Vientiane update

[tabarin]

I just applied for a non-o visa based on a child in Vientiane, having a queue number from the online appointment system.

Turned out to be just as time consuming and wasting as it used to be, as well with demanding additional copies from their shop charging 120B for 4 copies.

He also told me, when finally accepting the papers, the rules would change again and any non-o visa for next time will require a income statement.

So I guess this is a unofficial announcement to further take out foreigners being unable to do so.

Aside of this I can clearly tell tourism suffers big time from these land border / consulate changes as well, locals confirm that too. Wonder if they also make a scene at the border tomorrow, when I do get the visa and if they will take fingerprints, will update later.

It is pretty clear that we are no longer welcome unless passing all their hoops, tricks and financial requirements. For what? Insanity it is.

[DrJack54]

30baht per sheet. Nice little earner. 

[tabarin]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

30baht per sheet. Nice little earner. 

Yeah and this did not include the charge for using WiFi (which I needed).
Just paid up with a poker face, not caring and wanting to get it done.

[tabarin]

Update; he said something between the lines of that non-o would become 6 months valid minimum in return.
Not sure how reliable this is but it came from the consulair employee, not the students.

[Caldera]

43 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

30baht per sheet. Nice little earner. 

True. That seems to be new, they used to charge 5 baht per copy.

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, tabarin said:

So I guess this is a unofficial announcement to further take out foreigners being unable to do so.

It´s not to take out anybody, more than the ones that do not fill the required level of income for staying in the country.

[tabarin]

19 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

It´s not to take out anybody, more than the ones that do not fill the required level of income for staying in the country.

It does and will take out most foreigners as their embassies will not certify any income qualifying in height thus leaving only the full amount as alternative. 

Obviously this will take out all those who now still made it on single entry non-o visa with extensions,
which are the ones who are most legit in staying in Thailand, and the last remaining targets.

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, tabarin said:

It does and will take out most foreigners as their embassies will not certify any income qualifying in height thus leaving only the full amount as alternative. 

Obviously this will take out all those who now still made it on single entry non-o visa with extensions,
which are the ones who are most legit in staying in Thailand, and the last remaining targets.

Nope, if you have the required income, then there are ways to cerify that, and emassy isn´t necessary for the countries that do not give that service anymore. No one have more rights to stay in Thailand, then the ones that not lived on fake certifications of fake amounts and really can prove they live up to the requirements.

The requirements has been there for ages, it´s just positive that they actually are enforcing them now.

[SicTransit]

And how much would that requirement be?

Nope, if you have the required income, then there are ways to cerify that, and emassy isn´t necessary

Yeah, easy peasy, there’s a new thread every single day about people jumping through numerous hoops to prove that they’re not begging on the streets to make a living here.

[mike787]

Thank you for the update.  unfortunate thai immigration is becoming impossible to deal with.  No wonder many of us are leaving or not bothering anymore with Thailand, there are better, easier, cheaper countries to invest our time and money.

[Matzzon]

23 minutes ago, SicTransit said:

And how much would that requirement be?
 

 

Yeah, easy peasy, there’s a new thread every single day about people jumping through numerous hoops to prove that they’re not begging on the streets to make a living here.

 

You missed something very important. If you actually have the required income, you do not have to jump trough any hoops. Those "hoops" are just for the one trying to find a way to stay on fake grounds.

 

I thought you knew the requirements. They are 400/800 for extension based on marriage/retirement or 40/65 if chosing the monthly deal.

[SicTransit]

You missed something very important. If you actually have the required income, you do not have to jump trough any hoops. Those "hoops" are just for the one trying to find a way to stay on fake grounds.
 
I thought you knew the requirements. They are 400/800 for extension based on marriage/retirement or 40/65 if chosing the monthly deal.

You only have to navigate to the front page to see people having trouble with Transferwise for example. It’s not like they’re transferring Monopoly money. And your 400k is as good as banknote photocopies if it’s been in the bank for less than two months. So no point in trying to convince anyone here that complying with official regulations is a walk in a park.

