HCMC TV denial: try to get Visa Exempt at CNX?

[Hal65]

I'm in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam and was told that my Thai tourist visa application at the local Thai consulate is likely to get denied because I was in Thailand during the entire COVID era, which they don't like to see.

 

Should I even bother trying to fly into Chiang Mai airport (CNX) with a canceled visa in my passport from the rejection, to apply for visa exempt? Or should I just fly back to the US at this point?

[DrJack54]

15 minutes ago, Hal65 said:

Should I even bother trying to fly into Chiang Mai airport (CNX) with a canceled visa in my passport from the rejection, to apply for visa exempt? Or should I just fly back to the US at this point?

This is what I posted in your other thread......

"You should be ok flying into CNX.

It's been done previously with tourist visa rejection stamps from Vietnam"

 

If your visa is issued and has a VOID stamp that just means your visa application was rejected.

If your tourist visa application is unsuccessful you could fly to thailand visa exempt.

CNX would be good option. 

Some will suggest fly to Cambodia or Laos and enter Thailand via land visa exempt but that would be messy. 

 

When do you find out from Thai consulate the result of your visa application. 

 

Regards heading back to USA that depends on how long you would like to stay in Thailand.

Being USA you must have obtained a 30 day single entry visa to Vietnam.

An option would be to stay there for a period.

That would make visa exempt entry to Thailand via air less of an issue. 

Edited March 8, 2023 by DrJack54

[at15]

I would not, we have reports cnx officials post covid do not like long stayers or people with a bunch of covid extensions.

[BritTim]

Flying into even CNX from Vietnam would be risky. The trouble is that, in the event of a denied entry, the airline could not return you to Vietnam (unless you had an unused Vietnam visa). Thus, it is all too likely that you will be forced back to home country with whatever luggage you have brought with you. CNX tends to be lenient, and you might well succeed in entering visa exempt, but the consequences of a denied entry would be unpleasant.

[Hal65]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

When do you find out from Thai consulate the result of your visa application.

Just found out now, I received a valid 90 day tourist visa ???? So they are picky upfront. But they do not validate the onward flight PNR. Next time I know what to do to be even safer.

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Hal65 said:

Just found out now, I received a valid 90 day tourist visa ???? So they are picky upfront. But they do not validate the onward flight PNR. Next time I know what to do to be even safer.

With a tourist visa you should have no issues entering Thailand.

 

[Caldera]

2 hours ago, Hal65 said:

Just found out now, I received a valid 90 day tourist visa ???? So they are picky upfront. But they do not validate the onward flight PNR. Next time I know what to do to be even safer.

That's great news, congrats!

 

Could you please post a full list of the documents that you've submitted? I'm sure it would be helpful for others who consider applying there. 

[MrJ2U]

Fly into Cambodian and cross the land border. 

 

[Hal65]

  

39 minutes ago, Caldera said:

That's great news, congrats!

 

Could you please post a full list of the documents that you've submitted? I'm sure it would be helpful for others who consider applying there. 

 

Sure thing:

 

1. $40 US

 

2. Printout of Agoda booking confirmation PDF attached to email (printout of booking page on website NOT acceptable. Booking.com also acceptable but I don't know what exactly)

2. Printout of ticket into Thailand

3. Printout of ticket out of Thailand. PNR not verified (mine listed no PNR, just a generic "reservation code" which itself was fake and no website was even referenced.

 

Form itself:

4. Employer name (normally I leave this blank)

5. Thai guarantor: Hotel name and address (Put this under "Proposed address in thailand" and also "Local guarantor in Thailand")

6. Local guarantor in HCMC: Hotel name, address, phone

 

As with everywhere else you hand over your passport.

 

Fill out everything you can. They are not like Laos where some fields can be skipped.

 

As of March 6, 2023 (the very day I applied) 2 working days are required for processing.

 

A guy next to me had a hotel in Pattaya but a flight to Chiang Mai. The IO insisted on the train ticket number of the train he said he would use to travel down on. He did not have this since his plan was to book the train last minute. I did not run into this issue because I used a Chiang Mai hotel as guarantor and withheld my 2nd flight info from CNX to BKK.

Edited March 8, 2023 by Hal65

[tfc]

32 minutes ago, Hal65 said:

 2. Printout of Agoda booking confirmation PDF attached to email (printout of booking page on website NOT acceptable.

Did they want booking/payment confirmation for the whole 60/90 days? 

 

My friend is in Kuala Lumpur and that is one of the requirements on his form.  It seems pretty excessive, particularly for a tourist visa, as he is just going to be visiting me for 2 weeks initially then traveling, as tourists tend to do, around Thailand and booking accommodation spending a few weeks here and there.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, MrJ2U said:

Fly into Cambodian and cross the land border. 

 

He doesn't need to.

The tourist visa was approved.

Can fly direct to Thailand. 

[Hal65]

2 hours ago, tfc said:

Did they want booking/payment confirmation for the whole 60/90 days?

The answer is yes, he was very specific that the start and end dates should align with the visa start and end. I just cancelled my 60 day hotel stay in Chiang Mai. Many hotels have free cancellation.

[MrJ2U]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

He doesn't need to.

The tourist visa was approved.

Can fly direct to Thailand. 

Good for him. 

[at15]

I'll be interested to see how it goes with the tourist visa, its a good thing but not a guarantee for entry. I would bet you still get grilled with questions but if you keep your cool you should be able to enter. Please do come back and update us as to what happens.

[Hal65]

7 minutes ago, at15 said:

I'll be interested to see how it goes with the tourist visa, its a good thing but not a guarantee for entry. I would bet you still get grilled with questions but if you keep your cool you should be able to enter. Please do come back and update us as to what happens.

