VOID stamped on my Tourist Visa in HCM

[Khun Ed]

Im 48 and have been traveling around SE Asia for the last few years, spending a lot of time visiting my Thai GF in Thailand. I am from the UK and spent the summer in the UK. I was surprised when after spending 3 weeks in Vietnam the Thia consulate rejected my tourist visa, stamping VOID on the VISA in my PP.

On arrival I questioned why I had to get a financial statement as Im sure that was abolished a few years back for Tourist visas. She said if I only requested 30 days I wouldn't need to so I said ok Ill take 30 days. Her reply was go to Thailand without a visa. Not wanting to be interrogated at DM and pulled out of the queue I said no I'd like a tourist visa. She seemed taken a back but I got a bank statement printed in time before closing. On the time I was due to pick up the visa I was asked for an interview which was odd. Ten mins after the smiling, friendly interview I received a void stamp. I lost 3 flights (including one for my GF). Does anyone have experience of this and advice. Is my passport now well and truly screwed. Will I be able to get a tourist visa somewhere else (with one VOID stamp on the previous attempt) ? Thanks in advance for any answers.

[BritTim]

The void stamp will be noted if you try to apply for tourist visas elsewhere. You might be lucky, but your chances would not be good. In the short term, your best bet is to travel overland to Thailand, entering visa exempt at a land border. Avoid a route where you enter Thailand at Poipet/Aranyaprathet. You should then immediately apply for a replacement passport.

 

Whether the void stamp is totally unexpected depends on your history of tourist entries to Thailand generally, total tourist visas in your passport, and tourist visas previously applied for in Ho Chi Minh City. A void stamp is certainly not unprecedented when you have had a number of previous tourist visas (visible in your passport) especially if they were issued in HCMC. It is now much harder to get serial tourist visas in the region than was the case in the past.

[mosan]

Khun Ed.  You left out a lot of detail--I'm sure purposely.  The fact that you're looking to avoid interrogation says a lot.  I'm just guessing, but you probably have a lot of history traveling in and out of Thailand--perhaps the type of history that puts a target on your back.

 

I'm afraid that unless you're a bit more open about your history, not many here will be able to help you out.

[Khun Ed]

I don't have anything to hide. Yes I have several years of coming in and out of Thailand. But no more than that. When I leave I often spend a month away so they know Im not working in thailand. My passport is a year and half old. I'm 2 years off retirement age so it's difficult if you have a GF in Thailand. A few years back I went into DM with out a visa and its was not a comfortable experience evern though I had done nothing wrong.

Edited December 29, 2019 by Khun Ed
missed something out

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post and a reply to it have been removed.

[Khun Ed]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

The void stamp will be noted if you try to apply for tourist visas elsewhere. You might be lucky, but your chances would not be good. In the short term, your best bet is to travel overland to Thailand, entering visa exempt at a land border. Avoid a route where you enter Thailand at Poipet/Aranyaprathet. You should then immediately apply for a replacement passport.

 

Whether the void stamp is totally unexpected depends on your history of tourist entries to Thailand generally, total tourist visas in your passport, and tourist visas previously applied for in Ho Chi Minh City. A void stamp is certainly not unprecedented when you have had a number of previous tourist visas (visible in your passport) especially if they were issued in HCMC. It is now much harder to get serial tourist visas in the region than was the case in the past.

Thanks Tim. I do have a past tourist visa stamp from HM from 13 months ago and several tourist visa stamps since including from a 6 week stay in UK.

Edited December 29, 2019 by Khun Ed
spelling

[FritsSikkink]

5 minutes ago, Khun Ed said:

Thanks Tim. I do have a past tourist visa stamp from HM from 13 months ago and several tourist visa stamps since inclusing from a 6 week stay in UK.

You are not a tourist, so need to look for another visa.

[elviajero]

You shouldn’t have a problem with VE (30 days) entry by land as long as you haven’t made two already this year. The 2 entry by land limit resets On Jan 1st, 

 

A 30 day VE stay can be extended by 30 days for 1,900 baht.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, FritsSikkink said:

You are not a tourist, so need to look for another visa.

I agree. I'm starting to think with fact I spend few weeks outside los and few weeks Japan and few weeks back in AU per year. Not to mention weekend every month in Saigon etc etc. Why do I bother with non O extensions based on retirement. That's makes me maintain funds in bank. 

Do I  need to get an ed visa to top it off 

 

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

Why do I bother with non O extensions based on retirement.

Because you're 50+ years old, so that's a good solution that's readily available to you. The OP, on the other hand, is 48 years old.

