Thailand For 60 Days In Fall Out For 90 Coming Back Again

[jaiyen17]

Hello to all at Thai Visa~

I have been watching these visa law changes closely since August but am still a bit confused as to how it will affect me.

I travel to thailand twice a year to buy product for my retail store in California. I usually stay for two - three months at a time.

In the fall I flew in on Oct. 5th and departed on Nov. 19th. so that's pretty close to 60 days. I will be returning to thailand Feb. 27th. So that's more than 90 days back in the states.

Will I start fresh with my VOA when I arrive in Bangkok or will they consider that I only have 30 days left on my 90 days out of 180.

I know I have the option of applying for a tourist visa here but then I would have to mail my passport to L.A pay the money and the website states it takes two weeks to process not counting mailing time. It makes me nervous that it 's a time sensitive now and since I plan to travel to Luang Prabang anyway the VOA just seems like an easier option if I qualify under the new rules.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[britmaveric]

You only used 45 days, so you would have 45 days left. But since you left for 90 days, I'd say its safe to say that you start back at zero again.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You only used 45 days, so you would have 45 days left. But since you left for 90 days, I'd say its safe to say that you start back at zero again.

and all the while pray that he doesn't get sprung

[DFCarlson]

The rule is that you can be in LOS for 90 days out of any 180 day period on visa exempt entry stamps.

IMHO... When you arrive on February 27th the IO will look back and see that since October 5th (less than 180 days) you have been in Thailand for 45 days and will grant you another 30 day visa exempt entry stamp, which will bring you to March 27th and 75 days in country.

The original 180 day period that started with your first stamp on October 5th will be up on April 5th, so when you go back for another 30 day stamp on March 27th they may issue you a stamp for 8 days (the remainder of the 180 day period) because you have only 15 days left, that will expire on April 5th, or... they may look back and if they feel like doing all the calculations will see that you will not exceed 90 days in 180 if they issue you a 30 day stamp, and may therefore issue you a 30 day stamp.

The ringer is that if they issue you a 30 day stamp on March 27th, the original 180 day period will expire in the middle of the last 30 day stamp time period.

Have I calculated correctly here? Here's another case where it's fairly complicated to follow the letter of the law. Who can predict what the IO will do??

Edited February 3, 2007 by DFCarlson

[jaiyen17]

That makes sense..... I suppose if I leave thailand at the end of March and stay in Laos until past the 5th of April then I'd be "out of the woods" for the 180 days since Oct. 5th rule.

So should I feel safe in not obtaining the 60 day tourist visa in L.A and just take the risk of having my stamps and days scrutinized at the airport.

[DFCarlson]

If I can simplify it...

What you want to do is avoid the situation where you apply for a 30 day visa exempt entry and the IO looks back through the last 150 days and sees that you have been in LOS for 60 days or more on 30 day visa exempt entries.

If he sees that issuing you another 30 day stamp will cause you to exceed the 90 day limit in 180 during the next 30 days he probably won't issue it, or he may issue a stamp for less than 30 days. If he sees that a new 30 day stamp will not cause you to to reach the 90 day limit by the "leave by" date on the stamp he probably will issue it.

It's really up to the individual IO and the effort he's willing to put in to see if you'll be legal or not. Possibly if you bring a detailed list of previous entries and time spent in LOS it'll make it easier for the IO to follow the rules.

Edited February 3, 2007 by DFCarlson

[Maestro]

In the fall I flew in on Oct. 5th and departed on Nov. 19th. so that's pretty close to 60 days. I will be returning to thailand Feb. 27th. So that's more than 90 days back in the states.

Will I start fresh with my VOA visa-exempt entry when I arrive in Bangkok or will they consider that I only have 30 days left on my 90 days out of 180.

Something doesn’t add up in your story:

Arrival: 5 OCT 2006

Departure: 19 NOV 2006

Duration of stay: 46 days

This means you entered on a tourist visa, or you overstayed 16 days and paid the corresponding fine upon your departure. Which is it? Or perhaps you did a border run at some point during that period to get a new visa-exempt entry stamp?

The total days on visa-exempt entries are calculated over a rolling 6-month period. If you entered without visa on October 5, did a border run and finally left on November 19, you have so far had 46 days for the applicable period from October 5 to April 4. This means that you are entitled to an additional 44 days visa-exempt stay between now and April 4.

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Maestro

[jaiyen17]

Something doesn’t add up in your story:

Arrival: 5 OCT 2006

Departure: 19 NOV 2006

Duration of stay: 46 days

Thanks Maestro for pointing that out. I went to Laos for 7 days on that trip so altogether I only have approx 39 out of 180 days so far.

