Visa-on-arrival (VOA) regulations being tightened

[JimboPSM]

From Bangkok Post:

Visa rules will be tightened to stop abuse

Maximum stay of 90 days for foreigners

By Chatrudee Theparat

Visa-on-arrival (VOA) regulations will be tightened for nationals of 41 countries to prevent abuse of the privilege and curb the rising number of illegal entries, according to the Immigration Police Bureau (IPB). Foreign nationals from those countries, including the US, China and India, will be able to stay longer but with fewer chances of renewing the VOA.

IPB commissioner Suwat Tumrongsiskul said nationals from those specific countries are currently allowed to remain in Thailand for 15 days maximum after the VOA is granted. The VOA is normally renewable once.

However, some foreigners including tourists ''tiptoe around the law'' by resorting to so-called visa runs to extend their stay. Most take a bus to a border, check out of the country and then return the same day to have the VOA renewed.

They repeat the practice as many times as they wish, affording them almost unlimited stay in the country. The policy is largely intended to serve tourism.

Pol Lt-Gen Suwat said the change of the VOA rules is in order.

In future, foreigners from those 41 countries will be able to stay in the country for 30 days from the first VOA stamp, which will be renewable twice at most, each time for a maximum of 30 days. In other words, a foreigner will be permitted to remain in Thailand for no longer than 90 days in total after three VOA stamps.

The commissioner said the current system is prone to abuse as many foreign nationals make numerous visa runs so they can stay on long term to do business. In some cases, they have gone unregulated, causing social problems.

Official figures showed that about 400,000 Chinese nationals were granted a VOA last year, and 18,000 of them have stayed behind.

Around 200,000 Indians made VOA visits last year and it was found that 16,000 of them have not left.

Pol Lt-Gen Suwat said the new VOA rules will be put into effect once approved by the Royal Thai Police Office.

He said more information technology will be employed in the blacklisting system. The IT-operated immigration clearance system is now in use at 15 out of 55 checkpoints nationwide to check in tourists and screen out undesirable individuals. The technology lets the bureau enlarge its database of foreign visitors to identify those on the blacklist and expel them.

Pol Col Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, head of the Pattaya immigration centre, said its IT-operated database is shared by many hotels and resorts in Pattaya to help track down blacklisted people. The technology has been credited with weakening the local mafia network.

The Betong immigration centre in Yala is also using the system to trace people of dual nationality, some of whom are believed to be behind the southern strife.

Pol Lt-Gen Suwat said more authority to issue visas will be delegated to regional IPB offices.

At present, IPB chief inspectors are authorised to grant visas, and in future their deputies will also be able to approve visa requests

[BKKSTAN]

There is going to be problems for a lot of guys I have met coming through NK

[BKKSTAN]

Good friend and his G/F have been back in Brighton for a couple of monts,returning this month.He has been making 30 day runs for a longtime.Gave him a ''headsup'' about the Voa and new airport in case he is not aware!

[Bump]

Someone want to delete my thread this is the same thing, it is going to get confusing and I'm going to get yelled at again. Seems like we have heard this many times before, wonder if they will really do anything this time. There are guys who years upon years here on this.

There does seem to be a lot of sword rattling in this neck of the woods. This is why I waited till 55 before I stayed here at the time 50 was the age. I could have been here many years earlier. Just didn't want to take the chance of giving up my contacts and licenses for a chance that I might be able to stay.

[valentine]

I am totally confused. I thought a VOA was already valid for 30 days from arrival and was free, for some countries citizens including US and UK. As I understood it you could get one months extension by paying 1,900 bht to make a total of 60 days. To get another VOA ,you had to leave the country and come back again when you could if you wish get an extension by paying the fee and get another 30 days.If you wanted further you had to be out of Thailand for a minimum of 48hrs, then you could start over again.
Now are they saying you won't be able to get this paid for extension but will get another VOA free without leaving the country two times?90 days in all.
What happens after you've had the three? Are you barred for ever more from re-entering Thailand, or after what period of time can you start another three?

[arjay]

Be careful here. The wording in the original quote referred to 41 countries and Visas issued on arrival of 15 days. "We", meaning USA, European, Australasian countries already receive 30 day visas on arrival. So it may well not be aimed at "us".

They could be talking about certain other Asian countries such as those from the Indian sub-continent.

Let's not jump to conclusions too quickly, or before we know "all" the facts.

[valentine]

Actually Arjay it spefically mentions US along with China hence my confusion.

[arjay]

Actually Arjay it spefically mentions US along with China hence my confusion.

Agreed. And it then goes on to speak of 15 day visas issued on arrival. I think maybe they have got their wires crossed somewhere, or at least the reporter has.

[Bump]

Good catch Arjay

[valentine]

I am surprised nobody commented on the statistics regarding Indian and Chinese overstayers. 200,000 Indians of whom 16,000 have dissapeared into thin air and 400,000 Chinese of whom 18,000 have disappeared.Thats a total of 34,000 illegals floating around the country, or to put it another way, more than the entire number of many nations farangs legally staying here.
To think I worry about my 90 day reporting.

[BKKSTAN]

I think the important part is the limit to 90 days combined VOA's!

[businessman]

Very interesting story.For my first two years here i did visa runs,first to Malaysia when i lived on Phuket and Samui and later to Laos when i discovered the joys of Nong Khai.There is an absolutely huge floating population of visa run people drifting around the country.Where are they all going to go to i wonder?Back home to the cold and grey or move down to say Malaysia.I believe they now do a ten year visa if you have enough cash in the bank(40000 USD ?)

