Refused entry at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi from London Heathrow with visa - help returning

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, saengd said:

Thailand doesn't need or want impoverished foreigners coming here to do those jobs, even if they are qualified to do low quality low incomes jobs.

Oh,so that would explain  such foreigners emptying my bins or being moved all over the place in the back of pickups?

[donnacha]

6 hours ago, CHdiver said:

I doubt "Tourists" with back to back Tourist Visas stay in 4* Hotels. However, normal Tourists staying for 2 or 3 weeks once or twice a year do.

Nonsense. A tourist is someone who travels for pleasure. There is no time limitation on that.

Also, many of us stay in 4-star hotels for months, why wouldn't we?

You get what you pay for. If you need a good gym & pool, and want to be in clean, pleasant, quiet environment away from budget tourists and their mental problems, roughly $1K per week is a not so much to pay.

If, by the time you hit your 40s, your assets are not generating enough to make that easily affordable, well, you have seriously mismanaged your finances. The world is awash with money these days, what is the point of slumming it?

[saengd]

8 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Oh,so that would explain  such foreigners emptying my bins or being moved all over the place in the back of pickups?

The context was western foreigners, which I think you understood very well, not Burmese!

[hugolars]

11 minutes ago, saengd said:

A visa gives you permission to travel to country, not to enter it. The job of the IO is to determine whether you may enter, using a series of rules about which he has considerable latitude, including his personal judgement and this is true of any IO anywhere. Imagine if you showed up at Heathrow with a visa and the IO asked you a few questions and you told him to <deleted> of you fascist scum. You may well have all the other bits and pieces necessary to enter successfully but the IO didn't think you ought to enter because of your attitude, in which case you would be denied using some vague blanket rule, not in the public interest, or similar.

 

The IO in Thailand is not as proficient as you in English but he goes through a similar process, he asks questions but doesn't believe/comprehend fully your answers, IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY WHERE A HIGH PROPORTION OF VISA HOLDERS ARE HANDING HIM FAIRY STORIES, and pow, you just got excluded. If you were expecting that what follows might be the same as the UK, several levels of review by increasingly senior officers, you would be mistaken. If you were expecting that an excuse of, well it worked OK last year, might be OK, you would also be mistaken.

Well any country has the right to make a buck on issuing useless Visas, which is pretty unique behavior in the world but hey, this is "amazing Thailand", but to take the freedom away from the visitor by locking him up for days and charging him for the "visit" is beyond comprehension. You don't want me entering your country even though I have a valid "ticket" that is your loss so let me instantly travel anywhere I want! Can you imagine being locked up for days like a rabid dog in a cage because you are not a "tourist" even though the Thai ambassador told you otherwise? They don't even lock up dogs in this country but you think it's OK to lock in people on suspicion on not being tourists???? Should this not cause the Thai ambassador a "face loss" because the visa he sell is useless? 
I don't get it, is not a violation of human right to lock in a person like this??? Should this not make every civilized country issue warning to it's citizens that visiting Thailand is discouraged? shouldn't the embassy of the persons country instantly demand the release of it's citizen by the crazed Thais?

[No1]

 

 

7 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Next will be no more retirement visas and marriage visas then they will have achieved their goal of the extinction of foreigners in Thailand and a crashed Thai economy. 

Would the "extinction" of foreign visitors in Thailand lead to a crash in the economy? I highly doubt that. Despite all injustices from Thai immigration we are whining about in this thread, 2019 will be the the most successful year of tourism ever reaching 40 million arrivals of tourists in 2019. So I surely don't understand your point. 
 

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Many years from now, when students of the hospitality industry are being escorted through totally abandoned four star hotels, they will discuss the effects of hubris, arrogance heinous visa policy and gross incompetence, on a once thriving industry. 

Totally exaggerated. 

