Visa run report Kuala Lumpur (FAILED)

[LatvianAce]

Hi,

just tried to get single entry tourist visa in Kuala Lumpur for me and my GF I'm travelling with. Had 1 such visa right before, that expired yesterday. No intention of staying in Thailand longer than these 4 months, going to Vietnam next.

They asked for all kind of ridiculous and impossible documents. On top of flights in and out of Thailand (which we had) and proof of hotel booking for the whole time (which we also had), they wanted a) Proof of Employment in form of official original letter from our employers (although on of us indicated being a business owner), certified by Notary Public in Malaysia; Official Bank statments again certified by Notary Public in Malaysia. Provided in 1h LIke hell I'm going to get anyone in Malaysia to certify anything from Latvia, even if I could somehow teleport these documents here.

Flying to Penang now, hope it goes better there.

[ubonjoe]

Nothing new in what happened to you. The embassy is known to come up with strange requirements as an excuse not to issue a visa.

You will not have a problem in Penang.

[LatvianAce]

Yeah, I took a chance because I've lived in KL before and wanted to catch up with some friends. I'm not really surprised about the visa result, just reporting so we have a recent update that KL is still no good.

[grumpyoldman]

Question, if just doing a KL 30 day turnaround (fly in, fly back to Thailand,new 30 day stamp) on arrival KL do you have to clear immigration in KL or can you use just the transit exit?

[ubonjoe]

Question, if just doing a KL 30 day turnaround (fly in, fly back to Thailand,new 30 day stamp) on arrival KL do you have to clear immigration in KL or can you use just the transit exit?

You should enter and depart Malaysia. Otherwise your out and back is not legit because you have no proof you entered another country.

[grumpyoldman]

Question, if just doing a KL 30 day turnaround (fly in, fly back to Thailand,new 30 day stamp) on arrival KL do you have to clear immigration in KL or can you use just the transit exit?

You should enter and depart Malaysia. Otherwise your out and back is not legit because you have no proof you entered another country.

Thanks UJ !

[LatvianAce]

Does anyone know - how much time does it take for single entry tourist visa in Penang? Is it a same or next day tournaround? I see different reports online.

[ubonjoe]

Apply the morning of one day and pickup the next afternoon.

[lkv]

I'm not 100% sure if the KL embassy has these extra requirements for people that don't qualify for a visa exempt or every foreigner. I also come from an Eastern European country and had the same happen to me 2 years ago as i reported in some threads (proof of employment in Malaysia???)

Regardless, as most are saying, KL embassy is to be avoided for tourist visas, not being too friendly is an understatement, they have rude staff as well.

Edited January 6, 2016 by lkv

[alex8912]

Why does anyone think the KL embassy is so strict? A single entry tourist visa seems very harmless and in fact helpful for someone coming to Thailand to spend money. Is there any way a complaint can be lodged? Or a letter or e mails sent to someone higher up here or there? What exactly do they do there if a tourist visa is so difficult to get? Even Thais can't eat lunch all day lol. I've just read so many reports about it and I don't even read this forum all the time.

[MiKT]

Apply the morning of one day and pickup the next afternoon.

This is 100% correct.

[lordblackader]

Had a friend who is in KL today to obtain a work visa, said the two farang in front of them were declined for tourist visa, fortunately his paperwork was in order.

[Ooladolla]

This post has me concerned. I am doing a one day visa run to KL in a couple of weeks.

I have an Australian passport and am looking to extend my retirement visa. Travelling alone.

My plan was to arrive and depart the same day ( returning to Thailand ).

Will I be able to get a visa on arrival , exit immigration and stay within the airport precinct and then re-enter via immigration and get the necessary Malaysian visa stamp in my passport ???

Thanks...

[LostDemocracy]

Nothing new in what happened to you. The embassy is known to come up with strange requirements as an excuse not to issue a visa.

You will not have a problem in Penang.

Last time I did the Penang run (21 years ago!), the taxi driver went into the embassy and did all the queuing for me.

[muffy]

Why is Thailand not doing something about this , Like all new staff ?

