Info on 6 mth stay.

[stevenjm]

Hi, just wanting to know if anyone can give me any info on (visa requirements etc)what would be required for an australian to live but not work in thailand for up to 6 mths?

and what would be the best way to do this. thanks.

[stevenjm]

Please.

[markt]

Stevenjm,

The easy way which is done by a lot of people is just to arrive on a tourist visa.

That's two months then extend it for another month.

For the next three months just do a visa run to somewhere and get another tourist visa.

Double-entry visas are obviously more convienient but the consulates are thoughing up apparantly.

[PREM-R]

???

You may find that you can get a 3 entry tourist visa (TR) from the Thai embassy or consulate in Australia,(in the UK you can get as many entries as you require) each entry would be valid for 2 months which would cover your intended stay of 6 months.  

   If  the new visa fees are implimented you would pay 1000 baht for each entry plus a small admin fee for the visa.( Currently you pay only 500 baht for each entry). The visa extension fee is due to rise from 500 baht to 1900 baht so it would be cheaper for you to get a 3 entry visa and not bother with the extensions.

  Depending on where you intend to stay in Thailand you may find it easier and cheaper to do a 'visa run' every two months than to pay 1900 baht for an extension of one month.

[stevenjm]

Thanks a lot for the info. Just one question: I am not very familiar with doing "visa runs" although I understand what they are. I am interested to know whether visa runs are 100%(or close to it) succesful or if they can lead to being stuck in another country? Also this is for 2 adults and 2 children intending to stay in phuket for 6 months would it make any difference to the type of visa?

[NathanV23]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but visa runs for the purpose of coming back as a tourist are 100% successful unless you are a criminal. From Phuket as far as I know you just have to make it to the Thai/Malay border, cross over and cross back. Or if you have the cash, you could fly to Malaysia for a holiday for a couple days. If you all have multiple entry (2 or 3 entries) tourist visas, then each time you came back you would have 2 more months until you used up all the entries at which point you can be here a month at a time and must do your visa run once a month or go to Penang and apply again for multiple entry tourist visa.

[stevenjm]

Thanks very much.

[Roguetrader]

???

You may find that you can get a 3 entry tourist visa (TR) from the Thai embassy or consulate in Australia,(in the UK you can get as many entries as you require) each entry would be valid for 2 months which would cover your intended stay of 6 months.  

   

Hi PREM-R, are you sure about you facts here (hoping you are). The reason I ask is because I was hoping to do this as I had heard it was possible. But I recently submitted a question to this effect in the "Issues and answers" section of the "Phuket Gazette" Simply asking that as a tourist I would like to stay in Thailand for 6-9 mths extended holiday, did they know how I might go about this. This was the reply,

“No visa covers a stay of six to nine months for a tourist. You can ask for a tourist visa that will permit you to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days, and you will be able to extend the visa for another 30 days. After that, you will have to leave the country. ”

Thursday, July 10, 2003  Pol Capt Krissarat Nusean, Sub-Inspector, Phuket Provincial Immigration Office.  

My second question, anticipating that you know because you have already done this is which embassy did you go through and how easy was it?

Thanx

[NathanV23]

You just get a multiple entry tourist visa. In the Us before these price hikes, each entry was $15. You have 60 days betweeen entries. So as you come to the end of 60 days, you go to the Malay border, cross over and cross back and you have another 60 days. If you use up your multiple entries, then you must do this visa run every 30 days (if you are from a country that gets 30 day no visa stay) Not sure if there is a limit on the number of entries you can apply for. Does anyone else know?

[lopburi3]

“No visa covers a stay of six to nine months for a tourist. You can ask for a tourist visa that will permit you to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days, and you will be able to extend the visa for another 30 days. After that, you will have to leave the country. ”

This is correct; and if you have a two entry tourist visa you can come right back into Thailand using the second entry for another 60 and probably 30 day extension.

[PREM-R]

::

Hi Roguetrader,

       If you are in the UK you can get as many entries for a TR tourist visa as you require. I purchased 4 entries from the Thai consulate in Birmingham in June this year and  I asked the guy there how many entries can be purchased, he said "how many do you want?".

   This is my experience of Biringham Thai consulate, I do not know if the other Consulates in UK, or the Thai Embassy in London would have the same attitude.

    The reply to your question to the Phuket Gazette is right in as much as you cannot stay in Thailand for 6-9 months with one entry visa.  On arrival the first entry of your TR Visa is activated and you will be allowed to stay for 60 days after which you can either extend the first entry for another 30 days (before the end of which you will have to leave the country for a 'Visa run') or do the 'Visa run' at 60 days which will activate your TR visa second entry. You carry on doing this until all of the entries you purchased are used up.

    It is worth considering that the Visa charges are due to rise dramatically in August (cost per entry now (500baht) 8GBP,after increase (1000 baht) 16GBP. cost of 30 day extension of TR in Thailand now (500 baht), after increase 1,900 baht!).

    For a stay of 6-9 months it will be cheaper to obtain 3,4 or even 5 entries  from the Consulate in the UK and do a visa run each 60 days instead of paying 1900 baht for a 30 day extension each time.

                   Regards, PREM-R