Immigration Announcement About Visa Exempt Extensions & Other Changes On the 29th

[paz]

^{Staying 60 days without a visa. that's rather good}

But it will cost more. Visa Bt. 1,000, extension 1,900.

[paz]

Does anyone know if there have been any changes to expats married to Thai wives who have a 1-year Type O visa? They have been requesting the 400,000 Baht in the banking account thing and the basic documents since I've been here (10 years) and I just want to be prepared.

No changes. All this was known even before.

[JDGRUEN]

^{Staying 60 days without a visa. that's rather good}

But it will cost more. Visa Bt. 1,000, extension 1,900.

I read it ... and yeah good ... but more money and mostly indecipherable to the typical tourist who arrives here on an Exemption and reads about how to stay longer... The powers that be had better find a better - more understandable way to describe (market) it ... Because on this thread we have fairly knowledgeable people trying to figure out what all the new changes mean .. and some how Joe and Jane tourist are going to just snap to it ... GOOD GRIEF - can't they hire a English language translator with some credentials ?

[JDGRUEN]

Can tourists on a 30 day visa exempt stamp extend for 30 days in Thailand, or is it still a border run? Any ideas?

,

As far as I know and understand, if you arrive without a visa you will be issued the 30 day Visa upon arrival, as it is known.....some people call it a Visa exempt stamp...right?

A 30 day upon arrival stamp is issued for most nationalities but some nationalities will receive a 15 day stamp upon arrival while a few countries are required to have a visa prior to arrival or they will not pass immigration.

Recently, When 2 of my friends and I went to the immigration offices at Chaengwattana they were told they can only receive a 7 day tourist status extension relative to a visa upon arrival.

We were told, if you have a 30 day or 60 day tourist visa obtained from a Thai embassy, prior to arrival then ( then ), you can obtain a 30 day extension at Cheangwattana or other provincial immigration office

But not always as it is up to the immigration officer and their mood ...it seems.

You can point out to them that you have a 30 day visa obtained prior to arrival from a Thai embassy but they can still deny you a 30 day extension and only give you 7 days or 15 days .....or none at all...as it is up to them and it seems, all too often, their mood and disposition decides at the time you are sitting in front of them applying for the extension.

In other words some of them can be nasty little people who want to make your day miserable ...if they want.

You would not be the first to be turned down because of their mood....maybe hemorrhoids, that time of the month, booze on your breath, the way you dress and look, not smiling enough and or acknowledging their level of importance....or the last foreigner pissed them off so now they are going to take it out on you and get a little revenge.

When I asked about going to an embassy and applying for a 90 day tourist visa I was told they do not issue 90 day tourist visas any more.

That is what I was told but I surmise some embassy can or will issue a 90 day visa if they want.

I used to obtain 90 day tourist visas, 3 journeys at a time, as a matter of routine from nearly every embassy in the South East Asian region...back in the day....but not so long ago.

I was told you can obtain 2 back to back, 60 day tourist visas ( known as 2 journeys ) from most embassies and for most passports while you have to leave the country before or on the 60th day and use or activate the second journey before the date seen attached to the visas...or either one of them become void.

Same rules as have always existed

When I asked what would happen when a person finishes the 1st Visa ( 1st 60 day journey ) and by way of land.....say you go to the Cambodian border to exit and re-enter on the same day, then would a person or could a person be turned down and be suspect of doing supposed visa border runs.

I was told ( NO ) because you already have the 2nd Journey paid for through the Thai embassy where you obtained the 2, 60 day tourist visas.

So, in theory, you will not be restricted when activating your 2nd journey when coming back into the country ....in theory.

I told them , some people have a visa from a Thai embassy but they are being scrutinized by the immigration personal at some border points.

They told me, in theory you should not be turned down because you already have the 2nd journey existing in your passport, meaning that you are officially granted permission, 2 times, to enter the country by the Thai consulate general at the Thai embassy where you obtained your visas......

When I said: Sometimes it is up to the mood of the immigration officer at what ever border point you are trying to -re-enter Thailand, the immigration officer smiled and said : Yes, sometimes they will not allow you to enter......for some reason......but in theory you can re-enter.

When I said, with a smile: Maybe have to pay again at the border??.....the officer smiled more and said: "Maybe...like that..........lol

It seems to me if you can enter and re-enter into Thailand by way of the Airport then you most likely will not have any problems and or anyone scrutinizing you or your passport.

