Visa On Entry And Visa Runs

[danny1977]

Hello,

I`m british and planning to return to Thailand in about a month or so for around six to twelve months. Have only been 2 times before, once for 3 weeks and once for 2 weeks so visa was never an issue.

The current plan is to arrive and get my 30-day visa on entry and stay mainly around Bangkok. Then when my visa is due to run out do a quick visa run to Cambodia with Jack`s golf tours whenever necessary to obtain a fresh 30-days. Around 2000B as far as I`m aware.

Is this a legitimate way of going about things?

Is there a better way of doing things bearing in mind that I don`t mind doing the visa runs. Nice day out after all.

One more thing. Am thinking about renting a place in or near Bangkok on a month by month basis. What sort of prices am I looking at and where can I go when I get there to get the ball rolling.

Any help and/or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Danny

[Thanh-BKK]

Hello

I went with the mentioned company (Jack's Golf Tours) twice already, just yesterday was my 2nd time. The service is great, movies on board a comfortable two-storey coach and free buffet lunch at one of the casinos in the no-man-land between Thailand and Cambodia.

It is legitimate, sort of, since you and your passport actually cross the border, on the thai side, that is. You give your passport to the tour fuide, and upon arrival in Aranyaprathet, they will bring the whole bunch of passports to immigration and get them stamped out (usual procedure for grou[p travels, i guess). Then you get the passport back and walk physically across the checkpoint (without having to que at the counters!), showing t\your already stamped passport to the officer. Then, while at lunch, they will arrange the cambodian visa and entry/exit stamps as well as the thai re-entry stamp. Then you walk back thru the checkpoint, again showing your passport to the officer and NOT having to stand in line. Recently (well yesterday) our group wasn't even required top show the passports - we were "equipped" with a green sticker that read "Jack's Golf" and that sticker was enough for the officers on both exit and entry to let us thru without checks.

Kind regards.....

Thanh

[danny1977]

Thanks very much for that. Puts my mind at ease. All that remains now is to book a cheap flight and get to the airport.

Thanks again,

Danny

[astral]

There is some tightening up on the border runs at the moment.

Why don't you get a Tourist Visa, allowing a 60 day stay, from the consulate in the UK before you leave? Then there will be no need for a visa run.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

There is some tightening up on the border runs at the moment.

Why don't you get a Tourist Visa, allowing a 60 day stay, from the consulate in the UK before you leave?  Then there will be no need for a visa run.

or even a double entry tourist visa. With 2 extensions and one border crossing, that'll cover a 6 month stay.

[sua yai]

If you're considering a twelve month stay, get a multiple entry non immigrant O visa from the cnsulate in Hull. I did it last year and it was simple. They'll send you the forms. You'll need someone to sign a letter - that the consulate supply as well, leaving blanks for names dates etc - guaranteeing that they will cover the cost of repatriation, if necessary. Send your passport off, registered post with a return registered envelope and fee of 90 pounds. Your passport will be back, with visa within 3/4 days. Alternatively, you can bowl up at the consulate - make an appointment - pay, I think an extra 10 pounds - and get the visa there and then.

The visa gives you flexibility to exit Thailand as many times as you like during the year and you'll get 90 days on arrival and each time you reenter.

[LivinLOS]

Echo Hull and the multiple entry non imm O... Best solution and in 12 months you will only need to do 3 visa runs.

[danny1977]

After a quick bit of investigation as far as I understand, the type "O" non-immigrant visa is for dependants and/or the retired only. Unfortunately I am only 26 and not near retirement just yet!!!

Should have made that clear in my original post and apologise.

Is there another way to get a years multiple entry visa or am I wrong in my thinking about the type "O".

If not then I`ll just revert back to the monthly visa run plan.

Thanks very much either way,

Sorry if I wasted anybody`s time,

Danny

[LivinLOS]

The intention of the O is for dependants and the retired but for some reason Hull seems happy to issue them.. Its a odd situation but it is the case.

Try at Hull.

[danny1977]

LivinLOS

Thanks very much. Just googled their phone number and will give them a call in a bit. Hope it works

Thanks again,

Danny.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It will work Danny. Don't risk the monthly runs.

[Baaksida]

The intention of the O is for dependants and the retired but for some reason Hull seems happy to issue them..

Can a non-resident (meaning a German, not a Brit) get visas in Hull as well (if staying for a longer holiday in the U.K.), or would they tell an applicant from the continent to go back and apply in his/her home country?

[Axel]

Baaksida, I believe so.

Officially, they say:

NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THIS OFFICE BY ALL APPLICANTS RESIDING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AT TIME OF APPLICATION.

APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED BY POST OR IN PERSON.

But sending your application by mail with a UK-return address or going there in person should do the trick.

I say 'should' as I have no personal experience with Hull, but most consulates of various countries just want to make sure that the applicant is physically in their area.

Have a look into their web-site, nicely done.

http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/Bvisas.htm

[LivinLOS]

OK you just answered the question I was raising in the other post...

[danny1977]

Dr Pat Pong

Re: Risking the monthly runs!!!!

I was under he impression that there was no problem doing monthly runs. I understand they may be tightening up the rules a little regarding money but was planning on having a respectable amount of cash on me each time anyway.

