Vientiane Tourist Visa DENIED

[Ebumbu]

My American friend is new to Thailand. He's had three visa exempts in a row (not a great idea, but it was convenient). He entered Thailand on a visa exempt and travelled to Cambodia twice to get two more. He extended all three of these. (I know, I know.) Based on this, he was DENIED a tourist visa in Vientiane. It seems they are tightening the reigns in Laos. Even though he was in a group, he was still denied. 

 

Does anyone know what's the current Embassy Country of Choice for tourist visas? Would appreciate any guidance or suggestions. My friend literally has a fresh passport with three visa exempts in it to Thailand. 

 

Would he have better luck at Savannakhet? Creative ideas?  ????

 

[ubonjoe]

Apparently Vientiane and Savannakhet have the same rule now. If a person has stayed in the country for more than 90 days in the past 6 months they will not accept a application for a tourist visa.

Perhaps KL or Penang or Ho Chi Minh City.

[at15]

Should have known better. In the current day, Vientiane and Savannakhet are the two most difficult places to obtain a tourist visa. Better off anywhere else in southeast asia. Also shows you are a traveler and have the means to travel to a far off location.

Edited October 8, 2019 by at15

[at15]

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Apparently Vientiane and Savannakhet have the same rule now. If a person has stayed in the country for more than 90 days in the past 6 months they will not accept a application for a tourist visa.

Perhaps KL or Penang or Ho Chi Minh City.

what if one comes with a blank passport? Im assuming they dont have the means to check this rule? 

[ubonjoe]

Just now, at15 said:

what if one comes with a blank passport? Im assuming they dont have the means to check this rule? 

Getting a new passport will clear any history of visas and etc that the embassy or consulate can see.

It does not clear your immigration history though due the new and old passports be linked the first the time they are used to enter the country.

[DrJack54]

There is another thing to consider. Let's say he gets a setv in say Penang. The next hurdle would be flying into bkk airports. Would be best advised to try obtain setv and enter via border. 

That would not be easy if he tried to get visa in say Saigon.

Recently member got a void in Saigon and took punt on visa exempt flight to CM. Was successful. So for others in similar boat CM might be option. For how long? 

Your friend did it back to front. Always save the border exempt to last. 

Edited October 8, 2019 by DrJack54

[SteveK]

56 minutes ago, at15 said:

Vientiane and Savannakhet are the two most difficult places to obtain a tourist visa

What's happened? I thought Savannakhet was the go-to place to get an easy visa without any hassle?

[Ebumbu]

Got it. He'll try another country and come back via land crossing. Thanks! 

 

He did manage to get back into Thailand on another visa exempt after his group "fixed" things. So, 30 days to try again and come back by land crossing. 

 

Land of milk and honey. 

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Getting a new passport will clear any history of visas and etc that the embassy or consulate can see.

It does not clear your immigration history though due the new and old passports be linked the first the time they are used to enter the country.

I do believe you, but how can we today still be ceratain that embassies and consulates do not store passport numbers and names as well as personal security number and the visas obtained there before?

[SteveK]

41 minutes ago, Ebumbu said:

Got it. He'll try another country and come back via land crossing. Thanks! 

 

He did manage to get back into Thailand on another visa exempt after his group "fixed" things. So, 30 days to try again and come back by land crossing. 

 

Land of milk and honey. 

Or 30 days to figure out which visa he will be getting next time or he's going to be denied entry.

 

ED visas are suspect. Either he's got enough cash to apply for an Elite visa, he's retired and qualifies for a Non-O retirement visa, or he's got 30 days to find a lady who is willing to marry him (so there's no time to waste!).

 

 

Edited October 8, 2019 by SteveK

[sanemax]

57 minutes ago, SteveK said:

What's happened? I thought Savannakhet was the go-to place to get an easy visa without any hassle?

It was about three years ago 

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

What's happened? I thought Savannakhet was the go-to place to get an easy visa without any hassle?

Exploited to the max!

[DrJack54]

52 minutes ago, Ebumbu said:

Got it. He'll try another country and come back via land crossing. Thanks! 

 

He did manage to get back into Thailand on another visa exempt after his group "fixed" things. So, 30 days to try again and come back by land crossing. 

 

Land of milk and honey. 

So your saying he was able to get a 3rd visa exempt at border with a "fix"? 

Did it cost him. Seriously!!

[DrJack54]

14 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Or 30 days to figure out which visa he will be getting next time or he's going to be denied entry.

