Thais Given Hard Time Entering Korea?

[Svenn]

So I know Thais are allowed to enter Korea with a visa-on-arrival, but I read some former posts saying they're often given a hard time if they're alone- (locked up in a holding room with other thais, etc). I'm worried because my gf, who has the double deficit of having changed her sex (she was born male), will be meeting me in Incheon in a week for a two-week holiday. She was able to get through Singapore immigration a while ago, but not without an interrogation. In Korea, I'll be arriving 9 hours after she does- I assume they'll wait until my arrival to vouch for her before they send her back to BKK? She also isn't that good at written English, so I'm worried she'll screw up the forms- can you see them online beforehand somewhere so I can tell her what to write?

thanks

[theoldgit]

I will watch this one with interest as we are travelling to South Korea next month, though travelling together.

On a recent trip to Singapore she was not asked anything though on a trip to Hong Kong she was asked a few questions and I was aked to step forward to speak to the IO. On visits to Laos and Malaysia she was stamped in without question.

[rvsp]

So I know Thais are allowed to enter Korea with a visa-on-arrival, but I read some former posts saying they're often given a hard time if they're alone- (locked up in a holding room with other thais, etc). I'm worried because my gf, who has the double deficit of having changed her sex (she was born male), will be meeting me in Incheon in a week for a two-week holiday. She was able to get through Singapore immigration a while ago, but not without an interrogation. In Korea, I'll be arriving 9 hours after she does- I assume they'll wait until my arrival to vouch for her before they send her back to BKK? She also isn't that good at written English, so I'm worried she'll screw up the forms- can you see them online beforehand somewhere so I can tell her what to write?

thanks

Here is the link to the arrival paper work.

english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/GK/GK_EN_2_1_5.jsp

If she is young, sexy, attractive and traveling alone, immigration officer might take a closer look at her.

I would advise that she does not dress too flashy and stand in a line where there is a male immigration officer. Sometimes women officers are more thorough.

[eggomaniac]

I have a theory about this.

My friend spent a couple of years, and thousands to lawyers, before he finally got his wife over to Canada. They had been married for 2 years.

In Korea they yanked her and were holding her in a room. He actually was worried they would miss the connecting flight. He jumped over a barrier and 'claimed' her! Yikes. True story, you have to know this guy and what he had been through getting her over here.

Okay, it also happens that a few dozen Thai women have been arrested in the last couple of years. They were acting as mules, probably unbeknown to some of them.

So, my theory is Thai women are high on the 'alert' list, and maybe for other reasons as well.

To be on the 'safe' side, last year. I made sure the flights were all through 'International' schedules, with none of the 'overnight' bookings in Seoul, for example.

Until she gets her Canadian passport, I will avoid these 'stop overs'.

Like I said, it's just a theory, but I would bet $10 that a Google of 'Russian Thai women mules arrest border' would give up some interesting details.

Kind of bored think I will try it.

[ged]

My missus was refused entry and shipped back to LOS on a flight the same day.

Her Aunt was waiting for her (she is married to a Korean) and my wife was not allowed to call her to vouch for her .

We still do not know to this day why entry was not permitted they also put a stamp in her passport.

My wife speaks and writes better English than me , but this did not help.

We later went back together (the missus got a new passport) and sailed through.

She says it was quite a scary ordeal as she was locked in a room for many hours on her own .

[chuck6660]

I have been through this ordeal several times.

Korean immigration occasionally singles out young Thai women and men, this is due to many of them coming in on their passport and then working illegally in restaurants, factory's or prostitution. I know several Thai's who have been in Korea illegally for years.

Two years ago my sister-in-law was held by immigration for 2 hours, my wife and i were waiting for her and it still took 2 calls to airport immigration before they let her out. On another occasion i had to go to immigration and sign for my 15 yo step-daughter. However my mother-in law (68 yo) has had no problems with Korean immigration.

As far as transgenders there is no prejudice by Korean immigration; three Thai women with similar situations to your girlfriend live in the apartment above us. They come and go through Korean immigration every three months with very little problems.

One thing I always do when my wifes family members visit us is to provide them a letter with relationship info, visa status, my address and contact number in Korea and a brief statement that I will be responsible for them during their stay in Korea. I provide this in Hangul and English.

Good Luck, dealing with Korean immigration is a hit and miss thing!

[bigguy]

So I know Thais are allowed to enter Korea with a visa-on-arrival, but I read some former posts saying they're often given a hard time if they're alone- (locked up in a holding room with other thais, etc). I'm worried because my gf, who has the double deficit of having changed her sex (she was born male), will be meeting me in Incheon in a week for a two-week holiday. She was able to get through Singapore immigration a while ago, but not without an interrogation. In Korea, I'll be arriving 9 hours after she does- I assume they'll wait until my arrival to vouch for her before they send her back to BKK? She also isn't that good at written English, so I'm worried she'll screw up the forms- can you see them online beforehand somewhere so I can tell her what to write?

thanks

Last year my Thai Girlfriend and my co-worker and his THAI WIFE, entered Korea, both he and myself were working there, with Residence ID Cards, and Company letters,etc. The Immigration Officer sent my GF to a room, then shortly sent me to the same room, and began asking questions, Then they seperated us and ask 3 questions, the officer explained if we both answered with same answer we were free to go. I. Where did you meet? 2. How long have you known eachother? 3.What does your Boyfriend do in Korea? They even had an intrepretor ask my GF these questions, we both answered same, and were sent on our way. HOWEVER my mate was no so lucky, even with a Koreon Visa issuied in Thailand for his wife, they did NOT answer the questions the same, he was to embarrased to say they meet in a bar, WRONG, they sent her back to Thailand that afternoon.. It amazes me how people try to pull a fast one with IO's, there not stupid, really there not. I've found in all my years of travelling just be honest, it really works..

