Thread: Mistake by Immigration at Airport

I came for a 3month hol on an " O " visa. At the Airport when I had come through Imm., I noticed the officer had issued me with a 30 day stamp not 90. I immediately notified them and they changed it but only by drawing a line through the original stamp and a bit of writing. It looks like I could have done it myself. I dont want any hassle on my way out so do you think it worth a trip to Pattaya Immigration ?

As long at the information on the stamp matches whats been put into the computer, you should be fine. However if the computer says 30 days and you corrected stamp says 90 days, as you are hinting, you might have a few issues, of the type which get you locked up until you die of neglect.

Personally I would pop down to immigration before the original 30 days are up and verify that their computer thinks you are in thailand for 90 days; its just not worth the risk.

There is no room for misunderstanding or hassle when you are leaving and hand written corrections are common.
You can't have entered on anything else than your visa because you can't get a 30 day visa free stay if you have a valid visa in your passport. The visa must be used first.

This is very similar to what the Austrian Duke did, who was arrested for changing the numbers on his visa by hand, Off course he had a heart attack and died in the immigration lockup.

This happened to me a while back at the Sadao border. I was so pissed off about the non-economical-random-middle-of-the-page stamp that I never looked at the date they issued me til. A friend was talking about synchronising border run dates for bike run purposes so I checked when my own one was due. the fuckers gave me 15 days instead of 90 and I was kinda 27 days over due. I drove down there with the thai gf and spoke to the guy in the office who told me he'd fix it there and then if I gave him the football shirt I was wearing. He was being serious. I told him he could have it but for 1) it was too small for him and 2) I could not leave the office without a shirt on so he'd have to trade me for his immigration officer shirt with all his badges in tact. He laughed, then sorted it out with a line like your's through the original date and a new date stamp under the original stamp with a bit of thai handwriting under that too. No charge. Then he went to photocopy my passport and a piece of paper fell out on the floor. He picked it up, opened it, had a look then said to me - 'Ah, fine for no driving license!'.

No drams though, no fee, and I'm only 45mins from the border anyway.

Don't worry about it.

Strange thing is it was an Aberdeen shirt, but he associated it with Alex Ferguson.

Also happened to me at Nong Khai a while back and i was directed to the immigration building at the border where i was given a ticking off for not checking when i entered the country. Delay of 5 minutes and similar to previous posts, rectified with a stroke of a pen, initialled and duly stamped by a female immigration officer whose stare could have melted tungsten

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

Strange thing is it was an Aberdeen shirt, but he associated it with Alex Ferguson.

Fergie won 2 Scottish Premier titles back to back, 3 Scottish cups and the Uefa Cup Winners Cup (beating Real Madrid in the final) as manager of Aberdeen
He has the freedom of that city

A few months ago I flew into Samui on a triple entry tourist visa and the Muppet there stamped me in on a 30 day tourist visa.

Discovered it 4 weeks latter and shit myself as I was on overstay by then.

Off to Immigration at Chang Wattana Immigration Bangkok and the friendly staff there had me in and out within the hour.

Same thing, a line drawn through the 30 day stamp and signed.

From now on I will be checking.

a few years ago i went to bangkok immigration to extend my non immig retirement stay, i took all the required paperwork along etc. the eagle eyed female immigration officer noticed that the stamp i received at the airport when i had arrived nearly a year before did not have the signature/squiggle of the officer who had stamped the passport and she refused to extend my visa.

she said i had to go back to the airport and get the stamp signed by the officer who had stamped me in. i explained that with no signature in the passport it was impossible to know who the officer was, and as it was nearly a year ago he might not even still be there, thats my problem she said.

it took nearly three hours of nonsensical back and forth discussion between her, her superior, me, and my wife before they finally relented and extended my visa. no money was asked for. they just stubbornly refused to help.

it always pays to check your entry stamps thoroughly before you leave the desk.

I had the same at airport! Went to immigration at Korat,told me just to "Go Cambodia". Thailand !!

Originally Posted by taxexile

it always pays to check your entry stamps thoroughly before you leave the desk.

Should be done every time as part of ones critical things to do before leaving the immigration check counter.

^ Got wrong glasses on to read it properly!!

Originally Posted by crippen

Got wrong glasses on to read it properly!!

Fine print is always the thing that gets ya. Forgot to add, check on the way out as well. I once had a perfectly good multiple entry visa stamped "used" when it wasn't. Result. A tedious bunch of crap when I reentered.

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

Strange thing is it was an Aberdeen shirt, but he associated it with Alex Ferguson.

Fergie won 2 Scottish Premier titles back to back, 3 Scottish cups and the Uefa Cup Winners Cup (beating Real Madrid in the final) as manager of Aberdeen
He has the freedom of that city

Ahem, 3 league titles, four Scottish Cups and a Scottish League Cup, alongside the European Cup Winners' Cup and the European Super Cup.

Aberdeen were the last club outside of the Old Firm to win a league title, and also the last Scottish team to win a European Championship.


STAND FREE

Originally Posted by terry57

A few months ago I flew into Samui on a triple entry tourist visa and the Muppet there stamped me in on a 30 day tourist visa.

Discovered it 4 weeks latter and shit myself as I was on overstay by then.

Off to Immigration at Chang Wattana Immigration Bangkok and the friendly staff there had me in and out within the hour.



Same thing, a line drawn through the 30 day stamp and signed.

From now on I will be checking.

Who's the Muppet then?

Those of you that have not had the correct permission to stay stamp given, did you put the visa (or re-entry permit) number on the Entry Card?
TH

Originally Posted by terry57

A few months ago I flew into Samui on a triple entry tourist visa and the Muppet there stamped me in on a 30 day tourist visa.

Discovered it 4 weeks latter and shit myself as I was on overstay by then.

Off to Immigration at Chang Wattana Immigration Bangkok and the friendly staff there had me in and out within the hour.

Same thing, a line drawn through the 30 day stamp and signed.

From now on I will be checking.

I can't believe an experienced traveller such as yourself would make a basic 'first-timers' error such as that Mr57...

They did the same to me once at Swampy, no problems ensued, don't worry.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Originally Posted by terry57

A few months ago I flew into Samui on a triple entry tourist visa and the Muppet there stamped me in on a 30 day tourist visa.

Discovered it 4 weeks latter and shit myself as I was on overstay by then.

Off to Immigration at Chang Wattana Immigration Bangkok and the friendly staff there had me in and out within the hour.

Same thing, a line drawn through the 30 day stamp and signed.

From now on I will be checking.

I can't believe an experienced traveller such as yourself would make a basic 'first-timers' error such as that Mr57...

Yes, tis inexplicable how that got passed him...

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

Strange thing is it was an Aberdeen shirt, but he associated it with Alex Ferguson.

Fergie won 2 Scottish Premier titles back to back, 3 Scottish cups and the Uefa Cup Winners Cup (beating Real Madrid in the final) as manager of Aberdeen
He has the freedom of that city

Ahem, 3 league titles, four Scottish Cups and a Scottish League Cup, alongside the European Cup Winners' Cup and the European Super Cup.

Aberdeen were the last club outside of the Old Firm to win a league title, and also the last Scottish team to win a European Championship.


STAND FREE

I seem to recall they would possibly have won another one but for some backhanders being paid to the officials?

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

I seem to recall they would possibly have won another one but for some backhanders being paid to the officials?

Really? Was that the following year when they played against Porto in the semis of the Cup Winners Cup?