Almost Refused Entry at Chiang Mai Airport -Be Warned! - 2nd Visa Exemption

[ukrules]

5 hours ago, falangUK said:

There’s zero friendliness at the border anymore.

 

There never was, the smiles are fake.

 

[Jack1988]

3 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

Just bad luck maybe, you could have had a totally different experience with another officer probably.

I said many times, just avoid female officers. They are bipolar and always moody

[Jack1988]

1 hour ago, it is what it is said:

they use tourist visa exempt entry to stay here long term

it's just a free exemption stamp, not a tourist visa. And obtaining a tourist visa in your country is a proper visa by the way. I don't understand why you should be denied entry if you come back with a tourist visa every 6 months for example

[BrandonJT]

4 hours ago, gk10012001 said:

yes I have read that.  I am hoping it stays at least for the next few months so I can at least take advantage of it this year, probably August is my travel time.  I would love to get 90 days in or at least the 60 days with little effort.  Have done an extension now and then over a decade ago and it was not a big deal really.  But 60 + 30 would be the bee's knees, 

You can still get 60+30 even if they change it. Just apply for a tourist visa online through the e-visa system before your trip. Takes all of 5 minutes.

[Woke to Sounds]

9 hours ago, falangUK said:

Mentally prepare for being treated like a criminal, even if your paperwork is perfect.

 

No biggie.

 

That's how I'm treated every time I go back to - or leave from - Canada.

 

#StaySafe  #StayHome

 

Further training to come.

[DrJack54]

7 hours ago, falangUK said:

probably the 2-entry limit is for land border crossings, I don’t think there’s a limit for airport entries,...,

There is no stated limit for visa exempt entry via air.

Previously there existed a limit of 2 visa exempt entry via land per calendar year.

That limit was removed however some land border crossings have introduced few "rules" such as staying 1-2 nights outside of Thailand.

For same day border run (bounce) it's a good idea to use an agent minivan company.

Depends where you are located in Thailand. 

It's not all beer and Skittles at some land borders now.

Even not long ago there were issues at Nong Khai.

Recent updated report later on in this thread...

 

[gk10012001]

2 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

You can still get 60+30 even if they change it. Just apply for a tourist visa online through the e-visa system before your trip. Takes all of 5 minutes.

 

Yes it can take 5 minutes, but it requires documentation and proof of some things that I never ever have done.  I have never booked and paid for a hotel in advance.  Sure upon arrival the old TM 6 was it, had you write down where you were staying and I would put a hotel I knew of and might stay at. But I learned very early on to always see the room first before I pay.  I might be able to get something good enough for the E visa, but it is so much simpler to just do the visa exempt.  I first went to Thailand because it was convenient.  My contracting jobs never started or ended on firm dates, so just being able to book last minute flights and travel and enter visa exempt got me there 15 times.   And while as I read the Evisa has a validity of I think three months, or something like that, before you have to use it, I prefer not to use it.  If I have to as they seem to be going that way, then so be it.  It is like the old Single Entry Tourist Visa SETV.  And being able to apparently get a multi entry up front, it actually is not too bad looking

[impulse]

10 hours ago, falangUK said:

Yeah, exactly — same here.

In 14 years, never had any issues at CNX.

 

Though the OP is a good heads up, I'd suggest that someone without 14 years of experience needn't worry so much.  There's people reading in that are now unnecessarily worried about their 2nd or 3rd ever entry. 

 

And even with 14 years of entering Thailand, the OP was still allowed in on visa exempt after filling in some paperwork and answering some questions.  Which is a good cautionary tale to have your documents and cash lined up. 

 

 

[sqwakvfr]

Early March I came back from a one month trip to LA. I am on the 2nd year of an OA VIsa with a Multi Re entry permit. My End of Stay is not for another 11 months.  Yes I got lucky with a female IO at the entry counter after gettiing off a flight from Incheon S. Korea. I spent 10 minutes in front this IO as she looked at just  every page of my passport.  I had also presented my boarding pass and mandatory OA Health Insurance document but she was not interested in those. She then asked me "where is your visa?".  I pointed to the page with my valid reentry permit.  She then went back to looking at my passport pages.  At the end of 10 minutes of looking she looked up and said "do fingerprints again".  She then stamped me in and waved me through.  First time I have had this kind of entry experience at CNX airport.  Makes me wonder???

