Rejected at the airport with a valid visa!

[casualbiker]

Kids in school do 6-8 hours 7 days a week, strange to try to compare that with someone doing 2 hours twice a week.

try to work out the average holidays ... say 7 hours 7 days a week and 2 hours twice a week,,,, my guess would be the 2x2 would on average be somewhat more than the 7x7.

Kids in Thailand go to school 7 days a week!

[larsjohnsson]

Can you please inform us as to her nationality?

Yes, she has a vietnamese passport and granted to live in Europe 20 years ago.

Thanks. Mostly curiosity on my part. This happened to 2 students at the language school I study at. Both non white, non westerners. It would be really great if official guidelines were issued regarding "coming and going" on ED visas........

Yes and the bit that says ''I am serious about my study, but I'm off school for 2 months'' really needs to be made clearer

Why? Kids are off school here in Thailand for nearly 4 months in a year!

But they don't need any visa or do any visa runs

And they also do more hours in two school days than the person in this thread do in one month

Edited September 17, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[casualbiker]

Can you please inform us as to her nationality?

Yes, she has a vietnamese passport and granted to live in Europe 20 years ago.

Thanks. Mostly curiosity on my part. This happened to 2 students at the language school I study at. Both non white, non westerners. It would be really great if official guidelines were issued regarding "coming and going" on ED visas........

Yes and the bit that says ''I am serious about my study, but I'm off school for 2 months'' really needs to be made clearer

Why? Kids are off school here in Thailand for nearly 4 months in a year!

But they don't need any visa or do any visa runs

Maybe they should then perhaps they would work harder :-D

[brianp0803]

Non-traditional schools give extension 3 months at a time including an attendance report (usually falsified)

A school can't claim you were attending school if you were outside the country.

I am told a major language school in bkk marks perfect attendance except days your passport shows you outside the country.

Without being able to provide an attendance report show consistent attendance (maybe false) then immigration would probably deny the next extension.

[larsjohnsson]

Can you please inform us as to her nationality?

Yes, she has a vietnamese passport and granted to live in Europe 20 years ago.

Thanks. Mostly curiosity on my part. This happened to 2 students at the language school I study at. Both non white, non westerners. It would be really great if official guidelines were issued regarding "coming and going" on ED visas........

Yes and the bit that says ''I am serious about my study, but I'm off school for 2 months'' really needs to be made clearer

Why? Kids are off school here in Thailand for nearly 4 months in a year!

But they don't need any visa or do any visa runs

Maybe they should then perhaps they would work harder :-D

Compared to most people that study thai on ED visa, they work extremely hard

[paz]

maybe some one can help me, i have a 60 day double entry visa obtained in Australia at the Thai embassy in Melbourne it expires on the 21st October what do i need to do ,do i need to leave the kingdom by air or can i do it at the border ,and do i need paper work as when i first applied, any help would be helpful.

Before you do a border hop, you can extend your current stay for further 30 days at any immigration office, fee is Bt 1,900

[mataleo]

If they dont accept re entry permkts why do they give it to her? U cant give it a d then say we dont accept anymore. There should be 0 point to start to.

[apiwan]

Thanks. Mostly curiosity on my part. This happened to 2 students at the language school I study at. Both non white, non westerners. It would be really great if official guidelines were issued regarding "coming and going" on ED visas........

Yes and the bit that says ''I am serious about my study, but I'm off school for 2 months'' really needs to be made clearer

Why? Kids are off school here in Thailand for nearly 4 months in a year!

But kids at school in Thailand are not using their education as a loop hole to get a visa.

There off about 4 months in UK too.

But language school students must attend.

UK had a crackdown on people registering at a school on student visa.

But not attending and working.

Same same

[larsjohnsson]

If they dont accept re entry permkts why do they give it to her? U cant give it a d then say we dont accept anymore. There should be 0 point to start to.

When she buy a re-entry permit, how can they know if she like to go away 1 day or 2 months ?

[bertty]

Kids in school do 6-8 hours 7 days a week, strange to try to compare that with someone doing 2 hours twice a week.

try to work out the average holidays ... say 7 hours 7 days a week and 2 hours twice a week,,,, my guess would be the 2x2 would on average be somewhat more than the 7x7.

Kids in Thailand go to school 7 days a week!

