Now Here Is A Tricky Question

[libya 115]

I have a non-O visa from Hull valid until the end of December 2008. I know for certain I shall be in the UK for one week in November 2008. Can I apply for another non-O at Hull, before my valid Non-O has expired. So that would mean 2 Non-O in passport.

So as to take advantage of the UK visit to get a visa while i am there. Hope that is clear.

[lopburi3]

They will likely cancel the old visa when they issue the new one.

[libya 115]

They will likely cancel the old visa when they issue the new one.

Thanks, OK that makes sense. But is this a wise move? To have an existing and valid visa cancelled for the sake of one month?

[astral]

I would say Yes.

You gain another 15 months of time in LOS, loosing only one month.

Unless you want to go back to the chilly UK at Christmas.

[Lite Beer]

I also would say yes.

[libya 115]

I also would say yes.

Well "Yes" I mean "Yes" but what I meant was isn't it bad to have 'cancelled' visa in the passport for the sake of a new visa? Is that wise, considering Thailand Immigration paranoia and examination of previous visa stamps etc. ???

[jstumbo]

If you made a border run the day before your existing visa expires, you could get a stamp good until the end of March 2009. So you would really be losing more like 4-5 months depending on when you go to the UK. You could get a tourist visa from a local consulate to give you another 3 months, and then go back to the UK in the summer of 2009 to get another multi non-o

[Andiamo]

I also would say yes.

Well "Yes" I mean "Yes" but what I meant was isn't it bad to have 'cancelled' visa in the passport for the sake of a new visa? Is that wise, considering Thailand Immigration paranoia and examination of previous visa stamps etc. ???

Not a problem in my experience at all libya 115. I received a Multiple Entry Non-Imm B Visa from Hull in 2007 which was set to expire in May 2008.

On my recent trip to the UK in APril & May 2008, I successfully applied for another Multiple Entry Non-Imm B Visa from Hull. This I received - expiry date April 2009.

FYI, the Hull Consulate did NOT stamp "cancelled" on my older (2007) Visa - presumably as it was still valid when they granted the new one.

When I entered Suvarnabhumi even though I entered within the "old" visa expry date, I completed my Landing card with my "new" Visa Reference number and made sure I had put a fluorescent Post-it on the correct "new" Visa page. I also opened the correct page for the Official to ensure no confusion! (No cancelled stamp was entered by the Official).

No problem, whatsoever!!!

Plus, on a recent trip to KL, I again completed the Landing Card with correct Visa ref, made sure I opened the Passport on the correct Visa page and got a stamp back in no problem. Again, NO cancelled stamp was entered by the Official on my "old" Visa which by then had expired. Not sure if this was an oversight or not but I tend to think not.

Good luck with it all Libya 115

IMO Hull Rocks! - Totally competent, professional, helpful and swift service. Kop khun na kha !

[libya 115]

I also would say yes.

Well "Yes" I mean "Yes" but what I meant was isn't it bad to have 'cancelled' visa in the passport for the sake of a new visa? Is that wise, considering Thailand Immigration paranoia and examination of previous visa stamps etc. ???

Not a problem in my experience at all libya 115. I received a Multiple Entry Non-Imm B Visa from Hull in 2007 which was set to expire in May 2008.

On my recent trip to the UK in APril & May 2008, I successfully applied for another Multiple Entry Non-Imm B Visa from Hull. This I received - expiry date April 2009.

FYI, the Hull Consulate did NOT stamp "cancelled" on my older (2007) Visa - presumably as it was still valid when they granted the new one.

When I entered Suvarnabhumi even though I entered within the "old" visa expry date, I completed my Landing card with my "new" Visa Reference number and made sure I had put a fluorescent Post-it on the correct "new" Visa page. I also opened the correct page for the Official to ensure no confusion! (No cancelled stamp was entered by the Official).

No problem, whatsoever!!!

Plus, on a recent trip to KL, I again completed the Landing Card with correct Visa ref, made sure I opened the Passport on the correct Visa page and got a stamp back in no problem. Again, NO cancelled stamp was entered by the Official on my "old" Visa which by then had expired. Not sure if this was an oversight or not but I tend to think not.

