pp42 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 My German friend has just called from the border at Had Lek in some distress after first being refused a tourist visa by the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and then being refused entry at the Had Lek border. She has money in a Thai bank account and a flight booked out of Thailand to Yangon on the 4th of September. Her passport was returned to her in Koh Kong by an agent with a new tourist visa but stamped "cancelled". What can she do? All of her luggage is in Thailand. What can she do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losworld Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I think it would be helpful if you told us why her visa was refused? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 First of all, Phnom Penh is a poor choice to go get a visa. She can return via air to Thailand, enter visa exempt for 30 days and then extend 30 days more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatewash Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) Sorry to hear what has happened to your friend. Putting aside the fact that her tourist visa was canceled by Thai Embassy Phnom Penh, wouldn't she be eligible for 30-day visa exempt entry (as Germany is a G7 country)? Such a visa exempt entry would have allowed her to stay in Thailand until her onward travel to Yangon. What was the reason given for her denial of such an entry at the border? As said above by paz she would qualify to extend her stay by 30 days by applying at a Thai Immigration Office. Maybe she tried to use the canceled Tourist Visa rather than asking for a visa exempt entry at the border? That doesn't make much sense, but I'm unable to come up with a better explanation at the moment. Edited July 18, 2015 by skatewash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 What was the reason for the denial of entry? Did she get a stamp indicating which clause of section 12 of the immigration act was used. If no stamp then it was a not a legitimate denial of entry. He best option would be to fly into the country. She would get a 30 day entry that can be extended for 30 days. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pp42 Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 No stamp in the passport at the border. Reasons for refusal of visa by the embassy unclear too. They conducted a telephone interview and said she had too many visa exemptions and tourist visas. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 No stamp in the passport at the border. Reasons for refusal of visa by the embassy unclear too. They conducted a telephone interview and said she had too many visa exemptions and tourist visas. That is exactly the unpredictable behavior of PP, with the added idiocy of attaching the visa before taking the final decision. I think she's fine to just fly back. Unless she wants to get a new passport in PP that for Germans takes only very few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scouse123 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Sounds weird and Fishy! She can just hop on one way flight to Bangkok with a cheap airline and get 30 days at the airport unless there are other passport discrepancies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 As said PP is not the best place to apply for a tourist visa. The fact that she did not apply in person could also be a contributing factor. No stamp at the border means proper procedures were not followed. She was probably just told no, turned around and returned to Cambodia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skatewash Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) No stamp in the passport at the border. Reasons for refusal of visa by the embassy unclear too. They conducted a telephone interview and said she had too many visa exemptions and tourist visas. I would follow ubonjoe's advice. Short term she needs to get back into Thailand. It appears that based on her passport history (previous visa exempt entries and tourist visas) that they have formed the opinion that she is living in Thailand and don't wish to allow that to continue. In that respect, it might have been a favor that immigration at the land border did not put a stamp in her passport. If I were her, I would get together 10,000 THB in cash (or equivalent in another currency), and try to enter Thailand by air. The reason for having the cash is that it is a requirement that immigration can ask to see 10,000 THB in cash (or equivalent) for someone seeking a visa exempt entry. They do not usually exercise this option, but in her case she has seemingly been flagged as undesirable (living in Thailand) and they could use her lack of having 10,000 THB as a justifiable reason to deny her entry, and put such a denial stamp in her passport. If she really is living in Thailand on a series of tourist visas and exempt entries, then she will need to investigate getting a tourist visa from a Thai embassies she hasn't gotten a tourist visa from before. It would seem visa exempt entries are going to be hard to come by in the future if she really has been flagged as living in Thailand based on her passport history. Edit: people seeking a visa exempt entry can be asked to show 10,000 THB (not 20,000 THB as I initially posted). I have changed it above. 20,000 THB is apparently the amount needed to be shown if seeking to enter on a tourist visa. Edited July 18, 2015 by skatewash 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elviajero Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Is she fly's back in it's very unlikely that she'll be denied entry, but they might limit the number of days she can stay. I assume she is illegally working here and I assume immigration think the same which is the reason for the visa and entry denial. If she's not and can prove income from abroad to support her stay she should provide it when applying for a visa or visa exempt entry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Is she fly's back in it's very unlikely that she'll be denied entry, but they might limit the number of days she can stay. No, they never to that. It's either full allowed stay as per applicable case, or refusal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elviajero Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Is she fly's back in it's very unlikely that she'll be denied entry, but they might limit the number of days she can stay. No, they never to that. It's either full allowed stay as per applicable case, or refusal. There was a report recently from a TV member that was only given 7 days at Swampy. That's why I said "might". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 There was a report recently from a TV member that was only given 7 days at Swampy. That's why I said "might". Would be interesting to see that stamp and any annotation they can have written. Chances are that this person could have an Immigration office to correct it to 30 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elviajero Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 There was a report recently from a TV member that was only given 7 days at Swampy. That's why I said "might". Would be interesting to see that stamp and any annotation they can have written. Chances are that this person could have an Immigration office to correct it to 30 days. I had a quick look for the report but couldn't find it. If I recall the IO's complaint was too many visa exempt entries. They told the person to get a tourist visa for his next entry and limited him to 7 days. From the report the IO was out of order. But maybe IO's are empowered to limit the length of stay? