Tourist visa and entering via friendship bridge

Post by **harmonyudon** » August 15, 2012, 6:15 pm

A mate, holiday in thailand (Udon) lives in the UK, entered BKK-airport 1 month ago and
get 30 days visa. He decided to stay 3-4 weeks more and perhaps 2 months more.

He went recently to vientiane and apply for a tourist visa which was issued.

He went back to Nongkai (friendship-bridge) and they stamped him only 15 days.
He complained today at the immigration office in Udon and also they said the tourist
visa is not valid if you enter by land. At the same time there was an aussie-guy at the
Udon Immigration office with the same case/complaint.

If this is a new rule, why the TH-consulate issued the visa then??

Post by **papaguido** » August 15, 2012, 6:41 pm

I'm not sure I understand, but anyway...you don't mention what type of visa, 60 day single or double entry.

If he was on a single entry, then the visa became invalid/void when he crossed over to Laos and then given a 15 day entry stamp on his return (as they do at all land borders). Nothing new...know before you go.

Post by **royrover** » August 15, 2012, 11:10 pm

hi harmonyudon ,i understand i think, your friend entered thailand and got a 30 day stamp at bkk airport like everyone does without a visa, he wanted to stop longer so he went to vientiane and got a tourist visa from the thai consulut. When he went back to thailand entering over the friendship bridge they only stamped him in for 15 days which you get if entering thailand without a visa at land crossing and not stamping him in for 60 days which he should have got with is 60 day tourist visa, and told him when he complained that you can only can get your 60 day stamp if you fly in thailand and not get it if you cross a land boarder. This is the first time i have heard this i know they have changed the visa rules on non 'o' visa on what you need to get one, but this is a new one on me .

Post by **Balthasar G.** » August 16, 2012, 8:02 am

Harmony, frankly speaking, this just doesn't sound credible. Did Vientiane Consulate actually put a visa sticker in his passport? As you well know, up to now entering Thailand over land or at the airport has only been relevant to the 30 day visa exempt entry that some nationalities have.
If your story is true, this would be a real disaster for the thousands of foreigners under 50 or unmarried, living in LOS on visa runs (not that I care, really). However, I've read nothing about it on Thaivisa

So if what you say is true it is BREAKING NEWS!

Post by **wiking** » August 16, 2012, 9:27 am

I think he had forgot to write the visa no in on this white paper he need to fill before entering

no. 2 - he should had complain by the bridge -

no. 3 - I always speaking to them how many days I want and when give it me back I always control

no. 4 immigration can do nothing

no. 5 - he can look in his passport and on the visa he got in vientiane, because I think they has not put used on
the visa and then he need to cross the bridge again and than get his 60 days - but he need to look, what day
the visa expired

good luck

Post by **Balthasar G.** » August 16, 2012, 10:18 am

^

harmonyudon wrote:... they said the tourist visa is not valid if you enter by land. At the same time there was an aussie-guy at the Udon Immigration office with the same case/complaint.

Post by **hippo** » August 16, 2012, 1:43 pm

wiking wrote:I think he had forgot to write the visa no in on this white paper he need to fill before entering

=D> =D> =D> ....i think so

Post by **Asiaphile** » August 16, 2012, 2:42 pm

wiking wrote:no. 4 immigration can do nothing

What leads you to this conclusion? Bangkok Immigration (Chaeng Wattana) has a designated desk to fix wrongly stamped passports.

Post by **harmonyudon** » August 16, 2012, 4:40 pm

royrover wrote:hi harmonyudon ,i understand i think, your friend entered thailand and got a 30 day stamp at bkk airport like everyone does without a visa, he wanted to stop longer so he went to vientiane and got a tourist visa from the thai consulut. When he went back to thailand entering over the friendship bridge they only stamped him in for 15 days which you get if entering thailand without a visa at land crossing and not stamping him in for 60 days which he should have got with is 60 day tourist visa, and told him when he complained that you can only can get your 60 day stamp if you fly in thailand and not get it if you cross a land boarder. This is the first time i have heard this i know they have changed the visa rules on non 'o' visa on what you need to get one, but this is a new one on me .

You did understand right. I did this many times before (3-4 years ago). They stamped at the border entering Thailand 2 months after I get the single or double entry tourist visa from the Vientienne Thailand consulate.

My friend applied recently for a NEW tourist visa in Vientianne and it was granted. A full page sticker stated that the tourist visa is 3 months valid. However when he came back to the friendship bridge he only get 15 days stamp. The aussie guy complainted at the friendship bridge and they refused to give him 60 days stamp.

He is now heading Bangkok and before the 24th of this month he wants to come back Udon/nongKai to complain again. When they don't want to change the stamp, he will make ONLY a U-turn only and get again 15 days without going to Vientianne. When he come back I will make a picture of the pages and publish it here, if its permitted by him.

Post by **Asiaphile** » August 16, 2012, 4:54 pm

Why don't you advise him to go to Chaeng Wattana?

Post by **harmonyudon** » August 16, 2012, 4:58 pm

Asiaphile wrote:Why don't you advise him to go to Chaeng Wattana?

He is just a tourist and does not care so much, even if he have to leave before 24th. His plan was to stay 2-3
weeks longer. He has some friends outside bangkok which he will visit for a few days and plan to come
back Udon.

But, I will call him and inform him about your advise. Thanks @asiaphille

Post by **harmonyudon** » August 16, 2012, 5:18 pm

hippo wrote:
wiking wrote:I think he had forgot to write the visa no in on this white paper he need to fill before entering

=D> =D> =D> ....i think so

Sorry, i have seen the pages of his passport. The sticker of the valid tourist visa was scratched with a blue pen.
So they are aware of the valid tourist visa and then scratched it and then stamped only 15 days.

Also 2 similar occasions (2 persons/tourists) on the same day .....

Post by **BobHelm** » August 26, 2012, 12:06 am

I have been monitoring the other Thailand Forums closely since you started this thread George.
I have seen zero evidence that suggests that this incident was anything except an isolated occurrence.
As I do not know your 'friend' I am unwilling to speculate how or why this might have occurred, I can only say that after 10 days your report is the only 1 of this nature,
Indeed only two days ago lopburi3 was still recommending (in reply to a poster on Thai Visa) that people requiring Tourist Visas obtain 1 from Vientiane.
If anyone in the world knew of a change of policy it would be lopburi3.

As the Immigration Officers at the checkpoint have 3 rubber date stamps, 1 for 15 days, 1 for 60 days & 1 for 90 days it is a very simple error for them to select the wrong one.
It is important that everybody checks the date given by the officer before they leave the Immigration window. Mistakes are swiftly rectified then.
They can be rectified after - I know because i have done so at Nong Khai Immigration office myself. However, like with all 'requests' made to an Immigration Officer he can make it as easy, or hard, as he or she deem fit. What officers recognise as a reasonable request that they can comply with is often influenced by the attitude of the requester....FACT.