Refused boarding pass for BKK at Ho Chi Min City airport

[BV70]

I just thought I'd share with you my experience boarding a return flight to BKK, having spent just under a month visiting Vietnam.

On checking in at Ho Chi Min City airport I was refused a boarding pass without explanation and told to report to an information counter. At the counter a young Vietnamese guy - not wearing any distinguishable uniform other than a red airport t-shirt and who was holding my passport - informed my that my tourist visa was out of date and therefore invalid and so I would not be able to board the aircraft for my return. The problem, he said, was that my visa had an entry before date of September 11th and as it was October 1st this invalidated the visa. I explained that the visa was a double entry and I had made my first entry as per the stamp in my passport on 30 June and this was my second and final entry for this visa. He was having none of it and said the visa had expired and I was not allowed on the plane. He also wanted proof of my onward travel from Thailand, which I didn't have. The only solution he said was to return into the city, purchase a new visa for Thailand, buy an onward ticket out of Thailand and purchase another flight out of Vietnam as it would be too late to board the plane I had already paid for.

This wasn't an isolated incident as the guy behind me in the queue was also refused a boarding pass, despite holding a NIB and WP for Thailand. The reason given was that he could not produce an onward ticket out of Thailand. He was forced to fork out for an onward ticket despite not needing one as he needed to return to work in Thailand. We both asked to see the rules about requiring onward travel and were shown a photocopied and badly translated piece of paper that said 'passengers travelling to Thailand *could* be required to show proof of onward travel before being allowed to enter Thailand. There was no compromise over the ambiguity on the roughly copied paper instructions. While the guy with the WP gave up and paid up to gain access to the plane, I stood my ground over their interpretation of my visa. I was firm in insisting on speaking with this guy's manager as I knew he was in the wrong. I also made it clear that I would hold him personally liable for costs to purchase another visa and flight and for any hardship encountered. After over 90 minutes of arguing my case with the more senior and suited Vietnamese officer who's position and name I was not made aware despite requesting this several times, he eventually backed down, returned my passport and whisked me through security to board my flight to Bangkok with 5 minutes to spare.

Fortunately the fuss over my visa meant they forgot about making me purchase onward travel inside the airport, however the anxiety this created was unjustified. On arriving at Suvarnabhumi I passed through immigration without a question asked.

As this was my first visit to Vietnam I'm unaware of any scams being carried out by airport staff or whether this is just an example of the confusion over Thailand's requirements for tourists. Either way I thought I'd share for information and to give warning to others travelling from HCMC airport to Thailand in the near future.

[RickyJB]

glad you brought this up, im coming back to Thailand shortly , and will be on a 30 day exempt, but will be doing a quick trip to ho chi min and singapore before returning to thailand for a few days, before heading back to africa... will have to make sure i have return flight booked this time, normally i just book 1 way then book a flight out when feel like it...

[Crossy]

"Enter Before" date means ALL entries must be made before that date. So the guy in HCMC was correct, your visa was expired.

How long were you stamped for at Swampy?

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Actually, they were right.

When you reached BKK, did they give you 60 day stay or a 30 day Visa Waiver?

[The Fat Controller]

BV70, looks like it was YOU that messed up.

Your visa HAD expired as you had to make the second entry before the 11th September.

They, quite rightly, could have asked you to show a ticket out of Thailand within 15 or 30 days depending on your nationality and if it was over this they could have denied you boarding as you did not have a valid visa.

[BV70]

"Enter Before" date means ALL entries must be made before that date. So the guy in HCMC was correct, your visa was expired.

How long were you stamped for at Swampy?

So you're saying that a double entry 60 day tourist visa issued on 30 June must be used in 2 months? If that is the case then the two previous double entries I had were also expired, yet I was permitted my entry second into Thailand on each occasion with no question. All the information I have had to date, including from Thai immigration, is that your first entry must be made before the enter before date.

Thai immigration gave me a 60 day stamp on arrival at Swampy.

[The Fat Controller]

A double entry tourist visa is valid for 6 months form the DATE OF ISSUE and is not dependant on when you enter Thailand for the first time.

BV70, what are the issue date and enter by date on the visa?

It is the SECOND entry that must be made before the ENTER BEFORE date.

Edited October 2, 2014 by The Fat Controller

[picklez01]

Still, the guy with a wp etc shouldn't have been refused ...

[BV70]

A double entry tourist visa is valid for 6 months form the DATE OF ISSUE and is not dependant on when you enter Thailand for the first time.