I would be interested to understand how many people coming on tourist visas have been denied entry vs the ones allowed in. One out of a thousand? Understandably, no-one is posting here "oh wonder, I was allowed in" but we just see the few, voiceful cases here on Thaivisa. Really not enough to make me worry.

For what it is worth, I am here on a 60 day tourist visa, have had a few of them since 2018 plus a few visa exempt entries from Asian countries as well as from Europe. I am here every year for around 180 days since 2004 and always arrive at BKK. They have never asked me anything, just opened the passport and stamped me in.

[saengd]

11 minutes ago, hugolars said:

Well any country has the right to make a buck on issuing useless Visas, which is pretty unique behavior in the world but hey, this is "amazing Thailand", but to take the freedom away from the visitor by locking him up for days and charging him for the "visit" is beyond comprehension. You don't want me entering your country even though I have a valid "ticket" that is your loss so let me instantly travel anywhere I want! Can you imagine being locked up for days like a rabid dog in a cage because you are not a "tourist" even though the Thai ambassador told you otherwise? They don't even lock up dogs in this country but you think it's OK to lock in people on suspicion on not being tourists???? Should this not cause the Thai ambassador a "face loss" because the visa he sell is useless? 
I don't get it, is not a violation of human right to lock in a person like this??? Should this not make every civilized country issue warning to it's citizens that visiting Thailand is discouraged? shouldn't the embassy of the persons country instantly demand the release of it's citizen by the crazed Thais?

It's not about making a buck, it's more likely to be the disconnect between different people in different places. We've seen here repeatedly over time that when a rule is made centrally in any organisation and then disseminated to branches or outposts, something usually gets lost in the translation, we've seen that with banks and with immigration offices at a minimum. As a foreigner, try opening a bank account in nakon nowhere and you'll get refused, try and do it in tourist populated locations in Bangkok and you'll have more success. The immigration rules for this and that visa renewal in one location are likely to be different than in another location, that's the way it is. Whether it's a structural problem, a staffing problem, an intellectual understanding problem, I don't know but that's the way it is, in lots of examples.

[TTL2]

On 10/24/2019 at 4:36 AM, BritTim said:

Usually, if you have a valid unused visa, your old passport will be returned to you after having surgery such as cutting of the corners applied to it. If you have the old passport with the visa, the visa is still valid and usable, but you will need to show both passports when entering Thailand.

You are absolutely right. If one have no reasonable doubt and know how the world of diplomacy work. They will keep all their old document instead losing it or stacked it away.
Things happened though, some family keep on moving like nomad so literally they don't keep get to keep their things in order due to unmanageable lifestyle and it ran in a family. So, the child that grew as an adult also care less about own document. As soon as certain document expired, they thrashed it away especially expired driving license, expired bank book, expired passport, bank statements, expired education certificates and so on.

Once all that recognition expired papers are gone. You can't prove your credibility. 

[ChakaKhan]

19 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Oh boy. You don’t go through immigration on a domestic flight. If your history is exactly what you stated you will have zero problems entering BKK. If you forgot to mention you lived on back to back visa exempts or tourist visas before Dec 2018 then that is a different matter. 

Correct... I stay in LOS for about 4-5 months a year, fly into BKK and get my 30 day stamp, never a problem. Then i go up to CNX and extend that 30 stamp at cnx immig (1900bt)...then I haul to Laos and do the thai visa thing there and re-enter at nong khai--bus back to cnx.....been doing this since 2008...always arrive on a one way tix and leave when I'm ready or visa runs out/ $$$ etc....

 

So was there last year august 15-dec 15...30+30+laos trip(60)=back home.....planning this again BUT maybe a run to burma(mae sai) instead of laos haul   30+30 bkk/cnx--30+30 ms/cnx.....extending the 2-30 day stamps

 

Left out of BKK on Dec 15 2018..came home to work and save $$$....some say I get 2 land crossings a year

[ChakaKhan]

20 hours ago, elviajero said:

I don’t see why you’d have a problem having been away for 11 months.

