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What can I do if my Thai tourist visa application was rejected due to a remark on my previous visa?

Jul 9, 2018
8 years ago
Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Arrived in Vientiane last night to apply for a new Thai tourist visa. Embassy this morning rejected my application because of a remark that was put on my last visa I received in Penang. That was the 3rd tourist visa over the span of over two years so I'm clueless why I got a remark. Any idea what I can do?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user faced a rejection of their Thai tourist visa application in Vientiane due to a remark on their previous visa from Penang, where they had applied for their third tourist visa in two years. The conversation revolves around alternative options like entering Thailand on a visa-exempt entry through the Nong Khai border, the possibility of extending their stay, and considerations regarding passport renewal. Various comments suggest that a new passport could help reset the visa count and alleviate potential issues with future visa applications.
Tod *********
okay I think we've taken this as far as we can. The O/P is going to enter the Nong Khai border this morning on a 30 day visa exempt entry and then make their way to Udon Thani so they can fly to where they stay.
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Mark ***********
great thread.........this is a terrific group for advice. (y)
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Duncan *******
Hi
@Christina **************
have you considered longer term options? No criticism from me at all - I was you 5 years ago complete with all sorts of tourists visas. If you are wanting to stay there will be another point again where TR's become an issue even if you get through this. Presuming you're not retirement age (you don't look it ;) ) have your looked at an ED visa option? if you're working externally (digital nomad variation) there are also options like Iglu/ BOI companies that offer long term visas as well.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I've been looking into it. I will get a new passport this month so that'll help. I've been looking into studying here, but deciding where and what is another thing. I haven't got a degree so that limits me also.
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Christina ********
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
OK I think I've got a plan. I'm going to leave by bus tomorrow from Vientiane to Udon Thani, so hopefully that'll give me 30 days. However, I've now got another issue. I've got one page left in my passport. I mean, with all this I'll be glad to get a new passport anyways. However if I enter tomorrow (10th July) and apply for a passport renewal on 23rd July, what happens if I don't receive the passport back by 9th August, and therefore go over the 30 days?
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Adam ***********
You got it πŸ˜‰
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Robert ********
And left you with the good looks and the money?
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Adam ***********
He got the brains in the family.
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Robert ********
How come your bro is not on FB Adam?
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Adam ***********
FWIW my brother just got a new passport in Bangkok last month. 13 days from submission to collection.
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Peter ***************
UK is so useless. The Japanese Embassy turns around a replacement passport in 3 days.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
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Ellie *******
You can extend your permission of stay of visa exempt entry for 30 days with fee at your local immigration office. So I guess you can get enough time to get new passport?
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Peerke Poep Erm, don't attack me, but Celine Dion is on in Bangkok that evening so I might aswell two kill birds with one stone.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
You are super helpful. Thanks again!
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Tod *********
you don't turn in your old passport when you get a new one, so IF your new passport doesn't come in before your 30 day stamp runs out go to the immigration office and get a 30 day extension on it for 1900baht.
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Tod *********
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Ron *******
There has been reports of people being denied a first visa in Penang since they have had a come down there if they consider you have a visa history
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Robert ********
Wow...as Tod would say, good luck and please report back!
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Jon **********
Worrying read, as im at the airport heading to HCMC for my 6th SETV.....πŸ€¨πŸ™πŸ€”
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Terary **********
I don't know about Hanoi - but HCMC was painless. They ask for everything - but now waiting. Nice people.
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Jason ******
Is HCMC better togo to than Hanoi or the same?
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Jon **********
@Jeremy *******
pretty much. A 30 day exempt in there too
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Tod *********
@Chri*****
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh CIty are not bad consulates to deal with. Meet the requirements, and you're fine. They do require proof of 20K baht in a bank account and proof of onward travel AND they only take US dollars for the visas.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Woah! That's a lot. How is HCMC's Thai embassy?
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Jeremy ********
is this 6 consecutive SETV's?
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Jeremy ********
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Mark ***************
Christina Louise Allen I am pretty sure you can cross by land. That will help you.

Maybe helpfull for the other people, you got a lot of old visa in your passport? Because penang gave you a red stamp for a reason?

