Tough New Policy for Visa Runs

[naelo]

Can't you still get them by post from Hull Consulate - but yes, you'd have to send your Passport away, so...............

 

........so you can only wait for see, watch this and other spaces and perhaps check with your airline after 12th aug.

 

A while back they put the kibosh on any mailed-in visa applications in the UK other than to the Thai Embassy in London.

[naelo]

in September I fly in to Thailand on a 30 day tourish visa, after 15 days i leave the country for Japan for 3 nights. I then return to thailand for a further 16 days. Will I be affected at all?

 

It's w-a-y too early to tell whether this would be an issue. I wouldn't think your itinerary would raise an eyebrow but the way the immigrations honcho comes across in the latest article, who can say for sure?

 

As was suggested in another post, get yourself a double-entry tourist visa and save the worries. Plenty of time between now and then to get a visa sorted.

[man1981man]

It's w-a-y too early to tell whether this would be an issue. I wouldn't think your itinerary would raise an eyebrow but the way the immigrations honcho comes across in the latest article, who can say for sure?

 

As was suggested in another post, get yourself a double-entry tourist visa and save the worries. Plenty of time between now and then to get a visa sorted.

 

 

No there isnt as im going straight from the country I work in to Thailand, I will not be visiting the UK

[siamsmile33]

Quite a bit of chest beating there...lol

 

Mwah..... sort of lol

 

Coming soon to an airport near you: electronic fingerprinting.

 

The national commander of Thai Immigration, Lt Gen Phanu Kerdlaphon, has confirmed that “Out-In” visa runs are – apart from a few exceptions – a thing of the past.

 

He said that Russians, South Koreans and Vietnamese in particular are in the spotlight. “Immigration is keeping an eye on them.” That said, other nationalities will not escape notice.

 

“Out-in visa runs will still be possible but they have to show a credible tourism plan and give details of their accommodation to the officials.

 

“Thirty days should be enough for a normal tourist. If they really want to travel around the country for more than 30 days, then they must show us a plausible plan. If officers are suspicious, then they will carry out checks.

 

"If we believe their purpose in coming to Thailand is not what they say it is, then we will order them to leave and they will be blacklisted. They will not be able to return to Thailand, ever."

 

He also confirmed that electronic fingerprinting of people arriving in Thailand will be introduced. “Yes, this is coming soon. We are now waiting for the budget to be approved. It is expensive so we will start by introducing it at international airports first.”

 

He said he did not agree with complaints that the effective end to visa hops would affect tourism. “I don't think so. Tourists will still come to Thailand for holidays, but not to start businesses or get jobs.”

 

Gen Phanu added, “If you are coming here not as a tourist, then please get the correct visa. Do it properly.”

[Edge]

^^^^^

 

Ah bless, fingerprinting - catching up with their poor neighbour Cambodia at last.

[Beerburgerbonk]

“Out-in visa runs will still be possible but they have to show a credible tourism plan and give details of their accommodation to the officials.

“Thirty days should be enough for a normal tourist. If they really want to travel around the country for more than 30 days, then they must show us a plausible plan. If officers are suspicious, then they will carry out checks."

 

Source: The Phuket News Tuesday 13 May 2014, 01:34PM

 

So perhaps its goodbye to the Visa run only company's and hello and welcome to the " Visa run,Tourism plan and accommodation providers" ?

[The Selfie Warrior]

^^^^^

 

Ah bless, fingerprinting - catching up with their poor neighbour Cambodia at last.

 

im fairly positive i was not fingerprinted flying into cambodia.... but i flew into siem reap, its a very small airport.... IE, walk off the plane onto the tarmac and down the airstrip lol

[naelo]

No there isnt as im going straight from the country I work in to Thailand, I will not be visiting the UK

 

A lot can happen between now and November, including that this may very well all blow over. Best you can do for now is just keep up with the ongoing developments.

[bolton69]

 

Final crackdown for border runners - New strict Immigration regulation in force from today

 

BANGKOK: -- From today, foreign nationals residing in Thailand will no longer be able to exit and then re-enter the kingdom via a land border crossing in order to gain another 30 or 15 day stay in Thailand.

