My little to-do at immigration in the airport on 20 Sept.

[Bpuumike]

Similar 'skirmish' a few years ago. The officer, chatting to his colleague in the next booth looked briefly at my arrival card, never looked beyond the visa page, so never saw sequential contiguous extensions, and banged his stamp for 30 days. I read the stamp before going on to baggage claim. Returned to the said officer in the same booth, and pointed out his error. He was a bit p**sed to have to correct the error, but did so, after minor confrontation.

Since then, I NEVER enter my original visa number on my arrival card.

I cross out where it says visa number, and write "re-entry". Then I write the re-entry permit number in the boxes provided (for visa number) and write the page number in my passport where the stamp can be found.

Yesterday, arrived back in Bangkok from a UK visit. The officer (female, elderly) looked at the modified arrival card and grinned a huge grin. I asked her, in Thai, if my change to the arrival form was "helpful" to her. She smiled again, nodded, and said thank you, in English.

You are supposed to enter your multi-entry number and not your visa/extension no.

It was pointed out to me in a cordial manner at Suvi Immigration some years ago.

[Ulic]

Nice save.

[snooky]

Thanks for that info - I am on a many times extended so called retirement visa and always fill out those cards with some trepidation, no one ever having informed me of which number to put in there. But now duly noted it is the re-entry permit number - Thanks again for that. Now I will not have to quake waiting for the immigration officers scowl or smile!!

[JLCrab]

I'm not clear on what's the best advice here:

Re the Airport Cards, I agree that the sole reference to filling in a VISA number can be very misleading, especially for many folks who have a years-old and no longer valid visa stamp, followed by many many annual extension of stay stamps.

But it's always been my understanding, for folks like that and myself too, that what we ought to be filling in on the airport card is the number from our latest extension of stay stamp for the current year -- more than the number associated with one's re-entry permit.

In my past experience, that seems to be what the Immigration Officers are looking for... when it comes to someone arriving back on a still valid extension of stay.

I always write my reentry number there, nothing else, and I have yet to have a problem. I am in the airport most every week for the last 7 years and they always figure it out. With an american passport I can keep getting more pages, so mine is usually 100 to 150 pages thick. I put a colored tab on the most recent reentry permit and they always seem to find it after a few minutes.

I agree -- after many times putting a paper clip or a rubber band to identify the current visa/re-entry page to maybe assist the Thai IMM Officer, and having them remove such locator before even opening the passport, I've decided that they may look upon such a tactic as for some reason not wanting them to look through the entire contents of one's passport. So I now just hand over the passport and let them thumb through the whole thing at their leisure.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

...that what we ought to be filling in on the airport card is the number from our latest extension of stay stamp for the current year...

I'm looking at my passport now and there is absolutely no NUMBER associated with or assigned to my extension of stay stamp. All it has is a stamped extension of stay DATE, a SIGNATURE under that and then the same date stamped again below the signature.

It's pretty clear what most people are saying is correct. Use the re-entry permit number in place of your visa number, which expired years ago.

Actually there normally is a number written at top of your extension of stay stamp in format xxxxx/xx being number/Thai year. But as said that is not used for anything except immigration records.

Yes, that's the extension of stay number I was referring to above, and yes, it's written in the format you describe -- handwritten by the Immigration officer at time of issue, and usually written above the extension of stay ink stamp. (The re-entry permit number is also handwritten, but inside the ink stamp box).

And actually, in just checking my passport now, both my re-entry permit and my extension of stay stamp have that same style of numbering format -- a five digit number followed by a "/" and then a two digit number reflecting the current year, right now being "56".

And of course, the Airport Card just having a box labeled "VISA" doesn't provide much guidance on the subject. But I'm happy to follow the advice here and fill in the re-entry permit number for the future.

Edited September 24, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Bpuumike]

...that what we ought to be filling in on the airport card is the number from our latest extension of stay stamp for the current year...

I'm looking at my passport now and there is absolutely no NUMBER associated with or assigned to my extension of stay stamp. All it has is a stamped extension of stay DATE, a SIGNATURE under that and then the same date stamped again below the signature.

It's pretty clear what most people are saying is correct. Use the re-entry permit number in place of your visa number, which expired years ago.

Actually there normally is a number written at top of your extension of stay stamp in format xxxxx/xx being number/Thai year. But as said that is not used for anything except immigration records.

Yes, that's the extension of stay number I was referring to above, and yes, it's written in the format you describe -- handwritten by the Immigration officer at time of issue, and usually written above the extension of stay ink stamp. (The re-entry permit number is also handwritten, but inside the ink stamp box).

And actually, in just checking my passport now, both my re-entry permit and my extension of stay stamp have that same style of numbering format -- a five digit number followed by a "/" and then a two digit number reflecting the current year, right now being "56".

And of course, the Airport Card just having a box labeled "VISA" doesn't provide much guidance on the subject. But I'm happy to follow the advice here and fill in the re-entry permit number for the future.

Yes, that's what they need.

[Time Traveller]

By failing to fully complete the entry card a 30 day visa exempt entry was in fact being requested.

This is not correct. The entry card does not override a valid visa/re entry permit. Any immigration official should know that, and it sounds like she was intent on giving the OP a hard time regardless.

