Bypassing passport control

[10years]

2 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

 

Girl taking your money and scanning your passport is not human?

The visa girl has no say in whether you're allowed to enter the country and for how long. She just checks if you're holding a passport from a country eligible for a visa on entry, then takes your money. Before, she would hand you a paper visa that you would take to the immigration officer, who would stick it on your passport if you passed scrutiny.

 

Now, she takes your money and scans your passport. I assume that just tells the computer system that you're paid up. There is no paper visa or visa stamp. You still have to go see a IO or e-gate.

 

Note that you can pay for a visa online before flying to Indonesia. I assume that you can bypass the visa girl in that case.

[10years]

2 hours ago, zmisha said:

Which airport did you use to enter the country?

CGK. Note that there are 3 terminals. It seems like the e-gate system was already in force in T3. My experience was in T2, which might be for low-cost carriers.

[zmisha]

14 minutes ago, 10years said:

CGK. Note that there are 3 terminals. It seems like the e-gate system was already in force in T3. My experience was in T2, which might be for low-cost carriers.

I am asking because I am using Non-O ME to stay in Thailand with border runs every 3 months.
To avoid my passport getting full of stamps, I bought a roundtrip ticket to Hong Kong. However, there are no cheap hotels in Hong Kong. So I considered other options. In particular, Malaysia. But Malaysia is inconvenient because you have to fill out something online before the trip to avoid getting a stamp in your passport. It seems that Indonesia does not stain your passport and does not require any pre-registration, authorizations, etc. If so, this looks like an ideal border run for me! Glad I read about it. I also hope that multiple-entry visa holders will also be allowed to use the electronic gates when leaving Thailand.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, zmisha said:

I am asking because I am using Non-O ME to stay in Thailand with border runs every 3 months.

Where did you obtain your Non O ME. 

 

7 minutes ago, zmisha said:

To avoid my passport getting full of stamps, I bought a roundtrip ticket to Hong Kong.

Is that serious.

A roundtrip to HK to avoid space used in pp.. Surely a joke. 

[zmisha]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Where did you obtain your Non O ME. 

 

Is that serious.

A roundtrip to HK to avoid space used in pp.. Surely a joke. 

Non O ME from Savannakhet(December 2024)

One way airline ticket to Hong Kong is about 2000 baht. Very cheap ticket from Bangkok. Ticket to Kuala Lumpur has almost the same price. Stay only 18 hours and return. Why not?

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, zmisha said:

One way airline ticket to Hong Kong is about 2000 baht.

Plus ~ 3 hr each way. 

I don't find 4k return. 

 

[zmisha]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Plus ~ 3 hr each way. 

I don't find 4k return. 

 

2,253.64 Thai Baht for ticket from Hong Kong to Bangkok (see the screenshot) - Thai lion air
I also saw tickets for 1900-2000 baht - but they required payment via Debit card - I prefer to avoid this method.

[zmisha]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Plus ~ 3 hr each way. 

I don't find 4k return. 

 

 

[JoseThailand]

On 12/29/2024 at 6:53 AM, 10years said:

Are those days going to become fading memories.? Will there be system that flags you when you scan the passport? Or will it truly become a breeze to pass through the airport and go on your way? 😁

 

The majority of people visiting Thailand are legitimate tourists who come for short vacations. For them that would be a breeze. For the rest 1%, they will find a way to scrutinize them, don't worry. 😉

[sqwakvfr]

Went to Kuala Lumpur last week and had no contact with an Immigration officer.  Just scanned my passport for entry and exit.  The only thing I had to to  prior was to apply an entry document for Malayasia.  I also wonder how this would work in LOS as well?

[Phillip9]

12 hours ago, zmisha said:

I am asking because I am using Non-O ME to stay in Thailand with border runs every 3 months.
To avoid my passport getting full of stamps, I bought a roundtrip ticket to Hong Kong. However, there are no cheap hotels in Hong Kong. So I considered other options. In particular, Malaysia. But Malaysia is inconvenient because you have to fill out something online before the trip to avoid getting a stamp in your passport. It seems that Indonesia does not stain your passport and does not require any pre-registration, authorizations, etc. If so, this looks like an ideal border run for me!

 

Singapore and Macau are two other options that don't stamp, but hotels will probably be expensive compared to Malaysia.  

 

In Malaysia currently only KL doesn't stamp, all other airports (eg Penang) still stamp.  The online form only takes a minute or two to complete.   Indonesia seems a bit far.  I would much rather spend a minute or two completing an online form for Malaysia than spend an extra hour on a plane to Indonesia.

[10years]

22 hours ago, zmisha said:

...It seems that Indonesia does not stain your passport and does not require any pre-registration, authorizations, etc. If so, this looks like an ideal border run for me! Glad I read about it. I also hope that multiple-entry visa holders will also be allowed to use the electronic gates when leaving Thailand.

Indonesia requires 2 QR codes to complete entry. One is filling out a health questionnaire online. But apparently no one checks this. I was not asked to show this QR code.

 

The other QR code is ostensibly for Customs but in fact is similar to the deceased TM6 arrival card. While you can go online and get the QR code before departing for Indonesia, you can wait till you pass immigration and do it at the airport by using your hand phone or the bank of PCs near Customs. 

 

This raises the question of whether they can still stop you at Customs even though you successfully slipped through immigration. 

[DrJack54]

Thread has run its course. 

Thread closed.