Thai Elite visa after a volunteer visa. (denied ?)

[MajorTom]

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Are you?  Or are you just trying to bully people who have done something that they felt they had no choice but to do, in the face of a global pandemic, with a member of immigration saying (incorrectly) that everyone would be kicked out of Thailand, with no victims and no one harmed by it, and are now facing possible consequences they had no idea would happen?

I was one of those. Came in on visa exempt in march 2020. The day before they closed the borders. Did 2 or 3 of the amnesties. Back then nobody knew what was happening until a few days before deadline. The airport was closed for a while in this period. The amphur borders also, you could actually not get to immigration. I believe they also closed for weeks?

 

When i got the volunteer visa it was possible to travel, but super difficult. Required 24 hour PCR tests which was very risky. I had a friend that left. You had to test and go to the airport and gamble they emailed you the result in time for your flight. (If it wasn't cancelled).. Also quarantines on return in most countries.

 

They also stopped the amnesty for a few days at some point in 2020, but backtracked after discovering they had some 400.000 overstayers to arrest. Then they started the covid extensions.

 

If i had just sat carelessly and done nothing to obtain any visa, i would actually still be OK, and able to get covid extensions ????

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2022 by MajorTom
tpo

[impulse]

On 2/12/2022 at 2:57 AM, BritTim said:

Even with a Thailand Elite visa in your passport, there is a chance that Immigration can refuse to honour the visa for cause. It has been reported that some in the upper echelons of Immigration are upset by the dubious procedures used by agents to get volunteer extensions for those who were not volunteering. This will need to be considered when the time comes to actually pay for the Thailand Elite membership.

And that seems to be the rub.  According to whizzergo's post, Thai Elite themselves have said there may be problems from Immigration:

 

The exact wording from Thai Elite: 
"Since we have been informed that our applicants who obtained a volunteer visa and came back to Thailand with Tourist visa, they were denied to enter Thailand with Thai Immigration’ s reason. Therefore, we would like to suggest you that you may have to leave Thailand go back to your home country, then change a new passport and come back with a single-entry Tourist Visa, Visa on Arrival and Exempted Tourist Visa."

 

I suspect that some IO or IO's in some location or locations have denied entry to a tourist visa holder (they didn't specify an Elite visa holder) when they found a previous dodgy volunteer visa in the passport.  Seems like one of those "your mileage may vary" depending on which IO you face when it's time to get stamped in.  And how they feel about your ethnicity, the way you're dressed and the way you speak to them.

 

This is another good topic with possible implications for a lot of people.  If only there weren't posters saying a definitive "yes" followed by others with a definitive "no", followed by yet another that tells us the Elite people can't be trusted...  Hard to know who to believe.  I suspect they all contain a sliver of truth.

[DoorSnore]

I’m in abit of a pickle with moving from volunteer to elite.

 

I’ve been aware of issues with people getting into Thailand after having the volunteer for a while (was told by numerous agents). Immigration seem to have declared war on those who had a fraudulent volunteer visa.

 

I’ve left Thailand and got a new passport, I intent to fly in next week, hope there’s no issues with immigration at the airport then pay my 600,000 fee. I’ve already recieved the acceptance letter but very worried that they reject it at the final stage and I’m 600k out of pocket.

Edited March 7, 2022 by DoorSnore

[impulse]

1 hour ago, DoorSnore said:

I’m in abit of a pickle with moving from volunteer to elite.

 

I’ve been aware of issues with people getting into Thailand after having the volunteer for a while (was told by numerous agents). Immigration seem to have declared war on those who had a fraudulent volunteer visa.

 

I’ve left Thailand and got a new passport, I intent to fly in next week, hope there’s no issues with immigration at the airport then pay my 600,000 fee. I’ve already recieved the acceptance letter but very worried that they reject it at the final stage and I’m 600k out of pocket.

Post back and let us know how it goes.

[Tropposurfer]

Why are you using a lawyer to consider arranging an Elite Visa ?

(I hold one so I can speak first hand about, some, some of the processes involved with this type of visa).

Go direct to Thai Elite ... agents are NOT necessary when applying for such a visa type.

