Hi guys need some advice plz.

my friend had been refused entry at Suvarnabhumi airport last month.
 

My friend is from Uzbekistan and (VOA) visa on arrival was refused and

was held at airport detention centre and sent back to home country on next availabe direct flight.

 

My friend is not sure why entry was refused due to diffuctly understanding the immigration officer

I have attached photo of entry denial stamp

Anyone can read thai and tell is what the reason is given in passport refusal stamp?

 

Yes, this topic is repeating over and over. They have denied entry under the "no means of supporting himself" section of the law.

 

In reality, he has spent too long, in the opinion of the immigration officer, in Thailand on Tourist Visas.

 

If he flies to Vientiane or Penang, he can probably enter by land.

Thank you for your reply.

On the stamp 4th line down there is number written with pen.

Cant work out what number is written in thai it is maybe.

Is that a reason code number for refusal?

 

So is the offical reason given 'no means to supporting himself' ?

What does this actually mean?

Are they suspecting my friend is working in thailand? Or are the saying she does not have enough money to support her holiday?

 

By the way my friend did carry $1000 cash but was not asked about money.

 

 

How can we overcome this to enter thailand legaly again as tourist?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

Edited August 5, 20188 yr by tenzo

How many trips has your friend made to Thailand before this?

Sorry to raise this, and casting no aspersions towards your (female) friend,  but in fact, there are and have been huge numbers of females from Uzbekistan and similar neighbouring Countries arriving in Thailand as "tourists" but then overstaying and working illegally providing "services".  Try the Grace Hotel late at night, stacked out with women from Uzbekistan hanging out to attract mainly Arabic men, I am told.

 

Perhaps there has been an attempted clampdown and your friend has been caught up in it?

1 hour ago, tenzo said:

On the stamp 4th line down there is number written with pen.

Cant work out what number is written in thai it is maybe.

Is that a reason code number for refusal?

Yes. It is the number 2. 

They were denied entry under Section 12.2 of the immigration act,

2. Having no appropriate means of living following entrance into the Kingdom.

1 hour ago, tenzo said:

So is the offical reason given 'no means to supporting himself' ?

What does this actually mean?

Are they suspecting my friend is working in thailand? Or are the saying she does not have enough money to support her holiday?

They probably do suspect your friend is working, but they have denied entry because your friend has previously (presumably) spent too long in Thailand as a tourist and hasn't demonstrated an appropriate means to support themselves. That would include things like having a job, income, money in the bank. 

 

1 hour ago, tenzo said:

How can we overcome this to enter thailand legaly again as tourist?

Getting a Tourist Visa before traveling might help.

2 hours ago, EL159 said:

Sorry to raise this, and casting no aspersions towards your (female) friend,  but in fact, there are and have been huge numbers of females from Uzbekistan and similar neighbouring Countries arriving in Thailand as "tourists" but then overstaying and working illegally providing "services".  Try the Grace Hotel late at night, stacked out with women from Uzbekistan hanging out to attract mainly Arabic men, I am told.

 

Perhaps there has been an attempted clampdown and your friend has been caught up in it?

 

Subtle. ?

Perhaps they looked at the stamps in the passport and gleaned that the person had spent more time in other countries rather than their own.

Six months here, six months there....

 

 

5 hours ago, NanLaew said:

How many trips has your friend made to Thailand before this?

She had been in thailand from oct 2016 to april 2018 with some tourist visas and ed visa inbetween.

1 hour ago, tenzo said:

She had been in thailand from oct 2016 to april 2018 with some tourist visas and ed visa inbetween.

That’s why she was denied. She has spent too long in the country, they don’t know how she funds her stay, and almost certainly suspect she was/is working.

Yikes! makes me nervous as I'm arriving in 10 days--always buy One way tix and clear the hurdles...get my 30 day stamp and extend that--then head to laos for the actual double visa and extend those for a 6 month stay > or <..

 

Anyone see any issues with my approach as I dont want to come with visa and lose those free 30+ days.....  ??

