Have You Had A Problem At The Border?

[Pattszero]

Let's try to keep this sensible. People are genuinely worried as to what is coming down the line. This is the bedrock forum of this website - now is the time for information - not clownish comments. I'l go first -

Arrived 21 June, flight from Hong Kong.

Profile : genuine tourist.

23 Thai entry stamps in my passport.

Four of which were land crossings.

21 Visa-exempt.

2 Tourist visas.

I left Thailand Jan 10th - returned 23 May.

Visa exempt - I went to Hong Kong for three days.

Returned - pulled at immigration - my passport is nearly full, so that may have drawn attention.

Passport passed to senior immigration officer - when he looked through and could see most of my visits are less than two weeks things started to ease.

When I handed him my return flight to the UK in 18 days ( from that date ) I was stamped in immediately.

I have posted on this forum I believe it is wise to have your onward flight to hand no matter if you are traveling visa exempt or on a tourist visa.

That is only a matter of opinion, others can do as they wish. I do know that I will never approach the immigration desk again without a copy of my onward flight.

Have you had a problem at the border?

[stevenl]

So what was your problem? For visa exempt entry flight ticket out of Thailand is required, you provided, and were allowed in.

[Pattszero]

So what was your problem? For visa exempt entry flight ticket out of Thailand is required, you provided, and were allowed in.

My problem was that my passport was passed up to a senior official before I was allowed entry.

Has that ever happened to you on a visa exempt entry?

[stevenl]

So what was your problem? For visa exempt entry flight ticket out of Thailand is required, you provided, and were allowed in.

My problem was that my passport was passed up to a senior official before I was allowed entry.

Has that ever happened to you on a visa exempt entry?

So your problem was: I did not meet the entry requirement at first glance, was asked about this and able to meet the requirements and consequently allowed entry.

[asdecas]

So what was your problem? For visa exempt entry flight ticket out of Thailand is required, you provided, and were allowed in.

My problem was that my passport was passed up to a senior official before I was allowed entry.

Has that ever happened to you on a visa exempt entry?

So your problem was: I did not meet the entry requirement at first glance, was asked about this and able to meet the requirements and consequently allowed entry.

The OP can correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd say the problem (I'd call it just an anxiety) is that what happened to him at the border recently presages further difficulties in the future.

It seems true to say that there is a general tightening up of visa regulations enforcement. The problem for people in the same situation as the OP is that nobody can say for sure how far such tightening up will go and for how long it will last. Certainly it's part of a worldwide trend, no doubt engendered by the absurd 'War on Terror', but real nevertheless.

[phuketrichard]

to me it appears the op is indeed a tourist,

does not travel here on a visa exempt or tourist visa and stay the whole time an than leaves.

and when he leaves he stays out for more than 1 hour- 1 day

i think anyone with the above scenario will never have any trouble

[baboon]

Good idea for a thread. Such a pity it will probably get bogged down by people squabbling.

[muffy]

So you can't fly in and leave by land ? I did many times in the old days .

[slipperylobster]

All those stamps/visas coming into Thailand...must have raised some kind of flag. You made i through..good. Many of us are concerned and are in the process of doing the long stay visa....

My first step has been accomplished (proof of income from the embassy). Now I am looking at converting my tourist visa to a non-immigrant O and then apply for the one year retirement extension.....in Bangkok, but I won't have 21 days remaining on my first entry (now on a 30 day extension). If they turn me down, I will fly out and do it. I still have a second entry left, but wish to get this done, as I am intending to remain for the long run (now just arrived in Chiang Mai).

My passport is full of border runs and visas....but only 2 this year (double entry). I spent a month in the Philippines and 2 months in the USA, but I still worry about trying to remain in a tourist status.

Other plan, if all else fails, is to do the non o 90 day in Savannekhet instead of flying to Kuala Lumpur.

Never saw this coming, but the time is here...Big crackdown..... Glad I qualify for the retirement extension. I was unsure of living here, but now things have changed, and I am ready for it.

