More visa time - what are the options?

[tenji]

I arrived last August on a 60 days tourist visa (TR), and got 30 days at Mae Sai. Then I got another TR in Penang, and I just got another 30 days at Mae Sai. The IO marked this last stamp at Mae Sai with a ''1'' (because it is a new calendar year). I need more time. What are the options?

 

Can I return to Mae Sai? Or do I need to get another TR? Or ''fly out fly in'' for 30 days? Can I get 30 days or 7 days at immigration? 

Any info much appreciated. Thanks

[sanemax]

You can extend both tourist visas and 30 day visa exempt stamps (from Maesai)for a further 30 days at immigration   .

   You can also get one more visa exmpt stamp from Maesai 

[tenji]

You mean I can just go to Mae Sai and get another 30 days? (The IO will mark it ''2''.) I don't need to get another TR, or fly out/fly in?

[jacko45k]

34 minutes ago, tenji said:

You mean I can just go to Mae Sai and get another 30 days? (The IO will mark it ''2''.) I don't need to get another TR, or fly out/fly in?

It might depend on how much more time you are really wanting. Another land border crossing, your last for 11.5 months, may be enough!

[BritTim]

Probably best is for you to travel to Vientiane for a tourist visa. However, this depends on your medium to long term plans for spending further time in Thailand. We really do not have enough information to tell you which options make sense.

[tenji]

Thanks for your replies.

I will need more than 7 days but probably not more 14 days. Then I will quit Thailand indefinitely. So if I can just go to Mae Sai for another 30 days (or visit immigration for another 30 days) that will be sufficient. 

 

So my question is: are two ''back to back'' border runs allowed?  

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, tenji said:

Thanks for your replies.

I will need more than 7 days but probably not more 14 days. Then I will quit Thailand indefinitely. So if I can just go to Mae Sai for another 30 days (or visit immigration for another 30 days) that will be sufficient. 

 

So my question is: are two ''back to back'' border runs allowed?  

By land, except at Poipet, they usually are, without issue.  If using a Myanmar crossing (Mai Sai), they won't let you leave unless they will let you back in - so just be sure and go a couple days in-advance, so you can react if there is an unannounced policy-shift. 

 

I would recommend going to Immigration for another 30 days, to keep your Total Count of Visa-Exempt entries low - which could be helpful if you decide to spend time in Thailand in the future.  Even years out, that count might matter.

[tenji]

Okay JackThompson, thanks for the feedback.

 

I did not realise this consecutive sequence is permissible: 

1) 60 days TR, then 2) 30 days land border, then 3) 30 days immigration,

or this sequence: 

1) 60 days TR, then 2) 30 days land border, then 3) 30 days land border. 

 

Out of interest, I wonder what step 4) is allowed? It's a bit tricky isn't it.

[DrJack54]

36 minutes ago, tenji said:

Okay JackThompson, thanks for the feedback.

 

I did not realise this consecutive sequence is permissible: 

1) 60 days TR, then 2) 30 days land border, then 3) 30 days immigration,

or this sequence: 

1) 60 days TR, then 2) 30 days land border, then 3) 30 days land border. 

 

Out of interest, I wonder what step 4) is allowed? It's a bit tricky isn't it.

Perhaps dead end. Do you have 500k. If so I have easy solution.

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, tenji said:

Okay JackThompson, thanks for the feedback.

 

I did not realise this consecutive sequence is permissible: 

1) 60 days TR, then 2) 30 days land border, then 3) 30 days immigration,

or this sequence: 

1) 60 days TR, then 2) 30 days land border, then 3) 30 days land border. 

 

Out of interest, I wonder what step 4) is allowed? It's a bit tricky isn't it.

You could do a 30-day extension on the TR Visas, also.  But if planning more steps - skip the land-border runs entirely, and stick with Tourist Visas and 30-day extensions of those.  Save land-border visa-exempt entries for a case where you don't get the Tourist Visa you planned to get on a trip.  Some have done this for years.  Just don't enter at bad-entry-points - stick to land-borders who follow to the published rules.

[tenji]

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Perhaps dead end. Do you have 500k. If so I have easy solution.

If you are referring to the Thailand Elite Visa scheme, unfortunately I don't have cash spare enough for that. 

