Immigration officer being officious.

[tomaway]

Hi ,

I am working offshore 4 weeks on / 4 weeks off, meaning I spend less than 90 days in the kingdom over a period of 6 months.

I am staying in the country using the stamp on arrival since almost 7 years with this rhythm which seems to be fine regarding the law.

Last time I went through the airport customs, officer told me that the law changed and from now on, one was allow to stay only 90 days per "year" in the kingdom using the stamp on arrival....

They let me enter the Kingdom but wrote a warning just under the stamp in my passport....

Since then, I am looking all over the different official Thai website and all other kind of information source to know if there is a new law but so far I did find nothing!

How can I be sure that such a new law has not been voted?

If nothing changed, how can I prove it to the customs officer?

Best Regards.

[RickyJB]

i am in the same boat, i head off tonight from working in Africa and arrive in Bangkok tomorrow evening, i have been in Thailand 7 times in the last year, about 70 days in the past 6 months, I have also scoured the internet looking for the rules / law , wrote to the Thai embassy back home asking for advice and they couldnt tell me, giving me another e-mail address for another embassy in south africa...I sent another e-mail to another place and got told there was no such law or limit to the amount of times you can come into thailand, bút said they advise getting a proper visa...2 times i have been told "next time, get visa" but have nothing stamped or written in my passport...lets see what happens tomorrow .....

[elviajero]

There is no such law or restriction.

Apparently the immigration system is flagging up people that have multiple visa exempt entries in an effort to crack down on illegal working and in particular people doing back to back entries.

If they suspect you aren't here as a tourist you may be asked for proof. The immigration guideline issued says:-

"Alien will be interviewed and requested to show evidence of the purpose of tourism such as tickets, pocket money, booking slip, travel plan."

The advice I've seen on the forum suggests you have at least 10k THB in cash on you and if possible proof that you work and earn your income abroad.

I assume that warning written in your passport means that on your next entry you might be asked for this proof. Maybe an idea to have your employment contract and some recent payslips handy.

If you're a genuine tourist you won't have a problem and the 90 day rule is not true.

[ubonjoe]

There no rule that limits the number of entries or the total number of days you can be on them over any amount of time.

The 90 day or 6 entries alert that an officer gets is only meant for him to check you previous entries to insure they are in/out visa runs.

You can only be denied entry under section 12 of the immigration act. The most common denials are for lack of financial proof or suspicion of workin in the country illegally.

Having 10k baht or the equivalent in cash is enough but 20k baht is better. Proof of income from outside the country is good to prove you are not working here.

[bangon04]

I remember some time ago that they started to enforce a "90 days out of every 180 days" rule, but that probably lasted the usual 3 weeks of enforcement. At least if the "rules" are inconvenient, you can more or less expect they will change or be forgotten soon.

[maidee]

where unwritten rules can be interpreted differently depending on the mood of the official

[ubonjoe]

I remember some time ago that they started to enforce a "90 days out of every 180 days" rule, but that probably lasted the usual 3 weeks of enforcement. At least if the "rules" are inconvenient, you can more or less expect they will change or be forgotten soon.

That rule existed for about two years before it was rescinded in 2008 when the 15 days at a border crossing went into effect.

[dickyknee]

Hi ,

I am working offshore 4 weeks on / 4 weeks off, meaning I spend less than 90 days in the kingdom over a period of 6 months.

I am staying in the country using the stamp on arrival since almost 7 years with this rhythm which seems to be fine regarding the law.

Last time I went through the airport customs, officer told me that the law changed and from now on, one was allow to stay only 90 days per "year" in the kingdom using the stamp on arrival....

They let me enter the Kingdom but wrote a warning just under the stamp in my passport....

Since then, I am looking all over the different official Thai website and all other kind of information source to know if there is a new law but so far I did find nothing!

How can I be sure that such a new law has not been voted?

If nothing changed, how can I prove it to the customs officer?

Best Regards.

I got the same thing back in January, made a note under the stamp that it would be my last, and they made me sign it.

As is previously stated, the official "law" has no limitation in the number of exempt stamps.

But,

I couldn't be bothered, knowing I was going to be continuously hassled/interrogated about this. Not the nicest thing after coming off shift and spending 8 hours in the air to get to Thailand.

I now have an elite visa.

[paz]

where unwritten rules can be interpreted differently depending on the mood of the official

The officer in OP case was certainly incorrect when said that is was a "new law", but this issue does not derive from unwritten rules.