 

No. If denied at BKK you won’t be able to transfer to CNX.

Yes I've been home 11 months working and saving $$ to hang in LOS for 4 months...left dec 15 2018....

Thanks for 2 pt reply....

[deepah92]

4 hours ago, No1 said:

For what it is worth, I am here on a 60 day tourist visa, have had a few of them since 2018 plus a few visa exempt entries from Asian countries as well as from Europe. I am here every year for around 180 days since 2004 and always arrive at BKK. They have never asked me anything, just opened the passport and stamped me in.

Pretty much same here but two times the IO has been questioning me a bit more about my occupation and purpose in visiting Thailand "so often" .. last time he ended up brandish my passport to his colleagues saying something i couldn't understand.., didn't sound too friendly but let me in though (was away for 5 month since previous visit - 3 month in early 2019.., and about to stay two more)

Edited October 25, 2019 by deepah92

[NanLaew]

13 hours ago, jackdd said:

If you had read my other thread properly, you would have understood that my conclusion is that they suspect people of working illegally in Thailand. But instead of using section 12.3 to deny them they use 12.2.

As other posters then pointed out this might be because 12.3 would require proof that the foreigner is working, which they don't have. Section 12.2 is more convenient for them to use because they can just say something like "the guy didn't have any money with him and looked like a bum" (they never ask for money or whatever) to justify it. This explanation makes sense to me.

And I totally agree that 12.2 is easier to enforce than 12.3 and that's why it is applied with a broad brush (while they look away from unsolicited cash-waving exercises).

[NanLaew]

14 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Can't wait for the Thai real estate market and the Thai economy to crash.

Miserable people pray for failure.

 

14 hours ago, bbi1 said:

IMO no they shouldn't. They are not legally staying in Thailand and doing shady sh#t to stay here with their bribes to agents/IOs.

And inadequate people seek misfortune for others.

 

Why does Thailand attract the miserable and inadequate?

 

[TTL2]

People who offer bribe are either low mentality or don't learn their lesson repeating the same foolish mistakes all over again in their life.
A good example when a hawker stall paying protection money as soon as the business started opening. And soon, there will be several triads organisation come up and asking for protection money fee to pay. Isn't that stupid or just being a moron?!.

[EricTh]

10 hours ago, RickG16 said:

Do you know this for a fact, or is it speculation? 

 

Do we know that when you put your fingers on the scanner, your history is automatically brought up on the immigration officer's screen? I'm sure they could bring up your history if they wanted to, but to me it looks like they spend more time going through your actual passport.............

 

 

It is not speculation, I read it from a news report many months ago.

 

I read lots of news everyday.

 

 

[alex8912]

4 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

Correct... I stay in LOS for about 4-5 months a year, fly into BKK and get my 30 day stamp, never a problem. Then i go up to CNX and extend that 30 stamp at cnx immig (1900bt)...then I haul to Laos and do the thai visa thing there and re-enter at nong khai--bus back to cnx.....been doing this since 2008...always arrive on a one way tix and leave when I'm ready or visa runs out/ $$$ etc....

 

So was there last year august 15-dec 15...30+30+laos trip(60)=back home.....planning this again BUT maybe a run to burma(mae sai) instead of laos haul   30+30 bkk/cnx--30+30 ms/cnx.....extending the 2-30 day stamps

 

Left out of BKK on Dec 15 2018..came home to work and save $$$....some say I get 2 land crossings a year

Why not get 6 month METV in London ? 60 day entry each time and you can extend in country for 30 days if you want for 1900 baht? It would be easier I think. You don’t need an exit ticket for METV either and pretty simple paperwork. 

[justin case]

can you in that case, fly to another asian country and spend your holiday overthere instead of spending money in thailand ?

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Why not get 6 month METV in London ? 60 day entry each time and you can extend in country for 30 days if you want for 1900 baht? It would be easier I think. You don’t need an exit ticket for METV either and pretty simple paperwork. 

