Elite visa not known by Nong Khai border officials

[simon43]

I suppose the authorities only expect holders of Elite visas to fly into Swampy on their private jets ????

 

Over the weekend, I made a short visa to Luang Prabang, because I'll be leaving Thailand in the next month or so to reside in that fair city.  I travelled from my temporary home in Bueng Kan to cross over the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai.

 

On my return yesterday, I presented my current passport and my old passport (with my Elite full-page visa) to the Thai immigration official. He asked me where I was staying and then, pointing to my Elite sticker, asked "What's that?".

 

"It's my Elite visa, 5 year visa".

 

The official looked at my visa, clearly having never seen one before.  Then he furiously tapped on his computer keyboard and started to read, presumably reading "Elite visa Immigration procedures for dummies" ????

 

After a long pause, he finally said (more of a question to me) "One year?"

 

I confirmed that this was the period of authorised entry into Thailand and he finally stamped my passport, but asked two more times "One year?".

 

Anyway, now I have to do my 'bail report' today at the local immigration office.  In a couple of months, that and 90 day reports will all be a thing in the past - my Laos business visa requires only an annual extension and no reporting of my address each time I stay overnight away from my home.

[ubonjoe]

Just an officer that had never seen one before. Not surprising at a border crossing.

[ThomasThBKK]

It is actually not normal to get a 1 year stamp at a border crossing. It's i think 30-90 days usually according what Thai Elite tells one.

 

I was on Langkawi and wanted to go back via the Sea into thailand, that's what they told me - took a flight then as the 30 days weren't enough

Edited July 1, 2019 by ThomasThBKK

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

It is actually not normal to get a 1 year stamp at a border crossing. It's i think 30-90 days usually according what Thai Elite tells one.

That is not correct info. There is no restriction on the number of days you can be stamped into the country at land border crossings or anywhere else.

For example people regularly use a Non-OA long stay visas and get a one year entry at land border crossings.

Even workers with a Non-LA visa can get stamped in for 2 years.

[BritTim]

1 minute ago, ThomasThBKK said:

It is actually not normal to get a 1 year stamp at a border crossing. It's i think 30-90 days usually according what Thai Elite tells one.

I am not sure what you are trying to say here. If you are implying that Thai Elite visa holders only get a short permission to stay when they enter Thailand, this is totally wrong. All members who signed up in the last decade or so always get a one-year permission to stay each time they enter Thailand. The original lifetime Thailand Elite membership only gives 90-day stays, but few people are still using that. They were given the option of converting to a newer membership option giving the one-year stays, and most opted to take up that option.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I am not sure what you are trying to say here. If you are implying that Thai Elite visa holders only get a short permission to stay when they enter Thailand, this is totally wrong. All members who signed up in the last decade or so always get a one-year permission to stay each time they enter Thailand.

I think the Op was just surprised that the Immigration Officer at a Land border didn't know what the Thai Elite membership was... but to be honest, 90% of Immigration officers a Chaengwattana didn't know what it was until recently !

 

5 minutes ago, BritTim said:

The original lifetime Thailand Elite membership only gives 90-day stays, but few people are still using that. They were given the option of converting to a newer membership option giving the one-year stays, and most opted to take up that option.

But loosing the 'life time' status (if an original lifetime member)... Thus, those moving would have obtained 1 Year stays and still had to do 90 day reports, but with Membership only lasting 20 years. I think the Airport service is limited to 20 per year (which doesn't impact most people anyway) - I think the AOT service part is with the BMW 7 Series for those who did move.

 

For those who remained with the original contract of lifetime membership, they have to do a 90 day extension (at B1900 each time) and get the Camry (instead of the BMW 7 series) but won't have to rely on a Retirement or Marriage visa when 20 years is up (because they remained on the lifetime membership).

 

 

 

[ThomasThBKK]

30 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I am not sure what you are trying to say here. If you are implying that Thai Elite visa holders only get a short permission to stay when they enter Thailand, this is totally wrong. All members who signed up in the last decade or so always get a one-year permission to stay each time they enter Thailand. The original lifetime Thailand Elite membership only gives 90-day stays, but few people are still using that. They were given the option of converting to a newer membership option giving the one-year stays, and most opted to take up that option.

 

 

32 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is not correct info. There is no restriction on the number of days you can be stamped into the country at land border crossings or anywhere else.

For example people regularly use a Non-OA long stay visas and get a one year entry at land border crossings.

Even workers with a Non-LA visa can get stamped in for 2 years.

 

 

This is the information that thailand elite sends to it's members. Only on entry via AIR you get 1 year entry stamps, entry via LAND gives you 30 or 90 days - i can't remember what they said.

