Options For Re-entry On Tourist Visa

[wittleus]

I am American and I have been going to Thailand steadily for about 3 months at a time, twice a year, for the last 4 years, getting a single entry tourist visa through the Chicago Thai Consulate. One time, I applied for and sent them the money for a double entry tourist visa. They took the extra ($25 at the time), but I still received only a single entry visa. When I go to Thailand this time, I want to take off and go to the Maldives relatively early i the trip, but I need to enter Thailand first for at least a few days, and when I return, I will be there for over 2 months. As I see it, I have the following choices, although the 4th choice is new to me, and I found it in another similar question. I want to know if it is valid.

1. Apply and successfully get a 2-entry Visa from the Chicago Thai Consolate. Any feedback from anybody on their willingness to do this?

The following options are postulated on the fact that I do NOT receive a 2-entry tourist visa.

2. After receiving a single entry tourist visa, enter Thailand, not showing them the Visa page and simply get a 30 day stamp. Exit the country in another week or so, go to Maldives and reenter Thailand on my 60 day tourist visa and go through the 30 day extension if necessary.

3. Enter country on single entry visa, exit, come back and get 30 day stamp, leave country once or twice more for additional 30 day stamps. I will have been out of the country for more than 90 days when I get back and have not taken a 30 day stamp in over a year.

4. Enter country on a single entry tourist visa and do the following (found this on another thread in the Visa forum):

So on entry to Thailand you will be given either 60 days or 30 days depending on your nationality. If you wish to exit Thailand and re-enter again before your permission to stay has expired you can apply for a re-entry permit at an immigration office in Thailand which will allow you to leave and not cancel your visa. When you re-enter you will reactivate your permission to stay that you received on your original entry.

I am not familiar with a re-entry permit. Will it do what I am reading here, i.e., allow me to leave and enter and still maintain the original visa expiration date and/or give me give me option of the standard 30 day extension.? Where to you get this permit? Soi Suan Plu in BKK?

Edited January 12, 2008 by wittleus

[Maestro]

1. Chicago seems to not very customer-friendly. Mail your application for a double-entry tourist visa to an honorary consulate. In a cover letter, give details of your itinerary to explain the need for the two entries.

If you receive only a single-entry visa:

2. On your first entry into Thailand, do not write the visa number on the arrival card and ask the immigration officer to give you a visa-exempt entry for 30 days. Have your itinerary details on hand to help explain, if necessary.

3. Can do, but option 4 is more convenient.

4. You get the re-entry permit at an immigration office, in Bangkok in Suan Plu. Single-entry re-entry permit costs 1,000 Baht. This keeps your 60-day permission to stay alive.

If you wish to stay longer, before the expiration of your permission to stay you can apply for a 30-day extension of stay at the immigration office. Show your ticket for your return flight out of Thailand, if required.

--

Maestro

[wpcoe]

Perhaps this is not recent enough to be relelvant, but my friend applied for a multiple-entry O-A visa at the Royal Thai Consulate in Chicago in late 2006. When he inspected his passport (he went in person to the consulate) he noticed it was a single-entry visa, and pointed it out to the staff who immediately apologized and amended the stamp to read multiple-entry.

He made several visits to the consulate: before he applied (to confirm what documentation was needed), for the application and submission of documents, and for the final contact where he noted the mistake. He claims that the staff there are friendly and helpful. As always: Your Mileage May Vary.

I suspect that if they still offer double-entry tourist visas -- and collect payment for such -- you will probably get a double-entry visa. I'm sure that with your past history, you will immediately inspect the entry in your passport and if it's a single-entry that they would amend it. Can you please follow up here with a post to report how it goes?