HOOD Robin

The rule is a maximum of 90 days using visa exemptions in a six month period.

Without your exact dates it's impossible to tell for certain, but it looks like you've run foul of this rule

If you list your exact entry and exit dates we will be able to give you a more accurate diagnosis

Hi Crossy,

Thanks for your reply ; If you are talking about "exemptions", is the 30 day extention that one get at immigration office (after the 60 TR visa) also included ? Sorry for asking, but this is for me really confusing....

About the exact dates : i really don't know anymore as all those stamps in my passport looks like a Chinese handwriting now... Maybe it may help if i scan it and pass it through, but i really don't want to bore you with that ; i guess you're right with what you mentioned : "you've run foul of this rule"

Thanks again -- Robin

About 2 - 3 months ago i already posted a question like this, but as it still seems a difficult subject i want to post it again as i become 50 years in 20 days....

That time i visited a well respected Thai lawyer with the question if it is possible to get a Workpermit after i would apply for a retirement visa. His answer was: " in the past it was no problem but these things are gonna change very soon..." ; with other words: Retirement visa + Workpermit will be impossible in the future...

The next day, a Thai friend of my wife who is working as a secretary in a real estate office, contacted somebody at immigration with whom they often negotiate about such (and other) things, and asked that immigration officer if this was true or not ? Answer of the Immigr officer:" NEVER heard about thise rule..." with other words: you still can get a Workpermit after you applied for a Retirement visa !?

Now i would like to ask the specialists here at the Thaivisa.com forum (Sunbelt, Lopburi....) what or who we actually can believe, that lawyer or the immigration officer ?

Any information is welcome !

Thanks in advance.

Robin

Hi everyone,

2 days ago i went on a border run to Ban Laem and i was surprised that i only got 12 days instead of 30 days... As i don't want to blame that immigration officer since the laws change so often, i try to explain what happened the previous months so that somebody ( i hope ) can tell me if i'm wrong or not and how to solve this...

The 16th January '08 i got a 60 day TR visa in Penang ; 15th March i got a 30 day extention at Pattaya immigration that expired on 14th April '08 ; So i went to the border with the intention that i could apply for 2 or 3 extra months via a re-entry visa, but as i already told the officer gave me only..... 12 days !?

=> So, is there anybody who can tell me if i'm right or wrong by thinking he should have given me another 30 days at the border, and later on 2 more border runs ??

I also want to mention that i did exactly the same at the end of 2007 and that time i didn't have ANY problem.... Meaning : i got a 60 day TR visa in Penang somewhere in july '07 (in previous passport...), in September '07 i got the 30 day extention at PTTY immigration, and after those 30 days i did 3 consecutive border runs until i bought my new TR visa in Penang as you can read on top...

BTW, i'm from Holland and 49 years old

Thanks for any advice i may receive !

Robin

A work permit is not normally issued if you are on a retirement extension of stay - but you can always change to employment if you want to work (if the pay/company qualifies). It is an off/on thing but last we heard most labor offices were not providing a work permit if on the retirement extension but there do seem to be exceptions.

Thanks for your answer Lopburi ! It seems that it's still confusing, isn't it ? The fact in my case is that i become 50 years in a couple of months and that i can start working for a company here in Thailand ; Of course i want to do this 100% in a legal way ! That means with a work permit that the company is willing to pay for me ; The only thing is like i already mentioned : is it still possible to get a WP after i apply for a Retirement visa or not ? In the last case i have to apply for a Non Immigr B visa, haven't i ? Thanks again...

Hi everybody,

This week i was been told by a well respected Thai lawyer that there is a new rule : If somebody applies for a retirement visa then he can NOT get a work permit anymore, so best thing is to apply for a Non Immigr B visa he suggested...

Later on, i called Immigration to check if this is true ; They replied that this is NOT true, in other words that one still can apply for a WP after he gets his Retirement visa ;

To be sure i asked the same to another well respected Thai lawyer, and he confirmed what the Immigration officer said... This of course made me confused....

So, is there anybody (Lopburi3 or somebody else of your compagnons...) who knows HOW it exactly is for the moment ?

Thanks in advance !

On a "visa run" you get whatever the visa allows. A tourist visa will allow 30 or 60 day entry (by nationality), a non immigrant visa 90 days, a visa on arrival 15 days and a visa exempt entry 30 days for most nationalities. Visa exempt 30 day entry is what most people mean when they use the term.

On a normal tourist visa entry you are normally allowed a 30 day extension of stay from Immigration with payment of 1,900 baht so many people take advantage of that.