BV70, what are the issue date and enter by date on the visa?

It is the SECOND entry that must be made before the ENTER BEFORE date.

Issue date June 30. Enter before September 11. By my reckoning that's 72 days, not 6 months. Or am I missing something?

[Diplomatico]

A double entry tourist visa is valid for 6 months form the DATE OF ISSUE and is not dependant on when you enter Thailand for the first time.

BV70, what are the issue date and enter by date on the visa?

It is the SECOND entry that must be made before the ENTER BEFORE date.

Issue date June 30. Enter before September 11. By my reckoning that's 72 days, not 6 months. Or am I missing something?

See post #3 of this thread.

[lopburi3]

Actually visas are normally valid for 3 months from date of issue - some Consulates will make it 6 months for two or three entry but not all. Why it would say Sep 11 if actually issued June 30 appears in error but what is printed on the visa is what it is unless corrected by the Consulate who issued.

[The Fat Controller]

I guess we have to ask the OP when and where he got his visa.

There seems to be some confusion as he says he made his first entry on 30th June "as per the entry in my passport" which is the same day as his quoted issue date, so did he enter on the same day it was issued?

As for the 3/6 month validity, from reading numerous posts, it seems that if you apply in your "home" country then you will likely get 6 months if applying for 2 or 3 entries.

I certainly got 6 months for my 2 entry tourist visa issued in Glasgow last week.

[BV70]

I guess we have to ask the OP when and where he got his visa.

There seems to be some confusion as he says he made his first entry on 30th June "as per the entry in my passport" which is the same day as his quoted issue date, so did he enter on the same day it was issued?

As for the 3/6 month validity, from reading numerous posts, it seems that if you apply in your "home" country then you will likely get 6 months if applying for 2 or 3 entries.

I certainly got 6 months for my 2 entry tourist visa issued in Glasgow last week.

I got my visa in Vientiane, Laos having spent a couple of months travelling there in May/June having been travelling in Thailand since January this year. I applied for my visa, collected and crossed to Thailand on June 30 but departed Thailand around May 5 - so it wasn't a back-to-back visa run if that's what you mean. The visa I'd previously used to enter Thailand was issued in Cardiff, UK and looking now it does give me a 6 month gap from issue to enter before date, whereas the Laos visa gives me 72 days. My first tourist visa to Thailand, issued in early 2012 gave me 180 days (60+30, 60+30) and so I thought this was standard, having read this forum for advice and understanding that a double entry lasted 6 months.

It sounds like I have screwed up on dates thinking that a double entry gave me enough time to do the 60+30 days in Thailand - leave for Vietnam - and return to start my second entry before I go home for Xmas, presuming that the enter before date was only for the first entry, but that has been explained to me now, thank you. I hadn't thought that there would be variations in the length of time I had to enter Thailand depending on where the visa was issued and so I'll need to look at that more carefully in future.

Either way, on arrival Thai immigration gave me the 60 day stamp and I was on my way in minutes, no questions asked. I can't understand why visas aren't standardised to cut the risk of me making a similar mistake in future should I decide to return to Thailand next year. I have spoken with Thai immigration on the phone today and asked how I can go about this in future as I work 6 months in the UK and spend 6 months travelling in Asia. They sent me an application for a Thai elite card but want something like 10,000 quid up front for a 5 year visa. Maybe it'll be easier to base myself in Cambodia next time around but it's not as easy as Bangkok for travelling to other parts of the region.

Surely things can't be this difficult?

[Suradit69]

Actually visas are normally valid for 3 months from date of issue - some Consulates will make it 6 months for two or three entry but not all. Why it would say Sep 11 if actually issued June 30 appears in error but what is printed on the visa is what it is unless corrected by the Consulate who issued.

Actually he said he entered Thailand on June 30.

I explained that the visa was a double entry and I had made my first entry as per the stamp in my passport on 30 June

That's not the issue date. As said by others, the validity of the visa begins from when it was issued, not when the holder first enters Thailand.

[Chiangmai1]

The dates do not add up.

Usually the "enter before" date is 90 days after the issue date for a double entry.

Whichever the case, I find it intriguing to have any date for *72* days after. It is always in round months / 30 day blocks.

Generally, the enter before is exactly the date when you will do the second entry if you took a 30 extension and did a same day visa run on the last day

[Suradit69]

The dates do not add up.

