Ginjaninja wrote:No problems for me today at the new Kanchanaburi crossing.
But what was the crossing for? 30 days / activate multiple entry Tourist Visa/ etc.
I enter Thailand as a tourist (30-days). In this occasion I had already paid the 1900 thb for the 1-week extension at the H.H. klong immigration and my visa-run to Mynamar (west of Kanchanaburi) was for a 30-day extension.
This is the 2nd visa-run I've had to do in my current passport c/w over-stay charges.
So should be I be trying my best not to do another visa-run? What about if I change my passport? Will they still pick-up on the visa-runs?
GN.
Must admit I'm a little confused.
Do/did you have a tourist visa that gets you 60 days when you enter the country or did you have a 30 day vise exempt stamp?
It seems like you had the latter that you extended for 7 days in HH. Then you had to exit and get another 30 day visa exempt stamp (not a 30 day extension).
So, it would appear that you've had two 30 day visa exempt entries, back-to-back (with one 7 day extension). You'll probably only get one more 30 day entry, especially if you're using the same crossing.
It might be possible to go to Ranong and get more 30 day stamps after you've been to Kanchanaburi three times.
Personally, I'd be inclined to try and get a "proper" visa - ie tourist that will give you 60 days on arrival and you can extend that for another 30 days at HH Imm for 1,900 THB. That obviously depends on how long you intend staying here. A trip down to Penang should get you the visa but it'll take a couple of days. EDIT I wouldn't chance losing your passport. I havn't been to that border in Kanchanaburi but I bet everything is computerised these days and Imm won't be best pleased if you try to beat the system.
lomuamart wrote:Must admit I'm a little confused.
Do/did you have a tourist visa that gets you 60 days when you enter the country or did you have a 30 day vise exempt stamp?
It seems like you had the latter that you extended for 7 days in HH. Then you had to exit and get another 30 day visa exempt stamp (not a 30 day extension).
So, it would appear that you've had two 30 day visa exempt entries, back-to-back (with one 7 day extension). You'll probably only get one more 30 day entry, especially if you're using the same crossing.
It might be possible to go to Ranong and get more 30 day stamps after you've been to Kanchanaburi three times.
Personally, I'd be inclined to try and get a "proper" visa - ie tourist that will give you 60 days on arrival and you can extend that for another 30 days at HH Imm for 1,900 THB. That obviously depends on how long you intend staying here. A trip down to Penang should get you the visa but it'll take a couple of days. EDIT I wouldn't chance losing your passport. I havn't been to that border in Kanchanaburi but I bet everything is computerised these days and Imm won't be best pleased if you try to beat the system.
Agree with Lomu. I know of 2 people turned back at Ranong over the weekend.
....................any foreigner who exits Thailand after using three consecutive visa exemption entries must get a proper visa.
The wording and / or the translation is not clear. What happens if, as in the case of offshore workers, they have 2 "consecutive" stamps and then go off to work for 3 or 4 weeks before the 2nd stamp expires. Does the process start again when they return, or are Immrigration going to be bloody minded and disregard the fact that the guy has been out of the country for several weeks?
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
....................any foreigner who exits Thailand after using three consecutive visa exemption entries must get a proper visa.
The wording and / or the translation is not clear. What happens if, as in the case of offshore workers, they have 2 "consecutive" stamps and then go off to work for 3 or 4 weeks before the 2nd stamp expires. Does the process start again when they return, or are Immrigration going to be bloody minded and disregard the fact that the guy has been out of the country for several weeks?
You may remember that Imm made an exception for those flying in rather than arriving by land or sea.
I think the rationale was that those on flights were obviously rich.
Must admit that there were so may changes over the course of a couple of years that I can't remember the sequence of events.
I'm not saying that Imm have made an exception this time though.
buksida wrote: Final crackdown for border runners - New strict Immigration regulation in force from May 10
.......The Immigration Bureau has also confirmed that further restrictions are to be enforced from August 12, 2014......
Here's the next part ref August 12:
"......As of now, "visa runs", as many foreigners call them even though no visas are actually involved, will end for those using land borders. They will also be restricted or ended by air as of Aug 12....."
As I posted previously, and as usual, it is still not clear, and still at the discretion of the border officer. The bit about also applying to entry by air should be of concern to offshore workers.
It no longer applies to me, but a copy of a offshore work contract, and a current offshore bank account would probably go a long way towards preventing problems.
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil know`s you`re dead!
I am not affected, but if there are no 'Visa run renewals' doesn't that mean that thousands of ex pats living here are going to have problems. What would be their options, return to their own country and reapply for a visa.
oakdale160 wrote:I am not affected, but if there are no 'Visa run renewals' doesn't that mean that thousands of ex pats living here are going to have problems. What would be their options, return to their own country and reapply for a visa.
Indeed I think this will be a problem for many. Similarly I dont have an issue as a retiree although the goalposts could change on that.
Same old, same old.
I agree with others above that this will hit those who come here regularly from work. Also consider those who have the means to live here legally but don't qualify for a Non O visa as they're not over 50 and aren't married to a Thai.
I did these runs every month for about 10 years. I've shared car rides and bus journeys with countless people who didn't qualify for long term visas and, to the best of my knowledge, none of them worked illegally so where does the 90% come from?
Also, try getting back-to-back tourist visas from certain places. I can't be specific because places blow hot and cold. Those trying to legitimise themselves with tourist visas will simply be told "no more from here after 2 or 3. Get a non O and then extend".
That's what Imm are building up to.
....................any foreigner who exits Thailand after using three consecutive visa exemption entries must get a proper visa.
The wording and / or the translation is not clear. What happens if, as in the case of offshore workers, they have 2 "consecutive" stamps and then go off to work for 3 or 4 weeks before the 2nd stamp expires. Does the process start again when they return, or are Immrigration going to be bloody minded and disregard the fact that the guy has been out of the country for several weeks?
I presume by consecutive they mean back to back, in and out on the same day and not with a gap in the middle. I've had at least 50 visa exemptions in my passport over the last 12 years but only once have they been on the same day.
lomuamart wrote:I reckon they mean 30 day visa exempt stamps no matter how long you might exit the country.
They'll be silly if they start making life difficult for those of us who are based in Thailand but work away, surely that's an ideal situation for any country, people who spend virtually all their income in a place and don't even take jobs away from locals.
