Border Run Alternatives

[BritTim]

Thank you for fast answer. I plan for a visit to Poi Pet next week. Yes I want a new entry stamp in my passport and 1 more year to stay.

Hi again KlasElo

I suppose I was not som wrong anyway dispite the answer I got from another user in this forum.

Today it is important to know how to do with your visa with renewal and extensions, so you are perfectly right to check it up more than once. Anyway I found this link where you can get the exact information regarding your visa and the rules, directly from the thai government written in english.

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22O-A%22-(Long-Stay).html

In your case I understand that it is going to be section 5.3 and 5.4 that is relevant and most important for your question.

I hope you find it useful.

Regards and good luck!

While the MFA website is a valuable resource, be warned ...

The website has its share of outdated and incorrect information.

Thailand being the way it is, be very wary of trusting a single source. Whether the MFA website, official Thai embassy websites, commercial websites or forums, be prepared for local rules that override what you have read, or even outright incorrect advice.

[Carson2311]

Thank you for fast answer. I plan for a visit to Poi Pet next week. Yes I want a new entry stamp in my passport and 1 more year to stay.

Hi again KlasElo

I suppose I was not som wrong anyway dispite the answer I got from another user in this forum.

Today it is important to know how to do with your visa with renewal and extensions, so you are perfectly right to check it up more than once. Anyway I found this link where you can get the exact information regarding your visa and the rules, directly from the thai government written in english.

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15385-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22O-A%22-(Long-Stay).html

In your case I understand that it is going to be section 5.3 and 5.4 that is relevant and most important for your question.

I hope you find it useful.

Regards and good luck!

While the MFA website is a valuable resource, be warned ...

The website has its share of outdated and incorrect information.

Thailand being the way it is, be very wary of trusting a single source. Whether the MFA website, official Thai embassy websites, commercial websites or forums, be prepared for local rules that override what you have read, or even outright incorrect advice.

I totally agree with you that you should not trust a single source. Anyway you must have somewhere to find your information, and in that case I do think that my choise was one of the best.

Offcourse it is free to worry about everything, and it is also true that it is different regarding the place you go to when it is time for your visa. Although my experience in this case is to not worry to much. If you have your papers in order, and show them all that you have with you, at the samr time that you know what you are talking about. In my case that has never initiated any kind of problem.

I do really think that much of the importance is that many people think it´s more complicated than it really is. With a nice attitude and ready papers you can go a long way without any kind of problem.

[ubonjoe]

Removed a quote of the OP that had changed its content, (accidentally ??) Try posting again but do not quote the OP..

[thailandsgreat]

Morning,

I am a retired man from Sweden with a 1 year, multi Entry non-immigrant O-A Visa. Expire on 28 may 2016 (Enter before). I have some questions:

1. Can I travel to border at Poi Pet and leave Thailand and reenter Thailand same day. I want a stamp in passport so I have 1 year more to stay in Thailand.

2. Do I need a tourist Visa to Cambodia or can I skip that cost ? I know many people go to Poi Pet for Casino. They never really enter Cambodia.

Maybe I feel safer if I have an e-visa to Cambodia before my trip ??

Hi,

As I understand it your goal is to get a new 1 year visa in Thailand. Maby I am wrong, but according to my knoledge you can go over the border and get your 90 day stamp. If your visa expires you will need to apply for an extension or a new year. Same here that I might be wrong, but I think you need to contact immigration office or the Thai embassy for have a new 1 year visa.

Regarding the entering and tourist visa for Cambodia you need that, out of the reason that you need to enter another country for getting a new entry to Thailand.

You are wrong. KlasElo has a non 'O-A' visa and not a non 'O'.

A non 'O-A' gives a 1 year permit to stay every time the (valid) visa holder enters the country.

I am confused on this. Can someone please help me explain.

I also carry Swedish passport. I am 50+. I just came back to Sweden after 15 months on repeated tourist visa (+travel). In Yangon the Embassy gave me my final tourist visa but advised me to return to Sweden after that period, to be sure to get another tourist visa.

Can someone please explain the Non-O, the Non-O-A and related visa?

I wish to stay as long as possible in Thailand and also have the possibility to make trips abroad in the region. I often stay in guesthouses in Thailand and can not provide proof of permanent residency.

For example, is there some kind of multi entry visa I could obtain at the Embassy i Sweden, that is valid one year and I just renew by visa runs every 90 days?

Thanks a lot.

