2.5+ years on COVID Extensions. What are may chances of having problems entering Thailand? Suggestions?

[Fancyfarang]

I was in Thailand for all of COVID on extensions (2.5+ years). I am now home visiting family and planning on trying to return next month. I will have been outside thailand for 2 full months.  I will get a new METV and I have a new passport without any stamps.  If I fly into BKK do you think I will get denied? Suggestions?  Anyone in a similar boat?

 

Thanks!

 

[lexxy]

FWIW January 2022 applied for 2 month TV Granted.

Flew into thailand and Covid Extension until June 2022.

Applied new passport July 2022

Applied for 2 month TV and granted.

Now in thailand and extended 1 month.

 

Best bet is to apply for 2 month visa at local embassy

[JeffersLos]

Why did you stay here for the last 2.5 years? 

[lexxy]

14 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

Why did you stay here for the last 2.5 years? 

Im guessing because he could. I did 5 months and i just cbf leaving until i got too fat.

[BritTim]

Safest, but incurring some cost and inconvenience, would be to enter with your METV by land. For example, you could fly to Kuala Lumpur, take the train to Padang Besar and on to Hat Yai airport, and fly domestic to wherever you want to end up in Thailand.

 

Historically, since you have a visa, flying direct to Chiang Mai, clearing immigration in that airport would also be fine.

[ubonjoe]

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

Safest, but incurring some cost and inconvenience, would be to enter with your METV by land.

He will of been out of the country for 2 months and will have a visa. IMO there is not much chance he will be denied entry in Bangkok.

Most people that have had problem only left the country for short period of time and were entering visa exempt.

[Jack1988]

15 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Why did you stay here for the last 2.5 years? 

Because of COVID extensions but now the party is finally over 

[JeffersLos]

7 minutes ago, Jack1988 said:

Because of COVID extensions

Why were you in Thailand for 2+ years?

[Jack1988]

1 hour ago, JeffersLos said:

Why were you in Thailand for 2+ years?

I am married. No needed to use COVID extensions 

Edited October 16, 2022 by Jack1988

[problemfarang]

I think the most important thing here is whats next? covid visa let you stay in thailand 2.5 yrs. whats your plans now? pray for another covid pandemic or WW3? martial arts courses? start your whole academic carrier with another ED visa? thai food cooking classes? 

 

well you better start thinking because soon or later your 'trying to stay in thailand' options will eventually end at some point.

 

good luck

Edited October 16, 2022 by problemfarang

[Iamfalang]

2 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Why were you in Thailand for 2+ years?

I don't know why this question is important?  To ask it twice makes me really curious.

 

There's no way, as an adult, I could handle these kinds of patronizing questions.

 

If English isn't your first language, then I guess it's my bad.  

 

Another question is, "What were you doing the last 2.5 years?"    That's not as triggering to me.

 

Maybe I had one of those childhoods.............why,why,why,why,why.....and it drove me nuts.

[lexxy]

If you cant guess what the guy was doing in the last 2.5 years you have other issues. Living, eating, shopping, dinners, markets, bars, golf...

[arithai12]

18 hours ago, Fancyfarang said:

and I have a new passport without any stamps

Others more experienced than me have already answered. I just wanted to point out that a brand new passport doesn't mean much, since immigration uses your name/nationality/fingerprints/picture to see your records in their database.

[Jack1988]

40 minutes ago, problemfarang said:

I think the most important thing here is whats next? covid visa let you stay in thailand 2.5 yrs. whats your plans now? pray for another covid pandemic or WW3? martial arts courses? start your whole academic carrier with another ED visa? thai food cooking classes? 

 

well you better start thinking because soon or later your 'trying to stay in thailand' options will eventually end at some point.

 

good luck

Exactly my friend. Farangs like that only hope for another pandemic or ww3 to stay in this country. It's so sad ????

[bbi1]

17 hours ago, BritTim said:

Safest, but incurring some cost and inconvenience, would be to enter with your METV by land. For example, you could fly to Kuala Lumpur, take the train to Padang Besar and on to Hat Yai airport, and fly domestic to wherever you want to end up in Thailand.

 

Historically, since you have a visa, flying direct to Chiang Mai, clearing immigration in that airport would also be fine.

Is Chiang Mai & Phuket known as a "friendly" airport compared to both BKK airports?

[DrJack54]

21 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Is Chiang Mai & Phuket known as a "friendly" airport compared to both BKK airports?

Old news and regurgitated info.

Mainly due to some rubbish at Bangkok airports prior to covid.

 

We haven't had enough reports of how immigration will deal with those in Thailand on extended stay over recent years with covid extensions. 

 

Regarding the OP, he should be fine entering thailand with a visa having been out for 2 months +.

IMO the op should fly to Bkk airport. 

The other suggestions are convoluted and difficult.

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by DrJack54

[bbi1]

19 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Old news and regurgitated info.

Mainly due to some rubbish at Bangkok airports prior to covid.

 

We haven't had enough reports of how immigration will deal with those in Thailand on extended stay over recent years with covid extensions. 

 

Regarding the OP, he should be fine entering thailand with a visa having been out for 2 months +.

IMO the op should fly to Bkk airport. 

The other suggestions are convoluted and difficult.

