Careful! Always check your passport stamp

[wineman]

On my latest return to Thailand, a Customs officer in Suvaranabhumi airport only gave me a 30 day stamp although I still had another 4 months remaining on my Retirement extension. As I was politely pointing out this error to him, another officer told me to get to the end of the (very long) queue. I politely refused explaining that I had already queued for 35 minutes. It was obvious that he wasn't happy with me, and I could see trouble looming. Suddenly a female officer, with more gleaming metal on her uniform than an army 5 star general, appeared seemingly out of the blue. She asked me what was the problem, with a respectful smile on my face I told her. Whereupon, she looked at my passport, immediately told the original officer to change the stamp's date and sign the correction. Then she gave me my passport and off I went.

The moral of that episode is "Always immediately check your passport stamp. Doing so, could save you a bad headache later.".

.

[MJCM]

I couldn't agree more and that's what I always have done and especially since I am on Extension of stay and now-a-days always use re-entry permits.

If you use a re-entry permit, always write Re-Entry next to the Visa Number on the TM Card.

[Rimmer]

Moved to visa forum

[lopburi3]

Unless you had a re-entry permit it does not matter what extension you had before you made your exit. I suspect you did have a re-entry permit but perhaps did not enter that number as your visa for entry so it was entered and permitted to stay up to the date on that re-entry permit was provided?

[avander]

I also arrived recently and also received a 1 month stamp even though I had 3 months on the visa. Didn't realise until we went to immigration to confirm requirements for a marriage extension and was told I only had 1 month! If I had waited the planned 2 months before applying for the extension it would have been an overstay issue instead!

As it was, the guys at the Chonburi immigration office were very helpful and changed my visa stamp for me with no fuss.

Very lucky we made the inquiries and makes me wonder how they make that sort of a mistake when one enters the country as I have never had the problem before?

[Maestro]

You probably did not write the visa number on your arrival card.

[Sceptict11]

You probably did not write the visa number on your arrival card.

Or had no re-entry permit

[Pattaya Pat]

This all sounds very confusing.

[wineman]

In ten years I've never entered my Retirement extension number on my arrival card. In future I will, in case that was the cause of the problem. However, I did point out my Retirement extension to the first officer.

You probably did not write the visa number on your arrival card.

Or had no re-entry permit

[Sceptict11]

A "retirement extension" does not allow re-entry.

A re-entry permit is required if the "extension" is to be kept alive.

It is the re-entry permit number that is required.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Sceptict11

[terrytan]

I always write the re-entry number on the TM card and hold the re-entry stamp page open when I hand my passport to the immigration officer telling him / her that I hold a visa, I have never had an issue

[boshidoson]

This is great advice. In July I went to get an extension on my retirement visa, my fourth. I had taken a trip 2 months into the extension. On each of the other extensions I got, the re-entry permit was stamped on the same page as the extension. That third time it was put on another page and when I asked about it the officer said it would not fit. So I took the trip came back to BKK and forgot about it. Went to CW every 90 days as required, no problems. At renewal time I could tell there was a problem by the look on the officers face. When I came back from the trip I was stamped in with a 30 day stamp. No big deal I thought, a simple mistake. Well, it turned out to be a big deal. They started talking about fines for 10 months overstay and on and on. They knew what the mistake was and who made it but they would not just change the date on the 30 day stamp to coincide with my extension date. To fix it I had to start the whole visa/extension process over. I had to void my re-entry permit which was good for another month, but if I left on that the problem of the 30 day stamp would still exist. I Took the bus to Cambodia for a visa run where the officers there were very confused as to what was going on. I told them I just needed a 15 day stamp. I got that and went back to CW the next day. I got my visa and extension on the same day which was great. The officers were very nice, but if I have learned anything here is that there is no wiggle room when it comes to immigration. It was an expensive lesson and a pain, but I learned one thing. Whenever I come back I will always check the entry stamp and put the re-entry number on the TM card. At least I got some benefit though as I will not have to extend for 15 months.

[Bucko]

wineman wrote>>.

" Suddenly a female officer, with more gleaming metal on her uniform than an army 5 star general, appeared seemingly out of the blue. She asked me what was the problem, "

----------------------------------------------------------------------

This was most likely the same lady that SCREAMED at a group of Chinese tourist- who were causing mayhem at the immigration-- to

"Get in Line--It's not Rocket Science "---well done to her-- she soon stopped them from trying to " bypass " the line

Edited October 4, 2013 by Bucko

[Ticketmaster]

A second moral to the story is to politely stand your ground when you know you are right.

a couple of years ago, Immigration made a mistake on my Marriage Extension. It expires on August 6 every year. The officer stamped August 9 (apparently reading the stamp upside down). I didn't notice, just took my passport and went on my merry way. The following year, August 6 was a Saturday and Monday was a holiday, so when I went in on August 9 (Tuesday), I would not have been late for an August 6 appointment. The Immigration officer told me that the expiration date of my visa is what it is and the stamp in the passport is completely irrelevant. He said that had Saturday, Sunday and a holiday not intervened, I would have had to pay for an overstay.

So, yes, as the OP says, ALWAYS check the stamp. Thai immigration says the responsibility is YOURS, not theirs. Sometimes they make mistakes, but they do not take responsibility for them.

[tom21]

when you go through immigration all your information such as visa, extension,are you allowed in the country etc. should come up on the computer screen. it looks like the immigration officer did not even check

[Ajaan]

This is very, very sound advice from the OP. Here are my experiences:

1. crossing at Nong Khai (Friendship Bridge) once, the friend traveling with me DIDN'T GET STAMPED AT ALL by the Thais when we went through immigration...we didn't notice until the Lao immigration officer noticed, so back on the bus across the bridge for a stamp...

