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Answered9 years ago

What are the consequences of visa validity mistakes for entering Thailand?

Robert *******
asked Nov 20, 2017
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Expensive mistakes.

Man and two children with German passport and lady with Serbian passport.

Tourists bough a nice holiday trip to Thailand, the German tour office tells the lady needs a tourist visa based on her passport. She goes to Embassy and applies long before the holiday and gets the tourist visa. The date is there and off they go to Thailand. On arrival husband and children no problem, the lady get stopped by Immigration because her visa is invalid. It is a few days later than the enter before date. After a few phone calls the tour office admit their mistake and the lady is back to Germany, going to apply for a new Visa and joining after a few days the rest of the family in Thailand. Days of holiday changed into flying up and down and getting new Visa.

As I see it: Mistake from tour office by advising go early for visa, mistake from Embassy for not checking the ticket date, mistake from airline company by not checking the visa by check in, mistake from the person by not informing herself enough about the visa rules.

Very expensive lesson learned.

Always check the dates on every visa you apply for and get, always check the dates of every stamp they put in your passport. Or have a credit card in case mistakes are made.

Edit: This is a real story and happened at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday 19 Nov 2017.
Answer summary
A family went on a holiday trip to Thailand, facing a significant issue due to a Serbian woman's tourist visa being invalid. Although she applied for her visa well in advance, it was past the 'enter before' date upon arrival. This led to her being sent back to Germany while the rest of her family continued their trip. The post discusses various points of failure: the tour agency's error, the embassy's oversight, the airline's lack of verification, and the woman's personal responsibility in checking her visa and ticket details. The experience highlighted the importance of thoroughly checking visa dates and understanding entry regulations when traveling.
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Jacco ***********
Jacco ***********
This is a sad story, I do feel for the Serbian Lady. The tour agency should have know the visa validity is only 90 days from date of issue, they should refund her
Jason ******
Jason ******
Who was wrong? Embassy for putting the wrong enter by date on her Visa? Or did she wait more than 3 months to enter Thailand? You've got 3 months to activate the Visa and enter Thailand. The enter by date is valid for 3 months once you get it.
Robert *******
Robert *******
OP
You did not read before you post? "mistake from the person by not informing herself enough about the visa rules"
Steve ********
Steve ********
clearly everyone was wrong but the people themselves
Robert *******
Robert *******
OP
As I mention in the post.
Fred *******
Fred *******
The visa was a few days past its sell by date and presumably had gone moldy and was now a toxic threat .. just doing our job Ma'am.
Ian ***************
Ian ***************
Sad but true, it's primarily the woman's fault for not checking the use-by date on the visa. She went to the embassy on her own so can't blame the agent.
Craig *********
Craig *********
And all anyone says is "oh sorry"
Craig *********
Craig *********
Goodo
Robert *******
Robert *******
OP
Extra tickets etc are all paid for, they did more than just say sorry.
Johnsuma ******
Johnsuma ******
well yes, missinformations can be very expensive. That is the responsibilite of tourists to get informations especialy in this case at their foreign ministery in their own country.

travels agents are not competant.
Robert *******
Robert *******
OP
Information was good, she needs the visa. It went wrong with the early part and the 3 months validity of the Visa. Nobody checked the dates.
Robert *******
Robert *******
OP
Immigration told her that the official rule is: Serbian passport holders need a Tourist Visa before entering Thailand. She did not have the visa, so back to where you came from. Why would Immigration have to inform her that other countries can enter by Visa Exempt Entry or with Visa on Arrival?
Paul *******
Paul *******
Yes as Sumit dhawan said... some passport holders can get a "visa on arrival" at the airport so no need to go back to Germany... however.. most people are not aware of this.. immigration could/ should have told her ..
Sumit ********
Sumit ********
Why she have to go back in Germany? She should take visa on arrival + extension
Robert *******
Robert *******
OP
Not possible for Serbian Passport holders.
Morash *******
Morash *******
How did such a mistake be made based on visa and ticket....So simple and and so expensive....shows u how humans can be so vulnerable to make mistakes .... I have made stupid mistakes before and tend to do sometimes .. but messing up ticket and visa dates aren't among my usual stuff to mess...and of course I am usually required for a visa for everywhere that must have trained me .... lol
Sam ******
Sam ******
When a visa is stamped it clearly says on the visa Enter before the certain date.
Ken *******
Ken *******
When you are excited about a forthcoming holiday..you don't think that the people you are paying to do things on your behalf are not very good at their jobs..this is a sad story for a family who probably saved like mad to be able to take a holiday of a lifetime... :-(
Ron *******
Ron *******
You have to look at some of the questions on here. The majority don't even know what type of visa they have or how it works, let alone understand an enter by date.
Sam ******
Sam ******
True. Mistakes are part of the game. It happens
Robert *******
Robert *******
OP
When NOBODY check the dates, Immigration will and money and holiday time is lost.

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