Good luck with it all Libya 115

IMO Hull Rocks! - Totally competent, professional, helpful and swift service. Kop khun na kha !

Thank you 'Andiamo' for that informative and detailed reply. I agree Hull is a very fine consulate. Looks like everything will be O.K.

[A_Traveller]

No negative inference is made when, or if, a visa is 'cancelled' if there is a replacement. Immigration appreciates that individual travel plans do not always match a visa issuance period, and further, the fact that the visa is being issued outside the region seems to be noted positively these days too.

Regards

PS There is an increasing undercurrent to prefer to see visas issued from country of origin as opposed to neighbours.

Edited May 17, 2008 by A_Traveller

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Any visa cancelled in the circumstances outlined should be endorsed ' Visa cancelled without prejudice and re-issued on page ? of this passport.

[Andiamo]

Any visa cancelled in the circumstances outlined should be endorsed ' Visa cancelled without prejudice and re-issued on page ? of this passport.

Just out of interest, if the above is correct, who do you think should actually endorse the cancellation? The Thai Consulate/Embassy issuing the new Visa or the Immigration officials at Suvarhnabhumi?

(Mine as mentioned above was not cancelled but I thought it was cos my older one was still valid???).

[astral]

Any cancellation would be by the issuing office, or Immigration HQ.

I doubt anyone else would dare.

[jstumbo]

but it does not matter if you have two visas. because both visas will be valid right now, and then the first one will expire and the second one will still be valid until the time that it was originally planned to expire. So you would not gain anything by having two, so I do not think the embassy or immigration cares that you have two.

I would also imagine that if your visa was canceled by immigration for some bad reason, they would stamp that in your passport, and probably put you on a PNG list.

[torrenova]

Did that years ago when it became obvious I would not be able to go back around the 15th month after the first visa was endorsed. Nothing put in my passport and just entered under the new visa.

Now if visas had a validity period after first usage rather than issue then there would be an argument. However they don't (or you could just get 10 or 20 in one go and stay a few decades !).

[sumrit]

I've been living in Thailand on non 'O' visa's but having to go back to the UK every year for a medical. Sometimes, when I've applied for a new visa (from Birmingham) the old visa was still valid by up to two months. When this happened the guy at the Birmingham consulate just wrote 'VOID' across the existing visa and issued a new one. Nobody has ever queried this on my return to Thailand.

I'm back in the UK at the moment and will apply for a new non O visa before I return next month even though my existing visa is still valid until August.

[thaid]

Yes they will almost certainly cancel your current one and re-issue. No problems. I've done this before, but with a non B.

If you're unsure, ring the Thai embassy in your country.

Cheers

THAID

[TexasRanger]

I have had 2 non O 's running in different passports, it was no trouble to apply for the new one before the old one expired.

[khunyae]

I have a non-O visa from Hull valid until the end of December 2008. I know for certain I shall be in the UK for one week in November 2008. Can I apply for another non-O at Hull, before my valid Non-O has expired. So that would mean 2 Non-O in passport.

So as to take advantage of the UK visit to get a visa while i am there. Hope that is clear.

I was in exactly the same situation last year. I was in UK around a month before expiry of my previous multiple entry 'O'. I posted my passport to Hull for a new multiple entry 'O' and received it back with no problems. The 'old' (but still current) visa was still intact, and a nice shiny new visa was there also.

I entered at Suvanabhum about 10 days before my 'old' visa expired. Was not even thinking about any possible complications due to the two visas when the Immigration officer queried it. I dd not understand what she was asking at first. Then I understiood that she was asking me which visa I wanted to use. It was a frendly question, and I do not think there was any complicatin involved. She simply wanted to know which visa I wanted to use. I thought fast. Obviously, if I was leaving Thailand again before the 'old' visa expired (within 10 days) I would have asked her to use the 'old' visa. But I was not planning to leave until a month or two later, and was not sure if I could ener on one visa and leave on another so to speak. I did not bother asking, for the sake of 10 days I asked her to use the 'new' visa. She smiled, stamped me in, and that was that. A happy ending!

Edited May 18, 2008 by khunyae