A friend has a red stamp from Vientiane, can we get tourist visas from somewhere else?

[proovms]

Hi,

As the title says, one of my friends got a red stamp in their passport at Vientiane, Laos, so we were wondering if we could go to a different country or place to get a new tourist visa next time?

They are waiting for their new passport from their embassy, but it's taking much longer than what they said it would, so the visa may expire before the new passport is available.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

proovms

[jacksam]

I think the experts that can advise properly need more info. Where you all from. Why the red stamp. Why waiting for new pp and waiting where.

Don't follow your post

[lkv]

Let me guess, the red writing is on top of the sticker and says "This person travels frequently on a tourist visa. Further applications may be rejected"?

And is that on your third sticker from Vientiane?

[ubonjoe]

The stamp is only for getting another one in Vientiane. Getting another one at a diffferent embassy or consulate will not be a problem.

Have they gotten a 30 day extension at immigration of the 60 day entry yet?

Their passport may not be valid for international travel. Some countries cancel the passport in their database when they process the application for the new passport.

[bkkcanuck8]

The stamp is only for getting another one in Vientiane. Getting another one at a diffferent embassy or consulate will not be a problem.

Have they gotten a 30 day extension at immigration of the 60 day entry yet?

Their passport may not be valid for international travel. Some countries cancel the passport in their database when they process the application for the new passport.

Canada does that -- but then you don't have a passport since they send it back with the passport documentation as ID used for the new passport. (you can get replacement temporary documentation I believe if needed).

I would think if it were cancelled they would hang onto it for the duration of the application process.

[darrendsd]

There has been reports on here that when getting a new Passport it resets the count at Vientiane as they don't keep a database of TV's issued in previous Passports

Other members may be able to confirm this

[lkv]

There has been reports on here that when getting a new Passport it resets the count at Vientiane as they don't keep a database of TV's issued in previous Passports

Other members may be able to confirm this

Yes, changing passport will reset it everywhere, not only Vientiane.

It's all based on a visual check.

[Asiantravel]

There has been reports on here that when getting a new Passport it resets the count at Vientiane as they don't keep a database of TV's issued in previous Passports

Other members may be able to confirm this

Yes, changing passport will reset it everywhere, not only Vientiane.

It's all based on a visual check.

" It's all based on a visual check. "

where did you get that information from? I find it very hard to believe

[lkv]

From having something like 10 tourist visas in the last few years isused by Embassies/Consulates.

[darrendsd]

There has been reports on here that when getting a new Passport it resets the count at Vientiane as they don't keep a database of TV's issued in previous Passports

Other members may be able to confirm this

Yes, changing passport will reset it everywhere, not only Vientiane.

It's all based on a visual check.

" It's all based on a visual check. "

where did you get that information from? I find it very hard to believe

Also confirmed by the owner of a well known visa run company

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

how many visas do you need to get for this red stamp? i have 3 in total and 2 from vientiane with a planned 3rd... will i get a red stamp with a 3rd visa (in a row)? That is not something i desire

[lkv]

how many visas do you need to get for this red stamp? i have 3 in total and 2 from vientiane with a planned 3rd... will i get a red stamp with a 3rd visa (in a row)? That is not something i desire

Hard to say what will happen in 2016.

Last time I experienced this red stamp was abt 9 years ago from Penang. On my 3rd visa from them. So they were basically saying: "you may be refused on your fourth".

Other places such as Vientiane as far as I recall did not put a red stamp but used to write on your third consecutive one from them "next time financial proof needed".

(If anybody can reconfirm this).

So up until now, I would say you get the stamp on the 3rd one from one specific place.

But I am now looking at my old passport and I can confirm i got one single and two doubles in a row from my home country (with breaks in between), in the same passport and I did not get a red stamp - but had some family problems and I had to go back to Europe a few times.

In your situation, I would consider trying Ho Chi Min, Penang, Bali, etc but not Vientiane to perhaps avoid the red stamp.

[thecyclist]

I got a red and a blue stamp on my first double in Vientiane once.So you can never tell.But subsequently got another single from another embassy.

[Autonuaq]

There has been reports on here that when getting a new Passport it resets the count at Vientiane as they don't keep a database of TV's issued in previous Passports

Other members may be able to confirm this

This is not completely a fact, Immigration will keep track of the old an new passport and will be linked.

consulate and Embassy are only providing you the Visa documentation and Visa stamp. As pointed out in the procedure is this never a guarantee you can enter Thailand or allowed to stay in Thailand,.

immigration at the border and the offices in land they determine if you are allowed to enter or (re)new/extend Visa.

passport have enough markers to be linked,

Thai immigration uses these links as have seen myself.when applied for new Visa.

[Autonuaq]

visa.jpghow many visas do you need to get for this red stamp? i have 3 in total and 2 from vientiane with a planned 3rd... will i get a red stamp with a 3rd visa (in a row)? That is not something i desire

Hard to say what will happen in 2016.

Last time I experienced this red stamp was abt 9 years ago from Penang. On my 3rd visa from them. So they were basically saying: "you may be refused on your fourth".

Other places such as Vientiane as far as I recall did not put a red stamp but used to write on your third consecutive one from them "next time financial proof needed".

(If anybody can reconfirm this).

So up until now, I would say you get the stamp on the 3rd one from one specific place.

But I am now looking at my old passport and I can confirm i got one single and two doubles in a row from my home country (with breaks in between), in the same passport and I did not get a red stamp - but had some family problems and I had to go back to Europe a few times.