[NanLaew]

This post has me concerned. I am doing a one day visa run to KL in a couple of weeks.

I have an Australian passport and am looking to extend my retirement visa. Travelling alone.

My plan was to arrive and depart the same day ( returning to Thailand ).

Will I be able to get a visa on arrival , exit immigration and stay within the airport precinct and then re-enter via immigration and get the necessary Malaysian visa stamp in my passport ???

Thanks...

Yes. You will get the Malaysian Immigration equivalent of a visa-exempt entry stamp before Customs and entering the airport landside. Then they will give you an exit stamp before you head for the gates airside.

[sunnyjim5]

This post has me concerned. I am doing a one day visa run to KL in a couple of weeks.

I have an Australian passport and am looking to extend my retirement visa. Travelling alone.

My plan was to arrive and depart the same day ( returning to Thailand ).

Will I be able to get a visa on arrival , exit immigration and stay within the airport precinct and then re-enter via immigration and get the necessary Malaysian visa stamp in my passport ???

Thanks...

An Extension of your stay is only obtainable within Thailand and must be applied for at an immigration office.

Visas are never "extended" or renewed .

What visa do you have ?

Edited January 6, 2016 by sunnyjim5

[DogNo1]

It sounds as though you will need to enter Thailand on a 30-day visa-exempt entry, convert to a 90-day Non-O at immigration before that expires and then during the final 30 days of your Non-O, apply for an extension of stay based on retirement. Except for the visa-exempt to Non-O conversion, visas are not available in-country. Now would be a good time to start thinking about the financial requirements for these.

[juehoe]

Why do you not legally apply for a one-year visa?

[Incobart]

Question, if just doing a KL 30 day turnaround (fly in, fly back to Thailand,new 30 day stamp) on arrival KL do you have to clear immigration in KL or can you use just the transit exit?

You should enter and depart Malaysia. Otherwise your out and back is not legit because you have no proof you entered another country.

hhmm I'm not sure your answer is correct .. cause when I fly to Europe (as European) I get no stamps in my passport on arrival and departure ..

also for Thai immigration , if your visa is ended you have TO LEAVE the country .. witch you can prove They are not responsible or care where you go, the flight company take care of that.

[BestBitterPhuket]

Question, if just doing a KL 30 day turnaround (fly in, fly back to Thailand,new 30 day stamp) on arrival KL do you have to clear immigration in KL or can you use just the transit exit?

You should enter and depart Malaysia. Otherwise your out and back is not legit because you have no proof you entered another country.

Not correct. You only have to prove you left Thailand (proof is your exit stamp). I live in Singapore and never get my passport stamped. There is no way Thai Immigration can see that I have "entered a new country", even though I have.

[ubonjoe]

Question, if just doing a KL 30 day turnaround (fly in, fly back to Thailand,new 30 day stamp) on arrival KL do you have to clear immigration in KL or can you use just the transit exit?

You should enter and depart Malaysia. Otherwise your out and back is not legit because you have no proof you entered another country.

hhmm I'm not sure your answer is correct .. cause when I fly to Europe (as European) I get no stamps in my passport on arrival and departure ..

also for Thai immigration , if your visa is ended you have TO LEAVE the country .. witch you can prove They are not responsible or care where you go, the flight company take care of that.

Flying to Europe is not the same as flying out and back to a nearby country to get a new entry. Every nearby country stamps you in and out and on return to the country the immigration officer might check for the stamps.

[bbz404]

It sounds as though you will need to enter Thailand on a 30-day visa-exempt entry, convert to a 90-day Non-O at immigration before that expires and then during the final 30 days of your Non-O, apply for an extension of stay based on retirement. Except for the visa-exempt to Non-O conversion, visas are not available in-country. Now would be a good time to start thinking about the financial requirements for these.

A conversion from Tourist Visa to Non-B is also possible in-country. My company took care of everything.

[malt25]

This post has me concerned. I am doing a one day visa run to KL in a couple of weeks.

I have an Australian passport and am looking to extend my retirement visa. Travelling alone.

