Denied 3rd Tourist Visa In Penang

[IrishP]

I have just returned from Penang where I went to get another tourist visa. Only this time I received a transit visa valid for 30 days and a red stamp on it saying "do not apply for new visa in Penang again".

This was my 3rd visa from penang, although not in succession. I had 2 then got a 3rd from KL, then this one.

I asked the runner who arranged the visa for me and he said that I could extend this for up to 30 days at my local immigration office here in Krabi - which is what I have done with my previous tourist visas with no problems.

Can anyone confirm or deny this? I have my folks coming over mid Jan to visit me and my 30 days transit expires a week before they arrive, so I REALLY need the extension.

Or does anyone know another way I can get another 2 month tourist visa? Would I have similar problems if I went to KL again or Singapore?

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

A new passport would help.

[Lite Beer]

Maybe Vientianne in Laos will give one or maybe just do a Visa exempt crossing in Ranong to Burma. It really is all a bit hit or miss as your Visa history is nearing the end of the road in todays climate.

[sriracha john]

I have just returned from Penang where I went to get another tourist visa. Only this time I received a transit visa valid for 30 days and a red stamp on it saying "do not apply for new visa in Penang again".

Are those the verbatim words on the stamp? If so, it's a new one....and much less ambiguous than the other ones that been posted.

If it is different, could you please scan it so that others may know what it looks like?

[Fred Sanford]

Indeed it would be nice to see this new stamp that has been reported several times now. If you dont have a scanner, snap a pic of it and post if you could

[visarunner]

Indeed it would be nice to see this new stamp that has been reported several times now. If you dont have a scanner, snap a pic of it and post if you could

Here is a example.

[bangkokgas]

A new passport would help.

I'm going to try the new passport theory next week in Vientiane - it will be interesting to see if they backcheck or not. My wife has two t.v.'s from Vientiane in the last year but has spent six months in Tokyo between these - if she is refused then its clear even staying out of the country for a long while ain't gonna help much!

[Tolley]

This may have been stated before but there are many people who legally have two and three passports in which case these current visa restrictions would have absolutely zero effect.

[sriracha john]

Indeed it would be nice to see this new stamp that has been reported several times now. If you dont have a scanner, snap a pic of it and post if you could

Here is a example.

Thank you for posting. That is, indeed, a new one for me. Pretty straight-up clear this time.

[Crossy]

Indeed it would be nice to see this new stamp that has been reported several times now. If you dont have a scanner, snap a pic of it and post if you could

Here is a example.

Thank you for posting. That is, indeed, a new one for me. Pretty straight-up clear this time.

Worryingly Penang now seem to be denying visas as a habit, including perfectly legitimate FIRST TIME applications for B visas http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=158056

[sriracha john]

perfectly legitimate FIRST TIME applications for B visas

me thinks there's something missing from that report....

[Crossy]

perfectly legitimate FIRST TIME applications for B visas

me thinks there's something missing from that report....

Possibly, but the poster did not get any explanation or a chance to correct whatever was wrong, didn't even get his documentation back. Not as though he'd already had 3 (or even 1) TVs from Penang previously.

Obviously we are seeing only one side of the incident but there is an evident tightening up in Penang, this time on TVs, last time it was non-o visas.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Crossy

[tropo]

Possibly, but the poster did not get any explanation or a chance to correct whatever was wrong, didn't even get his documentation back. Not as though he'd already had 3 (or even 1) TVs from Penang previously.

Obviously we are seeing only one side of the incident but there is an evident tightening up in Penang, this time on TVs, last time it was non-o visas.

I would say it's a bit more than "tightening up".

[IrishP]

The new passport option is one I have been contemplating. As I am from Northern Ireland, I am allowed to hold both a British and Irish passport at the same time.

If I got my new Irish passport sent to my parents home in Ireland, and they posted it out to me here, what would be the best way to work it?

