TB Immigration Information Letter No. 037/23: Visa received late and with incorrect date
Reporter: Willy
I have been in Pattaya since September 25 with a 30 day arrangement because I had not heard anything from the Thai embassy regarding my application for a non-immigrant O visa departing on September 24 with Etihad from Brussels. Sunday morning, October 1, I opened my mailbox and what did I see? A non-immigrant O visa with effect from November 26, 2023. I had clearly requested September 24, which could also be viewed on the ticket.
When I look at the form I also see that it was sent on November 26, strange.
This afternoon, we'll go to immigration and see how we can bring it in
Reaction RonnyLatYa
It is clear that there were mistakes with the date at the embassy.
I assume that you tried to contact us because you had not yet received the visa and someone looked for your visa after receiving your emails and sent it to you without looking at the incorrect dates on your visa. But actually it wouldn't have been of any use to you if you had received it on time, because the date of grant is November 26. This means that you cannot use it before November 26. That should have been corrected first anyway.
You could actually make a border run with it since that visa has not yet been used. However, the date of grant is set for November 26 and that would not be possible before November 26. Whether immigration can or wants to do something about it and still give you those 90 days? I hope so for you but fear so. But I'm more afraid that they will say that you should leave the country and come back after November 26. But maybe you can convince them of the embassy's mistake... I fear, however, that they can only look at what has been entered into the system by the embassy and if that is also November 26...
I'm curious and would like to hear the outcome.
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Ronny
There was indeed nothing to arrange at immigration, I have to leave Thailand on November 23 and can return on November 26. So I can go to Cambodia for 3 days through someone else's fault.
I am currently a bit tired of Thailand and I am certainly not the only one. Around me I hear many elders complaining who have been wintering here for 25-30 years and are no longer happy with it and are looking for other alternatives.
Willy
Yes, it's a pity that nothing came of it, but I already feared it.
It is an administrative mistake, but you will have to deal with it of course. Such matters should be checked better and even double and independently of each other before they are written out and issued, because they are very important. It will ultimately cost that person a lot of unnecessary money and travel (no visa, unnecessary border runs, staying in another country, transport costs, etc.) that can be avoided.
So I can certainly understand your frustration
I would report it to the embassy. Send your expenses. I don't know if that will have any effect, but you never know. They say that if you don't shoot, you'll never hit the target.
I have been hearing this complaint for 30 years. Sometimes I think they come to Thailand specifically for this.
Because then I think, who goes to a country every year and then complains about it for days or months? I can understand that someone has had enough of it, but then I think I should stop doing it.
But no, not like that. They faithfully return every year, crawl back onto their familiar stool and then sit back for days or months complaining about what goes wrong in Thailand and what a shitty country this is. They are shouting to anyone who wants to hear that they have had it and are going to find other places where everything is much better.
Eventually their stay is over and they leave again. But a little later you hear or read that they have already been busy with their ticket for the next time and are often proud because they were able to score a cheap ticket by booking early. Some have not yet left and are already booking their next stay in their familiar hotel.
I do not understand.
If I'm tired of something I stop doing it and that would also apply to Thailand.
I've always said that the day I stop feeling happy in Thailand it stops for me.
Currently that is not the case and the thought has not even occurred for a moment.
Don't think that I think everything is all roses and moonshine in Thailand, because I can be quite concerned about certain things or the lack thereof.
But the day that complaining and worrying takes over, I will certainly draw my conclusions.
You can count on that.