Thai Elite and two "shortish'" overstays

[Franss]

I have received the approval letter from Thai Elite. The thing is that I have a 24 day overstay from two years ago as I trusted my agent who said my business visa would come through, but it didn’t. Stupid I know, but it is was it is. A year ago I had a 7 day overstay as I came back while a 30 day extension was still valid and I didn’t realise that I didn’t get 30 new days.

 

I have been approved business visas after, the latest expired in May this year.

 

In most documentation it says that overstays are fine, as long as you aren't on one now, but below paragraph was in one of the emails.

 

 

Thai Elite says that they don’t think it is an issue, but say they are not 100% sure and they are no refunds.

 

Has anyone been approved or denied when affixing the visa due to two shortish overstays?

[Matzzon]

Unfortunately no one will be able to give you a 100% answer. The only ones that can do that is Elite Visa support.

[Caldera]

This will be interesting and I guess nobody will be able to tell you with certainty. I wouldn't exactly call your overstays shortish, especially the first one. 2-3 days are probably overlooked, but what definitely doesn't work in your favor is that you have two separate overstays within quite a short time.

[BugsBun]

Do you mind sharing how long did it take you to receive the approval letter? Thanks.

[Franss]

23 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Unfortunately no one will be able to give you a 100% answer. The only ones that can do that is Elite Visa support.

They say that they are not immigration and the final decision is by immigration. They don't believe there will be an issue, but can't say for sure.

[Franss]

5 minutes ago, BugsBun said:

Do you mind sharing how long did it take you to receive the approval letter? Thanks.

4 weeks.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Franss said:

In most documentation it says that overstays are fine, as long as you aren't on one now, but below paragraph was in one of the emails.

I don't think you overstays will be a problem.

I think maybe the case that caused that paragraph stating the visa sticker was not done was when a person was on a overstay when they went to immigration. If I recall correctly that person did get a refund after pushing it a bit.

[FlyingThai]

That's why they conduct the background check and just then issue your approval letter.

 

You'll be fine. If there is any administrative problem and Thailand Elite can't issue your visa for whatever obscure reason then you would absolutely get a refund.

[natway09]

Thailand Elite does not issue the actual visa.They present all the details only.

Only the Immigration Office can do that.

For interest, does anybody know how many Bht TE give to Immigration ?

[DouglasTsui]

On 9/2/2020 at 3:00 PM, ubonjoe said:

I don't think you overstays will be a problem.

I think maybe the case that caused that paragraph stating the visa sticker was not done was when a person was on a overstay when they went to immigration. If I recall correctly that person did get a refund after pushing it a bit.

seriously?

[DouglasTsui]

so, where are you now?

[Pilotman]

2 minutes ago, DouglasTsui said:

seriously?

indeed.  Process and the attitude of immigration may well have changed with Covid restrictions. I wish the OP all luck, but I wouldn't be too certain in the present climate that he will not be refused entry.   That said, there is only one way  to find out, and that's to try it. As i say good luck, i hope it works out

[Jenkins9039]

On 9/2/2020 at 12:09 PM, Franss said:

Has anyone been approved or denied when affixing the visa due to two shortish overstays?

Technically "Amnesty" is overstay.

I likewise am currently waiting for Immigration to give an answer on my application to the agency handling it, I've had Two overstays in 3yrs, One during Amnesty (26th April - 15th July), and one for not reporting/extending a visa in 2016 on a public holiday (no fine, and a notice, overstay during public holiday).

As far as i understand, you can't have more than two overstays in the prior two years, so technically you are ok, that is, if you haven't gone into Amnesty like i was lead to believe was Amnesty, but is actually overstay, and more importantly they consider it to be Amnesty for Elite, opposed to overstay which they consider it for everything else.

 

Good Luck!

[Jenkins9039]

20 hours ago, FlyingThai said:

That's why they conduct the background check and just then issue your approval letter.

 

You'll be fine. If there is any administrative problem and Thailand Elite can't issue your visa for whatever obscure reason then you would absolutely get a refund.

Just to confirm, you DON'T pay anything till the day you get the visa...

[Seik]

1 minute ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Just to confirm, you DON'T pay anything till the day you get the visa...

That's if you pay cash I imagine but not in any other cases, right?

[SbuxPlease]

15 minutes ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Just to confirm, you DON'T pay anything till the day you get the visa...

You pay first, they confirm payment received, and then they schedule your appointment with immigration on a future date. I don't think there is an option like... hey, hand me the visa first and then I'll give you the briefcase with the cash ????

[Seik]

8 minutes ago, SbuxPlease said:

You pay first, they confirm payment received, and then they schedule your appointment with immigration on a future date. I don't think there is an option like... hey, hand me the visa first and then I'll give you the briefcase with the cash ????

Haha right. Reminds me of that Better Call Saul scene in the last season where Jimmy pays millions of dollars for bail of his client in cash.

Edited September 3, 2020 by Seik

[FlyingThai]

1 hour ago, natway09 said:

Thailand Elite does not issue the actual visa.They present all the details only.

Only the Immigration Office can do that.

For interest, does anybody know how many Bht TE give to Immigration ?

1900 Baht if anything. Thailand Elite is a government program and and their proceeds from this will go directly to the Ministry of Tourism & Sports / TAT.

[FlyingThai]

42 minutes ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Just to confirm, you DON'T pay anything till the day you get the visa...

Nonsense. You pay in advance per credit card or bank wire transfer and then make an appointment with the TE rep to affix the visa at CW or upon arrival.

