I am a US citizen. I just recently went to Penang to get a tourist visa. I was surprised by a few things. I knew about them wanting you to prove you had enough money and show your tickets entering the country and leaving the country but there were some new requests. First was they were wanting to prove at least half of our stay in Thailand. The next was the officer in Penang was giving us a hard time because our departure tickets in 2 months were going to China. He said you must have tickets returning to the USA. First of all who in the world does this guy think he is to tell me where I can go when I leave Thailand. As long as I leave the country when my tourist visa is up what business is of theirs to tell me where I can go? It seems like every few months there is some new insane requirement they are coming up with here. Fortunately as I told him I had no idea about this and that I needed to go to China he didn't push much further but I am wondering if this is going to be a thing that in order to get tourist visa's they are going to require you to prove you have return tickets to your home country. Absolutely insane!

26 minutes ago, vinegarbase said:

First of all who in the world does this guy think he

 

He is the guy that decides if you get your visa. Endex. Shape up or ship out.

5 minutes ago, NetJunkie said:

 

He is the guy that decides if you get your visa. Endex. Shape up or ship out.

I am shipping out! I'm on a tourist visa the whole point of being on a tourist visa it to visit and leave. So who really needs to shape up here?

Penang has become a bad place to apply for a tourist visa (and probably other kinds of visas). There was a post on here recently warning about the "return ticket to home country" new rule. Fortunately, it seems they will occasionally waive that particular requirement. There are a few places close to Thailand known to be bad for tourist visa applications (notably Singapore, and now Penang). People should generally choose places like Vientiane, Savannakhet, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hong Kong and Yangon for their applications. 

4 minutes ago, BritTim said:

 People should generally choose places like Vientiane, Savannakhet, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hong Kong and Yangon for their applications. 

Add Bali to the list, that's light.

 

Begin with Phnom Pehn, all the others in between, finish off with Vientiane.

 

Cleanse, repeat ?

 

 

I remember my first tourist visa there in 2006 - 3 entries, no questions asked. It was a pleasure to go there. An agent did it all for a small fee and all I had to do was relax and enjoy the holiday.

Regarding the requirement of flight back to US....This is pretty standard as explained to me at the Thai embassy in Greece several years ago. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Yeah, the Immigration Officer is following the rules.  If I couldn't accept these rules, I'd have to travel somewhere else.

As ststed by Tim, it´s better to make another choice than Penang to get your tourist visa. On the other hand, the problem is niether Penang or any other place that provide them.
I guess this is something we will see more of in a near future in more countries and emassies, due to that there are too many people using tourist visas for entering the country and doing illegal acts. Also too many using tousit visas for basically living and making a living in Thailand. Unfortunately you and every other tourist that follows the rules, will eventually have to suffer for what other people do.

So no more round the world trips allowed now ??

Go to Thailand, go home

Go to China, go home

Go to Australia, go home

Go to Mexico, go home

 

Going to take forever to go everywhere I want to go ?

11 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

So no more round the world trips allowed now ??

Go to Thailand, go home

Go to China, go home

Go to Australia, go home

Go to Mexico, go home

 

Going to take forever to go everywhere I want to go ?

There is nothing stopping you from getting a visa exemption on arrival or getting a visa elsewhere.

1 minute ago, MiWV said:

There is nothing stopping you from getting a visa exemption on arrival or getting a visa elsewhere.

 

I know, it was said tongue in cheek buddy...

Their rational for coming up with these silly rules is mind boggling though ?

Edited June 3, 20188 yr by cornishcarlos

I just ignore the crap they sometimes  spout or agree  but never  do it so they think they are "the  boss".

Once at my annual renewal the immigration officer said  that "next year" instead of an extension based on marriage I should change to "retirement".

She was quite  pushy about it. I just smiled  but never did and never heard anything of it in subsequent renewals.

The reason she did this is.................its  a  lot LESS work for them, lazy buggers!!

Disturbing request is a bit over the top. You'd expect to read they asked you to bend over with a thread title like this.

1 hour ago, kannot said:

I just ignore the crap they sometimes  spout or agree  but never  do it so they think they are "the  boss".

Once at my annual renewal the immigration officer said  that "next year" instead of an extension based on marriage I should change to "retirement".

She was quite  pushy about it. I just smiled  but never did and never heard anything of it in subsequent renewals.

The reason she did this is.................its  a  lot LESS work for them, lazy buggers!!

 

And also less paperwork for you. (Though double the money).

post 6 how can you say it was a pleasure to go there , when in fact you did not go at all.

It does defy logic, in the OPs case he obviously wont be entering Thailand direct from the US, he is in Malaysia. It appears they dont care where the flight came from to enter Thailand but when you leave you need to go back to the country that issued your passport, a country you may not have been to in many years.

