Advice For Visa Runners who were on multiple covid extensions: Do not return as 'visa exempt'

[audaciousnomad]

In one of the FB groups, some who were on covid extensions and tried to visa run have reported getting hassled having returned to LOS without a visa sticker. Others have actually been denied entry and sent back on the plane.  With nearby countries opening this year, you may be tempted to do a same-day quick out/in to somewhere such as Cambodia. That could be a mistake. BEWARE...and get yourself to a nearby consulate to apply for TR visa. If your gut tells you you might be a candidate for denied entry...you're probably right.

Edited March 1, 2022 by audaciousnomad

[postizo]

Thanks for the advice.

[aussiexpat]

Why do we have to believe what some random people on Facebook says just because you quoted them. Isn't this forum for actual members to give their experience and people in other threads have already said they did a visa run no problem

 

This is ridiculous, if you're from a country eligible for visa exempt, you will get a visa exempt entry (unless a dodgy visa agent screwed you on your covid extension by triggering a red flag) 

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by aussiexpat

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Why do we have to believe what some random people on Facebook says just because you quoted them. Isn't this forum for actual members to give their experience and people in other threads have already said they did a visa run no problem

 

I agree with you.

I avoid fb posts and think they belong in Facebook.

I didn't read one refusal of entry first hand in that copy paste. 

Having said that ....too much time in Thailand has always been a dance.

I recommend anyone doing an exit and reentry to obtain tourist visa. Yes they can also be refused upon reentry but unlikely. 

Edited March 1, 2022 by DrJack54

[aldriglikvid]

Thanks for the info! I was self curious to see how soon they will start to repel visitors at the airport as they did pre-covid. They almost bounced me arriving on a completely new tourist visa. 

Sure, I respect your sovereignty and I don't have a right to a tourist visa. But, if one is applied for and given to me by your embassy - honor it. End of discussion. 

[audaciousnomad]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I agree with you.

I avoid fb posts and think they belong in Facebook.

I didn't read one refusal of entry first hand in that copy paste. 

Having said that ....too much time in Thailand has always been a dance.

I recommend anyone doing an exit and reentry to obtain tourist visa. Yes they can also be refused upon reentry but unlikely. 

I pay attention to posts on both this forum and in FB groups I am in.  While I agree with you that FB is often populated with trolls...this forum has its share of them as well.  That said, I am reluctant to discount posts that are not trolling, but are actual reports of the user's experience. If you notice some of my other posts, you will find that I also share reports of positive experiences.  Anyways, I just hope this helps people know what to potentially expect on a visa run now.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

I pay attention to posts on both this forum and in FB groups I am in.  While I agree with you that FB is often populated with trolls...this forum has its share of them as well.  That said, I am reluctant to discount posts that are not trolling, but are actual reports of the user's experience. If you notice some of my other posts, you will find that I also share reports of positive experiences.  Anyways, I just hope this helps people know what to potentially expect on a visa run now.

That's all well and good.

The posts from one person stating ..."3 person's denied entry from 3 separate entries already" 

How were they even returned to point of departure, given entry requirements to many countries.

Frankly second hand nonsense imo.

[EricTh]

I would say that these people were misusing the Covid extension for long-term stay in Thailand and misusing it by doing a visa-run right after the multiple Covid extension. 

 

Thai immigration were too lenient to just give them a warning. Most countries would just deport them instead of giving them a lecture.

 

Get a proper visa like non-O (work permit, retiree, marriage, education) instead of abusing the system.

 

Tourist visa isn't considered valid after so many Covid extensions....it goes to show they are not real tourists but long-term stayers in Thailand.

Edited March 1, 2022 by EricTh

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

Get a proper visa like non-O , work permit, retiree, marriage, education etc instead of abusing the system.

With land borders currently closed it's difficult for many to obtain a visa as in some cases such as a TV it requires you to exit Thailand.

 

"Abusing the system" is not clearly defined. That's down to Thai rules being vague 

There is not limit on visa exempt entries via Air.

They could easily have in place a limit as they have with visa exempt land border visa exempt entries.

Won't continue the vague requirements that the Thai have in place. 

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by DrJack54

[EricTh]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

With land borders currently closed it's difficult for many to obtain a visa as in some cases such as a TV it requires you to exit Thailand.

 

The last time I checked Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines are already opened. Malaysia may open next month from what I read.

 

The problem is abusing the system by doing multiple visa-runs/Covid extensions and not whether one can get a tourist visa.

