Crackdown On Back-to-back Tourist Visa Applications

[Moonrakers]

I won't be surprised to hear of a record number of Farangs marrying Thais next year if this is enforced.

Ahh, the tables have turned! Maybe someone should start up a "Mail Order Farang" service.

I'm on it.

[henryalleman]

...If you are european you can stay where you want in europe whether working or not. We can stay in most any other country in Asia too with a little more effort...

Yes, its so if you are an inhabitant of a Schengen country. But if you are not the Visa rules are rather strickt, in some countries if a foreigner like to bring his woife over she/he must have knowledge of the language and culture before they give her a marriage visa.

And as its already wrote in another topic, if a foreigner have an overstay he/she is banned for all Schengen countries and its virtualy impossible to re-enter in a legal way.

http://www.diplomatie.be/en/travel/visa/vi...sp?TEXTID=43165

http://www.diplomatie.be/en/travel/visa/visumFiche.asp

.

And most of all this article is important, this is not so in Thailand

Access to the territory

Presentation of a visa does not grant an unconditional right to enter Belgium or the Schengen area. When you present your visa at the border, you may be refused access to Belgium if you are clearly without means of subsistence and are unable to procure such means by undertaking legal paid employment. Proof of adequate means of subsistence may take the form of cash, cheques and credit cards accepted in Belgium, the original copy of a pledge of financial support, a work contract, bank statements, proof of enrolment on the trade register and/or of professional activity.

If you compare this with the very easy way to get a Visa for Thailand we should not complain at all

[henryalleman]

Nigerians get one year tourist visas and easy Thai residency.... is this true can anyone confirm?

Not true. In belgium for instance the Royal Thai embassy don't give Visa to Nigerians, they must apply for it in London.

[Saijai]

Does this mean that if Me and my other half have a extended holiday booked, we cannot re enter via visa runs? I am not sure? Can someone please reply and let me know? Thanks!

[Jingthing]

Does this mean that if Me and my other half have a extended holiday booked, we cannot re enter via visa runs? I am not sure? Can someone please reply and let me know? Thanks!

No, you are good to come and go! You can still use 15 day land border stamps and 30 day airport entry stamps.

[kosh]

I won't be surprised to hear of a record number of Farangs marrying Thais next year if this is enforced.

And after that everybody will discover that the marriage is automatically appplied to the contry of residence af the man (In shenghen area is standard procedure) so according to europe laws the man will have to pay wife forever in case of divorce

happy marrying

[Saijai]

Does this mean that if Me and my other half have a extended holiday booked, we cannot re enter via visa runs? I am not sure? Can someone please reply and let me know? Thanks!

So i have to do a visa run every 15 days by land? Or fly out by plane? Wow is that new? so if I have 3 entries then I will have used them with land entries in 1 1/2 months??

[Saijai]

Does this mean that if Me and my other half have a extended holiday booked, we cannot re enter via visa runs? I am not sure? Can someone please reply and let me know? Thanks!

No, you are good to come and go! You can still use 15 day land border stamps and 30 day airport entry stamps.

Does that 15 day land and 30 day air visa only apply to people who have obtained their visa in Thailand? I am applying for a visa in London. Do I still get to do land visa runs? Gosh this is confusing.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Interrogate the tourists. All part of their holiday experience. Maybe someone will write a book about it.

They mean the RESIDENT illegal tourists.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Does this mean that if Me and my other half have a extended holiday booked, we cannot re enter via visa runs? I am not sure? Can someone please reply and let me know? Thanks!

No, you are good to come and go! You can still use 15 day land border stamps and 30 day airport entry stamps.

Does that 15 day land and 30 day air visa only apply to people who have obtained their visa in Thailand? I am applying for a visa in London. Do I still get to do land visa runs? Gosh this is confusing.

Spoil us a little bit, and say how long you are proposing to stay in Thailand. Information underload.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Nigerians get one year tourist visas and easy Thai residency.... is this true can anyone confirm?

Not true. In belgium for instance the Royal Thai embassy don't give Visa to Nigerians, they must apply for it in London.

The same rule applies in Thailand too. A Nigerian with permanent residence in a country, can only apply for a Thai visa in that country, or follow the Thai Embassy London application rule.