 

I do realize its a gamble as leaving the states without a visa has raised a few questions at the airport one way tix

1 hour ago, ChakaKhan said:

Yikes! makes me nervous as I'm arriving in 10 days--always buy One way tix and clear the hurdles...get my 30 day stamp and extend that--then head to laos for the actual double visa and extend those for a 6 month stay > or <..

 

Anyone see any issues with my approach as I dont want to come with visa and lose those free 30+ days.....  ??

 

I do realize its a gamble as leaving the states without a visa has raised a few questions at the airport one way tix

Get a visa before you leave, carry a flight booking to Laos, carry a printed out hotel booking, carry cash min 20,000 baht or same in dollars or a load of travellers cheques. more is better.  CC's bank books and ATM cards don't work at Imm' they want to see cash.

4 hours ago, tenzo said:

She had been in thailand from oct 2016 to april 2018 with some tourist visas and ed visa inbetween.

Why would a person "on holiday" be in and out non stop for 18 months! Across the world generally, people go on holiday for a few weeks a year. If its almost non stop over an 18 month period, then "a rat has been smelled" by the Thai authorities, and good luck to them for once!

It is getting increasingly clear that VOA is going to slowly but surely become a restricted visa entry that is only going be granted if the reason is absolutely clear cut, such as  transiting through BKK or attending a meeting/ or a short stay of a few days .  The  Thais are even advising families on short summer holidays to get a Tourist visa before entering.  Best to think  of VOA as no longer a viable way to enter the country.  Unfortunately, the VOA has been abused by many over the years, using it for long term residence, or working illegally, now it is coming home to roost and one can hardly blame the Thai authorities for that. 

10 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Get a visa before you leave, carry a flight booking to Laos, carry a printed out hotel booking, carry cash min 20,000 baht or same in dollars or a load of travellers cheques. more is better.  CC's bank books and ATM cards don't work at Imm' they want to see cash.

how about just get a tourist visa? Far easier than this list. 

I'm arriving on a visa exempt entry next week.. It will be my 4th this year but have only stayed a maximum of 10 days on those entries.

This will be a 2 week visit and I have a return ticket to Australia.. Hoping there will be no issues but I will have cash in my wallet, just in case !!

12 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

how about just get a tourist visa? Far easier than this list. 

Because it is very very possible to be asked for those at Imm' to help prove you really are a tourist.

Don't go to a possible gun fight with a peashooter.

Edited August 6, 20188 yr by overherebc

2 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

I'm arriving on a visa exempt entry next week.. It will be my 4th this year but have only stayed a maximum of 10 days on those entries.

You should not have a problem with your history of entries since they would appear to be what a tourist would be doing.

The problem arises when it appears you are attempting to live here on them.

20 minutes ago, EL159 said:

Why would a person "on holiday" be in and out non stop for 18 months! Across the world generally, people go on holiday for a few weeks a year. If its almost non stop over an 18 month period, then "a rat has been smelled" by the Thai authorities, and good luck to them for once!

Well some people have enough money to live anywhere in the world mate. Why do I have to stay in my own country if I have enough money to travel the world.. I would never take a couple of weeks holiday. Atleast 6 months.

7 minutes ago, RyanWalker said:

Well some people have enough money to live anywhere in the world mate. Why do I have to stay in my own country if I have enough money to travel the world.. I would never take a couple of weeks holiday. Atleast 6 months.

Then the obvious option is a cheap 500,000 baht Elite 5 year visa.

28 minutes ago, EL159 said:

Why would a person "on holiday" be in and out non stop for 18 months! Across the world generally, people go on holiday for a few weeks a year. If its almost non stop over an 18 month period, then "a rat has been smelled" by the Thai authorities, and good luck to them for once!

I have been on holiday for the last 4 years..,??

12 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Then the obvious option is a cheap 500,000 baht Elite 5 year visa.

Why though? I have been here for 6 years on TV. Point is they are selective. So no advice will really work tbh.

