What Should I Do After My Tourist Visa Application Was Rejected in Vietnam?

Dec 27, 2019

5 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

I have a 3 year relationship with my Thai girl friend and I had a retirement visa which I renewed each year for 3 years. It expired last week and I couldn't renew it again because of the new rules requiring large amounts of money in a Thai Bank which I cannot now do. Every year I have spent 6 months in Thailand and 6 months in England (April-September) so we decided to go to Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam, for a short holiday and to get a 90 day Tourist Visa. Although my application was fine, as per their website, they rejected it and they inserted a visa sticker into my passport which they then stamped as VOID. Also, they refused to say why it was rejected.

We returned to Thailand where they gave me 30 days then we went to the Thai Consulate in Bangkok to ask for help. They said they cannot tell us why I was rejected because each consulate has its own authority. They suggested we try again at Vientiane, Laos next time. I suggested that it was likely that I would be rejected again because they would see the void stamp. They agreed and then suggested that I go back to Ho Chi Min and re-state my case in more detail. We had already stated my case in an interview there so I’m not confident that it will make any difference.

I feel that they rejected me because I changed from a Retirement Visa to a Tourist Visa - I’m not really a tourist - and it seems like I’m not welcome here now as I am not wealthy enough for them to accept me although I have shown for the last 7 years that I can support myself and my girl friend here.

My only hope now, I think, is to return to England, apply for a new passport to lose the void stamp and then apply for a Multiple entry Tourist Visa, which hopefully they will accept and then I can stay for 6 months again from next September.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any ideas would be welcome.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

An individual shares their experience of having their Tourist Visa application rejected in Vietnam after holding a Retirement Visa for three years. They discuss the challenges faced due to new financial requirements and express concerns about not being able to meet these criteria. Following the rejection, they sought advice from the Thai consulate but were left unsure about further steps. The community provides various suggestions, including potential visa alternatives and the possibility of applying for a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa after returning to England.

NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES

Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.

Tod *********

And before I close this thread, please realize it's nothing to do with you being welcome here or not.

It seems you were using an affidavit of income from abroad letter from your consulate to say you met the financial requirements to get your extensions of stays. When your consulate stopped issuing that letter you had two choices; transfer IN to the country a minimum of 65K baht a month each month EVERY month for 12 months before your next extension (just like the income you said you got from your consulate letter) OR bank 800K baht in a thai bank account in your name only for 2 months before you applied.

You didn't meet the requirements to get the visa extension you were applying for. It has nothing to do with whether you can support yourself here or not and everything to do with the fact that you didn't meet the requirements to get your extension.

Believe me I am not unsympathetic but it was ALL over the tiny portion of the inter-web that is thai related about the consulates stopping the income affidavit letters at the beginning of this year AND what a person needed to do to meet the requirements IF they still wanted to use monthly income as the method of proof of funds.

I think you have some good advice about how to stay here for 6 more months AND then when you go back to your country what to do visa wise so when you come back you get another 6 months (in 60 day increments).

Good Luck, (y)