 

 

 

 

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

I pointed to the page with my valid reentry permit.  She then went back to looking at my passport pages.

You struck an io wearing silly hat on that day. 

The fact is you had a valid reentry permit. 

That permit protects the issued permission of stay stamp. 

It's the only stamp the io really needed to look at and it has an "until date" and that's the date you would be stamped in for. 

[zzzzz]

NEVER, ever use a young female IO 
They are trying to score points and show how efficient they are
always go for male IO's 

[BrandonJT]

35 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Though the OP is a good heads up, I'd suggest that someone without 14 years of experience needn't worry so much.  There's people reading in that are now unnecessarily worried about their 2nd or 3rd ever entry. 

 

And even with 14 years of entering Thailand, the OP was still allowed in on visa exempt after filling in some paperwork and answering some questions.  Which is a good cautionary tale to have your documents and cash lined up. 

 

 

There is a large amount of evidence based on reports that a single 60-day visa exempt entry with a 30 day extension is all it takes now to be interrogated upon return if that return does not have at least a few months between when you left.  90 days + the potential for another 90 days, meaning half of the year, is more than enough to set the officers onto your trail at this point.  6 months is not a tourist in their eyes, and I don't blame them.

[BritManToo]

12 hours ago, falangUK said:

Yeah, usually when I exit, it's for a couple of months or even longer — sometimes a year or more.

 

This was the first time I tried coming back in after just two nights, and clearly, they didn’t like it. Lesson learned the hard way.

I’ve never used a safe entry service before — didn’t even think about it, honestly.

If anyone has tips or recommendations on a reliable one (especially for Chiang Mai or Bangkok), would appreciate it.
Would rather avoid going through that kind of stress again if it can be helped.

But why the desperate need to come to Thailand?

Vietnam 45 days

Malaysia 90 days

Philippines 30 days, but can stay 3 years.

 

If I didn't have a Thai family, I probably wouldn't be here.

 

[impulse]

16 minutes ago, BrandonJT said:

There is a large amount of evidence based on reports that a single 60-day visa exempt entry with a 30 day extension is all it takes now to be interrogated upon return if that return does not have at least a few months between when you left.  90 days + the potential for another 90 days, meaning half of the year, is more than enough to set the officers onto your trail at this point.  6 months is not a tourist in their eyes, and I don't blame them.

 

I guess I'd ask if anyone has been refused entry without first being warned to get a visa next time? 

 

Being pulled aside for extra scrutiny isn't the same as "almost refused".  It happened to me once and I'm convinced that the IO was just curious why I was the only white face in a huge holiday queue of Malaysians coming in at a land border.  I think they took pity on me way back in the hour long holiday queue.  They pulled me out of that scrum, for extra scrutiny.  I was pleased.

 

[SLOWHAND225]

My wife and I went to Laos for 5 days to do her 3rd set of 60 days 
We flew out of and back into DMK, immigration detained us for over 90 min. Made her fill out a form and wait. They were refusing entry to every single person I saw during that time. I also heard them say several times that you can only spend 240 days in Thailand in a 12 month period, she also told us that.
Luckily, I had a ton of documentation so she knew we weren't full of shart. They stamped her for another 60 days but told her it won't happen again.

[captain_shane]

13 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

You just ned to get a proper visa .

You can no longer stay in Thailand long term on visa exempts .

Get the correct visa for your stay 

I've been here 3.5 years on visa exempts.

[DrJack54]

14 minutes ago, SLOWHAND225 said:

My wife and I went to Laos for 5 days to do her 3rd set of 60 days 
We flew out of and back into DMK, immigration detained us for over 90 min

So your wife did 3 back to back visa exempt entries via air. Stayed out of Thailand for 5 days. 

What did you expect. 