[lopburi3]

Does this mean that if Me and my other half have a extended holiday booked, we cannot re enter via visa runs? I am not sure? Can someone please reply and let me know? Thanks!

No, you are good to come and go! You can still use 15 day land border stamps and 30 day airport entry stamps.

Does that 15 day land and 30 day air visa only apply to people who have obtained their visa in Thailand? I am applying for a visa in London. Do I still get to do land visa runs? Gosh this is confusing.

If you obtain a tourist visa in UK you will be allowed a 60 day stay and can extend that stay 30 days for 1,900 baht. There is no travel except to immigration. The 15/30 day trips are for visa exempt entry.

[leonn]

* Tourist visa back-to -back is crack down !! it is A BIG LIE . nothing crack down ;

tourist visa working still very well ..

its still possible to get tourist visa from most of thai consolates worldwide ...

every other day many people entering thailand with tourist visa..

u doomsayers ... s t f up

How could you possibly know. The crackdown was announced on Friday. The consulates are closed on weekends and it's Monday afternoon. Unless you know of anyone who applied for a visa today you don't have a clue.

* you will see this week that im right..

by the way ; i know someone he got his tourist visa TODAY in abroad (in europe)

This thread is about a crackdown on visas issued in neighboring countries (Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia).

If you read it, its about back to back visas people who have stayed a long time consecutively on tourist visas one after another may have problems.

* laos cambodia and malaysia ..... then people go to singapore or taiwan or hong kong asking for tourist visa

[suprachump]

I love all these posters who have no experience in these matters whatsoever just saying that 'there are so many ways to stay legally' and 'only x, y, and z' will need this so who cares; real tourists wont be affected, etc'

i have lived in Thailand for going on 9 years. 5 legal, 3 'tourist' and now 1 legal (in that order)

For five years I taught something so specialized in Thailand that there was no 'just take a short course' to qualify you. Fortunately I was grandfathered in when they changed the rules for teachers to make it more strict or I would have been forced by the Thai government to take some unrelated course to get some unrelated certification just to be able to keep my visa and work permit.

After I quit that job I became a freelance writer primarily engaged in promoting Thailand tourism though I also did freelance tutoring on the side (something that no Thai people are really qualified to do). Fortunately I was able to get back to back to back tourist visas and could afford to fly out of the country for visas when I needed to. I would have loved to get a non-immigrant visa, but thats not how it works here. I wouldn't have minded paying taxes to the Thai government but I was forced to be a tourist for three years. I did not want to set up my own company and I was earning good money writing about Thailand so I didnt want to find a bogus job.

Today I have a non-B visa and I am actively engaged in officially promoting Thailand Tourism and teaching at a prestigious university. However, the irony is that while I am now living and working here and helping Thailand get more tourism and educate its people, if they had passed this law 3 years ago I would likely have not been allowed to stay in this country.

I have various friends who also freelance or work from their computers and can do so from anywhere in the world. Some of them have found loopholes that they exploit, but I figured it was easier for me to be a tourist for three years since I travel so much. Eventually my current job's contract will expire. Then I guess Thailand wont want me anymore. Unless they loosen up their regulations to provide non-B visas to people who are 'in between jobs' I will get to be a tourist for a month, and then perhaps start looking for an apartment in Saigon or Phnom Penh. Its not a threat; why not? Cambodia visas are way easier to get and I can base myself out of there just as easily...

[lunasol]

So... someone here must have applied for a Tourist Visa today? I am guessing if applying for the double entry visa in Vientianne best to go through an agent, less possibility for them to ask you questions

It could take quite awhile to get reports. Anyone reading this forum would not likely be flying out to get a tourist visa with knowledge of the crackdown. Most of us read this forum to stay informed so that we can avoid wasted trips.

The quickest way to find out would be to go down to a visa run shop and ask what's happening.

I'm hopping on a minibus bound for Vientiane from CM around 6pm today (on my way to buy sleeping pills now!). Have been here 3mo on a 60+30 tourist visa (acquired in the USA) and am praying I can get another one. I've been following this thread all weekend, hoping for answers. I guess I'm the guinea pig.

