Need Tourist Visa Help

[caissa]

I hope someone can help me with my visa situation.  I've lived in Bangkok for almost nine months.  I came without a visa and so began my first few months here with three 30-day stamps.  Then I went on a Jack Golf tourist visa run.  That allowed me to stay for 60 days, and then I got the 30-day extension without having to leave the country.  At the close of that period I could not go back to the 30-day stamps because it had technically not been six months from the day that I first entered the country.  So I had to pay 1,900 baht and get the 10-day extension permit.  Then I did three more Jack Golf 30-day stamp runs.  When I inquired about doing another run for a tourist visa, I was told that Thai consulates in Laos cannot be relied upon to issue them.  The JG people don't even do those tourist visa runs anymore for this very reason.

I am sort of at my wit's end because although I can support myself here on my very modest pension, there's little wiggle room to speak of (and certainly no lump sum of cash to qualify me for retirement visa).  I cannot afford to go to another country and then be told by the Thai consular people that they will  not grant me a tourist visa because of blah, blah, blah.  When I make the trip to wherever, I need to feel a level of confidence that I'm not going to get jerked around.  If I make the trip to Phnom Pehn, for example, does anyone know whether they are issuing tourist visas so that I can return to Thailand without complications?  

From my reading on this site it looks like Burma is out.  It can only be used for an existing visa's turnaround or a 30-day stamp.  All the stuff I've gathered about Laos is so dam_n contradictory that it makes me very leery about pursuing that route.  Further, an old piece on this site (under visa runs) pointedly says Do Not go to Hong Kong!  I have to leave by March 2.  I would sincerely appreciate information and advice concerning my situation.  Thanks in advance.

Background info:  I am male, late 50s, dual citizenship and passports from USA and Canada.  

[bangkokgas]

I hope someone can help me with my visa situation.  I've lived in Bangkok for almost nine months.  I came without a visa and so began my first few months here with three 30-day stamps.  Then I went on a Jack Golf tourist visa run.  That allowed me to stay for 60 days, and then I got the 30-day extension without having to leave the country.  At the close of that period I could not go back to the 30-day stamps because it had technically not been six months from the day that I first entered the country.  So I had to pay 1,900 baht and get the 10-day extension permit.  Then I did three more Jack Golf 30-day stamp runs.  When I inquired about doing another run for a tourist visa, I was told that Thai consulates in Laos cannot be relied upon to issue them.  The JG people don't even do those tourist visa runs anymore for this very reason.

I am sort of at my wit's end because although I can support myself here on my very modest pension, there's little wiggle room to speak of (and certainly no lump sum of cash to qualify me for retirement visa).  I cannot afford to go to another country and then be told by the Thai consular people that they will  not grant me a tourist visa because of blah, blah, blah.  When I make the trip to wherever, I need to feel a level of confidence that I'm not going to get jerked around.  If I make the trip to Phnom Pehn, for example, does anyone know whether they are issuing tourist visas so that I can return to Thailand without complications?  

From my reading on this site it looks like Burma is out.  It can only be used for an existing visa's turnaround or a 30-day stamp.  All the stuff I've gathered about Laos is so dam_n contradictory that it makes me very leery about pursuing that route.  Further, an old piece on this site (under visa runs) pointedly says Do Not go to Hong Kong!  I have to leave by March 2.  I would sincerely appreciate information and advice concerning my situation.  Thanks in advance.

Background info:  I am male, late 50s, dual citizenship and passports from USA and Canada.  

Came across your post by chance,. I don't see what you have to worry about given the record you have stated passport wise. A leisurely trip to Vientiane apllying for a single-entry tourist visa should allay all your fears.

Gas

[Mahout Angrit]

Background info:  I am male, late 50s, dual citizenship and passports from USA and Canada.  

Which passport are you using? If you have been using only one then follow what some contributors to this forum do. Leave the country by air on your current passport and return to Thailand using the other and start the ducking and diving all over again.

Check threads in this forum and you will see that others have been successful posting out the 'unused' passport to friends back home to get a new visa for them. Obviously you must be outside Thailand when you swop passports.