Edited May 9, 2016 by thailandsgreat

[johnatong]

Morning,

I am a retired man from Sweden with a 1 year, multi Entry non-immigrant O-A Visa. Expire on 28 may 2016 (Enter before). I have some questions:

1. Can I travel to border at Poi Pet and leave Thailand and reenter Thailand same day. I want a stamp in passport so I have 1 year more to stay in Thailand.

2. Do I need a tourist Visa to Cambodia or can I skip that cost ? I know many people go to Poi Pet for Casino. They never really enter Cambodia.

Maybe I feel safer if I have an e-visa to Cambodia before my trip ??

Hi,

As I understand it your goal is to get a new 1 year visa in Thailand. Maby I am wrong, but according to my knoledge you can go over the border and get your 90 day stamp. If your visa expires you will need to apply for an extension or a new year. Same here that I might be wrong, but I think you need to contact immigration office or the Thai embassy for have a new 1 year visa.

Regarding the entering and tourist visa for Cambodia you need that, out of the reason that you need to enter another country for getting a new entry to Thailand.

You are wrong. KlasElo has a non 'O-A' visa and not a non 'O'.

A non 'O-A' gives a 1 year permit to stay every time the (valid) visa holder enters the country.

I am confused on this. Can someone please help me explain.

I also carry Swedish passport. I am 50+. I just came back to Sweden after 15 months on repeated tourist visa (+travel). In Yangon the Embassy gave me my final tourist visa but advised me to return to Sweden after that period, to be sure to get another tourist visa.

Can someone please explain the Non-O, the Non-O-A and related visa?

I wish to stay as long as possible in Thailand and also have the possibility to make trips abroad in the region. I often stay in guesthouses in Thailand and can not provide proof of permanent residency.

For example, is there some kind of multi entry visa I could obtain at the Embassy i Sweden, that is valid one year and I just renew by visa runs every 90 days?

Thanks a lot.

Details of the O/A multiple entry visa can be found on the Swedish Thai Embassy website

http://www.thaiembassy.se/en/visa/types-of-visa/63

[thailandsgreat]

Morning,

I am a retired man from Sweden with a 1 year, multi Entry non-immigrant O-A Visa. Expire on 28 may 2016 (Enter before). I have some questions:

1. Can I travel to border at Poi Pet and leave Thailand and reenter Thailand same day. I want a stamp in passport so I have 1 year more to stay in Thailand.

2. Do I need a tourist Visa to Cambodia or can I skip that cost ? I know many people go to Poi Pet for Casino. They never really enter Cambodia.

Maybe I feel safer if I have an e-visa to Cambodia before my trip ??

Hi,

As I understand it your goal is to get a new 1 year visa in Thailand. Maby I am wrong, but according to my knoledge you can go over the border and get your 90 day stamp. If your visa expires you will need to apply for an extension or a new year. Same here that I might be wrong, but I think you need to contact immigration office or the Thai embassy for have a new 1 year visa.

Regarding the entering and tourist visa for Cambodia you need that, out of the reason that you need to enter another country for getting a new entry to Thailand.

You are wrong. KlasElo has a non 'O-A' visa and not a non 'O'.

A non 'O-A' gives a 1 year permit to stay every time the (valid) visa holder enters the country.

I am confused on this. Can someone please help me explain.

I also carry Swedish passport. I am 50+. I just came back to Sweden after 15 months on repeated tourist visa (+travel). In Yangon the Embassy gave me my final tourist visa but advised me to return to Sweden after that period, to be sure to get another tourist visa.

Can someone please explain the Non-O, the Non-O-A and related visa?

I wish to stay as long as possible in Thailand and also have the possibility to make trips abroad in the region. I often stay in guesthouses in Thailand and can not provide proof of permanent residency.

For example, is there some kind of multi entry visa I could obtain at the Embassy i Sweden, that is valid one year and I just renew by visa runs every 90 days?

Thanks a lot.

Details of the O/A multiple entry visa can be found on the Swedish Thai Embassy website

http://www.thaiembassy.se/en/visa/types-of-visa/63

Thanks.

If I read correctly, on the Non-O-A multi entry I can stay with 90 day checks, one year extensions. The 90 day checks do NOT ask for electricity bills or similar, and no visa runs needed. It is ok to stay in guesthouse.

This seems like a very good alternative.

Edited May 9, 2016 by thailandsgreat

[notmyself]

This seems like the best thread for a question.

