Visa & Immigration News

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NON-IMMIGRANT VISA  "R"

(Buddhism study/Religious function/Missionary purpose)


The Thai government regulates missionaries in Thailand by requiring a Non-Immigrant visa for it and specific permissions from Thai government offices ...

Required documents:

1. A Passport or Travel Document (validity of not less than 6 months on the arrival date in Thailand and contain at least ONE completely empty visa page)

Important: An original passport must be submitted when applying for a visa. If you send application via post, please enclose your passport. Visa cannot be processed without the passport.

2. A copy of Passport (The page(s) that shows your photo,name,date and place of birth and the expiration date of passport)

3. A Completed visa application form. (completed and signed by the applicant.)

4. 2 recent passport-size color photographs, 3.5 x 4.5 cm, front-view, taken within 6 months

5. A copy of airline ticket or e-ticket. (air ticket paid in full) Note: We do not accept airlines staff card , stand by/open flight ticket.

6. Supporting documents

6.1 Buddhism study/Religious function
- an original confirmation letter from the National Buddhism Office or the Prime Minister's Office or the Mahachulalongkorn University
- an original confirmation letter from the abbot of the temple where the applicant will be studying or performing thereligious function.

6.2 Missionary purpose
- an original confirmation letter issued by the Religious Affairs Department or by the National Buddhism Office
- an original confirmation letter and request make by the religious organization at which the applicant is stationed.

The United States also reciprocates by allowing Buddhist Monks to perform missionary work in the States. There are numerous "Wat Thai" temples scattered all over the U.S.

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Thai Immigration Bureau Announcement

TEMPORARY RE-LOCATION UNTIL CHIANG WATTANA IMMIGRATION CAN OPEN AGAIN

BANGKOK: -- For the convenience of foreigners coming to apply for Immigration services at Government Complex Center Chaeng Wattana Rd: We would like to inform that we would encourage [you] to visit our offices at:

Imperial World Ladprao, 5th Floor (same office as Immigration Service Center for 3 National Legalized Labors) Ladprao Rd.,
Map: http://bangkok.immig...ng.imperial.jpg

for more information, call 1111
 
Source: Immigration Bureau 2013-12-01

[Oytopikos]

BANGKOK: -- The Thai Immigration Bureau has announced that the foreign wives of expats with a one-year retirement visa will in future need their own separate pension income or cash in a Thai bank.

 

In the past, these wives have been able to “join” their husband’s visa by simply showing a marriage certificate and a current non-immigrant visa in their passport. It was not necessary for both partners to show their own income or cash.

 

Under the revised guidelines, both foreign partners in a marriage will separately need to demonstrate yearly income in the first country of at least 800,000 baht equivalent or maintain separate bank accounts of the same minimum amount, or provide a combination of both.

 

Letters from an embassy are still required as proof of the income whilst the 800,000 baht in a Thai bank must have been there for three months prior to the application (2 months 1st application) and be supported by a letter from that financial institution.

 

The toughening up of the rules on retirement visas is believed to have been caused by concerns that some farang-farang marriages are not genuine or may have broken up.

 

The requirement for each partner to show evidence of 800,000 baht in cash or income, or a combination of both, is seen as the best guarantee from an Immigration Bureau viewpoint. Nor is it possible for a married couple to present a joint bank account. Each partner is now treated as a separate entity.

 

Some visa specialists say that the move is aimed at strengthening immigration regulations ahead of the onset of the ASEAN Economic Community in two years’ time which is likely, in the medium term, to lead to more migration across the regional 10-member block.

 

There has been concern in the Immigration Bureau for some time that mere possession of a marriage certificate is not proof of the ongoing relationship and could be used simply to gain a long-term visa. The new ruling also applies to same-sex marriages or civil partnerships now performed in some countries, though not yet in Thailand.

 

Separately, the British Embassy has confirmed that none of its provincial staff is empowered any longer to provide notarial services. Those Brits requiring income letters for the Immigration Bureau must now deal with the main embassy in Bangkok or find another local consulate willing to provide the service.