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, SicTransit said:

 

You only have to navigate to the front page to see people having trouble with Transferwise for example. It’s not like they’re transferring Monopoly money. And your 400k is as good as banknote photocopies if it’s been in the bank for less than two months. So no point in trying to convince anyone here that complying with official regulations is a walk in a park.

 

Please tell me what is the problem to comply with the rules? Most people know or can find out they have to be 2 months in the bank before applying for extension the first time, and most probably will be 3 month before on the extensions following the first one.

People have problem with transferwise because they do not read the list of connected banks before every transfer, because that can change, and that is what caused the problem this time. They took away Bangkok Bank as a partner bank, which led to people getting transfers registered as a transfer from other Thai bank. If they read the list before transfer, they could have been avoiding the misstake. Same you have to do regulary with all from partner connections to rules and regulations, because they might change. Mostly that stands in the rules and regulations too, but it seems like people just don´t care about reading and taking notice of that important piece of info.

If you care to look up informtion that you need before doing things, nothing is especially complicated. The only time it´s complicated is when people want to complain.

[fforest1]

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Nope, if you have the required income, then there are ways to cerify that, and emassy isn´t necessary for the countries that do not give that service anymore. No one have more rights to stay in Thailand, then the ones that not lived on fake certifications of fake amounts and really can prove they live up to the requirements.

The requirements has been there for ages, it´s just positive that they actually are enforcing them now.

Stop trying to normalize a bad situation its very boring...The visa noose has been tightening for years.... You know that 100%...

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, fforest1 said:

Stop trying to normalize a bad situation its very boring...The visa noose has been tightening for years.... You know that 100%...

Nope, the tightening is only regarding the ones that got away with not showing real proof of income before. The rules have always been there since sometime in the 1970s and only been rasied a little during that time. What happened now is that they want real proof of income, and in my opinon that is because to many faked their income letters earlier.

 

Ragarding other types of visas, there are the ones that are labled "tourist" visas, which actually speaks for itself. They have always been there dor the purpose to visit a country, and not be used for living in a foreign country. here it is getting cleaned up too, out of the simple reason that to many persons have been using them for the wrong purpose.

[SicTransit]

Nope, the tightening is only regarding the ones that got away with not showing real proof of income before. The rules have always been there since sometime in the 1970s and only been rasied a little during that time. What happened now is that they want real proof of income, and in my opinon that is because to many faked their income letters earlier.
 
Ragarding other types of visas, there are the ones that are labled "tourist" visas, which actually speaks for itself. They have always been there dor the purpose to visit a country, and not be used for living in a foreign country. here it is getting cleaned up too, out of the simple reason that to many persons have been using them for the wrong purpose.

Ok, no doubt the laws from half a century ago,
predating the invention of internet, instant wire
transfers, credit cards and international travel boom are still making tons of sense, are super-easy to follow to the letter and will stay relevant for the next century or so.

I‘d like to hear some more on that claim about “too many” persons “abusing” the visa system. How many is too many and for whom?

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, SicTransit said:

 

Ok, no doubt the laws from half a century ago,
predating the invention of internet, instant wire
transfers, credit cards and international travel boom are still making tons of sense, are super-easy to follow to the letter and will stay relevant for the next century or so.

I‘d like to hear some more on that claim about “too many” persons “abusing” the visa system. How many is too many and for whom?

 

Now you try to make fun of the rules too, and that they are made half a century ago and don´t make any sense. If that is your point, why are you then so interested in Thailand and the possibilityies to stay here. If nothing is good and all is so complicated? However, if they are made before Internet is totally irrelevant. That would make it much easier to follow and live up to with quicker transfers, credit cards you can max out and more people travelling that you and your fellows can ask for advice. ????

 

Now to the more fun part regarding abusing tourist visas. Yep, there are many persons that have big problems now, just because they abused the tourist visas, and they now because of that is harder to get. How many? It could only be based on my own opinion then, right. Here is what I would say:

Maximum 3 expempt entries per year disregarding land or air checkpoints.