I'm 2 weeks away from finishing my last 30 day extension on a triple entry from last September. I (will) need another 6 weeks so I figure I'll just fly down to Penang (from Samui) for a couple of days and return on a visa exempt entry which I can extend to make up the additional 2 weeks needed for my flight to the UK. I avoid any potential 'out-in' risks by staying away for 48 hours and always carry 20k on me just in case but what about a flight out within 30 days which they may ask for. Shall I get a Surat - KL throwaway ticket just to be on the safe side?

[BritTim]

This seems like the best thread for a question.

I'm 2 weeks away from finishing my last 30 day extension on a triple entry from last September. I (will) need another 6 weeks so I figure I'll just fly down to Penang (from Samui) for a couple of days and return on a visa exempt entry which I can extend to make up the additional 2 weeks needed for my flight to the UK. I avoid any potential 'out-in' risks by staying away for 48 hours and always carry 20k on me just in case but what about a flight out within 30 days which they may ask for. Shall I get a Surat - KL throwaway ticket just to be on the safe side?

If you already have the UK flight booked, I would not bother with the throwaway ticket in advance. I think immigration would be satisfied if you were questioned. I would only buy it if the airline insisted at the time of check in. I would allow a little extra time at the airport in case of the need to go online to buy a ticket while there.

[thailandsgreat]

This seems like the best thread for a question.

I'm 2 weeks away from finishing my last 30 day extension on a triple entry from last September. I (will) need another 6 weeks so I figure I'll just fly down to Penang (from Samui) for a couple of days and return on a visa exempt entry which I can extend to make up the additional 2 weeks needed for my flight to the UK. I avoid any potential 'out-in' risks by staying away for 48 hours and always carry 20k on me just in case but what about a flight out within 30 days which they may ask for. Shall I get a Surat - KL throwaway ticket just to be on the safe side?

So you have an onward flight ticket in 6 weeks but the visa exempt entry is only 30 days *without extension*? (I have been in similar situations in the Philippines. I can only assume it would be no problem even though some airlines are truly crazy at check in.) I guess the first line of defense would be to say it is an open ticket that allows date change. Edited May 10, 2016 by thailandsgreat

[notmyself]

They did not seem to worry about a flight out using a visa exempt entry when using an airport in the region But I've not done this in a year and lots have changed since then.

Fly back 26th of May and fly out 4th July which is >30 days

[easybullet3]

my friend from Sweden (living in Bangkok), has been doing tourist visas from Laos (vientiane) for the past few years..

me and her are both 'out of touch' with the current '15 day visa waiver' situation if she goes for a back to back land crossing.

are back to back land crossings (without a tourist visa) still not allowed?

would you suggest Poipet or Nong Khai or elsewhere for her attempt ?

She can show the immigration at the land border a copy of her Bank Statment and an onward flight to Singapore within the next 2 weeks.

i'm hoping that anyone here knows the current situation.

I know last year it was a big No-No.

i wonder if things have eased off a bit since then.

Many thanks

Edited May 13, 2016 by easybullet3

[easybullet3]

Hi gang,

I have conflicting reports from expats here in Chiang Mai about new rules. I am a G7 Canadian. I entered Thailand via flight from Saigon with a 2 month single entry visa I purchased in Saigon. I extended it for a further 30 days. I have to leave by Feb 02. I want to head down to the Islands and cross over to Malaysia for a bit and then come back to Thailand to finish up my dental work. Can I do this? Will I get a 30 day stamp on arrival at the land border with Malaysia on re entry? Can I extend this for another 30 days after my 30 days is up?

I have no other Thai stamps, visas or extensions in my passport.

Cheers for any answers.

what sthe difference between a G7 Canadian and a regular Canadian ?

i've never heard of a G7 Canadian before.

[Maestro]

I don't know when you arrived, but surely you will have to leave before the 2nd of February.

[ubonjoe]

my friend from Sweden (living in Bangkok), has been doing tourist visas from Laos (vientiane) for the past few years..

me and her are both 'out of touch' with the current '15 day visa waiver' situation if she goes for a back to back land crossing.

are back to back land crossings (without a tourist visa) still not allowed?

would you suggest Poipet or Nong Khai or elsewhere for her attempt ?

She can show the immigration at the land border a copy of her Bank Statment and an onward flight to Singapore within the next 2 weeks.

i'm hoping that anyone here knows the current situation.