 

Thaivisa has been in contact with the Immigration Bureau who confirm the new regulation starts from today Saturday May 10, 2014.

 

This latest news follows reports from earlier in the week of  an 

Immigration crackdown

 at the  land border checkpoint in Ranong.

 

Non-Immigrant Visa or Tourist visa holders with remaining entries on their visa can exit and enter Thailand as before.

 

However, these new measures are targeting foreign visitors without a visa who are regularly entering and exiting the kingdom every 15 or 30 days as a way of extending their stay in Thailand.

 

From today visitors can only enter into Thailand via a land border once, after that they will be refused entry to the Kingdom and are advised to fly out and return with a visa obtained from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in a neighbouring country or overseas.

 

The Immigration Bureau has also confirmed to Thaivisa.com that further restrictions are to be enforced from August 12, 2014.

 

It is understood that the new regulation is to prohibit back-to-back border runners who stay for an extended time in the country without a proper visa from a Consulate or Embassy abroad or an extension of stay granted by the Immigration Bureau in Thailand.

 

With regards to the new restrictions on land border crossing, which as mentioned above are effective as of today, a number of Thaivisa members have confirmed to us that these restrictions are being enforced at the Mae Sai border crossing in Chiang Rai province, with some members commenting they are stranded at the border unable to enter Thailand.

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/725053-final-crackdown-for-border-runners-new-strict-immigration-regulation-in-force-from-today/?utm_source=newsletter-20140510-1420&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking

 

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Twitter @f1tommy

 

 

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[brewster]

So are there mini bus fulls of people stranded on the Cambobian side of the border,because they will not let them back into Thailand.

 

Or are people just becoming overstays and going to pay a penalty

 

I think this is a really valid point.  Most people doing an in/out border run will not have their possessions with them and may only have enough money for the day.  Are they really going to be left stranded in Cambodia and not allowed to return to Thailand for their possessions?

 

Or if they're told on exiting Thailand that they won't be allowed back, will they be arrested for overstaying if they don't tlave but return to their hotel/condo?

So are there mini bus fulls of people stranded on the Cambobian side of the border,because they will not let them back into Thailand.

 

Or are people just becoming overstays and going to pay a penalty

 

I think this is a really valid point.  Most people doing an in/out border run will not have their possessions with them and may only have enough money for the day.  Are they really going to be left stranded in Cambodia and not allowed to return to Thailand for their possessions?

 

Or if they're told on exiting Thailand that they won't be allowed back, will they be arrested for overstaying if they don't tlave but return to their hotel/condo?

So are there mini bus fulls of people stranded on the Cambobian side of the border,because they will not let them back into Thailand.

 

Or are people just becoming overstays and going to pay a penalty

 

I think this is a really valid point.  Most people doing an in/out border run will not have their possessions with them and may only have enough money for the day.  Are they really going to be left stranded in Cambodia and not allowed to return to Thailand for their possessions?

 

Or if they're told on exiting Thailand that they won't be allowed back, will they be arrested for overstaying if they don't tlave but return to their hotel/condo?

[naelo]

I think this is a really valid point.  Most people doing an in/out border run will not have their possessions with them and may only have enough money for the day.  Are they really going to be left stranded in Cambodia and not allowed to return to Thailand for their possessions?

 

I don't remember the exact context under which this is happened but I recall hearing in the past that Thai immigrations can stamp somebody in for a minimal amount of days, let's say three days for argument's sake. This allows somebody to get back across the border from Cambodia, get their stuff together and then get themselves on outta Thailand.

[brewster]

I don't remember the exact context under which this is happened but I recall hearing in the past that Thai immigrations can stamp somebody in for a minimal amount of days, let's say three days for argument's sake. This allows somebody to get back across the border from Cambodia, get their stuff together and then get themselves on outta Thailand.

 

That makes sense.  It will be interesting to see what happens.  ThaiVisa are already reporting some visa/border run companies (not in Pattaya though) refusing to take people.

[naelo]

That makes sense.  It will be interesting to see what happens.  ThaiVisa are already reporting some visa/border run companies (not in Pattaya though) refusing to take people.