[FNQ]

On 9/2/2020 at 1:41 PM, Franss said:

They say that they are not immigration and the final decision is by immigration. They don't believe there will be an issue, but can't say for sure.

Sounds like they dont fully understand the product they are flogging.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Technically "Amnesty" is overstay.

No it is not. It is not really a amnesty and the ministerial notice does not call it that.

The notice basically allows people to stay in the country legally after their permit to stay ends.

[richard_smith237]

Just now, FNQ said:

On 9/2/2020 at 1:41 PM, Franss said:

They say that they are not immigration and the final decision is by immigration. They don't believe there will be an issue, but can't say for sure.

Sounds like they dont fully understand the product they are flogging.

Sounds like they understand it completely. The approval for the Thai Elite Visa comes from Immigration and not Thai Elite. 

 

Immigration have in the past refuse to approve Thai Elite Visa applications based on overstay history of the applicant. 

 

Thus a minor very short overstay may or may not give cause for rejection, Thai Elite can’t say for sure, neither can anyone else. 

[Pilotman]

I have never been convinced by the Elite visa scheme. It just seems like a money making operation, without real tangible benefits that are worth the cost, that is money lost at the end of the visa period. Living here is just not worth that kind of cost outlay. A friend of mine,  on such a visa, quotes that he doesn't need to do 90 day reports, something that takes me all of 10 minutes, online every 90 days.  He also says that he didn't need re entry permits, but never leaves LOS! Well if that is all the benefit he gets, he must have more money than sense. 

[Max69xl]

On 9/2/2020 at 1:41 PM, Franss said:

They say that they are not immigration and the final decision is by immigration. They don't believe there will be an issue, but can't say for sure.

You said you've got the approval letter. Why would immigration go against it? 

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Just to confirm, you DON'T pay anything till the day you get the visa...

You do not get an appointment to go to get the visa until your Thailand Elite membership has been paid.

[FlyingThai]

49 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I have never been convinced by the Elite visa scheme. It just seems like a money making operation, without real tangible benefits that are worth the cost, that is money lost at the end of the visa period. Living here is just not worth that kind of cost outlay. A friend of mine,  on such a visa, quotes that he doesn't need to do 90 day reports, something that takes me all of 10 minutes, online every 90 days.  He also says that he didn't need re entry permits, but never leaves LOS! Well if that is all the benefit he gets, he must have more money than sense. 

Depending on the type of TE visa one buys you pay between US$1500-US$3000 per year. That's hardly a money making operation and if so a very bad one. Maybe to you it's not worth this little pittance of money but for many others it is. The tax implications alone of not living in your home country more than pay for this (not for Americans of course).

 

How anyone can consider such a little amount of money NOT to be worth it to get your residential affairs in order is beyond me. Maybe people enjoy doing their visa runs which costs them a lot more in the long run until they run into a roadblock such as Covid-19 or an IO who probes them why they're living in Thailand on a tourist visa -> denied entry.

[FlyingThai]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Sounds like they understand it completely. The approval for the Thai Elite Visa comes from Immigration and not Thai Elite. 

 

Immigration have in the past refuse to approve Thai Elite Visa applications based on overstay history of the applicant. 

 

Thus a minor very short overstay may or may not give cause for rejection, Thai Elite can’t say for sure, neither can anyone else. 

The point is that Immigration and MFA do their background check BEFORE any payment is requested, hence the term APPROVAL LETTER.

 

Yes, if someone doesn't meet the requirements because of recent overstays or a criminal record in Thailand then the application will be denied, no approval letter issued and henceforth no payment is requested.

[alyx]

Hey 

The 24 hour overstay is definitely not a problem 

The 7 day is noticeable but I doubt this would be a stop to issuing a visa otherwise you would not have been able to get a ew one and extend it (if that is the case)

I was in your position I would be kind of worried as I am the anxious type and aim at doing everything by the book.

Depending on where you currently and how difficult it is I would have a new passport issued hoping that these small overstays are not on record, but at least that will not attract the eye of the immigration officer.

This being said, as it has been stated above, the approval letter is issued by the Thai immigration who has supposedly checked that you have been an abiding citizen abroad and incidentally... here as well

 

 

[Bigz]

2 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Technically "Amnesty" is overstay.

I likewise am currently waiting for Immigration to give an answer on my application to the agency handling it, I've had Two overstays in 3yrs, One during Amnesty (26th April - 15th July), and one for not reporting/extending a visa in 2016 on a public holiday (no fine, and a notice, overstay during public holiday).

As far as i understand, you can't have more than two overstays in the prior two years, so technically you are ok, that is, if you haven't gone into Amnesty like i was lead to believe was Amnesty, but is actually overstay, and more importantly they consider it to be Amnesty for Elite, opposed to overstay which they consider it for everything else.

 

Good Luck!

Technically amnesty is not overstay. Being on amnesty will not get you blacklisted or in any way leaving a negative footprint with immigration. Stop spreading this false stuff. People are paranoid enough last thing they need is that they are 'technically on overstay ' ..bs..

[jacob29]

2 hours ago, Pilotman said:

A friend of mine,  on such a visa, quotes that he doesn't need to do 90 day reports, something that takes me all of 10 minutes, online every 90 days.  He also says that he didn't need re entry permits, but never leaves LOS! Well if that is all the benefit he gets, he must have more money than sense. 

I hope by never leaves LOS, you mean leaves every year - otherwise he's on overstay. There's a huge thread about this on TV, where it is abundantly clear, you cannot stay five years without leaving.

EDIT: correction requires an annual extension of stay, separate from the 90 day reporting.

Edited September 3, 2020 by jacob29