Any reports of being denied entry after returning back to homecountry?

[acenase]

I know people say there is no limit to how many times you can fly in per year. But since seeing that people have been getting denied entry for the arbitrary living in Thailand on tourist visas or being here 180 out of 365 days of the year.

 

But what about if someone has been in Thailand for 9 months but then goes back to his home country for a month or two and flies back into the airport? Do they see this as bad and possibly deny entry based on the fact you already spent more than 180 days in the country?

 

Or now that since it is a New Year. Do they count it as a fresh slate.. so say you spent all year in 2019 in Thailand, but then went back to your home country for Christmas, and then fly back to Thailand in this new year. Would you say that it would be considered a fresh start?

[ukrules]

Yes, there are reports of people being sent back to Europe and Canada under these circumstances that I remember reading about relatively recently.

 

I don't read them all so there's probably more than the above two.

[Mr Smithy]

There is no 'fresh' start with the new year with the exception of visa exempt entries at land border crossings. A persons whole visa/entry record is available to the IO's at airports and someone who has been living in Thailand for extended periods of time using TV's should expect to be questioned and possibly be denied entry.

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, acenase said:

Or now that since it is a New Year. Do they count it as a fresh slate.. so say you spent all year in 2019 in Thailand, but then went back to your home country for Christmas, and then fly back to Thailand in this new year. Would you say that it would be considered a fresh start?

The only thing the New Year actually resets is the 2 Visa Exempt land border entry limit.

 

As to your question, it would depend on what Visa one was using to enter Thailand, and how the previous 9 month were achieved. It would not be the slightest concern for people on retirement or marriage extensions, Elite or Non-Imm OAs. 

[ubonjoe]

There is no written 180 day rule. It is only a imaginary rule used by a few odd immigration officers that tell you is the reason for denial of entry that shown as something else on the stamp for denial of entry.

Whether you will have a problem on entry depends upon the crew of officers on duty when you enter the country. 

[Langsuan Man]

46 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Whether you will have a problem on entry depends upon the crew of officers on duty when you enter the country. 

This sentence sums up Royal Thai Immigration in a nutshell 

 

Never mind the rules, never mind the law, never mind doing everything correctly, everything in Thailand is completely based on luck 

[mockingbird]

9 months in Thailand on tourist visas,  a month back home... You would definitely be taking a risk of being denied entry if you come back through the bkk airports. 

 

Make sure you obtain a tourist visa back home, and not attempt to enter visa exempt.

 

[DrJack54]

OP, you have not outlined how you managed to stay in Thailand for 9 months. Also "month or two" outside is bit vague.

Is it one or 2?

 

[EricTh]

OP, There is a possibility that you will be denied entry and sent back because you are obviously staying long-term on a tourist visa.

 

Immigration are trying to close the loop-holes but this is an unwritten law.

 

Start of new year doesn't mean your records are reset, did immigration ask you to do fingerprinting? If so, your records are probably inside their system as well.

 

It's best to fly into a neighbouring country like Philippines, then if you are denied entry, you can go back to Philippines instead.

Edited January 3, 2020 by EricTh

[natway09]

If you are staying in Thailand visa exempt for 9 months a year then you are flouting the law 

& can be expected to be challenged as to the possibility of "working here"

[buick]

i spent 8-9 months a year in thailand every year from 2006 to mid 2017.  i used visa exempt entries for the first few years (USA citizen), flying to nearby countries a few times and back to thailand.  plus, a few trips annually to USA.  around 2011, i was told no more visa exempt, get tourist visa.  after that, i got every single tourist visa in the USA (LA consulate).  my general schedule was april in USA, july in USA, and oct/nov in USA.  in order to bridge the gap btwn nov and april i 'risked' a visa exempt entry after traveling to a nearby country.  i was never questioned, always carried the 20,000thb and proof of onward travel (throwaway ticket).  it is tougher now but there were many, many reports of people being denied entry while i was using SETV's for long stay in thailand.  i always thought obtaining the SETV's in my home country helped but can't be 100% sure.  i turned 50 in 2017 so now i'm on a non imm O/extension of stay and doing the same general schedule.

