3 tourist visas in one year too much??!!

[muzmurray]

4 minutes ago, buick said:

 

some people retire before age 50.  it would be nice if they had a visa for those people (maybe eliminate the age requirement). 

 

They do, it is called the "Elite" scheme.

[paulsingle]

I'm keen to know whether the 180 day limit applies to a calendar year or any consecutive 12 months ("rolling 12 month petood"). I imagine it's the latter. 

[buick]

11 minutes ago, muzmurray said:

 

They do, it is called the "Elite" scheme.

 

thanks for clarification, i forgot about that in my 'rant' of sorts.  i would have bought that if they'd started this 'crackdown' several years ago.

[Poppadom]

I'm sorry to hear about your case. Mine is the following:

-came to Phuket Dec 14 2015 on visa exempt, which was extended at local immigration for another 30 days

-this was followed by 3xPenang SETV's, all 3 extended I think

-then I went to run some errands to Singapore, came back on visa exempt. The immigration officer got 'tok jai' when he saw my passport, but was very nice and I told him we'd be going to Perth within a month, where I'd be getting a proper tourist visa

-went to Perth earlier this November, but it takes min 3 days for them to process visa requests and since I decided to go to the consulate a bit late, we came back on visa exempt again. The two immigration booths in my line had the officer from last time and a strict looking one who turned out to be really nice. No questions asked and even stamped on to the page I requested in my passport.

 

Now it seems I have been rehired by my ex firm in the US (used to work with them in Singapore for 5-6 years until early 2015) and will get marriage registered next week so my girl can get L2 visa, however, I may have to go to Singapore for some bank matters and your case made me think. Guess it's better to request extension at immigration and ask for re-entry permit for the remainder of our stay. I am from the EU.

Edited November 24, 2016 by Poppadom

[thaitero]

So i quess it is after x amount exempt stamps what triggers computer alert and when having a manual inspection tourist visas matter too when they count how many days in Thailand per calender year.. ?

[Deepinthailand]

Interesting first in op was " These are the only three tourist visas in my life for thailand. 

Then when questioned about 250 day

"Oh yeah sorry forgot to mention i had two visa exempt entries."

Now I know the second is not a visa but  curious  they were never mentioned until it was picked up on. did you extend 30 day visa exempt???. What are you actually doing in Thailand????. I suspect like me immigration  belive you to be working.

[ThaiWai]

2 hours ago, mduras01 said:

Side note to OP: Vietnam now gives US citizens one year multiple entry visas.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Source please, thanks

[timewilltell]

3 hours ago, fvw53 said:

 

Every country has the right to accept or deny entry without need to give an explanation

A stay of more than 180 days would in my EU country require to have a work permit or other reason than "tourism" to become resident / the names of our own nationals can be erased from the registers of residence if they stay out of our country for more than 180 days a year.

 

Not if the British Embassy granted you the visa they wouldn't.  The usual case of no one knows what the heck they are doing in la la land. No one knows the rules because they are incapable of writing rules or laws that work properly.  Everything left to the individual to decide when the individuals are on the whole not terribly bright because of their crap education system.  That's why we like Thailand so much - you never know what will happen next.

[realenglish1]

This is not 1998 anymore Its 2016 and most countries around the world are cracking down on visa requirements 

 

You may have to live with this 

Sorry about that

[JackThompson]

To the OP - I would go for the appeal.  They have no legal grounds to deny you if you can show that:

1. You have 20K Baht in Cash on you right now
2. You have some sort of proof you have income from overseas so you are not working

I would not do this at a land-border, where I could just walk away and try another entry-point, but since they have you in custody, already ... that might encourage them to honor the visa you were issued by a Thai government official.

 

People told me I was paranoid when I said I would not use airports for entry to Thailand, even on Tourist Visas.  This is why.   I have a couple visa-exempts from years ago, followed by a slew of Tourist Visas.  I usually stay out of country a week or so before returning. 

 

Lucky they are letting this victim of "no clear rules" go back to his point of origin, not sending him "all the way home" like that poor guy on the Ed-Visa from France, awhile back.

 

I don't want a job here, which would be taken from a Thai, but I do have the credentials to get one in the tech sector.  If this "unannounced rule" becomes reality, I may, ironically, be inclined to get a B-Visa and rob a Thai of their chance to work in their own country.  How sick is that?  Not sure I can do it and live with myself, seeing that I was the victim of the same in my own country.  I'd rather just live here as a tourist, as I do now.

