Void stamp on tourist visa from HCMC

[wallywest]

Hey all. So on my last post a couple of months ago I wrote about having issues at BKK where they nearly made me buy a ticket straight back to USA but let me come in this time and said I can't come back for 6 months. I asked for advice on here and was told that they don't put anything in the system and next time just come into Thailand somewhere else.

 

I planned on an Elite Visa but was rejected because I have more than 1 day overstay in the past 3 years, so I have to wait on that. So I went to HCMC yesterday and got my passport back today and on the tourist visa it says Void. I asked her and she said I can do 30 day visa on arrival but my 60 day tourist visa was rejected and she didn't have anymore information on that. 

 

I've already paid $1,000 for a month long hotel in Phuket, so I'm wondering if ya'll have any recommendations for me. Should I just give a visa on arrival a try and fly in somewhere? What is the most relax airport? I can't do border crossing because I already did that twice this year which I am sure is why I have been having these issues.

 

Thanks for your help.

[berybert]

2 months ago you were lucky to get in and told not to come back for 6 months. 

What could possibly go wrong ?

[wallywest]

2 minutes ago, berybert said:

2 months ago you were lucky to get in and told not to come back for 6 months. 

What could possibly go wrong ?

My post 2 months ago has over 100 replies and I was told by many people on here that there is nothing IO's put in the system to ban me from Thailand for 6 months, that its just a verbal warning. I was told to go for the Elite or land crossing which I did. It didn't work out so I'm asking for advice again if there is any, if you don't have any advice thanks anyways.

[spiekerjozef]

You need a new passport for a start.

[wallywest]

2 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

You need a new passport for a start.

Yes definitely. First thing on my list. 

[sanook 1]

How many Tourist visas did you have before in your current passport?

[thecyclist]

Unless you can get a refund of your 1000$ hotel booking, you will have to take your chances. Make sure you have enough cash, a confirmed outbound flight, and a print-out of your hotel bookings. Never flown in via Chiang Mai, but what has been reported on this forum, CM immigration is the most lenient. Then take a domestic flight down to Phuket. A new passport might help too, but I assume you won't have the time to apply for one. If Thai immigration ask about the void stamp, say that at the time of your visa application you didn't have enough cash on you and were therefore rejected, but that you have had cash transferred from your home country recently. Let us know how you did, and ignore the Thai immigration apologists that keep spouting off on this farang forum. 

[wallywest]

Basically I was naive to the tourist visa issue because before this I only had ED visas in my passport over the past couple of years. I stopped my education December of last year and got my first tourist visa by land crossing in February I believe, then I did a second land crossing 60 days later which is where I believe the issue is coming from. 

Then I left the country for about 6 weeks and got a tourist visa issued in USA, came back in June and that's when they pulled me at immigration and grilled me for a couple of hours and told me not to come back for 6 months. 

So this year I have 2 land crossings (visa on arrival) and 1 tourist visa, now I have this voided tourist visa as well from today.

[sanook 1]

1 minute ago, wallywest said:

Basically I was naive to the tourist visa issue because before this I only had ED visas in my passport over the past couple of years. I stopped my education December of last year and got my first tourist visa by land crossing in February I believe, then I did a second land crossing 60 days later which is where I believe the issue is coming from. 

Then I left the country for about 6 weeks and got a tourist visa issued in USA, came back in June and that's when they pulled me at immigration and grilled me for a couple of hours and told me not to come back for 6 months. 

So this year I have 2 land crossings (visa on arrival) and 1 tourist visa, now I have this voided tourist visa as well from today.

Did they ask for proof of accomodation when apply for a setv in hcmc?

[wallywest]

2 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

Unless you can get a refund of your 1000$ hotel booking, you will have to take your chances. Make sure you have enough cash, a confirmed outbound flight, and a print-out of your hotel bookings. Never flown in via Chiang Mai, but what has been reported on this forum, CM immigration is the most lenient. Then take a domestic flight down to Phuket. A new passport might help too, but I assume you won't have the time to apply for one. If Thai immigration ask about the void stamp, say that at the time of your visa application you didn't have enough cash on you and were therefore rejected, but that you have had cash transferred from your home country recently. Let us know how you did, and ignore the Thai immigration apologists that keep spouting off on this farang forum. 

