seems fishy. Maybe u can go over to Cambodia and do a land border entry which can be extended 30 days. Just don't do it at Poipet. All the best.

[BritTim]

If you want to easily solve the problem,

• ensure, in addition to financial proof, you have a confirmed flight out of Thailand within 60 days; and
• book hotels (with free cancellation) through Expedia or similar for about two weeks starting on the day of arrival in Thailand.

It seems Ho Chi Minh City (and probably Hanoi) have been told to tighten up on tourist visas, but the reaction of the consulate staff you had contact with does not suggest a major crackdown. I think it was your long history combined with incomplete supporting documents that led to the problem.

 

Good luck!

[ClaySmc]

Hi, 

 

BritTim, I had the 20k in baht (which they were not interested in) and then returned with a print-out of my US bank statement. Should I book for hotels and not show them the six month lease to the condo I rent -- though they have a copy with the first application??? I had given them my itinerary out of Bangkok on June 9. I need a way to stay here until then at least.

Thx.

Edited March 13, 2018 by ClaySmc
added question

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, ClaySmc said:

Are there things I can do to get me to June? I'm not sure of my options to get back to Bangkok.

You can get a 30 day visa exempt entry that can be extended for 30 days.

If you do not have 3 or 4 tourist visas visas from the embassy in Vientiane you will  not have a problem getting one there.

Another option is to a border run for another 30 day visa exempt entry that would allow you to stay until June.

Edited March 13, 2018 by ubonjoe
fixed typo

[ClaySmc]

Do I need to have a plane out within 60 days and would I be able to come back for my flight June 9?

[ClaySmc]

Ubonjoe,

 

Thanks so much.

 

Just to clarify things. Does that mean take the flight back to Bangkok Thursday for 30 days, then extend for 30 days, and then go to Laos for visa exempt or SETV. If SETV is better I'd rather go that route. And that would allow me to leave Bangkok on June 9?

 

Thanks.

 

I think I understand after re-reading your post. Go back to BKK and get a 30 day stamp, extend that, then go to Laos either for 30 exempt stamp or SETV from Laos.

 

And that scenario would allow me to be back and then leave on June 9. Great!!

 

Thanks  so much.... maybe now I can take a deep breathe and relax for a minute... 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2018 by ClaySmc

[Essecola]

Vietnam airlines has flights from Ho Chi Minh to Vientiane. If u have no red stamps then you could get a visa from there as ubonjoe said, maybe. Or if some problem comes up then enter by land at Nong Khai and get 30 days. :) 

[Gumballl]

The OP is applying for a tourist visa, and yet is admitting to living in Thailand. I can only imagine that had he been granted the SETV, that the Immigration Officials may have denied him entry into Thailand.

My 2 satang of advice... when applying and using a Tourist Visa, act/pretend you are a tourist. Don't mention that you have an apartment/condo lease, that you own any property (i.e. cars, motorcycles, etc.) This would imply that you are living in Thailand, and possibly even working... as opposed to just visiting the kingdom.

[sanemax]

58 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

 

If you do not have 3 or 4 tourist visas visas from the embassy in Vientiane you will  not have a problem getting one there.

Was the "not" a mistaken word ?

I am not being pedantic , its that I have four tourist visas from Ventianne and I though that I would be taking a risk applying for another one from there

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Was the "not" a mistaken word ?

Fixed missing not.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, ClaySmc said:

BritTim, I had the 20k in baht (which they were not interested in) and then returned with a print-out of my US bank statement

That is normal. They want something on paper for their records.

 

1 hour ago, ClaySmc said:

Should I book for hotels and not show them the six month lease to the condo I rent -- though they have a copy with the first application???

That would be my approach unless you can persuade them to temporarily return the copy you gave them so you can make another copy.

[BritTim]

31 minutes ago, Gumballl said:

The OP is applying for a tourist visa, and yet is admitting to living in Thailand. I can only imagine that had he been granted the SETV, that the Immigration Officials may have denied him entry into Thailand.

I cannot prove you wrong, and questioning at the airport certainly would be possible, but it is quite unlikely that he would be denied entry. He does not appear to qualify for denial under any of the reasons in Section 12 of the Immigration Act.

[ClaySmc]

I never had a problem before, even when going to immigration and getting a 30 day extension last month. 

Another thing they were really going page for page through my passport and application, and had been doing the same thing to the gentleman before me.

Edited March 13, 2018 by ClaySmc
new question

[ClaySmc]

If I get a hotel booking, now that they have a copy of the lease, would that be problem for HCMC or even Vientiane???

 

To clarify -- Lease is rental agreement not ownership.

Edited March 13, 2018 by ClaySmc

[darrendsd]

Did you supply them with a flight ticket out of Thailand within 60 days?

[my friend I]

The 20,000 THB is for show at a border.

 

You must follow these guidelines exactly.

 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/services/7442/80804-For-Non-Vietnamese-passport-holder-|-Dành-cho-ngườ.html

[ClaySmc]

No, I was going to go to immigration to extend the visa for 30 days.  I only showed them my ticket into Bangkok on Thursday and ticket to Los Angeles on June 9. I also had 20K in baht, a copy of my rental lease, and the application, photo, etc.

