Anyone Sent Passport By Mail From Thailand?

[immortalinthailand]

Can I send my passprt to a friend in Canada, have them mail it to the Thai consul in Vancuver to apply for my 1 year visa? (To avoid having to fly all the way there myself then I mail it to the consul) The consul would mail it to my friend in Canada then they could forward it back to me here in Bangkok? Would the Thai Consul be aware? I don't want to have to fly anywhere!

[lopburi3]

Any visa obtained in such a manner are invalid and would not be accepted.

[george]

From Thai Immigration website:

- Do not belive those who claim that they can assist you to get immigration stamps without actual travel in and out of the kingdom. Such act is illegal and you will be prosecuted in accordance with immigration law.

--

- Visa that have not been obtained by the traveller personally are considered incomplete documents. The passport holder will not be allowed to stay in Thailand according to the visa but only according to the rights of the nationality of the passport holder.

Source: http://www.imm3.police.go.th/eng/index.html

[Wolfie]

I wouldnt want to be caught inside thailand without a passport to back me up... neither would i want my passport to be intercepted along the way when its not actually within my grasp...

basically... what your suggesting is illegal and shouldnt be done, take a trip, cross the border... does it have to be canada you travel to?

[thaiflyer1]

Apart from the fact its illegal you wont have the neccessary exit stamp when your passport goes out or the entry stamp when and if it comes back.

[Thetyim]

You would be caught if you try it.

When you try to use your new visa, immigration can see that you have no exit stamp. How will you explain that ?

[sriracha john]

It USED to be done all the time, with no attention paid by Immigration officials to the entry/exit stamp inconsistencies, but NOW it would be suicidal and result in a sure trip to Detention Center, as they do pay attention.

Surprisingly, it is also the airlines themselves that also pay attention to the entry/exit stamps when you eventually do physically leave.

immortalinthailand Posted on: 2005-03-11 19:28:44

I would like him to travel with me (US Citizen living in Thailand) the month of Oct and return to Bangkok.

By the by, since you are American, the Canadian consulate might not give you a visa anyway.

immortalinthailand  2005-05-07 17:05:52

The stamp says "admitted until May 1" So I'm doing the Jack Golf bus tomorrow!

By the by, part II, I hope you got that overstay problem fixed.

Try to stay legit in the future. Life is more peaceful that way.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Can I send my passprt to a friend in Canada, have them mail it to the Thai consul in Vancuver to apply for my 1 year visa? (To avoid having to fly all the way there myself then I mail it to the consul) The consul would mail it to my friend in Canada then they could forward it back to me here in Bangkok? Would the Thai Consul be aware? I don't want to have to fly anywhere!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Flying home is always part of the deportation process

[kenkannif]

By the by, since you are American, the Canadian consulate might not give you a visa anyway.

They should do (if he was actually in Canada).

[immortalinthailand]

Thanks guys! I kind of figured they would check the exit stamp - but concidering flights are expensive and long it was worth asking!

[Sunny Valentine]

Disclaimer: The ideas and methods described in this post are thoughts only. I am fully aware of the potential legal consequences of this behaviour, and would in no way suggest to actually do what is written here. I also encourage every reader not to practise these methods, under no circumstance!

Now, suppose I travel to say Malaysia for a period of two weeks, and send my Passport from there to my local Thai Embassy or consulate, or rather send the Passport and Visa form to a friend, who will apply for the Visa, and send it back to me in Malaysia.

I would then have proper THAI exit and entry stamps, so the Visa should look valid to the Authorities. My home Country does not stamp me in and out, so there is "only" the missing Exit and Entry stamps of Malaysia, that could possibly lead the Thai Authorities to my misbehaviour.

The (theoretical) question is now: Do the THAI authorities have any power to question me about the fact of a missing stamp from a third Country in my Passport? Is this anywhere near their authority?

I have had a related incident in my old Passport: By travelling from Canada to USA (I had a valid Visa for USA that time, with multiple entry allowance) I have been stamped in and/or out at the border in a rather inconsistent manner, leaving my Passport with a set of incomplete entry/exit stamps at the US-Can border. I never worried about this, but could any border official make problems to me Years later at a border between different Countries?

Just a thought!

Sunny

PS: I am aware that I might run into trouble in Malaysia by not being able to show my Passport, but that is not part of the question.

[kreon]

Disclaimer: The ideas and methods described in this post are thoughts only. I am fully aware of the potential legal consequences of this behaviour, and would in no way suggest to actually do what is written here. I also encourage every reader not to practise these methods, under no circumstance!