Hey thank you, this is exactly what I'm looking for. Yeah I've already spend around $2,500 on flights to Thailand, hotel, etc. So spending another few hundred to try to fly in is worth it even if there's a 1% chance I suppose. 

This is the advice I was looking for, gonna go ahead and book my Chiang Mai flight. I'll update ya'll, thanks a lot.

[wallywest]

2 minutes ago, sanook 1 said:

Did they ask for proof of accomodation when apply for a setv in hcmc?

I had it all printed out. 1 month of accommodation, in and outbound ticket, and proof of enough funds. I handed them everything. 

[thecyclist]

2 minutes ago, wallywest said:

Hey thank you, this is exactly what I'm looking for. Yeah I've already spend around $2,500 on flights to Thailand, hotel, etc. So spending another few hundred to try to fly in is worth it even if there's a 1% chance I suppose. 

This is the advice I was looking for, gonna go ahead and book my Chiang Mai flight. I'll update ya'll, thanks a lot.

Your chances are much better than 1%.Probably over 50% that you will get through without any hassles or questions asked, and even if you get 'Interviewed' most likely they will let you in with a warning. 

[sanook 1]

Thanks! If i where you i would consider flying to kuala lumpur and then land crossing into thailand..

[DrJack54]

A member couple weeks ago had exactly same thing except his was ed visa. He elected to fly into CM from Saigon. Obtained visa exempt. Also he arrived with same passport with void stamp. Doubt if would be given entry at DM. 

BTW cheap flight from Saigon to CM

[wallywest]

Just now, sanook 1 said:

Thanks! If i where you i would consider flying to kuala lumpur and then land crossing into thailand..

Unfortunately I can't do that since I did those 2 land crossings already early this year. 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, wallywest said:

Unfortunately I can't do that since I did those 2 land crossings already early this year. 

Given that your best off rolling dice ....fly to CM

[BritTim]

Flying in visa exempt would be very risky. Did you ask the consulate about getting a 30-day (non extendable) transit visa? The rules for that are different from those applied to tourist visas. Assuming you can get a transit visa, arrange to enter by land (perhaps, Vientiane to Nong Khai).

[wallywest]

3 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Flying in visa exempt would be very risky. Did you ask the consulate about getting a 30-day (non extendable) transit visa? The rules for that are different from those applied to tourist visas. Assuming you can get a transit visa, arrange to enter by land (perhaps, Vientiane to Nong Khai).

Hmm I didn't know this was an option, I already bought my ticket into Chiang Mai and now the consulate is closed until Monday so I wouldn't be able to ask unfortunately. 

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, wallywest said:

Basically I was naive to the tourist visa issue because before this I only had ED visas in my passport over the past couple of years.

Are those ED visas in your current passport as well? That would give you quite a long history visible to the consulate, probably mostly back to back?

 

When you came to Vietnam, did you head straight to the Thai consulate or spend some time out of Thailand first? The more it looks like a visa run, the worse it is in the current climate.

 

I agree that CNX is probably your safest bet, all things considered. To improve your chances, have everything they might ask for ready to show: Flight out within 30 days, cash (personally I'd take more than what's required), hotel reservations. If you can book a hotel in Chiang Mai for the first few nights, a Chiang Mai address on your arrival card would look better than a Phuket address. Best of luck to you!

[wallywest]

3 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Are those ED visas in your current passport as well? That would give you quite a long history visible to the consulate, probably mostly back to back?

 

When you came to Vietnam, did you head straight to the Thai consulate or spend some time out of Thailand first? The more it looks like a visa run, the worse it is in the current climate.

 

I agree that CNX is probably your safest bet, all things considered. To improve your chances, have everything they might ask for ready to show: Flight out within 30 days, cash (personally I'd take more than what's required), hotel reservations. If you can book a hotel in Chiang Mai for the first few nights, a Chiang Mai address on your arrival card would look better than a Phuket address. Best of luck to you!

I have the previous ED Visa on my passport right now but not the first one from Muay Thai.

 

I left Thailand August 8th and went to Brazil for a couple of weeks, then to USA, then to England, and then got into Vietnam on the 4th.

 

And sounds good, thanks for the suggestion on the hotel in Chiang Mai, I'll book that now. 

When I have the cash on me do I just hand over all of that to the IO? Or should I wait to hand over cash if they ask, don't want it to look like I'm bribing or anything.