 

The German honorary consul in Phuket stated recently he believes that his office could provide some such services for Brits but that he was seeking formal permission from Berlin. It may take some time before European Union consulates in places such as Pattaya, Koh Samui and Phuket feel confident enough to fill the gap left by the retreat of the British Embassy from provincial Thailand.

 

Source: Immigration Bureau

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RETIREMENT VISA

Immigration vows strictness on retirement visa requirements


Lt Col Napat has confirmed that retired foreign couples must each show evidence of 800,000 baht in their bank accounts.

PHUKET:  -- Phuket Immigration has vowed to become stricter in its enforcement of retirement visas for married couples by upholding a law that came into effect in November 2008.

The law states that foreign retired couples must each show evidence of 800,000 baht in their bank accounts in order to apply for or renew retirement visas, Phuket Immigration Inspector Napat Nusen confirmed for the Phuket Gazette yesterday.

“This regulation has actually been in effect since November 2008, but has sometimes been misinterpreted by applicants and by our staff,” Lt Col Napat said.

“We will start to enforce the requirements more strictly from now on.”

The misunderstandings may stem from the way the regulation is worded, Lt Col Napat said.

“The rule uses the phrase ‘50 per cent per person’ to refer to the amount in the bank account, and this may have led people to believe that each person needed only 400,000 baht,” Lt Col Napat said.

“In fact, they must each show evidence of 800,000 baht in the bank. That means that if they have a joint account, it must show a balance of at least 1.6 million baht,” he explained.

An alternative is to show a regular pension or investment income of at least 65,000 baht a month, he said. Applicants must show proof of this income for the three months prior to submitting the application.

Lt Col Napat noted that foreign retirees who are married to Thais may opt to apply for a marriage visa instead of a retirement visa. For this visa, the applicant must show evidence of 400,000 baht in a Thai bank account.

[thailandgr]

Immigration opens applications for Permanent Residency

Notification of Immigration Bureau
Admission of application for residential permit in the year B.E. 2556(2013)

According to the notification from Minister of interior by approval of the cabinet issued on November, 14 B.E. 2556 (2013) regarding quota of aliens to have residence in the Kingdom for the year 2013 the following stipulations are applied.
1. 100 persons of each nationality, Colony or colonies of each country shall be considered as one country while each Sovereign state shall be considered as one country and 50 persons for stateless people.
2. The application can be submitted on the date 11- 27 th of December B.E. 2556 (2013) during office hours.

3. Place to submit the application:
In Bangkok :
- During 11-27 December, 2013 contact at Imperial World Ladprao, 5th Floor (Immigration Service Center for 3 National Legalized Labors) Click here to view a map
- During 16-27 December, 2013 contact at Sub-division 1 ,Immigration Division 1, The Government Complex Commemorating His Majesty The King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary,5th December, B.E. 2550 (2007), Building B, 2 Floor, Counter D, 120 Moo 3, Chaengwattana Road, Thungsonghong Sub-District, Bangkok 10210

In other regions : At local or near by Immigration Office/Checkpoint,

Map for ladprao office here: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/Eng.imperial.jpg

[Oytopikos]

BANGKOK: -- The Immigration Bureau will ask the Foreign Ministry to reconsider the decision to exempt visa fees for tourists and travelers from 17 countries.

The 17 countries are Australia, England, the United States, Germany, France, Sweden, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland,Norway, Israel, United Arab Emitrates, Spain and New Zealand.

Immigration commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Panu Kerdlarpphol explained that the reason for reconsideration was that the 17 countries still charge visa fees on Thai nationals.

The visa fee exemption should be reciprocal in order to be fair to Thai tourists and travelers wishing to visit those countries, he said, adding that, moreover, applying for visas to visit the US and England by Thai nationals is very complicated and problematic.

The immigration chief said further that charging visa fees would help screen visitors to Thailand, especially criminal elements and tricksters who may capitalize on the privilege to come to Thailand to seek refuge or to commit crimes.