 

A tourist visa won't be granted if immigration sees that one is not a genuine tourist.

Edited March 1, 2022 by EricTh

[audaciousnomad]

1 minute ago, EricTh said:

The last time I checked Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines are already opened. Malaysia may open next month from what I read.

 

The problem is abusing the system by doing visa-runs/Covid extensions and not whether one can get a valid visa.

 

 

Singapore is also open now, and Laos...but only through approved travel agents.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, EricTh said:

The last time I checked Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines are already opened. Malaysia may open next month from what I read

Please do the exercise of obtaining visa to Vietnam. 

I did that earlier today. 

Have you or someone you know done what your throw away post suggests. 

Skip this chit chat. 

Waste of time. 

[JoseThailand]

17 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Get a proper visa like non-O (work permit, retiree, marriage, education) instead of abusing the system.

 

And abuse the system with those type of visa?

 

18 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Tourist visa isn't considered valid after so many Covid extensions....it goes to show they are not real tourists but long-term stayers in Thailand.

There is no visa in Thailand just to simply stay long term, without marrying, studying, working, retiring, etc.

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

Singapore is also open now, and Laos...but only through approved travel agents.

Please outline the procedure to enter Laos. .

I want to fly tomorrow.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

47 minutes ago, aldriglikvid said:

They almost bounced me arriving on a completely new tourist visa. 

"Almost bounced you"?  What is that supposed to mean, was your documentation not in order?   They either allowed you in or they didn't.

[NanaSomchai]

26 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I would say that these people were misusing the Covid extension for long-term stay in Thailand and misusing it by doing a visa-run right after the multiple Covid extension. 

What I've been saying for months and months on these forums, but people rarely ever listen.

 

Thai immigration caught early on these extensions were going to be misused, but they could only act as per regulations aka, what was published in the official gazette so their discretionary powers of action were somewhat limited the what the law allows them to do, they could only push it only so far.

 

Now that Thailand is entering the endemic stage, the COVID-19 extensions are a thing of the past, situation might be returning to some sort of "normality" by the summer, and the Thai immigration are back in full force regaining their powers, those who misused these extensions as a way to maintain themselves in the Kingdom much longer than they should have are going to dearly pay the price for it.

 

Hate it so say it again but here we are yet again; Told you so.

[EricTh]

16 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

And abuse the system with those type of visa?

 

There is no visa in Thailand just to simply stay long term, without marrying, studying, working, retiring, etc.

How can those visa be abused? Immigration has their checks built-in for the one year long visa; they are valid for one-year if you abide by the rules set i.e. you are really studying, really married etc.

 

Tourist visas and visa-exempts aren't meant to be one year long; they are meant to be just a few months. If tourist visas (back-to-back renewal) are meant to be one year long, then not many would want to apply for those other visas/extensions(to be technical) with more difficult requirements.

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by EricTh

[audaciousnomad]

23 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Please outline the procedure to enter Laos. .

I want to fly tomorrow.

 

@DrJack54  While not required to enlist their services, the blog of this travel agent has done a great job of outlining the process for all the nearby countries that have reopened. Actually quite useful for deciding which one you want to go to depending on how much (or less) red tape will be required. ????

Scroll down the page to find Laos.
https://www.exotravel.com/blog/en/
 

Edited March 1, 2022 by audaciousnomad

[NanaSomchai]

21 minutes ago, EricTh said:

The problem is abusing the system by doing multiple visa-runs/Covid extensions and not whether one can get a tourist visa.

You can count me on being probably in the top 1000th abusers when it came to doing visa-runs as I have managed to maintain myself over 10 years in the Kingdom just using back to back visa-runs so I know what I'm saying, but then again this was back then, before the pandemic, it was a different time, a wholly different era.

 

These days I wouldn't advocate anyone doing more than one visa-run per calendar year and even then (unless you are very lucky or very well connected) you might not make it the next year, the I/O would very likely give you the dirty looks.

 

Abuse things and you might be the one being abused next time.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

13 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

32 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Tourist visa isn't considered valid after so many Covid extensions....it goes to show they are not real tourists but long-term stayers in Thailand.

There is no visa in Thailand just to simply stay long term, without marrying, studying, working, retiring, etc.

That doesn't mean that, in the absence of a visa that suits you, you can just misuse a tourist visa and then attempt to justify your action because there's no alternative!