[Caldera]

10 minutes ago, wallywest said:

When I have the cash on me do I just hand over all of that to the IO? Or should I wait to hand over cash if they ask, don't want it to look like I'm bribing or anything.

Just hand over your passport, boarding pass and arrival card first, as per usual. If they question you, however, having everything ready that they expect to see from a tourist can be helpful.

[jondoe18]

3 hours ago, wallywest said:

BKK where they nearly made me buy a ticket straight back to USA

If you don't have a family here and you see that they don't want you here

although you pay $ 1000 per month for accommodation then why are you

pushing to be here?

Vietnam girls are also pink inside and hotels for 1000 usd are easy to find .

[cerox]

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

A member couple weeks ago had exactly same thing except his was ed visa. He elected to fly into CM from Saigon. Obtained visa exempt. Also he arrived with same passport with void stamp. Doubt if would be given entry at DM. 

BTW cheap flight from Saigon to CM

Thank you Jack.

I can confirm CM Immigration is really nice, both at the airport and also the main Immigration next to the airport. They were very helpful after my void visa letting me in, and also extend my 30 day stamp another 30 days so I have time to wrap everything up. Also helped with the residence certificate which you are supposed to have a visa for.

 

It is really a big difference to BKK/DMK - I would not have dared to fly in there.

[thecyclist]

3 hours ago, wallywest said:

I have the previous ED Visa on my passport right now but not the first one from Muay Thai.

 

I left Thailand August 8th and went to Brazil for a couple of weeks, then to USA, then to England, and then got into Vietnam on the 4th.

 

And sounds good, thanks for the suggestion on the hotel in Chiang Mai, I'll book that now. 

When I have the cash on me do I just hand over all of that to the IO? Or should I wait to hand over cash if they ask, don't want it to look like I'm bribing or anything.

Under no circumstances hand over /present anything other than your passport and arrival card, most certainly no money. Just act like any regular traveler would:anything out of the ordinary and you will only attract their attention. More often then not the IO will perfunctorily swipe your passport and stamp you in in a routine-like, half conscious manner,unless you raise a red flag by behaving conspicuously. 

[berybert]

7 hours ago, wallywest said:

My post 2 months ago has over 100 replies and I was told by many people on here that there is nothing IO's put in the system to ban me from Thailand for 6 months, that its just a verbal warning. I was told to go for the Elite or land crossing which I did. It didn't work out so I'm asking for advice again if there is any, if you don't have any advice thanks anyways.

Immigration officials advice or TV peoples advice. You choose wrong. 

Ah well. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by berybert

[jondoe18]

1 hour ago, thecyclist said:

Under no circumstances hand over /present anything other than your passport and arrival card, most certainly no money. Just act like any regular traveler would:anything out of the ordinary and you will only attract their attention. More often then not the IO will perfunctorily swipe your passport and stamp you in in a routine-like, half conscious manner,unless you raise a red flag by behaving conspicuously. 

Good luck with that !

My kid was one of the first Thai citizens born after May 22, 2014.
Since then I have been on NON O visas. A few weeks ago on the way back

from HCMC I was first time interviewed at the airport and got a crooked face

and a negative head shakes from a guy with a stamp.

I have a serious reason to come back, I certainly wouldn't fight for tourist visas

or go to school like some people do when there are so many other countries

and possibilities .

[Suradit69]

17 hours ago, wallywest said:

So this year I have 2 land crossings (visa on arrival)

You're not getting visas on arrival. You're getting visa exempt entries. Not the same thing.

[EricTh]

15 hours ago, Caldera said:

 

I agree that CNX is probably your safest bet, all things considered. 

Why would Chiang Mai be the safest bet? Why not Southern Thailand?

[stevenl]

32 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Why would Chiang Mai be the safest bet? Why not Southern Thailand?

Flying in to Phuket can cause problems, don't know about Krabi or Hat Yai though.

Land crossings not an option for the OP anymore, he has already reached the yearly limit.

[BritTim]

52 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Why would Chiang Mai be the safest bet? Why not Southern Thailand?

There have been bad reports from Phuket, Krabi and Samui. Hat Yai or Surat Thani might be OK, but we have little information to go on as far as those airports are concerned. Apart from Chiang Mai, an airport with good reports (albeit limited) is U-Tapao.