Wrong date on Arrival Stamp

[Canuck50]

Just preparing documents to renew my Extension of Stay and noticed the IO put the wrong date on my arrival stamp when I arrived last week.

 

Current Extension good till 24 Dec. 2016

Arrived 14 Nov 2016 but on arrival stamp it says "admitted until 24 Nov. 2016" (should be 24 Dec. 2016)

 

Is this likely to cause me grief when my new Extension is submitted Tuesday, such as shortening the next extension period by one month? Also, if I don't renew my Extension early as planned, and get interrogated by the BIB after 24 Nov., which stamp would take precedence for date, the arrival stamp or my last Extension of Stay stamp? 

[KhunBENQ]

So you arrived having a re-entry permit until 24 Dec and the IO noticed the re-entry permit?

Likely, as 14 Nov to 24 Nov makes no sense for any visa exempt entry.

 

To me sounds like a simple error of the IO, turning the day wheel to 24, but not the month to Dec.

First step on Tuesday (or ASAP): approach the information desk/officer at the immigration office and explain the situation. Ask for correction of the wrong stamp before proceeding.

[Canuck50]

11 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

So you arrived having a re-entry permit until 24 Dec and the IO noticed the re-entry permit?

Likely, as 14 Nov to 24 Nov makes no sense for any visa exempt entry.

 

To me sounds like a simple error of the IO, turning the day wheel to 24, but not the month to Dec.

First step on Tuesday (or ASAP): approach the information desk/officer at the immigration office and explain the situation. Ask for correction of the wrong stamp before proceeding.

Yes, I'm sure it was just an error. The arrival date is stamped but the "admitted until" date is hand written. Good advice, I will get the error corrected first and then proceed with the application for Extension. 

 

I am curious though what would have happened if I hadn't noticed this and been checked by police between 24 Nov. and 24 Dec.. Which stamp would take precedence or would that be left to the discretion of the police? 

[elviajero]

1 minute ago, Canuck50 said:

I am curious though what would have happened if I hadn't noticed this and been checked by police between 24 Nov. and 24 Dec.. Which stamp would take precedence or would that be left to the discretion of the police? 

As long as it was a genuine mistake you'd be fine.

[DoctorG]

Had an experience in Malaysia where the IO put the wrong YEAR on my arrival and I did not notice. Caused me some drama and waiting in office for a long time before it was finally sorted. Funny now, but not so much then.

[IMA_FARANG]

Not to be rude, but once again do not leave the immigration rntrance area queue until you agree with thr date that was stamped in your passport.

Mistakes can be corected on the spot then so don't wait.

The immigration officers are human too, and we all can make mistales, especially when busy and there is a rush of prople.

 

 

[PaoloR]

My passport was stamped incorrectly at Satun with 15 days instead of the time to expiry of my extension. I did not notice it until 5 minutes later whilst waiting for my friends to finish their stamps. I went back to the window and asked the young trainee who had stamped my passport to correct it, she called the supervisor. The supervisor stated he could not correct the stamp - because I had already left the window. I took my passport to my local immigration office, explained the situation and it was corrected within minutes.

So whatever your hurry and however long the queue - don't leave the window till you have checked your stamp is correct.

[lopburi3]

Your post it not clear - are you saying you should have received a 30 day visa exempt entry?  But you also say you are extending current extension of stay?  

 

If you had an extension and entered with a re-entry permit the date of stay will remain the same as it was before.  So there is a possibility that 24 Nov date is real if that was your previous permitted to stay date.

 

 

[orientalist]

Many years ago I got an "admitted until" stamp that was a month short. Luckily I noticed it the next day and took my passport down to Immigration. It was then passed around the office with officials peering at it, scratching their heads and finally saying things like, "Huh. It's true!" I mean it was like they couldn't believe mistakes like this could happen. Anyway, they corrected it in the end and didn't charge me for it.