[BKKSTAN]

I'm wondering if there is going to be a rash of marriages.I can just see girls offering to marry for a price.They used to do it a longtime ago in the USA to get green cards!

[JimboPSM]

I have checked the websites of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Thai Embassy in the UK and the Thai Consulates in the UK for press releases etc but have not found anything that backs up, clarifies or verifies the Bangkok Post article.

I am now wondering whether this article (which is attributed to the Immigration Police Bureau) may have been a result of a chain reaction started by the worldwide reporting of the fruit and nutcase who was shipped back to the US a couple of weeks ago.

Thailand received a lot of adverse publicity from that incident and there may have been quite a few butts that have received a serious kicking as a result.

[Bump]

That certainly is a posibliity as I said I recall this subject coming up before and nothing much came of it if anything. Lots of people were very concerned. But the other side of the coin was the uproar with doubling the marrriage visa requirement and they did in fact do that.

If I had to take a guess I would lean towards sabre rattling

[BKKSTAN]

That certainly is a posibliity as I said I recall this subject coming up before and nothing much came of it if anything. Lots of people were very concerned. But the other side of the coin was the uproar with doubling the marrriage visa requirement and they did in fact do that.

If I had to take a guess I would lean towards sabre rattling

Nothing to base in on but hunch,I think this will be put in force.They have talked about it in the past and there has been some problems, at some of the crossings,in the past, told to me by guys coming through NK.The way the report is written,makes me think this is the time that they are going to follow through!We will have to wait and see!

[arjay]

The answer seems to be becoming clearer now:

Quote from Izzix:

AFX News Limited
Thailand tightens visa rules for tourists to cut illegal workers
09.10.2006, 09:45 AM


BANGKOK (AFX) - Thailand will tighten entry regulations for tourists in a bid to crack down on illegal foreign workers, the Immigration Bureau said.

The move, which takes effect October 1, would affect tourists from 41 countries including Australia, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the US, said Suwat Thamrongsrisakul, the head of the bureau.

Currently, tourists from 41 countries can enter Thailand without visas and stay in the kingdom for up to 30 days.

They can extend their stay by checking out of the country, mainly by crossing the borders of neighboring Cambodia and Laos, and returning with new entry stamps.

'Under the current rules, people from those countries can stay in Thailand as long as they want. Some even stay here for one year,' another bureau official said.

The bureau had learned that a growing number of foreigners from the 41 countries worked illegally in Thailand, Suwat said, adding many were employed in bars and restaurants in the popular seaside resort of Pattaya, east of Bangkok.

'Tourists are taking advantage of the visa exemption law. Instead of sightseeing, they are doing business here,' Suwat said.

From October, tourists from the designated countries can still enter Thailand without visas and stay for up to 30 days, but their entry stamps will be renewable twice at most for a maximum stay of 90 days.

Tourists who stayed for 90 days must leave the kingdom for at least 90 days before being permitted to re-enter Thailand, Suwat said.

tp/shi/lod/zr

[arjay]

Extract from Izzix's quote from AIX News:

From October, tourists from the designated countries can still enter Thailand without visas and stay for up to 30 days, but their entry stamps will be renewable twice at most for a maximum stay of 90 days.

Tourists who stayed for 90 days must leave the kingdom for at least 90 days before being permitted to re-enter Thailand, Suwat said.

Now that puts a more interesting slant on things.

That seems clearly to be saying - if you come in on a "on arrival" 30 day visa, you can re-enter twice more to bring it up to 90 days. After that you have to leave and not come back for at least 90 days!

The could push up demand for "Retirement" visas and the like, by those who are eligible!

I wonder what about those that come in a 60 day tourist visa, i.e one previously applied for outside the country.

[BKKSTAN]

I wonder what about those that come in a 60 day tourist visa, i.e one previously applied for outside the country.

Excellent question Arjay,since this report really only addresses VOA's.We probably could not get a definitive answer from the Gov't at this time,since they didn't bring up the issue yet.
I thought about asking our friend at Immigration,but decided against it.I don't want to put him on the spot about a policy not yet defined.I am sure,there will be a lot of personal definitions and applications by different Immigration offices,until it is actually defined.I am happy that I don't have to go through it

[Bump]

Immigration confirms the end of border runs from October 1, 2006
Thailand tightens visa rules for tourists to cut illegal workers

BANGKOK: -- Thailand will tighten entry regulations for tourists in a bid to crack down on illegal foreign workers, the Immigration Bureau said.

The move, which takes effect October 1, would affect tourists from 41 countries including Australia, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the US, said Suwat Thamrongsrisakul, the head of the bureau.

Currently, tourists from 41 countries can enter Thailand without visas and stay in the kingdom for up to 30 days.

They can extend their stay by checking out of the country, mainly by crossing the borders of neighboring Cambodia and Laos, and returning with new entry stamps.

'Under the current rules, people from those countries can stay in Thailand as long as they want. Some even stay here for one year,' another bureau official said.

The bureau had learned that a growing number of foreigners from the 41 countries worked illegally in Thailand, Suwat said, adding many were employed in bars and restaurants in the popular seaside resort of Pattaya, east of Bangkok.

'Tourists are taking advantage of the visa exemption law. Instead of sightseeing, they are doing business here,' Suwat said.

From October, tourists from the designated countries can still enter Thailand without visas and stay for up to 30 days, but their entry stamps will be renewable twice at most for a maximum stay of 90 days.

Tourists who stayed for 90 days must leave the kingdom for at least 90 days before being permitted to re-enter Thailand, Suwat said.

--forbes.com 2006-09-10

Edited by Lee (quote tags added)