What should I do after being denied a tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Hanoi?

Nov 3, 2022
2 years ago
Daniel ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello Thai Visa community,

I was refused a tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Hanoi for the reason of having just finished a tourist visa and needing some time in between.

I am in Thailand for marathon season and to visit friends. I only intend to stay in Thailand for another month (possibly 2)— not use the TR visa to stay indefinitely. However, I was not aware that you couldn’t apply for two tourist visas back to back.

The purpose of my post is...

1. To share current policies of the Hanoi embassy with group members who may want to apply for a visa here in the future.

2. To ask if anyone has experience being denied a TR visa and then entering Thailand on the visa exemption. Will I be able to enter Thailand with the 45 day visa exemption?

3. To ask for any general advice or if anyone knows more about the period of time required between tourist visas.

Many thanks!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user shares their experience of being denied a tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Hanoi, explaining they were told it's not possible to apply for back-to-back tourist visas. They intend to stay in Thailand for one to two more months for marathon season and visiting friends. They seek advice on entering Thailand on a visa exemption after the denial and want to know more about the waiting period required between tourist visa applications.
Jo **********
just enter visa exempt
Darren *******
Just fly in
Colleen *********
Thanks for the info. Very helpful. I am surprised they refused your tourist visa. I had planned to go to Hanoi to do the same that is to buy another tourist visa for Thailand. However my plans changed and I now plan to come back into Thailand on the 45 days visa exempt scheme as I am planning a trip back to Australia.
Helpful ********
Thailand: We need and want tourists!

Also Thailand: Sorry, no touristing for you.
Pinaki *****
At least they refunded the fee..
Andy ********
I have been in Thailand for 2 months,

Visa exempt + extension, just returned from a 2 day fly in fly out of Phnom Penh came back in yesterday, stamped me in for 45 days. I was under the impression one could do this indefinitely.
Michael ********
@Andy *******
i lasted 15 years probably only because i have two passports
Michael ********
@Andy *******
nope eventually they flag you. Anything over 6 months as tourist your risking being flagged
Billie-Joe ********
@Michael *******
agreed 🙃 always be prepared, I prepared for these questions and I turned to jelly when I was pulled aside 🤣 worked out okay in the end but it is scary even if you really are just being a bummy tourist spending your savings 🤣
Dylan *********
Doesn't specify how long u need to be away from Thailand. Arbitrary rules
Beko *******
I fly to Thailand in December with a tourist visa that I will extend 30 days in Bangkok. My idea was to do the same as you, go to Ho Chi Minh and apply for another tourist visa, spending the minimum time in Vietnam. I didn't think there would be any problem. Perhaps a visa run with Laos using an agency is a safer option.
Brandon ************
@Beko ******
except your plans aren't the same, as the op went to Hanoi. Every embassy has their own rules and policies.
Teya *******
What kind of visas or entry stamps you had previously in your passport and when? Did you have several tourist visas or covid extensions?
Daniel ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Teya ******
just one tourist visa in the last 3 years
Daniel ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
No, no visa exemptions recently. I’m pretty confused as to why I was rejected 🤷🏻‍♂️
Teya *******
@Daniel **********
Really weird 😮 Thank you for the information.
Teya *******
@Daniel **********
Thank you for the answer. So you hadnt visited Thailand with visa exemption either recently?
Walker *********
It's not a hard rule. Each consulate will have its own policy about this, or sometimes it will even vary by the individual agent or it will be a temporary tendency. Figuring out where to go to get another tourist visa to be able to come back in again is a part of the game of staying in Thailand, and is one of the main reasons the popular forum thaivisa came to exist. With perseverance searching thaivisa, these facebook groups, and through word of mouth, you are very likely to find another consulate that will grant you a tourist visa. You will then need to do the same research to figure out which port of entry is most likely to let you in with your situation.

Since you are already in Hanoi, you can try reading up on the current reports of recent experiences at Ho Chi Minh City, as probably the least expensive option to try again. In my experience with that one, they required some extra documentation but I never encountered a flat denial.
Jonathan *******
I messed up my Non-O extension of stay renewal so I did a same-day border bounce to Penang. Had no issues re-entering through Don Muang, got my 45 day stamp with no questions asked.

Penang is a great place for a quick visit btw
Darren ********************
Yeah no point applying for tourist visas while they are offering 45 days on arrival. I just returned from 1 week in Malaysia after being in Thailand for 2 months before that. No questions asked at DM Airport. Perhaps the 1 week gap helped.
Val **********
@Darren *******************
hi Darren, did you have a flight out of Thailand booked when you returned?
Darren ********************
@Val *********
I did. To Bali in 45 days because that's my plan but was never asked for it.
John *******
Your mistake was going to embassy in vietnam time has lapsed with the actual visa you paid for so now Fly back into Thailand get 45 days visa exempt and than extend for another 30 days for 1900baht job done
Anthony *******************
How long was it since you were last in Thailand?
Daniel ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Anthony *******************
@Daniel **********
wild. When are you thinking of going back for the visa exemption?
Daniel ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Anthony ******************
this coming Monday
Jeremy ********
Fly in and get the 45 days visa free waiver stamp
James *******
That will teach you to run marathons.
Daniel ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@James ******
lesson learned!
Steve *****
@Daniel **********
unless you are running for your life running don't make sense 🤣
Steve *******
Check your passport. Some embassies glue a visa in your passport and then stamp it with a DENIED-text. If they did that, you'll need a new passport.

If you don't have anything new in your passport, and you haven't been in Thailand long-term before going to Hanoi, you can enter Thailand on a 45 day visa exempt, which should be enough for your 1 month trip.
Daniel ************
why need visa ? get 45 days visa excemption and extend 30 days with plenty of passports
Michael ********
Least they refunded your fee
Daniel ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Michael *******
yep, that’s nice. I was also surprised
Bobby ********
@Michael *******
That surprises me. I always thought any visa fee was non-refundable. Might just be a local policy.
Harry ****
Wow. I didn’t know that.
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