Crackdown On Back-to-back Tourist Visa Applications

[tropo]

I got my 4th back to back too last week in Vientiane. No red stamp. But some got it.

Seems like a Lottery

Yikes! How lucky do I feel...for next week. There seems to be no pattern whatsoever.

[tropo]

Hope this comment isn't too late. Just got back from a trip to Laos. On Sept. 24, I went to the Thai embassy in Vientiane. I had no problems, and it didn't look like anybody else had any problems. The next day I picked up my passport with no problems. I got a double entry tourist visa for free. No red stamp.

I was amazed by how many people that were there that day. I arrived at 10:20, and I was #387! There were 180 people in front of me when I arrived. By the time I left, they were up to #450 roughly. And this is the middle of the rainy season! What will it be like in January? I was thinking that because it was so busy that day, they weren't hassling anybody...who knows?

Sorry if this post was too "on topic". Next time, I'll rant about Burmese-Nigerians that have infiltrated the MOE, which has resulted in them having the audacity to demand that English teachers here have a 4-year University degree. Imagine the nerve of these people! It's horrible! I won't have my child exposed to such draconian measures. Off with their heads!

Some of us really appreciate on topic reports. Thanks!

Good to see quite a few applicants coming out with no red stamps.

[thaiphoon]

I got my 4th back to back too last week in Vientiane. No red stamp. But some got it.

Seems like a Lottery

Yikes! How lucky do I feel...for next week. There seems to be no pattern whatsoever.

Maybe pooket touched on the answer. If the embassy is bombed out with visa applications requiring next day collection maybe they will not have enough time to check (or check them all).

Edited October 10, 2009 by thaiphoon

[Maestro]

A flame and the reply to it have been deleted.

--

Maestro

[RubbaJohnny]

It would be interesting to analyse those who have been red stamped to se if any trends

If members added

1 Nationality

2 Location in Thailnad

3 Age band

It may appear to target say 40 year old Europeans on the coast

Of course need a big sample and cpmpare with those succesful

[sjaak327]

Whilst you could say that the 15 days you get at land borders had a slight effect on a very small number of tourists,

How could you say this? What proof do you have?

It is quite possible that the 15 day land border restriction affects a large number of overland travellers.

Overland travellers are a small minority, always has been. The vast majority of tourists in Thailand enter using the airports of BKK and to a lesser extend Phuket, CMX and some other smaller airports. I entered Thailand throurgh land borders many many times, and even the most visited border crossings (Aran and Friendship bridge) have a relatively small number of tourists at almost any time. Some border crossings have a few tourists each day. Others even less.

And again the possiblities to get around these 15 days are there. I always travel from Laos to Thailand, Cambodia to Thailand, and never had a problem to get around the fact that I only get 15 days when entering Thailand. They could always get a TV, no worries to get a red stamp for these people in any case. Not to mention that these kind of tourists (mainly backpackers) are not unfamiliar with visa procedures in any case.

[tropo]

Whilst you could say that the 15 days you get at land borders had a slight effect on a very small number of tourists,

How could you say this? What proof do you have?

It is quite possible that the 15 day land border restriction affects a large number of overland travellers.

Overland travellers are a small minority, always has been. The vast majority of tourists in Thailand enter using the airports of BKK and to a lesser extend Phuket, CMX and some other smaller airports. I entered Thailand throurgh land borders many many times, and even the most visited border crossings (Aran and Friendship bridge) have a relatively small number of tourists at almost any time. Some border crossings have a few tourists each day. Others even less.

And again the possiblities to get around these 15 days are there. I always travel from Laos to Thailand, Cambodia to Thailand, and never had a problem to get around the fact that I only get 15 days when entering Thailand. They could always get a TV, no worries to get a red stamp for these people in any case. Not to mention that these kind of tourists (mainly backpackers) are not unfamiliar with visa procedures in any case.

If you add the tourists coming in at all land borders over the whole year I reckon you'd have decent number. You have to consider the people who come in by air and travel overland to bordering countries and back again too.

[Pattaya46]

Hi,

I can confirm that not everybody get this Red Stamp.

One neighbor came back yesterday from a "2 days double-entry tourist visa run" Pattaya-Vientiane with Inter Cambo company.

He has more than 3 years of back-to-back Tourist Visas, and all from Vientiane in 2008 and 2009.

He his a German and his passport is 3 years old.

He got his double-entry visa "as usual but free" and NO Red Stamp.

He did not know about this red stamp before I show him this thread this morning

[bifftastic]

The problem is that they will not post back to an address out of England so you need a local friend to do that for you.

Actually, to be strictly correct, it is that they will not post back to an address outside the UK, being the geographical area covered by Royal Mail's special delivery (track and trace) service.