I think next time I will leave plenty of time to apply for the tourist visa here in the states. I'm just concerned about mailing my passport of to L.A when my flight is three weeks away.

What i want to be clear about is that I will start from scratch again on April 5th 2007.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Something doesn’t add up in your story:

Arrival: 5 OCT 2006

Departure: 19 NOV 2006

Duration of stay: 46 days

Thanks Maestro for pointing that out. I went to Laos for 7 days on that trip so altogether I only have approx 39 out of 180 days so far.

I think next time I will leave plenty of time to apply for the tourist visa here in the states. I'm just concerned about mailing my passport of to L.A when my flight is three weeks away.

What i want to be clear about is that I will start from scratch again on April 5th 2007.

Get the visa at RTCG LA. Safest option IMO.

[Maestro]

What i want to be clear about is that I will start from scratch again on April 5th 2007.

No. Under current rules, you will never start from scratch. On any visa-exempt entry the immigration officer can, if he wishes, review your total of visa-exempt stay in the country during the preceding 6 months and depending on the result deny you entry or limit the new entry to less than 30 days.

You didn’t say how long you plan to stay when you return to Thailand on February 27. If you intend to stay longer than 30 days, you are well advised to get a tourist visa. It doesn’t have to take two weeks, as you fear. FedEx your passport and application to an Honorary Consulate, which will turn it around within 24 hours.

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Maestro

[jdinasia]

a non-imm B ... would be the smartest option. (and eliminate the need for border runs completely)

[Maestro]

a non-imm B ... would be the smartest option

jdinasia, do you have a company in Thailand, and will you give jaiyen17 an invitation letter and all other documentation about your company required for a non-B visa, all in good time for jaiyen17 to obtain a non-B visa and get on the plane on February 26? It’s not as simple as it used to be.

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Maestro

[jdinasia]

a non-imm B ... would be the smartest option

jdinasia, do you have a company in Thailand, and will you give jaiyen19 an invitation letter and all other documentation about your company required for a non-B visa, all in good time for jaiyen19 to obtain a non-B visa and get on the plane on February 26? It’s not as simple as it used to be.

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Maestro

It was for me recently <in fact was offered multi-B or Multi-O and out in an hour with it (it was lunch time) > Last time I was in Denver they would have done it with just receipts from former shopping trips there. but this last time I flew to Perth for it instead of the US

[Maestro]

...was offered multi-B or Multi-O and out in an hour with it ...

Excellent!

jaiyen17, remember that consulate used by jdinasia in the USA. Also, I just re-read your original post and see that you are travelling to Thailand to visit a supplier. Perhaps mention this business relationship in a covering letter with your visa application. But for your convenience, better don’t use a government-staffed consulate like Los Angeles.

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Maestro

[dr_Pat_Pong]

...was offered multi-B or Multi-O and out in an hour with it ...

Excellent!

jaiyen17, remember that consulate used by jdinasia in the USA. Also, I just re-read your original post and see that you are travelling to Thailand to visit a supplier. Perhaps mention this business relationship in a covering letter with your visa application. But for your convenience, better don’t use a government-staffed consulate like Los Angeles.

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Maestro

Definitely not the LA Consulate.

[jaiyen17]

...was offered multi-B or Multi-O and out in an hour with it ...

Excellent!

jaiyen17, remember that consulate used by jdinasia in the USA. Also, I just re-read your original post and see that you are travelling to Thailand to visit a supplier. Perhaps mention this business relationship in a covering letter with your visa application. But for your convenience, better don’t use a government-staffed consulate like Los Angeles.

--

Maestro

Definitely not the LA Consulate.

If definitely not the LA Consulate can anyone tell me exactely where I should apply for a speedy 24 hour turn around? It also states that I have to have my airline ticket. I've paid for my ticket but not received it in the mail yet. I still feel like with my dates I don't need to apply for this tourist visa.

Oct. 5th into thailand

Nov.4 th - fly to Luang Prabang

Nov. 11- back to bangkok

Nov. 19 out of Bangkok

Feb. 28th arrive Bangkok

March 28th - fly to luang Prabang

April 6th - back to Bangkok

April 25th - fly to U.S

Am I safe or will I be majorly hassled and piss off everyone in line behind me?

I just don't want the hassle of mailing my passport around and worrying about it and paying the money for the tourist visa if I don't absolutely need it~