Stricter requirements for Tourist visa applicants

[bapak]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok has instructed the Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad to be stricter with requirements when applicants are applying for 60-days Tourist visas for Thailand.

The Royal Thai Embassies, Consulates and Consulates-General will from now require a confirmed airline ticket with flight numbers and date of entry/exit, plus confirmed hotel reservations with name and dates of checking in/out.

- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
- Visa application form completely filled out
- Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant
- Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)
- Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)
- Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2501.php?&id=2815

[dtaai-maai]

Tourist Visa
Required documents are:

6.1 Company employee must prepare company work certificate (Business card is not acceptable)

6.2 Self-employed applicant must prepare business registration/license (original)

6.3 Student must prepare guarantee letter from university or student card
(Copy of parent’s ID card and proof of parent’s profession)

6.4 Pensioner must prepare bank statement or pension fund

Hotel reservation in Thailand with name and dates of checking in/out
Airline ticket or confirmation slip with flight number and date of entry/exit

Can't see any mention of the 20k and 40k baht sums quoted, but this is all quite astonishing if Thailand is serious about tourism. And 6.4 - WTF? - are they being inundated with impoverished pensioners arriving at Swampy and throwing themselves on the mercy of the Thai social services???

As far as money is concerned, surely all anyone has to do is produce a credit card FFS?

This is Dark Ages nonsense, and it will be interesting to see if there is any desire to actually enforce those bits that can be enforced.

Bloomin' eck, this country never ceases to amaze me!

[Spitfire]

Sometimes, I don't understand why they don't issue a statement telling all foreigners to just piss-off.

[STEVE G]

Yes, I don't have several of those requirements; I don't have an ID card as we don't have them in the UK, I don't have a residence certificate as I live in a hotel here and I don't have a certificate of employment as I work freelance.

[lomuamart]

As far as I see it, so far, the only difference is the return/onward ticket. That is a surprise.
The financial requirements 20/40K THB have been on the statute book for as long as I can remember. So, that's no change and I've never seen it enforced for westerners - Burmese, Laos, Cambodian maybe. I used to do 30 day runs via Ranong for years and always dreaded that Thai Imm would ask to see 20K in cash. It never happened and if I had been asked I could have withdrawn the money from an ATM anyway. Will have to see how it pans out, but I wouldn't be unduly concerned about the cash or showing of financial worth.
Honestly, the only change to any regulation is about the return/onward ticket for a tourist visa.
That's how I see it at a glance.
Place to stay? Yeah, that is normally needed by Imm anywhere. Just put down a hotel name if asked. I doubt they'll check.

[Spitfire]

I must admit that when I see this thread on the 'Latest Topics' list whilst scanning the forum, my peripheral vision seems to read the thread title as "Sphincter requirements for Tourist visa applicants"..............

[PeteC]

Something has prompted this, and it's not just the fact a new government is in power. They wouldn't so soon fly in the face of all the tourist initiatives their own TAT people are proposing. The most recent in fact is aimed at US and EU baby boomers in a "quality, green focuses and go slow" approach. Perhaps tough to go slow if you're forced out in 30 days because of no visa.

Perhaps they've checked their database and found thousands on 60 day TV's who have never left and never extended. Or, some nearby embassy or consulate has been issuing repetitive 60 day TV's one after the other.

The average tourist though won't stay longer than 30 days so the visa waiver route for most is sufficient. Those from countries who don't enjoy a visa waiver or a short waiver, perhaps they really don't want them here anyway, for a variety of reasons...don't spend....abuse overstay etc.

We have some regulars on here who are under 50 who don't reside here full time, and have families. I don't recall them ever mentioning that their regular visits have been longer than 30 days. If desired, I guess now a quick border run needed for another 15 on top if a tourist visa turns out to be too cumbersome to obtain.

I would wait to see if the terms and conditions in the OP are really set in stone. If anyone applies for a 60 day tourist visa in your home country, please revert with what was required. Same goes for someone applying for one not in their home country. The result could be very different. Pete

[Korkenzieher]

It always seems to me that they simply ignore the (say) 95% of normal compliant people, and look for ways to target the rest, spectacularly failing to notice that the decisions and policy changes they make will also impact the other 95%.

When the hotel booking requirement came in in the '90s, I remember arriving at Don Muang one time, and was presented with a list of hotels at immigration. That wasn't for me to choose a place to stay, but so that the Imm guy had something to write in the box. I suggest that the same thing applies here - if you write something in the 'Will be staying at' section of the Imm card, no further questions will be asked. If they are - 'condo friend' - will probably smoothe the most ruffled of feathers.

If you are coming in and don't know where you are staying, and don't want to 'wing it' then the way around that is to (in good time) get a confirmed booking at a good hotel from an online site where you don't have to pay up front. Once you have the confirmation, cancel the booking. Print out the confirmation & tender to the boys at Imm if asked. On long haul flights, having a cheap onward with AirAsia, say, that you can aford to bin achieves the same thing.

[PeteC]

It always seems to me that they simply ignore the (say) 95% of normal compliant people, and look for ways to target the rest, spectacularly failing to notice that the decisions and policy changes they make will also impact the other 95%........

I think that's a statement and observation intrinsic to each and every aspect of life here regarding the Thai approach to governance. Although that mentality doesn't work at all concerning this issue and foreigners, it's Thai thinking therefore it is correct. Pete

[BaaBaa.]

I agree with Lomu, it all looks a bit meh to me.

By coincidence i've printed off the Visa forms today, I'll just tick the box that says i've got enough cash.

The cheeky gits are asking for 2 photos now though, I'm sure that wasn't the case in the past. I'll have to go get some new ones, 4 years after my last batch.

