How Does A 60 X 2 Tourist Visa Work ?

[thairookie]

I'm still a little bit confused by the nature of this Tourist Visa (TR) issued by Thai embassy in Vientiane.

Correct me if I'm wrong:

Stage (1) : 1 Jan 2008, you get to stay in Thailand for 60 days, i.e. 29 Feb 2008

Stage (2) : 29 Feb 2008 visit Suan Plu to have it extended for 30 days, i.e. 28 Mar 2008

Stage (3) : Leave Thailand and return "On or Before" 28 March 2008 to invoke your 2nd entry and stay in Thailand for 60 days, i.e. 27 May 2008

Stage (4): 27 May 2008, visit Suan Plu to have it extend for 30 days, i.e. 26 Jun 2008

You get almost 6 months of stay. Am I right ?

[Lite Beer]

I'm still a little bit confused by the nature of this Tourist Visa (TR) issued by Thai embassy in Vientiane.

Correct me if I'm wrong:

Stage (1) : 1 Jan 2008, you get to stay in Thailand for 60 days, i.e. 29 Feb 2008

Stage (2) : 29 Feb 2008 visit Suan Plu to have it extended for 30 days, i.e. 28 Mar 2008

Stage (3) : Leave Thailand and return "On or Before" 28 March 2008 to invoke your 2nd entry and stay in Thailand for 60 days, i.e. 27 May 2008

Stage (4): 27 May 2008, visit Suan Plu to have it extend for 30 days, i.e. 26 Jun 2008

You get almost 6 months of stay. Am I right ?

Pretty well spot on,

[lopburi3]

The second entry must be before the visa expires (the date Vientiane put on it) so you take your clue from that - not your 30 day extension of stay.

[thairookie]

The second entry must be before the visa expires (the date Vientiane put on it) so you take your clue from that - not your 30 day extension of stay.

That is a subtle point that may slip everyone's mind.

BTW, any agents offering such services at the moment ? It's quite daunting to have to travel on my own.

[jstumbo]

Where would you be leaving from? You could always take a cheap flight out and turn around and fly back on the next flight.

[thairookie]

Where would you be leaving from? You could always take a cheap flight out and turn around and fly back on the next flight.

Bangkok precisely. I was actually referring to travel via bus. In any case, which airline would you recommend and the costs ?

[jstumbo]

Check AirAsia.com, they have cheap flights to other countries.

[Delifrance]

The second entry must be before the visa expires (the date Vientiane put on it) so you take your clue from that - not your 30 day extension of stay.

I've a few questions to ask:

1) does 1 entry allow a max stay of 60 days ? looks like it, has anyone confirmed with the Immigration folks already on this kind of arrangement?

2) how many times can this "double-entry" visa exercise be done? any record-holders in here?

3) what is the max no. of days extension has anyone got upon finishing off the 1st entry period and thereon at the end of th 2nd entry period?

[jstumbo]

1) Yes, 60 days for a tourist visa for most western countries. Can usually be extended for 30 additional days at immigration in Thailand.

2) I have heard of people getting 2 or 3 double entry visas in a row. Possible until they decide not to give you one. Things change all the time, so it is really hard to say.

3) 30 days extension. Some people have been asked to show a ticket leaving at the end of the 30 days and did not have one, so they only got 7 days. But 30 days is the norm.

[bangon04]

1) Yes, 60 days for a tourist visa for most western countries. Can usually be extended for 30 additional days at immigration in Thailand.

2) I have heard of people getting 2 or 3 double entry visas in a row. Possible until they decide not to give you one. Things change all the time, so it is really hard to say.

3) 30 days extension. Some people have been asked to show a ticket leaving at the end of the 30 days and did not have one, so they only got 7 days. But 30 days is the norm.

The way it was explained to me - if you pay for a 60 day Tourist Visa, with a single entry, you can add on / buy an extension of 30 days at the immigration office in BKK, THEN at the end of the extension you leave Thailand for a day and then start a FRESH 180 day period where you can use the 30 day visa waiver rule (ie 90 days - 3 visa runs). Then you buy another tourist visa. In this way you can stay indefinitely as long as you submit for the Tourist Visa on a regular basis. Does anyone have experience of this?

[jstumbo]

Yes, but it is 90 days in 6 months for the visa exempt entries. If you do 3 back to back leaving and coming back in the same day, you will really only get 88 days because the day you make the border run will count as the last day on one entry, and the first day on the new entry, counting twice.

So you have the 88 days, and 90 days of your visa, again losing days if you go out on your visa and come right back in, because it will count as the last day of your visa and the first day of your visa exempt stay.

Then there are about 182.5 days in 6 months, so overall you would probably wind up about a week short of being able to alternate back and forth. So if you just want to alternate, you will be short. That does not mean that you cant get two visas in a row, then get the visa exempt stamps, then the visas again.

Double entry visas are doable in Vientiane, so that would help a lot.

Also, it is probably best to not use up all 90 days of your visa exempt entries and then go for a visa. This could leave you locked out of the country if for some reason your visa was denied. Best to keep at least one 30 entry in reserve so that if you get denied, you can still re-enter Thailand and either make plans to leave, or plan another visa run to another consulate.