[Canuck50]

7 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Your post it not clear - are you saying you should have received a 30 day visa exempt entry?  But you also say you are extending current extension of stay?  

 

If you had an extension and entered with a re-entry permit the date of stay will remain the same as it was before.  So there is a possibility that 24 Nov date is real if that was your previous permitted to stay date.

 

 

Well I thought it was clear but let me try again:

 

- Current Extension of Stay based on retirement valid till 24 Dec. 2016

- Re-entry permit (single) valid until 24 Dec. 2016

- Left for overseas 5 Sept. 20126

- Returned to Thailand 14 Nov. 2016

- Entry stamp was stamped as arriving on 14 Nov. 2016 but the "admitted until" field on the stamp was handwritten as 24 Nov. 2016

- Re-entry permit was stamped as "used"

- TM6 card was tucked into my passport and not stapled as they usually do

 

I agree with others that it was a mistake on the part of the IO, and also agree that I should have Immigration fix that error before submitting my application for my next extension, which is due 24 Dec. 2016 but I plan to get it done early on 22 Nov. 2016 (tomorrow). So when I arrive at Immigration, I will get them to make the correction first and then proceed to submit my new application for extension.

 

Thanks to everyone for their comments!

[lopburi3]

Indeed missed that Current Extension good till 24 Dec. 2016 line on OP somehow - sorry - officer set wrong month on stamp so that just needs to be corrected before actual extension of stay.

[novo58]

Just to add ....what date is stamped on the TM 6 card ????

[Mansell]

I had something similar last year crossing from Cambodia. I went to do my report in Phuket and IO pointed out the error and changed it for me. Very small issue.

[Canuck50]

39 minutes ago, novo58 said:

Just to add ....what date is stamped on the TM 6 card ????

Good question...the stamp is mostly unreadable as it wasn't inked properly. All I can make out is Nov 2016, no date and no text. Nothing in the bottom "admitted until" field. The only way I knew what that field is was by looking at a copy of an old TM6. On that one the stamped date is the arrival date and the "admitted until" field is blank also on that one.

 

I'm sure Imm. will correct it when I go there tomorrow.

[wpcoe]

5 hours ago, IMA_FARANG said:

Not to be rude, but once again do not leave the immigration rntrance area queue until you agree with thr date that was stamped in your passport.

Mistakes can be corected on the spot then so don't wait.

The immigration officers are human too, and we all can make mistales, especially when busy and there is a rush of prople.

 

 

I agree in principle, and not trying to be argumentative, but sometimes at midnight after a long 30-hour trip from overseas one's mind might not be the sharpest.  At least, mine isn't always.  One such time, I paused after leaving the IO's kiosk to check the date and somehow got totally confused and thought he had mis-stamped me.  I returned and he was ever-so-patient in straightening out my misunderstanding, thank heavens!   I was soooo embarrassed.

 

So, now I wait until the next day after the jet lag haze starts to lift before checking.  Still better than never checking.  But, yeah, if you know you have your wits about you it's ideal to check before leaving the Immigrations area.

[streboris]

Always check the stamp at the window.

If you forget and find a mitake later, go to immigration as soon as possible and get it sorted.

I have a friend who spent a weekend in a police cell because of a mistake on his stamp, that he hadn't noticed.

[lungnorm]

I was entering Thailand through Don Muang a few years ago with my Thai wife. We were met by a family friend who was a high ranking Police officer. He had 3 subordinate police officers with him. Two of them took our bags and passports and we were escorted through the V.I.P exit. After arriving at our destination having being driven there in a government car. I noticed my passport had not even been stamped. My wife's Australian passport had been stamped and she had been given a 28day visa. Yes I can believe anything can happen passing thru immigration.

[OJAS]

8 hours ago, Canuck50 said:

I agree with others that it was a mistake on the part of the IO, and also agree that I should have Immigration fix that error before submitting my application for my next extension, which is due 24 Dec. 2016 but I plan to get it done early on 22 Nov. 2016 (tomorrow). So when I arrive at Immigration, I will get them to make the correction first and then proceed to submit my new application for extension.