[NanaSomchai]

31 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

There is not limit on visa exempt entries via Air.

There is also no limit on visa exempt entries via land either if you happen to be a passport holder of specific nations. Unlike on these forums not everything revolves around the Brits (thank God).

 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, NanaSomchai said:

There is also no limit on visa exempt entries via land either if you happen to be a passport holder of specific nations. Unlike on these forums not everything revolves around the Brits (thank God).

 

The limit to visa exempt entries via land is 2 per calendar year. 

[NanaSomchai]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The limit to visa exempt entries via land is 2 per calendar year. 

For who?

[JoseThailand]

20 minutes ago, EricTh said:

How can those visa be abused? Immigration has their checks built-in for the one year long visa; they are valid for one-year if you abide by the rules set i.e. you are really studying, really married etc.

 

A lot of people get education visas just to stay in Thailand long-term, without actually studying. Isn't that abuse?

 

They may even attend classes, but their real goal is just to stay in Thailand, not to study.

Edited March 1, 2022 by JoseThailand

[JoseThailand]

14 minutes ago, NanaSomchai said:

You can count me on being probably in the top 1000th abusers when it came to doing visa-runs as I have managed to maintain myself over 10 years in the Kingdom just using back to back visa-runs so I know what I'm saying, but then again this was back then, before the pandemic, it was a different time, a wholly different era.

 

You did visa-runs with an agency or by yourself? Which border crossing did you use? How didn't they ban you in the system?

[NanaSomchai]

14 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

A lot of people get education visas just to stay in Thailand long-term, without actually studying. Isn't that abuse?

I would say it is.

 

I have personally abused this visa myself in the past, however to cover myself in case we'd end up in court of immigration charges, I have attended Thai language courses for a whopping one hour just to cover my bases. So I could argue that I have actually "studied" while under that visa.

 

As long as you've done at least one hour of class, you technically have broken no laws, not done any wrongdoings and have used the education visa for its intended purpose.

 

Unless things have changed (this was a very long time ago), there isn't a hard requirement set in law of how many hours of classes/courses one must engage with in order to retain the visa's validity.

 

But then again I could be wrong, do your own research.

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by NanaSomchai

[NanaSomchai]

5 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

You did visa-runs with an agency or by yourself? Which border crossing did you use? How didn't they ban you in the system?

By myself, always. Well dressed, well groomed, perfume on, with the girlfriend/wife, sometimes accompanied with my Thai kid as well, always smile on all occasions, do a wai salute at the I/O, include anything between 1,000 and 3,000 THB between the first 3 pages of your passport and very importantly; let the wife do all the talking for you, let the wife take the passport from your hand to give it to the I/O, never hand out your own passport yourself (when there is money in it so you can't be accused of attempting to bribe an officer, your Thai wife is the one handing out the passport, so if things go REALLY pear shaped you can pretend it wasn't you and it was a misunderstanding) also pretend you don't understand Thai and your English is nearly non existent, that way you can't answer any questions the I/O may have, your wife will do the talking for you.

 

Edited March 1, 2022 by NanaSomchai

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

I recommend anyone doing an exit and reentry to obtain tourist visa. Yes they can also be refused upon reentry but unlikely. 

Becoming more and more difficult to get though unless you return to your home country. If Laos and Vietnam go over to E-visa that'll be them out of the picture too.

[NanaSomchai]

2 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Becoming more and more difficult to get though unless you return to your home country. If Laos and Vietnam go over to E-visa that'll be them out of the picture too.

Which is why I would recommend anyone acquiring the Cambodian citizenship, very easily doable if you're not already married and are under 50.

 

[Mac Mickmanus 2]

30 minutes ago, NanaSomchai said:

What I've been saying for months and months on these forums, but people rarely ever listen.

 

Thai immigration caught early on these extensions were going to be misused, but they could only act as per regulations aka, what was published in the official gazette so their discretionary powers of action were somewhat limited the what the law allows them to do, they could only push it only so far.

 

Now that Thailand is entering the endemic stage, the COVID-19 extensions are a thing of the past, situation might be returning to some sort of "normality" by the summer, and the Thai immigration are back in full force regaining their powers, those who misused these extensions as a way to maintain themselves in the Kingdom much longer than they should have are going to dearly pay the price for it.

 

Hate it so say it again but here we are yet again; Told you so.

They will either go abroad and get a Visa and return  or go abroad and not come back . 

   Hardly "dearly paying the price"