 

Just now, realenglish1 said:

This is not 1998 anymore Its 2016 and most countries around the world are cracking down on visa requirements 

 

You may have to live with this 

Sorry about that

 

It is shooting themselves in the foot economically, but that's not my call (as a foreigner) to make.  So let them announce the new rule, and let people have a chance to make plans accordingly.   It is nothing less than cruel to just spring this on folks with no prior warning - not even a "7 days to get your stuff and get out"??
 

[bark]

Seems like there are many people who are responding; who are not working( legally with permit), or retired. 

I wonder how a normal( and don't mean you are abnormal )  person can afford to take 250 days away from their home country( job).

The days of people going around the system are gone. Happy for this; as I just spent 3 hours and almost 30,000 baht

for my stupid lawyer, renewing my yearly work permit.

Hope you all have to go through the same thing as me( immigration BS, Thai Lawyers, having to sign your name 200 times on the same paper as last year and the past 8 years.

Good Luck.

P.S. this is my third stupid lawyer; dealing with the same immigration office in the rice fields of Nonthaburi.

Enjoy your night in the Lock up !

Happy to be back in my office with my 6 great staff.

[MaxiMaxi]

3 hours ago, fvw53 said:

 

Evcnry copomntry ha cs the righot to deny entry withscnut need to givif an explanation

A stay of more than 180 days would in my EU country  nequire to have a work permit or other reason than "tourism" to become resident / the names of our own nationals can be erased from the registers of residence if they stay out of our country for more than 180 days a year.

But should be a code nr at least for the reason of deny.

In my EU country cannot be erased completely from register once Inscribed and name Is on mailbox outside where rcving official mail by registered. Or u can Inscribe In special list of resident abroad via y embassy. In that case the embassy could cancel u If unavailable. Anf furthermore the problem of 180 days Is connected to where to pay Income taxes for the rule of double Imposition and that's why they can think you working....

But better check on Traveloka or Nokair and find a cheapest flight to get away and retry by land avoiding to stay there and risk they write more controvertial notes In computer about you creating more stops for y entry. At least after 36 days will start a new year and other 180days of stay quote.

[JackThompson]

8 minutes ago, bark said:

Seems like there are many people who are responding; who are not working( legally with permit), or retired. 

I wonder how a normal( and don't mean you are abnormal )  person can afford to take 250 days away from their home country( job).

The days of people going around the system are gone.

...

I am under 50 and retired, as I suspect are most of those you are speaking to.   Others maybe just have enough cash to take a couple years off - enjoying life while younger.  That does not mean rich - this is Thailand, not Switzerland.  One reason people come and stay here, is the cost/benefit ratio.

 

Not sure what "going around the system" means.  There are laws and ministerial statements that are published regarding Tourist Visas.  I'm following those, and so was the OP.   The "180-day" rule was rescinded, and only applied to Visa Exempts, when it was in effect, so what he was told at DM, as a reason for denial, was not valid.  We are not "going around" anything that is published.

 

Good luck with your business.  I don't have a business here or work, so do not incur the expenses which would be part of that equation.   I assume your return on investment, including lawyer costs, is factored into your business-model. 

[Tony125]

9 minutes ago, bark said:

Seems like there are many people who are responding; who are not working( legally with permit), or retired. 

I wonder how a normal( and don't mean you are abnormal )  person can afford to take 250 days away from their home country( job).

The days of people going around the system are gone. Happy for this; as I just spent 3 hours and almost 30,000 baht

for my stupid lawyer, renewing my yearly work permit.

Hope you all have to go through the same thing as me( immigration BS, Thai Lawyers, having to sign your name 200 times on the same paper as last year and the past 8 years.

Good Luck.

P.S. this is my third stupid lawyer; dealing with the same immigration office in the rice fields of Nonthaburi.

Enjoy your night in the Lock up !

Happy to be back in my office with my 6 great staff.

You do realise that some persons in the US or other countries with good economies have rental properties and can live well here on just the money from rents. I have a former co-worker/friend who is still working ( 2 more years ) but could easily retire here now without even touching his pension just living on the rents. He could also sell one of his houses and live for like 10 years or more on just that money. Know a Dentist that comes to Phillipines or Thailand for months at a time as he has a partner to run the business when he's away and hires a younger dentist to handle his paitents. Not all income involves sitting at a desk in a cubicle at a company 

[bark]

2 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I am under 50 and retired, as I suspect are most of those you are speaking to.   Others maybe just have enough cash to take a couple years off - enjoying life while younger.  That does not mean rich - this is Thailand, not Switzerland.  One reason people come and stay here, is the cost/benefit ratio.

 

Not sure what "going around the system" means.  There are laws and ministerial statements that are published regarding Tourist Visas.  I'm following those, and so was the OP.   The "180-day" rule was rescinded, and only applied to Visa Exempts, when it was in effect, so what he was told at DM, as a reason for denial, was not valid.  We are not "going around" anything that is published.