However if you enter or re-enter by land then you have a much higher chance of being questioned and scrutinized and possibly turned down.

So, from 25 years of living in Thailand I predict what will happen is the immigration officials at the border will comply with the new rules and start to question and scrutinize all the more foreigners entering and or re-entering into Thailand ....because the pressure is on them to comply with the new order of things ...so to speak.

But, you have to understand that the border run business was a profitable business for many people and it could not be accomplished without the cooperation of (some) or a good number of immigration officials at various levels and let it develop the way it did develop and evolve over the years.

Now those people are more or less cut off from the lucrative cash flow that they were once afforded until recently.

I predict they will find ways to profit from the visa racket once again.

Given some time, More than likely it will be known and word will get around that you simply give the officer(s) a border crossing fee ( 500 baht or 1000 baht.....whatever ) and pass through immigration with big smiles from everyone....very profitable...several hundred people a day......thank you very much...welcome to Thailand.

Cheers

I REST MY CASE ... New rule clarifications are CLEAR AS MUD ... because with a mix of the old and the new -- most IOs will not have a clue as to what to do ... pick and choose - mix and match .. I have had a bad day... I need money to pay my bills,, farangs have a lot of money - so........ total Malarky

[paz]

Now that I read the announcement, and comparing the new regulations with the repealed ones, seems important to note that when an application has been officially denied with the issuance of a 7 days extension, no reconsideration request is possible.

Before it was possible to use the 7 days extension to gain extra time to obtain whatever additional documentation and re-apply, now that is not possible anymore.

[biggles45]

" as my family are visiting for 7 weeks (they will have confirmed flights out etc at the end) in November/December. "

I would have thought without a tourist visa they could have problems getting on the plane got a 7 week stay

[paz]

" as my family are visiting for 7 weeks (they will have confirmed flights out etc at the end) in November/December. "

I would have thought without a tourist visa they could have problems getting on the plane got a 7 week stay

For how to deal with that see

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754481-boarding-to-thailand-without-return-ticket/

[Desert Rat]

I think I`m done with Thailand.

I`ll look for somewhere else to spend money.

[brewsterbudgen]

I think I`m done with Thailand.

I`ll look for somewhere else to spend money.

Thailand is not for everyone. Good luck in wherever you move on to.

[Gringogazzer]

^{Staying 60 days without a visa. that's rather good}

But for the person wanting to holiday near 60 days the bit about being only granted an extra 7 days because of "incomplete qualifications" isn't reassuring when they could just get a tourist visa without the hassle of immigration (will they, won't they) and the extra money.

Struggling to think who'd want it, some1 will enlighten me.

No documentation is needed for the 30 days extension, so it's unlikely that anyone is denied.

The clause can be useful to people that changes plans, or rotational workers on 60/60 for which id difficult or impossible to obtain a tourist visa in advance.

Cheers Paz,

So no photos or process the same as extending a tourist visa? Just walk in with passport, smile, wink and obtain a new stamp with leave to stay another 30 days?

"Incomplete qualifications" I took to mean forms, passport copies or photos etc. If that's not it then I wouldn't mind knowing what that statement means.

[paz]

So no photos or process the same as extending a tourist visa? Just walk in with passport, smile, wink and obtain a new stamp with leave to stay another 30 days?

"Incomplete qualifications" I took to mean forms, passport copies or photos etc. If that's not it then I wouldn't mind knowing what that statement means.

It's the same.

Incomplete qualifications is when one is denied for serious reasons, not small stuff that is correct on the spot.

[VBF]

So no photos or process the same as extending a tourist visa? Just walk in with passport, smile, wink and obtain a new stamp with leave to stay another 30 days?

"Incomplete qualifications" I took to mean forms, passport copies or photos etc. If that's not it then I wouldn't mind knowing what that statement means.

It's the same.

Incomplete qualifications is when one is denied for serious reasons, not small stuff that is correct on the spot.

Could it mean that you couldn't show one or more of the following:

Onward travel arrangements to leave Thailand

Accommodation bookings such as hotel, guest house, invitation from friends

Finances (Cash, cards, etc etc)

just me guessing at an interpretation, before anyone jumps to ask me how I know...I don't!