[bangon04]

Yes, but it is 90 days in 6 months for the visa exempt entries. If you do 3 back to back leaving and coming back in the same day, you will really only get 88 days because the day you make the border run will count as the last day on one entry, and the first day on the new entry, counting twice.

So you have the 88 days, and 90 days of your visa, again losing days if you go out on your visa and come right back in, because it will count as the last day of your visa and the first day of your visa exempt stay.

Then there are about 182.5 days in 6 months, so overall you would probably wind up about a week short of being able to alternate back and forth. So if you just want to alternate, you will be short. That does not mean that you cant get two visas in a row, then get the visa exempt stamps, then the visas again.

Double entry visas are doable in Vientiane, so that would help a lot.

Also, it is probably best to not use up all 90 days of your visa exempt entries and then go for a visa. This could leave you locked out of the country if for some reason your visa was denied. Best to keep at least one 30 entry in reserve so that if you get denied, you can still re-enter Thailand and either make plans to leave, or plan another visa run to another consulate.

Thanks for doing the maths. I understand that the tourist visa usually takes 2 working days to process anyway, so this would take up some of the slack??

[jstumbo]

some, but you would still be a few days short by switching back and forth. Would require about a week outside the country each time you swap.

If you got a double entry tourist visa, that would help out with this quite a bit and it would not be a concern. Best to get a double in your home country or Vientiane Laos.

Edited March 18, 2008 by jstumbo

[ono]

Now I’m really confused.

I just checked the Thai consulate in LA. This is what is says:

“60 day tourist visa'

Travelers with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 60 days at any time.”

Does this mean I can’t renew the visa in BKK? I’m from the U.S. if that matters.

[Lite Beer]

Now I’m really confused.

I just checked the Thai consulate in LA. This is what is says:

“60 day tourist visa'

Travelers with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 60 days at any time.”

Does this mean I can’t renew the visa in BKK? I’m from the U.S. if that matters.

You can extend it in Thailand for another 30 days.. Cost 1,900 Baht.

You fill in this form and take it to any Immigration Office.

Edited March 19, 2008 by Lite Beer

[jdinasia]

The second entry must be before the visa expires (the date Vientiane put on it) so you take your clue from that - not your 30 day extension of stay.

That is a subtle point that may slip everyone's mind.

BTW, any agents offering such services at the moment ? It's quite daunting to have to travel on my own.

Jack Golf does a Vientienne run

[jstumbo]

Now I'm really confused.

I just checked the Thai consulate in LA. This is what is says:

"60 day tourist visa'

Travelers with this type of visa will be permitted to stay in Thailand for a period not exceeding 60 days at any time."

Does this mean I can't renew the visa in BKK? I'm from the U.S. if that matters.

The visa itself only allows you to stay for 60 days. You can then extend it.

If you look down a little farther on their website in the remarks section, it says that the visa may be extended in Thailand at immigration.

[salty]

I am Irish and intend staying in Thailand from about Mid November until Mid March approx. As I understand it I can get a double entry visa for 2 periods of 60 days. I have to leave Thailand before the expiry date of 1st visa ( a few days in Cambodia) and return before the commencement date of the 2nd visa.

I have always worked on a 30 day entry on previous visits. Is it a simple case of giving required dates when you apply. eg 13th November- 11th January and 16th January-16th March? I would have to leave Thailand on or before 11th January and return before 16th January. I will be applying by post to the Thai Consulate in Dublin.

Any observations would be greatly appreciated.

[sjaak327]

^ you intend to stay in thailand for roughly 4 months, so in this case you have two choices, either get a double entry tourist visa, which is good for 2 x 60 days and each entry can be extended by another 30 days at 1900 baht. Or get a single entry, extend that one for 30 days, then leave the country, and just get the free 30 days exempt stamp. If your total intended stay is 120 days exact (or less) then option two would be best, if it is more then option one is king.

I don't understand the dates you have quoted, a tourist visa doens't have a commencement date, just a use before date. It works like this: if you apply for a single entry, the visa is valid for 3 months, which means you have to arrive in Thailand before the use before date, then you can still spend 60 days + 30 when buying an extension.

A double entry will usually have 6 months validity. So when you apply early november, you have to make your second and final entry before early may.

Edited April 4, 2008 by sjaak327

[salty]

^ you intend to stay in thailand for roughly 4 months, so in this case you have two choices, either get a double entry tourist visa, which is good for 2 x 60 days and each entry can be extended by another 30 days at 1900 baht. Or get a single entry, extend that one for 30 days, then leave the country, and just get the free 30 days exempt stamp. If your total intended stay is 120 days exact (or less) then option two would be best, if it is more then option one is king.

I don't understand the dates you have quoted, a tourist visa doens't have a commencement date, just a use before date. It works like this: if you apply for a single entry, the visa is valid for 3 months, which means you have to arrive in Thailand before the use before date, then you can still spend 60 days + 30 when buying an extension.

A double entry will usually have 6 months validity. So when you apply early november, you have to make your second and final entry before early may.

I just used those dates as an example. As you correctly guessed my knowledge on the subject is extremely limited. Many thanks for your comprehensive and informative reply.