He recommended two options of charging visa fees: the first is a minimum flat rate of 1,000 baht for each visa and the second which is to charge the same rates impose by those countries for Thai visitors which range from 750-3,900 baht.


http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/foreign-ministry-asked-rethink-free-visa-fee-decision/

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08-01-2014



Immigration Announcement

ADDITIONAL OFFICES DURING THE DEMONSTRATION SITUATION

Due to the demonstration, please be known that Immigration Services for all foreigners are also provided at :

1. Immigration Service Center for 3 national Legalized Labors, Major Hollywood Suksawat, 1st Floor, Suksawat Road, Ratburana, Bangkok.
 
2. Immigration Service Center for 3 national Legalized Labors, Imperial World Ladprao, 5th Floor, Ladprao Road, Wang Tong Lang, Bangkok.

This temporary service will be started from January 13rd, 2014 until the better situation.

We apologize for inconvenience.

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BANGKOK SHUTDOWN

Immigration department makes temporary arrangements for foreigners
 
BANGKOK: -- The immigration office announced on Wednesday that it was making services available for all foreigners at additional offices as a result of the upcoming demonstrations.

From January 13 until further notice, services will be available at Immigration Service Centre on the first floor of Major Hollywood Suksawat in Ratburana district as well as at the Immigration department on the fifth floor of Imperial World Lat Phrao, Wang Tong Lang district.

Both offices are open Monday to Friday from 10.30am to 6.30pm. They are closed on official holidays.

For more information, call 1111.

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Immigration Crackdown in North-East Thailand

40,000 roreigners blacklisted

KHON KAEN: -- Immigration Police in North East Thailand have announced the start of a major crackdown on foreigners entering the country posing as tourists, who it believes are in fact working illegally in the Kingdom, said Pol Major General Chartchai Lamsaeng at a seminar for immigration officers held on Monday in Khon Kaen.

This latest crackdown is to also target foreign nationals on border runs and those who have re-entered Thailand a considerable number of times using tourist visas over a prolonged period.

Following an ongoing and thorough investigation into foreign visitors, the Immigration Bureau found repeated patterns of irregularities, with some foreign nationals re-entering the country as many as 60 times, each for a duration of between 15 and 30 days.

Further investigations found that out of those who regularly re-entered Thailand, large numbers came from neighboring countries such as Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, with many going to work illegally in factories, restaurants or on construction sites and fishing boats.

Immigration Police have now stepped up operations across all twenty provinces in the northeast and in particular at the permanent checkpoints of Mukdahan, Ubon Ratchathani and Nong Khai – all of which are widely used by people leaving and then re-entering Thailand on border runs.

At the three aforementioned checkpoints all foreign nationals will be screened if they have entered Thailand four or more times without sufficient reason.

Officers have also been instructed to look closely at the credibility of each individual, regardless of their nationality, in deciding whether to deny them entry to the kingdom.

40,000 foreigners blacklisted

Pol Major General Chartchai went on to say that high tech identity scanning machines will be installed at all entry points throughout Thailand and electronic processing will also be implemented nationwide.

The data obtained will then be cross-referenced with the central immigration database which holds detailed information on all of the 40,000 foreigners who are currently blacklisted from Thailand.

The checkpoint data will also be used to help combat those individuals involved in the smuggling or transportation of illegal or undeclared goods into Thailand, as well as in assisting in matters of national security.

As he closed his speech, Pol Major General Chartchai warned his fellow immigration officers of the harsh penalties they can expect to face should they be found to be involved in any illegal practices with regards to aiding and abetting foreigners who enter the country illegally.

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THAI FOREIGN MINISTRY - PASSPORTS

Passports to be issued in downtown Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- A temporary mobile office at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre is being set up from Monday to issue passports, Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.

The office will have the capacity to issue 600 passports a day.

The mobile office has become necessary as anti-government protesters led by a senior monk continue to block a site near the Government Complex, which is adjacent to the Consular Department on Chaeng Wattana Road.

The department is the main venue for issuing passports.

The ministry has been forced to shut down computer servers for online passport issuance since January 13.

The closing of the department and absence of servers has resulted in influx of people to passport offices at Pinklao and Bangna.

