Tourist Visa Not Honoured By Immigration Officer at Suvarnabhumi!

[OJAS]

If using a visa for entry you put that number on the arrival card - if using a re-entry permit you put that number on the card. Always best to point out re-entry being used as they have to manually set date on there stamp.

Rather than reset the date on their "Admitted until" stamp, in my experience they enter this date in manuscript in the separate rectangular stamp they have just placed in your passport nowadays.

[lopburi3]

That could be - have not traveled in some time - would make it easier to get it right.

[flyingdoc]

I don't know about other countries, but in the U.K., obtaining a Tourist Visa is becoming so difficult, one just cannot imagine what is behind the motivation?

No longer can one obtain a Visa from any Consulates, nor can one obtain a Visa from the Thai Embassy in London by post. If one takes a day off from work to go to London, it is still impossible to obtain the Visa in under 24 hours, so that means a second trip or another day in London plus a possible hotel.

In the end it seems best to just arrive for 30 days, and leave the country after that, and return after how long?

Much was made on Thai Visa Forum about obtaining a Visa Exempt stamp, then going to a local Immigration Office for a 30 day extension for 1,900 baht?

What has happened to that proposal? Has it been implemented?

[masuk]

Yes. go to either airport immigration office, or the local immigration office. They will fix the stamp for you.

I had a similar thing happen to me in April. Arrived at Chiang Mai, chatted to the lady at Immigration, she stamped my passport and way I went.

When I got home, I checked the passport, and she'd given me 30 days, obviously not seeing that I was holding a Retirement Extension which runs to September 30th.

Took it back to the airport next day, and they fixed it in 10 minutes.

[paz]

I don't know about other countries, but in the U.K., obtaining a Tourist Visa is becoming so difficult, one just cannot imagine what is behind the motivation?

No longer can one obtain a Visa from any Consulates, nor can one obtain a Visa from the Thai Embassy in London by post. If one takes a day off from work to go to London, it is still impossible to obtain the Visa in under 24 hours, so that means a second trip or another day in London plus a possible hotel.

That is not correct, see for example

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/755619-non-o-birmingham-consulate/

Non-Imm O issued in 10 minutes at consulate, Tourist visa would be the same.

Also, London embassy do issues visa by post, many people use that service.

In the end it seems best to just arrive for 30 days, and leave the country after that, and return after how long?

Much was made on Thai Visa Forum about obtaining a Visa Exempt stamp, then going to a local Immigration Office for a 30 day extension for 1,900 baht?

What has happened to that proposal? Has it been implemented?

Is not really better because an extension is more expensive at 1,900 Bt, and requires a trip to immigration. The new regulations have started yesterday.

[nithisa78]

Maybe he was having bad day.

[mihalis]

I had a 60 day tourist visa stamped for only 30 days, never checked it before leaving airport... I stayed 55 days, at airport was stopped, for overstay, i showed them my tourist visa, and senior officer came over, and rectified error...

[jethro69]

Double check your expiration date (enter before) on your Visa. Your second entry needs to be used by the expiration date as well. That might be why he stamped you in for only 30 days. This happened to me once.

Otherwise, if your visa is not yet expired, go to immigration and they will fix it.

I'm a bit confused by the above statement. I'm here on a triple TV, which expires on 23.01, up to today I was thinking, that I've to start the third entry before 23.01, is that correct??

[paz]

I'm a bit confused by the above statement. I'm here on a triple TV, which expires on 23.01, up to today I was thinking, that I've to start the third entry before 23.01, is that correct??

On or before 23/1.

[iamariva1957]

Do not worry too much. The stamp can be 'fixed'. Just go as other have said herein to your local immigration office or back at Swampy and explain the situation and they will 'fix' the issue with the correct stamp.

As Mac said, it is not unusual for the officer to make a mistake. I have had one say that I was on a 2-day overstay and failed to see the stamp from Immigration giving me an additional 7-days from the original entry/depart by stamp. So it is vital that you make sure that the stamps issued and their dates are correct. Oh, and never volunteer any information as a general rule of thumb. But if you have to or are asked "how long do you stay", then follow the guidelines as set out by the visa that you have been issued (eg: Double Entry gives you 60-days with an additional 30-days extension... so 90-days in all... legally).

But as long as the Thai government maintains the power of the individual immigration officer at the point of entry to use their own "discretion".. we travelers have to be vigilant.

[hawker9000]

Wehave a few post here on occasion by people who want the 30day stamp to save there tourist visa. Op have you considered using the 30 days given do a fast border run and then using your tourist visa. But check to see what the use by date is first to make sure that will work.

You cannot save your tourist visa for later, I tried this last time but the immigration woman insisted that I had to use the tourist visa.

This is true in theory and is probably the "rule", but I don't think always in practice. You can't ignore the matter of IO discretion, or the possibility of IO human error. The OP may have unintentionally confused the officer when answering the "how long are you going to stay" question with "30 days". If the IO stamped the OP's passport with a visa-exempt 30d stamp instead of the 2nd entry on the double-entry tourist visa, and at the end of that 30 days the tourist visa's "Must-Enter-Before" date has NOT passed, then I don't see why he can't go ahead and use it. BE SURE and fill out the Arrival Card with the visa no., and then place the Arrival Card in the passport at the page where the visa is. OR, go and just get it corrected as others have suggested - probably the better solution.

[inbangkok]

Double check your expiration date (enter before) on your Visa. Your second entry needs to be used by the expiration date as well. That might be why he stamped you in for only 30 days. This happened to me once.

Otherwise, if your visa is not yet expired, go to immigration and they will fix it.

I'm a bit confused by the above statement. I'm here on a triple TV, which expires on 23.01, up to today I was thinking, that I've to start the third entry before 23.01, is that correct??

That is correct.

[sandyf]

do you put the visa number on your entry card or the "extension" number if you are on an extension ? thanks

I arrived yesterday for the first time on a re-entry permit and left the visa number blank. The IO asked me to enter the visa number and I said I was not sure which number to use and she pointed to the re-entry permit number. I could not make out what immigration had written so the IO ended up filling it in anyway.

[Digitalnomade]

Why people don't just check their passport right after you pass the booth instead to do that at home?

One officer forgot my exist stamp, went back to ask where the exit stamp was, and he simply forgot it....

It's your duty to check for mistakes and report them unless your mom is still responsible of you.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Digitalnomade

[blastface]

Why people don't just check their passport right after you pass the booth instead to do that at home?

One officer forgot my exist stamp, went back to ask where the exit stamp was, and he simply forgot it....

It's your duty to check for mistakes and report them unless your mom is still responsible of you.

^^^lol, after work I went out with my friends and we made new friends, etc., and it was a really good time. I can only hope that one day you will experience the same. I wonder what is blocking that from happening to you...? (you and others with similar posts to this, smh)

(a big thank you to all the helpful posts, mine was intended to be helpful also, imo we can close this topic now)

[enuff said]

.

I thought you said you weren't working? Here as a tourist and following all the rules?

I'm calling your mom.

~

Edited September 2, 2014 by 'nuff said

[blastface]

.

I thought you said you weren't working? Here as a tourist and following all the rules?

I'm calling your mom.

~

Thanks for that. Okay, I guess I should have said I don't earn Thai baht from Thailand, as a troll shield. Obviously I 'work' to get the money I use that I exchange for the baht that I've been spending here. Thanks, though. If anyone else wants to play, feel free I guess.