Khota Baru Transit Tourist Visa Confusion!

[imjustagirl]

I went to KB to get a new tourist visa and was given an amazing amount of hassle a couple of weeks ago. They demanded to see my boyfriends ( )bank statements etc when i explained i was staying with him...i had one previous tourist visa...i could not figure out at all what the problem was as Vietnam issued the tourist visa with no probs at all! Anyway the upshot of it all was i was granted a transit visa and told to 'go back to your own country' (nice!!! glad to see the effort to increase tourism is being made ) I was told i would only get 1 month, when i went through the border the lovely guard there was very pleasant and stamped me two months.

My confusion is this. Should i have a stamp for two months or has he made an error, if he has made an error am i going to be held accountable when i leave?

Also i want to stay on in Thailand and was thinking of trying Phenom Phen for a tourist visa - maybe even a double entry if at all possible - would they give me any problems with the previous transit visa??? I thought i had a handle on this visa stuff and was assuming (i know, ass out of u and me) that i could have max 3 tourist visas before i would have to go back to the uk... anyone got any suggestions, i cant face the uk winter even for a week!!!!

[imjustagirl]

just checked my passport and the stamp at sungai kolock that immigration gave has actually been marked TR by the official when i was entering thailand, not TS even though my visa that the embassy gave me clearly says TS....

[Lite Beer]

Vientienne Laos will issue a double entry Tourist Visa free of charge.

There is no limit on the amount of Visas you can have although individual Consulates sometimes set their own limits.

Transit Visa gives 30 days so probably best to leave before the 30 days are up.

[lopburi3]

I suspect the border official did not read the visa correctly as it is unusual. You can only stay 30 days. It is likely to be found on exit so I would not overstay unless prepared to pay 15k in fines.

5. PERIOD OF STAY

Travellers coming to Thailand with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period not exceeding 30 days.

[imjustagirl]

Thanks for the advice... i suspected that i may be held accountable for the error. Any idea if having a transit visa will be an issue for the issueing of a tourist visa - i think the KB embassy just were being difficult! They certainly weren't very nice!

[lopburi3]

It should not prevent next visa issue.

[imjustagirl]

It should not prevent next visa issue.

thanks Lopburi3 i'm going with the majority and heading to Lao at the 30 day point of my transit visa very painless compared with snow and rain in UK!!!!

[PoorSucker]

Unmarried girl in the most Muslim part of Malaysia.

Did you cover your hair?

[imjustagirl]

Unmarried girl in the most Muslim part of Malaysia.

Did you cover your hair?

lol every blooming time i go there i get some sort of hassle, even covering up seems to make no difference...this last time i was groped by a mentally retarded man begging in a restaurant! A couple of years ago i had some guy stop his motorbike and offer me money for 'company' - bloody hel_l! He nearly got a black eye.

this last time I was rescued by a nice shop owner who threatened to beat up the beggar for me - but the poor bloke was clearly not all there...A firm no shouted at him was enough to make him go away! I certainly didnt need all that hassle at the embassy on top of the swf in a muslim capital rubbish! I think i will be avoiding this embassy and location for future visa help Ladies be warned

[Stomatopod]

Unmarried girl in the most Muslim part of Malaysia.

Did you cover your hair?

lol every blooming time i go there i get some sort of hassle, even covering up seems to make no difference...this last time i was groped by a mentally retarded man begging in a restaurant! A couple of years ago i had some guy stop his motorbike and offer me money for 'company' - bloody hel_l! He nearly got a black eye.

this last time I was rescued by a nice shop owner who threatened to beat up the beggar for me - but the poor bloke was clearly not all there...A firm no shouted at him was enough to make him go away! I certainly didnt need all that hassle at the embassy on top of the swf in a muslim capital rubbish! I think i will be avoiding this embassy and location for future visa help Ladies be warned

How strange! I have used KB for 2 years now to renew my visa. Unmarried, female, travelling alone (even one 10 hour trip on an overnight bus) and I have had nothing but positive results when I have gone there. Oh well, I suppose that my age and loss of looks is finally working for me...

I know that there are also days when embassy/consulate staff simply wake up on the wrong side of the bed and then we are all on the receiving end.

Hope it goes well for you in the future wherever you go to renew though.

[imjustagirl]

Unmarried girl in the most Muslim part of Malaysia.

Did you cover your hair?

lol every blooming time i go there i get some sort of hassle, even covering up seems to make no difference...this last time i was groped by a mentally retarded man begging in a restaurant! A couple of years ago i had some guy stop his motorbike and offer me money for 'company' - bloody hel_l! He nearly got a black eye.

this last time I was rescued by a nice shop owner who threatened to beat up the beggar for me - but the poor bloke was clearly not all there...A firm no shouted at him was enough to make him go away! I certainly didnt need all that hassle at the embassy on top of the swf in a muslim capital rubbish! I think i will be avoiding this embassy and location for future visa help Ladies be warned

How strange! I have used KB for 2 years now to renew my visa. Unmarried, female, travelling alone (even one 10 hour trip on an overnight bus) and I have had nothing but positive results when I have gone there. Oh well, I suppose that my age and loss of looks is finally working for me...