Still very strange they pay attention to a warning of other location + you only had 3 visa in last years. You had many 1 month exemptions by plane I think?
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Yes I've had quite a lot of exemptions and a few extensions. But I've got stamps from other places I've travelled to also. I've seen people with more "obviously living in Thailand" passports and they've not encountered this issue.
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Christina ********
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Jeremy ********
you could fly to Perth Australia with your UK Passport and apply for the 6-month METV if you meet all the requirements and check all the boxes....just another option
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Michael ********
Correct 8k AUD or equivalent. Not really ridiculous for staying 6 months or more in Thailand. Works out as 33k a month. If you have the money in the bank it is no big deal. But you also need flight tickets and accommodation details as well.
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Jeremy ********
@Christina **************
its just one of the boxes you have to check
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
That's ridiculous!
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Jeremy ********
@Christina **************
I'm not sure about the Perth Consulate requirements but as per the Clear as Muddy water requirements of some Thai Consulates, they want to see the $7,000 [$8,000 AUD Dollars or 200,000 THB in an acct for 6 months....
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thankyou!
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Jeremy ********
@Christina **************
*******************************************************************************************************
*******
/ThaiConsulatePerth_VisaApplicationForm.pdf
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Where can I find information about the requirements? This might be a good option for a future trip.
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Jeremy ********
@Christina **************
Perth is the closest only a 6.5-hour flight from BKK...
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Tod *********
Christina most of the thai consulates in Australia offer the 6 month METV to non-residents if you meet the requirements.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Why Perth? Is that the only place in Oz I could do that?
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Tod *********
Good option (y)
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Tod *********
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Robert *******
Nothing wrong with living in Thailand, but using Tourist Visa and Visa Exempt entries for longer period will end one day. You have to look out for a better visa option like the Elite Visa.
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Ron *******
Back before Christmas i believe the PM demanded a a system be in place by June, linking all this lot up, particularly after the pattaya murderers/ Balcony throwers who all obtained visas when they should never of been allowed them.

How does anybody know this system is or isn't yet in place?
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Robert ********
You are welcome to believe what you like, but I know for a fact that it is not true and they do share information.
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Tod *********
@Rob***
sorry I mis-remembered what you wrote. I am still standing by the fact they don't share information on visas between each consulate.
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Robert ********
...plus Thai embassies (heck all embassies) do share information internally, all the time.
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Robert ********
Tod, if you carefully read my comment...you will see I said, they do NOT need a shared data base to monitor tourists applying for visas. Yes??
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Robert *******
I just read all the comments, stopped at the airport for use of to many Visa Exempt Entries, got warning stamp in Penang, got now refused Visa at Vientiane. Yes, a new passport will reset the visa count. I just tried to recommend another option to live inside Thailand.
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Tod *********
@Rob***
, sorry I dunno where you are getting your information but it is not correct.

At this time the thai consulates do not have a shared data base.

Heck, they don't even have an internal data base that is consulate specific.

All they do is page thru your passport looking for tourist visas
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Robert ********
They do not need a shared data base to spot abusers and are much smarter than some of us give them credit!
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Robert ********
More Thai embassies are sharing information on tourists improperly using tourists visas and will stop issuing to individuals when they find them being abused!
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Robert ********
So true Robert!!
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Robert ********
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Jason ******
Did you go to Penang for your 3 Tourist Visas back to back? Once you get the red stamp in your passport, I always thought that is a notice for all Thai Embassys. Not just for the one you went to. So once you have the red stamp, in order to be approved for a new tourist visa you need to apply for a new passport. But my concern is why did Penang say you have too many tourist visas with only 3? Did you go there 3 times in a row? or are your other 2 visas from other countries?
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thankyou so much! Super helpful!
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Tod *********
@Chri*****
nope, you'll be totally okay

like I said, once you stamp in at Nong Khai you're fine and flying inside of thailand you don't go thru immigrations because you're already in the country ;) You only go thru immigrations when you enter/exit the country and you would have already entered at Nong Khai.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Really helpful, Thankyou. And I definitely won't encounter any issues?
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Tod *********
As long as you don't have TWO 30 day visa exempt entries by land this year you're fine comin' across the border in Nong Khai.

Then go to Udon Thani and catch the flight back to where you live. That way you already cleared immigrations at the Nong Khai border and will be flying domestically from Udon to Phuket.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
No, not by land. I've flown in a handful of times though. Is that OK?
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Tod *********
@Christina **************
do you have TWO 30 day visa exempt entries by land so far this year?

