Non-ed Visa And Re-entry Stamps

[eggshen]

Hi all,

First off - thank you (regulars) for an amazingly informative forum.

I am a Swedish national, 29, living and working in Kuala Lumpur (3-year visa and work-permit).

I am moving to Bangkok to study Thai in May, and was just issued my 3-month Non-ED visa, to be extended in Thailand to 1 year upon arrival (if I am not mistaken ).

I assume I will be given a 90-day entry stamp when I arrive.

Now the thing is, I will have to go back and forth between KL and Bangkok once a month (or every other month), over the coming 12 months.

So what I want to know is the following;

Is a re-entry permit is only valid for the current (on-going) entry stamp (90 days in my case) ?

If so, I assume the mutiple re-entry permit (costing 3,000+ THB) only covers those same 90 days as well ?

And is not in any way transferable to the next "permission to stay" stamp I get (I assume I have to do the "in country" 90-day extensions) ?

Upon extending my now 3-month Single Entry Non-ED to 1 year, is it possible to turn it into a Muliple Entry one ?

The way I see it, I will be forced to get a re-entry stamp every time I leave.

Preferably a few days before I depart, over at the local migrations office, or at the airport (seeminly a painless procedure) - costing me 1,000 THB each time.

It also seems I need to be weary of the airport migrations officers sometimes overlooking the re-entry stamp ??

So what's best option then ? Would appreciate it if you guys lay out a plan for me, and give me a few pointers.

Thank you.

[lopburi3]

1. Wrong unless you are talking University level studies - normal language school will not qualify you for one year extensions of stay. You will be allowed 90 day extensions only, at a cost of 1,900 baht each.

2. You will receive a 90 day stamp on arrival. You can use a re-entry permit for travel to keep the 90 days alive. You only want single entry as multi entry would only cover that 90 day period so be a loss of money. There is no transfer.

3. You can not obtain a multi entry visa in Thailand - but you should be able to obtain overseas and that is what you should be doing with your required travel - that will eliminate the 90 day 1,900 baht charge and the re-entry permit charges.

4. When you use re-entry permit to put it in the visa section of arrival card - it can not be "overlooked".

5. As said - do not extend - obtain a multi entry visa from on outside Consulate.

[Tomkagai]

Wrong Item 3. you can obtain a multi-entry in Thailand

[lopburi3]

Please tell us how? Only a single entry is provided for change of status.

[eggshen]

1. Wrong unless you are talking University level studies - normal language school will not qualify you for one year extensions of stay. You will be allowed 90 day extensions only, at a cost of 1,900 baht each.

2. You will receive a 90 day stamp on arrival. You can use a re-entry permit for travel to keep the 90 days alive. You only want single entry as multi entry would only cover that 90 day period so be a loss of money. There is no transfer.

3. You can not obtain a multi entry visa in Thailand - but you should be able to obtain overseas and that is what you should be doing with your required travel - that will eliminate the 90 day 1,900 baht charge and the re-entry permit charges.

4. When you use re-entry permit to put it in the visa section of arrival card - it can not be "overlooked".

5. As said - do not extend - obtain a multi entry visa from on outside Consulate.

Thank you lopburi. That basically covers all of it.

So the necessary extensions will prolong the visa for 90 days as well as give me a new 90 days permission to stay stamp then ?

And for me to get a Multiple Entry visa I'd have to reapply using the previous paperwork at some other consulate than KL ? Preferably the one back home in Sweden, correct ? The KL consulate seems to only give out S.E ED visas...

[lopburi3]

If you read through THIS thread you will find several local Consulates will issue them.

Yes - the 90 day extensions provids a 90 day stay and they you have to extend again.