In the latest development, the monk on Wednesday agreed that officials could re-boot the servers this weekend.



the nation

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Immigration Warning to Foreigners Involved in Protests



BANGKOK: As the political unrest in Bangkok and throughout Thailand continues, the Immigration Bureau has once again issued a warning advising against any form of involvement in the protests by foreign nationals.

This latest warning, comes on the back of the recent deportation threat to prominent Thai-Indian business tycoon, Satit Sehgal who was widely pictured with taking part in the protests, as well as being pictured with PDRC leader, Suthep Thaugsuban.

The Immigration Bureau first issued warnings to foreign nationals about their participation in protests back in December 2013, stating that it is not only dangerous to take part in protests but also illegal and could result in deportation.

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CRIMES OUTSIDE THAILAND

Thai Immigration police: Two foreigners to be deported in separate cases

BANGKOK: -- Immigration police have arrested two foreign nationals for separate alleged crimes committed outside Thailand, and are set to deport them to face prosecution in their countries.

At a press conference, police said they had arrested Italian Trubia Giuseppa at the request of the Italian Embassy.

Giuseppa was sentenced to a six-year term for raping a woman by a Florence court but fled to Thailand, police said.

He entered Thailand through Nong Khai from Laos on February 11 and stayed in hiding in Pattaya, where he was arrested recently.

The other suspect is Taiwanese man Chen Kuo-Shun, who was arrested on Tuesday at the request of Taipei police.

Thai police said Chen fled during his court trial, in which he was indicted for possessing 190,000 amphetamine tablets and an illegal drug weighing 81 kilograms, with intent to sell.

He was originally sentenced to a 10-year term and was appealing against the decision when he fled.

Chen entered Thailand on February 20 and stayed in hiding in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok.

He was arrested at a shopping mall in the area.

After the arrests, both men had their permission to stay in the Kingdom revoked by Immigration Police, who will soon hand them to the authorities in their respective countries.



the nation

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ATTENTION: IMMIGRATION OFFICES CLOSURES

All Immigration Offices will remain closed on the following days of this month of April 2014:

1. Sunday 06 April (due to the Official Holiday of Chakri Day)

2. Monday 07 April (due to the Official Holiday of Chakri Substitution Day)

3. Sunday 13 April (due to the Official Holiday of Songkran Day)

4. Monday 14 April (due to the Official Holiday of Songkran Day)

5. Tuesday 15 April (due to the Official Holiday of Songkran Day)

6. Wednesday 16 April (due to the Official Holiday of Songkran Substitution Day)

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VISA RUNS

Immigration clarifies Phuket visa run 'crackdown'


Myanmar is happy to receive tourists paying for in-out visas at its Kauwthaung checkpoint opposite Ranong.
The reception in Ranong may not be so welcoming if Immigration suspect you're not just a tourist.

PHUKET: 08-05-2014

Immigration officers in Ranong and Phuket have clarified the current situation on visa hops that has caused so much concern recently.

What emerges is not a “crackdown” as such, but a more stringent application of existing rules being applied at all border posts in the country.

The Superintendent of Ranong Immigration, Pol Col Ekkor Butsababodin explained to The Phuket News that the tightening of the rules comes in response to the growing number of crimes committed by foreigners in Thailand, and the number of tourists who are thought to be working illegally,

Tourists on visa runs are now being required to provide checkable details of where they are staying, with address and contact numbers.

They will also be asked what they will be doing while in Thailand.

Col Ekkor explained, “Immigration officers have found that a lot of tourists staying in Phuket, Krabi, Samui and other tourism places don’t tell the truth.

Their information cannot be confirmed by our sources.

“There have been crimes committed by tourists. We also have to accept that some look for ways to work illegally in Thailand. We are fully computerised now with internet connections, so we can check very fast.

“Tourists may renew 30-day or 15-day visas three times. We will check their details every time they come to Immigration.”

One crucial detail Immigration is looking for is evidence that tourists are staying in the places they claim to be staying in.

If Immigration cannot confirm, for three visa runs in a row, where a tourist is staying, then the tourist will get just seven days’ stay and will be told they have to leave Thailand at the end of that time and come back only when they have a new visa from a Thai consulate in another country, stamped in their passport.

