Double entry tourist visa at Hanoi + reentery at DMK: successful, BUT….

[jan2557]

The short version:

I've been in Thailand just over three years, at first on student/ED visas, then on tourist visas, without that much time out of the country. A few days ago I got a double-entry tourist visa at Hanoi with no problems, but then encountered difficulties with immigration on reentering at Don Mueang airport; it was only after speaking with a second officer that I was stamped in for the usual (roughly) 60 days. My discussions with the two officers left me uncertain about what immigration's policies really are.

The longer, more detailed version:

I've been in Thailand just over three years; at first I was on student/ED visas, then switched over to tourist visas. Usually when I left the country, it was only for 2-3 days to get a new visa in Laos, then I'd reenter. Late last year I returned to the U.S. for a couple months, then reentered Thailand on a 30 day visa exemption. Since then I've gotten a single entry tourist visa at Vientiane, and a double entry at Savannakhet.

I left Thailand middle of last month and went to Vietnam. By the time I applied for my visa in Hanoi, I'd been out of Thailand for over two weeks. I asked for -- and was given -- a double entry tourist visa with no problems and no questions asked. (They did spend a long time thumbing through my passport when I submitted it for application, but didn't say anything to me about my visa history).

Just for anyone considering going to Hanoi: The consulate was very small, they don't use a queue number system, and I only saw a few other people when I was there, and only had to wait on line for five minutes when applying (no waiting time when picking up). You apply the morning of one day and pick up the afternoon of the next business day. Staff was polite and helpful. Payment was asked for in US dollars ($40 for single entry, $80 for double). I submitted the usual: photocopy of first page of my passport, photocopy of my Vietnamese visa with the date stamp, and only one passport photo; plus, even though they didn't ask for it, I gave them copies of my flight tickets for leaving and returning to Thailand at what would be the end of the first entry; and then leaving Thailand at the end of the second entry.

I did notice a sign up to the effect that people who had been in Thailand on a number of tourist visas obtained from nearby countries were working in Thailand and would not be given another visa. (That was the wording: not will be considered as working illegaly in Thailand but stated as a fact: are working illegaly in Thailand). But the consulate employee I dealt with made no mention of this policy.

Anyway, Wednesday I flew into Bangkok's Don Mueang. The immigration official spent a long looking through my passport and asked if I was going to school in Thailand. I told her that I had been going to school to study Thai in the past, but had more recently had just been on tourist visas. She then basically told me that I can't do that, that being in the country for such a period of time on tourist visas was not possible.

The discussion that ensued concerned what I was really doing in Thailand; my (truthful) response was travel and informal language study (with Thai friends). Although not asked for, I showed her a copy of my most recent bank statement, to prove that my finances were more than adequate, and to also show that I'd been withdrawing money from my U.S. account at ATMs within Thailand. I also pointed out that I'd been off in Vietnam for almost three weeks. But her response was pretty much the same: not possible.

After awhile, she called in a second officer to explain things to me (I'm assuming he was her superior). The conversation that I had with him was shorter than the one I'd had with her; basically, it was to the effect that I don't work in Thailand, have my own money, and am doing some traveling and language study. He turned to her and told her it was OK and to stamp me in, which she did (I got roughly 60 days). He then told me that if I came through Don Meuang in the future, I would have to explain myself again.

I've read posts on thaivisa.com complaining about immigration officers being rude, nasty, or on a power trip. I want to point out that I am positive that this was not the case here. The woman (first officer) I dealt with was polite and unaggressive, and after she stamped me in we chatted amicably for a minute and she even gave me a suggestion for a travel destination within Thailand. My impression is that she was just enforcing the policy as she understood it. Note that she didn't really have any interest in the financial proof that I'd shown her; her basic take on things was that, given the length of time I'd been in Thailand on tourist (and ED) visas, I couldn't do it anymore -- finances seemed to be irrelevant.

I'm still not really sure what happened. Did the two immigration officers have very different takes on what the policy actually is? And if the visa hadn't been accepted, what would have happened? Would I have been stamped in for 30 days? 7 days? Would I have been told to book an immediate flight out of the country?

I am of course very happy that I got in, but am now feeling really uncertain about what will happen when I go to Chaeng Wattana in late October to apply for a 30 day extension, as well as what will happen when I try to reenter Thailand (again at DMK) to use my second entry in late November. So I'd be interested in hearing of the experiences of anyone with a similar visa history, who's recently gone through applying for a tourist visa and using it to reenter the country.

[paz]

DMK is a small airport, and the international flights make an even smaller portion. Meaning immigration have a lot of time to scrutiny and object, you are not the first one reporting.

If you want to save time avoid it if possible, or get a new passport.

Before anyone jumps up saying that that immigration has all the records anyway, sure they have, but it the first look that matters.

[moe666]

DMK is a small airport, and the international flights make an even smaller portion. Meaning immigration have a lot of time to scrutiny and object, you are not the first one reporting.

If you want to save time avoid it if possible, or get a new passport.

Before anyone jumps up saying that that immigration has all the records anyway, sure they have, but it the first look that matters.

Too many stamps which say working here that is the first impression, the guy believed you that you are not. My personal opinion is that you have no trips back to the states that is the red flag, in their thinking a real tourist would go home sometime. Your 30 day extension should be no problem take some financial backup.

[Sena Dave]

Im into DMK again at the end of next week, I left last time on the 2nd after a 5 day visit to the family, think I might get a bit of grief , mind you I think that every time

[martin81]

DMK is a small airport, and the international flights make an even smaller portion. Meaning immigration have a lot of time to scrutiny and object, you are not the first one reporting.

If you want to save time avoid it if possible, or get a new passport.

Before anyone jumps up saying that that immigration has all the records anyway, sure they have, but it the first look that matters.

Too many stamps which say working here that is the first impression, the guy believed you that you are not. My personal opinion is that you have no trips back to the states that is the red flag, in their thinking a real tourist would go home sometime. Your 30 day extension should be no problem take some financial backup.

How would Thai immigration know that people have been in their home countries or not?

Most EU countries don't stamp passports for EU citizens. And Hong Kong and Macau normally don't put fixed stamps in any passport.

I don't know if USA stamps passport for US citizens. But at least many countries do not stamp passports for many nationalities.

My point is that you cannot see where people have been just by looking in their passport.

[TheSpade]

Good to hear this.

I was planning to come back within the next month or two.

I have 6 months on a double entry visa then 6 months on back to back border runs in my passport and wondered if it would cause problems.

Many people on here say "just get a new passport" as if that magically solves the problem but I don't believe it does.

Others also say "past history" is not looked at when deciding when to let you in but it seems to me that it probably is.

Very few people seem to have been actually refused and get in after some questioning but it still doesn't make it very pleasant.

And like you I'd be conscious that when I go to get my 30 day extension or do a border run to activate the next entry on the visa I might not get back in.

Can cause a lot of problems if you are renting an apartment etc.