 

I am just repeating Thailand Elites official information - that may be outdated tho.  

[BritTim]

7 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

I am just repeating Thailand Elites official information - that may be outdated tho.  

I cannot believe Thailand Elite ever said anything of the sort. You must have misunderstood something they wrote, or perhaps dreamed it.

[Boycie]

Best wishes with your new venture in Laos, simon43

 

Your post got me thinking. Are Elite Visas transferable?

 

When does your Elite Visa expire and would you be interested in selling it on, if the immigration law allows?

[Caldera]

Simon, out of curiosity and I realize it's quite OT here, what made you change your mind? I remember reading your thread about relocating to the Pyrenees just a few weeks ago.

 

Is the Lao business visa easy to get without actually running a business, or will you need to set up a business there?

 

[Briggsy]

53 minutes ago, Boycie said:

Best wishes with your new venture in Laos, simon43

 

Your post got me thinking. Are Elite Visas transferable?

 

When does your Elite Visa expire and would you be interested in selling it on, if the immigration law allows?

Thai Elite has gone through a number of changes over the years. I believe only the first batch were transferable. I believe @simon43 has a more recent 5-year Elite Membership and so his is non-transferable. Apologies if I have misrepresented another poster but I think I have understood his posts correctly.

[BlackSwan]

I have a transferable elite visa for sale if anyone is interested. It’s advertised on a popular expat site -search visa. Or drop me a PM here. Approx 25 years full benefits. 

[toolpush]

3 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

It is actually not normal to get a 1 year stamp at a border crossing. It's i think 30-90 days usually according what Thai Elite tells one.

 

I was on Langkawi and wanted to go back via the Sea into thailand, that's what they told me - took a flight then as the 30 days weren't enough

I have crossed land borders several times with mine. Some officers have had to check with fellow officers upon seeing the Elite Visa but once they have done so, I always get 1 year.

[Suradit69]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I think the Op was just surprised that the Immigration Officer at a Land border didn't know what the Thai Elite membership was

BritTim wasn't responding to or quoting the OP, but to a different poster who claimed it normal to only get 30 or 90 days when entering via a land border.

[simon43]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

Simon, out of curiosity and I realize it's quite OT here, what made you change your mind? I remember reading your thread about relocating to the Pyrenees just a few weeks ago.

 

Is the Lao business visa easy to get without actually running a business, or will you need to set up a business there?

 

Good question, but slightly off-topic for this forum.  so I'll reply briefly ????

 

I was considering either Luang Prabang in Laos or Andorra in the Pyrenees between France and Spain.  I had previously lived and worked in both locations.

 

What 'swung it' in favour of Laos was a) because Andorra is 6 hours behind 
China, and so I'd be teaching online from midnight local time (perhaps just a temporary inconvenience).  2) More importantly, I needed to provide the Andorran bank with my fiscal details and tax number.  I have legally not paid personal tax in 18 years+ and haven't had a tax number in all that time.  The bank couldn't get their head around the possibility for someone in 2019 not to be on a tax computer somewhere....

 

Andorra is relatively easy-going about tax/declarations etc.  I decided that if I moved back to Andorra/EU, the tax authorities would be demanding paperwork off me immediately - and I'm not prepared to do that - my life is my private life. 

 

Note that I'm not laundering money, nor sitting on millions of $$$ - I am 'poor' by most people's standards - but I value my privacy......

[spambot]

The Business visa for Laos - I am assuming you are either setting up a new company or providing some specialised skills. Is there any way around this for retirees not wishing to do either?

[simon43]

 

Is there any way around this for retirees not wishing to do either?

 

If you ask "Is there any LEGAL way around this for retirees not wishing to do either?", then the answer is 'no'

 

If you ask the immigration officer 'Is there any way around this for retirees not wishing to do either?', then the answer is 'yes' ????

 

As an update to my short trip to Laos, today I went to my local immigration office to do my 'out on bail' report.  Again, the IO had never seen an Elite visa before, but did at least know of it's existence.  He asked where I lived in the town and he told him, explaining also that I was in the process of moving to Laos.

 

'Why do you move?' he asked.

'Because I'm tired of all the rules for foreigners in Thailand' I replied (this conversation was all in Thai).

'But you are rich' he said, pointing to my Elite visa, 'You can stay in Thailand' .

I looked him in the eye and said very politely 'But I don't want to stay in Thailand any more'.

 

He looked thoughtful after that, completed my bail details and I was on my way.

 

Gives him something to laugh about with his IO mates later....

[shy coconut]

You sound like a lot of fun, I'm sure Thailand and its immigration officers will

dearly miss you.

