Entering Thailand with Non "O"

[megapix]

Hi there,

 

So I have been coming to Thailand with tourist visas and exempts stamps for last 4 years. There was no other option for me because Im young (under 25). I tried Non "B" but it didn't work out. So I got many stamps in passport but never had any problem before when I entered Thailand.

 

I got married and I have obtained multiple Non "O" in HCMC 2 months ago. Im planing on getting the 1 year extension but Im in process of saving the money. 

 

I have to leave country on 15th of November. Im going to Vietnam for 5 days.

 

My question is, upon entering the Thailand, are there any requirements that the IO can surprise me with ? I will enter with Non "O" again. Like 20 000THB in cash with tourist visa, or something like that.

 

Im just asking because when I entered Thailand first time with Non "O" the IO tried to take me to the room and asked me many questions and whole process was uncomfortable. Maybe I was just unlucky and he had bad mood. But I just worry that they gonna ask me questions again and I wanna be prepared just in case they will make problems.

 

Thank you.

 

[kralledr]

no need cash if you have non o ????

[Crossy]

Don't forget that if you are officially married you can get an extension of 60 days to "visit your wife" for 1,900 Baht from your local immigration office. Cheaper than a run out of the country.

 

[Maestro]

Even with a non-O visa there is the possibility that sooner or later an immigration official will suspect you of working illegally in Thailand. You may want to prepare yourself for that eventuality.

[johnny1966]

So you entered with a non o, the io "tried to take you to a room and asked you many questions" Could I please ask what the questions were and what nationality you are?

[sandyf]

49 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Don't forget that if you are officially married you can get an extension of 60 days to "visit your wife" for 1,900 Baht from your local immigration office. Cheaper than a run out of the country.

 

That is no real benefit during the life of the visa unless you need to manipulate dates for some reason. If you want max benefit at the end, i.e. 90 days plus a 60 days you need to leave the country just before the end of the visa and having done a 60 day would mean forfeiting time at some point.

Something I have been thinking about quite carefully for next year.

[steve187]

50 minutes ago, Maestro said:

Even with a non-O visa there is the possibility that sooner or later an immigration official will suspect you of working illegally in Thailand. You may want to prepare yourself for that eventuality.

never heard of that,

he can work on a 'married' non O, as long as he has a work permit.

[overherebc]

26 minutes ago, steve187 said:

never heard of that,

he can work on a 'married' non O, as long as he has a work permit.

Agree. Spent most of my time working with WP issued while holding Non O. 

I have the usual barstool experts tell me I must have been 'illegal' because Imm' told them, or their wife, it must be a B visa.

[Maestro]

25 minutes ago, steve187 said:

...he can work on a 'married' non O, as long as he has a work permit.

 

He can get a work permit on marriage extension and in this case he would prepare himself for immigration questioning by carrying his work permit with him when entering Thailand.

[Maestro]

4 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Agree. Spent most of my time working with WP issued while holding Non O... 

 

 

Did you all this time have 90-day permissions to stay based on entries with non-O visas, or did you have one-year extensions of stay for the reason of being married to a Thai national?

[overherebc]

31 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

Did you all this time have 90-day permissions to stay based on entries with non-O visas, or did you have one-year extensions of stay for the reason of being married to a Thai national?

Multi entry O's with a break when I worked BOI and they changed me over to a B at Bangkok office. They also did the 90 day reports for me.

[drbeach]

48 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

He can get a work permit on marriage extension and in this case he would prepare himself for immigration questioning by carrying his work permit with him when entering Thailand.

Extremely unlikely to happen. Verbal acknowledgement of what you are doing is usually enough.

 

A non-O holder almost never has any problems. Just don't overstay on any entry.

[Maestro]

11 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Multi entry O's with a break when I worked BOI and they changed me over to a B at Bangkok office. They also did the 90 day reports for me.

 

Thank you for the clarification.

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, megapix said:

My question is, upon entering the Thailand, are there any requirements that the IO can surprise me with ? I will enter with Non "O" again. Like 20 000THB in cash with tourist visa, or something like that.

nah, nobody cares, I've done 10 back to back in the last 2+ years, stamp, stamp in.