 

Doesn't sound like the crackdown has started at the Cambo borders yet. One would like to think that the big visa run companies are talking to some people who may have some control over this situation.

[The Kid Kabugle]

How about if you have 2 passports (I've an Irish and a British one) & just used a different one each time you come back in? Then it looks like you've been away for a month. Anybody know if it'd work?

[naelo]

How about if you have 2 passports (I've an Irish and a British one) & just used a different one each time you come back in? Then it looks like you've been away for a month. Anybody know if it'd work?

 

Can't say for sure but... passports are usually tracked by name and date of birth. Unless yours somehow differs between the two, you do run the chance of being found out.

[filibuster]

How about if you have 2 passports (I've an Irish and a British one) & just used a different one each time you come back in? Then it looks like you've been away for a month. Anybody know if it'd work?

 

That's one of the purposes of the fingerprinting rhetoric.  It could very well be that some guy is just applying pressure to get the budget (and his cut) to pay for it all.

[davidge]

"When two Thais are fighting they'll kick the dog that happens to be there and not each other"

 

The rules and the way they are enforced can change on a whim here.

That's one of the reasons why, when someone is considering buying property or something else in Thailand, part of my advice is always to only invest what you are ultimately willing to walk away from.

 

I guess a number of people who have been doing 30-day exemptions to stay long-term in TLOS are going to singing:

 

http://youtu.be/a79vyf_PUJ8

[Chris Los]

im fairly positive i was not fingerprinted flying into cambodia.... but i flew into siem reap, its a very small airport.... IE, walk off the plane onto the tarmac and down the airstrip lol

 

I flew to Phnom Phen Dec'12 they have fingerprint scanners there

 

Well I'll always have a return ticket for within 30 days & I will be doing tourist things around Thailand & SEA, so I really hope getting a condo in Patts for a year in June, will not cause me any problems, I just want patts to be my base, i'm sure sometimes I'll stay all month, but i really do plan on travelling somewhere new every trip.. Here's Hoping

[Baldrick888]

If you want to get around it. Get one more passport. Which is allowed if you have a lot of visa applications, where you have to send your passport to lets say Chinese embassy.

 

Now you can do the visa runs again. It will look like you have been out of the country for 30 days, if you have two passports.

[iluvasians/latins]

Just "Fly" to/back to Cambodia or Laos. Land crossings are to be eliminated. Cheap flights. "If I read this right?"

[davidge]

Just "Fly" to/back to Cambodia or Laos. Land crossings are to be eliminated. Cheap flights. "If I read this right?"

From August they've also said they're going stop visa runs at airports as well.

 

A lot may change between now and then!

[Yahooka]

This crackdown is yet another brilliant bit of wisdom from the Thai authorities at a time when the country has seen a decline in tourist numbers due to the current political turmoil, which is likely to get much worse in the coming months. Just in time, perhaps, to deter more tourists from coming at the start of the high season.

 

Whether this is targeted at long term ex-pats living on the cheap or not, I would have thought the Thais should somehow looking to stimulate tourism not stymie it. A classic example of biting the hand that feeds you. The words Thai and logic shouldn`t be in the same sentence!

It`s called xenophobia !

[fusionx]

I wonder how this will affect the foreign BGs. I've seen a few Filipina BGs making plans to go back home, with no reason given. They've all been there for quite some time. Coincidence?

[Davie Duke]

A triple entry visa from a Thai Consulate is a relatively inexpensive option when purchased from the West. I would look into this option in countries neighboring LoS .

[Scumbag]

How about if you have 2 passports (I've an Irish and a British one) & just used a different one each time you come back in? Then it looks like you've been away for a month. Anybody know if it'd work?

 

 

If you want to get around it. Get one more passport. Which is allowed if you have a lot of visa applications, where you have to send your passport to lets say Chinese embassy.

 

Now you can do the visa runs again. It will look like you have been out of the country for 30 days, if you have two passports.

These tactics are risky at land crossing because if they are doing their job properly they will check for a stamp from the country you have just left. It can be done when arriving by plane.