No VE entry with valid visa

[ChristianPFC]

I had a tourist single entry e-visa but my plan was to enter Thailand 30 days visa-exempt, then spend 30 days in Cambodia, then come back to Thailand and use my visa. However at immigration (Suvarnabhumi) staff asked for my e-visa printout; I explained my plan and they understood, but told me that if I have a visa, I have to use it to enter Thailand. I was lead to a separate area (out of the queue), where another officer told me the same, my visa was used and I was stamped in for 60 days. I see no reason why this is so. What are others' experiences?

[BritTim]

As a general rule, Immigration will always use whatever you qualify for that gives the longest permission to stay. Occasionally, exceptions are made, but your experience, unfortunately, is typical.

[FriendlyFarang]

How did immigration know that you had an evisa?

[cjinchiangrai]

The month in Cambodia will be plenty of time to get another visa. No worries.

 

[Sheryl]

20 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

The month in Cambodia will be plenty of time to get another visa. No worries.

 

Or he could get a re-entry permit, return from Cambodia just before the 60 days are up then get 30 day extension. Really depends on how long he wants to be in Thailand. 

 

[ChristianPFC]

7 hours ago, FriendlyFarang said:

How did immigration know that you had an evisa?

When I applied for the visa, I had to submit my passport details. Obviously, immigration is linked digitally to evisa. I was not aware of that, but it must be shown on their screen. Seconds after scanning my passport, immigration officer asked for my evisa printout.

 

Now I wonder if manually issued visas (go to embassy in person, paper forms) are in the system as well.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, ChristianPFC said:

When I applied for the visa, I had to submit my passport details. Obviously, immigration is linked digitally to evisa. I was not aware of that, but it must be shown on their screen. Seconds after scanning my passport, immigration officer asked for my evisa printout.

As a matter of interest, what date did you provide for intended entry into Thailand when applying for the eVisa? I am wondering if the date and flight information provided with the application was part of what was provided to Immigration.

[thecyclist]

Not sure about evisas, and at the airport. But at the land border I did get a VE with a TV in my passport. I asked the immigration officer, and he said no problem. 

[sometimewoodworker]

17 hours ago, ChristianPFC said:

I had a tourist single entry e-visa but my plan was to enter Thailand 30 days visa-exempt, then spend 30 days in Cambodia, then come back to Thailand and use my visa. However at immigration (Suvarnabhumi) staff asked for my e-visa printout; I explained my plan and they understood, but told me that if I have a visa, I have to use it to enter Thailand. I was lead to a separate area (out of the queue), where another officer told me the same, my visa was used and I was stamped in for 60 days. I see no reason why this is so. What are others' experiences?

Your experience is completely standard and normal. It is very unusual to be stamped visa exempt if you have a valid visa, it is not impossible but you have / had no valid case for this.

 

I have one time been allowed to get a VE entry while having a visa but I was only entering for less than 24 hours, had a confirmed ticket out and even so it took a lot of very polite talking to get the VE entry.

 

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

13 hours ago, cjinchiangrai said:

The month in Cambodia will be plenty of time to get another visa

Did my last Visa in Cambodia. PIA!  (although I enjoyed the stay at the House Boutique Eco Hotel, which is not far from Embassy).

[ChristianPFC]

14 hours ago, BritTim said:

As a matter of interest, what date did you provide for intended entry into Thailand when applying for the eVisa? I am wondering if the date and flight information provided with the application was part of what was provided to Immigration.

I put in the date and the flight I actually took.

 

In my case just a minor change of plans and inconvenience (no loss of money, I hadn't booked any flight or hotels).

[spambot]

30 minutes ago, ChristianPFC said:

I put in the date and the flight I actually took.

 

In my case just a minor change of plans and inconvenience (no loss of money, I hadn't booked any flight or hotels).

" I hadn't booked any flight" - Didn't the eVisa application require a flight out of Thailand with 60 days (of entering Thailand)?

[BritTim]

Actually, on reflection, I have a more likely reason why Immigration was aware of you arriving on the flight with an e-visa. I strongly suspect it has to do with the information provided to the airline when you check in for your flight. The airline will have asked to see your visa, and will have provided the APIS (Advance Passenger Information System) with the fact that you have an e-visa. Airlines are obligated to use APIS to inform Thai Immigration of who they are bringing to Thailand. The main objective is to allow Thai Immigration to give the airline a DNB (Do Not Board) instruction for any passengers who they would intend denying entry. It seems they are probably also using it to be aware of your e-visa.

[Padthaigoong]

On 8/17/2022 at 6:15 PM, Sheryl said:

Or he could get a re-entry permit, return from Cambodia just before the 60 days are up then get 30 day extension. Really depends on how long he wants to be in Thailand. 

 

That's useful to know

I didn't realise you can use a re-entry permit with a tourist visa.

[BritTim]

7 hours ago, Padthaigoong said:

That's useful to know

I didn't realise you can use a re-entry permit with a tourist visa.

It illustrates once again the importance of recognising the distinction between a "visa" and a "permission to stay". The re-entry permit can be used to protect your permission to stay, regardless of how it was acquired. Indeed, under rare circumstances, it can be worthwhile to use a re-entry permit in conjunction with your permission to stay from a visa exempt entry.

[FriendlyFarang]

On 8/18/2022 at 6:32 AM, ChristianPFC said:

Obviously, immigration is linked digitally to evisa. I was not aware of that, but it must be shown on their screen. Seconds after scanning my passport, immigration officer asked for my evisa printout.

Interesting that they ask for a printout if they have the data on their computer.

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, FriendlyFarang said:

Interesting that they ask for a printout if they have the data on their computer.

If, as I suspect, all they have is an indication from the airline via APIS that you are arriving with an e-visa, I find it perfectly natural that they ask to see the visa.

[ChristianPFC]

E-visa application did not ask for proof of leaving Thailand.

 

Airline (Turkish Airlines BER-IST-BKK) did not ask for visa or proof of leaving Thailand.

 

Actually that was one of the reasons why I go the visa in the first place, so I can show airline that I have a valid visa and am not required to show proof of leaving Thailand (to the best of my knowledge, everything other than a flight ticket will be impossible or a major hassle to explain and get accepted), and then get a VE and leave Thailand within 30 days over land.

 

In the end, everything worked well. With the upcoming 45 days VE, I get 60 days (TV) + 45 days (VE) in Thailand, whereas on my original plan I would have gotten 30 days (VE) + 60 days (TV). I don't do extensions any more as the money and hassle is the same as traveling to another country in SEAsia.

Edited August 21, 2022 by ChristianPFC