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 But maybe IO's are empowered to limit the length of stay?I think that legally they are not, but at the same time even if they do there is no consequence. Call it a purposeful mistake. Much worse can happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asiantravel Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 No stamp in the passport at the border. Reasons for refusal of visa by the embassy unclear too. They conducted a telephone interview and said she had too many visa exemptions and tourist visas. That is exactly the unpredictable behavior of PP, with the added idiocy of attaching the visa before taking the final decision. I think she's fine to just fly back. Unless she wants to get a new passport in PP that for Germans takes only very few days. "Unless she wants to get a new passport in PP that for Germans takes only very few days." even with a shiny clean new passport wouldn't the immigration officers still be able to see all the history including annotations relating to cancellation of the visa in PP on their computerised database ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 even with a shiny clean new passport wouldn't the immigration officers still be able to see all the history including annotations relating to cancellation of the visa in PP on their computerised database ? Surely not, because Thai MfA do not share their visa database with Immigration, at least not at the border terminals, and vice-versa. Beside, with all likeliness, the visa refusal has been "filed", if even, on paper only and in PP only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asiantravel Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 even with a shiny clean new passport wouldn't the immigration officers still be able to see all the history including annotations relating to cancellation of the visa in PP on their computerised database ? Surely not, because Thai MfA do not share their visa database with Immigration, at least not at the border terminals, and vice-versa. Beside, with all likeliness, the visa refusal has been "filed", if even, on paper only and in PP only. I had just imagined it was more integrated and streamlined in 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Immigration and the MFA are two different entities and share nothing. An embassy cannot even check for a black listing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) Sounds weird and Fishy! She can just hop on one way flight to Bangkok with a cheap airline and get 30 days at the airport unless there are other passport discrepancies. The reason for having the tourist visa cancelled is neither weird nor fishy. They probably attached the tourist visa then a superior reviewed her application and decided that she's using a tourist visa and visa-exempt entries to live and work in Thailand... and then the border officials agreed she is probably working in Thailand, having lots of visa-exempt entries and tourist visas in her passport. Edited July 18, 2015 by tropo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post tropo Posted July 18, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted July 18, 2015 Is she fly's back in it's very unlikely that she'll be denied entry, but they might limit the number of days she can stay. No, they never to that. It's either full allowed stay as per applicable case, or refusal. How can anyone on here say they "never do that". Perhaps you haven't heard about it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Most people with entry problems are unlikely to join this forum and report it here. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) How can anyone on here say they "never do that". Perhaps you haven't heard about it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Most people with entry problems are unlikely to join this forum and report it here. And many also do report here, so it is known what actually are Immigration policies. If one receives less days than per regulations, it's by mistake. Edited July 18, 2015 by paz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnThailandJohn Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Is she fly's back in it's very unlikely that she'll be denied entry, but they might limit the number of days she can stay. No, they never to that. It's either full allowed stay as per applicable case, or refusal. How can anyone on here say they "never do that". Perhaps you haven't heard about it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Most people with entry problems are unlikely to join this forum and report it here. I have never heard of it (not that I would have a reason to) but it would kind of make sense as an option. Rather than denying entry since they already landed, they grant a person 7-days to sort things out. This is what they do at immigration when you are refused an extension. I forget if there is name for the 7-day period but it is basically to provide you time to get out or get you stuff in order. On the other hand, if they suspect you will overstay the 7-days then a refusal would make sense. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Is she fly's back in it's very unlikely that she'll be denied entry, but they might limit the number of days she can stay. No, they never to that. It's either full allowed stay as per applicable case, or refusal. There was a report recently from a TV member that was only given 7 days at Swampy. That's why I said "might". Are you sure it was at the airport? 7 days sounds like someone applied for an extension of stay at an immigrations office, was refused the extension and then given 7 days to exit the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tropo Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 How can anyone on here say they "never do that". Perhaps you haven't heard about it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Most people with entry problems are unlikely to join this forum and report it here. And many also do report here, so it is known what actually are Immigration policies. If one receives less days than per regulations, it's by mistake. There are thousands of people entering Thailand daily. You can't make assumptions based on a few reports on here. You said "they never do that". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew65 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 As said PP is not the best place to apply for a tourist visa. The fact that she did not apply in person could also be a contributing factor. No stamp at the border means proper procedures were not followed. She was probably just told no, turned around and returned to Cambodia. Further to our previous posts. The agent that I always (successfully) used on Sisowath Quay for tourist visas, told me that Non-O applications must be always be made in-person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dopenhagen Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 A friendly immigration officer showed me the computer screen when I was denied entry in Sungai Kolok during a Visa run... to my understanding, the computer said "No" because I had 6 Visa exemptions combined with extensions within a 6 month period... T Visa at the consulate in Kota Bharu was subsequently not a problem, and I entered the following day. It's worth noting that it's only for entry by land that the immigration is narrowing the gaps in their enforcement of the rules, you apparently still get Visa Exemptions when you enter via Air, regardless of how many Visa Exemptions. and Extensions you have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjackson Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 No, they never to that. It's either full allowed stay as per applicable case, or refusal.A friend of mine (Filipino Citizen), came for a 29 day stay in June 2015. Immigration at Swampy asked how long the stay in Thailand was. Replied 29 days and showed the Flight Booking Confirmation. The immigration officer picked up his date stamp and wound the date back from 30 days to 29 days and stamped the passport accordingly. It made no difference as that was the departure day and for the life of me I cannot understand why it was done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 There are thousands of people entering Thailand daily. You can't make assumptions based on a few reports on here. You said "they never do that". I'll explain again to you. One doesn't need to see all the thousands. The samples are numerous enough, it is not "few reports". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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