notmyself Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 Have a friend who needs a tourist visa (single entry) but has an overstay stamp in her passport along with a 7 day grace stamp from a visa exempt. I've heard that they will not issue tourist visas if there is an extension in the passport but does this include the 7 day grace stamp? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saakura Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 You mean Penang of course. Panang is a thai curry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 You mean Penang of course. Panang is a thai curry. OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 (edited) Edited November 30, 2013 by notmyself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 Removed an off-topic post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nana Cowboy Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 (edited) Penang has been wishy washy since they started handing out red stamps should you have a 30 day ext. back around 2007. in your passport after a single entry tourist visa. Not sure I would trust it, coin toss really. Edited November 30, 2013 by Nana Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 Penang has been wishy washy since they started handing out red stamps should you have a 30 day ext. in your passport after a single entry tourist visa. Not sure I would trust it, coin toss really. Doesn't really answer my question though from what I understand you are quite correct. Penang used to be THE place to get a visa in the region but has become THE worst place to get a visa from what I understand. Better to go to KL IMO but just checking it out for her. 30 day visa exempt.... 2 week overstay... bounced of the Malay boarder to get 15 days (SA passport) and then a 7 day refusal (grace period) stamp. As far as I know Penang will not issue a tourist visa if there is an extension (30 day from a tourist visa) in the passport but do they consider a 7 day refusal as an extension? Look, she's very much a noob so I have agreed to go down with her to get a tourist visa if I need to (I think I will) but she wants to do it in Penang. I'd rather do it in Penang too because there is some awesome food to be had but that is not the reason for the trip. I need to do a boarder bounce myself by the 11th to activate my second of three tourist visa entries which means I'm heading down that way myself. If Penang is a no go then I'll go down to KL with her to hold her hand but would rather not. Tell you what, some people just turn up in Thailand and think they can stay as long as they like. Well, it's not like that at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 I'd give Penang a shot considering all the factors. She'll likely get it I think. Last I checked they have become more friendly to tourist visa people...single entry only though for sure. They might ask for a bankbook but would probably let that one slide by if you tell them you were unaware of such requirement and will do so next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 I'd give Penang a shot considering all the factors. She'll likely get it I think. Last I checked they have become more friendly to tourist visa people...single entry only though for sure. They might ask for a bankbook but would probably let that one slide by if you tell them you were unaware of such requirement and will do so next time They might ask for a bankbook Cannot open an account because she is on visa exempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 It should not be a problem. They only look for back to back visas issued by them now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerry123 Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 seems to me get your ACT together abide by the rules and not rock the already unstable boat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 (edited) Cannot open an account because she is on visa exempt. Kasikorn opens accounts to visa exempt passport holders. Edited December 1, 2013 by paz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 Cannot open an account because she is on visa exempt.Kasikorn opens accounts on visa exempt passport holders. Cheers for that, I shall pass on the information. I bank with them and have never had an issue with their service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 Does an airline fly from Surat to Penang? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montereyjp Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Your friends best bet is to use an agent... They know the dealio as they run hundreds of visas through the Penang Thai consulate every month... They can not guarantee a visa but they can give her pretty accurate odds on her chances. And her chance of getting one is much higher using an agent. I have gotten several B visa in Penang and I have never been to the consulate.. I see the agent, sign the docs, give him my money and the required little mug shot pictures and the next day pickup my visa... Definitely worth paying the extra for the agent and in your case especially so if it saves you a flight to KL.. I can recommend a guy named Author who operates the Mingood Hotel or hotelmingood dot com on the net.. You can stay there but not required to use his service. The place is basically a backpacker hotel.Cheap but worn out... Go to the hotel and ask for Author.. he reads emails also sales@hotelmingood. And yes the food in Penang is excellent! Between the oxtail stew, the fresh seafood, and the Indian food.. Off the hook!.. Good luck 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 Your friends best bet is to use an agent... They know the dealio as they run hundreds of visas through the Penang Thai consulate every month... They can not guarantee a visa but they can give her pretty accurate odds on her chances. And her chance of getting one is much higher using an agent. I have gotten several B visa in Penang and I have never been to the consulate.. I see the agent, sign the docs, give him my money and the required little mug shot pictures and the next day pickup my visa... Definitely worth paying the extra for the agent and in your case especially so if it saves you a flight to KL.. I can recommend a guy named Author who operates the Mingood Hotel or hotelmingood dot com on the