When I booked the ticket yesterday the agents didn't have anything to say about a crackdown, though I didn't ask either. Just said that I want another 60+30 and they said ok. Of course it's no skin off their teeth if I am denied...

I believe I have all of my paperwork in order (finances, homebound plane ticket, etc) and that I will be able to clearly state my desire to continue learning about Thai culture and the Thai language. I'm not enrolled at a university offering ed. visas, but I have the receipt for my Thai class with AUA. I know it's not official and they may not care, but I figure it's better than nothing.

Wish me luck and I'll report back when I have safely returned to Thai soil.

[CrossBones]

Nigerians get one year tourist visas and easy Thai residency.... is this true can anyone confirm?

Not true. In belgium for instance the Royal Thai embassy don't give Visa to Nigerians, they must apply for it in London.

I remember around 5 years ago i read on one of the english Thai consul sites stating different visa rules for "Negros"

I couldnt believe it when i read it. It basically said if you were British and black then you had to do XYZ to get your visa (more difficult)

I wish i could find that on archive.org

[RubbaJohnny]

Nonsensical post deleted

Astral

Edited September 15, 2009 by astral

[CrossBones]

So... someone here must have applied for a Tourist Visa today? I am guessing if applying for the double entry visa in Vientianne best to go through an agent, less possibility for them to ask you questions

It could take quite awhile to get reports. Anyone reading this forum would not likely be flying out to get a tourist visa with knowledge of the crackdown. Most of us read this forum to stay informed so that we can avoid wasted trips.

The quickest way to find out would be to go down to a visa run shop and ask what's happening.

I'm hopping on a minibus bound for Vientiane from CM around 6pm today (on my way to buy sleeping pills now!). Have been here 3mo on a 60+30 tourist visa (acquired in the USA) and am praying I can get another one. I've been following this thread all weekend, hoping for answers. I guess I'm the guinea pig.

When I booked the ticket yesterday the agents didn't have anything to say about a crackdown, though I didn't ask either. Just said that I want another 60+30 and they said ok. Of course it's no skin off their teeth if I am denied...

I believe I have all of my paperwork in order (finances, homebound plane ticket, etc) and that I will be able to clearly state my desire to continue learning about Thai culture and the Thai language. I'm not enrolled at a university offering ed. visas, but I have the receipt for my Thai class with AUA. I know it's not official and they may not care, but I figure it's better than nothing.

Wish me luck and I'll report back when I have safely returned to Thai soil.

I would SERIOUSLY suggest against doing that on a minibus. You wont get any sleep. You can catch a first class bus (big bus) to Nongkai and then grab a taxi from there to the border (120 baht). Once over the border walk past all the touts, just before you reach the main road you will see a bus stop. Bus from there into town 20 baht. You need to make sure u have 2 passport photos, dont go any agent you get your visa yourself right at the border. When in Vientiane the bus leaves you at a big dirty market place, you need to haggle with a tuk tuk to take you to the river area and find a place near there. Just get him to drop u there since if he recommends his friends place then you end up paying more and also getting angry over the whole thing while really tired, hot and unwashed after your trip.

Coming back you can get a tour bus from any hotel for around $20 straight to CM. That will save any messing around on the way back. If you are tired fly Nok Air from Udon Thani to CM.

Its a long way CM to Vientiane

Edited September 15, 2009 by CrossBones

[block2]

Does this mean that if Me and my other half have a extended holiday booked, we cannot re enter via visa runs? I am not sure? Can someone please reply and let me know? Thanks!

No, you are good to come and go! You can still use 15 day land border stamps and 30 day airport entry stamps.

Hi Jingthing,

You mentioned right at the begining of this thread about flying in and out and getting 30 days...just been talking to a swiss friend who lives in our village...he's ok he's on a retirement visa but he mentioned that a couple of friends came last year and only had the 30 day entry stamp..they asked at the desk what if they wanted to stay longer and the clerk said just fly to another neighbouring country come back and you'll get another 30 days...some one also mentioned earlier in the thread ( not sure if it was you ) that flying in and out is unlimited at the moment ( do doubt it is a ploy to get the local thai airlines busy again ) if flying in and out is unlimited does that mean you can say fly to malaysia..spend a night there...return next day and get a 30 day stamp, then do 3 x 15 day border runs to neighbouring country then keep repeating the process???