 

ED visas are suspect. Either he's got enough cash to apply for an Elite visa, he's retired and qualifies for a Non-O retirement visa, or he's got 30 days to find a lady who is willing to marry him (so there's no time to waste!).

 

 

Or he could spend months in somewhere like Vietnam then repeat same cycle. 

[Ebumbu]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

So your saying he was able to get a 3rd visa exempt at border with a "fix"? 

Did it cost him. Seriously!!

His group leader had a quick huddle with immigrations, so to speak, and the situation was "fixed." If you count extensions of visa exempts, he is at seven. I know. It's not me. I've been here eight years. Apparently, the reason given for rejection was "too many visits to Cambodia." Three out of seven from the visa van were denied. Maybe he needs to try again next year. We'll see. 

 

He's checking out Siem Reap as a possibility to stay for a year. 

[Caldera]

I can say from personal and recent experience that your friend shouldn't have any problem applying for a tourist visa in Hanoi. They just need to make sure they have everything they ask for.

 

That is assuming that Vientiane just rejected their application and didn't put any remark or voided visa in their passport 

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, Caldera said:

I can say from personal and recent experience that your friend shouldn't have any problem applying for a tourist visa in Hanoi. They just need to make sure they have everything they ask for.

 

That is assuming that Vientiane just rejected their application and didn't put any remark or voided visa in their passport 

Say what. He has had 6 months continuous stay. 3 ve all extended and now whip over to Hanoi obtain setv (which might be OK) then enter Thailand. Hanoi to DM. Good luck with that. If your thinking Hanoi to chiang mai direct then include that in post. 

IMO even with setv he would have zero chance. 

Just an opinion. If successful that would give him 9 months continuous. Big ask in current climate.

Sounds like zip time out of los. 

[emptypockets]

20 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Say what. He has had 6 months continuous stay. 3 ve all extended and now whip over to Hanoi obtain setv (which might be OK) then enter Thailand. Hanoi to DM. Good luck with that. If your thinking Hanoi to chiang mai direct then include that in post. 

IMO even with setv he would have zero chance. 

Just an opinion. If successful that would give him 9 months continuous. Big ask in current climate.

Sounds like zip time out of los. 

No doubt another tightening of visa exempt/tourist/ED visa will be forthcoming due to via abuse , which will hurt genuine people.

Are these people retarded?

Get the message guys, Thailand doesn't want you living in Thailand on the wrong visa. If the right visa is not available for your particular circumstance - bad luck - they don't want you, go somewhere else. Then when you abuse that country and they tighten the rules, expect the same response. 

It would seem over the last few years that Thailand no longer wants to be seen as the cheap and easy, anything goes place, rightly or wrongly. I expect the rest of SEA will follow suit in the not too distant future. Asia simply doesn't need Europeans anymore or their money .

It is the Asian Century. Get used to it.

[Caldera]

43 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Say what. He has had 6 months continuous stay. 3 ve all extended and now whip over to Hanoi obtain setv (which might be OK) then enter Thailand. Hanoi to DM. Good luck with that. If your thinking Hanoi to chiang mai direct then include that in post. 

IMO even with setv he would have zero chance. 

Just an opinion. If successful that would give him 9 months continuous. Big ask in current climate.

Sounds like zip time out of los. 

You're wrong. My history - in my current passport alone - is far more extensive than the OP's friend's history. That didn't stop Hanoi from issuing a SETV to me. I don't think they would mind his extended visa exempt stays - I have 4 of these in my current passport, plus 3 SETVs from elsewhere. To be clear, each and every one extended.

[mosan]

14 minutes ago, Caldera said:

You're wrong. My history - in my current passport alone - is far more extensive than the OP's friend's history. That didn't stop Hanoi from issuing a SETV to me. I don't think they would mind his extended visa exempt stays - I have 4 of these in my current passport, plus 3 SETVs from elsewhere. To be clear, each and every one extended.

That doesn't mean that it's a good idea to recommend to this guy to keep on pushing the system. You may just have been lucky and overlook by the immigrations officers on this end.  The prudent thing for him to do is to quit while he is ahead.  

[Caldera]

4 minutes ago, mosan said:

That doesn't mean that it's a good idea to recommend to this guy to keep on pushing the system. You may just have been lucky and overlook by the immigrations officers on this end.  The prudent thing for him to do is to quit while he is ahead.  

