Visa Runs in Trouble??

[samak]

thanks OH; where did you get that??

 

article 3 is the most important of course.

i quote below. so as earlier said it is cleary against the visa runner guys, who stay 30 days in LOS, than go for 1 day abroad and return and do this in a row. However for those who travel regularly to Thailand and stay various length they can do so as long as their accumulated stay in Thailand does not exceed 90 days within a 6 month period (which is actually close to 50% of the time).

if you double this, you get 180 days within one year, which is (probably not coincidentally)also the max period you can stay in Thailand without being obliged to pay tax!

so it is also a crack down on guys who stay over 180 days in Thailand without paying any tax!

 

[Old Hippie]

Simie, Samak,

 

No idea what it really means. It implies the day of your first entry, it does not specify any one particular time limit. On one hand it appears to say you can enter, but under no circumstances can you stay more than 90 days. What it doesn't say is how long you have to be gone before you can re-enter...I really have no clear idea what this actually means.

 

I basically go to LOS about every 8+ weeks or so, stay 1-2+ weeks (more last year as I was off work following surgery). So, saY I enter in January, that is stamp one, stay 3 weeks (21 days), go home, come back 2 months later (now March), stay14 days...the "clock" started on my January visit? or is it reset when I left and stayed out for xyz amout of days? This is what is not clear here.

[vegasdave49]

4. According the Article 13 (4) of the Ministerial Regulation which stipulated the criterions, practices and conditions regarding the verification, exception and the changes in the visa requirements B.E. 2545 (2002) dated on 16th August B.E. 2545 (2002), the holder of passport or other substitutive documents who enter to temporarily stay in the Kingdom of Thailand for the conference or the international sport contest shall be permitted to stay in the Kingdom not more than 30 days from the day arrived in the Kingdom of Thailand.

 

Hmmm maybe this is a loophole. Maybe there can be an ongoing conference, or sporting event (pool ) and you can keep coming back over and over for 30 days to attend or participate. LOL

[samak]

Old Hippie

 

no it seems pretty clear for me; you can enter as many time you want, but you can't stay more than 90 days within 6 month (which is roughly 50% of the time).

wonder if they have a system, which calculates the remaining days you are allowed to stay automatically? or whether the poor immigration officers have to calculate this manually!?!

[OCgringo]

"wonder if they have a system, which calculates the remaining days you are allowed to stay automatically? or whether the poor immigration officers have to calculate this manually!?!"

 

Do it the Thai way.....

give you the 30 days , even if you are not eligable , then fine you for overstaying when you leave !

 

OC

[Julian2]

I think there's a solution for the guys staying 30 days - this stop must be for the passport not for the individual, so if your country allows 2 passports stay 90 days on passport # 1 and after that 90 days on # 2.

So when you leave the visa run country you get them to stamp both passports? Would the Thais let you in without an exit stamp from the country you've just left? I supose they do when you come from countries that don't use them anymore, eg Australia.

[the_numbers]

My understanding from word of mouth from an immigration officer friend is that the one day renewals at the border will be the primary target. Entries will be noted by the newer systems at entry points like Suvanabhumri and by immigration officers at rickety borders like Poipet.

 

If you then hit 90 days on the entry stamps without the equivalent time out you'll be denied entry. You'll have to be out of Thailand for the equivalent time 90 days then in order to return.

 

SD can compare what he finds from his source. But this tallies up to a maximum of 180 days in the country per year for tourism on visa runs or entry stamp runs rather... Which is fair I think..

 

I agree with the idea in principle for Thailand as a positive thing. I say this even though some people do these runs because the laws for opening businesses and such can be a bit daunting or difficult. It can be sorted though, and is not as hard as it might appear IMHO. I've been here years and never had a problem with my VISA's and kept the paperwork in order.

 

Again, IMHO it is not a bad thing to put the squeeze on shit language schools who won't properly sponsor their staff, and layabouts who do not intend to properly contribute to the country they live in i.e. pay taxes and set up a company

 

NOW!! let me just say that how well or honestly this will be enforced is wide open

 

I can see alot more tea money coming for Thai Immigration Officers on dusty borders. Guys with two passports are in a better situation too I'm sure.

 

Cheers,

 

theNumbers

[Palatkik]

Old Hippie

or whether the poor immigration officers have to calculate this manually!?!

 

Immigration officers had no difficulty adding up the days in the past when a tax was levied on tourists who stayed more than a threshold number of days in any six months.

I cannot see this being any more difficult.

 

Personally I will hate any changes if they occur as it will affect the law abiding of us who frequently travel in and out of this country on the 30 day transit. Yes, we could get a visa but itâ??s not always that easy. Some of the places I work just donâ??t have an embassy available to apply beforehand and the time and extra travel elsewhere to get one would be a pain.

 

An extra passport helps perhaps, but these donâ??t work on border runs, just air travel as far as my experience goes?

 

It would have been better to bust the trouble makers if that is the target rather than a blanket clamp down on everyone. That said, come this time next year I am sure things will be much the same as now!

[the_numbers]

Well they did put a date on this now...

 

see below :

 

Thailand tightens re-entry rules for tourists

 

Thailand will tighten its immigration rules for tourists who exploit visa free regulations, effective on October 1.

 

The move will affect tourists from 41 countries who have been enjoying privileges by being allowed to stay in Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days. Among the 41 countries are Australia, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the US.

 

Tourists can extend their stay by travelling to neighbouring countries - Cambodia, Malaysia Laos and Burma - and returning with new entry stamps.

 

The new rules are issued as an increasing number of tourists have overstayed the period allowed.

 

"Under the current rules, people from these countries can stay in Thailand for as long as they want. Some even stay here for one year. Many work illegally in Thailand," an informed source said.

 

Instead of sightseeing, the tourists take advantage of the visa exemption by doing business here.

 

From October 1, tourists from the designated countries may still enter Thailand without visas and stay for up to 30 days, but their entry stamps will be renewable twice at most for a maximum stay of 90 days.

 

Tourists who stayed for 90 days must leave the Kingdom for at least 90 days before being permitted to reenter Thailand.

 

Thailand tightened immigration rules last year for South Asian tourists who were allowed to apply for visas on arrival which permitted them to stay in Thailand for 30 days. A large number of them took advantage by travelling to neighbouring countries and returning to get a new visa on arrival at the airport.

 

Under the new rules, they are allowed to obtain a visa on arrival only twice from neighbouring countries. They are then required to go back to their country of origin to obtain an entry visa to Thailand.

 

The Nation

 

 

[Old Hippie]

O.k. so this is what I was saying before, it appears, if I enter Thailand, stay 5 days, go to Angor wat and come back, I have 1 renewel, I stay 5 more days, go to Laos, or Vietname etc, come back, that is my second renewal, I now have to be gone? or gone in 30 days? and stay out 90 days? It apears, I could use up my "privilidges" just transiting through BKK to Nepal or India, and 1 side trip from Thailand...