I have been going to Laos for my tourist visa's as i enjoy a couple of days in vientiane...i have 5 back to backs so its starting to look a bit dodgy for me, i'm due to renew at end of month but if the above is the case than this would be better than applying for ed visa.

Also I know when you enter Laos theres a $35 visa fee...is there a charge for entering Malaysia ???

Can anyone confirm any of the above...

Thanks in advance

Block

[oMega69]

Any real reports yet ?

[astral]

You mentioned right at the begining of this thread about flying in and out and getting 30 days...just been talking to a swiss friend who lives in our village...he's ok he's on a retirement visa but he mentioned that a couple of friends came last year and only had the 30 day entry stamp..they asked at the desk what if they wanted to stay longer and the clerk said just fly to another neighbouring country come back and you'll get another 30 days...some one also mentioned earlier in the thread ( not sure if it was you ) that flying in and out is unlimited at the moment ( do doubt it is a ploy to get the local thai airlines busy again ) if flying in and out is unlimited does that mean you can say fly to malaysia..spend a night there...return next day and get a 30 day stamp, then do 3 x 15 day border runs to neighbouring country then keep repeating the process???

The rules here have been changing over the last 2 years.

Currently if you fly out and back you will get a new 30 day stamp.

At a land border it will be 15 days.

No limits, at the moment, as to how many times you can do this.

That is quite different from the subject of this thread which is about Tourist Visas issued by embassies

[tropo]

The rules here have been changing over the last 2 years.

Currently if you fly out and back you will get a new 30 day stamp.

At a land border it will be 15 days.

No limits, at the moment, as to how many times you can do this.

That is quite different from the subject of this thread which is about Tourist Visas issued by embassies

They have been imposing a limit of 4 x 15 days at land borders more recently.

[hyperdimension]

Currently if you fly out and back you will get a new 30 day stamp.

At a land border it will be 15 days.

No limits, at the moment, as to how many times you can do this.

Is an outbound airplane ticket still required?

[tropo]

Currently if you fly out and back you will get a new 30 day stamp.

At a land border it will be 15 days.

No limits, at the moment, as to how many times you can do this.

Is an outbound airplane ticket still required?

Technically it is required, but they haven't been checking for them upon arrival in Bangkok (this could of course depend upon nationality too), but there could always be a problem boarding your flight as the airline may insist upon one.

Edited September 15, 2009 by tropo

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Does this mean that if Me and my other half have a extended holiday booked, we cannot re enter via visa runs? I am not sure? Can someone please reply and let me know? Thanks!

No, you are good to come and go! You can still use 15 day land border stamps and 30 day airport entry stamps.

Hi Jingthing,

You mentioned right at the begining of this thread about flying in and out and getting 30 days...just been talking to a swiss friend who lives in our village...he's ok he's on a retirement visa but he mentioned that a couple of friends came last year and only had the 30 day entry stamp..they asked at the desk what if they wanted to stay longer and the clerk said just fly to another neighbouring country come back and you'll get another 30 days...some one also mentioned earlier in the thread ( not sure if it was you ) that flying in and out is unlimited at the moment ( do doubt it is a ploy to get the local thai airlines busy again ) if flying in and out is unlimited does that mean you can say fly to malaysia..spend a night there...return next day and get a 30 day stamp, then do 3 x 15 day border runs to neighbouring country then keep repeating the process???

I have been going to Laos for my tourist visa's as i enjoy a couple of days in vientiane...i have 5 back to backs so its starting to look a bit dodgy for me, i'm due to renew at end of month but if the above is the case than this would be better than applying for ed visa.

Also I know when you enter Laos theres a $35 visa fee...is there a charge for entering Malaysia ???

Can anyone confirm any of the above...

Thanks in advance

Block

You don't mention your nationality, but most visitors to Malaysia don't require visa's for temporary stays. The aim of this 'crackdown' is to prevent people residing in Thailand on tourist visa's or visa exemptions.