You get judged by imm officer, and they decide. Thats it

14 minutes ago, RyanWalker said:

Why though? I have been here for 6 years on TV. Point is they are selective. So no advice will really work tbh.

You get judged by imm officer, and they decide. Thats it

So many like to disregard the fact that the IO at point of entry has the final say and once he/she has decided it will take a bit of convincing with a higher level IO to change that. My quess is a 50% chance.

To use an old UK expression, if the IO doesn't like

'the cut of your jib' 

 

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

It is getting increasingly clear that VOA is going to slowly but surely become a restricted visa entry that is only going be granted if the reason is absolutely clear cut, such as  transiting through BKK or attending a meeting/ or a short stay of a few days .  The  Thais are even advising families on short summer holidays to get a Tourist visa before entering.  Best to think  of VOA as no longer a viable way to enter the country.  Unfortunately, the VOA has been abused by many over the years, using it for long term residence, or working illegally, now it is coming home to roost and one can hardly blame the Thai authorities for that. 

VOA has not been abused by many over the years.

 

VOA stands for Visa on Arrival, costs 2,000 baht, is issued upon arrival to 21 nationalities including Uzbekistan, and upon entry it gives a permission of stay of 15 days.

 

However, until you make it to the counter, there is staff checking everybody's exit ticket (within those 15 days), so that's what the OP may have been missing.

Edited August 6, 20188 yr by lkv

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

I'm arriving on a visa exempt entry next week.. It will be my 4th this year but have only stayed a maximum of 10 days on those entries.

This will be a 2 week visit and I have a return ticket to Australia.. Hoping there will be no issues but I will have cash in my wallet, just in case !!

No worries mate, your name isn't uzbekicarlos after all.

3 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

Yikes! makes me nervous as I'm arriving in 10 days--always buy One way tix and clear the hurdles...get my 30 day stamp and extend that--then head to laos for the actual double visa and extend those for a 6 month stay > or <..

 

Anyone see any issues with my approach as I dont want to come with visa and lose those free 30+ days.....  ??

 

I do realize its a gamble as leaving the states without a visa has raised a few questions at the airport one way tix

Purchase cheap airline ticket Phuket to Kl for about $55 before arrival. Throw away if not used.

19 minutes ago, lkv said:

However, until you make it to the counter, there is staff checking everybody's exit ticket (within those 15 days), so that's what the OP may have been missing.

Or the equivalent of 10k baht that is required for financial proof.

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

It is getting increasingly clear that VOA is going to slowly but surely become a restricted visa entry that is only going be granted if the reason is absolutely clear cut, such as  transiting through BKK or attending a meeting/ or a short stay of a few days .  The  Thais are even advising families on short summer holidays to get a Tourist visa before entering.  Best to think  of VOA as no longer a viable way to enter the country.  Unfortunately, the VOA has been abused by many over the years, using it for long term residence, or working illegally, now it is coming home to roost and one can hardly blame the Thai authorities for that. 

'If' anything is on a might change radar it would probably be the 30 day visa exempt.

Most likely possible change would be it being limited to Asean countries only and all other countries requiring a visa prior to arrival.

Won't happen tomorrow though.

2 minutes ago, overherebc said:

'If' anything is on a might change radar it would probably be the 30 day visa exempt.

Most likely possible change would be it being limited to Asean countries only and all other countries requiring a visa prior to arrival.

Won't happen tomorrow though.

Slowly but surely less tourism is what they want in Thailand with all the new rules. (Except for the Chinese of course)

2 minutes ago, RyanWalker said:

Slowly but surely less tourism is what they want in Thailand with all the new rules. (Except for the Chinese of course)

Never mind the quality, feel the width!!!!

16 minutes ago, RyanWalker said:

Slowly but surely less tourism is what they want in Thailand with all the new rules. (Except for the Chinese of course)

This issue isn't about stopping tourism or visa issue to bona fide tourists; its about people trying to enter for other reasons.