 

if you are close to 50, i'd suggest trying the SETV at home program but maybe go for 7 total months in thailand.  push the envelope a bit on the 180 limit that gets tossed about.  if not close to 50, buy the elite visa.  headache free entries with that visa.  the money i spent doing visa runs/flights to USA exceeded the cost of the elite visa.  but i wanted to make these trips.  if the desire is to stay as long as possible in thailand and you are well below age 50, go for elite.

[SteveK]

Laughable that the country bemoans it's ill-fated tourist industry, but at the same time refuses entry to tourists who love the country so much that they enjoy coming several times per year, all because they think someone might take a miserable $800 per month teaching job illegally.

[from the home of CC]

16 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Laughable that the country bemoans it's ill-fated tourist industry, but at the same time refuses entry to tourists who love the country so much that they enjoy coming several times per year, all because they think someone might take a miserable $800 per month teaching job illegally.

IMO it had gotten out of hand with so many scamming the systems loopholes. Thailand had to get a handle on it because these so called 'tourists' backed the immigration into a corner, as far as I'm concerned they brought it upon themselves..

[FritsSikkink]

35 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Laughable that the country bemoans it's ill-fated tourist industry, but at the same time refuses entry to tourists who love the country so much that they enjoy coming several times per year, all because they think someone might take a miserable $800 per month teaching job illegally.

They are not tourists, they live here. They think that because there are that do.

Edited January 3, 2020 by FritsSikkink

[yogi100]

12 hours ago, ukrules said:

Yes, there are reports of people being sent back to Europe and Canada under these circumstances that I remember reading about relatively recently.

 

I don't read them all so there's probably more than the above two.

Bear in mind not everyone who comes to Thailand or gets refused entry has even heard of Thai Visa.

 

I know several older fellows who don't even understand computers and if younger people do have internet access they don't necessarily read this forum, they're too busy working or going out.

 

There must be lots of people who are turned away that we never hear about including those who don't speak English.

[mockingbird]

38 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

IMO it had gotten out of hand with so many scamming the systems loopholes. Thailand had to get a handle on it because these so called 'tourists' backed the immigration into a corner, as far as I'm concerned they brought it upon themselves..

Oh the bad 'so called tourists' backing the heroic Thai immigration into a corner. I've heard it all 555.

 

There's no loopholes. For years Thai immigration actively encouraged people to stay in Thailand as long as they like.  

[mockingbird]

1 hour ago, natway09 said:

If you are staying in Thailand visa exempt for 9 months a year then you are flouting the law 

& can be expected to be challenged as to the possibility of "working here"

What law is he flouting? 

[EricTh]

17 minutes ago, mockingbird said:

Oh the bad 'so called tourists' backing the heroic Thai immigration into a corner. I've heard it all 555.

 

There's no loopholes. For years Thai immigration actively encouraged people to stay in Thailand as long as they like.  

If there are no loopholes as you claim, then why not make it easier to get retirement or marriage or elite visa?

 

Make it 100,000 deposit for all visa types instead and you'll see a lot more people coming albeit the poorer ones.

[Suradit69]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

Laughable that the country bemoans it's ill-fated tourist industry, but at the same time refuses entry to tourists who love the country so much that they enjoy coming several times per year, all because they think someone might take a miserable $800 per month teaching job illegally.

So I guess that disproves the popular Thai bashers' lament that the only thing "they " want is our money if they're unwilling to bend the immigrations policy to let in everyone and anyone   Maybe they'd rather soldier on without the farang economic refugee tourists who apparently can't  afford any of the options for long stays.