 

[simon43]

3 minutes ago, shy coconut said:

You sound like a lot of fun, I'm sure Thailand and its immigration officers will

dearly miss you.

 

I tell it how it is - no point trying to deny the 'slow-boiled-frog' that many long-term expats are feeling.  I've been here 18 years and while I definitely feel welcomed by Thai people, I can't say the same for the present government and its authorities.

[spambot]

Thanks for the response simon43 I am weighing up my options right now - If someone went to Lao and wanted to emulate the same - If you ask the immigration officer 'Is there any way around this - I am assuming the the only challenge is paying the going rate for the amount of KIP and not finding the right immigration officer - Is that correct?

[simon43]

@Spambot, the one-year business visa with work permit for those not working has been available at least since 2008 when I was offered it by Vientiane immigration.

  I'm not sure if it's handed out like confetti though.  I doubt that this communist country would welcome hoards of drunken sexpats, (not meaning you of course!).

[CygnusX1]

When I had the elite visa affixed to my passport at Swampy, I found the trip in the Golden Cart embarrassing to the point of mental trauma (one of the worst character flaws as an Australian is to be “up yourself”). Besides, I enjoy a long walk after endless hours in a cramped seat.

 

So, on my next trip, I just queued with the commoners. The IO knew what an elite visa was, or PE visa as he described it, but wasn’t sure how to process it, and I was guilty of holding up the line as he consulted with a colleague. 

 

Does anyone know if it’s possible to just make your own way to the priority area, without having to make an advance booking with Thai Elite? They took me to a VIP area used by air crew, but I forget how to get there. I’ve also read that there’s a fast track priority area between the two main immigration areas. Can you use this service with an elite visa? Apologies if I’ve missed something obvious on Thai Elite’s website.

[user68677878]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Just an officer that had never seen one before. Not surprising at a border crossing.

There is a lot of them around- I was suckered in when it first came in- nothing but headaches. 

[faraday]

Ok Simon, well I wish you good luck, lots of work & happy times in Laos.

 

Keep tvf updated on how things are for you.

 

I'm still chortling over your 60th birthday dance!!

 

 

 

 

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, shy coconut said:

You sound like a lot of fun, I'm sure Thailand and its immigration officers will

dearly miss you.

 

They may not miss him, as an individual, but at some point, they will start missing the revenue from the many people like him, as well as the employment they create, which has a huge flow on effect in the Thai economy.  Not to mention what it does to the property market here. 

 

We are not just seeing under 50's who have been living here on tourist visas leaving. We are also seeing long term expats, like this member, and particularly, snowbirds, who are choosing elsewhere.

 

Military coups, tsunami, bird flu, swine flu, political unrest, terrorist attacks, have not stopped any of these people wanting to live or holiday here, but the immigration rules are.   

[shy coconut]

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

I tell it how it is - no point trying to deny the 'slow-boiled-frog' that many long-term expats are feeling.  I've been here 18 years and while I definitely feel welcomed by Thai people, I can't say the same for the present government and its authorities.

I understand your frustration, it's the looking a minion in the eye and telling him how it is,

which led to my response. You do realise that whilst it probably made you feel special,

I doubt whether he has any trouble sleeping and almost certainly won't be reporting the

incident on any forum of any kind, even if he suffered near fatal loss of face.

 

[simon43]

...even if he suffered near fatal loss of face.

 

No reason for that - it wasn't a personal comment about him ????

[Lee4Life]

4 hours ago, spambot said:

The Business visa for Laos - I am assuming you are either setting up a new company or providing some specialised skills. Is there any way around this for retirees not wishing to do either?

It is possible to "purchase" Lao Business Visas, there are brokers in Vientiane who sell them, or at least there were a couple of years ago when we were there. Be aware though that some Lao Business Visas require the holder to exit the country and re-enter every thirty days, this could be problematic with the current limits on visa exempt entries in Thailand.

[theonetrueaussie]

3 hours ago, spambot said:

Thanks for the response simon43 I am weighing up my options right now - If someone went to Lao and wanted to emulate the same - If you ask the immigration officer 'Is there any way around this - I am assuming the the only challenge is paying the going rate for the amount of KIP and not finding the right immigration officer - Is that correct?

most other countries in S.E.A apart from thailand offer 1 year business visas. You can also get a Business visa for Vietnam 1 year it's about 350-400 USD i think off the top of my head and it's a 1 year MULTI ENTRY. No need for re entry permits nor any 90 day prison reports. 

[plfomylo]

Sorry, but why moving to another country if you have an Elite visa ? you could stay in Thailand for 5 years ?!

And how much for the laos visa ? thank you.

Edited July 1, 2019 by plfomylo