2. leaving Suvannabhumi with the first exit of a double-entry visa, the immigration officer stamped it "used" until I pointed out her mistake, and she changed it...

3. crossing again at Nong Khai, the immigration officer was yapping on the phone and her stamp was thus off-center, enough that the Lao side would not accept it...another bus ride back to the Thai side...she was off-duty by then, but her supervisor rolled his eyes when I explained everything (obviously not the first time she had screwed up) and quickly fixed everything...

[Cuban]

Whenever I'm in a queue of standard tourists at the passport counter I point out the visa page or expected stamp date I am anticipating, never just assume that the person will read every passport page and discover what variant of permission to stay you are expecting or are entitled to.

It just takes eye contact and a moment of your time to break the auto-pilot mode that the immigrant official is in, having dealt with 300 faceless passports that can afford to fly the world for pleasure for weeks on end compared to their limited local holiday opportunities, I understand that I'm luck I do not have that job, so he/she deserves a little help to make our interaction easier on both sides.

Less than a few minutes of your time in thought can make your life a whole lot easier.

[johna]

I entered Thailand once with a valid Non O visa, the immigration officer missed it and gave me 30 days, on departure my overstay was noted, and I was sent to the immigration officer who deals with these things, when I pointed out to the immigration officer the valid visa she let me go.

[Bpuumike]

In ten years I've never entered my Retirement extension number on my arrival card. In future I will, in case that was the cause of the problem. However, I did point out my Retirement extension to the first officer.

You probably did not write the visa number on your arrival card.

Or had no re-entry permit

I was politely told to write only my re-entry permit on the landing card. That's what it is after all. Your visa extension number is not required, but am sure it might help to speed things up when they see it in your passport.

But you wouldn't have one without the other.

Edited October 5, 2013 by Bpuumike

[dao16]

Once, on a trip to Laos, the Laos immigration officer stamped my passport and it said it was expiring on the 13th of the month and I was going to stay for a month (he was supposed to stamp 31 on it....woops!). I told him and he changed it, but I can jut imagine the time I would have had if I hadn't looked carefully at it. Immigration here in Thailand did something similar just a few months ago. Always make sure everything is in order. Tough to fix later.

[little mary sunshine]

Yes, good advise; also, I was at Immigration and was having my Retirement Visa transferred

to my new passport. I noticed they did not transfer my multi-entry stamp. I pointed this out

to the officer, after about a 10 minute wait, my multi-entry stamp was stamped in the new

passport, Always be polite, but firm.....Old saying " You catch more flies with honey than

with vinegar"

[Eneukman]

I came back into the country a year or so ago and when I checked the date noticed that the wrong date had been entered. The immigration officer immediately corrected the mistake with no hassle whatsoever. So, yes, always check the date that has been entered into your passport.

I have a multiple re-entry permit and had entered the correct number on the form.

Alan

[lucjoker]

You probably did not write the visa number on your arrival card.

Or had no re-entry permit

It happened to me twice,

the first time ,i didn't notice and later when i wanted to do my yearly extension of stay,the officer saw the mistake they made on the airport and

told me to let it get corrected ....in BKK ! It took me a whole day and a lot of copies and paperwork to get this done.

Since i check it every time and 2 months ago it happened again.

I immediately returned to the young immigration off. and pointed to the visa date .He immediately corrected it and signed it off.

So checking the stamp is a must.

[wineman]

I did have a re-entry permit.

In ten years I've never entered my Retirement extension number on my arrival card. In future I will, in case that was the cause of the problem. However, I did point out my Retirement extension to the first officer.

You probably did not write the visa number on your arrival card.

Or had no re-entry permit

[andyuk]

I remember coming in a couple of years ago for a 3 week holiday so was expecting a 30 day visa exempt stamp but when i checked later i found they had stamped me for 60 days, so if i had overstayed would i have got away with it ?.Probably not.

Andyuk.

[yourauntbob]

Anytime I am reentering the country I make sure to put my reentry card inside my passport on the page of my reentry stamp. I also try to make a habit of pointing to the stamp with a smile so there is no confusion or loss of face. I certainly would not want to be arguing with the immigration police.

[friendphil]

Good.idea....

[hawker9000]

You're right, probably not. But you would THINK that if a duly authorized official of the government puts an official entry in your passport, which is itself an official and internationally recognized document, that says you can remain in the country until such & such a date, and there has been no fraud or misrepresentation on your part, that you could legally do so, period.

Seems like this must've been a case of serious loss of face for the 2 subordinate officers. Hope you didn't make yourself TOO famous as a result of the incident.

[patekatek]

Dang good thing I took the time to read this thread. I returned on Sept. 10 from a trip to the States and I did have my re-entry permit. I didn't even think about checking the stamp at the airport. I just checked my passport and see that it has a "must exit on Oct. 8" stamped on it. I have 5 months remaining on my yearly visa and I suppose I have to make a quick 65 km trip to Hua Hin to see if they can correct it on Monday. I know this is Thailand, but I find it hard to comprehend the hassel a person must go through when an obvious error made by a Thai government employee is the cause of the problem. I hope I don't have a difficult time getting it corrected in a couple of days.

Thanks to the OP and others for sharing their experiences and piquing my interest to check my passport.

[tingtongfarang]

Same has happened to me 3 times so far on a non B although the visa number was in the arrival card, the first time it happened i was traveling with a thai lawyer, she took my passport and went to the immigration officer who made the mistake,

She was kind of arrested and taken to an office where she had to write an apology after which they corrected the mistake, after this i always check before leaving the counter although they do make a point of stamping randomly on any page then closing the passport so you have to search for it,

Dont be intimidated by the the masked face with the roll of the eyes to move away...stay and check.