What I mean is, if I fly to KL, should I use my British one to get stamped out of Thailand and into Malaysia, go to the embassy with my virgin Irish passport for a TV? Would they need to see my entry stamp? I'm assuming here that I couldn't leave Thailand on my British pp and enter Malaysia on my new Irish one. They would need to see the Thai exit stamp wouldn't they?

Sorry, but I'm no expert on this, so any advice would be great

[wrazoru]

Well, I had mentioned that I got a stamp "...may not get another" on my 3rd TV, got a verbal warning not to go back to Penang when i got a 4th TV there too..At least when i went to immigration in BKK, they didn't fuss about extending it another 30 days ....Now however, i'll be tossed back into the ringer coz w/ the stamp, i'm not sure if any of the Thai consulates will be issuing another TV for me.

Good to know that at least they'll give us a 30day so we can come back, packup & move decently.

[tropo]

The new passport option is one I have been contemplating. As I am from Northern Ireland, I am allowed to hold both a British and Irish passport at the same time.

If I got my new Irish passport sent to my parents home in Ireland, and they posted it out to me here, what would be the best way to work it?

What I mean is, if I fly to KL, should I use my British one to get stamped out of Thailand and into Malaysia, go to the embassy with my virgin Irish passport for a TV? Would they need to see my entry stamp? I'm assuming here that I couldn't leave Thailand on my British pp and enter Malaysia on my new Irish one. They would need to see the Thai exit stamp wouldn't they?

Sorry, but I'm no expert on this, so any advice would be great

You assumed incorrectly.

You leave Thailand with your British passport, and enter Malaysia with your virgin Irish passport.

[lopburi3]

On a land crossing Malaysia will be looking for an exit stamp in my experience.

[LivinLOS]

My experience (and I flip flop a lot) is all land borders want to see the exit stamp, (I presume some people may try to visa run and not bother with the whole process, just stamp out and back in) but that all air travel no previous stamp is required, after all you could have had a through ticket and said airside in many airports and cases.

[Rumpole]

On a land crossing Malaysia will be looking for an exit stamp in my experience.

I had no problems exiting Thailand on one passport and entering Malaysia on another at a land crossing, although this was several years ago. Perhaps flying somewhere and switching passports would be better?

[LivinLOS]

On a land crossing Malaysia will be looking for an exit stamp in my experience.

I had no problems exiting Thailand on one passport and entering Malaysia on another at a land crossing, although this was several years ago. Perhaps flying somewhere and switching passports would be better?

Quite possibly the malay side doesnt care.. The Thai side did (2 or 3 years ago)..

Stupidly I could have flipped going out but didnt think.. Then flipped on the return..

[IrishP]

Thanks for the replies so far - good to know. My app for an Irish Passport is going to take about 4 weeks to process, which unfortunately is no good to me in the short term as my Transit visa issued for 30 days will expire on 6th Jan.

Has anyone had experience with a transit visa? Can I get it extended at local immigration for a fee, much like the TV? Or is it up to whoever I see on the day's discretion?

I might take a trip in to ask them today, as I don't fancy having them not grant an extension and giving me 24 hrs to get out of the country!

[Norrad]

Laos and Thailand have no problems with 2 passports.

On my trip to Laos (Last month), to get a new Non-B. I was stamped out of Thailand on my old passport and into Laos. At the Thai Embassy, I handed in my clean (Brand new, unstamped) passport, the lady asked if she could see my old one, which I showed her and she showed her boss. She issued me a new Non-B in my new passport without any problems. On the way back to Thailand, I was stamped out of Laos on the old passport and presented the new one on the Thai side, absolutely no problems. Stamped in without questions. (PS. The passport numbers were different as the new passport is only a temporary one, I'm still waiting for my new official one to arrive).

So from personal experience, 2 passports should present no problems.

[louise321]

Hi IrishP

I also just got a transit visa instead of a TV plus the don't come back here again stamp. (Penang)Could you please let us know what you found out about extending this one? At the airport immigration they were very surprised i didn't get a TV (and had to pay for 30 days!)

Thanks!!!!

[Mai Krap]

Indeed it would be nice to see this new stamp that has been reported several times now. If you dont have a scanner, snap a pic of it and post if you could

Here is a example.

