Thailand re entry problem for long time Thai traveller

[garyk]

7 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Unfortunately, persons who stay even less have been under suspicion - though not of any legal violation.  One visitor from Europe reported they come every year, stay 5-6 mo, then go home the rest of the year.  Upon their last entry, they were grilled and threatened with rejected-entry for "staying too long" after having been "home" for 6 months, each time, between these annual visits.

When there are no set rules beyond "what I say goes," anything can happen - and that is the only consistent rule at Bangkok airports, these days.

Thailand has always been kinda doggy IMO. Personally when I am hassled which has happened I just smile and try to get threw it the best I can.

I had one lady at immigration a few years ago threaten to have me locked up!

She hated the fact I was coming and going into Thailand for some reason. I finally got tired of it, and got rude with her and she hit the ceiling. I just got up and left, she followed me out and was yelling at me. 

The next week I went back and all was fine. Crazy, but i learned just to smile and go on. 

 

[stud858]

9 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Unfortunately, persons who stay even less have been under suspicion - though not of any legal violation.  One visitor from Europe reported they come every year, stay 5-6 mo, then go home the rest of the year.  Upon their last entry, they were grilled and threatened with rejected-entry for "staying too long" after having been "home" for 6 months, each time, between these annual visits.

When there are no set rules beyond "what I say goes," anything can happen - and that is the only consistent rule at Bangkok airports, these days.

I sometimes think there must be a note section for officers looking at the database screen. My note must say something positive because I'm amazed I never get questioned.

But I dress professional when walking through. Tie and all.

[JackThompson]

5 hours ago, garyk said:

On 9/21/2018 at 5:57 PM, TSF said:

You're 61, you have money in the bank, why aren't you on annual retirement extensions, then you don't have to go through all this crap. I'm on retirement extensions for the past decade or longer, I don't stay in Thailand all the time, I have a multi-re-entry stamp, so come and go like a Thai, every few months I'm traveling to Cambodia or Vietnam or Australia and returning to Thailand when I want with no issues at all.

Same here, I travel in and out of Thailand at will. 

A retirement extension is the only way to go. 

If it were a matter of simply "having the money, or income," a retirement-based option would be the obvious choice.  But, the "start up" process for the Retirement-based extension - the initial Non-O, can be a PITA, depending on which Immigration office.  So, you have to "move to Bangkok" for awhile to use Chang Wattana or, you have to go to Savannakhet with an embassy-letter (even if using money in-the-bank), etc.  And after jumping through those hoops, one must always be in Thailand when it's time to renew, or you have to start over. 

 

The Non-OA Visa is a better solution for "in and out" folks who may not be in the country around their renewal-date - but even that is a PITA, due to needing to return to one's home-country to get it (since it is not sensibly offered nearby), and then meet the documentation-requirements (police-report, medical, etc). 

 

I can certainly see why a person who does not stay in Thailand all the time, even if over 50, would want to avoid all this hassle, and simply use Tourist Visas, since there is no legal limit on how many one can use.  Unfortunately, certain immigration-checkpoint personnel believe other restrictions should apply to TR Visas, and are not prevented by the chain-of-command from enforcing policy-agendas which are unauthorized by the Minister.

[balo]

that's illegal and soon the gov will be cracking down on this

No its not illegal , I suggest you read the rules.

 

Even lawyers told me its legal as long as the immigration office who handle the case approves, the agents have the money , 800k, and deposit it into the customers bank account. After a few days everything will be taken care of. I would think at least 100 000 retired foreigners in Thailand do it this way.

 

 

[JackThompson]

41 minutes ago, balo said:

No its not illegal , I suggest you read the rules.

 

Even lawyers told me its legal as long as the immigration office who handle the case approves, the agents have the money , 800k, and deposit it into the customers bank account. After a few days everything will be taken care of. I would think at least 100 000 retired foreigners in Thailand do it this way.

The "even lawyers..." part made me laugh - though I do agree that IOs of a certain rank have leeway to waive the money-seasoning requirement.  This allows a "short term loan" to replace "an applicant's money in the bank."

But it does beg the question - What is the ostensible purpose of the money-seasoning requirement, and why would using an agent allow one to skip that requirement?  If seasoning isn't important, then why not let everyone get a short-term 800K loan for a day - which would likely be offered at a much lower premium than the 15K to 25K and up Baht which agents charge?   Alternatively, why not allow people to "buy" an annual extension, without financial-requirements for, say, 20K Baht, right from the immigration-office?

 

Lest anyone get the wrong idea - I am not in favor of booting people out of the country who don't have 800K or 65K/mo - which is excessive given the cost of living in Thailand.  Those with much smaller incomes can contribute to the economy.  But if there was a genuine concern, among those who make the rules, that people without that level of money were "bad for Thailand," publicly advertised short-term loans for extensions via agents would not be tolerated.  Therefore, I have to assume the higher-than-necessary financial-requirements are intentionally set-up to create a necessity for an "agent-to-brown-envelope" system, for a large number of retirees.

