Stopped On Re-entry For Too Many Tourist Visas

[Mike Teavee]

11 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

Not only are you drinking it, you're purchasing it direct from immigration. I already made it clear that the 2014 crackdown and official comment was indicative of the direction they were moving in, not the cause. But as an example of the xenophobia and paranoia that exists within their ranks it serves as a good example.

 

It's quite true, immigration now have a perception that people have been abusing short term visas to stay here long term, but they didn't used to see it that way. There's even been comments on here recently where individual officers have apologised for all the hoops that have to be jumped through now, and they're not blaming the foreigners for it, they're blaming the generals. It baffles me that people are propagating and excusing this nonsense on their behalf. 

SO I'm drinking Kool Aid because I believe that Immigration have a perception that people are using Tourist/VE visas for long term stay, but you think that 'It's quite true, immigration now have a perception that people have been abusing short term visas to stay here long term" - Want me to pass you a cup?  We're both agreed that they didn't use to see it that way so I'm not even sure what we're debating anymore... 

 

I have no idea how Immigration can have a perception that people are abusing short term visas BUT are not blaming it on foreigners :s... It must be all those pesky Thais that have them?

 

 

Think this has gone on for too long now... you drink your flavour of Kool-Aid, I'm opening a bottle of Vino take the taste away ????

 

 

 

[lamyai3]

3 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

SO I'm drinking Kool Aid because I believe that Immigration have a perception that people are using Tourist/VE visas for long term stay, but you think that 'It's quite true, immigration now have a perception that people have been abusing short term visas to stay here long term" - Want me to pass you a cup?  We're both agreed that they didn't use to see it that way so I'm not even sure what we're debating anymore... 

 

I have no idea how Immigration can have a perception that people are abusing short term visas BUT are not blaming it on foreigners :s... It must be all those pesky Thais that have them?

 

Think this has gone on for too long now... you drink your flavour of Kool-Aid, I'm opening a bottle of Vino take the taste away ????

We both agree that immigration are blaming foreigner's for having abused visas. The difference is, you believe they're correct in asserting that foreigners were abusing visas, and I don't consider this to be true.

 

In your second paragraph, the hoops that people are being asked to jump through are related to red tape around extensions, proofs of income etc, and especially the problems around the TM30 rule. This is a prime example of the generals blaming the foreigners, and the individual officers on the ground admitting that it's excessive. They're not all singing from the same hymn sheet by any means, and some seem to be pouring the Kool Aid in the plant pot. 

 

Enjoy your plonk, it's the weekend. 

 

 

[jabis]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

Since it's written just on your passport page and not on a Visa, I wonder what would happen if you were to accidentally scribble it out with black pen or somehow accidentally have a big tear in that page so that part is missing. Would anything happen? You could say your kid or nephew was playing with your passport lol

That would be defacing the passport and it wouldn't any more be a valid travel document.

I'd think hand written remarks (outside of visa/permission of stay stamps etc) by IO could be seen as defacing the passport too, not to mention the russian guy who scribbled over the permission of stay date, to avoid overstay fines now facing more dire sh*t, so I wouldn't advice anything you're suggesting ????

[edwardandtubs]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

It erases visa history in the passport but not in immigration's computer system. When I came in with a brand new passport because the old one was expired, the 1st thing the officer said was "new passsport?" then looked at the computer and said "many entries into Thailand".

What happened next?

[edwardandtubs]

10 hours ago, Khun Ed said:

You are right. To recap I stupidly overstayed about half a day. Which I only realised last night. DM now waves people who have a 1 day OS straight through. A return flight to KL would not be the end of the world if I am not permitted. I just received this update from Assist Thai visa Services in Chiang Mai which is quite promising:

"

I double check again with another of my colleague to have a second reading and I confirm it only mean tat you have overstay but because it was not over 24h there will be no fine and no problem.

 

It won't be a problem for you to come back to Thailand especialy if you are granted a Tourist visa from the UK. "

 

That's funny, so basically this whole thread is a load of fuss about nothing caused by your friends misunderstanding the immigration officer's hastily scribbled note. In fact, I have a very similar note in my passport from when I overstayed by less than a day and exited at Suvarnabhumi. Just fly straight into Chiang Mai where there have been no reports of problems.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

That's funny, so basically this whole thread is a load of fuss about nothing caused by your friends misunderstanding the immigration officer's hastily scribbled note. In fact, I have a very similar note in my passport from when I overstayed by less than a day and exited at Suvarnabhumi. Just fly straight into Chiang Mai where there have been no reports of problems.

Exactly ...this whole thread is about stuff all. Many pages back op mentioned he was 8 hours overstay. An overstay under 24 hours is noted but no overstay fine imposed. The io was noting that there was an overstay of under 24 hours. THATS ALL..

geezus....close the thread.

[bbi1]

29 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

What happened next?

Asked another 2 questions then stamped the passport with the usual 60 day entry.

[Caldera]

14 hours ago, BritTim said:

My best guess is that the annotation is code for "only admit this passenger if they have an onward flight out of Thailand within 24 hours". Essentially, it is a heads up for other immigration officials at the entry points that enforce the unofficial rule that someone must be a "genuine tourist" (whatever that means) in order to enter using a tourist visa.

Very far-fetched, unless you can actually read the entire stamp and make sense of the "code" you are guessing to see. It's no secret that I'm not the biggest fan of Thailand's IOs, but I don't think they go that far in their scheming.

 

Even at Don Mueang, arguably the worst airport for ENTRY as a long-term tourist, IOs manning the EXIT booths couldn't care less - I just flew out from there today, and as many times before, without any issues or comments or secret codes put into my passport. The only thing worth reporting is that I got fingerprinted for the first time. Nice machine, wished me a good trip in my native / passport language once it had all my fingers.

[meand]

Get a new passport. 

[DrJack54]

25 minutes ago, meand said:

Get a new passport. 

Is that a joke?

[RJRS1301]

8 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Since it's written just on your passport page and not on a Visa, I wonder what would happen if you were to accidentally scribble it out with black pen or somehow accidentally have a big tear in that page so that part is missing. Would anything happen? You could say your kid or nephew was playing with your passport lol

Don’t missing pages invalidate a passport?

[jacko45k]

12 minutes ago, FredGallaher said:

Why do people say to avoid DM and BKK airports and to avoid the grumpy female IO. These IOs have to deal with the schemers daily and have no qualms about refusing entry. They get jaded after awhile. I would too. The refusal might say not enough funds but they are probably saying you don't belong here long term. 

Long term stay must show a considerable bank balance or continued source of outside funds, whereas a tourist does not. Well, sometimes B10-20000. There are other requirements that long-term-stay visa holders must show regularly. Why would some on an in and out tourist visa be different? 

Those on back to back tourist visas over a year or more are at risk. They aren't interested in tourism at all. 

Might be simpler if the MofFA got it's act together (with the MofI) and stopped issuing Visas that aren't going to work. 

Edited June 15, 2019 by jacko45k