Which Visa Is Best For Me?

[anais]

Hello,

I'm an American who came here when recruited by a Thai company. They did all my first year visas and work permit. I left the job at the end of a year. (A little earlier than that, actually.) I'm here now on a tourist VOA, as I've been hopping in and out of the country for business and pleasure. I do not work in Thailand and do not get paid in Thailand.

My current passport stamp says I need to leave by Feb. 9. On March 12 I fly to America for 2 weeks, then back here until mid-to-late June. (can leave the country if need be.) Then I'll be leaving permanently ... well at least for 6 months. If I come back after that, it will either be for brief holidays or on an expat package where I don't have to bother with immigration.

Should I go to Malaysia or somewhere and apply for a 90 day tourist visa? Can that be done here in Bangkok? I'm nowhere near 50, so a retirement visa is out. I can afford to sign up as a student, but would rather not deal with it since I'm only here a few more months.

Thanks!

-Anais

[lopburi3]

You provide all but the important information - when did you start using visa exempt entry (it is not VOA - Americans do not get visa on arrival; which is a visa you pay for and allows 15 day stay).

Why that is important is that you can do the visa exempt entry for up to 90 days in a six month period - so if you got the first one about December 20 you should be OK using them until your departure to the US on March 12th. If not you need to obtain a tourist visa.

Obviously you will also have to obtain another tourist visa while in the US to cover your future stay.

You can not obtain a tourist visa in Bangkok - you will have to go to Malaysia or Laos (or other country).

[anais]

You provide all but the important information - when did you start using visa exempt entry (it is not VOA - Americans do not get visa on arrival; which is a visa you pay for and allows 15 day stay).

Why that is important is that you can do the visa exempt entry for up to 90 days in a six month period - so if you got the first one about December 20 you should be OK using them until your departure to the US on March 12th. If not you need to obtain a tourist visa.

Obviously you will also have to obtain another tourist visa while in the US to cover your future stay.

You can not obtain a tourist visa in Bangkok - you will have to go to Malaysia or Laos (or other country).

Sorry, I've been coming in and out since August on 30 day visas ... so I think I do need to get a proper "tourist visa" that's not at the airport. Looks like Luang Prabang, here I come! Thanks.

[lopburi3]

Not sure what kind of visa you expect to obtain in Luang Prabang.

[anais]

Not sure what kind of visa you expect to obtain in Luang Prabang.

All right, Vientiane, then! (And then I'll spend time in LP...)

After checking my passport, I see that I didn't come in on my first 30 day visa until November 2 ... I'd been out of Thailand most of the fall and my one-year multi-entry was still in effect until then.

[jstumbo]

If you have not been here solid on visa exempt entries since November 2nd, you might have enough days remaining. You just need to add up the days that you have been here on visa exempt stamps since November 2nd. Counting the day you enter and the day you left. You will need to count a day twice if you left and came back on the same day because it will count as the last day on one entry and the first day on another entry. You need to have 90 days or less, so subtract how many days you have been here from 90 and that is how many more you can be here. You can also use the Visa Calculator to calculate it for you.