 

 

At least they don't put children of dodgy immigrants in cages or permit truckloads of illegal trafficked immigrants to go unnoticed until they all die of suffocation.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Suradit69

[Straight8]

25 minutes ago, EricTh said:

If there are no loopholes as you claim, then why not make it easier to get retirement or marriage or elite visa?

 

Make it 100,000 deposit for all visa types instead and you'll see a lot more people coming albeit the poorer ones.

Not sure why you're always kissing thai butt in all your replies ????

[dooleymac]

I didn't want to join the forum but I have just dealt with this. I got my 6-month multiple-entry Visa in Los Angeles and came here. In order to stay on the 6-month Visa you need to meet every two months and come back. I use the entire six-month visa and then got another 60-day extension in Korat. Immigration here is very relaxed and they don't give anybody problems. I had obviously stayed more than 180 days at that point. At the end of my 60-day extension I went to Vietnam and applied for another 60-day tourist visa, and came back after a few days. The consulate there had no problem with my situation. When I arrived at Don Muang the immigration there stopped me. They questioned me with all kinds of nonsense and told me I've stayed too long. The woman was basically insisting that she's required to deny me and ask why am I staying. I told him I can prove I'm not working because I have money transfers from America that have been covering my costs. They asked me if I have a child or a wife here. I basically lied and said i dont have a child but we will soon, and we are not married but we will marry soon. They asked me where I live, my tm30 says a village area of Bua Yai. The lady gave me a very upset look because she was thinking that if she kicks me out of the country she's leaving some village girl barefoot and pregnant with her support out of the country. She said she doesn't want to give me the Visa but she will give it to me. 60 days more and Korat office already told us we will be able to extend it to 90 days no problem. But the lady at Bangkok told me she put a note on my record saying not to give me another tourist visa for 6 months. Korat said if i can get non immigrant O visa i can come back whenever.

From what I was reading one of the better ways to stay long-term is to just get the education Visa and take some Thai lessons. It only has to be a few hours a week and only cost $400 here, probably different in another province.

[SteveK]

15 minutes ago, dooleymac said:

From what I was reading one of the better ways to stay long-term is to just get the education Visa and take some Thai lessons. It only has to be a few hours a week and only cost $400 here, probably different in another province.

Education visas are now well-known to be used by people wanting to extend their stay in the country for other purposes. If you're on an education visa and go through an airport and can't speak even basic Thai then they will be on to you.

 

If you like the girl just marry her, get the certificate from the amphur then go and get a non-O. For now, holders of non-O visas don't get as much grief.

 

I am assuming, however that you have access to a decent chunk of cash. If you're scratching around in the dirt, then forget it.

Edited January 3, 2020 by SteveK

[Alex2554]

1 hour ago, mockingbird said:

What law is he flouting? 

Immigration Act B.E.2522 section 12

[dooleymac]

I don't want to marry just yet and am actually learning some basic Thai already. I can read basic words and know enough that i probably could pass their test even without any classes. I don't understand why anyone would stay in any country and not try to learn the basics. Education visa would actually be a good fit for my situation. One question tho.. what exactly is the elite visa. I haven't come across that one yet. Is it putting down a buncha cash or something?

[DrJack54]

48 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Education visas are now well-known to be used by people wanting to extend their stay in the country for other purposes. If you're on an education visa and go through an airport and can't speak even basic Thai then they will be on to you.

 

If you like the girl just marry her, get the certificate from the amphur then go and get a non-O. For now, holders of non-O visas don't get as much grief.

 

I am assuming, however that you have access to a decent chunk of cash. If you're scratching around in the dirt, then forget it.

My early nomination for quotes for 2020.

"If you like the girl just marry her...."

Priceless.

[CygnusX1]

37 minutes ago, dooleymac said:

One question tho.. what exactly is the elite visa. I haven't come across that one yet. Is it putting down a buncha cash or something?