The METV makes it simpler if wanting to stay more than about six months. However, compared to using an SETV, he runs about the same risk of denied entry if he flies directly into Bangkok.

[MarkyM3]

5 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Why not get 6 month METV in London ? 60 day entry each time and you can extend in country for 30 days if you want for 1900 baht? It would be easier I think. You don’t need an exit ticket for METV either and pretty simple paperwork. 

If you check the METV situation from London it is far from straightforward. London does not, IIRC, issue them if you are not permanently employed. Which would rule them out for people who are self-employed or don't need to work. I am sure I also read London no longer issue these visas in any case. (EDIT - Ubonjoe corrected me below on the fact London do still issue these). 

 

I've never had an issue with SETVs from London...so far. I work in the UK, have worked for the same employer for 14 years earning decent money, have a long visit history in Thailand (48yo, now engaged to a Thai). Haven't been challenged at BKK ever...to date. I didn't use SETVs until the last few years, I think I have 3 so far in the passport. I never extend them, I return to the UK after 50 days or so. I usually do 2 visits a year, though I would prefer to do 3.

 

Am getting very wary of pitching up in BKK now and taking my chances with immigration, judging by all the recent reports. Some people are taking the p*ss for sure but others do not necessarily seem to be doing so and are still being pulled 

 

I have used EVA direct from LHR for a long time and enjoy the service and frequent flyer mileage accrual but might have to think of switching to entering via Malaysia or somewhere else. Do not fancy being told to return to London on the whim of an IO!

Edited October 25, 2019 by MarkyM3

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, MarkyM3 said:

If you check the paperwork for METVs from London it is far from straightforward. London does not, IIRC, issue them if you are not permanently employed. Which would rule them out for people who are self-employed or don't need to work. I am sure I also read London no longer issue these visas in any case. 

Not correct and they do still issue them after you apply online. They can also be applied for at the consulates in the UK.

"A letter from the applicant's employer (in the UK and addressed to the Royal Thai Embassy)
        If you are self-employed, you self-assessment and a company registration document are required."

See: http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84451-Tourist-Visa.html

[MarkyM3]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not correct and they do still issue them after you apply online. They can also be applied for at the consulates in the UK.

"A letter from the applicant's employer (in the UK and addressed to the Royal Thai Embassy)
        If you are self-employed, you self-assessment and a company registration document are required."

See: http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/en/services/7742/84451-Tourist-Visa.html

OK thanks - I will withdraw that bit. I was sure I had read this on the forum recently from other posters attempting to get METVs from London when the system went electronic. 

 

Still - what do you do if you don't work at all? I am sure some places issuing METV do not require proof of employment. Rather, being proof of funds based.

Edited October 25, 2019 by MarkyM3

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, MarkyM3 said:

OK thanks - I will withdraw that bit. I was sure I had read this on the forum recently from other posters attempting to get METVs from London when the system went electronic. 

What's no longer available in London since they moved to that atrocious online system is the multiple entry Non-O visa.

 

The METV is still available, but yes, they're stricter than other places as far as the requirements are concerned.

[alex8912]

5 hours ago, BritTim said:

The METV makes it simpler if wanting to stay more than about six months. However, compared to using an SETV, he runs about the same risk of denied entry if he flies directly into Bangkok.

If this is done once a year? I beg to differ and I’ll post my history on a thread in the near future and I’m looking forward to comments and from others who do the same/similar as me. Thanks for your input. 

[alex8912]

4 hours ago, MarkyM3 said:

If you check the METV situation from London it is far from straightforward. London does not, IIRC, issue them if you are not permanently employed. Which would rule them out for people who are self-employed or don't need to work. I am sure I also read London no longer issue these visas in any case. (EDIT - Ubonjoe corrected me below on the fact London do still issue these). 

