I have been living in Chiang mai for ten years on a retirement visa. On Jan 20 I went on a cruise from singapore. Before I went I arranged for a single re-entry permit. The cruise ship stopped at Pataya I explained to the crusie staff that I did not want and could not get off the ship because getting off the ship would use up my permission to re-enter thailand once. After the cruise I was refused entry to Thailand because without my knowledge or permission and against my wishes the cruise staff had my passport stamped as having vacated the ship at pataya. I am now back in Thailand but with just a one month tourist visa....can anyone  offer advice

You will have to start all over again and obtain a 12 month extension for retirement.

It is not a Visa.

Also you now have a visa exempt entry, not a visa.

 

Get your entry changed to a Non Imm O Visa at Immigration. 2,000 Baht and then apply for the 12 month extension. 1,900 Baht.

 

You will of course have to qualify financially.

 

BTW. Why did the cruise ship staff have your passport?

Edited February 1, 20179 yr by Lite Beer

Were you stamped into and out of Thailand without you leaving the ship. Not sure how the crew of the ship could of done it without you actually doing it.

If you have the stamps then you will have to start all over again by getting a non-o visa and a new extension.

You could apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa entry at Chiang Mai immigration but you will need at least 21 day remaining on your 30 day visa exempt entry (not a tourist visa) or the 30 day extension of it. Then apply for the one year extension based upon retirement during the last 30 days of the 90 day entry.

If necessary, maybe another option for him would be a non-O conversion, but are Chiang Mai one of the offices which can deal with such conversions without the need for 2 trips to Bangkok 15 days apart?

4 minutes ago, OJAS said:

If necessary, maybe another option for him would be a non-O conversion, but are Chiang Mai one of the offices which can deal with such conversions without the need for 2 trips to Bangkok 15 days apart?

That is what I wrote about doing in my post. Chiang Mai can do it.

a sad story but at least it shows that Immigration is "on the ball". I wonder if the crew had no choice but to report you, if so, they should have given you the opportunity to let you put your case to Immigration. You were probably the only passenger who didn't get a visa exempt entry.


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Without being pedantic, in theory at least by the cruise ship entering Thai waters you had technically entered Thailand. 

When on a cruise ship, you need to surrender your passport to them which they keep and give you a receipt together with an on board charge card to use as payment on the boat. Reason for giving in the passport is so that the immigration of the countries visited can stamp the passport in and out - regardless of if the passport holder gets ok or off the ship in a port. The immigration actually get on biard the ship to stamp in and out so no need for the traveler to pass through immigration at each port.

So there is every chance that whoever stamped the passport knew that they were screwing him and did it intentionally.


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32 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

So there is every chance that whoever stamped the passport knew that they were screwing him and did it intentionally.


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As said in several posts above, he entered Thailand when the ship entered Thai territorial waters. Immigrations would expect to have the passports of all those on board handed over, whether or not they chose to go ashore. Immigrations would probably work from the shipping company's manifest of all those aboard, so they couldn't pick and choose which passports to present.

 

If the O/P had realized the ship would have a stop in Thailand he could have obtained a multi-re-entry permit and saved himself all the grief. The extra cost would have been money well spent.

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 20179 yr by Suradit69

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

As said in several posts above, he entered Thailand when the ship entered Thai territorial waters. Immigrations would expect to have the passports of all those on board handed over, whether or not they chose to go ashore. Immigrations would probably work from the shipping company's manifest of all those aboard, so they couldn't pick and choose which passports to present.

 

If the O/P had realized the ship would have a stop in Thailand he could have obtained a multi-re-entry permit and saved himself all the grief. The extra cost would have been money well spent.

 

 

 

But wasn't he, in effect, in the same position as someone transiting between international flights at BKK? Although they have, arguably, set foot on Thai soil the moment they step off their first flight, the issue of stamping their passports into (and out of) Thailand does not arise as long as they remain airside for the duration of their layover.

 

And presumably all those of his fellow passengers who were proposing to disembark at Pattaya would have head their passports handed back to them beforehand. It would surely not have beyond the wit of Immigration or the cruise company to have had someone stationed at the bottom of the ship's gangplank to check whether all passports of those disembarking had been correctly stamped, so as to prevent anyone sneaking into Thailand under the radar?

 

I just wonder what redress the OP might have against the cruise company for their possible negligence, given that, according to his report, he did specifically inform the crew that he wasn't intending to disembark at Pattaya. That would, of course, depend on the company's T&C's for this particular cruise, which he might therefore wish to check carefully - and ASAP in case the initiation of any action on his part against them is time-limited.

There may be grounds to appeal if the entry stamp at Pattaya did not give you permission to stay until the end of your extension. Also if they admitted you for the duration of your extension and at the same time stamped you out, had you decided not to return to the ship they would have forced an illegal status on you without your knowledge.


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You should have disembarked from the cruise ship at Pataya and not messed up your one re entry ...... Hindsight is a marvel.

Wow.

Interesting case.

Definitely never heard one like that before.

Thanks for telling us about and best of luck dealing with it. 

I always get the multiple just to be safe. 