Certainly is putting down a buncha cash, unless you’re a multi millionaire. 500,000 baht for 5 years, 1,000,000 baht for 20 years. Stay as long as you like, unlimited entries. Still have to do TM30 reports and 90 day reports.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, CygnusX1 said:

Certainly is putting down a buncha cash, unless you’re a multi millionaire. 500,000 baht for 5 years, 1,000,000 baht for 20 years. Stay as long as you like, unlimited entries. Still have to do TM30 reports and 90 day reports.

I came here late, already 55 back then, so was able to obtain non o based on retirement. Back in those days I could do unlimited visa exempt. Easy as I wanted to visit Vietnam often. Thai imm then shut that down. 

Looking back I would have 100% forked out for 20 yr elite visa with current hindsight.

[acenase]

The way I managed to stay in Thailand for 9 months was fairly simple and didn't seem like I was breaking any laws at all. Simply just following the Visa dates and never overstaying my visa.

 

Arrived in January 2019 on a Tourist visa. Extended it. (3 months)

April - Did a Visa run to Kanchanaburi 1 of 2. Extended it. (2 months)

June - Same thing 2 of 2 Land border used. (2 months)

August - Visa run to Savannakhet Laos. Extended it (3 months)

November - Return back to USA (passport country)

Now - Looking to return to Thailand on 30 day visa exempt.

 

It's actually a good idea to fly into Phillipines or Japan. That way if you get denied entry, they cant force you to fly back to the USA since you dont use a direct flight to arrive there.  Usually it involves a layover flight to Japan first before making your way to BKK.  So if you do get denied entry at BKK, then you will only go back to the place you flew in from, which wont be the US.  They can only make you fly back to the airport you flew in from, not use another airline that goes directly back to the US. For example, you use Japan Airlines, they dont fly to the US from BKK, so your only option would be just to fly back to Japan, etc. If that makes sense.

Edited January 3, 2020 by acenase

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, acenase said:

The way I managed to stay in Thailand for 9 months was fairly simple and didn't seem like I was breaking any laws at all. Simply just following the Visa dates and never overstaying my visa.

 

Arrived in January 2019 on a Tourist visa. Extended it. (3 months)

April - Did a Visa run to Kanchanaburi 1 of 2. Extended it. (2 months)

June - Same thing 2 of 2 Land border used. (2 months)

August - Visa run to Savannakhet Laos. Extended it (3 months)

November - Return back to USA (passport country)

Now - Looking to return to Thailand on 30 day visa exempt.

 

It's actually a good idea to fly into Phillipines or Japan. That way if you get denied entry, they cant force you to fly back to the USA since you dont use a direct flight to arrive there.  Usually it involves a layover flight to Japan first before making your way to BKK.  So if you do get denied entry at BKK, then you will only go back to the place you flew in from, which wont be the US.  They can only make you fly back to the airport you flew in from, not use another airline that goes directly back to the US. For example, you use Japan Airlines, they dont fly to the US from BKK, so your only option would be just to fly back to Japan, etc. If that makes sense.

Makes perfect sense and well known.

Good plan because with history you outlined may very well need it.

[Peter Denis]

13 hours ago, SteveK said:

Education visas are now well-known to be used by people wanting to extend their stay in the country for other purposes. If you're on an education visa and go through an airport and can't speak even basic Thai then they will be on to you.

If you like the girl just marry her, get the certificate from the amphur then go and get a non-O. For now, holders of non-O visas don't get as much grief.

 

I am assuming, however that you have access to a decent chunk of cash. If you're scratching around in the dirt, then forget it.

When married to a thai local you can apply for a 1-year Multi-Entry Non Imm O - marriage Visa at Savannakhet or HCMC.  With such a Visa you can stay periods of up to 90 days in Thailand, and then need to do a border-run (can be done same day) to get stamped in again for your next 90 days.  When exiting and re-entering Thailand just before the Visa validity expires, you can squeeze 15 months out of the Visa (and can have it extended for 2 more months).

The ME Non Imm O - marriage Visa does NOT require any financials to be proved.