Maximum 3 consequtive tousist Visas, then no more???

[SanukJoe]

Thanks Bob, a shame lopburi isn't available anymore...

Sanuk Joe
He still posts on Thaivisa under lopburi3, maybe you can post your query there or pm him.
Hope this helps.
Taff

Thanks Taff, good idea. Tried to send him an email but as I can't sign in on TV I cannot send emails.
I forgot which email address I used for TV 4-5 years ago

If someone can send him this link http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/m ... n-no-more- and ask for his reaction.

Hope it works.
Joe

[SanukJoe]

Today I have sent lopburi a pm and hope he will react.

Joe

[lopburi3]

Several comments:
1. A tourist visa entry can be 60 or 30 days depending on nationality. For most it is 60 days. They can be extended for 30 days at an Immigration office for 1,900 baht.
2. Vientiane has told some 3 and no more but some have received more so not closely monitored (yet?).
3. Non immigrant O visa is available to those with Thai spouse or child. For wife have both marriage certificate and copy of her ID card. Also good to have short note from her asking for visa to be issued to help prove marriage is ongoing. Have her date/sign.
4. Land border entry is only 15 days and after three will likely be asked if working but no set limit on use.
5. For those married KL offers one year non immigrant O visa with proof of 100k in bank account so likely worthwhile for those unable to meet immigration one year extension of stay 400k/40k requirements.

[BobHelm]

Thanks lop...
Any idea if the refusals seem to be directed at certain nationalities?
Do you know if the use of the 'touts', that will queue & early return passports for a fee, eliminate the problem??

[SanukJoe]

Several comments:
1. A tourist visa entry can be 60 or 30 days depending on nationality. For most it is 60 days. They can be extended for 30 days at an Immigration office for 1,900 baht.
2. Vientiane has told some 3 and no more but some have received more so not closely monitored (yet?).
3. Non immigrant O visa is available to those with Thai spouse or child. For wife have both marriage certificate and copy of her ID card. Also good to have short note from her asking for visa to be issued to help prove marriage is ongoing. Have her date/sign.
4. Land border entry is only 15 days and after three will likely be asked if working but no set limit on use.
5. For those married KL offers one year non immigrant O visa with proof of 100k in bank account so likely worthwhile for those unable to meet immigration one year extension of stay 400k/40k requirements.

Lopburi thanks for your reaction, highly appreciated.
A few questions:
1. Following your point 2. one has to be lucky on the day I guess (lottery). I read on TV about a guy getting double TV although he has a history in Vientiane for 3 years... If they are worried you might work in Thailand would it help if you are 60+?
2. We had a topic about 30 day extension as in Udon it is not given more than once, unless you arrived from a country outside Thailand's neighbouring countries. You have any input on that?
3. If someone is refused visa in Vientiane does it make sense to go to Savannakhet in Lao? I know they only grant single entry but better that than no visa at all.
4. In the same case, getting back to Thailand with a 15 day VOA is it an option to apply in another country than Lao like Cambodia, Malaysia or even further away Singapore or Australia? I mean is the refusal from Vientiane a local event or does it influence any attempt to get a tourist visa?

Thanks again for sharing your expertise.

Joe

[lopburi3]

1. Age normally helps but not sure if that much in this case. But nothing to say you could not obtain at another location if Vientiane was a problem. Most people seem to still receive OK there but the numbers are way down from reports.
2. Immigration has the option to approve or not on any extension of stay so they are also trying to weed out those staying on tourist visas I suspect.
3. I would probably go to PP first as Savannakhet is under Vientiane. But it would be an option.
4. It is local from all reports I have seen.

Have seen specific posts of African and Philippine refusals at Vientiane (which likely accounts for the lower numbers using it now).

If staying on tourist visa entry strongly advise trying to find a non immigrant alternative. Currently Perth is closing in 2 week so only Hull in the UK is known to officer non immigrant O visa on basis of visiting friends. But ED visa for study is still an option if not married or have child.

[SanukJoe]

2. Immigration has the option to approve or not on any extension of stay so they are also trying to weed out those staying on tourist visas I suspect.
But only when they arrive from neighbour countries, no problem if they arrive from other countries like Vietnam/Indonesia etc. So it is not about staying as a tourist, it is what country you stayed before...meaning spend more money on flights to other countries in order to obtain the 30 day extension...

Have seen specific posts of African and Philippine refusals at Vientiane (which likely accounts for the lower numbers using it now).
That could be the reason for the rumours of refusal

If staying on tourist visa entry strongly advise trying to find a non immigrant alternative. Currently Perth is closing in 2 week so only Hull in the UK is known to officer non immigrant O visa on basis of visiting friends. But ED visa for study is still an option if not married or have child.

Isn't ED visa tight too? Being obliged (and proven) to study at certain institutes, doing tests at immigration...
I thought about it as I want to learn Thai 100% (not nid noi like now) but the closest recognised institute is in Chiang mai, forcing me to stay overnight there during the days of study...(I live 75 km east of Udon).
Also, which consulates provide ED visas?

Thanks again

Joe

[papaguido]

Isn't ED visa tight too? Being obliged (and proven) to study at certain institutes, doing tests at immigration...
I thought about it as I want to learn Thai 100% (not nid noi like now) but the closest recognised institute is in Chiang mai, forcing me to stay overnight there during the days of study...(I live 75 km east of Udon).
Also, which consulates provide ED visas?