[paz]

Could it mean that you couldn't show one or more of the following:

Onward travel arrangements to leave Thailand

Accommodation bookings such as hotel, guest house, invitation from friends

Finances (Cash, cards, etc etc)

just me guessing at an interpretation, before anyone jumps to ask me how I know...I don't!

If you don't know, why you want to make it up?

There is an official regulation that lists the documentation required for each type of extension. For tourism, that is application form and passport copies.

[chasggg]

Following the announcement last week that from 29 August one could get a 30 day visa/visa exempt on arrival and then extend for a further 30 days I went to Hua Hin immigration yesterday to check this out as my family are visiting for 7 weeks (they will have confirmed flights out etc at the end) in November/December. The immigration officer there said he had now knowledge of this and that my family would need to get a 60 day visa from local embassy or consulate in country of origin ie uk

I wonder how long it takes for information to flow through ???? to be safe I have advised them to get all the documentation in order in home country not here ... just in case our local immigration officer is not quite up to date when they visit

Without a visa your family wouldn't be able to board the plane in England.........airlines are not allowed to let you fly with no visa if your return flight takes you past the 30 days in Thailand.

[Desert Rat]

I think I`m done with Thailand.

I`ll look for somewhere else to spend money.

Thailand is not for everyone. Good luck in wherever you move on to.

Well I`m not living in Thailand,but for the last three years I`ve stayed there for 6-7 months of the year,as a tourist. One of the many things I`ve liked about it was the simplicity of the immigration laws.

[ubonjoe]

Now that I read the announcement, and comparing the new regulations with the repealed ones, seems important to note that when an application has been officially denied with the issuance of a 7 days extension, no reconsideration request is possible.

Before it was possible to use the 7 days extension to gain extra time to obtain whatever additional documentation and re-apply, now that is not possible anymore.

You have to read it closely.

If you apply for your extension prior to your permit to stay running out you would have time to get the documents sorted.

In the case where they deny the extension and you have no additional time left and they give you 7 days to leave is when you have no chance to appeal. This would more than likely be after they have given you a under consideration stamp and they deny it.

[joorakee]

It means that 'aliens' from Europe will be able to spend the two coldest months of the year in the Land of Smiles without having to bother to apply for a tourist visa. Great!

[ChiTownHustla]

I have a Mulitple Entry ED Visa (1 year)

Previously I was able to re-enter Thailand the day before the visa expired and be granted an additional 90 days - effectively getting 15 months from the visa.

Am I correct in my understanding that I can no longer do this?

Not correct, you can. There are no changes for visa, only for extension of stay. With the correct paper work from school you can extend for 90 days at immigration for Bt 1,900, up to a total of 1 year of continuous stay in country.

But... It says that you can only extend 90 days at a time for a total of one year from date of entering the kingdom. I most recently entered in April 2014, but was just granted a 1 year extension from MOE starting on September 1st. Will They give me the proper extensions through September 2015 or am I screwed in April 2015? If that's the case I'll be losing out on 5 months on this current extension.

Just looking for positive reinforcement. I'll hopefully get more clear answers at immigration tomorrow. Will post my findings....

[Pattaya46]

It means that 'aliens' from Europe will be able to spend the two coldest months of the year in the Land of Smiles without having to bother to apply for a tourist visa. Great!

I don't think so. Many European airlines will not let you board

if you want stay more than 30 days and don't have a visa...

This new 30-days extensions seems rather useless for most farang tourists IMHO

[ubonjoe]

I have a Mulitple Entry ED Visa (1 year)

Previously I was able to re-enter Thailand the day before the visa expired and be granted an additional 90 days - effectively getting 15 months from the visa.

Am I correct in my understanding that I can no longer do this?

Not correct, you can. There are no changes for visa, only for extension of stay. With the correct paper work from school you can extend for 90 days at immigration for Bt 1,900, up to a total of 1 year of continuous stay in country.

But... It says that you can only extend 90 days at a time for a total of one year from date of entering the kingdom. I most recently entered in April 2014, but was just granted a 1 year extension from MOE starting on September 1st. Will They give me the proper extensions through September 2015 or am I screwed in April 2015? If that's the case I'll be losing out on 5 months on this current extension.

Just looking for positive reinforcement. I'll hopefully get more clear answers at immigration tomorrow. Will post my findings....

You quoted a post that is for a multiple entry non-ed visa.

What the MOE gives you has nothing to do with immigration. All they have done is approved your course of study.