Out of interest what type of visa/permission of stay do you have as seems you were not questioned. 

 

18 minutes ago, SLOWHAND225 said:

They were refusing entry to every single person I saw during that time

What does that mean.... so how many people were actually refused entry? 

[DrJack54]

8 minutes ago, captain_shane said:

I've been here 3.5 years on visa exempts.

Throw away line... 

Without details of how long you spend out of Thailand between visits and how long each stay is.. 

 

Example roster workers month on/off have been living in Thailand for years on visa exempt entries. 

[captain_shane]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Throw away line... 

Without details of how long you spend out of Thailand between visits and how long each stay is.. 

 

Example roster workers month on/off have been living in Thailand for years on visa exempt entries. 

Essentially 3.5 years straight with a month in the philippines and a month in laos in between. Every other time has been in/out same day.

[SLOWHAND225]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

So your wife did 3 back to back visa exempt entries via air. Stayed out of Thailand for 5 days. 

What did you expect. 

Out of interest what type of visa/permission of stay do you have as seems you were not questioned. 

 

What does that mean.... so how many people were actually refused entry? 

At least a dozen while I was there.

We stayed out of Thailand a total of 3 weeks so clearly, I didn't expect that.
I'm on a retirement visa, the plan was to get her a dependent visa but I've been told 7-8 times that they don't do that any more.
So, education visa it is. 

[impulse]

2 hours ago, SLOWHAND225 said:

My wife and I went to Laos for 5 days to do her 3rd set of 60 days 
We flew out of and back into DMK, immigration detained us for over 90 min. Made her fill out a form and wait. They were refusing entry to every single person I saw during that time. I also heard them say several times that you can only spend 240 days in Thailand in a 12 month period, she also told us that.
Luckily, I had a ton of documentation so she knew we weren't full of shart. They stamped her for another 60 days but told her it won't happen again.

 

Was that recent?

[Yagoda]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

But why the desperate need to come to Thailand?

Vietnam 45 days

Malaysia 90 days

Philippines 30 days, but can stay 3 years.

 

If I didn't have a Thai family, I probably wouldn't be here.

 

Yeah, Siem Reap $297 per year retirement visa, hi, pay, bye. No reports, no extensive forms, no rentry costs, 2 hours from the border.

 

I had to fix a bank problem a few weeks back. The Thai lady IO asked why I was coming to Thailand. I told her I had to go to ATM and was only staying 15 minutes or so. No problem, she thought that was funny. 

[Harrisfan]

2 hours ago, captain_shane said:

I've been here 3.5 years on visa exempts.

25 years no visa Brit guy

[SLOWHAND225]

16 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Was that recent?

Last week

[StandardIssue]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, you asked about "safe entry services" ....here is link.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1V4UMpb27x/ 

 

100% guarantee. It's an option approx 4500b 

Fine, but what if you are not interested in doing a border run? What if you just say, want to visit Philippines for a week or two?

Answer: Just have your paper work in order. Make sure and check what visa free requirements are. Like the OP make sure and have all your ducks in a row. After all was said and done he was let in because he had prepared. This is quite simply the answer.

All the OP is doing is alerting people to the fact that immigration is CHECKING and being dilegent.

Now don't all of us actually WANT THIS? Everyone is complaining about all the Russians, Chinese, Indians coming in droves and calling for strict entry right?

So here you have it. Nuff' said.

[impulse]

7 minutes ago, SLOWHAND225 said:

Last week

 

Good to have up to date info.  Thanks!

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

Fine, but what if you are not interested in doing a border run?

The link along with thread I posted is "safe entry services" at airports.

Land border runs is another thing.

Even those are now suggested that you use an agent minivan company. 

[StandardIssue]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The link along with thread I posted is "safe entry services" at airports.

Land border runs is another thing.

Even those are now suggested that you use an agent minivan company. 

OK, yes I see that. Personally I would not go for a service like this but for some it may be appropriate. I have had no problems in the past with DIY immigration business along with help from you and the late Ubon Joe. Thanks for your help along the way.