Usually the "enter before" date is 90 days after the issue date for a double entry.

Whichever the case, I find it intriguing to have any date for *72* days after. It is always in round months / 30 day blocks.

Generally, the enter before is exactly the date when you will do the second entry if you took a 30 extension and did a same day visa run on the last day

Again, it wasn't issued on 30 June, that's when he first entered Thailand. He's saying "issued" but talking about his first entry.

I explained that the visa was a double entry and I had made my first entry as per the stamp in my passport on 30 June

[BuckBee]

Generally Lao double entry tourist have 3 months validity from date of issue.

It is wise under current mess to cover your arse & have an onward flight schedule/receipt as easy for most us to do this at no cost other than bit of time to set up.

[CRUNCHER]

Just a thought. Was September written in letters or 11/9/2014? An American would write that as 9/11/2014. If fgures were used and depending where you are in the world this could mean 9th November.

The dates still do not gell, but a use by date in November would make more sense.

[Maestro]

Generally, Thai consulates do not write the month as a number in dates on visas. See this example of a visa issued by the consulate in Vientiane: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5i9g6eOOLrQ/TomwgjtNxsI/AAAAAAAAJVk/g-zsOFOCAFI/s613/Tourist%25202%2520journeys%2520Vientiane%252020090701.jpg

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post and the reply to it.

[dia1]

Generally Lao double entry tourist have 3 months validity from date of issue.

It is wise under current mess to cover your arse & have an onward flight schedule/receipt as easy for most us to do this at no cost other than bit of time to set up.

Buckabee,

May I ask how you are going about getting an onward flight schedule/receipt without any cost?

[hughben]

Onward flight tickets are standard with most airlines, as it covers them not having to pay for your deportation flight or if you are refused entry into Thailand.

[recom273]

Red shirt + boarding pass = airasia staff.

It's the air lines responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa or onward flight otherwise you are their responsibility if you get refused.

Irrespective if you had the correct visa ( which could still be refused by an IO at swampy ) sounds like he was being cautious in line with current the immigration clampdown because you had no onward flight.

[ggt]

This visa situation... is more than just a pain in the butt...it is extremely disconcerting to not know what mess you are going to encounter when trying to go and come from Thailand...

It is hard enough to try and satisfy the insane amount of hassle and garbage required in Thailand to come and go...the angst is incredible...

But...now having to worry about boarding a plane from another country...being hassled by airport and immigration authorities before board the plane to Thailand?

This is too much to endure...

[TheKnave]

Suradit, who is hung up on the issue date vs. date of first entry, needs to read the op's post, wherein he explains that the visa was obtained in Vientiane, and used to enter Thailand ON THE SAME DAY.

Getting desperate to find some picayune little detail on which to wax pedantic, are we?

As expected.

[stevenl]

Suradit, who is hung up on the issue date vs. date of first entry, needs to read the op's post, wherein he explains that the visa was obtained in Vientiane, and used to enter Thailand ON THE SAME DAY.

Getting desperate to find some picayune little detail on which to wax pedantic, are we?

As expected.

Enter before 11 September and entered on 30 June.

So very, very unlikely that he entered on the same day as obtained.

[fey]

The Vietnamese guy sounds correct.

You must make the final entry before the expiration date listed for the first entry.

When you arrived in BKK you were given the visa on arrival time only, as your visa had expired.

No shame, it happened to me before also.

----

As I am traveling on 1-way tickets these days it would be helpful to know any suggestions on cheap bus or train tickets and destinations that can be quickly booked on a mobile while a the airport out of Thailand to fulfill the onward travel requirement.

Booking flights can be expensive and would rather not worry about reading the fine print on refunds waiting for a plane etc.

Edited October 3, 2014 by fey

[HooHaa]

it is at the discretion of the Airline, same applies when you fly to the philipines, they want to see your flight out irrespective of visa.

[oneday]

I can't understand why visas aren't standardised to cut the risk of me making a similar mistake in future should I decide to return to Thailand next year.

Surely you jest. This is Thailand and this is standard operating procedure to NOT have everything the same. It's just how they operate.

Surely things can't be this difficult?

Surely...THEY CAN! Oh, yes they can.

[Pokeris]

i make same mistake one week ago my double entry visa from laos issue june 26 and enter before 25 september. i fly to yangon from don muang airport september 24 and comeback september 26 in don muang airport the officer told me your visa expired and said to make visa on arrival for 1000 bath,because my nationality is lithuanian :(