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Posted

I am semi-retired and spend a lot of time in Thailand mainly on Phuket. Only once did i have a 60 day tourist visa as my stays are generally less than 30 days. On entering recently the immigration officer questioned why I come to Thailand so often. I said because I have friends here.. she went on to question whether I work here which is absolutely not the case. She warned me that the system "might automatically block me" next time and I should get a visa. Is there any such "block" and why on earth should this be the case?  I explained that I have never needed a visa as i live most of the time (70%) in New Zealand. I wouldn't even know which visa to apply for...?

Posted

There is certainly no automatic block. They do get a alert when you have reached 6 visa exempt entries to inform them of it.

The intent of the alert is for them to check to see if you are attempting to live here on them by doing them back to back.

  • Like 1
Posted
20 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is certainly no automatic block. They do get a alert when you have reached 6 visa exempt entries to inform them of it.

The intent of the alert is for them to check to see if you are attempting to live here on them by doing them back to back.

My passport runs out in 12 months anyway. Would it help to have a new one issued now which no longer has all the entry and exit stamps in it?

Posted
1 minute ago, khunian said:

My passport runs out in 12 months anyway. Would it help to have a new one issued now which no longer has all the entry and exit stamps in it?

Getting a new passport would not help. The first time you enter using your new passport they link your old and new passports in immigration's records.

Posted
1 hour ago, khunian said:

Would a non-immigrant visa be the solution or proof that I am an active company director in New Zealand?

Proof that you are a company director and visiting Thailand frequently might make them think that you are working in LOS. You state you spend a lot of time in Thailand, how many times do you visit a year ?

I have a friend who is also semi-retired and visits Thailand 5 times a year, all on 30 day visa on arrival but always has at least 4 weeks back home before returning again. His passport has approx 35 entry & exit stamps but he says he has never been stopped or questioned.

  • Like 1
Posted

I may well be blessed. I visited Thailand 99 times for a total of 440 days in the period 2003-2017. All visa exempt. (My latest entry [the 101st] was on a Non-Immigrant O visa as I've now moved here.) In all those visits I can only recall one instance where there was a polite comment that I come to Thailand a lot. Told the truth, the wife lives here which was the case 2008-2013.

Posted

Strange Bantex.... almost identical with me. On average 5 visits a year and around 20 days each time with 6 weeks before I return. Never had an issue until last week and this got me worried. 

Posted
2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There is certainly no automatic block. They do get a alert when you have reached 6 visa exempt entries to inform them of it.

The intent of the alert is for them to check to see if you are attempting to live here on them by doing them back to back.

Is that 6 visa exempts in a year or in total?

Posted
2 minutes ago, khunian said:

Strange Bantex.... almost identical with me. On average 5 visits a year and around 20 days each time with 6 weeks before I return. Never had an issue until last week and this got me worried. 

I think that you just encountered an immigration officer that was having a bad day, it happens.

When back in NZ you could consider getting a multiple entry tourist visa which would cover you for the next 6 months, although you probably would not have any issues coming in on the visa exempt, the visa would at least create a break in the VEE's.

Just make sure that you have 20,000 THB or the equivalent on you, a return ticket and some sort of proof of your income in NZ, this would help to dispel any thoughts of you deriving income in Thailand.

For a matter of interest, what age group are you? ( young and lots of travel to Thailand does set the alarms going for some immigration officers)

Posted
6 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

Is that 6 visa exempts in a year or in total?

Total since 2015 when they set it up in their system. There is no reset of it as far as I know.

Posted
1 hour ago, BoganInParasite said:

I may well be blessed. I visited Thailand 99 times for a total of 440 days in the period 2003-2017. All visa exempt. (My latest entry [the 101st] was on a Non-Immigrant O visa as I've now moved here.) In all those visits I can only recall one instance where there was a polite comment that I come to Thailand a lot. Told the truth, the wife lives here which was the case 2008-2013.

I had the same thing before getting a multi entry on my daughter in april.90 entries since 2008 and questioned 2 times.All exempts but with more time out then inside the country.Not so easy anymore,but some is stil pushing the limits.By the way kids is more easy for a visa then marrige and retire.Only proof of 200k bank statement.

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Posted
4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

There is certainly no automatic block. They do get a alert when you have reached 6 visa exempt entries to inform them of it.

The intent of the alert is for them to check to see if you are attempting to live here on them by doing them back to back.

Is that 6 exemptions within a specific period of time...or without a time limit, meaning that if one had got 6 exemptions spreaded over the last 5 years, for example, there will be an alert the next time?

 

 

Posted
1 minute ago, Brunolem said:

Is that 6 exemptions within a specific period of time...or without a time limit, meaning that if one had got 6 exemptions spreaded over the last 5 years, for example, there will be an alert the next time?

 

 

 

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Total since 2015 when they set it up in their system. There is no reset of it as far as I know.

 

Posted
2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Total since 2015 when they set it up in their system. There is no reset of it as far as I know.

Which is a bit strange, because with time they are going to be overwhelmed with alerts, since many people come visit once or twice a year on a visa exemption: recurring tourists, people working in neighboring countries and so on...

 

 

Posted
43 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

 

 

I have had at least 8 visa exempts and one tourist visa since 2015 and never had any issue with immigration.

  • Like 1
Posted
4 hours ago, khunian said:

My passport runs out in 12 months anyway. Would it help to have a new one issued now which no longer has all the entry and exit stamps in it?

I do not understand so many who have issues with immigration think a new passport will wipe the slate clean...

Thinking about it, maybe this is why there are so many people at the embassies claiming they lost their passport. Very stupid.

Just for information, this is 2018 and Thailand although behind western countries, does have computer stored background on every person who enters/leaves this country.

Getting a new passport will do nothing. But hey, give it a shot and report back.

Good luck to you.

Posted

I'm pretty sure it's not only the number of visa exempts but also how often and how long the person stays in each visit. I have many friends that come to Thailand from time to time either on the way to/from somewhere or specifically for a visit here. Over the years all have had more than 6 entrées and none has ever been stopped for questioning

Posted
2 hours ago, Spock said:

I have had at least 8 visa exempts and one tourist visa since 2015 and never had any issue with immigration.

Same me,since 2015 i have 8 visa exempts AND i ALWAYS cross Poi Pet / Aranyaprathet.Last pass was last month.I nerver had any question fron IO.

Posted
2 hours ago, Spock said:

I have had at least 8 visa exempts and one tourist visa since 2015 and never had any issue with immigration.

Not yet Gladiator, not yet.

From the movie. ??

Posted
On 8/1/2018 at 2:22 PM, BoganInParasite said:

I may well be blessed. I visited Thailand 99 times for a total of 440 days in the period 2003-2017. All visa exempt. (My latest entry [the 101st] was on a Non-Immigrant O visa as I've now moved here.) In all those visits I can only recall one instance where there was a polite comment that I come to Thailand a lot. Told the truth, the wife lives here which was the case 2008-2013.

Yes but now we have the “big joke” and busting foreigners for visa violations is en Vogue now.

Posted
8 minutes ago, 5633572526 said:

Yes but now we have the “big joke” and busting foreigners for visa violations is en Vogue now.

Being on an overstay or not having a valid entry to the country is what they are looking for. Certainly not the number of days you have been in the country on a visa exempt entry.

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