 

If your immigration office is Chaengwattana, I gather that they have a window dedicated to the correction of such errors.

[Canuck50]

2 hours ago, OJAS said:

 

If your immigration office is Chaengwattana, I gather that they have a window dedicated to the correction of such errors.

Yes it is so I will check it out tomorrow and hopefully they will have that window and it will be a quick procedure.

[Canuck50]

Well, just wanted to provide an update. Made it to Imm. today and managed to get the entry stamp corrected but it was not easy. It actually took as long as did the subsequent Extension of Stay. I got a queue number for "K" and was called quickly. The female IO I got was a real piece of work and by far the wort I have ever encountered. She sat there shouting at me and berated me for not making sure that the stamp was correct before I left the airport. I calmly explained that I had been travelling for over 25 hours and was very tired but in that state thought it was OK. She proceeded to scold me like a young child and finished by saying she would ask her supervisor to sign off on it this time but if it ever happens again, she would send me back to the airport to get it corrected. She had me provide all the passport copies that I required for my Extension of Stay plus had me fill in some form that said "change of visa type" on the bottom. I protested that, thinking she was going to drop me to a tourist visa or something and she said it was only used for my information at the top. Finally, after a wait of perhaps  30-45 minutes, a different (pleasant) girl came out with my corrected passport. I have to say that I was very close to asking to speak to her supervisor at the time to complain about her attitude and rudeness but thought better of it because it would have caused further delay and I wanted to get my new Extension and Re-Entry permit done on the same visit. Mission accomplished but only just. After all that I got out of there after 3:30! 

 

Has anyone here ever tried complaining to a supervisor about this type of behavior and if so, did you have any success? 

[mick220675]

Last year a immigration officer stamped my passport admitted until 17th Feb 2017 instead of the 17th Feb 2016. In my tired state I did not realize until I was back at the house.

 

I went to my local immigration office in Surin district. I was made to sit for two hours until I was taken upstairs where a officer thanked me for notifying them, corrected my passport and gave me a booklet about alcohol and drug addiction.

 

[Canuck50]

6 hours ago, mick220675 said:

Last year a immigration officer stamped my passport admitted until 17th Feb 2017 instead of the 17th Feb 2016. In my tired state I did not realize until I was back at the house.

 

I went to my local immigration office in Surin district. I was made to sit for two hours until I was taken upstairs where a officer thanked me for notifying them, corrected my passport and gave me a booklet about alcohol and drug addiction.

 

Well other than the wait and the insulting booklet, it seems you fared better than me with the good demeanor and apology!

 

The bottom line here is that it was their mistake not mine, whether I was alert enough at the time to check it. So she should have said "I'm sorry for OUR mistake and  the cost and inconvenience it has caused you by having to travel here to get it corrected". Instead, she went into a tirade reminiscent of that female judge (now deceased) who's hissy fit was broadcast on social media not long ago. She was shouting and slamming papers on the desk and would not give me an opportunity to speak at first. I was expecting her to jump up at any moment and start to stamp her feet! I was polite and quiet in my own best interest at the time but afterwards was quite annoyed that I had not done something. Later I thought I should have recorded the audio on my iPhone to share with her supervisor but that would likely have resulted in me being charged with some freakin computer crime. So I can't figure out if she was annoyed at the airport IO who made the mistake causing her extra work, or was trying to "save face" of immigration by going on the attack making it all my fault, or if she was simply taking out her personal frustrations on me. In any case, it was not professional, an embarrassment to the immigration office, and we should have some way to report this sort of thing to immigration supervision to help her receive an attitude adjustment.

 

Anyway, I was curious if others had this sort of thing happen to them and if they were successful in filing an official complaint but have heard nothing yet.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Canuck50
Correcting grammer