 

I've never had an issue with SETVs from London...so far. I work in the UK, have worked for the same employer for 14 years earning decent money, have a long visit history in Thailand (48yo, now engaged to a Thai). Haven't been challenged at BKK ever...to date. I didn't use SETVs until the last few years, I think I have 3 so far in the passport. I never extend them, I return to the UK after 50 days or so. I usually do 2 visits a year, though I would prefer to do 3.

 

Am getting very wary of pitching up in BKK now and taking my chances with immigration, judging by all the recent reports. Some people are taking the p*ss for sure but others do not necessarily seem to be doing so and are still being pulled 

 

I have used EVA direct from LHR for a long time and enjoy the service and frequent flyer mileage accrual but might have to think of switching to entering via Malaysia or somewhere else. Do not fancy being told to return to London on the whim of an IO!

First off how are people that are self employed not permanently employed? You are saying that a Real Estate agent for example who sends in a letter for an METV in London that says something like John Doe has been a full time employee at ABC Real Estate company for 10 years and then the letter is signed by John and his boss/ broker this is not accepted?  I find that hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe ANY consulate employees verifies this as well. Also you having  3 single entry’s in one year with a few months home in between each one I think is fine and this  includes entries into BKK. I seem to find that every “. Story “ of rejection that I personally read on TVF  always has a PREVIOUS history of way too much time in Thailand but we sometimes find this out waaay into the thread and many people stopped reading the thread already and get paranoid ( just like you seem ) I’m going to post my history for the past 8 years in my current passport soon with details and I’m looking forward to see comments. If your history is what you say it is you are not going to get rejected in BKK.  Changing your flight route seems very excessive and anyways doesn’t EVA fly London to Taipei to BKK?? If you are paranoid stay one night in Taipei and then fly to BKK. You get all your miles, and if rejected get sent back to Taiwan where a British citizen doesn’t need a visa. If you fly to KL then you need another expense for a ticket to BKK you might have to pay extra baggage fees etc. It seems almost ridiculous. Just saying!  Read between the lines of these posted rejections. 99  % seem very just if the posters last 4/5/6 years of entries are included. 

[ChakaKhan]

10 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Why not get 6 month METV in London ? 60 day entry each time and you can extend in country for 30 days if you want for 1900 baht? It would be easier I think. You don’t need an exit ticket for METV either and pretty simple paperwork. 

One-I'm in the states, 2nd they ask for return tix docs and bank min $7000 statement, neither of which I have as I travel there one way and stay there cos its cheaper than the states, tho I did consider it..yep, I'm poor.

[ChakaKhan]

6 hours ago, BritTim said:

The METV makes it simpler if wanting to stay more than about six months. However, compared to using an SETV, he runs about the same risk of denied entry if he flies directly into Bangkok.

So is there a certain amount of TIME to stay OUT of Bkk where you wont get denied entry?  As noted I come yearly for about 4 months, one way, always get stamped at BKK, extend in Cnx, then haul to laos for a visa.

 

i was there last year august 15-dec 15 2018, was hoping to avoid Laos run and get a 30+extend at mae sai-burma since only 5 hr bus to border and dont have to shell out for laos visa and thai visa headache there

 

Sorry as I already noted this, but I guess I'm just asking about time windows as I've been OUT for 11 months, and as if 24+ hrs and 6 airports to connect non refundable tixs isn't stressful enough, add in Bkk Immig ..ugh

[ChakaKhan]

18 hours ago, No1 said:

 

 

Would the "extinction" of foreign visitors in Thailand lead to a crash in the economy? I highly doubt that. Despite all injustices from Thai immigration we are whining about in this thread, 2019 will be the the most successful year of tourism ever reaching 40 million arrivals of tourists in 2019. So I surely don't understand your point. 
 

Totally exaggerated. 

I would be interested to understand how many people coming on tourist visas have been denied entry vs the ones allowed in. One out of a thousand? Understandably, no-one is posting here "oh wonder, I was allowed in" but we just see the few, voiceful cases here on Thaivisa. Really not enough to make me worry.