[ubonjoe]

All those stamps/visas coming into Thailand...must have raised some kind of flag. You made i through..good. Many of us are concerned and are in the process of doing the long stay visa....

My first step has been accomplished (proof of income from the embassy). Now I am looking at converting my tourist visa to a non-immigrant O and then apply for the one year retirement extension.....in Bangkok, but I won't have 21 days remaining on my first entry (now on a 30 day extension). If they turn me down, I will fly out and do it. I still have a second entry left, but wish to get this done, as I am intending to remain for the long run (now just arrived in Chiang Mai).

My passport is full of border runs and visas....but only 2 this year (double entry). I spent a month in the Philippines and 2 months in the USA, but I still worry about trying to remain in a tourist status.

Other plan, if all else fails, is to do the non o 90 day in Savannekhet instead of flying to Kuala Lumpur.

Never saw this coming, but the time is here...Big crackdown..... Glad I qualify for the retirement extension. I was unsure of living here, but now things have changed, and I am ready for it.

You only need 15 days remaining on your entry or extension. The 21 day requirement went away some time ago.

You can do it as soon as you do an entry. You could do it the day after you enter if you wanted to.

Also are you aware the money only has to be in the bank. The 60 days is not needed until you do the extension.

[Suradit69]

Good idea for a thread. Such a pity it will probably get bogged down by people squabbling.

Out of idle curiosity, are you being intentionally ironic complaining about off-topic, squabbling posts by posting an off-topic, querulous post?

More to the point, I have never had a problem entering Thailand, leaving Thailand or extending my stay in Thailand at a border or at an airport not located on the border or at an immigrations office. Not even a moment's hesitation or suspicious gaze while processing my entry/exit or application. Never had any difficulty applying for a tourist visa or, ultimately, my Non-Imm O-A at an embassy or consulate.

[John1thru10]

All those stamps/visas coming into Thailand...must have raised some kind of flag. You made i through..good. Many of us are concerned and are in the process of doing the long stay visa....

My first step has been accomplished (proof of income from the embassy). Now I am looking at converting my tourist visa to a non-immigrant O and then apply for the one year retirement extension.....in Bangkok, but I won't have 21 days remaining on my first entry (now on a 30 day extension). If they turn me down, I will fly out and do it. I still have a second entry left, but wish to get this done, as I am intending to remain for the long run (now just arrived in Chiang Mai).

My passport is full of border runs and visas....but only 2 this year (double entry). I spent a month in the Philippines and 2 months in the USA, but I still worry about trying to remain in a tourist status.

Other plan, if all else fails, is to do the non o 90 day in Savannekhet instead of flying to Kuala Lumpur.

Never saw this coming, but the time is here...Big crackdown..... Glad I qualify for the retirement extension. I was unsure of living here, but now things have changed, and I am ready for it.

To answer the OP's question, instead of defensively dismissing him, or (somehow?) accusing him of 'declaring open season on bashing Thailand' (that one made zero sense to me), it does seem to be a new policy to simply give extra scrutiny to anyone who simply has many Thai stamps in their passport - and that is a new spirit, it's true. I recognize and confirm it - and the OP makes a good suggestion, to have an outgoing ticket (within a short period of time, for that matter) out of Thailand in hand to show.

Also, some people have written about extra scrutiny for staying in 'apartment' type residences, even if they think of them as short term in their own experience. And it's also been mentioned (especially at land borders) of being asked to show 20k baht in CASH in order to enter (even with a new TR visa, etc).

It was also mentioned (in official statements) that August 12 would be the date where airport entries would officially be 'cracked down' on. So especially around that date and after, one could expect a new kind of experience if they have indications of having been in Thaialnd a lot of times before, just in a visual way looking at your passport. Ignore people who try to say it's not true, or cast aspersions on anyone who's had this kind of experience. There are a lot of border officials, and peoples experiences can be very different from each others, based on all sorts of things from something you'd never think of yourself, to how that official perceives you at the moment, or simply what their personal feeling are. If you have a ton of stamps in a thick passport, getting a new passport seems to be enormously helpful in these ways, as far as a first impression things goes at this time.