[fozzy58uk]

The visa run company I use reports no problems at Vientiane on Monday. The owner will contact me if there is a problem at any time. Hope he is right, I am due to go on Oct 14. I have 3 back to back double entries already. If I get refused I will look at Ed visa or fly to UK for a home visit and see what I can get from Hull or Birmingham. I worked legally in Thailand for 11 years and am now retired but my income is nowhere near 65k per month for the retirement visa so I am a bit screwed if they do crackdown. Ho hum. TIT as Trink used to say.

[Mario2008]

The visa run company I use reports no problems at Vientiane on Monday. The owner will contact me if there is a problem at any time. Hope he is right, I am due to go on Oct 14. I have 3 back to back double entries already. If I get refused I will look at Ed visa or fly to UK for a home visit and see what I can get from Hull or Birmingham. I worked legally in Thailand for 11 years and am now retired but my income is nowhere near 65k per month for the retirement visa so I am a bit screwed if they do crackdown. Ho hum. TIT as Trink used to say.

There are 3 options for retirement:

1. incoem of 65,000 a month

2. 800,000 in a Thai bankaccount for 3 months

3. a combination of income and money in the bank totaling 800,000.

[block2]

You mentioned right at the begining of this thread about flying in and out and getting 30 days...just been talking to a swiss friend who lives in our village...he's ok he's on a retirement visa but he mentioned that a couple of friends came last year and only had the 30 day entry stamp..they asked at the desk what if they wanted to stay longer and the clerk said just fly to another neighbouring country come back and you'll get another 30 days...some one also mentioned earlier in the thread ( not sure if it was you ) that flying in and out is unlimited at the moment ( do doubt it is a ploy to get the local thai airlines busy again ) if flying in and out is unlimited does that mean you can say fly to malaysia..spend a night there...return next day and get a 30 day stamp, then do 3 x 15 day border runs to neighbouring country then keep repeating the process???

The rules here have been changing over the last 2 years.

Currently if you fly out and back you will get a new 30 day stamp.

At a land border it will be 15 days.

No limits, at the moment, as to how many times you can do this.

That is quite different from the subject of this thread which is about Tourist Visas issued by embassies

Hi Astral,

I am quite aware this thread is about back to back tourist visas, I am due in laos on the 29th of this month and i already have 5 double entries from Loas, all i'm trying to do is sort out a backup incase i'm the first to fail, I am sure there are many more members in my situation..dreading going to Laos...but at the worst I should get 15 days......i'm tempted to apply for an ED visa but time is running out for me to apply for an ED visa as it takes 1 - 2 weeks after payment to get the forms back from the Education Department, so if i only get the 15 days, I only have 2 more 15 day border hops, which is pushing it for applying for ED visa...so thats why I asked about the Malaysia plane hop...least i maybe able to get an extra 30 days and hopefully 3 more 15 day border hops which will give me time to apply for a ED visa...I have to make a decison, the reason i posted was hoping to find the best possible get out clause, not just for me but for many others.

regards

Block

[thing31]

The rules here have been changing over the last 2 years.

Currently if you fly out and back you will get a new 30 day stamp.

At a land border it will be 15 days.

No limits, at the moment, as to how many times you can do this.

That is quite different from the subject of this thread which is about Tourist Visas issued by embassies

They have been imposing a limit of 4 x 15 days at land borders more recently.

Hi,

Can you please detail this "limit of 4 x 15 days" ?

is it, for example 4 times since the past 6 months , or 1 year , is it 4 times at the same border, ... how does it work ?

Thanks !

[block2]

Any real reports yet ?

Hi Omega,

As been stated earlier in the thread, law came in on friday, so members who applied friday should be ok, TC shut on weekend so applicants that went monday will have got visa's back yesterday so news should start to filter in. I'm tempted to go a week early as theres a chance the TC is not ready for this new law yet..unless they have pre-planned. When i went the last time to the new building (April), seemed all the same staff where there from the old building with no extras...it was a big move so hopefully they are still unpacking and have been to busy with renewals to get ready for the new law...we all still might have a couple of more month where Laos is still visa friendly....fingers crossed.

Regards

Block