[Siani]

Does that mean it is the end of border runs? They are asking for airline tickets..previously not required with a border run If it is only airline tickets, does it mean you cannot renew at say..Ranong? I do not quite understand

[sateeb]

Maybe this guy inspired them to make things more difficult for 60 day "tourists"


A middle-aged Londoner wants return to England after hitting rock bottom in Pattaya. Kind Thai people have given him food everyday. He is upset with the British government for not assisting him although he has paid taxes throughout his life. He is grateful to the Thai police since they will send him back to the UK. If he has the chance he wants to return to Thailand again.

Pattaya, August 24, 2011[PDN]; Police Colonel Chusak Panasumporn, Immigration Director, Chonburi, together with Police Lieutenant Colonel Prapansak Prasarnsuk, Deputy Immigration Director , Chonburi were notified of a destitute foreigner walking around beer bars near the Beach Road in Pattaya.



Upon arrival police find the foreigner: Mr Smit Chistopher Paul age 57, British citizen. Mr Smit is glad to see the police team and he gives them his passport. He tells them that he is down and out, hungry and thirsty but the beer bar women buy him food and drink. Since he ran out of money on July 2011 he had no where to sleep. He added that the persons responsible for English people in Thailand never helped him. He has been coming to Thailand every year for four years continuously, but this time he he ran out money. He says he wants to go back to his hometown to see his family, he has eight children; seven girls and one boy. He added that he will come back to Thailand again, the country he loves very much.

After investigation, Police Lieutenant Colonel Prapansak Prasarnsuk, found Mr Smit’s passport had expired. Later they took Mr Smit to the Immigration Service facilities and let him take a bath, provide him food and water. Thereafter Mr Smit’s case was handled according to the Thai immigration law in order to have him repatriated to England.

Maybe you can all thank this tosser!!!!!

[Super Joe]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok has instructed the Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad to be stricter with requirements when applicants are applying for 60-days Tourist visas for Thailand.
The Royal Thai Embassies, Consulates and Consulates-General will from now require a confirmed airline ticket with flight numbers and date of entry/exit, plus confirmed hotel reservations with name and dates of checking in/out.

- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
- Visa application form completely filled out
- Recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant
- Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)
- Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)
- Consular officers reserve the rights to request additional documents as deemed necessary
http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2501.php?&id=2815

It doesn't actually say you need all these documents, it tells you what they need in lieu of them... "In the absence of a required document, a letter indicating the unavailability of such document must be provided". That reads like 'hotel reservations aren't required if your accomodation arrangements are otherwise', just provide details of what they are.

There's usually some group exploiting loopholes somewhere they want to stop when they make changes, so imo they'll be using this criteria to clampdown on whoever it is they're targetting. Maybe the Nigies, but my guess would be the crowd the last big change was mainly about when they changed the visa run rules... neighbouring migrant workers who all have the lurgees. Apparently. They come over on tourist visas then work and stay forever infecting people, I think.

This from a government public health report...
Transnational Labour Migration
A lot of foreign workers have migrated to Thailand, both legally and illegally, especially low-wage labourers from Myanmar, Laos & Cambodia. In 2004, there were 1,269,000 registered workers with 905,880 (71%) from Myanmar. In 2006, there were 705,000 registered workers, 539,000 (76%) from Myanmar. The number of registered workers in 2006 has dropped by about half, and it is estimated that there are approx. 500,000 unregistered (illegal) workers. As Thailand has had more and more workers particularly along the borders, several infectious diseases have become widespread, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, poliomyelitis, and anthrax. Certain diseases that Thailand could once be able to control have re-emerged, such as filariasis; it was reported that 3% of Myanmar workers along the border were carriers of such a disease.


SJ

[margaretcarnes]

As far as I see it, so far, the only difference is the return/onward ticket. That is a surprise.
The financial requirements 20/40K THB have been on the statute book for as long as I can remember. So, that's no change and I've never seen it enforced for westerners - Burmese, Laos, Cambodian maybe. I used to do 30 day runs via Ranong for years and always dreaded that Thai Imm would ask to see 20K in cash. It never happened and if I had been asked I could have withdrawn the money from an ATM anyway. Will have to see how it pans out, but I wouldn't be unduly concerned about the cash or showing of financial worth.
Honestly, the only change to any regulation is about the return/onward ticket for a tourist visa.
That's how I see it at a glance.
Place to stay? Yeah, that is normally needed by Imm anywhere. Just put down a hotel name if asked. I doubt they'll check.

Right Lomu - I was never asked for proof of the cash either - but I think some farang transiting Ranong were. (I think us lot were so regular they thought we were on the staff!)
But as I see it the need to actually have to show proof of a hotel booking is a difference under these 'new' regulations. Whether the reservations will be checked is of course another matter, but on the face of it there is potential to totally screw up the backpacker trade for one. And does the reservation have to cover the duration of stay?
We have always had to put an address on the TM card anyway just for a 30 day entry, and last 2 times I got 60 day visas there was the question of where you were staying - ie hotel, with family/friends etc. Quite flexible though and in no way specifying one address for the full 60 days.
I can't knock any country for attempting to keep track of foreigners on entry. Particularly somewhere like Thailand where - lets face it - farang do tend to play the system still. But as visitors we are legally required to carry passports/ID. When we stay in hotels/guesthouses there is a legal requirement for our passports to be copied, and the police can - and do - check hotel records. If the authorities maintain and monitor those requirements properly I don't see the need for yet more tiresome measures.

[bapak]

Does that mean it is the end of border runs? They are asking for airline tickets..previously not required with a border run If it is only airline tickets, does it mean you cannot renew at say..Ranong? I do not quite understand

This is about visa applications at a Embassy or Consulates. Border crossings and VOA are not mentioned.