[tenji]

6 hours ago, JackThompson said:

You could do a 30-day extension on the TR Visas, also.  But if planning more steps - skip the land-border runs entirely, and stick with Tourist Visas and 30-day extensions of those.  Save land-border visa-exempt entries for a case where you don't get the Tourist Visa you planned to get on a trip.  Some have done this for years.  Just don't enter at bad-entry-points - stick to land-borders who follow to the published rules.

Okay. I see.

At the moment I am not keen on presenting myself at a local in country immigration because I have only recently discovered that the thing called ''90 day reporting'' may apply to persons on TR visas. Or does it? I can't tell. So I just need to bag 2 or 3 extra weeks and quit this crazy scene. 

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, tenji said:

Or does it?

No it does not. You only have to do the 90 day reports if you can stay more than 90 consecutive days in the country.

Perhaps you are confusing it with reports of you staying at your residence using a TM30 form.

[travelerjim]

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1079213-rejected-entry-and-sent-back-home/

 

[orchidfan]

I was told by a senior immigration police colonel that 30 day visa exempt stamps could NOT be extended....only a valid Tourist visa can.

Was he wrong or have the rules changed??

[DrJack54]

8 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

I was told by a senior immigration police colonel that 30 day visa exempt stamps could NOT be extended....only a valid Tourist visa can.

Was he wrong or have the rules changed??

Never listen to immigration police colonel. Whatever that is. Anyway he is wrong

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

Was he wrong or have the rules changed??

Yes he was wrong unless you get your visa exempt entries under a bilateral agreement between your home country and Thailand.

[orchidfan]

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes he was wrong unless you get your visa exempt entries under a bilateral agreement between your home country and Thailand.

My son visited from Australia last year....got a visa exempt 30days stamp at Swampy. Wanted to stay longer but we were told no can do on this stamp..must exit and Re - enter Thailand with a TV or get another exempt stamp on arrival (or border crossing).

Why bother getting a 60 day TV OUTSIDE Thailand when you can get 30days exempt stamp then simply extend it by 30 days??

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

My son visited from Australia last year....got a visa exempt 30days stamp at Swampy. Wanted to stay longer but we were told no can do on this stamp..must exit and Re - enter Thailand with a TV or get another exempt stamp on arrival (or border crossing).

The 30 day extension of a visa exempt entry has been allowed since August of 2014 when the police order allowing them was issued. It seems you were told that by an officer that did not know anything about immigration rules.

[tenji]

4 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

My son visited from Australia last year....got a visa exempt 30days stamp at Swampy. Wanted to stay longer but we were told no can do on this stamp..must exit and Re - enter Thailand with a TV or get another exempt stamp on arrival (or border crossing).

Why bother getting a 60 day TV OUTSIDE Thailand when you can get 30days exempt stamp then simply extend it by 30 days??

A couple of years ago I got a 30 days visa exempt stamp at a land border, then went to in-country immigration and got 30 days extension. 

 

People get 60 days TR outside Thailand because it is a) cheaper b) means you don't have to visit immigration in-country c) you can get an in-country 30 days extension giving you total 90 days, whereas a visa exempt + extension is only total 60 days before you have to depart (make other arrangements).

 

Anyway, that is my understanding of it. 

[orchidfan]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The 30 day extension of a visa exempt entry has been allowed since August of 2014 when the police order allowing them was issued. It seems you were told that by an officer that did not know anything about immigration rules.

Ok thanks for that.

He's a neighbour and "works" in the Immigration "interrogation" section specifically relating to visas.

I thought he would have known! TIT!

[jacko45k]

49 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

I was told by a senior immigration police colonel that 30 day visa exempt stamps could NOT be extended....only a valid Tourist visa can.

Was he wrong or have the rules changed??

He was wrong, you can extend it once for 30 days.

[JackThompson]

9 hours ago, orchidfan said:

Ok thanks for that.

He's a neighbour and "works" in the Immigration "interrogation" section specifically relating to visas.

I thought he would have known! TIT!

What this probably means, is he does not think the rules should allow this.  Some supervisors think they have the right to make up and enforce their own laws, regardless of what the actual published laws/rules state.  Amazingly, they can get away with it here.  Evidently, those higher-up don't really care about what the laws say either.