You're in country so go to their offices 'tout suite' with your passport and ask their advice: 

 

'Henley & Partners (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Athenee Tower
Floor 23
63 Wireless Road
Lumpini, Pathumwan
Bangkok, 10330
Thailand'

ph: +662 126 8147

 

 

[SunnyinBangrak]

On 2/14/2022 at 8:19 AM, JayBird said:

Contact and work directly with Thailand Elite.  Their process is simple, and they are helpful.

 

There is never a reason to use a lawyer or agent for this.

 

I do not recall anyone ever having a problem with them.

There could be one reason to use an agent. A friend has one of those tour shops that also is an agent for thai elite card. He told me exactly how much commission he makes when selling the 1m baht plan. He said if I bought it with him we could split the commission, so it did make the card quite a lot cheaper.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Tropposurfer said:

Go direct to Thai Elite ... agents are NOT necessary when applying for such a visa type.

That law firm is a agent for Thailand  Elite.

The official website for Thai Elite is this one. www.thailandelite.com/#/

[whizzergo]

5 hours ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

There could be one reason to use an agent. A friend has one of those tour shops that also is an agent for thai elite card. He told me exactly how much commission he makes when selling the 1m baht plan. He said if I bought it with him we could split the commission, so it did make the card quite a lot cheaper.

In the same situation here I was told that the commission was 5% and I had the same offer of a split of it. So 2.5% discount to me as the customer. Was that the same you had?

[whizzergo]

8 hours ago, DoorSnore said:

I’m in abit of a pickle with moving from volunteer to elite.

 

I’ve been aware of issues with people getting into Thailand after having the volunteer for a while (was told by numerous agents). Immigration seem to have declared war on those who had a fraudulent volunteer visa.

 

I’ve left Thailand and got a new passport, I intent to fly in next week, hope there’s no issues with immigration at the airport then pay my 600,000 fee. I’ve already recieved the acceptance letter but very worried that they reject it at the final stage and I’m 600k out of pocket.

There seems to be 2 layers of potential difficulty and it's not clear about the realistic complications of either as yet.

 

First is simply entering the country with the volunteer visa in the passport (so, airport IO refusing entry after arrival).

 

Second is getting the elite visa attached with the volunteer visa in the passport (although as has been mentioned previously, if they've already approved the application then this seems quite unlikely).

 

One way around this, if applicable to you, would be to try to get the Elite visa attached in your home country. I'm thinking, that way, if they refuse to attach it when you're still in your home country it should be much faster and easier to get a new passport and then try again.

 

There is perhaps another layer of issue here in that once you've been refused, does it then become an issue to get it attached even once you have a new passport? That seems to open up a whole new can of worms.

[ubonjoe]

33 minutes ago, whizzergo said:

First is simply entering the country with the volunteer visa in the passport (so, airport IO refusing entry after arrival).

If the application for the elite visa was approved and a person had proof of that when entering the country that would eliminate the chance of being denied entry.

[Ohyesuare]

11 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If the application for the elite visa was approved and a person had proof of that when entering the country that would eliminate the chance of being denied entry.

Do you know if they are affixing the Thai Elite sticker at BKK now or still only by appointment at Chaeng Wattana?

[SunnyinBangrak]

49 minutes ago, whizzergo said:

In the same situation here I was told that the commission was 5% and I had the same offer of a split of it. So 2.5% discount to me as the customer. Was that the same you had?

Sounds about right, it was a few years ago hard to remember the figures we discussed. I do remember there was no discount possible on the 500k plan must have been a minimum commission. 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Ohyesuare said:

Do you know if they are affixing the Thai Elite sticker at BKK now or still only by appointment at Chaeng Wattana?

They might be doing them at the airport now but i have seen no posts about it. The only way to know for sure it to contact Thailand Elite.

[Ohyesuare]

29 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They might be doing them at the airport now but i have seen no posts about it. The only way to know for sure it to contact Thailand Elite.

They said they do but they give me conflicting information sometimes so was just curious if you heard anything, thank you. Here's what they said a day or so ago: Once you got the approval letter, made a payment, and become our member, you may book/request for getting Elite visa at Upon Arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Ohyesuare said:

They said they do but they give me conflicting information sometimes so was just curious if you heard anything, thank you. Here's what they said a day or so ago: Once you got the approval letter, made a payment, and become our member, you may book/request for getting Elite visa at Upon Arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

That seems to be definitive that they will meet you and get the visa done.