Even at Chiang Mai airport? I thought they were relatively easy compared to Phuket and both bangkok airports

[raz0r21]

I dont know if this helps but when I got questioned it was a super quiet day. I arrived on an evening around 19:30 pm and there were no queues at immgration. The person in the booth had all the time in the world to scroll through my passport and ask questions. 

 

So I would suggest to arrive when its super busy. Good luck and keep us posted how it goes. 

[Hal65]

1 minute ago, raz0r21 said:

I dont know if this helps but when I got questioned it was a super quiet day. I arrived on an evening around 19:30 pm and there were no queues at immgration. The person in the booth had all the time in the world to scroll through my passport and ask questions. 

 

So I would suggest to arrive when its super busy. Good luck and keep us posted how it goes. 

Will do? Which airport gave you the grilling? Did you remember everything? I don't remember most of my visa excuses. If they start asking about my ED language visas I'll have an issue.

[raz0r21]

6 hours ago, Hal65 said:

Will do? Which airport gave you the grilling? Did you remember everything? I don't remember most of my visa excuses. If they start asking about my ED language visas I'll have an issue.

Suvarnabhumi. I wasnt prepared for it at all, didnt even think it was an issue for me since i kept being in Thailand 6 months and in my home country 6 months. It took around an hour so be patient if it happens, and stay calm.

[at15]

9 hours ago, Hal65 said:

Even at Chiang Mai airport? I thought they were relatively easy compared to Phuket and both bangkok airports

Yes even Chiang Mai, they strongly disliked I used covid extensions to stay a while during the pandemic thats why I am curious how it will go for you.

[BritTim]

10 hours ago, Hal65 said:

Even at Chiang Mai airport? I thought they were relatively easy compared to Phuket and both bangkok airports

Definitely, Chiang Mai airport does not have a history of harassing travellers who have visas. Of course, history is no guarantee that things cannot change. However, I will be surprised if you have any problem entering at CNX with a tourist visa.

[mockingbird]

49 minutes ago, at15 said:

Yes even Chiang Mai, they strongly disliked I used covid extensions to stay a while during the pandemic thats why I am curious how it will go for you.

Did you enter on a tourist visa or visa exempt?

I've never heard of issues entering cmx on a TV, but even pre COVID I remember reports here of grilling when entering visa exempt.

[Hal65]

The immigration pass through at Chiang Mai Airport was perhaps the easiest I've ever gone through. I felt that the (28 to 32 year old male) immigration officer didn't really feel it was part of his job responsibility to do any questioning or vetting. He was also polite, saying Hi, and thank you towards the end.

 

Even at the land borders in the past, they stopped to think a bit as they examined my history. This time, almost none of that.

 

How much this would have changed if I were attempting to get a visa exempt status, I'm not sure. what I do know is that my plan to enter through Chiang Mai Airport was good. I'll keep using it for further trips. To make getting to Pattaya less painful I think I'll stay in Chiang Mai for a day in the future and maybe take a Fiwfan girl or two to hold me over.

Edited March 12, 2023 by Hal65

[at15]

Good news man, and glad you got a good officer. I was denied once with a tourist visa by a female officer as they thought i didnt have enough money to support myself in thailand which was total bs.

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by at15

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, at15 said:

Good news man, and glad you got a good officer. I was denied once with a tourist visa by a female officer as they thought i didnt have enough money to support myself in thailand which was total bs.

 

Which airport (or land crossing) did you have that experience, and when? That seems more like something that would happen at Suvarnabhumi or Aranyaprathet than Chiang Mai.

[JayClay]

On 3/8/2023 at 5:59 PM, Hal65 said:

A guy next to me had a hotel in Pattaya but a flight to Chiang Mai. The IO insisted on the train ticket number of the train he said he would use to travel down on. He did not have this since his plan was to book the train last minute. 

I'm surprised they even entertained the idea of using a train ticket as proof of exit; I once tried using a train ticket to Butterworth and was told no.

[Hal65]

@JayClay the train ticket would have only proved his travel from Chiang Mai to Pattaya where his hotel booking was

[JayClay]

13 hours ago, Hal65 said:

@JayClay the train ticket would have only proved his travel from Chiang Mai to Pattaya where his hotel booking was

Okay it looks like I misunderstood the story. Thanks for clarifying.

[TVtellme]

On 3/8/2023 at 10:59 AM, Hal65 said:

  

 

Sure thing:

 

1. $40 US

 

2. Printout of Agoda booking confirmation PDF attached to email (printout of booking page on website NOT acceptable. Booking.com also acceptable but I don't know what exactly)

2. Printout of ticket into Thailand

3. Printout of ticket out of Thailand. PNR not verified (mine listed no PNR, just a generic "reservation code" which itself was fake and no website was even referenced.

 

Form itself:

4. Employer name (normally I leave this blank)

5. Thai guarantor: Hotel name and address (Put this under "Proposed address in thailand" and also "Local guarantor in Thailand")

6. Local guarantor in HCMC: Hotel name, address, phone

 

As with everywhere else you hand over your passport.

 

Fill out everything you can. They are not like Laos where some fields can be skipped.

 

As of March 6, 2023 (the very day I applied) 2 working days are required for processing.

 

A guy next to me had a hotel in Pattaya but a flight to Chiang Mai. The IO insisted on the train ticket number of the train he said he would use to travel down on. He did not have this since his plan was to book the train last minute. I did not run into this issue because I used a Chiang Mai hotel as guarantor and withheld my 2nd flight info from CNX to BKK.

Were you required to produce bank statements also?