Maximun 3 visa on arrival per year diregarding land or air checkpoints.
Single Entry Tourist Visa max 1 per 12 month period.
Multiple Entry Tourist Visa max 1 per 12 month period.

All should come with possibility to extend, but the different visas should not be able to combine for a possibility to stay longer.

That´s my opinion and a way to get it back to be called tourist visas and not a sneaky way to get by the rules for staying in the country with or without family or working illegally.

A system like that would clean out a lot of bad apples.

[JackThompson]

8 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Nope, if you have the required income, then there are ways to cerify that, and emassy isn´t necessary for the countries that do not give that service anymore. No one have more rights to stay in Thailand, then the ones that not lived on fake certifications of fake amounts and really can prove they live up to the requirements.

The requirements has been there for ages, it´s just positive that they actually are enforcing them now.

So, it's a "positive" that Thai kids/parents  with foreign parents/spouses won't be able to see them any more?  And when the foreigner has to pay to live somewhere else, and cannot support two residences, so the Thai family suffers? 

 

None of us have any "rights" here, unless on PR or have Citizenship.  Everyone else has an "extort me next" target painted on their back by immigration.

 

What ways to "certify" income, which the Thai Embassy(ies) will accept (if this comes to pass) are unknown.  The method of 'transfers' is fraught with peril, as anyone browsing the "transferwise" thread can attest - and as many even using wire-xfers have found out the hard way, when they money was xferred via a 3rd party bank (who won't provide them with documentation of the xfer, because they are not a customer of that bank). 

 

It is not At All clear how one's money will get here, when they send it.  That system is designed to NOT be successful, so the applicant is forced into using an agent.

 

5 hours ago, Matzzon said:

What happened now is that they want real proof of income, and in my opinon that is because to many faked their income letters earlier.

They want money from an agent.  If they cared if people, "really had the income," they would ban agents as a First Step.

 

8 hours ago, Matzzon said:

You missed something very important. If you actually have the required income, you do not have to jump trough any hoops. Those "hoops" are just for the one trying to find a way to stay on fake grounds.

No, the hoops are for the people trying to do things legitimately.  The "hoop-free path," which immigration rewards consistently, is payoffs via an agent.  All others are playing immigration-lottery - whether at entry-points or offices.

 

 

[MadMuhammad]

I was recently at Vientiane to get a non imm ED Visa. The new booking system works a charm. 

On application I was in and out in under an hour then literally 5mins to pick up my passport with visa. 

I’m guessing ensuring I had all paperwork in order and ready to go helped immensely ????????‍♂️

[ubonjoe]

I just removed about every post on the last 2 pages of this topic that were almost entirely off topic inflammatory, bickering, baiting and etc. Time to end the trolling or a formal warning will be given.

[NightSky]

On 7/18/2019 at 11:59 AM, Caldera said:

True. That seems to be new, they used to charge 5 baht per copy.

Maybe they now have 1/6 the customers? Prices up to compensate.

[transam]

18 hours ago, Matzzon said:

Now you try to make fun of the rules too, and that they are made half a century ago and don´t make any sense. If that is your point, why are you then so interested in Thailand and the possibilityies to stay here. If nothing is good and all is so complicated? However, if they are made before Internet is totally irrelevant. That would make it much easier to follow and live up to with quicker transfers, credit cards you can max out and more people travelling that you and your fellows can ask for advice. ????

 

Now to the more fun part regarding abusing tourist visas. Yep, there are many persons that have big problems now, just because they abused the tourist visas, and they now because of that is harder to get. How many? It could only be based on my own opinion then, right. Here is what I would say:

Maximum 3 expempt entries per year disregarding land or air checkpoints.

Maximun 3 visa on arrival per year diregarding land or air checkpoints.
Single Entry Tourist Visa max 1 per 12 month period.
Multiple Entry Tourist Visa max 1 per 12 month period.

All should come with possibility to extend, but the different visas should not be able to combine for a possibility to stay longer.