Ok thanks to you both for that :-)

So, the fact that you have been stamped IN to Malaysia and not OUT again for the 2 weeks but have obtained a visa issued in the UK doesn't raise any questions from the Thai immigration? Would it not be better to get the same kind of visa actually in KL, or is that more difficult?

[thaiphoon]

The problem is that they will not post back to an address out of England so you need a local friend to do that for you.

Actually, to be strictly correct, it is that they will not post back to an address outside the UK, being the geographical area covered by Royal Mail's special delivery (track and trace) service.

Ok thanks to you both for that :-)

So, the fact that you have been stamped IN to Malaysia and not OUT again for the 2 weeks but have obtained a visa issued in the UK doesn't raise any questions from the Thai immigration? Would it not be better to get the same kind of visa actually in KL, or is that more difficult?

The visa is issued by Thai embassy/consulate, not immigration. As long as you are not in Thailand when the visa is issued is all they are interested in. People have different reasons for obtaining visas in different places. Generally the rules around visa issue are more relaxed outside the region.

[bifftastic]

The visa is issued by Thai embassy/consulate, not immigration. As long as you are not in Thailand when the visa is issued is all they are interested in. People have different reasons for obtaining visas in different places. Generally the rules around visa issue are more relaxed outside the region.

Thank you, very helpful and informative.

[tropo]

Thank you, very helpful and informative.

Don't forget that you'll need a UK address to receive your passport (with visa) back from the Hull Consulate, and then have someone to forward it to you in Malaysia.

[Smile4u]

A member on this forum reported that passport was lost on the way from Hull to somewhere near Thailand. That opens for some interesting, busy, expensive time ahead - if so happends.

Better safe than sorry and apply in person.

Back to topic: Crackdown on back-to-back tourist visa applications

[moskito]

finally ! was about time. i guess in your "civilized" country you welcome illegal workers with open arms...

For myself I WISH we got the same VISA regulations in Germany or everywhere in Europe for ALIENS...also for THAIS

[RandyWhite]

Thursday Oct.15: downtown in Georgetown, Penang

Upon my arrival on this latest visa run, my usual agent (N.B. and hotelier) didn't even ask if I wanted to try for a Thai TR Visa, so I just gave the whole thing a miss and kept the agents fee. Why throw good money after bad: I'll get 30 days at Suwannaphoom Airport and take things as they come.

Besides, I may be back here next month: seems you could go down and back on the same plane and miss just the one day away from you-know-what. As it's best to book a few weeks in advance, does anyone have any suggestions as to the current practicalities of doing the same kind of fly out / fly back and get a 30-day TR at the airport on return? I'm wondering if they might ask to see a foreign entry stamp, not just a Thai exit stamp.

RAW.

[Mario2008]

Only at landborders do they want to say a foreign exit stamp, not at the airport.

[Pattaya46]

A member on this forum reported that passport was lost on the way from Hull to somewhere near Thailand.

That opens for some interesting, busy, expensive time ahead - if so happends.

Hi. Where did you see that ?

Hull clearly said that they will NOT post passport outside UK or Europe.

[My Friend Same]

Thursday Oct.15: downtown in Georgetown, Penang

Upon my arrival on this latest visa run, my usual agent (N.B. and hotelier) didn't even ask if I wanted to try for a Thai TR Visa, so I just gave the whole thing a miss and kept the agents fee. Why throw good money after bad: I'll get 30 days at Suwannaphoom Airport and take things as they come.

Besides, I may be back here next month: seems you could go down and back on the same plane and miss just the one day away from you-know-what. As it's best to book a few weeks in advance, does anyone have any suggestions as to the current practicalities of doing the same kind of fly out / fly back and get a 30-day TR at the airport on return? I'm wondering if they might ask to see a foreign entry stamp, not just a Thai exit stamp.

RAW.

confusing post. you mean it was a guarantee you would not get the tr visa so you blew it off or what?

[anon8]

a quick note,

just got triple entry tourist visa in Helsinki.

You MUST provide airline reservations to justify your 3 entrys, a guy ahead of me had a ticket to bkk and a ticket to HK, embassy lady crossed out the number 3 on his application and changed it to 2 entrys.

I did have bank printout showing income, she gave it a very brief glance.

I have back to backs in my passport, incl 2 visas from Penang, last one issued in March this year, also 3 Cambodia border visa runs, 2 of those in winter of this year.

[CHdiver]

Thursday Oct.15: downtown in Georgetown, Penang

Upon my arrival on this latest visa run, my usual agent (N.B. and hotelier) didn't even ask if I wanted to try for a Thai TR Visa, so I just gave the whole thing a miss and kept the agents fee. Why throw good money after bad: I'll get 30 days at Suwannaphoom Airport and take things as they come.