Hi Mahout and Lopburi,

Sorry for late reply, but thanks anyway for your useful comment

Cheers

The visa validity (use by date) will normally be 90 days from issue. So you immediately arrive, after 60 days extend and just before 90 day validity expires you exit/return for second 60 day stay and then extend that for full 30 days. Once inside Thailand visa does not have to be valid - you stay on the stamp in your passport allowing your stay.

Lopburi3,

".....you exit/return for second 60 day stay ...." => I always had thought that one only could get 30 days during a visarun with a tourist visa ?? Am i so wrong that i fooled myself in the past ? i really hope that i am wrong... Please your comment. Thanks

A long time ago I applied for a Non -Im B in Hong Kong. It was refused and a TR was given with a refund for the difference ....

A LONG TIME AGO ???

The times they are achanging man.....

What i would like to know : If you get a double tourist visa (120 D), when do you apply for the (first) extention ? is it after your first 60 days ? Or can you stay here for 120 days and then apply for a double extention of 60 days ?

You can only receive one 30 day extension of stay on a tourist visa entry so it would be 60 + 30 extension and then exit/enter repeat.

Thanks Lopburi !

Robin

This is an interesting observation, I mean the part about separating TV's with a border run

to avoid the red stamp. Which, I must say sounds unpleasant to have in your passport. I

think there's far less people working under this scheme than the Thai gov't believes. Sure,

we've got the odd undesireable in the group but then this is true for Thais themselves.

They catch a couple of mafia guys and now that legend is off to the races.

I'll be testing that theory out next Wednesday. I have 2 TV's from Penang in my passport, but they are well serpated by border runs.

I don't think it will make much difference, but we'll see.

Hi Tropo,

Sounds very interesting.... How many border runs ( 2 or 3 ? ) did you have between your 2 TV's ?

Did they also ask for a proof during the Border runs that you should leave the country within 30 days ?

Thanks !

Very interesting since I'm leaving for Vientiane tonight. Although I would like to try this on Monday I'm not sure what happens if they reject a double entry? Can I just apply for a single entry the next day as if nothing happened?

Don't quote me on this, but I believe the decision is made when you pay the money.. ie. 1000 for single or 2000 bath for double entry.

The procedure is you queue up in the morning (before 12pm) for lodging your application at an outside table.. they take your application (There is a tick box at the top of the form to specify what type of visa, eg, tourist, business, transit etc. - I ticked 'tourist' and under the girl's instruction who I lodged it with, wrote in words "DOUBLE" next to that box. Also on the form towards the bottom it also has the question: "Number of days of intended stay". Here i wrote '120' - figuring 2 x 60) . After lodging your form you are then sent inside to the cashier until your name is called to pay the fee..

That is all I can tell you. But I'm sure if they were to accept the 2000 baht fee for the double-entry visa, and then on the next day (pick-up day) you were to only have a single-entry, there would no doubt be a 1000 baht refund. But like I said, I imagine when you pay the fee of 2000 baht shortly after you've lodged your application, then you're probably going to get the double.

Also, I've been informed that applications lodged on a Monday (for whatever reasons) have been returning a zero success rate. ... other days a 30-50% success.. Based on what? Who knows? God (or Buddah) could probably answer this one. Not me..

Cheers

FF

Hi Friendly,

Thanks for your information which is valuable...

i've some questions for you :

i've lived here 4 years on a Non Imm O visa as i was married to a Thai woman ; Since we are divorced i also have to go now for a Tourist visa ; In 1 week my first 2 + 1 month tourist visa will be expired which i got in Penang ;

Now with what you write here i of course will try to get a DOUBLE in Vientiane...

What i would like to know : If you get a double tourist visa (120 D), when do you apply for the (first) extention ? is it after your first 60 days ? Or can you stay here for 120 days and then apply for a double extention of 60 days ?

For some people on this forum this may seem a strange question, but i have no experience with this...

So thanks in advance !

Robin

It was one or more of the Cambodian entry points that used the bus ticket. Believe it is still the requirement there for visa exempt entry. Perhaps someone can advise the names - they have been mentioned many times. Believe it was only a 200 baht ticket.

THANKS Lopburi !

done it five times, tv and the 30 day extension, so the rumors are from people who like to tell you but have no clue (plenty on this site btw) are wrong

i guess Lopburi is right.... You did your trips a while ago, didn't you ? New laws/rules came in a couple of months ago that it makes almost impossible to do the 30 day extentions after your TV now...

To Lopburi : Are you sure there may be border crossings where you can buy a busticket to provide before re-entering the country ? If YES, any idea where ?

Thanks !

You shouldn't have any problems in Vientiane. I got a new single entry TV there last week. I'd previously had a triple entry TV (UK), single entry TV (Vientiane), 3 x visa exempt and a single entry TV (Penang).