It seems that Pattaya was the first port of arrival in Thailand, and all the passengers were treated as entering the country at that point. The OP hasn't said where the ship went after Pattaya or where he disembarked, but I think his only gripe  against the pursers' staff is that they should have explained that he would be regarded as entering the country, which would have given him the opportunity of disembarking there. When the IO gets on board his word is law, the staff would have had no other option. But I wonder where and when the passengers' passports were endorsed with an embarkation stamp?

 

It's all a bit academic, though, the OP will have to write it down to experience and start the retirement application process from scratch.

23 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

There may be grounds to appeal if the entry stamp at Pattaya did not give you permission to stay until the end of your extension. Also if they admitted you for the duration of your extension and at the same time stamped you out, had you decided not to return to the ship they would have forced an illegal status on you without your knowledge.


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I doubt it.  If they stamped his passport in Pattaya as having entered and even included the proper stay term (until the end of his current retirement extension), then the exit stamp without another re-entry permit would have killed his retirement extension (which appears to be exactly what happened).

21 minutes ago, OJAS said:

But wasn't he, in effect, in the same position as someone transiting between international flights at BKK? Although they have, arguably, set foot on Thai soil the moment they step off their first flight, the issue of stamping their passports into (and out of) Thailand does not arise as long as they remain airside for the duration of their layover.

 

And presumably all those of his fellow passengers who were proposing to disembark at Pattaya would have head their passports handed back to them beforehand. It would surely not have beyond the wit of Immigration or the cruise company to have had someone stationed at the bottom of the ship's gangplank to check whether all passports of those disembarking had been correctly stamped, so as to prevent anyone sneaking into Thailand under the radar?

 

I just wonder what redress the OP might have against the cruise company for their possible negligence, given that, according to his report, he did specifically inform the crew that he wasn't intending to disembark at Pattaya. That would, of course, depend on the company's T&C's for this particular cruise, which he might therefore wish to check carefully - and ASAP in case the initiation of any action on his part against them is time-limited.

When you book a cruise ( I have been on many), you will be told which port stops require a visa for your nationality. The ship will check when you board. If you do not have the required visa, they will not board you ( and will not refund your fare!). 

The ship keeps your passport so that when they dock, immigration can come on early and do the checks. That's so the passengers don't have to line up at 6:00 or 7:00 AM for immigration check.

I was took a cruise that ended in Rio, Brazil. Brazil required a visa for all US citizens. Even those that were going directly from the ship to the airport for flights home had to pay $140.00 for a visa.

It's unfortunate for the OP this happened, but it was his responsibility to understand the rules.

You entered a Thai port and you will be stamped in and out whether you choose to go ashore or not. You 'could' of decided to go ashore after immigration had boarded the ship and you would then of been in the country illegally. That's why cruise lines work how they do. They take your passport when you board and give you a receipt.You won't see or need the passport again until shortly before you disembark for the last time. The same way it works if the ship enters a country where you need a visa. The cruise line will have organised a visa for you whether you choose to go ashore or not it doesn't matter. 

Not criticizing, and definitely feel sorry for this guy. Let his misfortune teach us all a simple lesson:

Always pay the extra cost for multiple entry whether you anticipate needing it or not.

What if you have to leave LOS on an emergency and simply space out the consequences and possible complications of dealing with immigration?

Consider it another form of insurance (or bribery if you're a committed Thai- basher) .

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4 hours ago, jonclark said:

Without being pedantic, in theory at least by the cruise ship entering Thai waters you had technically entered Thailand. 

 

That is not so, if the ship has a non Thai flag.

 

Never leave Thailand ......Just stay here forever and keep on renewing your retirement Visa...lol

Problem solved.

Without trying to or being argumentative if you knew the ship itinerary and you knew it was going to Pattaya and you as you must hand in your passport. You knew in other countries the ship docked in that you would have passport stamped regardless of Wether you got off or not. My question is why didn't you get a multi entry re entry permit before leaving.!

7 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

Without trying to or being argumentative if you knew the ship itinerary and you knew it was going to Pattaya and you as you must hand in your passport. You knew in other countries the ship docked in that you would have passport stamped regardless of Wether you got off or not. My question is why didn't you get a multi entry re entry permit before leaving.!

 

I've been to many "countries", many, around the world, by ship, my passport has hardly ever been stamped by immigration

as a matter of routine/formalia.

 

Quote

 

You need to let the Cruise Line know what happened and tell them you will sue  if they do not cover the cost of redoing your visa

Good Luck

Just now, melvinmelvin said:

 

I've been to many "countries", many, around the world, by ship, my passport has hardly ever been stamped by immigration

as a matter of routine/formalia.

 

I can not comment on your experiance.  Before I came to Thailand. Myself and then wife (God rest her soul) had many cruises around the world our passports where stamped at almost all ports of call.in and out which I presume was done at the same time.

2 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

You need to let the Cruise Line know what happened and tell them you will sue  if they do not cover the cost of redoing your visa

Good Luck

Good luck with that then I suspect it is all in the small print.

Good luck resolving this process.

where did you / the ship go after Pataya - did you leave Thai territorial waters or remain in Thailand?

For a little more baht you could made a multiple entry ...., avoiding any risk from multiple crossing Thai border by mistake or unknowingly