They may ask you why you're coming here (as it doesn't specify on the VISA itself), just answer "to visit my wife".

[overherebc]

57 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

He can get a work permit on marriage extension and in this case he would prepare himself for immigration questioning by carrying his work permit with him when entering Thailand.

Can't imagine Imm' asking for a WP at the airport.

99% of IO's 'know' and tell you it must be a B.

They see an extension issued in Thailand and that's all they are interested in. You've proved you've got the money to get the extension.

[spiekerjozef]

If you don't want problems don't fly to bangkok

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

If you don't want problems don't fly to bangkok

I come through BKK all the time with non-os ....... never any problem.

Never heard of anyone having any problem.

[johnny1966]

55 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

nah, nobody cares, I've done 10 back to back in the last 2+ years, stamp, stamp in.

They may ask you why you're coming here (as it doesn't specify on the VISA itself), just answer "to visit my wife".

I have 3 non o multi visas in my pp plus an old retirement 12 month extension, current is a non o multi based on marriage. I anticipate some questions at swampy next week. Exactly what im not sure. 

[overherebc]

6 minutes ago, johnny1966 said:

I have 3 non o multi visas in my pp plus an old retirement 12 month extension, current is a non o multi based on marriage. I anticipate some questions at swampy next week. Exactly what im not sure. 

I would be very surprised if they ask you anything.

[BritManToo]

13 minutes ago, overherebc said:

I would be very surprised if they ask you anything.

Me too!

[overherebc]

Just to add.

If you have intentions of applying for residency PR or whatever then with multi non O the time worked doesn't count. You must be on an extension of B or O for the 3 years. Multi visas aren't taken into acount.

[recom273]

17 hours ago, steve187 said:

never heard of that,

he can work on a 'married' non O, as long as he has a work permit.

Yes, happened to me - Funnily enough. Worked on non-o without WP for a few years, no problem on entry, then a non-o with a WP, no problem on entry and then when after I stopped working, I got pulled in to the superintendents office and asked why I was not on an extension of stay and was I working. I’m unsure what they hope to achieve by holding you in a room, flicking through all the pages and continually asking questions - do they think you will break down, admit all and sign a confession?

 

ETS: never issues at an airport.

[overherebc]

30 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Yes, happened to me - Funnily enough. Worked on non-o without WP for a few years, no problem on entry, then a non-o with a WP, no problem on entry and then when after I stopped working, I got pulled in to the superintendents office and asked why I was not on an extension of stay and was I working. I’m unsure what they hope to achieve by holding you in a room, flicking through all the pages and continually asking questions - do they think you will break down, admit all and sign a confession?

 

ETS: never issues at an airport.

Lucky few years work without the WP then.

Re' the confession bit. That seems to work a lot here. 3 guys do a break-in, police catch one and within an hour they have the details of the other two and a list of 'previous' offences. ????????

[recom273]

24 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Lucky few years work without the WP then.

Re' the confession bit. That seems to work a lot here. 3 guys do a break-in, police catch one and within an hour they have the details of the other two and a list of 'previous' offences. ????????

I guess it kind of worked, after A combination of 12 years of tourist, business and non-o visas, I just kept 400,000k in the bank, complied and applied for the extension.
The thumbscrews seem to be working, there were times when I would take a morning to go to the border every 4 weeks in an exempt instead of getting a proper visa.

I must say, when forced to collect a visa or border bounce, I saw lots more of the country and had some good experiences now I’m just too lazy to go anywhere. 

[megapix]

21 hours ago, johnny1966 said:

So you entered with a non o, the io "tried to take you to a room and asked you many questions" Could I please ask what the questions were and what nationality you are?

Im holder of Czech passport.

 

He asked questions such as:

 

Why I come here so often?

Do I work here?

Where I live in Thailand ?

Do I have a kid ?

Where is my wife ?

Where I get my money ? and etc....

 

I think that they see me as too young to live here so thats why they ask questions like that. I assume that not many people under 25 are married and living in Thailand.

[Max69xl]

21 hours ago, Maestro said:

Even with a non-O visa there is the possibility that sooner or later an immigration official will suspect you of working illegally in Thailand. You may want to prepare yourself for that eventuality.

If he's married to a Thai, there's no problem.