Have contacted Hull though and am awaiting the paperwork for the "O" visa. Will still need to do at least 3 visa runs anyway though. Can you clarify the RISK part of what you said please.

Thanks,

Danny

[LivinLOS]

The risk is that the tourist visa is not intended to be used for long stay purposes. Its supposed to be for tourists and is miss used by expats. This has long been the case but it appears that immigration are now making a point of making it tougher. That would be fine if there was a more normal route to long stay visa's but by allowing this as the status quo for many years it seems theres a little bit of a gap in the visa situation.

Either way if you have a Non Imm O you are not miss using the rules (though why Hull still gives them is a complete mystery) and your visa runs should not be viewed as risky other than carrying the relatively minor 20k baht.

[astral]

Re: Risking the monthly runs!!!!

Sounds like a stomach disorder??

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The intention of the O is for dependants and the retired but for some reason Hull seems happy to issue them..

Can a non-resident (meaning a German, not a Brit) get visas in Hull as well (if staying for a longer holiday in the U.K.), or would they tell an applicant from the continent to go back and apply in his/her home country?

If the applicant is not British but is in the UK application can be made in the UK for a Thai visa.

[yuyi]

I tried that once in Rome (I'm not italian) and they asked for a proof of residency in Italy. Without that they refused forcing me to make an extra trip just to get to an embassy in another country

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I tried that once in Rome (I'm not italian) and they asked for a proof of residency in Italy. Without that they refused forcing me to make an extra trip just to get to an embassy in another country

It must be different in the rest of the world then.

[Axel]

yuyi, you did not say your nationality. There are exceptions e.g.:

TOURIST VISA, NON-IMMIGRANT VISA

Passport holders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Palestinian States are requested to file  for application at the Thai Embassy/Consulate-General where they have their permanent residence.

quoted from

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php

[dr_Pat_Pong]

yuyi, you did not say your nationality. There are exceptions e.g.:

TOURIST VISA, NON-IMMIGRANT VISA

Passport holders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Palestinian States are requested to file  for application at the Thai Embassy/Consulate-General where they have their permanent residence.

quoted from

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php

There is a small concession granted to Indians Axel ( and only Indians ): they can apply for a 15 day tourist visa on arrival. They do need to show a confirmed outbound airticket on application.

[Axel]

Well Dr. this does help a bit. However, a bit a pain in the neck.

I go sometimes to the visa-on-arrival room (not for myself, but when travelling with agents from Eastern Europe)

After a 12 hour-flight it's a long way to there. In 'rush-hour' it can take 45 minutes to get the visa (although the staff always friendly in my experience) and once you have the visa you walk over and line up behind 3 plane loads of pax just arrived.

[Up2U]

When I was in KL getting my Non-Immi 'O' (Thai wife) the guy at the next counter was asking for a straight-forward 60 day tourist visa. He was (I think) Algerian - anyway, one of the North African countries.

The girl at the counter refused. Told him the nearest place he could get a visa was Nice (France).

I had to go out and get some additional photo-copies - took maybe twenty minutes. When I got back he was still at the counter, arguing. Eventually the girl gave him a twelve-hour, airport-premises-only visa so that he could get a ticket from BKK out. Which he could have done from Kuala Lumpur anyway.

So it seems that there are strict regulations for some nationalities. We should be thankful that the Thais are tolerant of so many of us. And helpful in most Consulates.

[yuyi]

(Axel @ Wed 2004-10-06, 12:05:05)

yuyi, you did not say your nationality. There are exceptions e.g.:

TOURIST VISA, NON-IMMIGRANT VISA

Passport holders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Palestinian States are requested to file  for application at the Thai Embassy/Consulate-General where they have their permanent residence.

quoted from

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php

Sorry, no, not from these countries, but privilegded EU citizen, so that was not the problem in Rome, not at all. The staff was not as friendly as in other EU countries, and I did show up the way I know you have to in Thailand, very friendly, smiling, and well dressed. But the Italian lady working there just brushed me off, without even attempting to be at least polite. As the french would say: malbaisée

[Axel]

Bad hair day or the wrong time of the month?

Yeah, sometimes the local employees in the visa-offices are stricter than

the bosses.

If you travel a lot in Europe, try Karlsruhe, Zurich, Hamburg or Munich.

Most of them are honorary C. and very helpful in my experience.

[yuyi]

Bad hair day or the wrong time of the month?

well, "malbaisée" mans simply "not good f**cked" or "not enough f***cked" or similar

If you travel a lot in Europe, try Karlsruhe, Zurich, Hamburg or Munich.

Most of them are honorary C. and very helpful in my experience.

yes, indeed they are!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Re: Risking the monthly runs!!!!

Sounds like a stomach disorder??

Well ... those monthly runs sure do give Thai Immigration a dose of the sh*ts

[danny1977]

Thanks to all those that mentioned the non-immigrant "o" visa from Hull.

Downloaded the forms and sent them off on Wednesday afternoon. Got my passport back complete with stamp this morning!!! (Friday)

36 hrs. Not bad at all.

Thanks again,

Danny

[Axel]

36 hrs. Not bad at all.

Thanks again,

Danny

This is a post Danny, I really like to see, a feedback.

Many good tips are given in Thai Visa, great to hear from somebody 'yes I did it and it worked'.