It is an automatic warning system in the immigration database that alerts the officer. For sure the decision of implementing it was never publicized.

[BuckBee]

This is the current policy at swampy, it may not be the immigration guidelines but it their working version of it ...

Will probably wear off in time but at moment anyone on repeat entries even less than 6 on exempts & repeats on visas are likely get pulled to one side for questioning. Best being prepared & not pushing your luck on exempts unless have to, expect most rational people will get past the extra questioning ok but it typical stupidity of this country to not have proper logical implemented policy nationwide or educated staff.

What you do need remember is the rules here are next to useless so even if refused entry you would have hard time trying battle the case. Hopefully it more hot air than hard action but no one reported on repeat entries after passport been marked so only time will tell ...

Quite silly really as it generally hassling honest leisure visitors with good dollar & legal work out of thailand !

Have a friend who works in Malaysia & he comes in to Thailand regularly via train on exempts & he says same smooth service at land border but not via swampy.

Edited April 8, 2015 by BuckBee

[paz]

This is the current policy at swampy, it may not be the immigration guidelines but it their working version of it ...

Not only BKK, actually DMK began even before, and there are reports from CNX and HKT also.

The warning should appear to any immigration terminal.

[BuckBee]

This is the current policy at swampy, it may not be the immigration guidelines but it their working version of it ...

Not only BKK, actually DMK began even before, and there are reports from CNX and HKT also.

The warning should appear to any immigration terminal.

Swampy are not working on just the 6 excempt flagging, they pulling people with repeat visas too, anyone with a stamp history likely of working, words of from swampy officer who questioned me.

Go through most land borders is no hassle, can't comment on other airports as not personally used them.

[mngmn]

Because this happened to me last year I have been following a steady trickle of similar reports on Thai Visa.

The more experienced forum posters will tell you there is no such law and that to date no one has been refused entry under this new "rule".

To be on the safe side have a ticket out within 30 days, 20,000 baht in cash and some way of proving you are not working in Thailand. For me that was a bank account that I regularly transfer money into.

Would be great if someone in authority turned their attention away from beach chairs for long enough to fix this.

[nithisa78]

once ubonjoe has spoken, you have your answer.

[rijb]

so let it be written, so let it be done

[paz]

Would be great if someone in authority turned their attention away from beach chairs for long enough to fix this.

Actually the authorities did turn attention to visa exempt entries, first with the policy prohibiting back-to-back, and then implementing the automatic 6 entries warning that did not exist until few months ago.

[RickyJB]

All that worry for nothing..i just came through immigration at suvarnabhumi.15 mins ago..all persons at desk wearing flowery shirts, very friendly..stamped my passport. Only 1 question i was asked..do you speak thai?? I said no sorry....then he said enjoy your stay...

[paz]

All that worry for nothing..i just came through immigration at suvarnabhumi.15 mins ago..all persons at desk wearing flowery shirts, very friendly..stamped my passport. Only 1 question i was asked..do you speak thai?? I said no sorry....then he said enjoy your stay...

Very good, hope won't give a bad feeling to Thai elite buyers.

[mngmn]

Would be great if someone in authority turned their attention away from beach chairs for long enough to fix this.

Actually the authorities did turn attention to visa exempt entries, first with the policy prohibiting back-to-back, and then implementing the automatic 6 entries warning that did not exist until few months ago.

There is no official policy that limits the number of entries to six. I meant maybe turn their attention to a level of consistent professionalism that seems to be rather lacking.

[mngmn]

All that worry for nothing..i just came through immigration at suvarnabhumi.15 mins ago..all persons at desk wearing flowery shirts, very friendly..stamped my passport. Only 1 question i was asked..do you speak thai?? I said no sorry....then he said enjoy your stay...

Your experience is identical to mine for more than 20 years and then bang out of the blue I was told that this must be my last trip on a visa exempt entry.

To quote the IMO "you are very lucky we are letting you in this time".

Sort of focusses the mind.

Edited April 9, 2015 by mngmn

[paz]

There is no official policy that limits the number of entries to six. I meant maybe turn their attention to a level of consistent professionalism that seems to be rather lacking.

I see your point but in my opinion when a low ranking officer sees a warning on his terminal, and follow through procedures (that he has not decided and he has no word about), he's being correct and professional.

As well is correct to let the foreigner enter anyway as reported, because there is no prohibition.