[ubonjoe]

Bickering posts removed.

[John1thru10]

My passport is full of border runs and visas....but only 2 this year (double entry).

___

One thing to keep is mind (and it's been confirmed to me several times from visa-run companies who have a lot of experience) that the dates on the visas are sometimes not the issue at first, but simply if they are there in the passport. Not to sound scary that way, but I've experience that - I was away in Europe for over half a year recently, and had a very difficult time arriving to BKK by air again, and the official wasn't interested in noting any of the many times I'd been well outside of Asia in between visits. It can be up to the person of course, how they react initially, which then can change the direction of how it goes afterwards. Also, I was surprised last year to be told that the dates of (now very old) tourist visas didn't matter, but only that they were still in my passport at all. So, keep that in mind.

[cbluck58]

I am currently on a retirement visa but prior to my qualifying for this by age I have had more entry and exit stamps than I care to remember having been here full time since 1984, and never experiencing a problem getting in either by land , sea , or air.

I am convinced however that , although it is wrong to judge a book by it's cover, your appearance and demeanour have a lot to do with how the Immigration guys react to you.

Example. In the South, just across the border to Malaysia ( between the two border control points ) is a very pleasant golf course. A lot of people used to drive down there for a day out and there was never a problem with the Thai authorities who, if they saw the golf clubs in the car would just wave you through without any formalities , you played your golf and just drove back through into Thailand again.

Fairly recently however, reports have been coming back that the immigration have now started to make life very difficult for farangs and insisting on full immigration processing in and out in order to get to the course.

The persons reporting these problems almost certainly arrived at the border under the influence, were loud and probably summarily dismissive of the need to understand that getting through without any checks was actually a huge favour and not something to be automatically expected .

I am not sure but strongly suspect that the Immigration authorities reacted to this affront along the lines that we all probably would when people take the piss.

Upshot of all this is that nobody goes there any more - a good day out f***ed up for the rest of us.

Immigration officials have a job to do like everyone else and they deserve to be treated with common respect , particularly by guests in their country - it is a crying shame that the UK Immigration service do not control entry into their country in the same way......it is not difficult to play by the rules, however if you don't like the minor inconveniences involved , GO HOME.

[sandyf]

So what was your problem? For visa exempt entry flight ticket out of Thailand is required, you provided, and were allowed in.

My problem was that my passport was passed up to a senior official before I was allowed entry.

Has that ever happened to you on a visa exempt entry?

Before going on to a Non Imm O visa I must have done over 20 trips from the UK mostly visa exempt with a couple of tourist visas. I was never queried,asked to show funds or a return ticket. Strikes me that you have a valid point.

[NanLaew]

The growing frequency of posts relating to a sudden increased scrutiny on entering or re-entering over Thailand's land borders merely confirms what has been officially announced by Thai Immigration.

I fully expect a further surge in posts like this one, relating to a sudden increased scrutiny on entering or re-entering at Thailand's airports, one again confirming what has been officially announced by Thai Immigration.

In either case, anyone with 21 Thai entry stamps in their passport and claiming this increased scrutiny is unexpected is only pretending to be a 'genuine tourist' IMHO.

[Soutpeel]

The growing frequency of posts relating to a sudden increased scrutiny on entering or re-entering over Thailand's land borders merely confirms what has been officially announced by Thai Immigration.

I fully expect a further surge in posts like this one, relating to a sudden increased scrutiny on entering or re-entering at Thailand's airports, one again confirming what has been officially announced by Thai Immigration.

In either case, anyone with 21 Thai entry stamps in their passport and claiming this increased scrutiny is unexpected is only pretending to be a 'genuine tourist' IMHO.

