Hey everyone, first of all thanks for welcoming me to the group,
I am currently in Savannakhet with my girlfriend ( not civil union or marriage ) and I have been puzzled about certain visa regulations. I have a non imm B with a work permit but my girlfriend cannot be dependent on my visa as there is no recognized union between us. Today at the Thai consulate in savannakhet she was refused a 60 days tourist visa and the consulate said it was because she had done too many. However, she has only done one 60 days tourist visa in 2019, one exemptions of 30 days coming in from Laos, and another exemption of 30 days, after leaving Thailand for a month, and arriving on an international flight from Paris.
The consulate made it very clear that her only option to re enter Thailand was a transit visa to get her belongings and leave, with no possibility of return before 2020. We eventually took this option after a long debate with consulate staff.
My question is, in her situation would there have been any alternative? And more importantly now that she has a 30 day transit visa is there anything we can do so she can stay longer or will she actually have to stay outside Thailand until 2020?
Sorry for the long text but wanted to be as detailed as possible and we would appreciate any serious advice or knowledge on the situation.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The original poster is seeking advice for their girlfriend, who cannot obtain a tourist visa due to having previously been denied and having a non-recognized relationship. They encountered issues at the Thai consulate in Savannakhet, where she was issued a transit visa but denied a tourist visa. The community suggests alternatives, including applying for a tourist visa from different locations, considering a student visa, or exploring long-term visa options such as the elite or investment visa. However, there are concerns about the limitations of her entry history and the overall strictness of the consulate.