[kartoshka]

2 hours ago, elviajero said:

You shouldn’t have a problem with VE (30 days) entry by land as long as you haven’t made two already this year. The 2 entry by land limit resets On Jan 1st, 

But there's no such official rule, nor a limitation in the law, nor in the system. This rule "no more that 2 entries by land per year" is made up -- unofficial.

[BritTim]

49 minutes ago, kartoshka said:

But there's no such official rule, nor a limitation in the law, nor in the system. This rule "no more that 2 entries by land per year" is made up -- unofficial.

There are many unofficial rules cited on this board but the two visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year is absolutely official. It was introduced at the start of 2017. See, for instance, https://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/new-visa-rules.php. The Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Thailand is a good place to start on such matters. That also states:

Quote

The exemption is granted at most twice in a calendar year when entering overland or via a sea border but there is no limitation when entering by air.

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by BritTim

[elviajero]

45 minutes ago, kartoshka said:

3 hours ago, elviajero said:

You shouldn’t have a problem with VE (30 days) entry by land as long as you haven’t made two already this year. The 2 entry by land limit resets On Jan 1st, 

But there's no such official rule, nor a limitation in the law, nor in the system. This rule "no more that 2 entries by land per year" is made up -- unofficial.

There is and it is 100% official.

 

It's a published regulation passed in May 2016 that limits VE entries, by land, to two per calendar year.

[Lovethailandelite]

5 hours ago, BritTim said:

The void stamp will be noted if you try to apply for tourist visas elsewhere. You might be lucky, but your chances would not be good. In the short term, your best bet is to travel overland to Thailand, entering visa exempt at a land border. Avoid a route where you enter Thailand at Poipet/Aranyaprathet. You should then immediately apply for a replacement passport.

 

Whether the void stamp is totally unexpected depends on your history of tourist entries to Thailand generally, total tourist visas in your passport, and tourist visas previously applied for in Ho Chi Minh City. A void stamp is certainly not unprecedented when you have had a number of previous tourist visas (visible in your passport) especially if they were issued in HCMC. It is now much harder to get serial tourist visas in the region than was the case in the past.

It is pointless to change passports now. Plenty of reports out there of people being asked to produce their old passport when going to nearby Embassy's and consulates with a fresh passport. Vietnam, and Laos in particular, are well on to it.

[Maestro]

21 minutes ago, Lovethailandelite said:

It is pointless to change passports now. Plenty of reports out there of people being asked to produce their old passport when going to nearby Embassy's and consulates with a fresh passport. Vietnam, and Laos in particular, are well on to it.

 

This is the first time I hear about the necessity of showing one's old passport when applying for a visa at a Thai embassy or consulate with a new passport. When and where did this happen to you?

[kartoshka]

1 hour ago, Lovethailandelite said:

It is pointless to change passports now. Plenty of reports out there of people being asked to produce their old passport when going to nearby Embassy's and consulates with a fresh passport. Vietnam, and Laos in particular, are well on to it.

What else they want?

 

"My old passport was stolen/lost/I got rid of it as soon as I've received a new one/it's at my home in my country/It's in other embassy".

 

Or "I don't wish to give it to you because there's no official requirement for that"

 

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by kartoshka

[Lovethailandelite]

41 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

This is the first time I hear about the necessity of showing one's old passport when applying for a visa at a Thai embassy or consulate with a new passport. When and where did this happen to you?

Reports in other groups of it occurring. I guess with the ability to not being able to now get anymore than possibly 2 tourist visas, or only 1 plus an extension if you apply in Savannaket (They won't issue a tourist visa if you've been in the country for 90 days or more and count all visa types against it) they see a fresh passport issued in Thailand and know what your doing. Then you had people swapping passports in order to get another ED visa in Vientiane. Now you have agents saying they cannot even recommend anywhere to get a second ED visa. It was only a matter of time before it mostly came to an end.
Even if you did get a new passport and got away with another visa, what would be the point to have the same situation a few months down the line? IMO, the days of living here on Tourist and ED visas are pretty much over.

[Lovethailandelite]

23 minutes ago, kartoshka said:

What else they want?

 

"My old passport was stolen/lost/I got rid of it as soon as I've received a new one/it's at my home in my country/It's in other embassy".

 

Or "I don't wish to give it to you because there's no official requirement for that"

 

 

Then that's up to you to show it or not....but up to them if they issue you another visa or not. Take it up with them. Very shortly, they will be online to see your whole history. They won't need to see anything from you. It will all be on the screen in front of them. Then, when E visa go's online, you won't be able to apply anyway unless you are resident in the country your applying in. That finishes it altogether. You'll need to go back to your passport country for a visa.

