Clampdown coming on multiple tourist visa runs

[gotlost]

Clampdown coming on multiple tourist visa runs

PHUKET: Immigration is to bring in a new rule soon aimed at discouraging repeat visa runs by visitors to Thailand who get visas on arrival and then extend their stays by doing visa runs.

Tuesday 18 March 2014, 12:46PM



Burmese Immigration office at Victoria Point, opposite Ranong, a favourite with visa-hoppers. Photo Silke Baron
Burmese Immigration office at Victoria Point, opposite Ranong, a favourite with visa-hoppers. Photo Silke Baron
Currently, visitors who come from countries on Thailand’s list of nationalities that may arrive with no visa and receive a visa on arrival can also hop out of Thailand into a neighbouring country and back, and get another 30 days. Some repeat this indefinitely.

Now, however, Immigration has announced that anyone arriving in Thailand across a land border will receive only 15 days. This will not apply to the first arrival in Thailand, whether by land or air, but will apply for subsequent arrivals by road or rail.

The number of back-to-back visa runs may also be limited.

The main aim is to discourage foreigners from staying long-term in Thailand by doing multiple back-to-back tourist visa runs.

Immigration has attempted before to discourage visa hoppers. The most recent attempt was when it was announced that no one would be able to spend more than 90 days total in Thailand on multiple visa runs. This has apparently been applied selectively, and will continue to be used this way, along with the new 15-day rule, in cases of people recognised as serial visa-hoppers.

A Phuket Immigration officer told The Phuket News they knew about the new rule, but that it is not yet being applied, and they are not sure just when it will be.



- See more at: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket...rist-visa-runs-45216.php#sthash.sPh5lyf3.dpuf

 

[farang_bootneck]

Why? What good will this do?
Tourism Thailand is cutting its nose off to spite its face again.

 

[isanbirder]

It's not really anything to do with tourists. It's an attempt to make people who live here get the appropriate visa for their situation.

Of course it will never be consistently enforced, so the end situation will be worse than it is now.

 

[Ivor the Engine]

It's not really anything to do with tourists. It's an attempt to make people who live here get the appropriate visa for their situation.

Of course it will never be consistently enforced, so the end situation will be worse than it is now.

Agreed. Seems logical really.

 

[farang_bootneck]

It's not really anything to do with tourists. It's an attempt to make people who live here get the appropriate visa for their situation.

Of course it will never be consistently enforced, so the end situation will be worse than it is now.

Not everyone meets the requirements for a Non O visa, what harm is this doing to Thailand if tourists want to spend more time here?
If they believe there to be a number of tourists here on the wrong visa then there clearly needs to be a reform in immigration.
Immigration are always trying to clamp down on foreigners in one way or another, how many people on here have posted a complaint at some point?

 

[isanbirder]

Not everyone meets the requirements for a Non O visa, what harm is this doing to Thailand if tourists want to spend more time here?
If they believe there to be a number of tourists here on the wrong visa then there clearly needs to be a reform in immigration.
Immigration are always trying to clamp down on foreigners in one way or another, how many people on here have posted a complaint at some point?

I think they're aiming at a reform of immigration but, as usual, it's done in a muddled sort of way.

The main reason why people complain is that the Immigration Department is so inconsistent. If the rules were clear, and adhered to, I think people would accept them.