I don't think there are any agents but it's easy enough to do it yourself at the consulate. You can download the form to save a bit of time.

Hi Waveydavey,

Can you tell me what you mean by " 3 x visa EXEMPT " ? i guess i'm missing something, but i don't know exactly WHAT...

(this is the first time, after staying for 4 years in Thailand on 1 year visas since i was married with Thai national, that i apply for TV......)

Thanks !

I mean the 30 day stamp you get on entry if you don't have a visa. I did 3 border runs to Maesai roughly 30 days apart.

Sorry for the late reply Davey ; As i went today to the weekly Expats meeting in PTTY, i heard some rumours that are telling me that now one is not allowed anymore to do visa runs after your TV has expired ( 2 + 1 month...) ; Neither with a VOA you will not be allowed to enter the country if you' d make a visarun, unless you can show you will leave the country within 30 days....

Can you agree with that ? Or does anybody has another feeling about this ?

Cheers

I would go to Vientiane LAO. Really easy and the Thai Embassy will give your passport and visa back the next day after you apply. The way I traveled there was fly airasia or nok air to UdonThani and then a mini bus to the border. From udon to the border (Nongkai) was around a 40 mins bus trip. I liked this way much more than going to Paeng.

Hi Rhino,

How much is the fare by minibus from Udon Thani to Nongkai ? And then i guess by coach to Vientiane ? How much for this trip and how long ? Is it true you lose 2 whole pages in your passport by going there, comparing with for example Penang ?

Thanks.

You shouldn't have any problems in Vientiane. I got a new single entry TV there last week. I'd previously had a triple entry TV (UK), single entry TV (Vientiane), 3 x visa exempt and a single entry TV (Penang).

I don't think there are any agents but it's easy enough to do it yourself at the consulate. You can download the form to save a bit of time.

Hi Waveydavey,

Can you tell me what you mean by " 3 x visa EXEMPT " ? i guess i'm missing something, but i don't know exactly WHAT...

(this is the first time, after staying for 4 years in Thailand on 1 year visas since i was married with Thai national, that i apply for TV......)

Thanks !

Abot Saigon I have no idea,will not surprise me if they work in the same way as Phnom Penh,and I do know that they will not give easy,if they do,it will be your last over there,at least you could try it.About a unward ticket:if you have a visa in your passport it is not required!

On a VOA you proberly do have,but is also about the imm officer who check you in at the moment.When it is very busy they will proberly not bother or ask you.They never ever even asked me something,and I fly in and out for 8 years regularly or pass the border by land and also never asked something....I do not know why.

Tijnebijn,

Do you mean you still are doing it NOW ??? i mean do you still pass the border by land on a VOA without asking anything by Immigration officers ? Or have you always bought a visa, whatever which one ?

What i also wonder is this ? Suppose i go to the border by land after my TV has expired, go out and come back in again on a VOA, would they allow me to do that ? And would they then also allow me to make 2 visaruns so i can stay here 90 days in a period of 180 days ? Without asking to show a ticket that i leave the country within 30 days ?

=> I know that i ask a lot, but you never know ; And i'm also sure that here on the forum are many people who would like to know the same !

Thanks in advance !

The requirement for visa exempt entry (not VOA) is 10k in cash and onward ticketed travel. Normally neither of these items were checked but currently the ticket seems to be checked often at airport and some border points and cash may or may not be checked.

There is currently a bus ticket option (specified ticket/agent) that is being used on the Cambodian border. Tomorrow may be different.

Visa fees for all currencies have increased in the last week or two.

You normally have 90 days from issue date to use a single entry visa.

Thanks Lopburi3 for your info !

Robin

Hi everybody,

As i live here for several years on Non Immigr O and Non Immigr B visa, there has come an end on it now (temporary)... So in 2 weeks my 1 year visa (included "extra bonus" of 3 months...) expires and i have to go out to apply for a 3 month visa abroad... Probably i will go again to Penaing as this is close and easy...

I just had a look on this site : http://www.thaivisa.com/visa/tourist-visa.html

But still i have some questions...:

** In the 3rd paragraph they write like this :" Most western countries does not need a Tourist visa. Complete country list."

=> As far as i know, is this not intended for a VOA (visa on arrival) ? Or am i wrong ?

** 2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

- Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months

- Visa application form completely filled out

- One recent( 4 x 6 cm.) photograph of the applicant

- Air ticket or eTicket paid in full

- Financial means (20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)

- Consular officers reserve the rights to request for additional documents as deemed necessary

=> Do they really ask at any Thai consulate (like Penang) to show an airticket paid in full ??

=> Do they ask at the same place, or at the airport when i will return from Penang, to show those financial means ?? Of course i have this, no problem, i'm only wondering....