Cannot say I disagree with you, considering the current climate. As I've mentioned in other threads, I will reduce my time spent in Thailand from 9-10 months per year to 4-5 months per year, starting from next year.

[SteveK]

One thing's for sure - if he keeps on like this he WILL get refused entry at some point, and possibly very soon. Even if Hanoi do issue him a SETV, there's still a very real chance that he won't be allowed in with it. If he doesn't have any ties in Thailand he would surely be better off spending 3-6 months in Vietnam before trying again, and even then there's no guarantee that he would be let in on a tourist visa or yet another VE.

Edited October 8, 2019 by SteveK

[whitemouse]

Does anyone know why Thailand, a developing nation, is actively working on killing tourism? What's the plan? Do they really think every Westerner, who stays 7 months is working here illegally? This is bizarre.

[whitemouse]

This is what tourism from Moscow looks like, Aeroflot Moscow  - BKK, September 19.

It looks like Thailand got their wish:

 

 

[andy72]

4 hours ago, Ebumbu said:

Got it. He'll try another country and come back via land crossing. Thanks! 

 

He did manage to get back into Thailand on another visa exempt after his group "fixed" things. So, 30 days to try again and come back by land crossing. 

 

Land of milk and honey. 

 

3 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

So your saying he was able to get a 3rd visa exempt at border with a "fix"? 

Did it cost him. Seriously!!

Try to keep up.
Read the OP's post 
He stated 3 plus three extensions
Now he somehow got a 4th with a fix though no $$$ news

His best bet at this juncture is to just get another 30 day extension
Its all the extensions he has had already that got him refused that's whats plucking their chords these days.
So he gets another 30 that brings him to 60 days to think about the next step and that would not be Laos Penang or Cambodia for certain neighboring countries is a No No.
Say that takes him to early December go to Hanoi see an agent then travel overland into Laos and come into Thailand overland with 20k in his pocket
or just stay till January somewhere else and the exempts for land border are reset 
its a new year 

[Langkawee]

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

There is another thing to consider. Let's say he gets a setv in say Penang. The next hurdle would be flying into bkk airports. Would be best advised to try obtain setv and enter via border. 

That would not be easy if he tried to get visa in say Saigon.

Recently member got a void in Saigon and took punt on visa exempt flight to CM. Was successful. So for others in similar boat CM might be option. For how long? 

Your friend did it back to front. Always save the border exempt to last. 

He must use a border. Too risky to use Thai airports now. Youd be aware of this if you have read the volumes of reports of people being denied and deported even with valid visas. 

[Langkawee]

9 hours ago, SteveK said:

Or 30 days to figure out which visa he will be getting next time or he's going to be denied entry.

 

ED visas are suspect. Either he's got enough cash to apply for an Elite visa, he's retired and qualifies for a Non-O retirement visa, or he's got 30 days to find a lady who is willing to marry him (so there's no time to waste!).

 

 

You talk as if Thailand is the only country in the World, lol. My God man. Go to Vietnam, Philippines. IMO much better looking women. Try Mindanao.  However Thailand is the cheapest for an apartment. If life is about cheap apartments stay in Thailand. 

[Langkawee]

8 hours ago, Caldera said:

I can say from personal and recent experience that your friend shouldn't have any problem applying for a tourist visa in Hanoi. They just need to make sure they have everything they ask for.

 

That is assuming that Vientiane just rejected their application and didn't put any remark or voided visa in their passport 

Visa does not guarantee entry. Take note, he will be deported back to his home country if flying in from Hanoi and denied entry. Vietam refuses to accept Thai rejects unlike Malaysia. 

[overherebc]

13 hours ago, Matzzon said:

I do believe you, but how can we today still be ceratain that embassies and consulates do not store passport numbers and names as well as personal security number and the visas obtained there before?

Saigon ( HCMC ) I think does. At application they put a little numbered sticker on the application. When you pick up the PP the girls sitting on the right check against the computer and peel of the number before handing you your PP.

I don't think they would be checking the computer if they were not keeping records on names PP numbers etc.

Edited October 9, 2019 by overherebc

[Tayaout]

3 hours ago, Langkawee said:

Visa does not guarantee entry. Take note, he will be deported back to his home country if flying in from Hanoi and denied entry. Vietam refuses to accept Thai rejects unlike Malaysia. 

They accept rejects if you can get visa waiver or you have multi entry visa. They reject those who need to apply online 2-3 days in advance.