I know last year it was a big No-No.

i wonder if things have eased off a bit since then.

Many thanks

Unless she has several previous visa exempt entries she could do a border hop at most crossings for a 15 day entry. Has she done the 30 day extension of her current visa exempt entry if that is what she has now.

[easybullet3]

my friend from Sweden (living in Bangkok), has been doing tourist visas from Laos (vientiane) for the past few years..

me and her are both 'out of touch' with the current '15 day visa waiver' situation if she goes for a back to back land crossing.

are back to back land crossings (without a tourist visa) still not allowed?

would you suggest Poipet or Nong Khai or elsewhere for her attempt ?

She can show the immigration at the land border a copy of her Bank Statment and an onward flight to Singapore within the next 2 weeks.

i'm hoping that anyone here knows the current situation.

I know last year it was a big No-No.

i wonder if things have eased off a bit since then.

Many thanks

Unless she has several previous visa exempt entries she could do a border hop at most crossings for a 15 day entry. Has she done the 30 day extension of her current visa exempt entry if that is what she has now.

yes, she has already used up the 30 days visa extension.

her visa is about to expire.. and she has done this "tourist visa routine" for several years.

she has NEVER had a Free Visa Waiver before.

she wants to try the back to back 15 days visa waiver in poipet tomorrow. and worries about being refused entrance to thailand.

Reason for this:

she is going to singapore in a fortnight,, so she doesnt want to have to do the pricey Lao, Vientiane embassy trip for a 60 days visa,, just to stay in thailand for 2 weeks.

The 15 day visa waiver is a perfect option.

but she worries about being refused entry.

what do you think ?

[johnatong]

my friend from Sweden (living in Bangkok), has been doing tourist visas from Laos (vientiane) for the past few years..

me and her are both 'out of touch' with the current '15 day visa waiver' situation if she goes for a back to back land crossing.

are back to back land crossings (without a tourist visa) still not allowed?

would you suggest Poipet or Nong Khai or elsewhere for her attempt ?

She can show the immigration at the land border a copy of her Bank Statment and an onward flight to Singapore within the next 2 weeks.

i'm hoping that anyone here knows the current situation.

I know last year it was a big No-No.

i wonder if things have eased off a bit since then.

Many thanks

Unless she has several previous visa exempt entries she could do a border hop at most crossings for a 15 day entry. Has she done the 30 day extension of her current visa exempt entry if that is what she has now.

yes, she has already used up the 30 days visa extension.

her visa is about to expire.. and she has done this "tourist visa routine" for several years.

she has NEVER had a Free Visa Waiver before.

she wants to try the back to back 15 days visa waiver in poipet tomorrow. and worries about being refused entrance to thailand.

Reason for this:

she is going to singapore in a fortnight,, so she doesnt want to have to do the pricey Lao, Vientiane embassy trip for a 60 days visa,, just to stay in thailand for 2 weeks.

The 15 day visa waiver is a perfect option.

but she worries about being refused entry.

what do you think ?

If your friend has never had a "visa exempt " entry then there should be no problem but how can she be doing a back to back "visa waiver" if she has never had one ?

[easybullet3]

my friend from Sweden (living in Bangkok), has been doing tourist visas from Laos (vientiane) for the past few years..

me and her are both 'out of touch' with the current '15 day visa waiver' situation if she goes for a back to back land crossing.

are back to back land crossings (without a tourist visa) still not allowed?

would you suggest Poipet or Nong Khai or elsewhere for her attempt ?

She can show the immigration at the land border a copy of her Bank Statment and an onward flight to Singapore within the next 2 weeks.

i'm hoping that anyone here knows the current situation.

I know last year it was a big No-No.

i wonder if things have eased off a bit since then.

Many thanks

Unless she has several previous visa exempt entries she could do a border hop at most crossings for a 15 day entry. Has she done the 30 day extension of her current visa exempt entry if that is what she has now.

yes, she has already used up the 30 days visa extension.

her visa is about to expire.. and she has done this "tourist visa routine" for several years.

she has NEVER had a Free Visa Waiver before.

she wants to try the back to back 15 days visa waiver in poipet tomorrow. and worries about being refused entrance to thailand.

Reason for this:

she is going to singapore in a fortnight,, so she doesnt want to have to do the pricey Lao, Vientiane embassy trip for a 60 days visa,, just to stay in thailand for 2 weeks.