Now, suppose I travel to say Malaysia for a period of two weeks, and send my Passport from there to my local Thai Embassy or consulate, or rather send the Passport and Visa form to a friend, who will apply for the Visa, and send it back to me in Malaysia.

I would then have proper THAI exit and entry stamps, so the Visa should look valid to the Authorities. My home Country does not stamp me in and out, so there is "only" the missing Exit and Entry stamps of Malaysia, that could possibly lead the Thai Authorities to my misbehaviour.

The (theoretical) question is now: Do the THAI authorities have any power to question me about the fact of a missing stamp from a third Country in my Passport? Is this anywhere near their authority?

I have had a related incident in my old Passport: By travelling from Canada to USA (I had a valid Visa for USA that time, with multiple entry allowance) I have been stamped in and/or out at the border in a rather inconsistent manner, leaving my Passport with a set of incomplete entry/exit stamps at the US-Can border. I never worried about this, but could any border official make problems to me Years later at a border between different Countries?

Just a thought!

Sunny

plus in malaysia, you could always go to your embassy and report your passport stolen, now that's interesting  

PS: I am aware that I might run into trouble in Malaysia by not being able to show my Passport, but that is not part of the question.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[kenkannif]

SV,

It won't work babe. I know people that have done it (it's how the Visa services used to do it). You can argue until you're blue in the face that you were in Malaysia and broken no Thai laws (although you're supposed to be in the country you're applying at legally I think), they'll still class your Visa as null and void (at a minimum) or a fake as they did in the past and you could have to pay overstay or worse (although the few people I know that got busted got away with the overstay fine!).

They have the power to do pretty much what they feel is right IME (obviously within reason, but a sent out passport is a sent out passport and it's Thailand that gets to say whether the Visa is valid or not...as generally it's down to the 'discretion' of the Imm officer as opposed to hard and fast SET rules!).

[Sir Burr]

Nowadays, embassies will not issue a visa unless you have the departure portion of your immigration card with your passport to prove that you are in the country of application.

The only exception to this, is if you are applying in your home country.

[kenkannif]

^ Embassies might not, but trust me the Consulates still do!

[astral]

It can be done if you have a second passport.

Send the other passport overseas for a visa. It must be done via

a person in that country, to ensure a local address.

Then do a flight out, on the old visa/passport and back on the new visa/passport.

Still dodgy, but does work.

Better not to use the postal service.

A courier is safer.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It can be done if you have a second passport.

Send the other passport overseas for a visa.  It must be done via

a person in that country, to ensure a local address.

Then do a flight out, on the old visa/passport and back on the new visa/passport.

Still dodgy, but does work.

Better not to use the postal service.

A courier is safer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's still way too risky.

[aletta]

Immigration are very hot these days after all the fiasco with Hambali coming and going as he pleased.I would certainly advise against it.

[moebius]

One cannot tell a fool what experience might teach them.

[bino]

Nowadays, embassies will not issue a visa unless you have the departure portion of your immigration card with your passport to prove that you are in the country of application.

The only exception to this, is if you are applying in your home country.

^ Embassies might not, but trust me the Consulates still do!

Last time I went to Penang I kept my departure card with me while I sent the passport in, and got the visa.

[icecubes]

It USED to be done all the time, with no attention paid by Immigration officials to the entry/exit stamp inconsistencies, but NOW it would be suicidal and result in a sure trip to Detention Center, as they do pay attention.

Surprisingly, it is also the airlines themselves that also pay attention to the entry/exit stamps when you eventually do physically leave.

Sorry John, thats total bs,

airlines don't check, if they did it would take all day to check in.

[slimdog]

Quote

"Sorry John, thats total bs,

airlines don't check, if they did it would take all day to check in."

If you are on an International flight all airlines check

1. Name against ticket

2. Validity of passport

3. Whether the person has a visa to the destination country (If required)

As a matter of courtesy they also check Thai visa's so as to warn passenger's if they are overstay, so that the passenger's can ensure they have sufficient funds to pay at the immigration counter.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Quote

"Sorry John,  thats total bs,

airlines don't check,  if they did it would take all day to check in."

If you are on an International flight all airlines check

1. Name against ticket

2. Validity of passport

3. Whether the person has a visa to the destination country (If required)

As a matter of courtesy they also check Thai visa's so as to warn passenger's if they are overstay, so that the passenger's can ensure they have sufficient funds to pay at the immigration counter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed

[icecubes]

Quote

"Sorry John,  thats total bs,

airlines don't check,  if they did it would take all day to check in."