Must admit a bit of a guess on my part...But seeing kids in school uniform on a Sunday.... who knows

[TheSpade]

Thailand has actually quite lax laws on immigration overall and have had for many years that is why there are so many dead beats living here for years on end and not contributing to the country. Spending money isn't a contribution. Long stay tourists are not an advantag

Sorry but how can someone, deadbeat or not, who spends money in the country (no matter how little it is) without taking anything back from the country (they can't claim benefits or get any freebies from the state) not be an advantage to Thailand?

Money is money. Those little amounts add up.

[TheSpade]

To the OP....so what did your friend do?

Fly somewhere else?

[mataleo]

This is some worring post.

Can someone co firm.that re entry permits works or not?

[ubonjoe]

This is some worring post.

Can someone co firm.that re entry permits works or not?

Re-entry permits are still valid.

It appears to be only a problem if you have one that is for an extension based upon attending school and you spend a long period of time outside the country.

If immigration was to check up on a school and found a person has not been attending classes it is possible immigration could cancel the extension due to their absence which would make the re-entry permit invalid.

[izh]

Same thing happened to several Russian guys in Suvarnabhumi airport a couple of months ago: denied entry with ED visa (studying English or Thai; FYI: also not working in Thailand). They also had to fly back to their home country (as far as I know some of them returned on another kind of visa and/or entered Thailand via land border). As far as I know they all got the "Lack of funds on entry" stamp in their passports (one has to present 20k-40k Baht when arriving to Thailand; needless to say that they had money to present but it didn't matter):

I also heard from my school a couple of months ago that it would not be possible to re-enter with the ED visa. But since then officers became less strict (several people with ED visa I know managed to return to Thailand), so people thought that it was a temporary problem which resolved by itself.

It is interesting what kind of note/stamp did your Vietnamese friend got in her passport.

[Frank78]

Cram said: "Or you can also buy a 10 Million Baht NEW CONDO (it does not work with the second hand ones) and ask for an investor visa."

I would be glad to know were is written this mysterious "new condo only " investor visa thing. I mean for the new 10m investor exemption on non immigrant visas. Unless there is a "real " "investor visa" that requires you to buy a new condo...

B.

Investment of no less than Baht 10 million:

The alien:

(1)

Must have been granted a

non-immigrant visa (NON-IM).

(2)

Must have evidence of transferring funds in

to Thailand of no less than Baht 10 million.

(3)

Must have evidence of investing in the purchase

or rental of a condominium unit for a period of

no less than 3 years issued by a relevant agency or

government, at a purchase or rental price of no

less than Baht 10 million; or

(4)

Must have evidence of investing in the form of a fixed deposit of no less than Baht 10 million

with a bank which is registered in

Thailand and has Thai nationals

holding more than 50 percent of

its shares; or

(5)

Must have evidence of investing in the purchase

of government or state

enterprise bonds of no

less than Baht 10 million; or

(6)

Must have evidence of making an investment as se

t out in Criteria (3), (4

), or (5) with a total

value of not less than Baht 10 million.

[TheSpade]

They also had to fly back to their home country

As in they chose to or were told they had no choice to go back to home country only?

They couldn't jump on a cheap Bangkok Airways flight from the airport to Cambodia or something instead?

I have flights booked back to Thailand in November. Will have been out the country for 5 months by then but spent a year in BKK before that and 6 months of that was doing border runs every 30 days which is now apparently a big problem.

I was thinking if I was refused entry I'd just take a flight to Cambodia instead. Surely they couldn't stop you from doing that?

[izh]

As in they chose to or were told they had no choice to go back to home country only?

They couldn't jump on a cheap Bangkok Airways flight from the airport to Cambodia or something instead?

The girl who got the stamp above "returned back on the same plane" (I quote the text in Russian). She came from Tashkent (a city in Uzbekistan) and I don't know whether she is actually Russian from Russia or just Russian-speaking. It was also mentioned that she had money (both cash and credit cards) but nobody asked her to present funds.

About the same time (1-2 months ago) some Russians were denied visa-exempt entry (Russians get 30 days). Some of them had ED visa, others had too many border runs. They even had to spend a couple of nights in a special room in Suwarnabhumi until they bought themselves tickets. And yes, Thai officials insisted that they buy tickets back to Russia, not somewhere else.