The 15 day visa waiver is a perfect option.

but she worries about being refused entry.

what do you think ?

If your friend has never had a "visa exempt " entry then there should be no problem but how can she be doing a back to back "visa waiver" if she has never had one ?

sorry.

I was using "back-to-back" because I heard it often used.

ok.

there is no back-to-back in her case.

she has been back-to-back with tourist visas. (but not with visa exemptions).

so, from the way it sounds, she should be fine with her first visa-exemption (because its her first one ever).

Thanks for the info.

I will drop a message tomorrow to let anyone else (in the future) know that this is the case

Thanks

[Seraphina]

FYI, I spoke to a Consulate in the UK today who told me that officially the 30 days applies to those entering Thailand by land on UK and US passports, but this is NOT SO in practice!

[johnatong]

FYI, I spoke to a Consulate in the UK today who told me that officially the 30 days applies to those entering Thailand by land on UK and US passports, but this is NOT SO in practice!

What were you told was the ACTUAL practice ?

FYI, ALL holders of G7 country passports are eligible for a 30 day visa exempt entry, at any entry point, not just those from the US/UK .

[Seraphina]

Yes that's correct but few people talk about the G7 - I think that's the G8 now. I can only tell you what was said.

The person who told me actually WORKS at the embassy/consulate*. He/she* also said that they had 'unconfirmed' reports; regarding visa runs, that what's official and what is currently being practiced on the borders are not the same!

*using this to protect the wicked...! For the smart ass who commented on the 'agent', I was trying to protect that person's identity.

I can only tell you what was said.

[notmyself]

I've heard nothing about G7's only getting 15 days. It may have happened but it could be down to human error (TiT) rather than as a policy. You see threads all the time with people asking what to do when they have been miss-stamped in. The immigration status on the computer may well have you stamped in for 30 days but the manual stamps in your passport could say 15 days.

[johnatong]

Yes that's correct but few people talk about the G7 - I think that's the G8 now. I can only tell you what was said.

The person who told me actually WORKS at the embassy/consulate*. He/she* also said that they had 'unconfirmed' reports; regarding visa runs, that what's official and what is currently being practiced on the borders are not the same!

*using this to protect the wicked...! For the smart ass who commented on the 'agent', I was trying to protect that person's identity.

I can

only tell you what was said.

What you were "told" was not worth listening to and repeating it amounts to rumour spreading and scaremongering especially as you seem unwilling to reveal the source of this misinformation.

[Carson2311]

This is a clear problem due to unclear information from many places, and even from the Thai immigration themself. When you enter Thailand by land there has been a change that only gives countries that before got 30 days, only 15 days. The exception is exactly what you are talking about here, that the G7 or G8 countries should get 30 days even when enter by land. The reality is that the rules are written two ways. When it comes to the 15 day rules it is written maximun 15 days. When it comes to 30 days it is written not eceeding 30 days. That basically put this rule up to the judgement of the immigration officer at hand at the point of crossing that you choose. I do not say it is right, but it might be an explaination.

Regarding the possibility of a wrong stamp, and that the computer might say 30 instead of 15, and you are not sure it is always better to check it by the border crossing and ask the immigration officer at hand if something seems wrong. They are only humans and might occasionly miss something. I arrived at Suvarnaphumi Airport with me Non-O visa. Last time the immigration officer missed to check the sticker in my passport, and only give me 30 days om my stamp instead of 90. I checked and just got back to him, and he changed the stamp in 1 minute and put his sign by the side. That´s how simple it can be if asking.

[Seraphina]

Yes, G8 countries normally have the right of an automatic 30 days stay.* That doesn't mean they will always give it to you.

What the person at the Embassy said was they have the right of refusal - just as a restaurant can refuse you entry because they don't like your face: and secondly, they are clamping down on visa runs. He said Penang was a case in point, but I'm expecting to go overland. My contact mentioned flights from Penang, but let's see if your members have noticed a difference.....

*I specifically asked about the length of stay by land from Malaysia because 20 years ago,if you entered via Malaysia by land, you were reduced from an automatic 30 day visa to a 15 day visa like everyone else. I asked if this had changed knowing that it had last year. He replied, "What is happening right now is unconfirmed (i.e. not in writing), but we know it's happening."

I used the word, 'agent' to protect the person who told me.

Edited May 18, 2016 by Seraphina

[Seraphina]

Before you talk about scare-mongering; why don't we see what travellers experience. We would have to assume that most of them watch this forum.