[BuckBee]

I've had questioning at swampy & I don't use visa exempt, so has one colleague & a friend who passes through from taiwan. swampy is being more fussy but like everything it has spurts & not a big deal if you prepared, I also have well over a decade of travel here without eyebrow raised & it only recntly I been questioned & notice far more effort in reviewing your passport etc. They are being more stringent in general it not just the alerts based on visa exempts.

[mngmn]

In my case the non-English speaking, "low ranking officer" was joined by a senior officer who was the one who insisted that I could not enter Thailand again on a visa exempt entry.

I can only speculate that the same lack of consistent procedures is why Thai aviation has its current problems.

[paz]

In my case the non-English speaking, "low ranking officer" was joined by a senior officer who was the one who insisted that I could not enter Thailand again on a visa exempt entry.

I can only speculate that the same lack of consistent procedures is why Thai aviation has its current problems.

I understand that. The warning was presented to the low ranking officer that escalated the issue. At the end you were admitted. All that seems correct and professional to me. I won't comment on aviation on aviation or anything else.

[GOLDBUGGY]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Hi ,

I am working offshore 4 weeks on / 4 weeks off, meaning I spend less than 90 days in the kingdom over a period of 6 months.

I am staying in the country using the stamp on arrival since almost 7 years with this rhythm which seems to be fine regarding the law.

Last time I went through the airport customs, officer told me that the law changed and from now on, one was allow to stay only 90 days per "year" in the kingdom using the stamp on arrival....

They let me enter the Kingdom but wrote a warning just under the stamp in my passport....

Since then, I am looking all over the different official Thai website and all other kind of information source to know if there is a new law but so far I did find nothing!

How can I be sure that such a new law has not been voted?

If nothing changed, how can I prove it to the customs officer?

Best Regards.

I got the same thing back in January, made a note under the stamp that it would be my last, and they made me sign it.

As is previously stated, the official "law" has no limitation in the number of exempt stamps.

But,
I couldn't be bothered, knowing I was going to be continuously hassled/interrogated about this. Not the nicest thing after coming off shift and spending 8 hours in the air to get to Thailand.

I now have an elite visa.

That's is what I would do if I was ever in the same situation again. I used to come every other month to, but got a Retirement Visa before all the fuss.

But like you, I would rather spend the money and get the Elite Visa then get hassled. There are rules here that favor you, but perhaps the most common universal rule is that an Immigration Officer has the right to refuse you entry into there country no matter what, or Visa you may have. Let alone not having one at all.

Having a Visa has also made my life easier while coming here. Easier to open a Bank Account with one for instance. Now others here will say you don't need that to do this, just go to different banks if you are refused. Blah! Blah! Blah! But notice I said "Easier" to do, and not impossible to do without one. Or buying a Car or Property. And the List goes on.

I have almost worn off the cover of my Passport from pulling it out from my pocket so many times to show my Visa when I just about want to do anything here these days. So if you don't want the hassle or worry, and you come here all the time anyway, then invest in an Elite Visa Card, and your problems and worries will go away.

But if would rather be a Cheap Charlie, and argue with Immigration late at night after a log flight, then Up-to-you!

[mngmn]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Hi ,

I am working offshore 4 weeks on / 4 weeks off, meaning I spend less than 90 days in the kingdom over a period of 6 months.

I am staying in the country using the stamp on arrival since almost 7 years with this rhythm which seems to be fine regarding the law.

Last time I went through the airport customs, officer told me that the law changed and from now on, one was allow to stay only 90 days per "year" in the kingdom using the stamp on arrival....

They let me enter the Kingdom but wrote a warning just under the stamp in my passport....

Since then, I am looking all over the different official Thai website and all other kind of information source to know if there is a new law but so far I did find nothing!

How can I be sure that such a new law has not been voted?

If nothing changed, how can I prove it to the customs officer?

Best Regards.

I got the same thing back in January, made a note under the stamp that it would be my last, and they made me sign it.

As is previously stated, the official "law" has no limitation in the number of exempt stamps.

But,
I couldn't be bothered, knowing I was going to be continuously hassled/interrogated about this. Not the nicest thing after coming off shift and spending 8 hours in the air to get to Thailand.

I now have an elite visa.

That's is what I would do if I was ever in the same situation again. I used to come every other month to, but got a Retirement Visa before all the fuss.