Besides, I may be back here next month: seems you could go down and back on the same plane and miss just the one day away from you-know-what. As it's best to book a few weeks in advance, does anyone have any suggestions as to the current practicalities of doing the same kind of fly out / fly back and get a 30-day TR at the airport on return? I'm wondering if they might ask to see a foreign entry stamp, not just a Thai exit stamp.

RAW.

I dont know i you coud do the check in without going thru immigration. With Air Asia the arriving passenger usually pass the passenger waiting to board the flight. That will be probably to late for you then to check in anyway.

Edited October 15, 2009 by CHdiver

[lazygourmet]

Thursday Oct.15: downtown in Georgetown, Penang

Upon my arrival on this latest visa run, my usual agent (N.B. and hotelier) didn't even ask if I wanted to try for a Thai TR Visa, so I just gave the whole thing a miss and kept the agents fee. Why throw good money after bad: I'll get 30 days at Suwannaphoom Airport and take things as they come.

Besides, I may be back here next month: seems you could go down and back on the same plane and miss just the one day away from you-know-what. As it's best to book a few weeks in advance, does anyone have any suggestions as to the current practicalities of doing the same kind of fly out / fly back and get a 30-day TR at the airport on return? I'm wondering if they might ask to see a foreign entry stamp, not just a Thai exit stamp.

RAW.

Actually, I was thinking about this... Just in case, I did not receive any visa from Vientiane, last week.

If well planned in advance, flying in/out cost a pittance...

But I would suggest to use Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur -instead than to Penang- which are more cheaper and more frequent.

[fozzy58uk]

Just got a double entry from Vientiane with the red stamp. The stamp says I have entered 6 times on tourist visas which is true. Not all entries are in this passport. Have two previous doubles from Vientiane in this passport, one in the old. Prior to that I worked legally in Thailand for 11 years. This entry was my 7th since finishing work. Still don't have required funds for retirement visa, which by the way are far higher than the Thai government deemed it was necessary for me to live on while I was working for them for 8 years. Still, I have six months now to consider my options. Non-imm O from Hull. Ed Visa. Go home and visit Thailand during the winter months. I doubt I could survive an English winter after so long in Thailand. Ah well, I've had a good run. I first arrived in Thailand in Oct 1993. Can't complain too much. My visa tour guide seems very confident that this problem will go away when fees for TVs are reintroduced.There is certainly plenty of time for many more u-turns in 6 months. Best of luck to those of you who did not receive the stamp and those still to apply.

[Yimmy]

Any idea of what % of those there got the red stamp on that day fozzy?

[DegenFarang]

Foreigners living in Thailand are advised to obtain a Non-Immigrant visa, which can be extended up to one year by the Thai Immigration Bureau.

What are the requirements to get one of these?

[fozzy58uk]

Sorry yimmy, no idea. I used an agent.

[Lite Beer]

Off Topic posts deleted.

[RandyWhite]

Only at landborders do they want to say a foreign exit stamp, not at the airport.

My info comes from THAI AIR ASIA ground staff at the airport who I questioned carefully.

[RandyWhite]

Thursday Oct.15: downtown in Georgetown, Penang

Upon my arrival on this latest visa run, my usual agent (N.B. and hotelier) didn't even ask if I wanted to try for a Thai TR Visa, so I just gave the whole thing a miss and kept the agents fee. Why throw good money after bad: I'll get 30 days at Suwannaphoom Airport and take things as they come.

Besides, I may be back here next month: seems you could go down and back on the same plane and miss just the one day away from you-know-what. As it's best to book a few weeks in advance, does anyone have any suggestions as to the current practicalities of doing the same kind of fly out / fly back and get a 30-day TR at the airport on return? I'm wondering if they might ask to see a foreign entry stamp, not just a Thai exit stamp.

RAW.

confusing post. you mean it was a guarantee you would not get the tr visa so you blew it off or what?

When a Chinese won't waste his time trying for a commission you can read the writing on the wall.

A guaranteed waste of time is what he thought.

[tigerbalm]

Smooth as a breeze...

Just came back last evening with my fifth consecutive double-entry tourist visa from Vientiane (and of course, non red stamp!)... And this with, on the same passport, numerous other visa exempt stamps, + extensions + re-entries permits and two other single tourist visa issued in Brussels & Penang.

I left Don Muang on Thursday 6am and back yesterday (Friday) at 7pm... a mere 36 hours!

Now, I just fell sorry -with this update- to disappoint the anti-tourist visa brigade

Well done..Just out of curiosity did you use an agent or DIY, just trying to find out if there is a pattern..ie do most people who use an agent not get a red stamp opposed to some one doing it alone.

Thoughts any one please

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Yesterday the notice was reported on window of Consulate in Vietnam and today it is on website of Helsinki so it would appear very serious and to all Consulates.

All Embassies and Consulates got the notices. Helsinki just happened to br the one that was posted on ThaiVisa.