** Is the visa fee still 25 USD as the Dollar is very week ?

** "4. VALIDITY OF A VISA

The validity of a visa is three months. That means that you must utilize your visa within 30 days. "

=> Can somebody explain me this please ?

** Passport holders who can enter Thailand without visa

Wednesday, 18 October 2006

15 = Can enter 15 days as tourists (Visa on arrival)

30 = Can enter 30 days as tourists (max 90 days in 6 months)

0 = Must apply for visa before travelling to Thailand.

15 = Can enter 15 days as tourists (Visa on arrival)

30 = Can enter 30 days as tourists (max 90 days in 6 months)

0 = Must apply for visa before travelling to Thailand[/b]

=> I'm from Belgium and 49 years old, i still have to wait 9 months to apply for a retirement visa....

But i'm really wondering if now these days one can still stay 90 days in 6 months by doing 2 border runs WITHOUT showing a ticket that i should leave the Kingdom witin 30 days..??? Still confused about that !!

If i have to show a ticket when i come in on a VOA, can i do for example this :

I want to go for 4-7 days to Sihanoukville in Cambodia, and while i come back in Thailand on a VOA i show Immigration a busticket to, let's say, Phmom Penh or Vientiane that i bought in advance, would they accept it IF they ask for a ticket ???

==> Hey Lopburi3 and George, i know these are a lot of questions, but i'm sure many of the Forum readers have similar questions and would be happy to see an answer on those questions, don't you think so ?

Thanks in advance !!

Robin

An Embassy deals with government to government issues - the Consulate takes care of visa/travel/citizen issues. There is normally a Consulate co-located in an Embassy - but, like the US in Bangkok, it can be in another building. Most Royal Thai Consulates seem to operate on next day service regardless of where located.

Thanks for your helpfull information Lopburi3 !

Robin

Dear Loxley, good decision. It is best not to confuse an embassy with a consul. For a tourist visa, any Thai mission abroad should suffice. I was razed at the embassy in Phnom Penh by the guy in glasses. After giving me a suntan, I got my tourist visa. Manila hates everyone. As posted earlier, have everything, including a ticket out. Yangon issued me a non B with minimal paperwork. That was 2 years ago. The best places to get a visa: go off the peasant trail. Currently: Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Columbo, Kathmandu, Jakarta, and maybe Ho Chi Minh.

Hi everybody,

Yesterday i already wrote and sent a "quick answer", but i can not find it back on the page.... Maybe something to do with "Amazing Thailand " ?

Anyway, i try to resume again : as i noticed that in Hanoi is a Thai embassy and not a consulate, i was wondering if the procedure in an embassy goes as quick as in a consulate ( 2 days....) ? In my case it's just for a Tourist visa..

Thanks in advance for any answer....

Robin

BTW, next year, 1st of May, i become 50 years, and then i can go for a retirement visa i guess....

Thank you all guys for your information ; I made already my destination.....

Robin

Hi everybody,

Is there anybody of you guys who already has been to the Thai consulate in Hanoi or Manilla ?

If YES, can you tell me what your experience was over there please ?

I have to go for a tourist visa, but have to make a choice because i want to see both places for a couple of days....

Only want to know if it's ok ? (the consulate...)

Thanks in advance !

Robin

Do not believe any of the local Consulates are likely to issue more than single entry tourist visas unless you live in the country.

Sorry for my late reply Lopburi3 ; Had serious probs with computer....

Thanks again for your information !

Robin

1. The day (or two) before your visa expires you exit and return for another 90 day permitted to stay stamp as it will be a non immigrant visa entry.

2. At the end of this period you can do as you mention for 30 day stamps up to 90 days or you can obtain tourist visas and extend for a total of 90 days. If you use tourist visas you do not have to worry about the 90 days in six month rule. If you do not and use 3x30 plus 60+30 you will not be into a new six month period and not be allowed to enter Thailand again on a 30 day visa exempt entry for several days.

3. You are required to have onward transportation for any 30 day entry - how they define that varies by crossing - it may be air ticket within 30 days; or a train or bus ticket in some cases. It is best to obtain tourist visas and only use 30 day entry for an emergency in my opinion. Also remember that you should have 10 or 20k in cash with you when making border runs as it may be subject to check by Immigration.

This is VERY clear Lopburi3 ! i was really hoping that you were online to get a smart answer ; i've seen it in the past so many times those replies from you.... Thanks again ! i'm almost sure i will go immediately for the tourist visa in Penang or KL...

One more question about this : do they give in KL or Singapore double enties now ? Thanks again..

Robin

PS : What you mentioned in your first point i already did (the bonus of 90 days)...