As mentioned in a previous post, I came through swampy last week, and was "questioned" about my job and who I worked for in Thailand (they know, its written above the re-entry permit) I did ask the guy if he wanted to see my WP, but said no

in my 14 years working on an extension/WP only once before I had been " questioned" about my job/employer, and that was years ago coming through DM

So yes they are paying attention to who is coming and going

[snottgoblin]

Interesting thread, I am next out of the country in a few weeks with a work trip to the states, will be interesting if on arrival back my passport gets scrutinised. I am on an extension of stay with WP, but it does appear they are tightening up. I have no issues with that as countries do need to keep borders secure.

Visa runners are going to be a dying breed at this rate.

[Pralaad]

The growing frequency of posts relating to a sudden increased scrutiny on entering or re-entering over Thailand's land borders merely confirms what has been officially announced by Thai Immigration.

I fully expect a further surge in posts like this one, relating to a sudden increased scrutiny on entering or re-entering at Thailand's airports, one again confirming what has been officially announced by Thai Immigration.

In either case, anyone with 21 Thai entry stamps in their passport and claiming this increased scrutiny is unexpected is only pretending to be a 'genuine tourist' IMHO.

As mentioned in a previous post, I came through swampy last week, and was "questioned" about my job and who I worked for in Thailand (they know, its written above the re-entry permit) I did ask the guy if he wanted to see my WP, but said no

in my 14 years working on an extension/WP only once before I had been " questioned" about my job/employer, and that was years ago coming through DM

So yes they are paying attention to who is coming and going

What did they want to know about the job?

[smedly]

This thread is good for those that fit a certain profile - the profile is basically living here on back to back tourist visa's doing constant visa runs or using VOA's and constantly doing visa runs - this profile would raise a question - how are you supporting yourself in Thailand (are you working)

It has more impact on those under 50 as your options are limited but the same quest is raised - how are you supporting yourself in Thailand (are you working)

If you are over 50 you can get an extension based on retirement if you have the funds required, if you don't have the funds then you have a problem (how are you supporting yourself in Thailand) are you working

Ultimately nobody really knows how this will evolve at border crossings but there are changes being reported and this thread has been created to report various experiences to share for others

The bottom line seems to be they are looking for people who are working illegally in Thailand - if you are not working illegally in Thailand then it shouldn't be difficult to show that your money is coming from outside the country - we don't know if that will make a difference at this point but it seems a sensible option to carry such evidence with you to help prove you are not working and have a money source from outside (that does not include showing a Thai bank balance or cash)

Lets keep this thread going and keep it sensible

Information that might help when you post

age

visa type

single married

duration of stay

Brief visa history

evidence provided to prove you are not working

[rayinkrabi]

I agree with most of the posts here and altho on I'm a retirement extension and have been for many years, I'd let my non o expire about a year ago and did a few border runs prior to sorting it out. I was subjected to more scrutiny and questioning than ever before, and this was ages ago so I reckoned the writing was on the wall for visa runners even then.

I take the view that this has all come about due to many fellow farang taking the p**s and I'm sure we all know some who do, leading to the inevitable crack down.

As already pointed out by some, I wonder what's next? an increase in the financial requirement? compulsory health insurance? Hmm.

[larsjohnsson]

In and out every year since 1984 without any problems

[smotherb]

An acquaintance was denied re-entry at Danok yesterday, he has been using the visa run (30 days, then 15, then 30 again) for several years. He is now in Penang trying to secure a visa. He says, last month it was no problem, as it was in the past.

[MonkeyLoo]

Been coming and going for years on visa exempt and tourist visas, single, double and triple entries.

I was questioned exiting last week at swampy and just explained that i have a partner and family here and that i do contract work away for various periods of time.

I showed him my work permits for other countries and he just waved me on. After pocketing 500 baht for my 1 day overstay that is.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[oldthaihand99]

The bottom line seems to be they are looking for people who are working illegally in Thailand - if you are not working illegally in Thailand then it shouldn't be difficult to show that your money is coming from outside the country - we don't know if that will make a difference at this point but it seems a sensible option to carry such evidence with you to help prove you are not working and have a money source from outside (that does not include showing a Thai bank balance or cash)

What would constitute such "proof"?

For those travelling on tourist visas, have the authorities shown any interest in seeing such "proof" to those entering LOS via airports or borders?

