Desperately Seeking An Idiot's Guide To Thai Visas!

[kaymac]

Hi all, I've been trying to read up on the Thai visa rules for a few weeks now but I'm beginning to think it's time I admitted defeat.

I'm 28, female, from the UK and I was hoping to visit Thailand for maybe five or six months to relax, visit friends, take my time and see a bit of the country and then come back home. I can't seem to find a visa category that would let me do this.

Can anyone recommend some links or reading material that would explain the process in language that a 5-year-old could understand? I'm not trying to be sarcastic or facetious - I'm genuinely completely lost

Thanks in advance!

Kay xx

[Boo]

I would contact the thai consulate in Hull for advice, they are quite helpful & not as annoying as the london thai embassy.

[Mahout Angrit]

So in language for a 5 year old blonde female just apply to one of the Thai consulates in the UK for a"double entry tourist visa".

You will get a stamp for 60 days when you enter, you extend that entry by another 30 days at any immigration office in country. Just before that expires you leave Thailand at the nearest border, turn immediately around and re-enter, you will get another 60 days to stay which can be extended towards the end of that period for another 30 days.

Edited February 11, 2008 by Mahout Angrit

[sweetchariot]

Apply to Hull for a 12 month multi-entry non immigrant 'O' visa. Very easy, download the forms from their website, and post with your passport using next day delivery. You also need to put a self addressed next day envelope in with it.

3 forms to fill in, no awkward questions to answer, you just sign a declaration saying you have enough funds to repatriate yourself if necessary. Send it on the Monday, you will get it back on the Wednesday. Costs £100 plus about £12 for postage. The advantage is you can stay as long as you like without having to muck about with tourist visas, which require proof of onward travel, sufficient funds etc., but you will have to do a border run every 90 days. On the forms you simply put the reason for your visit is visiting friends.

I am sure someone will follow this with 'you can't do that', but with Hull you can, and I have done it for 2 years on the trot. It will take you about 10 minutes to download and fill out the forms, its so easy.

[Mahout Angrit]

The advantage is you can stay as long as you like without having to muck about with tourist visas, which require proof of onward travel, sufficient funds etc.

Since when?, no proof of funds or onward travel is required on entering Thailand or to apply for a tourist visa, no more mucking about either in my opinion and a lot cheaper. She will still have to leave Thailand one time for a stay of 6 months with a Non O.

[sweetchariot]

The advantage is you can stay as long as you like without having to muck about with tourist visas, which require proof of onward travel, sufficient funds etc.

Since when?, no proof of funds or onward travel is required on entering Thailand or to apply for a tourist visa, no more mucking about either in my opinion and a lot cheaper. She will still have to leave Thailand one time for a stay of 6 months with a Non O.

Only what I have read on other threads, they seem to be getting alot stricter with the tourist visas.

[Maestro]

Mahout, I found the suggestion of a multiple-entry non-immigrant visa O useful, as by comparison with a double-entry tourist visa it gives the following advantages:

1. No need to scout around for an immigration office twice within six months as she travels around Thailand.

2. No fear of being given only a 7-day extension of stay, as has been reported by several posters at an immigration office when they had no ticket for onward travel to another country within the requested 30-day extension period.

3. It is easier to prolong the visit to Thailand beyond six months if desired, given the tentative plan of “maybe five or six months”

--

Maestro

[kaymac]

That's brilliant, many thanks to you all for your help!

sweetchariot, your suggestion sounds perfect. Hull's not that far for me to drive so I'll give them a call to see if i can apply in person.

Thanks again!

Kay x x

[Lite Beer]

Yes . You are lucky as Hull is one of the few places you could get this Visa.

[Big A]

And, YES, you can apply in Hull in person. Costs an extra tenner to do so (I think). You'll get the visa back in 10-20 minutes!!

[astral]

I agree.

Go to Hull.

[Big A]

Sharp, Astral, sharp!!!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I agree.

Go to Hull.

[jfchandler]

I wanted to clarify something mentioned above about a double-entry tourist visa.

The comment was...come for the initial 60 days, then extend that for the allowed 30, then leave the country (border run) to get another 60 days.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding was the 60-day tourist visa (with or without the extension) allows for two entries during the validity of the visa -- which would be the total of 60 or 90 days (with extension) from the initial entry.

I didn't have the understanding that when someone holding one goes outside Thailand after their initial arrival, that they're then issued an additional 60 days of permission to stay.

I'm on a B visa, so I don't have personal experience with this. But it seems that's what I've consistently read here on TV.

[lopburi3]

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.

[Mahout Angrit]

The visa validity (use by date) will normally be 90 days from issue.

For a double entry tourist visa issued in the UK the validity (use by date) is 6 months from the date of issue consulates in other countries may only give 3 months but provided you enter before the expiry date you will be given permission to stay for the 60 day term.

[kaymac]

Well, that was all pretty painless!

I phoned the consulate in Hull on Tuesday, took my forms in on Thursday and I was out of there in ten minutes with my 12-month multi-entry non-immigrant "O" visa. It cost £110 in all.

They were really nice and helpful in there although they couldn't offer any advice about border runs (except to say that I should do one every 90 days).

Still nowhere near as difficult or as scary as I thought it was going to be!

