When I got my visa last year, I made a hash of the fee calculation and got a tourist visa (60 day stamp) instead of the non-imm 'O' I had wanted (90 day stamp)
As my visa came to an end, I therefore nipped over to China to do a bit of biz for two days, returning last night.
At the immigration desk at BKK, the lady on duty rather curtly informed me that my visa had expired. 'I know' I said, 'I just want a 30 day tourist stamp now'
She looked doubtful, and asked me when I was going home. 'March 14' I said.
She seemed satisfied with that, and attacked my passport with a small array of rubber stamps.
I thought she'd probably given me a 15 day stamp, given her questions and reactions, but when I looked at my passport, I found she'd renewed my visa for a further 60 days..
- Thai logic defies me!
Unexpected stamp
Unexpected stamp
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly...
Re: Unexpected stamp
The ambiguity with nationally advertised visa rules/regulations verses real experiences everywhere will never cease to amaze everyone UT, and consistency is still an elusive concept in many areas.
What's informed to everyone nationally doesn't always follow that it's blanket rules everywhere once within LOS, which is probably why we hear such wildly different tales all the time. More often than not it's up to the individual officer at the situation in question and they pretty much have carte blanche to do as they see fit within a certain given set of parameters, depending on what the present local department boss deems OK for his fiefdom whilst he's in charge, hence the changing of stuff all the time when they shuffle the local commanding positions around.
The regs are fairly generally the same in most places but the details and how anal an immigration office is probably wildly variates. I bet HH is different to Chiang Mai to Korat to some backwater immigration office like Buriram to Nong Khai etc, and I'm pretty sure the differing tales of requirements are down to a lack of blanket policy enforced on a national level and it's still pretty feudal in many way of government.
They are making inroads into sorting this out but they still have a long way to go before tourists get the same consistent answer no matter where you go for your visa dealings.
However, in your situation, turned out OK, so no dramas despite the surprise.
What's informed to everyone nationally doesn't always follow that it's blanket rules everywhere once within LOS, which is probably why we hear such wildly different tales all the time. More often than not it's up to the individual officer at the situation in question and they pretty much have carte blanche to do as they see fit within a certain given set of parameters, depending on what the present local department boss deems OK for his fiefdom whilst he's in charge, hence the changing of stuff all the time when they shuffle the local commanding positions around.
The regs are fairly generally the same in most places but the details and how anal an immigration office is probably wildly variates. I bet HH is different to Chiang Mai to Korat to some backwater immigration office like Buriram to Nong Khai etc, and I'm pretty sure the differing tales of requirements are down to a lack of blanket policy enforced on a national level and it's still pretty feudal in many way of government.
They are making inroads into sorting this out but they still have a long way to go before tourists get the same consistent answer no matter where you go for your visa dealings.
However, in your situation, turned out OK, so no dramas despite the surprise.
Resolve dissolves in alcohol
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usual suspect
- Ace
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Re: Unexpected stamp
I reckon she knew you were planning to attend the HH Forum meet-up on the 12th..5-5-5!
Re: Unexpected stamp
Yes, it seems each individual immigration officer can bend the rules to a certain extent, especially if they are above a certain rank.
On a slightly different note, and I don't mean to hijack this thread, I have recently been told by a close friend of mine that the "3 entries only" rule has been scrapped? This was the rule that applied to getting no more than three "leave to enter" stamps on the trot, after which you had to be out of the country for 90 days or whatever. It was this rule that effectively put a stop to the monthly visa runs, together with the change from 30 days to 15 days when entering via a land crossing.
Anyway, my friend was told by the agent his employers use for all visa matters here in Thailand, China, Australia and etc that you are now able to get any number of stamps on the trot. It makes no difference to me, but I'm sure it might be of some help to others if anyone can clarify this.
On a slightly different note, and I don't mean to hijack this thread, I have recently been told by a close friend of mine that the "3 entries only" rule has been scrapped? This was the rule that applied to getting no more than three "leave to enter" stamps on the trot, after which you had to be out of the country for 90 days or whatever. It was this rule that effectively put a stop to the monthly visa runs, together with the change from 30 days to 15 days when entering via a land crossing.
Anyway, my friend was told by the agent his employers use for all visa matters here in Thailand, China, Australia and etc that you are now able to get any number of stamps on the trot. It makes no difference to me, but I'm sure it might be of some help to others if anyone can clarify this.
Don't try to impress me with your manner of dress cos a monkey himself is a monkey no less - cold fact
Re: Unexpected stamp
Takiap if that's true I think it probably deserves its own thread
Re: Unexpected stamp
Couple of things.
Firstly, Takiap, that's right. The three consecutive rule relating to 30 day visa exempt stamps was done away with a couple of years ago. Replaced with only a 15 day stamp if arriving by land or sea. 30 days if by air. There's no limit to how many times you can do this, but there's the chance that Imm may ask what you're doing here - ie suspect you're working.
Uncle Tom - when arriving on a visa exempt stamp as you did, you're entitled to a 30 day entry at the airport. However, you're supposed to have proof of onward travel out of Thailand within those 30 days. That would be my guess as to why the Imm officer quizzed you. Normally, the airlines are the ones who enforce that at check-in, but some local carriers overlook the fact.
You also got the tourist visa entry of 60 days which basically you weren't entitled to. If I were you, I'd be careful not to go over 30 days here because on exit you'll be liable for overstay (500THB a day up to a max of 20,000). The fact that you were given the wrong stamp by an Imm officer won't save you.
Of course, the officer may miss your overstay on exit but you'll be taking that chance.
Firstly, Takiap, that's right. The three consecutive rule relating to 30 day visa exempt stamps was done away with a couple of years ago. Replaced with only a 15 day stamp if arriving by land or sea. 30 days if by air. There's no limit to how many times you can do this, but there's the chance that Imm may ask what you're doing here - ie suspect you're working.
Uncle Tom - when arriving on a visa exempt stamp as you did, you're entitled to a 30 day entry at the airport. However, you're supposed to have proof of onward travel out of Thailand within those 30 days. That would be my guess as to why the Imm officer quizzed you. Normally, the airlines are the ones who enforce that at check-in, but some local carriers overlook the fact.
You also got the tourist visa entry of 60 days which basically you weren't entitled to. If I were you, I'd be careful not to go over 30 days here because on exit you'll be liable for overstay (500THB a day up to a max of 20,000). The fact that you were given the wrong stamp by an Imm officer won't save you.
Of course, the officer may miss your overstay on exit but you'll be taking that chance.
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dtaai-maai
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Re: Unexpected stamp
Surely even in Thailand you can only overstay the time limit you've been given on entry, n'est-ce pas?lomuamart wrote: If I were you, I'd be careful not to go over 30 days here because on exit you'll be liable for overstay (500THB a day up to a max of 20,000). The fact that you were given the wrong stamp by an Imm officer won't save you.
Of course, the officer may miss your overstay on exit but you'll be taking that chance.
This is the way
Re: Unexpected stamp
If the entry is wrong, so are you.
Re: Unexpected stamp
lomuamart is right. You can never derive any rights from a mistake by an immigration official. I personally know of a person who was given three months instead of the two he was entitled to with his Tourist double entry and was convinced he would get away with it. He ended up paying overstay.
We are all living in 'the good old days' of the future.