 

Good luck with your business.  I don't have a business here or work, so do not incur the expenses which would be part of that equation.   I assume your return on investment, including lawyer costs, is factored into your business-model. 

Thanks for the information, and nothing against you. And if you are coming here, you should have the right Visa.

 

But how many people come to Thailand and have been doing border runs and working as ( example) teachers; with no work permits. These are the people, that get me pis-ed off.

[bark]

1 minute ago, Tony125 said:

You do realise that some persons in the US or other countries with good economies have rental properties and can live well here on just the money from rents. I have a former co-worker/friend who is still working ( 2 more years ) but could easily retire here now without even touching his pension just living on the rents. He could also sell one of his houses and live for like 10 years or more on just that money. Know a Dentist that comes to Phillipines or Thailand for months at a time as he has a partner to run the business when he's away and hires a younger dentist to handle his paitents. Not all income involves sitting at a desk in a cubicle at a company 

Then get the correct Visa.

[claffey]

26 minutes ago, bark said:

Seems like there are many people who are responding; who are not working( legally with permit), or retired. 

I wonder how a normal( and don't mean you are abnormal )  person can afford to take 250 days away from their home country( job).

The days of people going around the system are gone. Happy for this; as I just spent 3 hours and almost 30,000 baht

for my stupid lawyer, renewing my yearly work permit.

Hope you all have to go through the same thing as me( immigration BS, Thai Lawyers, having to sign your name 200 times on the same paper as last year and the past 8 years.

Good Luck.

P.S. this is my third stupid lawyer; dealing with the same immigration office in the rice fields of Nonthaburi.

Enjoy your night in the Lock up !

Happy to be back in my office with my 6 great staff.

Why not just do the work permit yourself? Instead of giving a stupid amount of money to a crooked lawyer. I bet he's laughing at you right now...

[jspill]

I did 210 days on visa exemptions this year, had no issues, my 7th one was at DMK too. 

[bark]

1 minute ago, claffey said:

Why not just do the work permit yourself? Instead of giving a stupid amount of money to a crooked lawyer. I bet he's laughing at you right now...

 

1 minute ago, claffey said:

Why not just do the work permit yourself? Instead of giving a stupid amount of money to a crooked lawyer. I bet he's laughing at you right now...

30,000 is not the point. Not alot of money, so I should not even said.

Point was to pay the lawyer, not to have problems.

The other point was everyone should get the correct Visa. Period.

[JackThompson]

6 minutes ago, bark said:

Thanks for the information, and nothing against you. And if you are coming here, you should have the right Visa.

 

But how many people come to Thailand and have been doing border runs and working as ( example) teachers; with no work permits. These are the people, that get me pis-ed off.

 

Based on the law, I have the "right Visa" - and so did the OP.  If they change the law, they need to publish this change. 

 

Yes, some teachers work without work permits, and are encouraged to do this by the schools that hire them.  Both the schools and the illegal-teachers should face criminal sanction.  And since we all know precisely where they are (in the schools), it would be easy to go round them up.  But this doesn't happen (often).   If illegal-teaching is the issue, I can only wonder why they are not targeted.  I can only assume that the motivation for what happened to the OP is something else. 

[TechnikaIII]

Upon my most recent entry at Suvarnabhumi from having been in Australia for several weeks, I was stopped as the Immigration officer was staring at something on his computer screen. It was about the amount of time I had been in Thailand. He called a supervisor, who then did see that I had atleast one Tourist visa during the year. I said I would only be there 30 days before taking the Train to Malaysia, .. for a new tourist visa. I am 67 by the way. They are checking on the amount of time we are spending in the country. I was asked where I stay, and what I did. He never asked for evidence of income or funds. I always make sure I am wearing smart clothes when I both enter the country and go to embassies. Not like some of the stinking farang wearing singlets with bare shoulders, armpits etc.

I am also prepared with an itinerary of ongoing travels, including a print out of a booked outgoing flight. The supervisor was quite respectful and cheerful, and authorised my entry.

The easy come and go days are over. Even though it is a bit troublesome for me at times, I fully understand why it is happening and it's not really a bad thing. 

 

[Tony125]

3 minutes ago, bark said:

Then get the correct Visa.

They have the correct visa they are tourists as in the case of the dentist who goes to Phillippines, Thailand and back and is not working in  Thailand. You asked how can guys stay away from a job for so long , I gave you the answer and it doesn't involve working here. And you just mentioned you had to pay 30,000 baht for your "stupid lawyer" to do your work permit because I guess your not "smart" enough to do it yourself?

[Mattd]

1 minute ago, bark said:

The other point was everyone should get the correct Visa. Period.