 

Is it return to the country you flew in from or return to the country of your passport ?

Edited June 4, 20188 yr by Peterw42

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

I know, it was said tongue in cheek buddy...

Their rational for coming up with these silly rules is mind boggling though ?

 

Maybe they're told to crack down on multiple visas.

 

 

 

Just now, scorecard said:

 

Maybe they're told to crack down on multiple visas.

 

 

 

 

That's fine but trying to dictate where someone goes after visiting Thailand, is like trying to get the U.K to disclose Yinlucks address ?

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

I know, it was said tongue in cheek buddy...

Their rational for coming up with these silly rules is mind boggling though ?

 

Maybe they're told to crack down on multiple visas.

 

"I am a US citizen...."

 

 

 

 

 

1 minute ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

That's fine but trying to dictate where someone goes after visiting Thailand, is like trying to get the U.K to disclose Yinlucks address ?

It not dictating anything. It's stating the requirements to obtain a particular visa. If you want to do otherwise than get the visa exemption at the border then extend and do whatever you like. They aren't dictating anything.

1 minute ago, MiWV said:

 

 

It not dictating anything. It's stating the requirements to obtain a particular visa. If you want to do otherwise than get the visa exemption at the border then extend and do whatever you like. They aren't dictating anything.

 

Yes they are, as it's not a requirement for a tourist visa. 

They are making up rules as they see fit at local level.

 

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

I know, it was said tongue in cheek buddy...

Their rational for coming up with these silly rules is mind boggling though ?

This entire site is born of the desire to game the visa system to stay as long as possible in a foreign country because it's a cheap place to live. There is nothing mind boggling about the reasoning for the rules. 

2 minutes ago, MiWV said:

This entire site is born of the desire to game the visa system to stay as long as possible in a foreign country because it's a cheap place to live. There is nothing mind boggling about the reasoning for the rules. 

 

No, it's mind boggling how they make up rules to suit their mood...

Nothing on the Thai Embassy website states you need a return flight to your "home country"...

The pets forum on here has no mention of visa, so it's not this entire site ?

7 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Yes they are, as it's not a requirement for a tourist visa. 

They are making up rules as they see fit at local level.

 

I think onward travel ticket has always been a requirement, the where to aspect is a local addition.

1 minute ago, Peterw42 said:

I think onward travel ticket has always been a requirement, the where to aspect is a local addition.

 

Yes, that is the point... Onward ticket is a valid requirement...

Return ticket to your home country, is not a valid or justified requirement.

12 minutes ago, MiWV said:

 

 

It not dictating anything. It's stating the requirements to obtain a particular visa. If you want to do otherwise than get the visa exemption at the border then extend and do whatever you like. They aren't dictating anything.

A ticket for onward travel is a "requirement", saying where to is dictating.

I'm a Turkish citizenship. You all know how to Thai government see Muslim countries(even Turkey is most secular Muslim country but they think we speak Arabic, can marry 4 wife, womens wear black ninja dress) anyway I have tourist visa(single entry) 2 times Penang, 5 times Vientiane, 1 time Savannakhet and I'm in Thailand for 2 years with only tourist visa. I've never had a problem with immigration or consulate when I apply visa or return, leave to Thailand. Also never use travel agency etc. They once asked me question such as "Why you stay in Thailand long time" I said "I have gf and I like travelling here+show photo) They said "Okay"

 

If your all documents ok. I guess there is no problem.

 

Yes don't go Penang. Because these days all type of visas have problem. So why people don't try Savannakhet? There is no red stamp and not strict at all. Just have to show 20,000 Baht in bank account that's all. Even last time when I went there for apply tourist visa it was only 2 foreigners. No one don't know or what's the reason?

 

I guess next week I'll apply for Non-B because now I start to teaching. I'll also go Vientiane.

Edited June 4, 20188 yr by sananeamk0715

2 hours ago, kannot said:

I just ignore the crap they sometimes  spout or agree  but never  do it so they think they are "the  boss".

Once at my annual renewal the immigration officer said  that "next year" instead of an extension based on marriage I should change to "retirement".

She was quite  pushy about it. I just smiled  but never did and never heard anything of it in subsequent renewals.

The reason she did this is.................its  a  lot LESS work for them, lazy buggers!!

I like to defend these IO;s just in this case. I dont know how familiar you are overall. But for me that have heard really many people thinking and believing that "I am married to a thai lady, so I must get a marriage extension of stay..."

 

Many people really think this, yes people are that stupid. The IO:s sees this happening mayby every day, so dont judge them too hard...

 

glegolo

3 hours ago, MiWV said:

There is nothing stopping you from getting a visa exemption on arrival or getting a visa elsewhere.

 

The cost stops some people on a budget.