 

Pre-Covid, was there any difference in "friendliness" between Don Meung and Suvarnabhumi?

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Pre-Covid, was there any difference in "friendliness" between Don Meung and Suvarnabhumi?

You are splitting hairs.

Not long prior to covid there was a "crack down" on repeated visa exempt entries and even tourist visa entries at both Bangkok airports 

 

DMK being the worst.

 

Again....post your situation and receive more detailed advice . 

[JeffersLos]

3 hours ago, Iamfalang said:

I don't know why this question is important?  To ask it twice makes me really curious.

???? Do you know anything about visas here. They are given for specific reasons. 

 

The question of why he was/is staying here is important in giving proper advice for applying for visas and extensions. 

 

When an alien applies for a visa, they state the reason for their stay here (tourism, education, volunteering, family (spouse or child), retirement, etc.  and based on that which visa they are applying for.

 

If an alien stayed here for more than 2 years, and is asking for visa advice, them giving their reason for being here is probably the most important aspect of their visa application.  

 

 

[BritTim]

16 hours ago, arithai12 said:

Others more experienced than me have already answered. I just wanted to point out that a brand new passport doesn't mean much, since immigration uses your name/nationality/fingerprints/picture to see your records in their database.

As far as passing Immigration is concerned, that is definitely true. However, it can be very useful when scrambling for tourist visas at embassies/consulates. All Thai consulates in the region have some limits on issuing tourist visas to long stay tourists (with a lot of variation between consulates). At the current time, they enforce those restrictions by scrutinising your passport for evidence of total stay in Thailand, previous tourist visas, and visas they have issued you themselves. A new passport means that they do not have the evidence of you disgraceful preference for spending long period in Thailand.

[Leon1980]

Don't worry at all op. I had 2 years on covid extensions and went home for 3 weeks and came back on visa exempt, no issues whatsoever.  I even am currently on covid extensions again until November 18, then I will do a visa run every 75 days to keep me here until next July when I get married, then marriage visa. 

 

There are many many people in my condo who have been here since January 2020 on covid extensions who get picked up and dropped off daily on visa runs to Satun with no issues whatsoever.

To be 100% always have 10,000 baht cash or equivalent and a throw away return flight for 8 dollars.

[sallecc]

17 hours ago, problemfarang said:

I think the most important thing here is whats next? covid visa let you stay in thailand 2.5 yrs. whats your plans now? pray for another covid pandemic or WW3? martial arts courses? start your whole academic carrier with another ED visa? thai food cooking classes? 

 

well you better start thinking because soon or later your 'trying to stay in thailand' options will eventually end at some point.

 

good luck

Plenty of choices, currently the most popular is 1 year ED extension (for <50y old), offered by hundreds of agents in partnership with north provinces I/O's ????

 

If they crack down on these, then some other scheme with other visa will start (volunteer, medical, etc...), and then another, and another... it's Thailand ????

 

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by sallecc
typo

[sallecc]

4 minutes ago, Leon1980 said:

Don't worry at all op. I had 2 years on covid extensions and went home for 3 weeks and came back on visa exempt, no issues whatsoever.  I even am currently on covid extensions again until November 18, then I will do a visa run every 75 days to keep me here until next July when I get married, then marriage visa. 

 

There are many many people in my condo who have been here since January 2020 on covid extensions who get picked up and dropped off daily on visa runs to Satun with no issues whatsoever.

To be 100% always have 10,000 baht cash or equivalent and a throw away return flight for 8 dollars.

This is useful info for many, thanks... Did you use old passport or got the new one? Which airport you flew in?

[sallecc]

On 10/16/2022 at 12:43 AM, lextsy said:

FWIW January 2022 applied for 2 month TV Granted.

Flew into thailand and Covid Extension until June 2022.

Applied new passport July 2022

Applied for 2 month TV and granted.

Now in thailand and extended 1 month.

 

Best bet is to apply for 2 month visa at local embassy

Thanks for info, I was planning the same next year... Which airport you flew in?

The embassy didn't ask to see your old passport? (for e-Visa they need copies of passport stamps of the last 12 months, but maybe they don't need this for physical visa / sticker)

[Leon1980]

52 minutes ago, sallecc said:

This is useful info for many, thanks... Did you use old passport or got the new one? Which airport you flew in?

I flew in to Suvarnabhum and with my old passport.  I was worried same you but honestly you have nothing to worry about. Even if by some miracle you get pulled to one side and questioned as long you have funds and a return ticket you are 100% fine. 

[Scott]

An off-topic, troll post reported and removed. 

 

[Scott]

Continued baiting and bickering will earn suspensions.  If you do not wish to engage with another member, don't respond or put them on Ignore.

 

[problemfarang]

On 10/16/2022 at 8:33 PM, bbi1 said:

Is Chiang Mai & Phuket known as a "friendly" airport compared to both BKK airports?

what do you mean by friendly airport? friendly?

 

so is it like IO doing its job and keeping away people who has no reason to come here and try to live in thailand without any proper reason or visa is not friendly and the IO let you go and do your visa abuse are friendly? 

if thats your question.. this is my answer, in my 17 years never seen any unfriendly IO if you have the right visa and the right reason to stay here. BUT if you do dodgy things they may be unfriendly. i hope that will answer your question.