That´s my opinion and a way to get it back to be called tourist visas and not a sneaky way to get by the rules for staying in the country with or without family or working illegally.

A system like that would clean out a lot of bad apples.

You are posting stuff we all mostly know but in your know-it-all posts you do not take into consideration individuals life and perhaps financial problems for one reason or another. LOS immigration has NO interest in looking outside their box at an individual's predicament even if he is supporting Thai natives...

[ubonjoe]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I just removed about every post on the last 2 pages of this topic that were almost entirely off topic inflammatory, bickering, baiting and etc. Time to end the trolling or a formal warning will be given.

And now a few more including a comment on moderation.

[aqua4]

16 hours ago, JackThompson said:

So, it's a "positive" that Thai kids/parents  with foreign parents/spouses won't be able to see them any more?  And when the foreigner has to pay to live somewhere else, and cannot support two residences, so the Thai family suffers? 

 

Thanks for the long rant. I fully agree with you. 

[Essecola]

I always paid my bills on time, never overstayed, followed every rule that was put in front of me  -  JUST TO BE RIPPED OF AT THE END , KICKED OUT

[Matzzon]

24 minutes ago, transam said:

You are posting stuff we all mostly know but in your know-it-all posts you do not take into consideration individuals life and perhaps financial problems for one reason or another. LOS immigration has NO interest in looking outside their box at an individual's predicament even if he is supporting Thai natives...

I do not know any other country that look outside the box or waive the financial requirenments just because different individuals predicament.

However, regarding the OP´s different predicaments:

1. It´s ime consuming bacause there are more than you leaving their applications the same day, and that they have to tell you to make copies that you appearently didn´t have.

 

2. If they were to require bank statements, which is probably what he meant, that can not be considered so hard. When applying for a Non-O based on marriage or child then it stands clear that most want to stay long time in Thailand. That will mean they need money. The best and most effective way is to put them in a Thai bank account. Therefore it can not be considered a problem to live up to that requirement. The amount have probable also been known longer than they have been married or had a Thai child.

 

3. Yes, if they installed the scan and fingerprint you will have to go through that just like everybody else. 

[transam]

36 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

I do not know any other country that look outside the box or waive the financial requirenments just because different individuals predicament.

However, regarding the OP´s different predicaments:

1. It´s ime consuming bacause there are more than you leaving their applications the same day, and that they have to tell you to make copies that you appearently didn´t have.

 

2. If they were to require bank statements, which is probably what he meant, that can not be considered so hard. When applying for a Non-O based on marriage or child then it stands clear that most want to stay long time in Thailand. That will mean they need money. The best and most effective way is to put them in a Thai bank account. Therefore it can not be considered a problem to live up to that requirement. The amount have probable also been known longer than they have been married or had a Thai child.

 

3. Yes, if they installed the scan and fingerprint you will have to go through that just like everybody else. 

My country and most other countries have a social security system to assist, LOS does not, here if a farang is told to bugger off then his family are in shit.

[Matzzon]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

My country and most other countries have a social security system to assist, LOS does not, here if a farang is told to bugger off then his family are in shit.

And that has to do with Immigration and a foreigners financial predicament to get his visa? I sincerely hope all foreigners know Thailand do not have a social system regarding financial help. Have to think about where in the world you chose to form a family i guess.

[elcaro]

18 hours ago, JackThompson said:

None of us have any "rights" here, unless on PR or have Citizenship.  Everyone else has an "extort me next" target painted on their back by immigration.

Paying social security gives you some rights right?

 

I don't think the requirements are that bad. It's annoying that they don't get reinforced everywhere the same way. I bet if everywhere it was the same ruling it would not get mentioned so much.

 

Only thing that I don't agree with is tm30 as it makes me feel like a criminal. I do it, and it is not a big hassle at all, especially when you can do it online, but it does make me feel like a criminal.

[ubonjoe]

A baiting post has been removed along with other off topic posts.

Since this topic has drifted way off topic it has certainly run its course so it is now