Will my chum get his visa problem fixed?

[Bumpa STIKKA]

So here's the story...

My chum, who secured himself one of those nice Non Immigrant 'O' type Multiple Entry visas, flew into town last week.

90 days of sun, sea and sex!

But when he checked his passport in the hotel he found that immigration had only given him 30 days and NOT the 90 days he was expecting!

It turns out that it wasn't the fault of immigration because my chum had failed to actually put the visa number on the landing card so immigration just assumed he was a 'visa on arrival' like most of us are.

So he's off to the local immigration office early next week to ask them to change the date so he can get the full 90 days.

What are his chances of success?

Well as we know TIT! and anything can happen in Thailand. He may get lucky or they may decide that there's nothing they can do...

I chose the fifth option... "I very much doubt they can or will help."

What do you reckon?

[kahuna]

I think they will correct the mistake for no charge...I've always had good luck with the BKK and Pattaya offices...Knock on wood...

The worst scenario would be a border run to get the correct date stamp...

[pacman]

Would a 1000 baht note slipped into his passport help? It works for most things.

I voted the first option. I would be surprised if they gave a visitor major grief when tourist numbers are down.

So that is FREE with a little bribe on the side. It is the same same but different...         TIT.

[Rocket J. Squirrel]

I had a similar thing happen to me 2 years ago. I was given 30 days on a 60 day visa. I am pretty sure that I had filled out my paperwork correctly, but it happened anyway. Went to immigration in Phuket Town. They asked me when I would like to leave and gave me my requested date (which exceeded the 60 days). I wound up with an extra week on top of the 60 days. To "fix" it, they crossed out the incorrect date and hand wrote the new date next to it. Now I try to confirm my dates with them on arrival.
FYI, I was the only foreigner in the immigration office with long pants and a shirt with buttons and a collar. The rest of them were in shorts and tshirts.

[guydesavoy]

Very hansum I'm sure

I'm worried about the date on his visa. 2007 ? Looks like he got lucky

[TTChang]

It states in the immigration instructions that if you get a 30 day stamp 'by mistake' that's your problem, not theirs.   I can't see them refusing - but who knows!

I like Squirrel's comment about the dress code (or not).  He looked very smart when he opened his Kasikorn account too!  

[PigDogg]

I'm with Rocky on this one.

If Pattaya immigration says no, then try Bangkok.

Make sure to wear your Good boys go to heaven; Bad boys goes to Pattaya T-shirt along with cutoff shorts with a Rolling Stones tongue.

This really depends on the mood of the immigration officer but I vote it will all get sorted out no problema.

[Guest]

You would like to think that common sense shail prevail

Then Again.......in Thailand among Thais it ain't very common

[Bumpa STIKKA]

(pacman @ Apr. 02 2010,09:38) Would a 1000 baht note slipped into his passport help?

In my experience it would not and actually would probably land you in a shit load of trouble.

Immigration here are pretty good... but they work by the book and unless there are exceptional circumstances they'll stick to the rule book.

BUT - TIT! You never know...

Dress smart, be conciliatory and you may find your chances increase substantially.

I'm still sticking with my first answer, though.

We should know in the next couple of days...

[Chinaman]

Well, I certainly learned sth from this thread ...

NOT to forget to fill in that Visa number!

Thanks 4 bringing it up.

[Bumpa STIKKA]

(Chinaman @ Apr. 02 2010,19:35) NOT to forget to fill in that Visa number!

...and CHECK THE DATE before you leave the stamping in booth... even if you have filled out the visa number, etc, correctly.

On the lighter side - this is something that only ever happens to you once!

[PigDogg]

Also open your passport to the Visa and say Visa.

But let's face it after a long flight from Brazil or South Africa we're beat.

[Ivor Biggun]

This happened to me a few years ago. Hull had issued an incorrect visa, cancelled it and put a new visa in. After a long flight I was jetlagged- both me and the Immigration Officer missed the new visa and I was only given 30 days entry. I took this up with my then employer the next day, went to immigration in Bkk and it was sorted inside 30 minutes for free. Maybe it was the fact my employer was the ex- head of the Immigration police in Bkk or I was just lucky to hit them at a slow time!

So long as it was a genuine mistake I'd reckon they shod fix it without any problems. I've had to deal with the main office in Bkk a couple of times now, including a lost passport and arrivals card (albeit with 'assistance') and so long as things are in order they are professional and efficient. Bear in mind this is my PERSONAL experience, others may differ.

Maybe it's egg sucking to suggest this to others but what I do is keep a copy of my passport page, visa and arrival card scanned into the computer, with a copy in hotmail should I need remote access to the details. I update the arrivals card scan after every trip.

The visa number can catch people out and if the Immigration Officer in this case wasn't made aware of the fact that there was a visa it's not really his fault in my opinion. WOrst case if it can't be fixed is an in/out after 30 days and come back with a correctly completed Immigration card. Cheap flights from Hkt to KL and Singapore at the moment- I'm sure it's the same with Bkk.

[EyeMahk]

(guydesavoy @ Apr. 02 2010,11:10) I'm worried about the date on his visa. 2007 ? Looks like he got lucky  

I didn't know a visa issued 3 years ago was still valid.

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Hmmm... Should be noted that I Googled that image of the visa and it doesn't actually belong to anyone I know!