In your situation, I would consider trying Ho Chi Min, Penang, Bali, etc but not Vientiane to perhaps avoid the red stamp.

There is a rule in the immigration that tells a Tourist Visa can not be converted in to an Non-Immigrant Visa.

The text looks the same as the part of the translated English text of the immigration Law regarding VISA and conversions..

[Myran]

how many visas do you need to get for this red stamp? i have 3 in total and 2 from vientiane with a planned 3rd... will i get a red stamp with a 3rd visa (in a row)? That is not something i desire

I just got my third tourist visa from Vientiane (two double entry and one single entry) and didn't receive a red stamp or any sort of verbal warning.

[lkv]

There has been reports on here that when getting a new Passport it resets the count at Vientiane as they don't keep a database of TV's issued in previous Passports

Other members may be able to confirm this

This is not completely a fact, Immigration will keep track of the old an new passport and will be linked.

consulate and Embassy are only providing you the Visa documentation and Visa stamp. As pointed out in the procedure is this never a guarantee you can enter Thailand or allowed to stay in Thailand,.

immigration at the border and the offices in land they determine if you are allowed to enter or (re)new/extend Visa.

passport have enough markers to be linked,

Thai immigration uses these links as have seen myself.when applied for new Visa.

Well all I can tell you is after getting that red stamp back in 2007 I did not experience difficulties in entering the country until now with a valid visa. And I had about 3 passports since then. Not because I was keen to change them but because they were full of stamps and stickers from everywhere.

To be fair there were a few nonB's in there along the way.

Although in theory you can be refused entry with a valid visa, that will not happen in Thailand anywhere in the near future. The problem is whether the Embassies or Consulates will keep issuing them or not.

I'm not following where you were coming from with the non B conversion, could you explain more?

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

how many visas do you need to get for this red stamp? i have 3 in total and 2 from vientiane with a planned 3rd... will i get a red stamp with a 3rd visa (in a row)? That is not something i desire

I just got my third tourist visa from Vientiane (two double entry and one single entry) and didn't receive a red stamp or any sort of verbal warning.

that gives me some hope. were your visas all back-to-back or did you have breaks between them?

[gilo]

I received 3 back to back doubles from Vientiane without any stamp, the last one just expiring following extension however have decided to go elsewhere for next visa so the issuing of the warning stamp does not seem to adhere to any specific rules.

[alocacoc]

I guess it's random. Depends on the mood of the officer and what he ate that day. I had 7 double entry visa in my per-previous passport. Never got a stamp. I'm a member of a G7 country. May be this is the reason? Like super-dupper-special-VIP? Nobody knows.

[darrendsd]

There has been reports on here that when getting a new Passport it resets the count at Vientiane as they don't keep a database of TV's issued in previous Passports

Other members may be able to confirm this

This is not completely a fact, Immigration will keep track of the old an new passport and will be linked.

consulate and Embassy are only providing you the Visa documentation and Visa stamp. As pointed out in the procedure is this never a guarantee you can enter Thailand or allowed to stay in Thailand,.

immigration at the border and the offices in land they determine if you are allowed to enter or (re)new/extend Visa.

passport have enough markers to be linked,

Thai immigration uses these links as have seen myself.when applied for new Visa.

I suggest you read my post again, I made no mention that you may be refused entry, I stated that the count at Vientiane restarts with a new PP

I have never read a report on here or heard of anyone being refused entry at Nong Khai due to having to many Tourist Visas

[proovms]

Thanks for all the replies, it's been a great help.

The stamp is only for getting another one in Vientiane. Getting another one at a diffferent embassy or consulate will not be a problem.

Have they gotten a 30 day extension at immigration of the 60 day entry yet?

Their passport may not be valid for international travel. Some countries cancel the passport in their database when they process the application for the new passport.

We both got the extensions, so we were worried about running out of time. Luckily they got an email yesterday saying their passport is really to collect so they got it earlier today.

We plan to travel to Penang by bus to get our next visas, because flying seems expensive and the train is very slow. Do you have any recommendations of the best way to do this?

So far our plan is to go to Mo Chit bus station, get a bus to Hat Yai, then find another bus to Penang while we're there. If there's a more comfortable way that anyone knows of, like a bus that's better to sleep on, that would be great to know about.

Thanks again,

proovms

[Phuket1234]

why going to Penang from BKK?

I think Savannakhet is better than Penang

For EX

Mo Chit bus station 19:50 to Mukdahan bus station 4:55 538THB

Mukdahan bus station 7:30 to Savannakhet bus station 9:00 50THB

TUKTUK to Consulate 10min? 50thb?

Royal Thai Consulate General Savannakhet open for visa apply 8:30-11:00

Pick up passport with SETV 14:00 next business day

Savannakhet bus station 14:30 or 15:30 to Mukdahan bus station 15:30 or 16:30 50THB

Mukdahan bus station 18:45 to Mo Chit bus station 4:00 538THB

There are many buses BKK to MUK

[Phuket1234]

BTW

I think ,If you got new Passport in BKK, need visa transfer from old passport to new passport at immigration office in BKK

[ubonjoe]

BTW

I think ,If you got new Passport in BKK, need visa transfer from old passport to new passport at immigration office in BKK

Immigration does not transfer visas. They only transfer entry/permit to stay stamps and etc.

Just because the passport was issued in Bangkok does not mean the stamp transfer in Bangkok. Not sure how they would get a passport at the BKK airport.

[milys]

How many stamps did your friend have in her passport ? I was thinking about going to Vientienne again. Now the Thai embassy in Vientienne only issue single entry