If not you won't have any problem crossing the land border at Nong Khai. That is the easiest land crossing in the country.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'm worried they won't let me in on a visa exempt anymore. They questioned me why I had so many stamps last time I arrived in Bangkok. The immigration officer pulled me over, and then saw I had an unused visa so he said that was fine, and that it was no problem if I had a visa. But now I can't get a visa!
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Tod *********
@Jay *****
, usually those warning stamps are consulate specific. I know a LOT of people who got the warning stamp from Penang and went to Vientiane for their next visa with no problem and vice versa. Her situation is quite strange given she has no extensive history of living here on back to back tourist visas for eons.
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Jason ******
You can come back to Bangkok on a Visa exempt stamp, and apply for a new passport and when you go back to Vientiane to apply again you'll get a visa with no problems.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
No, that was the first time I'd ever been to Penang. My two visas before that came from Laos but they weren't back to back.
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Christina ********
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Tod *********
That is quite strange seeing as you hardly have an extensive visa history here in thailand. :/
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Tod *********
@Erre ****
they did not refuse you because you had a red warning stamp on a previous tourist visa :/
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Erre *****
I tried to do a visa-on-arrival by Suvarnabumi with a red remark on one of my last visas and they refused me, so take this in consideration
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Gareth **********
Actually, historically that is not true! They have been specific to a particular consulate or embassy!
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Erre *****
they dont care what you did, if they see the red remark they will refuse your visa, it happened to me, no matter how many visas you already had
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I really do think they are cracking down. I've been to back to England a few times from Thailand too, and got stamps from other countries where I've genuinely travelled.
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Gareth **********
This is a worry as I was heading there in 2 weeks, in a very similar siuation! Think I will just do a border bounce now
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Exactly my thoughts!
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Christina ********
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Ivan ************
If you haven't used up your two land visa exempt entries for 2018, you should be able to come back on one of those, without a visa.
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Lisa ******************
@Ivan ***********
useful info, thank you.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Wow, I never knew that. That helps a lot! Thankyou!
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Ivan ************
You get 30 now. And you can extend that for another 30 at immigration. So that gives you 60 days total, during which you can figure out what your next move is. You can do this twice per year, so you can get 120 days out of it total if you do another border bounce after the first 60.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Is that the 15 days one?
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Christina ********
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Tod *********
About the only thing you can do is

Seeing as the thai consulates don't have a database at this time (all they do is look thru your passport for tourist visas) just apply for a new passport and it will wipe the slate clean
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Really? I will plan to do that soon but will need to do it in Bangkok so I need to get into Thailand first!
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Christina ********
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Robert ********
Not surprised, bound to have happened sooner or later...
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Robert *******
Thai Embassies and Consulates don't have a datebase to record this, only option is to apply for a new passport and go again.
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Tyson ********
If you’re at the end of your passport then how were you assuming to get a tourist visa? Don’t you have to have like 6 months of validity on your passport?
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Murad ********
@Christina **************
nowadays too much visa/stamp pn passprt they are not looking good (why?? I don't have any idea)

That's why I also just renew my passport then solve all problems.

Border pass could be easier for you. Try Udon gate.
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Robert *******
Vientiane to Udon and you will pass this border.
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Oscar ******************
Land crossing 30 days and no problem at Nong Khai border. Go to Bangkok and apply a new passport.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
No I haven't crossed land this year. I've always flown into Thailand. I thought land crossings gave me 15 days. Where is Nong Klai border? Does this not happen at Nong Khai border?
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Robert *******
Go over land and you will get the 30 day Visa Exempt Entry at Nong Klai border. If you did not 2 land border crossings already this year.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
That I can do, especially as I'm at the end of my passport. But I need to enter Thailand to do that, plus I've got my condo etc. As a British citizen I could get a 30 days exemption stamp, however last time I came through Subvarhami airport from Vietnam they pulled me up about it, and said I had too many stamps. I actually had an unused visa so they let me through and said it was fine if I had a visa. So I'm worried I'll even get denied a stamp now.
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Christina ********
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Tod *********
Wow!! So you have the red warning stamp from your previous tourist visa that you got in Penang saying you had too many visas and may be denied in the future and the consulate in Vientiane denied your application because of it?

That's one of the first times I've heard of a consulate paying attention to a warning stamp from another consulate. Usually they are consulate specific and getting one from one consulate won't affect you at another one.

Sorry to hear that.
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Christina ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Correct! They said they were unable to give me a tourist visa because of the remark. I asked what I could do and she pointed to the "non immigrant" circle on the application.
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Christina ********
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Gareth **********
.
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Gareth **********
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