What Is Really Going On At Vientiane?

[brianbritano]

when i did my visa run last week in vientiane, I tried to see if i could find people that had problem to get a double entry visa and counldnt find any, but at the same almost everyone got a stamp saying that in case we apply for a new one next time would prolly be denied because of tourist visa abuse

Some guy i went back had some non immigrant visa before and it was his first tourist one and he still got stamped.

[sirchai]

A friend of mine recently (approx 3 weeks ago) was refused a Non B in Vientiene even though he had the documents he has previously used for a Non B. In addition he was refused a double TV. He managed to get a single TV.

For information to anyone here who is thinking of going to Singapore for a TV there is a notice in the foyer stating that anyone with back to back TV's in their passport will be refused a further TV. The notice goes on to explain that the Thai Immigration believes that numerous people who are in Thailand on TV's are working illegally.

A friend of mine applied for a Non- B in Vientiane not too long ago. For whatever reason they refused his visa. When he wanted to apply for a TV they wanted to give him only a 15 days visa.

He bought a plane ticket, which gave him 30 days. The idea is pretty easy to understand. Once applying for a Non-B, they know that you’re planning- or already- working.

Edited March 13, 2011 by Maestro
Changed Comic font to default for easier reading.

[rogersoi17]

I returned from Vientiane YESTERDAY and when I applied for a visa the 'officer' looked through my passport and said I had too many stamps in my 30 page passport (issued 2008) and that I could have one more but no firther entries would be allowed. I got a red stamp in my passport which says 'THE HOLDER OF THIS PASSPORT TRAVELLS TO THAILAND UNDER A TOURIST VISA SEVERAL TIMES AND WHICH MAY RESULT IN A REFUSAL IN FUTURE

I usually stay in Thailand from 3 to 5 months and return to the UK for 1 or 2 months, so although I do have a lot of stamps in my passport most of them are NOT back to back and extend back to 2008. I got a single entry which lasts until the 11th of May but I return to the UK on the 20th. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Edited March 13, 2011 by rogersoi17

[visawalker]

I returned from Vientiane YESTERDAY and when I applied for a visa the 'officer' looked through my passport and said I had too many stamps in my 30 page passport (issued 2008) and that I could have one more but no firther entries would be allowed. I got a red stamp in my passport which says 'THE HOLDER OF THIS PASSPORT TRAVELLS TO THAILAND UNDER A TOURIST VISA SEVERAL TIMES AND WHICH MAY RESULT IN A REFUSAL IN FUTURE

I usually stay in Thailand from 3 to 5 months and return to the UK for 1 or 2 months, so although I do have a lot of stamps in my passport most of them are NOT back to back and extend back to 2008. I got a single entry which lasts until the 11th of May but I return to the UK on the 20th. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Sounds like you should be getting your double entry in UK before you come here and then if you need a few extra weeks just go to the border and get stamped in.

You might also consider getting a new passport then you can start over again.

Edited March 13, 2011 by visawalker

[NanLaew]

I was in Thailand for 12 months making border runs not out of the country

Previous to that I got three back to back in Penang

Every time you post, you add something about your visa history. You said that you hadn't any visas for over a year but now say you have been doing visa runs? What exactly is "making border runs not out of the country"? I thought a visa-run entailed crossing a border into another country? Just because a 'border run' and the subsequent 'permission to stay' stamp is not exactly a visa, it is STILL part of the Thai Immigration tracking system.

Sounds like you should be getting your double entry in UK before you come here and then if you need a few extra weeks just go to the border and get stamped in.

You might also consider getting a new passport then you can start over again.

And now you are tendering advice when you don't even know your own local visa eligibility? <deleted> does "just go to the border and get stamped in" mean?

[Maestro]

...I usually stay in Thailand from 3 to 5 months and return to the UK for 1 or 2 months, so although I do have a lot of stamps in my passport most of them are NOT back to back and extend back to 2008. I got a single entry which lasts until the 11th of May but I return to the UK on the 20th. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

From your post I gather your latest arrival in Thailand was on 13 MAR 2011 with a single-entry tourist visa and you now have permission to stay until 11 MAY. Any time during the last two weeks before 11 MAY go to an immigration office and apply for a 30-day extension of stay. This will let you stay until 10 JUN. Not later than 10 JUN, do a border run for a visa-exempt entry and you will get permission to stay for 15 days from your date of entry, eg if you do the run on 08 JUN you will be allowed to stay until 22 JUN.

As visawalker has said, for regualar visits in Thailand of three to five months, get a double-entry tourist visa before leaving the UK. After your first entry, get a 30-day extension of stay, then do a border run to activate your second entry, then if necessary get again a 30-day extension of stay.

[visawalker]

I was in Thailand for 12 months making border runs not out of the country

Previous to that I got three back to back in Penang

Every time you post, you add something about your visa history. You said that you hadn't any visas for over a year but now say you have been doing visa runs? What exactly is "making border runs not out of the country"? I thought a visa-run entailed crossing a border into another country? Just because a 'border run' and the subsequent 'permission to stay' stamp is not exactly a visa, it is STILL part of the Thai Immigration tracking system.

Sounds like you should be getting your double entry in UK before you come here and then if you need a few extra weeks just go to the border and get stamped in.

You might also consider getting a new passport then you can start over again.

And now you are tendering advice when you don't even know your own local visa eligibility? <deleted> does "just go to the border and get stamped in" mean?

Nobody knows their visa eligibilty in regards to being a visa runner as its just a crap shoot every time we are just trying to collect relevant up to date information as most of the information on this site is out of date and I think Im qualified to give advice as well as you or anyone else as Ive been a visa runner in this part of the world for 10 years.

[lostpacket]

I'm not going to chance it. My next visa app trip is going to be with a known visa service that goes to Cambodia. Hopefully I will have no problems getting a dual entry TV.

[NanLaew]

Nobody knows their visa eligibilty in regards to being a visa runner as its just a crap shoot every time we are just trying to collect relevant up to date information as most of the information on this site is out of date and I think Im qualified to give advice as well as you or anyone else as Ive been a visa runner in this part of the world for 10 years.

OK, so you are an expert in visa running. What do you mean in your earlier comments as follows;

"making border runs not out of the country"

and

"just go to the border and get stamped in"

??

[dananderson]

Nam, he lost me at crap shoot.