For what it is worth, I am here on a 60 day tourist visa, have had a few of them since 2018 plus a few visa exempt entries from Asian countries as well as from Europe. I am here every year for around 180 days since 2004 and always arrive at BKK. They have never asked me anything, just opened the passport and stamped me in.

Since 2008 I've flown into BKk with a ONE way tix and carry on...Ive stayed 2 yrs max when I was working and volunteering, what a pain to get a permit and work visa, so no more for me.. Since then still fly one way and leave when I'm burned out which is now about 4 months...I have luckily always gotten the 30 day stamp in bkk, extended in cnx, then hauled to laos for thai visa and extended that..has been my MO since day one.

 

Considered the METV or even SETV but i guess I'm just used to my system and foolishly accept the risk, but I do come home for about a year to work and save money until I return to LOS to just chill for a few months.

[alex8912]

14 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

Yes I've been home 11 months working and saving $$ to hang in LOS for 4 months...left dec 15 2018....

Thanks for 2 pt reply....

I’d work a little harder and get that nest egg of 7k taken care of. Far more work opportunities in the states and round trip airfares are as low as $400 from even New York City I saw them last week. You are spending quite a lot of time and $$ on your itinerary. Are you able bodied? Dog walkers can make about $100 per hour with 4 or 5 small dogs x 2 or 3 daytime hours that could be $300 a day.  Every server I know makes $250-300 + on Friday and Sat nights. Uber driver ( but I think they don’t make too much, but you need a car). Man if just one small thing happens to you in Thailand health or accident wise what the heck will you do? The hospital here won’t take you and at home they will. You could save that 7k in 90 days probably. Then get an METV and stay here 4 or 5 months with just one easy visa trip. I actually doubt a one way ticket is that cheap. Many fares from West coast so cheap too but $400 round trip from New York is a bargain. 

[ChakaKhan]

16 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

I’d work a little harder and get that nest egg of 7k taken care of. Far more work opportunities in the states and round trip airfares are as low as $400 from even New York City I saw them last week. You are spending quite a lot of time and $$ on your itinerary. Are you able bodied? Dog walkers can make about $100 per hour with 4 or 5 small dogs x 2 or 3 daytime hours that could be $300 a day.  Every server I know makes $250-300 + on Friday and Sat nights. Uber driver ( but I think they don’t make too much, but you need a car). Man if just one small thing happens to you in Thailand health or accident wise what the heck will you do? The hospital here won’t take you and at home they will. You could save that 7k in 90 days probably. Then get an METV and stay here 4 or 5 months with just one easy visa trip. I actually doubt a one way ticket is that cheap. Many fares from West coast so cheap too but $400 round trip from New York is a bargain. 

Thanks for the tips..

[MarkyM3]

1 hour ago, alex8912 said:

First off how are people that are self employed not permanently employed? You are saying that a Real Estate agent for example who sends in a letter for an METV in London that says something like John Doe has been a full time employee at ABC Real Estate company for 10 years and then the letter is signed by John and his boss/ broker this is not accepted?  I find that hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe ANY consulate employees verifies this as well. Also you having  3 single entry’s in one year with a few months home in between each one I think is fine and this  includes entries into BKK. I seem to find that every “. Story “ of rejection that I personally read on TVF  always has a PREVIOUS history of way too much time in Thailand but we sometimes find this out waaay into the thread and many people stopped reading the thread already and get paranoid ( just like you seem ) I’m going to post my history for the past 8 years in my current passport soon with details and I’m looking forward to see comments. If your history is what you say it is you are not going to get rejected in BKK.  Changing your flight route seems very excessive and anyways doesn’t EVA fly London to Taipei to BKK?? If you are paranoid stay one night in Taipei and then fly to BKK. You get all your miles, and if rejected get sent back to Taiwan where a British citizen doesn’t need a visa. If you fly to KL then you need another expense for a ticket to BKK you might have to pay extra baggage fees etc. It seems almost ridiculous. Just saying!  Read between the lines of these posted rejections. 99  % seem very just if the posters last 4/5/6 years of entries are included. 