Many thanks again to all for your help

Kay xx

Edited February 17, 2008 by kaymac

[astral]

All you need to do for a border run is to exit Thailand at one of the many crossing places and enter the other country.

For Malaysia no visa is required, but Laos and Cambodia you need a visa, but this can be obtained at the border.

Spend a few days in the other country, if you wish, or come back to Thailand the same day.

All very easy.

There are a number of companies in Thailand that will take you on the border run and walk you through the steps.

For a real change of scene you could fly down to Singapore, either for the day, or a few days if you wish.

Just remember you maximum stay in Thailand is 90 days in one stretch.

That does not mean you have to stay all 90. You could exit and re-enter several times

during your 6 month holiday, if that suits your travel plans.

[HOOD Robin]

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

[Mahout Angrit]

".....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

We are talking about about a double entry tourist visa, On each entry you will be given 60 days provided you hold a passport from a country that affords 60 days, some nationalities only get 30 days per entry.

[lopburi3]

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.

[Joensen]

Well, that was all pretty painless!

I phoned the consulate in Hull on Tuesday, took my forms in on Thursday and I was out of there in ten minutes with my 12-month multi-entry non-immigrant "O" visa. It cost £110 in all.

They were really nice and helpful in there although they couldn't offer any advice about border runs (except to say that I should do one every 90 days).

Still nowhere near as difficult or as scary as I thought it was going to be!

Many thanks again to all for your help

Kay xx

Hi Kay XX.

I have a 12 month visa and as far as i know you don't nave to do border runs every 3 month, a 12 months visa is a 12 months permit to stay in the country, but you have to go to an immigration office every 3 months to get a stamp and there are many immigration offices inside the country. Border runs are pain in the a.. if you ask me. I did border runs before i got my 12 months vise and for it is nice that i don't have to do border runs any more.

But again, it do not matter what everybody says about that u have to do border runs, i m sure u don't have to with a 12 months visa.

cheers Joensen

[Lite Beer]

Well, that was all pretty painless!

I phoned the consulate in Hull on Tuesday, took my forms in on Thursday and I was out of there in ten minutes with my 12-month multi-entry non-immigrant "O" visa. It cost £110 in all.

They were really nice and helpful in there although they couldn't offer any advice about border runs (except to say that I should do one every 90 days).

Still nowhere near as difficult or as scary as I thought it was going to be!

Many thanks again to all for your help

Kay xx

Hi Kay XX.

I have a 12 month visa and as far as i know you don't nave to do border runs every 3 month, a 12 months visa is a 12 months permit to stay in the country, but you have to go to an immigration office every 3 months to get a stamp and there are many immigration offices inside the country. Border runs are pain in the a.. if you ask me. I did border runs before i got my 12 months vise and for it is nice that i don't have to do border runs any more.

But again, it do not matter what everybody says about that u have to do border runs, i m sure u don't have to with a 12 months visa.

cheers Joensen

With a 1 year extension of stay you have to report your address to Immigration every 90 days. You can even do this by post.

[lopburi3]

If you have a one year non immigrant visa, other than a retirement OA type, you only receive a 90 day permitted to stay on entry. To obtain another 90 days you must depart the country and return.

The "one year" is the validity of the visa (you can enter any time during that period).

[marc69]

If you have a one year non immigrant visa, other than a retirement OA type, you only receive a 90 day permitted to stay on entry. To obtain another 90 days you must depart the country and return.

The "one year" is the validity of the visa (you can enter any time during that period).

I am a little confused about this 90-day rule. As an example, I go to Australia a couple of months a year to visit some universities. I usually get a multiple entry visiting academic visa which allows me to stay in the country for 4-5 months. The visa just indicates until which day I am allowed to stay in the country.

Is there any equivalent Non-immigrant visa in Thailand which allows you to stay more than three months and does not require any border run or extension in the immigration office?

Edited February 18, 2008 by marc69

[lopburi3]

No. But there is the retirement OA that permits a one year permitted to stay on entry. Otherwise you either make exits every 90 days or you obtain extensions of stay from Immigration (using specified criteria as outlined in Police Order 606/2006).

[Joensen]

No. But there is the retirement OA that permits a one year permitted to stay on entry. Otherwise you either make exits every 90 days or you obtain extensions of stay from Immigration (using specified criteria as outlined in Police Order 606/2006).

As far as I know and been told by the the Thais who administaite this, they say you have to go an imigration office every 3 month to show that u are in the country and that's what I do, and it do not make any sence to go to the border and turn around and came back to Thailand 5 minutes after just to get a stamt. U can get that stamp at an immigration office inside the country.

cheers

[lopburi3]

What type of entry do you have? If you are using a multi entry non immigrant O visa you can only stay for 90 days without an extension of stay from immigration. The only current type of entry that would fit what you are saying is the 90 day extension of stay on ED visas where you apply and receive a new 90 day extension every 90 days for Thai language study - you fill out a form TM.7 and pay 1,900 baht each time.

Please explain exactly what your passport says. Do you have a one year extension of stay perhaps? With that you can go to Immigration every 90 days to report your address using TM.47 form (but you can also do that by mail). Do you have the ED visa and extend every 90 days?

[HOOD Robin]

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