Wow, that is something totally new, scary!

[The Professor]

I'd say it's crap, Mai Krap

[Mai Krap]

I'd say it's crap, Mai Krap

Do you think the image is photoshopped or something?

[LivinLOS]

Laos and Thailand have no problems with 2 passports.

On my trip to Laos (Last month), to get a new Non-B. I was stamped out of Thailand on my old passport and into Laos. At the Thai Embassy, I handed in my clean (Brand new, unstamped) passport, the lady asked if she could see my old one, which I showed her and she showed her boss. She issued me a new Non-B in my new passport without any problems. On the way back to Thailand, I was stamped out of Laos on the old passport and presented the new one on the Thai side, absolutely no problems. Stamped in without questions. (PS. The passport numbers were different as the new passport is only a temporary one, I'm still waiting for my new official one to arrive).

So from personal experience, 2 passports should present no problems.

I am not disputing your evidence, I am sure that may be how it worked for you.

However I had almost opposite reactions from immigration offices in Ranong and Sadao. In Ranong they really flipped, shouting and screaming and threatening to lock me up (I was trying to insist he flip as I only had a few pages left and where I got my next long stay visa added to was important), I was calm, polite, not unshaved and hungover, but he really freaked when I tried to (calmly, smiling, quietly) explain it was my right to travel on whatever passport I chose. I suspect part of this is due to Ranong having a system of chits and checks to ensure you actually transit over to Myanmar as its a porous border but whatever reason he was screaming at me that 'he was the boss and he could lock me in detention and did I want to go jail now' at the top of his lungs with spittle flying over the desk, total over reaction.

Sadao didnt like it, they acted like I was trying to do something wrong (the very fact I had 2 passports made them act like that, as though they just cant process someone having 2 concurrent passports from the same country) but they didnt shout and scream, just told me no, they had to stamp the one I came from Malaysia on.

Since then I decided it wasnt worth the hassle and used flights.

[tropo]

Indeed it would be nice to see this new stamp that has been reported several times now. If you dont have a scanner, snap a pic of it and post if you could

Here is a example.

Thanks Visarunner for providing photographic evidence.

[Pakaty]

Thanks for the replies so far - good to know. My app for an Irish Passport is going to take about 4 weeks to process, which unfortunately is no good to me in the short term as my Transit visa issued for 30 days will expire on 6th Jan.

Has anyone had experience with a transit visa? Can I get it extended at local immigration for a fee, much like the TV? Or is it up to whoever I see on the day's discretion?

I might take a trip in to ask them today, as I don't fancy having them not grant an extension and giving me 24 hrs to get out of the country!

I went to Phuket imigration yesterday and asked about an extention on my Transit visa. I had the same problem in Penang as you. They told me I could get a 7 day extention so I applied and got it. My Transit visa expires on Jan. 2, 2008. The fee was 1900 Baht. Now I have till Jan. 9. So don't wait for the last day you can apply for the extention now. I need the extention as I can't find flights to the USA around the New Year.

So it seems to me that when I was getting 30 day extentions on my Tourist visas I did not need to wait until the last day as I was doing. I was afraid that I would lose a few precious days by applying too early thinking they would start the 30 days from the day that I applied. But since that was not the case for my present Transit visa maybe that would not be the case for Tourist visas as well. Or am I applying too much logic? Maybe even a bit off topic as well, sorry.

There is hope for us though...I just read a post from someone that also got the red stamp from Penang. "Do not apply for a visa in Penang again".

Here is the link. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=158561

I however, am scared to go to another embassy/consulate for fear I will be denied a Tourist or Transit visa effectivly locking me out of Thailand. I have already used my 3 on arrival visa waivers for this 6 month period. I'm going back to my country and getting a new passport. I do not want that 'do not apply' stamp as I am worried it will be a red flag to other Thai embassy/consulates later.

[lopburi3]

Extensions of visa entry start at the end of the current entry stamp so yes you could have applied before your 60 days were finished on tourist visas for the extra 30 days.