At the moment it is not clear how they will apply the rules for those already here and on extensions of stay. The rules do not mention they are retroactive and immigration normally will not apply them that way.

[VBF]

Could it mean that you couldn't show one or more of the following:

Onward travel arrangements to leave Thailand

Accommodation bookings such as hotel, guest house, invitation from friends

Finances (Cash, cards, etc etc)

just me guessing at an interpretation, before anyone jumps to ask me how I know...I don't!

If you don't know, why you want to make it up?

There is an official regulation that lists the documentation required for each type of extension. For tourism, that is application form and passport copies.

Paz,

I've just re-read the original announcement, which is after all, the subject of this thread.

There are 4 clauses in it. Clause 2 discusses "incomplete qualifications" but does not state what these qualifications are!

If you mean they are defined elsewhere, in an official regulation you may be correct BUT if this announcement supersedes earlier documentation, you may not be correct.

I was merely commenting on the ambiguity - a feature of so many edicts in Thailand, possibly due to "losing something in the translation"

[VBF]

I don't think so. Many European airlines will not let you board

if you want stay more than 30 days and don't have a visa...

This new 30-days extensions seems rather useless for most farang tourists IMHO

Except perhaps if one's booked ticket home is flexible and one then decides to stay another few weeks.That is, you visited Thailand for (say) 28 days with a return ticket and no visa, then decided to stay for another 28 days.

I've frequently altered my return date - many airlines offer this albeit for a fee. Having said that, I've usually got a visa but the same principle applies in this case.

[ubonjoe]

Could it mean that you couldn't show one or more of the following:

Onward travel arrangements to leave Thailand

Accommodation bookings such as hotel, guest house, invitation from friends

Finances (Cash, cards, etc etc)

just me guessing at an interpretation, before anyone jumps to ask me how I know...I don't!

If you don't know, why you want to make it up?

There is an official regulation that lists the documentation required for each type of extension. For tourism, that is application form and passport copies.

Paz,

I've just re-read the original announcement, which is after all, the subject of this thread.

There are 4 clauses in it. Clause 2 discusses "incomplete qualifications" but does not state what these qualifications are!

If you mean they are defined elsewhere, in an official regulation you may be correct BUT if this announcement supersedes earlier documentation, you may not be correct.

I was merely commenting on the ambiguity - a feature of so many edicts in Thailand, possibly due to "losing something in the translation"

An announcement does not supersede any rule or regulation it only announces what they are. This announcement mentions police order 327/2557 and mentions some of the changes it makes to the previous police order.

This from order 138/2557 that are the documents required for the clauses in 327/2557.

2.4 In the case of tourism purposes:

Each permission shall be granted for no more than 30 days.

1. Application form

2. Copy of applicant’s passport

[KhunBENQ]

^{Staying 60 days without a visa. that's rather good}

But it will cost more. Visa Bt. 1,000, extension 1,900.

That 30 day extension thing is neither fish nor fowl.

It is more expensive than getting a visa in advance.

Holding a return ticket over 30 days might still get you in trouble whem entering a plane.

(I doubt that this new rule will be reflected in the airline systems [timatic]).

[Roda07]

Meaning if one yr ED visa expired and want to renew,someone need to leave the country to apply for another 1 yr?

[spetersen]

Whats the interpretation of a "noon school systems" stated in the announcement ? if you have a child in primary school 6th grade does the child have to leave the country too.

[ubonjoe]

Meaning if one yr ED visa expired and want to renew,someone need to leave the country to apply for another 1 yr?

A one year multiple entry ED visa would give 90 entries for a year but can give a total of 15 by doing an entry just before it expires. There is no one year ED visa that would allow you to stay for a year without leaving the country.

Or are you calling a one year extension of stay based upon education a visa. If had that you could get another one extension.

[ubonjoe]

Whats the interpretation of a "noon school systems" stated in the announcement ? if you have a child in primary school 6th grade does the child have to leave the country too.

That refers to schools such as those for language studies. Your child will not need to leave.

[Roda07]

Thanks Ubonjoe,,I sent you a private message .

[crisbat]

2. in case that the application for extension of temporary stay is not approved due to incomplete qualifications and the alien has got only 7 days extension of stay in order to leave the Kingdom , such alien is not able to appeal for reconsideration of non-permission

incomplete qualifications? means? form filled, pics, 1900THB and what else?