I think the point is what visa options are available to a genuine person if they are under 50.

1. Elite Program - A very good option for those with the money to spend on this AND have long term plans to stay in Thailand for 5 or more years.

2. Get married and then non-o based on married followed by extensions, might find the Elite option works out cheaper!!!

3. Obtain employment, non b visa and extensions.

4. Education, though this route is not reliable.

 

As far as I can ascertain, there is nothing written in the rule books that a tourist is limited to 180 days per year in Thailand, so theoretically obtaining TV's is one option that is perfectly legal, the problems seem to stem from a change in stance by immigration regarding the 180 days that is not backed up by any legislation and nor is there any official information available to inform visitors about this stance.

 

If they are going to enforce this, then the information should be placed on the MFA / Immigration websites and their embassies etc. overseas informed.

 

BTW I like many others have held a work permit for many many years and can't imagine why a lawyer would charge anything like 30,000 Baht to process one if the employment is above board and pukka. (not saying yours isn't, just seems a lot for doing very little)

[thaibeachlovers]

3 hours ago, moto77 said:

The US has the exact same rule. My GF has a 10 year US visa and gets 180 day stamps, but she can't spend more than 180 days in a year in the US total. (She never tried, but I've known other women that tried going to Mexico and coming back. They were not denied, but given shorter stamps and told about the rule.) This is getting to be pretty common I think. Once you are over 180 days in country, you're a resident. 

Exactly right. I'm not surprised as it has been said that one can not stay in LOS indefinitely on TVs anymore for ages. One has to get the non immigrant visa now. The third visa would be almost a full year in LOS.

 

I think it's sad though. Back in the 1990s I could stay indefinitely on 90 day visa exempt entries as long as I exited every 90m days. That goody was cancelled though. Bummer

 

Unfortunately, LOS is no longer the welcoming country I first knew, and probably never will be again.

Perhaps Burma will get the expats once they sort their politics. Lots of nice undeveloped beaches like LOS used to have to go live on. 

[bark]

13 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

Based on the law, I have the "right Visa" - and so did the OP.  If they change the law, they need to publish this change. 

 

Yes, some teachers work without work permits, and are encouraged to do this by the schools that hire them.  Both the schools and the illegal-teachers should face criminal sanction.  And since we all know precisely where they are (in the schools), it would be easy to go round them up.  But this doesn't happen (often).   If illegal-teaching is the issue, I can only wonder why they are not targeted.  I can only assume that the motivation for what happened to the OP is something else. 

So we don't keep going in Circles; I will just say thanks and enjoy your stay.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, Mattd said:

I think the point is what visa options are available to a genuine person if they are under 50.

1. Elite Program - A very good option for those with the money to spend on this AND have long term plans to stay in Thailand for 5 or more years.

2. Get married and then non-o based on married followed by extensions, might find the Elite option works out cheaper!!!

3. Obtain employment, non b visa and extensions.

4. Education, though this route is not reliable.

 

As far as I can ascertain, there is nothing written in the rule books that a tourist is limited to 180 days per year in Thailand, so theoretically obtaining TV's is one option that is perfectly legal, the problems seem to stem from a change in stance by immigration regarding the 180 days that is not backed up by any legislation and nor is there any official information available to inform visitors about this stance.

 

If they are going to enforce this, then the information should be placed on the MFA / Immigration websites and their embassies etc. overseas informed.

 

BTW I like many others have held a work permit for many many years and can't imagine why a lawyer would charge anything like 30,000 Baht to process one if the employment is above board and pukka. (not saying yours isn't, just seems a lot for doing very little)

I don't agree with the present diktat ( if someone wants to live and spend money in LOS, why not? ), but I can understand that a person under 50 without a WP living in Thailand would be suspected of working illegally.

[Mattd]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I don't agree with the present diktat ( if someone wants to live and spend money in LOS, why not? ), but I can understand that a person under 50 without a WP living in Thailand would be suspected of working illegally.

Absolutely agree 100%, this can be averted by the requirement to prove that you can support yourself for the duration, which doesn't really differ from the retirement / marriage (or child support) routes.

There have been several references to the rules of other countries, UK, US etc. again agree, the difference is that this information is available and known, here it is a case of finding out once it is too late and it is not necessarily uniform, but hey TIT!

[ubonjoe]

A post has been removed that contained an edited quote that changed its context.

[akentryan]

5 hours ago, dotpoom said:

Just intrigued as to how you figure he is from the USA (have scrutinized his post) taking into account his username.....(I know...maybe I should get a job or something.555)

Nope?

 

[lemonjelly]

Come back through Sadao with 200 baht tucked in passport.




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