Reading threads from guys thinking they can lie cheat and steal to get yearly visa's is amazing, possibly that is why the rest of us are having a hard time and having to prove everything.

[mikewr818]

I will give you my recent experience (Nov 08). I was going to Seoul for a 3-week business trip. Arranged for my teelak to come over for ~10 days. I had tried to organize it so we would arrive together, but it wasn't possible. So I had arrive a couple days before. She was coming in on the Asiana red-eye from BKK. I was there wating dutifly in the arrivals area!!

I guess a little background - my gf is not a bar worker. She has had office jobs, currently running several laundry/clothing shops. She always dresses very respectfully. She has also travelled internationally before so she has a passport showing her travel and return to Thailand.

So the flight arrives right on time...and people begin coming thru. I could see they were all BKK passenegers....sure enough time goes by, and she's still not out. The flight crew comes thru, the passengers slow to a trickle, and I realize she's probably been pulled aside. After another 30 min, I finally decide to ring her phone. Have no idea if it will even work, but I wanted to try. She answered and told me , yes she had been pulled aside, she was in a room, with several other single Thai girls/women. But she is a very confident girl, she didn't act scared, she was just chatting and even joking around with the Imm officers. I told her to tell them I am outside, if they need me to vouch for her, or anything. SHe said ok...

About 15 min later she comes out. I dont know if the fact they heard her speaking english to her bf helped or not. She said they just kept asking the basic questions - "where will you stay" "How much money do you have" "who are you meeting" "When will you go back"

So while it was an inconvienence, it all worked out. But it does seem that single Thai women will always be pulled aside. I have no idea if your girls "special" circumstance will have a greater affect on this process or not.

Good Luck....now I'm looking to try to take my teelak to India. Will see how that one goes.....

[samgrowth]

My gf have big TlTs and like to wear low cut. The Korean IO send her on the next flight back to BKK becuase of that. The Korean are not taking any chances. They are afraid that big Thai TlTs (however few) might over shadow there domestic sunny side ups.

[TypicalAnonym]

Entered Korea a few years back with my Thai wife (I am American) during a long layover en route from BKK to the US.

Her Thai passport had US visas in it, her last name was changed to mine (a very obvious Western name!), and we had onward tickets to the US for that same day.

They pulled her out and put her in a secondary room of some sort. I very nearly lost it -- I went myself into that room and started making a fuss. They actually apologized, stamped her in, and sent us on our way. I think I am lucky they didn't arrest me.

Edited January 11, 2009 by TypicalAnonym

[theoldgit]

Flew into Seoul last week with my Thai girlfriend, she went through Immigration first and was asked if she was travelling alone, she told the female Immigration Officer that she was travelling with her boyfriend indicating me, the next in line, she was immediately stamped in with a smile, it was certainly more user friendly than our arrival in Bangkok yesterday.

[Svenn]

Getting back to this thread, my gf got through easily as well- he looked at her, smiled, and said 'did you really mean to check 'male' and then let her through. I think it did have to do with the fact that I was arriving a few hours later so they knew she was accompanied and not just coming to seoul to work. she speaks really bad english as well. next mission: japan. this one might not turn out so luckily. in a few months it will be china, mongolia, and russia (siberia)... those countries are so poor and don't think she'll have a problem.

[dave9988]

I will watch this one with interest as we are travelling to South Korea next month, though travelling together

doubt u have anything to worry about.

[dave9988]

I will give you my recent experience (Nov 08). I was going to Seoul for a 3-week business trip. Arranged for my teelak to come over for ~10 days. I had tried to organize it so we would arrive together, but it wasn't possible. So I had arrive a couple days before. She was coming in on the Asiana red-eye from BKK. I was there wating dutifly in the arrivals area!!

I guess a little background - my gf is not a bar worker. She has had office jobs, currently running several laundry/clothing shops. She always dresses very respectfully. She has also travelled internationally before so she has a passport showing her travel and return to Thailand.

So the flight arrives right on time...and people begin coming thru. I could see they were all BKK passenegers....sure enough time goes by, and she's still not out. The flight crew comes thru, the passengers slow to a trickle, and I realize she's probably been pulled aside. After another 30 min, I finally decide to ring her phone. Have no idea if it will even work, but I wanted to try. She answered and told me , yes she had been pulled aside, she was in a room, with several other single Thai girls/women. But she is a very confident girl, she didn't act scared, she was just chatting and even joking around with the Imm officers. I told her to tell them I am outside, if they need me to vouch for her, or anything. SHe said ok...

About 15 min later she comes out. I dont know if the fact they heard her speaking english to her bf helped or not. She said they just kept asking the basic questions - "where will you stay" "How much money do you have" "who are you meeting" "When will you go back"

So while it was an inconvienence, it all worked out. But it does seem that single Thai women will always be pulled aside. I have no idea if your girls "special" circumstance will have a greater affect on this process or not.

Good Luck....now I'm looking to try to take my teelak to India. Will see how that one goes.....

i think that is fine as they are preventing trafficking.

[theoldgit]

I will watch this one with interest as we are travelling to South Korea next month, though travelling together

doubt u have anything to worry about.

You are right, note my earlier post that I submitted on our return to Thailand.