In cases where tourists’ accommodation can be confirmed every time they do a visa run, Immigration officials will allow them back in, but after three extensions may not be keen to give them further extension without good cause.

Immigration officers may also ask for proof that tourists have enough money to support themselves for the proposed stay in Thailand before stamping them back in for 15 or 30 days.

It is important to understand that Immigration officials have wide discretionary powers.

If, for example, a visa-run tourist can show that he or she is staying in a certain place and has enough money, then a fourth or fifth extension may well be granted.

But if a tourist’s “record” is deficient, or the tourist gives any other sign that he or she is not a genuine, happy-go-lucky tourist, then an attempt at a fourth visa extension is unlikely to be successful.

“To be honest, if they want to work or do business in Thailand [or stay long-term], then they should do it properly [with a non-immigrant visa].

One major aim of tightening the rules is to limit the number of people who arrive as tourists but are in fact planning to commit crimes – skimmers and ATM robbers are recent examples.

The Superintendent of Phuket Immigration, Pol Col Sanchai Chokkayaikij, commented, “Phuket is a tourist destination. So it is a good thing for us to be more careful about who we allow to stay on the island.”



Phuket News

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BREAKING NEWS

BANGKOK: 10 May 2014

New strict Immigration regulation for border runners in force from today (10 May 2014)

From today (10-05-2014), foreign nationals residing in Thailand will no longer be able to exit and then re-enter the kingdom via a land border crossing in order to gain another 30 or 15 day stay in Thailand.

It is now been confirmed by the Immigration Bureau that the new regulation starts from today Saturday May 10, 2014.

From today visitors can only enter into Thailand via a land border once.

After that one time, visitors they will be refused entry to the Kingdom.

They are going to be advised to fly out and return with a visa obtained from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in a neighboring country or from overseas.

Non-Immigrant Visa or Tourist visa holders with remaining entries on their visa can exit and enter Thailand as before.

The new measures are targeting foreign visitors without a visa who are regularly entering and exiting the kingdom every 15 or 30 days as a way of extending their stay in Thailand.

More restrictions from The Immigration Bureau coming up and enforceable effective 12 August 2014.

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BREAKING NEWS

OUT - IN VISA RUN

Immigration boss confirms the Out-In visa run is dead

The national commander of Thai Immigration, Lt Gen Phanu Kerdlaphon, has confirmed that “Out-In” visa runs are – apart from a few exceptions – a thing of the past.

Speaking with The Phuket News this morning, Gen Phanu said, “We have been very lenient about this. I’ve had many comments about [our excessive leniency]."

Several factors have come together to kill off the tourist visa run.

The first, as already reported in The Phuket News is fallout from the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

Two Iranian men boarded that flight using passports that had been stolen or went missing in Phuket a couple of years before. Hence a tightening-up on passports was inevitable.

But another major concern is the number of foreigners working illegally, the General said.

“Lots of nationalities come to Thailand on tourist visas but they come to work. I really want them to do the right thing, not try to dodge around the law and evade taxes."

He said that Russians, South Koreans and Vietnamese in particular are in the spotlight. “Immigration is keeping an eye on them.” That said, other nationalities will not escape notice.

“Out-in visa runs will still be possible but they have to show a credible tourism plan and give details of their accommodation to the officials.

“Thirty days should be enough for a normal tourist.

If they really want to travel around the country for more than 30 days, then they must show us a plausible plan.

If officers are suspicious, then they will carry out checks.

"If we believe their purpose in coming to Thailand is not what they say it is, then we will order them to leave and they will be blacklisted. They will not be able to return to Thailand, ever."

He also confirmed that electronic fingerprinting of people arriving in Thailand will be introduced.

“Yes, this is coming soon. We are now waiting for the budget to be approved. It is expensive so we will start by introducing it at international airports first.”

He said he did not agree with complaints that the effective end to visa hops would affect tourism. “I don't think so. Tourists will still come to Thailand for holidays, but not to start businesses or get jobs.”

Gen Phanu added, “If you are coming here not as a tourist, then please get the correct visa. Do it properly.”



Phuket News (13-05-2014)