So, it is wiser to have enough funds to go back to the country which issued your passport. Or to enter Thailand via land border.

[MrWorldwide]

This is some worring post.

Can someone co firm.that re entry permits works or not?

I'm at the point now where I dont want to leave the country, despite having a perfectly valid extension of stay based on retirement. Despite ubonjoe's assurances - and I believe he knows the regulations better than many of the people who are supposed to enforce them - it worries me that the IOs seem duty-bound to spend an inordinate amount of time scrutinising passports regardless of whether or not one has a valid re-entry stamp. I was initially dismissive of a lot of the hysteria surrounding the crackdown, but if some of the reports posted here over the last month or so are accurate it's a hassle I'm just not prepared to endure. I completely get the reasoning behind the crackdown - yet again we can thank the dropkicks who dont bother with the rules - I'm just not enthusiastic about the implementation.

[paz]

I'm at the point now where I dont want to leave the country, despite having a perfectly valid extension of stay based on retirement. Despite ubonjoe's assurances - and I believe he knows the regulations better than many of the people who are supposed to enforce them - it worries me that the IOs seem duty-bound to spend an inordinate amount of time scrutinising passports regardless of whether or not one has a valid re-entry stamp. I was initially dismissive of a lot of the hysteria surrounding the crackdown, but if some of the reports posted here over the last month or so are accurate it's a hassle I'm just not prepared to endure. I completely get the reasoning behind the crackdown - yet again we can thank the dropkicks who dont bother with the rules - I'm just not enthusiastic about the implementation.

Which reports? Nobody with an extension of stay based on retirement had any problem re-entering country (with a re-entry permit).

The "crackdown", to the small extent it has worked, was and is against younger people suspected of working illegally, especially from certain nationalities. They are most often using visa exempt, non-imm ED, and tourist visa. They were, and are, the ones being singled out by officers.

You do not have any reason to worry and you can come and go as you please.

Edited September 18, 2014 by paz

[TheSpade]

Thai officials insisted that they buy tickets back to Russia, not somewhere else.

But surely if they aren't letting you into Thailand they can't control where you go next?

What difference would it make to them.

There's no way I'm travelling all the way from UK to Bangkok to be told to go back again.

It isn't even practical or likely possible you could just get back on the same flight.

The cost would be astronomical and it could be fully booked.

[paz]

Thai officials insisted that they buy tickets back to Russia, not somewhere else.

But surely if they aren't letting you into Thailand they can't control where you go next?

What difference would it make to them.

They can. From reports is not like one is left freely wandering alone airside. If he/she has to buy a ticket at the counter, will be accompanied. beside ASEAN country have a policy where if a person is refused from a given country, all the others will do the same. Using internet from a fixed PC is done at the price they set. In theory immigration decisions can be appealed, but at least in this forum there are zero reports about anyone having done it and the results.

[izh]

There's no way I'm travelling all the way from UK to Bangkok to be told to go back again.

You would be even more happy to know that they demanded those people to book DIRECT flights (with no stop-overs).

The cost would be astronomical and it could be fully booked.

No worry, they have a nice hotel for you to stay until your departure (only 1000 baht a night with complimentary carton of soy milk! ):

But, sincerely, I don't think that you will have any problems with British passport (or you will be the first person I know). Just wash and shave, dress nicely and smile.

Edited September 18, 2014 by izh

[MrWorldwide]

Thai officials insisted that they buy tickets back to Russia, not somewhere else.

But surely if they aren't letting you into Thailand they can't control where you go next?

What difference would it make to them.

They can. From reports is not like one is left freely wandering alone airside. If he/she has to buy a ticket at the counter, will be accompanied. beside ASEAN country have a policy where if a person is refused from a given country, all the others will do the same. Using internet from a fixed PC is done at the price they set. In theory immigration decisions can be appealed, but at least in this forum there are zero reports about anyone having done it and the results.

Please link me to said policy - I have never heard of it. If that policy applied, anyone refused entry at a land crossing would find themselves in a very narrow strip of land with no way forward or back - I need to see that link.

[paz]

They can. From reports is not like one is left freely wandering alone airside. If he/she has to buy a ticket at the counter, will be accompanied. beside ASEAN country have a policy where if a person is refused from a given country, all the others will do the same. Using internet from a fixed PC is done at the price they set. In theory immigration decisions can be appealed, but at least in this forum there are zero reports about anyone having done it and the results.