If you are on an International flight all airlines check

1. Name against ticket

2. Validity of passport

3. Whether the person has a visa to the destination country (If required)

As a matter of courtesy they also check Thai visa's so as to warn passenger's if they are overstay, so that the passenger's can ensure they have sufficient funds to pay at the immigration counter.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Checking ticket and passport names was never in dispute.

nor visas to other countries or validity of passports

The issue as quoted by John was ( Airlines checking entry /exit stamps.)

To have exit stamps in your passport means you must have left the

country before and Airline are not interested at all in old stamps

in passports, that?s Immigrations job.

They will glance at the Tm card but that's it.

They dont have the time. but immigration does.

Sorry your wrong.

[sriracha john]

It USED to be done all the time, with no attention paid by Immigration officials to the entry/exit stamp inconsistencies, but NOW it would be suicidal and result in a sure trip to Detention Center, as they do pay attention.

Surprisingly, it is also the airlines themselves that also pay attention to the entry/exit stamps when you eventually do physically leave.

Sorry John, thats total bs,

airlines don't check, if they did it would take all day to check in.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

First hand account with Japan Airlines who questioned my "friend's" passport whose entry/exit dates didn't match up when checking in for an outbound flight from BKK. The date of his current visa from an unnamed country did not match with the dates he had entered/left Thailand previously. Without some extensive "fancy footwork" and "quick-thinking doubletalk", I have no doubt they would have notified Immigration. My "friend" was totally unprepared by this unexpected questioning, and felt very relieved that he was able to sidestep any difficulties, but it occured nonetheless. My "friend" has since gotten wise and disavows any similiar passport shenanigans.

[icecubes]

It USED to be done all the time, with no attention paid by Immigration officials to the entry/exit stamp inconsistencies, but NOW it would be suicidal and result in a sure trip to Detention Center, as they do pay attention.

Surprisingly, it is also the airlines themselves that also pay attention to the entry/exit stamps when you eventually do physically leave.

Sorry John, thats total bs,

airlines don't check, if they did it would take all day to check in.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

First hand account with Japan Airlines who questioned my "friend's" passport whose entry/exit dates didn't match up when checking in for an outbound flight from BKK. The date of his current visa from an unnamed country did not match with the dates he had entered/left Thailand previously. Without some extensive "fancy footwork" and "quick-thinking doubletalk", I have no doubt they would have notified Immigration. My "friend" was totally unprepared by this unexpected questioning, and felt very relieved that he was able to sidestep any difficulties, but it occured nonetheless. My "friend" has since gotten wise and disavows any similiar passport shenanigans.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry but I think your friend left some

part of the story out.

If the airline staff at check-in spotted some abnormality in a

Visa.

It would have been clear as a bell to immigration.

So what happened at immigration?

More fancy footwork, "quick-thinking, doubletalk",

shenanigans

Or did just do a little dance for them.

[sriracha john]

That was the rather interesting thing... Immigration said nothing... just looked at my friend's passport sleepily and stamped him out. No scrutinizing, no questioning. In this case anyway, Japan Airlines was much more diligent at Immigration's job than Immigration themselves.

[dannishgung]

To send passport from overseas to the countries of your natioality to get a visa of thailand is very cmmon still now. I did that once before about 2 years ago when I went to vacation in Filippines and sent passport to Danmark to my brother. He sent in to get a triple for me. I kept the Filippines entry card with me of course. Thats most important. I now have a non immi O so I don't do this anymore.

Also I have a US friend just sent in his passport to his family in US to get the Thai triple tourist visa last month. He was in Japan for work and sent his passport to US and got a triple tourist. Of course he kept his Japan entry departure card from his passport. Usually a passport full of millions of stamps like me do not get too much attention.

I think if you are out to a third country and send passport to your native country to get visa, usually have no problem especially if your passport has thousand stamps all over. and depends on your region. Usaully most European countries should be no problem, not sure about Britain since a lot of complaints about it.

[simcity]

By a staff in the embassy ( not thailand ) I have been ask to send my second passport ( by mail ) and they will send it back to my home address ( not thailand ) i will be there few days later to pick it up . travelling with my other passport ! nothing strange to me ...

sorry mean to said consulat !!

[kenkannif]

The problem is if you're using a famously lax Consulate they WILL check the entry/exit stamps as soon as they see where the Visa came from.