@Newbie I have never heard of mis-stamping before, though I'm sure it's possible and would certainly explain the problem. However, if there's an internal memo somewhere, and we've all seen those in our own work, it wouldn't surprise me either!

[Carson2311]

Before you talk about scare-mongering; why don't we see what travellers experience. We would have to assume that most of them watch this forum.

@Newbie I have never heard of mis-stamping before, though I'm sure it's possible and would certainly explain the problem. However, if there's an internal memo somewhere, and we've all seen those in our own work, it wouldn't surprise me either!

Hi, Seraphina. Regarding the mis-stamping it was another person in this thread that opened that subject, I was just commenting on that.

How ever that is not important. Regarding the memo, it is unfortunalely not internal. You can read it i this link to a pdf. from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/files/services-20150120-100712-551809.pdf

Unfortunately you have the sad information at the bottom of the page. ;-)

[notmyself]

Regarding the possibility of a wrong stamp, and that the computer might say 30 instead of 15, and you are not sure it is always better to check it by the border crossing and ask the immigration officer at hand if something seems wrong. They are only humans and might occasionly miss something. I arrived at Suvarnaphumi Airport with me Non-O visa. Last time the immigration officer missed to check the sticker in my passport, and only give me 30 days om my stamp instead of 90. I checked and just got back to him, and he changed the stamp in 1 minute and put his sign by the side. That´s how simple it can be if asking.

It can only go so far as all you have to reflect upon is the stamp in your passport.... what do you check it against?

A bit more about the stamps. It's a manual thing and still old school which would be slow so they have a number of stamps for various entries set to likely 30 or 90 days. Easy to pick up the wrong one and on land crossings you would likely have a third 15 day stamp you could inadvertently pick up.

[ubonjoe]

Yes, G8 countries normally have the right of an automatic 30 days stay.* That doesn't mean they will always give it to you.

What the person at the Embassy said was they have the right of refusal - just as a restaurant can refuse you entry because they don't like your face: and secondly, they are clamping down on visa runs. He said Penang was a case in point, but I'm expecting to go overland. My contact mentioned flights from Penang, but let's see if your members have noticed a difference.....

*I specifically asked about the length of stay by land from Malaysia because 20 years ago,if you entered via Malaysia by land, you were reduced from an automatic 30 day visa to a 15 day visa like everyone else. I asked if this had changed knowing that it had last year. He replied, "What is happening right now is unconfirmed (i.e. not in writing), but we know it's happening."

I used the word, 'agent' to protect the person who told me.

It is only the G7 now since Russia was taken out it. Russians get a 30 day visa exempt entry from a bilateral agreement at land crossings which means the would not need to be need to included in the list that get the 30 days any way.

This from link posted earlier.

" "** If such nationals enter the Kingdom at the immigration checkpoints which border neighboring countries, they will be allowed to stay for 15 days each time, except (1) Malaysian nationals who cross the borderline from Malaysia, (2) Nationals of the G7 countries: USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, whose granted period of stay will not exceed 30 days each time.In addition, such nationals who hold diplomatic and official passports are also practically exempted from visa for tourism."

[elviajero]

Yes that's correct but few people talk about the G7 - I think that's the G8 now. I can only tell you what was said.

The person who told me actually WORKS at the embassy/consulate*. He/she* also said that they had 'unconfirmed' reports; regarding visa runs, that what's official and what is currently being practiced on the borders are not the same!

*using this to protect the wicked...! For the smart ass who commented on the 'agent', I was trying to protect that person's identity.

I can only tell you what was said.

• The G8 no longer exists since Russia were kicked out. All nationals from the G7 countries qualify for 30 days at land borders.
• An employee working for consular services isn't a reliable source for current immigration policy and often give wrong or outdated information.
• Some borders do not allow in/out visa exempt entry at all, but those that do will always grant a 30 day stay to a G7 national unless there is a reason to deny entry. That said, it has been known, in rare individual cases, that the IO gives a reduced stay. e.g. 7 days rather than denying entry.

[elviajero]

Before you talk about scare-mongering; why don't we see what travellers experience. We would have to assume that most of them watch this forum.

@Newbie I have never heard of mis-stamping before, though I'm sure it's possible and would certainly explain the problem. However, if there's an internal memo somewhere, and we've all seen those in our own work, it wouldn't surprise me either!

"mis-stamping" happens often and has been reported on this forum many times.