People with valid visas are stamped in on the visa. They don't get to choose to not use it.

[ubonjoe]

By failing to fully complete the entry card a 30 day visa exempt entry was in fact being requested.  

This is not correct. The entry card does not override a valid visa/re entry permit. Any immigration official should know that, and it sounds like she was intent on giving the OP a hard time regardless. 

People with valid visas are stamped in on the visa. They don't get to choose to not use it. 

If there is nothing in visa number space on the card they can very well assume that you don't have one and proceed to do a 30 day stamp without looking for a visa/re-entry permit.

[jacko45k]

I got her once I think and also got nagged for a similar event.

The number you fill in on the TM card should actually be the one for the re-entry permit.

[Time Traveller]

By failing to fully complete the entry card a 30 day visa exempt entry was in fact being requested.

This is not correct. The entry card does not override a valid visa/re entry permit. Any immigration official should know that, and it sounds like she was intent on giving the OP a hard time regardless.

People with valid visas are stamped in on the visa. They don't get to choose to not use it.

If there is nothing in visa number space on the card they can very well assume that you don't have one and proceed to do a 30 day stamp without looking for a visa/re-entry permit.

Sure they can assume but their computers should show that the passport has a valid visa or re entry permit. Or what purpose is the immigration computers if they don't store any information relating to the right to enter the country?

[hellodolly]

You would have had "problems" but in small letters. Not that big a deal to get the stamp corrected at Immigration, but does require a trip to your local office, which for some is quite a distance.

Mac

Not necessarily. Depends on the office and mood they are in when you go in to fix it.

My second trip here was with a three entry 60 day visa I had bot in Vancouver. The first time I went to renew it I went to Mai Sai. I neglected to check the date on reentry. When I got back to Chiang Mai I was looking at it and noticed they had only stamped me in for 30 days. I took it to the immigration here in Chiang Mai and they told me I would have to go back to Mai Sai to have it fixed. I was polite and they were polite.

I now have an extension to stay and sevwer4al times have left the country and come back in and just received the 30 day being as I had less than that to the extension date nothing was ever said.

Please do not get me wrong this is not a knock on them. Over the years I have received very good service. Just once a year have to wait a while for it.

[hellodolly]

Even if you were right and it was not your fault, she would have still blamed you. I remember last time I got into an accident in Thailand, the woman got out of the car after hitting my motorbike and started to educate me on how I should do this and that next time while riding so I would not get into an accident again. She was quick to make it clear that it was not her fault. I was about to put her into the trunk so she could shut up but the cops arrived. No matter what the case is, the first thing they do is make a statement: ahhh I have nothing to do with it.

and the cops did what?

[A1Str8]

Even if you were right and it was not your fault, she would have still blamed you. I remember last time I got into an accident in Thailand, the woman got out of the car after hitting my motorbike and started to educate me on how I should do this and that next time while riding so I would not get into an accident again. She was quick to make it clear that it was not her fault. I was about to put her into the trunk so she could shut up but the cops arrived. No matter what the case is, the first thing they do is make a statement: ahhh I have nothing to do with it.

 

and the cops did what?

Accepted the bribe.

[Sceptict11]

Even if you were right and it was not your fault, she would have still blamed you. I remember last time I got into an accident in Thailand, the woman got out of the car after hitting my motorbike and started to educate me on how I should do this and that next time while riding so I would not get into an accident again. She was quick to make it clear that it was not her fault. I was about to put her into the trunk so she could shut up but the cops arrived. No matter what the case is, the first thing they do is make a statement: ahhh I have nothing to do with it.

and the cops did what?

Accepted the bribe.

Paid by who and for what ?

[A1Str8]

I dont know as it is not allowed to discuss such things on the forum. But it was certainly not paid by me.

[Sceptict11]

I dont know as it is not allowed to discuss such things on the forum. But it was certainly not paid by me.

Then why bring the issue into play ?

[A1Str8]

Because it was an issue nonetheless. Besides I was asked a question and I answered it.

[lopburi3]

Troll post removed.

[denby45]

Might be helpful for some.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/24702-thai-immigration-introduces-new-tm-card/

What does the card for declaring you are carrying over $20,000 look like and where do you declare the same

Thanks

den

[samtam]

"She then showed me where on my arrival card I had not put down the exit re-entry permit number, and scolded me for not doing that.

Then she blamed me for the whole incident .... for not properly putting that number on the arrival card.

She was right ...."

That's the important part of your story.

I confess that it took me a couple of tellings off and mis-stamps before I realised that that's it's the Re-entry Permit number they need to see on your Arrival Card, rather than your actual Visa or Extension of Stay number.

It also helps if, as you hand over your Passport you have it open at the Re-entry stamp page, point to it and politely say "Visa".

.

Likewise - I've put my extension of stay number where it calls for a "visa". Now I know it's the re-entry permit number. I wonder what it says in Thai...just as a matter of interest, not because it would make an iota of difference.

[ubonjoe]

 

What does the card for declaring you are carrying over $20,000 look like and where do you declare the same

 

Thanks

 

den

Here is info. You have to ask for the form. http://www.customs.go.th/wps/wcm/connect/custen/traders+and+business/prohibited+and+restricted+items/currency/currency