Thailand Visa News: Crackdown On Back-To-Back Tourist Visas

Thai Visa News: Crackdown On Back-To-Back Tourist Visas

March 2010
Free Thai Tourist Visa Scheme Extended By One Year
Despite earlier reports that the free Tourist visa scheme would expire on March 5, 2010, the Thai government Tuesday afternoon announced that the tourism stimulus package would continue for another year, including visa fee exemption for tourists and $US10,000 in free riot insurance.
The extension of the tourism stimulus package was in response to a request from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. The ministry also reported that the number of foreign tourists had plunged to 14.09 million in 2009, down 3% on 2008, resulting in an 8% drop in revenue. The ministry told the cabinet it expects that tourist arrivals this year will increase by about 10%, and that 15.3 to 15.5 million foreign tourists will visit Thailand in 2010.
The extension of the free tourist visa scheme will be effective from April 1, 2010 and go through to March 31, 2011, and appears to leave a three and a half week window, in which Thai tourist visas will be charged for. For more details, see this thread on ThaiVisa.com.
In order to apply for a free tourist visa, all you need is your passport, a copy of your passport and two passport photos. No additional financial requirements. More infos on the application process can be found on our special Thai Tourist Visa page.
If you wish to stay in the kingdom for longer than 90 days, you may also apply for a double-entry tourist visa, which allows travellers to stay in the country for a maximum of six months (only two visa extensions and one visa run required). In certain countries, triple-entry and/or multiple-entry tourist visas may also be available on request.

October 2009
Red Stamp Warnings: Crackdown On Back-To-Back Tourist Visas Enforced
In September 2009, ThaiVisa reported that in a crackdown on 60-days tourist visas, several Thai embassies and consulates in neighboring Southeast Asian countries (possibly around the world) were going to get tough on issuing back-to-back 60-day tourist visas. Applicants would now face stricter screening measures to make sure they are actually "tourists" and use the tourist visa not as a way to work in Thailand illegally. Applicants with too many back-to back tourist visa stamps or stickers in their passports may have a new tourist visa application refused.
The original announcement by the Immigration Bureau in early September stated that tourist visa applications by those applicants, who have "misused tourist visas" to illegally "work" in Thailand, were now "subject to rejection" as their applications weren't "based on tourism but on continuing their illegal employment."
This new regulation, the announcement continues, was in accordance with the Immigration Act, which stipulates that visa applicants are required to clearly express their purpose of visit.
Should it be found that an applicant's "real" purpose of visit was being concealed, the application would be rejected. Thai Immigration points out that "the intention of applicants in recent years to repeatedly depart and re-enter Thailand by the use of 60-day tourist visas issued in neighbouring countries will be considered as a concealment of the applicant’s real purpose in visiting Thailand. As a result, their applications will be rejected."
In other words, if you are "living" in Thailand as a tourist and just go on a visa run to Vientiane or so every couple of months to obtain another 60-day tourist visa, embassy staff might check your passport, count how many consecutive tourist visa stickers there are, and eventually refuse your visa application, presuming you're not a "genuine tourist". (So far it is unclear how many previous back-to-back tourist visas in your passport are okay, and if this new regulation would be enforced around the world or only regionally.)
Now reports abound that this new regulation is being actually enforced by Thai embassies in the Southeast Asian region, including the popular Thai embassy in Vientiane. Visa applicants report that Thai Embassies around Southeast Asia, including Laos, have started placing red stamps in applicant's passports. There have been numerous reports in recent weeks that tourist visas were still being issued to applicants with "too many" back-to-back tourist visas in their passports BUT they were given red warning stamps.
The remark on the red stamp reads as follows: "The holder has travelled to Thailand with Tourist Visa _ times. The Embassy may not accept the application next time." The image below shows such a red stamp, which was placed in the passport of a tourist visa applicant in Vientiane, who uploaded it to the Thai Visa forum upon return to Thailand. Positive evidence that the crackdown on tourist visa "long-stayers" is finally being enforced:

Thai Immigration has earlier advised foreigners living in Thailand (provided they are qualified to do so) to apply for a Non-Immigrant visa. But, what if one doesn't qualify for a "retirement visa", isn't married to a Thai national, or doesn't (want to) run a business or work in Thailand??
Well, the only viable option for Thailand "long-stayers", who don't qualify for one of the going Non-
Immigrant visas mentioned above, seems to be a Non-Immigrant visa "ED" (aka Education Visa).
The idea is that you enroll for a Thai language course (for example) at a local school or university and then, with your acceptance letter from the Thai school, apply for a Non-Immigrant ED visa at a Thai embassy (preferably abroad). Basically, with an ED visa you can stay in Thailand for a full year without any visa runs whatsoever (only 90-day reports to a local Immigration Bureau).
Another option may be a visa run to the Thai embassy in Perth, Australia, or Hull in the UK, that both have a good reputation for hassle-free tourist visa issuance; however, for most "professional tourists", frequent flights to Australia or the UK - just to get another silly tourist visa sticker, may not be very attractive ...

September 2009
Immigration Bureau Moves To New Location
On September 28 2009, the Office of the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok, formerly on Soi Suan Plu, moves to a new location. The Nation has a map. Here's the new address:
Office of the Immigration Bureau
Bangkok Government Center, Building B
Chaengwattana Road, Laksi District, Bangkok 10210
Tel. 0-2141-9889, Fax 0-2143-8228, www.immigration.go.th

June 2009
Free Tourist Visas From June 25, 2009 To March 4, 2010
Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that from June 25, 2009, to March 4, 2010, all foreigners applying for Tourist visas at Royal Thai embassies and consulates shall be exempt from visa fees.
This regulation also applies to foreigners who apply for Visa-on-Arrival at designated checkpoints.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

June 2009
Crackdown On Visa-Runners: Now Only Four Consecutive Border Runs
In a crackdown on foreigners who "abuse" the visa exemption rule allowing 15-day extensions at land border checkpoints, Thai Immigration has confirmed a new regulation, effective from June 1, 2009.
A foreigner who has entered the Kingdom four consecutive times on 15-day entry stamps will not be allowed to leave the country and re-enter by land.
The only option is to exit the Kingdom and re-enter via an international airport, which will allow a further 30-day extension of stay in the country. ThaiVisa.com

February 2009
Changes In Immigration Office Areas
From February 2009 on, all Immigration bureaus have been strictly instructed that foreigners have to use only the Immigration office, which has administrative jurisdiction over the areas where they live.
For example, if you stay or live in Pattaya, you must use exclusively the local Immigration office in Jomtien Soi 5. This applies to re-entry permits, visa extensions etc.
Pattaya Immigration Bureau

December 2008
30-Day Border Runs Now Only 15 Days
As of December 2008, the Thai Immigration bureau has issued a new, strict regulation regarding the 30-days visa exemption.
Effective immediately, travellers who have not obtained a regular (tourist) visa prior to their entry, and arrive in the Kingdom via a land border checkpoint, will receive only a 15-days permission of stay. Tourists arriving at international airports still get a 30-days entry stamp.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

November 2008
Non-Immigrant "Marriage Visa": Bank Deposit, Income Must Be Husband's
As Thai Immigration law requires the proof of a family income, it had become a popular option for less 'wealthy' partners of Thai spouses to apply for a Non-Immigrant visa "type O" on the grounds that they're being supported by their spouse provided he/she has a sufficient monthly income and can proof this by submission of tax statements.
However, it seems, in November 2008 Thai Immigration have changed the rules yet again and the minimum income of 40,000 Baht per month, or the 400,000-Baht deposit on a local bank account must be the husband's.
From Police order 777/2551: In case of marriage with a Thai woman, the husband who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 Baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 Baht ...

October 2008
Pattaya Immigration Requests Early Visa Renewals
Pattaya Immigration have announced that holders of 1-year Non-Immigrant "retirement visas" are requested to renew their visa not less than 7 days before the expiry date.
In addition, foreigners of all age groups holding a "marriage visa" are also advised to re-apply not less than seven days before the visa expiry date.

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