Do they have the manpower & time to spend to look at & verify such "proof"? I can imagine lineups being long & slower than usual.

Would these Thai authorities even be able to recognize foreign documents (e.g. income tax returns as "proof") as being genuine?

I'm hoping to be well prepared to try to perpetually enter Siam on tourist visas for about 55 days at a time after leaving the country after every visit for 2-3 months.

[Pattszero]

Just to answer a few points. I know the temptation is to assume doubt on posts here -

I am a businessman - I know how to present myself to people in authority. I was smartly dressed, clean shaven, and sober

I'm 48, I still work in the UK.

The vast majority of my stays are less than two weeks, some less than a week. I tend to use Swampy as my default Asian airport and move on from there.

To that end, my last Asian holiday prior to this trip was -

6 days on Thailand

7 days Siem Reap overland

8 days Thailand

4 days KL by flight

8 days Thailand

30 days Ho Chi Minh

Then back to the UK for 18 weeks. I do have to work.

That last vacation resulted in three entry stamps

The travel pattern is quite normal for me - my total trip this time is 45 days - that was including the mini-break to Hong Kong. I fancied flying down to Taiwan for a few days this week but being pulled at the border has curtailed that

I won't use Swampy as my default airport in future. I'll use KL as it has equally good onward links. If I get knocked back at the border I'll just return to KL and write Thailand off.

There's plenty of other destinations - and all Thailand will have achieved is barring entry to the type of tourist they were hpping to attract. Shortish stay - mid- market.

There's no victory for anyone in that

[stevenl]

Just to answer a few points. I know the temptation is to assume doubt on posts here -

I am a businessman - I know how to present myself to people in authority. I was smartly dressed, clean shaven, and sober

I'm 48, I still work in the UK.

The vast majority of my stays are less than two weeks, some less than a week. I tend to use Swampy as my default Asian airport and move on from there.

To that end, my last Asian holiday prior to this trip was -

6 days on Thailand

7 days Siem Reap overland

8 days Thailand

4 days KL by flight

8 days Thailand

30 days Ho Chi Minh

Then back to the UK for 18 weeks. I do have to work.

That last vacation resulted in three entry stamps

The travel pattern is quite normal for me - my total trip this time is 45 days - that was including the mini-break to Hong Kong. I fancied flying down to Taiwan for a few days this week but being pulled at the border has curtailed that

I won't use Swampy as my default airport in future. I'll use KL as it has equally good onward links. If I get knocked back at the border I'll just return to KL and write Thailand off.

There's plenty of other destinations - and all Thailand will have achieved is barring entry to the type of tourist they were hpping to attract. Shortish stay - mid- market.

There's no victory for anyone in that

Thanks for the additional info.

I disagree with your final comment, they'll have achieved a lot. This is IMO mainly aimed at illegal workers, and I have heard of quite a few people and areas where illegal workers are panicking.

[hobz]

Presenting yourself as a business man and entering on a tourist visa seems a bit counterproductive to me. For tourists on tourist visa it's probably easier to go through unquestioned looking like a slob. When they see me they think nobody would ever hire something that looks like me..so they know im not working. Thus they let me through without questions

[slipperylobster]

Presenting yourself as a business man and entering on a tourist visa seems a bit counterproductive to me. For tourists on tourist visa it's probably easier to go through unquestioned looking like a slob. When they see me they think nobody would ever hire something that looks like me..so they know im not working. Thus they let me through without questions

or, at best, an English Teacher

on another note, regarding personal appearance, I suppose it would be better to be looking over 60 years of age, as you would be presumed to be living off a pension, vice working.

Actually, I do not see it one way or another. We all have an occasional hangover/bad hair day/wardrobe faux pas day. When you are at the Immigration window, they do not scrutinize your shoes, nor see if your shirt is tucked in and your trousers are creased. Perhaps they do recognize nervous hands/behavior, and look more closely at your visas....but I doubt that. I think they verify your stamps/visas for validity and frequencies....not so much your haircut or choice of wardrobe for the day.