net.. You can stay there but not required to use his service. The place is basically a backpacker hotel.Cheap but worn out... Go to the hotel and ask for Author.. he reads emails also sales@hotelmingood. And yes the food in Penang is excellent! Between the oxtail stew, the fresh seafood, and the Indian food.. Off the hook!.. Good luck Appreciate that. According to the latest report in the pinned topic here the consulate offers a same day service. She will be leaving her daughter with friends here on Samui so I imagine she would rather it be a two night journey rather than three while I would rather the opposite so I can eat lots of lovely food and not have to rush around. There is also the worry about handing over passports but these types of agents have it in their best interest to look after them because doing so is in their best interest. Not the first time I have heard of Mingood in a positive light which is good advertising for them. The phrase 'build it and they will come' also applies to reputation. I'm all for it but I know she doesn't like the roads after doing a boarder bounce of Padang a week or so ago. She perhaps should have thought about that before turning up on a visa exempt! I'm with you, what you wrote above is exactly what I would do but I am not a mother with a youngish child. I'd leave at the crack of dawn (long way from samui to Penang by road), do the forms etc. with the agent and go out for dinner. Next day just chill and eat while the forms etc. are taken for processing. Following day collect the passport and then more food and chilling. Following day up at dawn to head back. Sounds like fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delh Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 I got a new tourist visa added in Penang in Feb this year after extending my 60 day by another 30 days. My thoughts would be to try Penang first, if your friend is not successful, carry on to KL, possibly by train? Make the most of the trip, enjoy the journey. Look at seat61.com for train times and plenty of other info. Try Firefly as a Low cost carrier from BKK and Samui. Doesn't really answer my question though from what I understand you are quite correct. Penang used to be THE place to get a visa in the region but has become THE worst place to get a visa from what I understand. Better to go to KL IMO but just checking it out for her. 30 day visa exempt.... 2 week overstay... bounced of the Malay boarder to get 15 days (SA passport) and then a 7 day refusal (grace period) stamp. As far as I know Penang will not issue a tourist visa if there is an extension (30 day from a tourist visa) in the passport but do they consider a 7 day refusal as an extension? Penang has been wishy washy since they started handing out red stamps should you have a 30 day ext. in your passport after a single entry tourist visa. Not sure I would trust it, coin toss really. Look, she's very much a noob so I have agreed to go down with her to get a tourist visa if I need to (I think I will) but she wants to do it in Penang. I'd rather do it in Penang too because there is some awesome food to be had but that is not the reason for the trip. I need to do a boarder bounce myself by the 11th to activate my second of three tourist visa entries which means I'm heading down that way myself. If Penang is a no go then I'll go down to KL with her to hold her hand but would rather not. Tell you what, some people just turn up in Thailand and think they can stay as long as they like. Well, it's not like that at all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 Thanks for that. Firefly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamariva1957 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I have heard that KL is the worst place now to go since their little trouble with that stolen Visas blanks. Or has this now changed? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 KL is not very friendly now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4UCorsair Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 (edited) I'm not pouring scorn on your friend for not acting in a timely manner, but things almost inevitably become more difficult and costly if left and not dealt with. It can't be difficult to act when required rather than postpone, knowing that it will be more difficult down the track. It's not so difficult, and from what I read of Thai immigration officials, they can be uncooperative at best, and downright a$$holes at worst. They despise foreigners because they have the money to live in the Thai's own country, when they can barely eke out a living themselves. Why tempt it? There's an old saying, "Bad news doesn't get better with time". Edited December 2, 2013 by F4UCorsair 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 (edited) I'm not pouring scorn on your friend for not acting in a timely manner, but things almost inevitably become more difficult and costly if left and not dealt with. It can't be difficult to act when required rather than postpone, knowing that it will be more difficult down the track. It's not so difficult, and from what I read of Thai immigration officials, they can be uncooperative at best, and downright a$$holes at worst. They despise foreigners because they have the money to live in the Thai's own country, when they can barely eke out a living themselves. Why tempt it? There's an old saying, "Bad news doesn't get better with time". For sure. I'm just going to activate my second entry of 3. Once you start having to get visas in the region who knows what could happen and as you say, why tempt it. Looks like Penang by train (gulp) on the 10th for a 3 night jolly. I'll take a camera and write up a report on it which may be of help to others and as a thank you for the help I have received from TV members. I'd rather do it with Firefly who offer a thrice weekly service to Penang from Samui at around 10k all in. No bus, no boat and no train and more time to stuff my face. I'll have a little think and a chat to her later... It may be in my best interest as far as my own life is concerned to just fly us both down there. Money will be of no use to me if I am dead! Edited December 2, 2013 by notmyself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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