In the past that would meet you at the arrival gate and escort you to to clear immigration and then get your visa sticker and a one year entry from it.

[Ohyesuare]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

That seems to be definitive that they will meet you and get the visa done.

In the past that would meet you at the arrival gate and escort you to to clear immigration and then get your visa sticker and a one year entry from it.

Awesome, if I have issues getting it affixed before my permission of stay is over then that's good to know. Thanks again!

[LivinLOS]

On 3/7/2022 at 8:11 AM, userabcd said:

Everyone knows the only legal way to work in any country and Thailand for expats is with a work permit.

 

Immigration help line could have answered  any query you had on working on an elite visa and the answer would have been no.

 

As for considering that legal advice I would say it was not.

I already knew the answer.. The question was to establish the honesty and accountability of the elite visa team, which was duly answered. 

[whizzergo]

Bumping this one again in the hope that someone has new insight to add with the passage of time.

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, whizzergo said:

Bumping this one again in the hope that someone has new insight to add with the passage of time.

No changes other than it being easier to enter the country or to enter neighboring countries.

Apply for a Thai Elite visa and wait for it be approved then leave the country and enter by air ot have you visa issued at Suvarnabhumi. Or leave and re-enter to end you current permit to stay and start all over again by applying for a Elite visa and having it issued.

[dbszin]

I have the same situation. I called Elite and they said if you had volunteer before then you cannot get the elite. Even with new passport because it's in the database. However I heard from people in same situation who got the elite. The went back home and got a new passport first. 

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, dbszin said:

I called Elite and they said if you had volunteer before then you cannot get the elite.

When?

And was it a agent for them or directly to Thai Elite?

Were you asking about changing to a Thai Elite visa without leaving the country? That cannot be done unless your are on a tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

 

[dbszin]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

When?

And was it a agent for them or directly to Thai Elite?

Were you asking about changing to a Thai Elite visa without leaving the country? That cannot be done unless your are on a tourist visa or visa exempt entry.

 

Last week I called them directly. I am now on a tourist visa and want to change here. Before that I had volunteer.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, dbszin said:

Last week I called them directly. I am now on a tourist visa and want to change here. Before that I had volunteer.

I suggest you do the application to find out if it is approved.

Best to not mention it to somebody on the phone. They might think you are still on the volunteer extension.

[mrmagyar]

On 7/21/2022 at 3:49 AM, dbszin said:

Last week I called them directly. I am now on a tourist visa and want to change here. Before that I had volunteer.

Could you update us if you made the application here?
 

It seems that the situation with Elite visa after volunteer visa has evolved from 'maybe a problem' to 'must get a new passport' and is now at 'blocked for life'

[thanaka]

Curious too if anyone ever got an update on this

[dbszin]

yes my application was denied. Due to volunteer visa.

[mrmagyar]

On 9/12/2022 at 12:41 PM, dbszin said:

yes my application was denied. Due to volunteer visa.

Dbszin, did they explicitly tell you that this was the reason?

 

Were you able to find anything helpful as regards a next step?

 

It seems extremely unfortunate that the (stay of last resort) volunteer has given people a permanent black mark. But that does seem to be the case.

[mrmagyar]

In addition to the above, would anyone be able to recommend a lawyer that might have direct access to immigration to discuss the above?

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, mrmagyar said:

In addition to the above, would anyone be able to recommend a lawyer that might have direct access to immigration to discuss the above?

Not really helpful but here is small part of correspondence from friend that at the time I suggested non O volunteering...,

Turned out to be a nightmare. 

The person advising is a lawyer in Bangkok.

My advice would be to talk with an agent.

Do not think a lawyer will be of much help. 

 

 

he explained the volunteer visa was a scam roght from the top as it doesnt even derive from immigration or the department of business as the work visa does. 

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by DrJack54

[dbszin]

20 hours ago, mrmagyar said:

Dbszin, did they explicitly tell you that this was the reason?

 

Were you able to find anything helpful as regards a next step?

 

It seems extremely unfortunate that the (stay of last resort) volunteer has given people a permanent black mark. But that does seem to be the case.

No they gave no reason. Immigration just did not approve. I called elite and my lawyer they said it is likely due to having volunteer visa. Does not matter if you change passport. They did not check my passport. They check my record. I left Thailand last week. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. Thanks