Double entry visa problem story

[SpeedFreakz]

Just got from Penang and i need to share this story with you.

My girlfriend study biology in Hat Yai for the last 3 years or so and since we are not married and i don't have a job i stay here on tourist visas only. I entered Thailand at Jan.2012 with my first visa and so far got 6 tourist visas including last double entry one.

So after my first two months passed on double entry visa, i went to immigration to pay for 1 month extension and i got stamp admitted until: 02.APR., so at 02.APR i went to the Padang Besaar border to do visa run and everything was fine until i came to the entry Thailand check where the guy told me that my visa is not valid, i asked why and he showed me the date on my visa says enter before 1.APR. I was so confused since in immigration they gave me admitted until 2nd and now i can't enter thailand. he told me that the only thing i can do is to go and get new visa, but the things to be worse i left my cred card and all my belongings in Hat Yai since i thought this will be just a casual visa run, so i asked him is there anything he can do, but he refused it and he was very unpolite. after that i wanted to see the border crossing "boss" as they called him since maybe he can have mercy on me. I went to talk with him and he also was very unpolite and even kinda flaming and angry.

Also while looking through my previos visas i found out that the last year i had the exact same thing, th edifference was just in year, i had double visa stamped until 2nd APR 2013 and on visa said enter before; 01.APR 2013, and i entered 02.APR without any problems, got stamped..all good, but this time they making problems for some reason. Even if it is my fault noone really told me that i need to look the date on my visa and not the one that people in immigration gave me, after all isit their job to take a look at my visa entry date and never stamp more days than it says on enter before date.

back on the story,

So i explained him that i don't have any money or clothes, papers etc with me so i need to enter Thailand just to pick my stuff so i can travel to Penang after which he let me go in basically illegally but at one condition to come back the same day since i can than cancel the exit stamp from Malaysia and get back there. Also when i showed him my previous visa from 2013 he laughed at me and told me that the officials are sleeping and not doing their job. You wont believe what kind of rush this problem gave me, since it was end of the month i my budget was almost without any help also my bike broke few days ago so i needed to fix that too, at the end i borrowed money and took another van for border. arrived there late at night, no bus, no train..only taxi. They wanted 3000b to take me to Penang, after some talk i lowered it down to 2400b. Arrived at Penang at night time, slept till morning, filed the form for 1 entry visa, and got my 7th tourist visa. I was lucky that i have recommendation letters from 2 professors from my gf faculty to show the the embassy, otherwise i think i would be doomed there. Now i guess i am going home after this visa runs out.

So yea, take care and carefully watch your dates on visas and always ask in immigration if you are unsure of something, or else you could be in some serious s**t.

[thepool]

A sad tale of a total failure to take personal responsibility.

The problems encountered were entirely self made.

You were very lucky to obtain another TV.

You should be aware that with the history contained in the passport that any further TV's/visa exempt entries may prove difficult to obtain.

[Maestro]

...Even if it is my fault noone really told me that i need to look the date on my visa...

If I understand you correctly, this is what happened, in chronological order:

1. You applied for a visa.
2. The consulate gave you the visa.
3. You did not look at the date on the visa because nobody told you to do so.

Let me, therefore, be the first person to tell you that when you get a visa you should read it carefully and follow the instructions printed on the visa,

For additional information on this subject, you may find this notice on the website of the Immigration Bureau helpful:

What does the visa expiration date mean?

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask them in this forum.

[Maestro]

Looking at the scanned visa dated 2 JAN 2013 I see that an immigration officer did indeed erroneously allow you to make your second entry one day after the "enter before" date. It was, however, unreasonable to expect that, one year later, the same or another immigration officer would make the same mistake again, just like it would be unreasonable to expect that once you have run a red traffic light without causing an accident you will have the same good fortune on future transgressions of this traffic rule.

On another note, I see from your attachments that you appear to be in the habit of waiting until the last day of your permission to stay to apply for your 30-day extension. It may interest you to know that you may apply for this extension up to 21 days early, at some immigration offices often even earlier, and the 30 additional days will always be added to the end of your current permission to stay.

[Maestro]

...

You should be aware that with the history contained in the passport that any further TV's/visa exempt entries may prove difficult to obtain.

As long as a foreigner using back-to-back tourist visas and/or visa exempt entries for a long period is able to show evidence, if and when required, that he does not support his stay in Thailand for the purpose of tourism with income earned in Thailand he should have no problem. The point you make is valid and with the recently increased scrutiny of this type of traveller it is a good idea to carry relevant documents designed to dispel suspicions of working illegally in Thailand

[I Like Thai]

You don't need a visa to enter Thailand. You can get a visa exempt entry on arrival. Your story smells fishy

[Maestro]

I think you misunderstand the first post in this topic. He did not say that he was unable to get a visa-exempt entry. He meant to enter Thailand on 2 APR with the second entry available on his double-entry tourist visa which said "enter before 1 APR", believing that he would be able to do so because the 30-day extension of stay he got after his first entry with this visa was valid until 2 APR. He is not the first to be confused about this, as posts by members in the past have shown, and he will not be the last. Therefore, please let us not castigate him for this misunderstanding.

[Maestro]

This topic having run its course, I am now closing it.