My plan was to arrive and depart the same day ( returning to Thailand ).

Will I be able to get a visa on arrival , exit immigration and stay within the airport precinct and then re-enter via immigration and get the necessary Malaysian visa stamp in my passport ???

Thanks...

I don't really understand your trip to KL. For retirement extension why not just go to your local IO ? I could somewhat understand if you were spending a few days in KL for sight seeing, or the like.

What's the point of the KL trip ?

[NanLaew]

Question, if just doing a KL 30 day turnaround (fly in, fly back to Thailand,new 30 day stamp) on arrival KL do you have to clear immigration in KL or can you use just the transit exit?

Transit exit at KUL? As a frequent passport flipper at that airport, I am not sure where that is. Do you mean staying air-side? I know from experience that there is a transit desk when arriving in KUL on an international flight and departing on a domestic flight to Sabah (non-peninsular) Malaysia that has a separate, internal immigration clearance procedure. But I am not sure if there's a totally international transit desk air-side. Usually, I clear into the country, grab a burger land-side then check in, pass through immigration, do some shopping and relax with a stogie in the cigar lounge.

[Fallangpakwan]

Question, if just doing a KL 30 day turnaround (fly in, fly back to Thailand,new 30 day stamp) on arrival KL do you have to clear immigration in KL or can you use just the transit exit?

You should enter and depart Malaysia. Otherwise your out and back is not legit because you have no proof you entered another country.

A year or so back I did a roundtrip to Singapore; THAI without saying anything gave me 2 boarding passes; got to Spore and thought I could go in/out and get a stamp but the crowd was too much.Got back on same aircraft, same seat and back to Bangers; entered with 30 days no problem.

[roiethome]

Thai Immigration are only interested in the exit stamp to prove departing Thailand.

When I fly to Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam etc ( many time a year) I always use my second passport on arrival and departure from those countries, so as not to fill up my passport with my Thailand extension of stay stamp.

Never had a problem in or out of any country.

[Krataiboy]

Why does anyone think the KL embassy is so strict? A single entry tourist visa seems very harmless and in fact helpful for someone coming to Thailand to spend money. Is there any way a complaint can be lodged? Or a letter or e mails sent to someone higher up here or there? What exactly do they do there if a tourist visa is so difficult to get? Even Thais can't eat lunch all day lol. I've just read so many reports about it and I don't even read this forum all the time.

Why does anyone think the KL embassy is so strict?

Power corrupts, and an itsy bits bit of power corrupts absolutely. Just think of immigration staff as traffic wardens n different uniforms and all will become clear.

[Linden]

In KL my girlfriend from Philippines gets asked for loads of paperwork hotels flights funds etc and a letter from me as an ATM from her.

As she is Asean National her visa is free. NOT in KL they went and asked the consulate as she kicked up a fuss with the Asean lady this was more than a year ago the Consulates answer was if its free in other Consulates for a 59 day visa go to that consulate.

The KL consulate sells 60 day visas and you and everyone pays the same.

Its not the staff its the consulate thats twisted.In penang Asean National can have 59 day visa free

A backpacker requiring a single entry tourist visa will not have this problem on a world tour in KL

A cheap Charlie doing border or nearby country bounces will be inconvenienced by the KL consulate.They are the same as any Body that issues visas they are there to hinder the abuse of their countries visa system.

The British US or Swedish visa department are only trying to stop visas being issued in the same way they are in no way there to assistor make it easy

If it was to be that easy 7/11 Would already be selling visas all over the world or Amazon.

[Ooladolla]

This post has me concerned. I am doing a one day visa run to KL in a couple of weeks.

I have an Australian passport and am looking to extend my retirement visa. Travelling alone.

My plan was to arrive and depart the same day ( returning to Thailand ).

Will I be able to get a visa on arrival , exit immigration and stay within the airport precinct and then re-enter via immigration and get the necessary Malaysian visa stamp in my passport ???

Thanks...

An Extension of your stay is only obtainable within Thailand and must be applied for at an immigration office.

Visas are never "extended" or renewed .

What visa do you have ?