Thanks again

Joe

AUA here in Udon provided assistance in the past for obtaining an Education visa. They may still do, you have to inquire with AUA. Vientiane will process the Education visa, you'll need a letter from the school among other things. No such thing as being tested by immigration. Where did you here that? It would seem logical and would make sense, but it ain't happening...yet.

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/p ... ua#p122898

[lopburi3]

As said all Consulates support issue of ED visa with the proper paperwork. There are no tests as such. If you attend authorized classes it seems to be a win situation for everyone.

The reason for not extending visas from local issue sources indicates the desire to remove those who are working illegally I suspect rather than a desire to spend more money (but that would be what the effect would be for some).

[pompui]

With regards back to my post I had been reading the thaivisa link http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/322 ... crackdown/ and hopefully this type of visa will be used how it should be, not a reason to just attend the minimum required lessions to extend your stay here in LOS without actually learning the lingo.
OA visa visiting friends seems to me the best option,timing it to get a full 15 months stay here instead of limitless tourist visas just because they are free!

Remember the post sometime back when a farang complained why he was not given an umpteenth tourist visa but told that after his 2 years already on them,surely he should be looking at options like the OA visiting friends,presumably he had made some in 2 years! and 2 years not working,must have had a good accessible savings account!

[lopburi3]

The "OA" is a retirement visa issued only in your country of residence and has nothing to do with 15 months (each entry is for one year). What you are thinking about is the non immigrant O visa (issued normally for those with Thai spouse or child). Visiting friends it not a normal reason for issue and only Perth and Hull have been reported to do recently and Perth closes in 2 weeks. Most people do not have access to such entry visa.

[BobHelm]

At the moment my plans are to be back in the UK for Christmas & will then apply for another non o multi then.
It will be my third, interspersed with tourist & the old visa exemptions - when they used to be 30 days over land as well...

When I return from UK at start of August I got talking to another Brit. in the departure lounge. He said when he went physically to Hull to pick up his new one that, for the first time ever they actually asked him a few pertinent questions - along the lines to ensure he was not working & what he was doing in Thailand (it was about his 10th. multi-entry on the trot). He said he explained that it was convenient for him because he liked to travel about Thailand & the neighbourhood a bit & quite liked going out country every 90 days for a week or so..
They signed it off easy enough, but he was not sure if it was a slight toughening of the requirements, or just idle curiosity on their part...

[lopburi3]

Hull now requires at least an address of the person you are visiting.

[randerson79]

I've been staying here for about 3 years now. I get a double entry visa in the Thai Embassy in Lao. So I go to the Embassy every 120 days and spend the night. Then do a boarder run every 120 days. Cross and come back same day. I am crossing the boarder every 60 days.

I've NEVER had a problem! Or even a question. I'm under 50 years of age. And from the USA. I have heard many rumors but never had a problem myself.

[cambsangler]

cambsangler, From what he live?

Sorry I do not know, we didn't get that far in conversation. Wanted away from the Embassy and back to Udon as quick as possible.

As an aside I have seen a few abbreviations on this thread (and others) that I do not understand.

Can someone explain the meanings of LOS & KL?

[bamakmak]

LOS = Land of Smiles (Slang for Thailand)
KL = Kuala Lumpur

[BobHelm]

A little (& worrying) update on this situation.
Today I met a British guy & his friend who had just (yesterday) returned from Laos.
They have been living in Chang Mai for 5 years - 4 of those exclusively on repeat tourist visas, with only 'visa time' outside Thailand.
They were refused Tourist Visas in Vientiane - were told that they had too many. As far as they could ascertain 3 consecutive double entry tourist visas without a significant time outside Thailand(or an alternative visa)are now considered the cut off for refusal. They had to re-enter Thailand on the 15 day Visa Exemption rule & are currently considering their alternatives.

[747man]

Bob, Must only be the Vientiane Embassy,My Friend who is due to arrive on December 4th has just had his 10th CONSECUTIVE Tourist Visa given to him in Liverpool.....

[BobHelm]

No, it is the countries 'surrounding' Thailand, 747.
I don't think anyone worries at all about the number of Tourist Visas issued from a 'home' country. That is the reason for a Tourist visa, for use on holiday, usually with a significant gap in-between each as the user returns home.
The, not unreasonable, aim is to try & stop people spending long term continuous periods of time in Thailand as 'Tourists'. I think that the authorities still fear that many of these people are actually working 'under the radar'.
It does make it difficult for people who are under 50, not married to a Thai national but are capable of supporting themselves without the need to work. However I do not think the authorities worry to much about that.
The immediate solution of the guy(s) I met this morning is that they will just go to Cambodia, as the Immigration requirements there for long term stay are almost non existent. I gathered that they may then return to Thailand some time in the future, depending on what develops...

[Jed]

My friend came back from Vientiane last week, saying the 2 guys before him were turned away point blank: "Too many. Go to border."

He was quite worried as he's been doing this a few years now, while living in northern Thailand, but his passport had been changed recently, and he only had a couple stamps in it; nonetheless, they warned him, and what really upset him, stamped a red warning in it, saying something to the effect of, "You have done multiple tourist visas. This is a warning that your visa may not be granted next time."

A definite tightening up going on over there in Laos at the moment for visa runners. Not to mention other neighboring countries.