Edited December 29, 2019 by Lovethailandelite

[aldriglikvid]

1 hour ago, Lovethailandelite said:

Reports in other groups of it occurring. I guess with the ability to not being able to now get anymore than possibly 2 tourist visas, or only 1 plus an extension if you apply in Savannaket (They won't issue a tourist visa if you've been in the country for 90 days or more and count all visa types against it) they see a fresh passport issued in Thailand and know what your doing. Then you had people swapping passports in order to get another ED visa in Vientiane. Now you have agents saying they cannot even recommend anywhere to get a second ED visa. It was only a matter of time before it mostly came to an end.
Even if you did get a new passport and got away with another visa, what would be the point to have the same situation a few months down the line? IMO, the days of living here on Tourist and ED visas are pretty much over.

I'm about to do my first ever TV in Savannaket. Before applying I would have 90 (60+30) days on a TV in Thailand (no more days than that, and not less). Are you saying that's the kind of history they look to decline? 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, aldriglikvid said:

I'm about to do my first ever TV in Savannaket. Before applying I would have 90 (60+30) days on a TV in Thailand (no more days than that, and not less). Are you saying that's the kind of history they look to decline? 

Unfortunately, that does seem true. If it has been 89 days, and you can show that you have not been in Thailand before that for over a year, you might be able to get another tourist visa there, but it is now a terrible place to apply.

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, kartoshka said:

But there's no such official rule, nor a limitation in the law, nor in the system. This rule "no more that 2 entries by land per year" is made up -- unofficial.

Yes there is. Download: VisaExemptRulesDec2016.pdf

[travelerjim]

13 hours ago, Khun Ed said:

I don't have anything to hide. Yes I have several years of coming in and out of Thailand. But no more than that. When I leave I often spend a month away so they know Im not working in thailand. My passport is a year and half old. I'm 2 years off retirement age so it's difficult if you have a GF in Thailand. A few years back I went into DM with out a visa and its was not a comfortable experience evern though I had done nothing wrong.

Get married...problem resolved.

[spiekerjozef]

Where is the recently approved double-entry tourist visa?

Edited December 30, 2019 by spiekerjozef

[ubonjoe]

52 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

Where is the recently approved double-entry tourist visa?

I has not been approved. It was only a proposal.

[kurtmartens]

15 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

You are not a tourist, so need to look for another visa.

This is going to be stupid question / remark on my part I am sure, but ... why isn't he a tourist?  He isn't working here, he isn't living here full-time, he is coming and going as he travels around the region, etc.  Is there an official definition of "tourist" that the Thai Govt uses?  I am not being snarky, I am truly curious as to the definition.

 

In my opinion he is a tourist.  Make him prove he can support himself financially, but stop turning folks away who add to the economy.  He isn't the same as some "tourist" who has been living in Issan for 5 years on an expired visa, etc.

[Max69xl]

10 hours ago, Lovethailandelite said:

It is pointless to change passports now. Plenty of reports out there of people being asked to produce their old passport when going to nearby Embassy's and consulates with a fresh passport. Vietnam, and Laos in particular, are well on to it.

You don't need to show your old passport after obtaining a new one as a tourist. There's no such rule. Who told you that? 

[kurtmartens]

5 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

You don't need to show your old passport after obtaining a new one as a tourist. There's no such rule. Who told you that? 

I agree with Max.  I was in Savannakhet 2 months ago with what was clearly a brand new passport.  No one at the Consulate asked for my old passport - which I wouldn't have been able to produce since I let the US Consulate in Chiang Mai dispose of it.  

[SteveK]

22 minutes ago, kurtmartens said:

I agree with Max.  I was in Savannakhet 2 months ago with what was clearly a brand new passport.  No one at the Consulate asked for my old passport - which I wouldn't have been able to produce since I let the US Consulate in Chiang Mai dispose of it.  

I was asked for my old passport when doing marriage extension in Ubon. I am sure they thought I wouldn't have it, but this being Thailand I brought everything. When she saw I had it she didn't look impressed!

[scottiddled]

15 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

You are not a tourist, so need to look for another visa.

You're entitled to your opinion, but you're not entitled to define words. I see nothing in the OP's post that suggest a permanent abode or even employment in Thailand. You may object to people taking extended periods of time to see the world, but the "No True Scotsman" fallacy of redefining tourist to meet your policy orientation isn't helpful.

[SteveK]

9 minutes ago, scottiddled said:

You're entitled to your opinion, but you're not entitled to define words. I see nothing in the OP's post that suggest a permanent abode or even employment in Thailand. You may object to people taking extended periods of time to see the world, but the "No True Scotsman" fallacy of redefining tourist to meet your policy orientation isn't helpful.

It doesn't matter what you think the definition of a tourist is. Thai immigration have their own opinion, and if you want to be allowed in, that's the one that counts.