 

METV -  I never said self employed aren't permanently employed. They are people who work for themselves, they do not have employment contracts so your real estate example is spurious. Ubonjoe corrected me on stating London will consider self employed if they provide the stated documents - self assessment forms and company registration document. I accepted that,  So yes, someone can get an METV from London if they work. What I did also point out though is that  some other locations issuing METVs do not ask for employment documentation, based upon what I've read on ThaiVisa. So....London is not much use to those who don't work or don't need to work but have plenty of cash to cover it. ????

 

My own situation - I may be paranoid but I don't really fancy taking a chance of getting on a 6000 mile flight and being told to go back home on the whim of an IO officer. How do you or I know I'll be let in - I simply don't feel that confident anymore. I've been coming and going from Thailand since 2005 - that proves nothing. Today's situation is changing. If you can guarantee my 2 or 3 SETVs per year from London going forwards will be honoured, I'll be delighted. Otherwise, I have to consider the possibility they may not be. I work in the UK and can prove it but I doubt an IO officer would care to check even if the evidence was put in front of them. 

 

EVA Air - EVA flies LHR - BKK - Taipei. The crew changes at BKK. Taipei is EVA's hub. If you get rejected, you are sent back on that flight. In my case, if I fly to Malaysia and am rejected at BKK I will be sent to Malaysia and can attempt a land crossing. That's my thinking possibly. Will probably stick with EVA for now. 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2019 by MarkyM3

[alex8912]

4 minutes ago, MarkyM3 said:

 

METV -  I never said self employed aren't permanently employed. They are people who work for themselves, they do not have employment contracts so your real estate example is spurious. Ubonjoe corrected me on stating London will consider self employed if they provide the stated documents - self assessment forms and company registration document. I accepted that,  So yes, someone can get an METV from London if they work. What I did also point out though is that  some other locations issuing METVs do not ask for employment documentation, based upon what I've read on ThaiVisa. So....London is not much use to those who don't work or don't need to work but have plenty of cash to cover it. ????

 

My own situation - I may be paranoid but I don't really fancy taking a chance of getting on a 6000 mile flight and being told to go back home on the whim of an IO officer. How do you or I know I'll be let in - I simply don't feel that confident anymore. I've been coming and going from Thailand since 2005 - that proves nothing. Today's situation is changing. If you can guarantee my 2 or 3 SETVs per year from London going forwards will be honoured, I'll be delighted. Otherwise, I have to consider the possibility they may not be. I work in the UK and can prove it but I doubt an IO officer would care to check even if the evidence was put in front of them. 

 

EVA Air - EVA flies LHR - BKK - Taipei. The crew changes at BKK. Taipei is EVA's hub. If you get rejected, you are sent back on that flight. Fly to Malaysia - you will be sent to Malaysia and can attempt a land crossing. That's my thinking possibly. Will probably stick with EVA for now. 

 

 

Ok but you said this “IIRC, issue them if you are not permanently employed. Which would rule them out forpeople who are self-employed” 

a Real Estate agent is self employed , I’m one.  Not here to fight. I do find it strange EVA does not have a non stop London to Taipei route as Taipei being their hub so I was just being creative. For all it’s  worth you would not be in any trouble with a third SETV with several months between each one. You are getting caught up in the hysteria of posts for sure. Sorry but you just don’t fit the rejection model. Too bad you can’t get an METV from any other UK consulate London sounds stricter than most but there are way more British here than anyone else it seems. So they may have too many to process. You seem to never have even one back to back SETV as well. I just think you are over thinking. But you must do this in others ways as well. Did UJ say you should not do three in one year with several month gaps in between?