I know that there are also days when embassy/consulate staff simply wake up on the wrong side of the bed and then we are all on the receiving end.

Hope it goes well for you in the future wherever you go to renew though.

Well it seems that it was not just me ...my mother went 3 days ago and was given the same hassle - at 75 you think they would be a bit more polite....they were very rude and aggressive and reduced her to tears. Apparently there were several others standing outside is states of distress at being asked to prove income etc for a tourist visa, one guy was losing it as he simply wanted to stay another month and was asking my mum if 3k sterling in the bank was enough to prove income! Really, if they are going to come across with this hard nose attitude then at least give people the right info!....it seems there is a new manager and they have been stomping their mark on the embassy. My mother was told by the girl the next day when she was collecting her visa that 'we dont want people without money in thailand' Seems to me the people without money would not bother paying to go and get the correct visa and would just risk the stay on overstay - as they have no money! Shame, as i do like the Cerana guest house there and wont see the nice owners again. Good luck with your next trip stomatopod - i hope the air has settled there when you go

[lopburi3]

The below is on the MFA web site for all to read.

11. According to the Immigration Act of Thailand B.E. 2522 (1979), foreigners who fall into any of the following categories are prohibited to enter Thailand: ((cut))

(2) Having no appropriate means of living following entry into the Kingdom. ((cut))

Requirements for issue of a Tourist visa:

2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months

- Visa application form completely filled out

- Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant

- Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)

- Evidence of adequate finance (10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family)

- Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary

[imjustagirl]

The below is on the MFA web site for all to read.

11. According to the Immigration Act of Thailand B.E. 2522 (1979), foreigners who fall into any of the following categories are prohibited to enter Thailand: ((cut))

(2) Having no appropriate means of living following entry into the Kingdom. ((cut))

Requirements for issue of a Tourist visa:

2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months

- Visa application form completely filled out

- Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant

- Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)

- Evidence of adequate finance (10,000 Baht per person and 20,000 Baht per family)

- Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary

Thanks Lopburi, i wish they would have this printed on an info sheet in the embassy... I'll be sure to overload on documentation just in case next time i go to an embassy and be ready for anything

[lopburi3]

I suspect you were asked where or how you stay in Thailand and responded with the "with my boyfriend" that you mentioned. That may have been the turning point in KB. Most Consulates are staffed by local hire employees who in that location would likely not have a good reaction to such an answer. Sometime it is best to leave details unsaid.

[imjustagirl]

I suspect you were asked where or how you stay in Thailand and responded with the "with my boyfriend" that you mentioned. That may have been the turning point in KB. Most Consulates are staffed by local hire employees who in that location would likely not have a good reaction to such an answer. Sometime it is best to leave details unsaid.

ooooh good point! Never thought that, i guess the religeous implications could have rattled them! mouth shut and zipped next time

[baboon]

I suspect you were asked where or how you stay in Thailand and responded with the "with my boyfriend" that you mentioned. That may have been the turning point in KB. Most Consulates are staffed by local hire employees who in that location would likely not have a good reaction to such an answer. Sometime it is best to leave details unsaid.

I was there 4 months ago trying to renew my multiple Non O and the lady at the desk was definately Thai. Nothing rude or obnoxious about her at all; however was only granted a single entry and by the looks of some of the others, was pretty lucky to get that.

[asiawatcher]

Would advise many that Malaysia is the pits for Visa runs and renewals. I had the same problem with my Thai wife when we went to Malacca fro Singapore for the day - did not have any means to show we would be leaving their country. We don't normally carry air tickets when doing a days outing for shopping! But I have experienced attitude in Penang and KL as well as Sabah/Kota Kinabalu when trying to leave Malaysia to return to Thailand where I have WP and Non Imm B with multiple entries.

SWF - always an issue to the 'oh so correct' islamic way of life! Good luck in future.

[keith7777]

Thanks for the advice... i suspected that i may be held accountable for the error. Any idea if having a transit visa will be an issue for the issueing of a tourist visa - i think the KB embassy just were being difficult! They certainly weren't very nice!

Maybe someone could help me with this. I took a trip last month, I purchased a ticket to Cambodia to the Philippines and back to bkk. I had to come back to bkk change planes in bkk but did not go outside the transit area, I only had one re-entry permit in my passport, just got my boarding pass and continued on to PI. I returned to bkk and the passport control person did not stamp my re-entry permit and only gave a 30 day visa. My retirement visa is good until May 2011. I did not notice this until I got outside the Airport, so came back next day and spoke to a passport control supervisor and he took my passport and went someplace and came back

with my passport with the re-entry stamped and the "USED" written in, also he had marked through the 30 day visa, and underneath my retirement date stamped in, in red. I have been wondering about this since then, thinking I may have a problem when I go for my new retirement stamp. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[lopburi3]

Correction appears to have been made and you are on your one year extension of stay entry. Should not be a problem.

Had you entered the re-entry number into the visa area of arrival card? Mistakes are made but are normally easily corrected and believe there is still a desk devoted to doing so at Chiang Watanna so not need to go to airport if in Bangkok.