I had to go back to print out a bank statement. After that they took the packet and said to come back (today). But today in looking at the visa, it had a blue VOID stamp in the middle.

[ClaySmc]

47 minutes ago, my friend I said:

The 20,000 THB is for show at a border.

 

You must follow these guidelines exactly.

 

http://www.thaiembassy.org/hochiminh/en/services/7442/80804-For-Non-Vietnamese-passport-holder-|-Dành-cho-ngườ.html

I think the big item missing was the hotel confirmation, I gather that giving them a copy of a rental lease for a condo was a mistake.

[ClaySmc]

I want to thank everyone for the advice given. I was pretty lost in all this. Unless anyone thinks I should be aware of something else,  though I might give it another go tomorrow, I might end up going back to Bangkok for the 30 day stamp on my planned flight Thursday, and then at the end of this month go to Vientiane and try for a SETV there...but this time not show a condo rental agreement. Maybe just a hotel booking. Again thank you so very much!!!

 

 

[darrendsd]

8 minutes ago, ClaySmc said:

No, I was going to go to immigration to extend the visa for 30 days.  I only showed them my ticket into Bangkok on Thursday and ticket to Los Angeles on June 9. I also had 20K in baht, a copy of my rental lease, and the application, photo, etc.

I had to go back to print out a bank statement. After that they took the packet and said to come back (today). But today in looking at the visa, it had a blue VOID stamp in the middle.

Tourist Visas are for 60 days, yes you can extend however this is always the decision of the Immigration Officer and is never guaranteed (but very seldom refused

 

Some Embassy's are fine with a ticket out within 60days, some 90, HCMC could be one of the 60 day ones

 

On their website it states

 

6. PERIOD OF STAY 

Upon arrival, travellers with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 60 days.

 

 

[darrendsd]

3 minutes ago, ClaySmc said:

I want to thank everyone for the advice given. I was pretty lost in all this. Unless anyone thinks I should be aware of something else,  though I might give it another go tomorrow, I might end up going back to Bangkok for the 30 day stamp on my planned flight Thursday, and then at the end of this month go to Vientiane and try for a SETV there...but this time not show a condo rental agreement. Maybe just a hotel booking. Again thank you so very much!!!

 

 

You don't need to show a hotel booking at Vientiane

 

Also you can extend your 30 days stamp by another 30 at any Thai Immigration Office, cost 1900 Baht

[ClaySmc]

29 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

You don't need to show a hotel booking at Vientiane

 

Also you can extend your 30 days stamp by another 30 at any Thai Immigration Office, cost 1900 Baht

Thanks, that helps.

[scubascuba3]

That is normal. They want something on paper for their records.

That's not normal is it to ask for a bank statement? When applying for a single entry tourist visa i don't think that's one of the requirements. Plus the 20k thing thats at the border

[BritTim]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

That is normal. They want something on paper for their records.

That's not normal is it to ask for a bank statement? When applying for a single entry tourist visa i don't think that's one of the requirements. Plus the 20k thing thats at the border

 

At many consulates, especially if you have spent significant time in Thailand, they ask for financial proof. Unlike at immigration on entry, this is not in the form of cash. It must be a bank statement or some other printed document.

[scubascuba3]

At many consulates, especially if you have spent significant time in Thailand, they ask for financial proof. Unlike at immigration on entry, this is not in the form of cash. It must be a bank statement or some other printed document.

Would they ask for financial proof when going for an extension? Say at Jomtien. They haven't asked me before but things change

[ClaySmc]

6 minutes ago, BritTim said:

At many consulates, especially if you have spent significant time in Thailand, they ask for financial proof. Unlike at immigration on entry, this is not in the form of cash. It must be a bank statement or some other printed document.

That's what they said when I asked,  they wanted something on paper.

[midas]

5 hours ago, Essecola said:

Vietnam airlines has flights from Ho Chi Minh to Vientiane. If u have no red stamps then you could get a visa from there as ubonjoe said, maybe. Or if some problem comes up then enter by land at Nong Khai and get 30 days. :) 

But just bear in mind they have a monopoly on that route and it's regarded as a legacy airline (not low cost) and whereas it easy to fly around to most neighbouring countries for 1000 to 2000 baht , you are likely to pay more than 5000 baht on this route.

[ClaySmc]

7 minutes ago, midas said:

But just bear in mind they have a monopoly on that route and it's regarded as a legacy airline (not low cost) and whereas it easy to fly around to most neighbouring countries for 1000 to 2000 baht , you are likely to pay more than 5000 baht on this route.

Would it work for me to get to Bangkok on my Thursday flight from HCMC and take a flight out of Don Muang at the end of this month to Vientaine?

[darrendsd]

6 minutes ago, ClaySmc said:

Would it work for me to get to Bangkok on my Thursday flight from HCMC and take a flight out of Don Muang at the end of this month to Vientaine?

I have already explained to you that you can get 30 days extension on your 30 days that you will get when you fly in so why on earth would you want to fly to Vientiane at the end of the month to get a Tourist Visa?