[bangkokgas]

Background info:  I am male, late 50s, dual citizenship and passports from USA and Canada.  

Which passport are you using? If you have been using only one then follow what some contributors to this forum do. Leave the country by air on your current passport and return to Thailand using the other and start the ducking and diving all over again.

Check threads in this forum and you will see that others have been successful posting out the 'unused' passport to friends back home to get a new visa for them. Obviously you must be outside Thailand when you swop passports.

Mahoutangrit -enlighten me. Why would the original poster want to start mucking around with two passports? Immigration (at Suuan Phlu anyway in their lighter, nicer moments) have said they hate dealing with foreigners who use two passports and that there is no advantage for them to do so anyway, as they can check the records of the individual anyway should they wish. I do not know how true that is, its just what I have been told.

[caissa]

Thanks for quick responses, guys.  I still don't know what to do  because of all the contradictory information I've heard about Laos.  Some people are swearing that they are not giving out tourist visas to people who have already been issued one in the recent past. Anyone else who can chime in with their recent information/experience would be most welcome.  I travel on my Canadian passport.  The US one is totally blank which I believe would arouse more than a little curiosity if I tried to use it to return to Thailand.  Don't think it would work.  Embassy person:  "How did you get to Laos from the USA without a mark in your passport?"  That sort of thing.  Also, I even ran into a guy on a border run who had UK and New Zealand passports.  He tried to do what you suggested.  As soon as the person looked at the documents, he asked where the other passport was(!)  So even if I had some country stamps in the US passport, I don't think I would want to lie about when my

most recent trip to Thailand was, etc.  Anyway, please keep the information and 

advice coming if you have any, 

people!  And thanks again. 

[funfun]

I see ya a newbie on here so read all this 1st, no cheating, take an hour but i was same as you, prob many have been, so much confusion at moment but as bkk gas says, laos is prob ya best & easyiest opton.

click this below

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=158561

i wont wish ya good luck cos ya dont need it caissa, try and have a week there its nice

chris

[jstumbo]

Thanks for quick responses, guys. I still don't know what to do because of all the contradictory information I've heard about Laos. Some people are swearing that they are not giving out tourist visas to people who have already been issued one in the recent past. Anyone else who can chime in with their recent information/experience would be most welcome. I travel on my Canadian passport. The US one is totally blank which I believe would arouse more than a little curiosity if I tried to use it to return to Thailand. Don't think it would work. Embassy person: "How did you get to Laos from the USA without a mark in your passport?" That sort of thing. Also, I even ran into a guy on a border run who had UK and New Zealand passports. He tried to do what you suggested. As soon as the person looked at the documents, he asked where the other passport was(!) So even if I had some country stamps in the US passport, I don't think I would want to lie about when my

most recent trip to Thailand was, etc. Anyway, please keep the information and

advice coming if you have any,

people! And thanks again.

Changing the passports only works by air. Most land borders will not let you exit Thailand using one passport and enter Laos or another country using the other. But from the air, you would leave on your Canadian passport, and when you went to immigration in Laos you would give them your US passport. You then get an entry stamp to Laos in your US passport and then when you leave Laos to go back to Thailand, you would get an exit stamp in your US passport. Then you use your US passport to enter Thailand, having both an exit and entry stamp from Laos in it. You would only need to fly to Laos to make the switch, you could return via land if you wanted.

Seems like a lot of people are getting tourist visas from Vientenne. Many even get a double entry tourist visa. It is probably the best around for getting them and I would not expect you to have an issue with only one tourist visa previously.

I think the two passport thing at Thai immigration is for people that have two passports for the same country. But then again, maybe they keep track of things just via name and birthdate and do not pay attention to what country the passport is from.

Edited February 23, 2008 by jstumbo

[PoorSucker]

But then again, maybe they keep track of things just via name and birthdate and do not pay attention to what country the passport is from.

Perhaps they do that, a friend of mine made a new passport when back in his homecountry.

When entering Thailand, immigration asked him why he had a new passport..

[lopburi3]

No recent applicants for tourist visas from Vientiane have reported any problems. Most have easily received a two entry if they requested it. The only limitation in Laos is Savannakhet due to them previously being overrun at the small office.