[garyk]

8 hours ago, JackThompson said:

If it were a matter of simply "having the money, or income," a retirement-based option would be the obvious choice.  But, the "start up" process for the Retirement-based extension - the initial Non-O, can be a PITA, depending on which Immigration office.  So, you have to "move to Bangkok" for awhile to use Chang Wattana or, you have to go to Savannakhet with an embassy-letter (even if using money in-the-bank), etc.  And after jumping through those hoops, one must always be in Thailand when it's time to renew, or you have to start over. 

 

The Non-OA Visa is a better solution for "in and out" folks who may not be in the country around their renewal-date - but even that is a PITA, due to needing to return to one's home-country to get it (since it is not sensibly offered nearby), and then meet the documentation-requirements (police-report, medical, etc). 

 

I can certainly see why a person who does not stay in Thailand all the time, even if over 50, would want to avoid all this hassle, and simply use Tourist Visas, since there is no legal limit on how many one can use.  Unfortunately, certain immigration-checkpoint personnel believe other restrictions should apply to TR Visas, and are not prevented by the chain-of-command from enforcing policy-agendas which are unauthorized by the Minister.

I guess everyone has their own definition of a PITA. I did what you are talking about for a coupe of years and it was a huge PITA for me.. haha

[holy cow cm]

On ‎9‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 7:25 PM, German farang said:

True, Saigon consulate isn't so friendly anymore. Hanoi or Vientiane would be my choice.

Well then that is a visa versa. Try going to the BKK VN consulate for a direct visa from them to go to VN. Not so warm there. I stopped years ago and do it online. 

[holy cow cm]

Seems to me it is easiest to just keep a bank acct of 800k in Thailand and get the retirement. Unless there is a money problem on the OP's side, but doesn't sound like it. For me I don't even touch my visa money. No need to and don't worry about it as it is really not that much and one can always get at it at anytime. 

[balo]

23 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Lest anyone get the wrong idea - I am not in favor of booting people out of the country who don't have 800K or 65K/mo - which is excessive given the cost of living in Thailand.  Those with much smaller incomes can contribute to the economy.  But if there was a genuine concern, among those who make the rules, that people without that level of money were "bad for Thailand," publicly advertised short-term loans for extensions via agents would not be tolerated.  Therefore, I have to assume the higher-than-necessary financial-requirements are intentionally set-up to create a necessity for an "agent-to-brown-envelope" system, for a large number of retirees.

 

Well, you can also borrow 800k from a friend and deposit it into a Thai bank account as long as necessary to get the visa , if you do not want to use an agent. But then the money must be locked up for maybe 2-3 months.

 

Most of the visa agents located in typical tourist/expat towns like Pattaya have direct contact with someone higher up at Immigration , so probably as you say money changing hands.  Its been like this for 40 years I would imagine. Good money for the agents and some officials. 

 

 

 

[JackThompson]

On 9/23/2018 at 7:00 PM, garyk said:

I guess everyone has their own definition of a PITA. I did what you are talking about for a coupe of years and it was a huge PITA for me.. haha

If doing it in Thailand - whether it is a PITA or not depends on which office you must use for the process of getting the Non-O (no problems at Chang Wattana), and whether or not you pay an agent 10x the sticker-price to "grease the wheels" with some of that extra money.

[Hoppyone]

On 9/21/2018 at 12:02 PM, TerrylSky said:

 

Wpoce, With a retirement visa there is the issue of substantial money in the bank and/or hefty monthly income (3k US?), plus as I frequently travel in my own right, I don't want to be in Thailand for a full year anyway.  Thanks.

If you get a multi entry retirement visa you don’t have to stay 12 months without leaving ,you can come and go whenever you please,in your case it would seem logical to go that way 

[LongTimeLurker]

On 9/21/2018 at 7:00 AM, ubonjoe said:

The 2 visa exempt entries per calendar year is only for those done at land border crossings. By air there is no written limit.

 

There is a limit of 6 per calendar year

 

According to www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/new-visa-rules.php

 

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, LongTimeLurker said:

 

There is a limit of 6 per calendar year

According to www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/new-visa-rules.php

 

That rule was rescinded in in 2008.

Incorrect info on a unofficial website set up by a law firm. From the bottom of the linked page "This is NOT the official website of the Thai Embassy".

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

 

There is a limit of 6 per calendar year

 

According to www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/new-visa-rules.php

 

It's best to ignore that website as it contains a lot of outdates or wrong information.

[usacb500biker]

Check out Malay.  2 yrs ago a nice Imm Officer,woman, told me to go kl Embassy no problem get new passport..or talk to USA farangs about an Income letter. Cost first time for retirement visa single is about 4000B, NEXT years 1900B  MULT.  3-4000B a year,cheap, check in every 90 days unless out of the country.

Edited October 3, 2018 by usacb500biker