But like you, I would rather spend the money and get the Elite Visa then get hassled. There are rules here that favor you, but perhaps the most common universal rule is that an Immigration Officer has the right to refuse you entry into there country no matter what, or Visa you may have. Let alone not having one at all.

Having a Visa has also made my life easier while coming here. Easier to open a Bank Account with one for instance. Now others here will say you don't need that to do this, just go to different banks if you are refused. Blah! Blah! Blah! But notice I said "Easier" to do, and not impossible to do without one. Or buying a Car or Property. And the List goes on.

I have almost worn off the cover of my Passport from pulling it out from my pocket so many times to show my Visa when I just about want to do anything here these days. So if you don't want the hassle or worry, and you come here all the time anyway, then invest in an Elite Visa Card, and your problems and worries will go away.

But if would rather be a Cheap Charlie, and argue with Immigration late at night after a log flight, then Up-to-you!

Unless individual immigration officers start making up their own rules for Elite card. But of course that could never happen

[BuckBee]

Just be prepared & on the ball & don't just assume you have right of entry.

Indeed elite card is handy but it typical product of this $ loving country & something I would not want support or really have a need for.

What I would like to see is all immigration singing from the same hymn sheet with professionalism rather than the current scenario where each group runs their special rules & scams & behave like moody babies ...

[mngmn]

Just be prepared & on the ball & don't just assume you have right of entry.

Indeed elite card is handy but it typical product of this $ loving country & something I would not want support or really have a need for.

What I would like to see is all immigration singing from the same hymn sheet with professionalism rather than the current scenario where each group runs their special rules & scams & behave like moody babies ...

Agree x100. A consistent, professional approach to immigration with clearly defined rules might do a lot to improve Thailand's image in the eyes of "quality" tourists wanting to spend their money here.

[tomaway]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Hi ,

I am working offshore 4 weeks on / 4 weeks off, meaning I spend less than 90 days in the kingdom over a period of 6 months.

I am staying in the country using the stamp on arrival since almost 7 years with this rhythm which seems to be fine regarding the law.

Last time I went through the airport customs, officer told me that the law changed and from now on, one was allow to stay only 90 days per "year" in the kingdom using the stamp on arrival....

They let me enter the Kingdom but wrote a warning just under the stamp in my passport....

Since then, I am looking all over the different official Thai website and all other kind of information source to know if there is a new law but so far I did find nothing!

How can I be sure that such a new law has not been voted?

If nothing changed, how can I prove it to the customs officer?

Best Regards.

I got the same thing back in January, made a note under the stamp that it would be my last, and they made me sign it.

As is previously stated, the official "law" has no limitation in the number of exempt stamps.

But,

I couldn't be bothered, knowing I was going to be continuously hassled/interrogated about this. Not the nicest thing after coming off shift and spending 8 hours in the air to get to Thailand.

I now have an elite visa.

That's is what I would do if I was ever in the same situation again. I used to come every other month to, but got a Retirement Visa before all the fuss.

But like you, I would rather spend the money and get the Elite Visa then get hassled. There are rules here that favor you, but perhaps the most common universal rule is that an Immigration Officer has the right to refuse you entry into there country no matter what, or Visa you may have. Let alone not having one at all.

Having a Visa has also made my life easier while coming here. Easier to open a Bank Account with one for instance. Now others here will say you don't need that to do this, just go to different banks if you are refused. Blah! Blah! Blah! But notice I said "Easier" to do, and not impossible to do without one. Or buying a Car or Property. And the List goes on.

I have almost worn off the cover of my Passport from pulling it out from my pocket so many times to show my Visa when I just about want to do anything here these days. So if you don't want the hassle or worry, and you come here all the time anyway, then invest in an Elite Visa Card, and your problems and worries will go away.

But if would rather be a Cheap Charlie, and argue with Immigration late at night after a log flight, then Up-to-you!

I totally agree with you; as I am planning to stay in Thailand for good, I'd better clarify my situation and get a proper visa in order to ease my life.

My very personal problem is that my girlfriend and I are planing to get married next year and so, paying 500k Thb for an Elite Visa when I will be entitled next year to an O-A visa.... I don't know if it is being a Cheap Charlie.....but it is is still big money for me.

I think I will have to pop up that ring faster than expected....

[paz]

My very personal problem is that my girlfriend and I are planing to get married next year and so, paying 500k Thb for an Elite Visa when I will be entitled next year to an O-A visa....

Being married does not let you apply for an O/A visa. Being 50 does.