Have Tourist Visa But Just Passing Through Bkk, Will It Activate ?

[hkhugd]

Hi,

I have a tourist visa in my passport and will shortly be flying from Hong Kong to Bangkok, there i will then be getting a flight straight away to Cambodia. I dont think the airline will let me check my baggage all the way through to Cambodia, so effectively i would have to get my bags, then clear passport control, then check back in for the flight to Cambodia.

Does anyway know if it is possible for this to not activate my Tourist visa, as effectlively i would use it, without even using it if you see what i mean, if i was staying in Bangkok for a few days then i would organise a re-entry permit, does anyone know if this facitlity is available at the airport or whether immigration are likely to let me through without stamping my visa as used ? Or any other ideas how i can get round this problem ?

Cheers

[lopburi3]

It is not available at the airport but you can not fill in visa information on your arrival card and tell them you are just there to transit flights and request a visa exempt entry. Most of the time the officer will try to be helpful.

[Lite Beer]

Ask the Immigration Officer not to use it. Usually they do try to help.

[My Friend Same]

I told an immi guy at airport not to use one of my tourist visa entries once. He was extremely polite and seemed very helpful. He had me initial near my visa in passport. I thought i was initialing to say I did not want to use an entry that time. I was in a situation similar to OP. I later found out that in fact they gave me a visa exempt AND negated my entry. OP beware. My thinking is that immi cannot do what he's asking. I appreciate the mods saying they should be helpful but my experience is that they seem to be but maybe their hands are tied or something. OP, please report back what happens, I'm curious

[Jingthing]

I did this with a single entry O but it was some years ago. Just didn't write the visa number on the entry card and talked to the officer BEFORE I gave him my passport. No problem and didn't need to initial anything.

[alyx]

I did staple a blank paper on the page of the visa I did not want them to stamp

The officer checked, he did what I wanted him to do

Without doubting My friend same's experience it is very unlikely they act that way (I guess misunderstanding is to blame) and they will issue a transit visa

Edited January 4, 2010 by alyx

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The official Immigration rule says that you cannot reserve a visa for later use.

[Crossy]

The official Immigration rule says that you cannot reserve a visa for later use.

Is that actually documented Doc?

I've asked for visas to be ignored on a couple of occasions and never been refused, a number of posters also indicate that this is possible.

It certainly does no harm to ask, particularly if you just need to collect baggage and check in for another international flight.

[alyx]

The official Immigration rule says that you cannot reserve a visa for later use.

I agree with Crossy and I have often had two different kind of visas and was always asked which one I wanted to use therefore, although there might be some ruling on that somewhere, it is certainly not (often) enforced

Furthermore, in this particular case, if someone is to pass through the country why should a visa be used and not being granted a transit visa or visa on arrival