Please link me to said policy - I have never heard of it. If that policy applied, anyone refused entry at a land crossing would find themselves in a very narrow strip of land with no way forward or back - I need to see that link.

We're talking what happens at airports, where clearly people cannot sent back at zero cost and paperwork like it happens at land borders.

But if that is not enough for you I can show the section of the Immigration act where it describes says the ample powers of immigration officers over people begin deported or refused entry and over carriers, and where it says that all cost related to deportation fall on the subject.

Also I can show you more reports (you have one just above) where people was forced to fly to home country with a carrier approved by immigration? Sure I can show you that, you want ?

Finally, yes there are cases of people stuck for a long time in no-man lands.

[MrWorldwide]

paz, I'm not going to get into a debate with you - I just thought that something that drastic might be readily available on the net. No traveller should get on a plane to any ASEAN country without being aware of that ruling.

[brianp0803]

I have heard rumors of certain nationalities being targeted in the crackdown as suspect of part of mafia in Pattaya.

While trying to find a language school to learn Thai(not visa), I heard the lady at Walen tell a person with a Russian passport that the school had reached its limit for Russian passports. The prospective student visa applicant said he will return with passport from another country.

I assume most countries have limits on number of visas per country? ( only America? )

[MrWorldwide]

I have heard rumors of certain nationalities being targeted in the crackdown as suspect of part of mafia in Pattaya.

While trying to find a language school to learn Thai(not visa), I heard the lady at Walen tell a person with a Russian passport that the school had reached its limit for Russian passports. The prospective student visa applicant said he will return with passport from another country.

I assume most countries have limits on number of visas per country? ( only America? )

Not aware of a quota on nationalities - it definitely doesnt apply to Chinese entering Australia - but there were three groups nominated in the initial news item published prior to the crackdown and one of those was Russian nationals. A lot of talk about 'mafia' and suchlike, but the reasoning according to the Immigration officers quoted in the article was that the groups nominated were the worst overstayers - Koreans, Russians and Vietnamese - and that Korea routinely booted Thais for visa infractions, leading to payback time. No idea how many of these 'Big Three' have been given their marching orders since this began, but as I cant read Korean or Vietnamese I doubt I'll ever read any firsthand accounts. Surprisingly, given the amount of Russian-bashing on this forum, we do get secondhand accounts of Russians being denied entry - again, I can only assume that most of the online accounts are in Russian and I have no faith in Google Translate.

If Brits, American or Australians were being openly targeted - and some here see it that way - I'm sure the furore would be even louder here than it has been. I'm all for Thailand policing it's borders but when you have a southern division that is openly using the FUD around the crackdown to extort 500THB from everyone looking to enter Thailand via that corridor, something is very rotten in the Land of Contradictions. That's about as cynical and mercenary as it gets, but we just have to grit our teeth and bear it.

[MobileContent]

You sound upset but I must admit that I side with immigration on this one. She came here to study but left for 2 months. Sounds like not real studying. Most legitimate schools don't give 2 month holidays in the first months.

Did she just have a visa or did she have a 1 year extension? If someone has 1 year extension, then they should be allowed back.

They are getting stricter with people abusing visas. If she was a legitimate student and here in Thailand for the purpose of studying, then I would feel more sympathetic but most people are using the ED visa to extend their long term stays in Thailand.

The country doesn't want long term tourists, they don't want people abusing the loopholes in the visa system to extend their holidays. You can work, you can invest, you can retire, you can be married (if you have money/job), you can study if you are really studying. Sounds reasonable to me.

Yes, she was REALLY studying and i totally agree with you that many people do use student visa just to stay. It was not her case. She loves Thailand, the people and wanted to speak the language fluently, read and write. She has been studying 3 hours per day, 20 days a month, during 8 months, and her goal was to get the Thai certificate diploma, which is a state exam. And what is a problem to take 2 months off to be back in her country when you have a re-entry permit?

I think the immigration sets now a standard of being at a language school at least 8 hours a week. As she took off for two months she didn't qualified for it more.

[brianp0803]

Unless immigration put pressure on schools to report actually attendance, then increasing the number of hours just allows language schools to raise their prices and make more profit.

Unless true attendance is taken and reported to immigration then the big language schools will be viewed at visa farms instead of language schools.