Was The Tourist Visa The Right Choice?

[chockomonkey]

I've already sent my application off to the US Royal Thai Embassy for a 3 entry tourist visa.

My plan is to be in SEA for a total of 5 months. I arrive on the 26th of August, and depart on the 3rd of February to and from BKK Bankok.

After I applied I saw that there is a "Validity Period" of 3 months. Does that mean that all my entries have to be used within 3 months of obtaining my visa? ...or that i merely have to "start" using my Visa by 3 months...

Because if it is the former, that would mean i won't be able to enter the country again to fly out of Bankok.

Please fill me in!

Thanks,

Chocko

[dr_Pat_Pong]

If the validity period actually is three months, all entries must be made within those three months.

[chockomonkey]

Thanks for the reply.

So is the validity period from the date of application or the date of being stamped?

I suppose that I could try to do most of my traveling out of country at the begining of my trip and then return to the kingdom for like 2-3 months and then leave... but that would be lame to be under those restrictions...

As i've already mailed out my application, is there any way i can change what i applied for?

As i AM going for tourist purposes, would they even let me get a Non-Imm "O" visa?

[Crossy]

Your visa will be valid from the date of ISSUE (not first use), most consulates/embassies give visas with more than one entry a validity of 6 months.

Check the 'must enter before' date on your visa when it arrives. You must use all your entries BEFORE (not on) that date.

If it does turn out to be 3 months you'll have to do a border run after your second entry (and extension) to get a 30 day visa exemption to complete your visit.

Remember, every time you enter it uses up an entry, so if you're going to be going in and out do it towards the end of your trip when visa exempt entries will be useable.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Your visa will be valid from the date of ISSUE (not first use), most consulates/embassies give visas with more than one entry a validity of 6 months.

Check the 'must enter before' date on your visa when it arrives. You must use all your entries BEFORE (not on) that date.

If it does turn out to be 3 months you'll have to do a border run after your second entry (and extension) to get a 30 day visa exemption to complete your visit.

Remember, every time you enter it uses up an entry, so if you're going to be going in and out do it towards the end of your trip when visa exempt entries will be useable.

Some Thai Embassies and Consulates-General are only granting 3 months validity for multiple entry tourist visa's now.

[chockomonkey]

Thanks for the reply Crossy.

Do you think that the Thai Embassy will be willing to hold off for awhile before issuing my visa until closer to my departure date?

They did call me today telling me that I needed to send them more money (I misread the requirements... i gave them $35, so I need to send them $70 more), and at that time I'm pretty sure the lady said it was only valid for 3 months--she was hard to understand!

Am i understanding you correctly that after i use up my visa, since i live in the US i can get in again under the exemption?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thanks for the reply Crossy.

Do you think that the Thai Embassy will be willing to hold off for awhile before issuing my visa until closer to my departure date?

They did call me today telling me that I needed to send them more money (I misread the requirements... i gave them $35, so I need to send them $70 more), and at that time I'm pretty sure the lady said it was only valid for 3 months--she was hard to understand!

Am i understanding you correctly that after i use up my visa, since i live in the US i can get in again under the exemption?

Only if you hold a confirmed outbound airticket within 30 days.

[Lite Beer]

Once you arrive in Thailand you do have other options if you run out of entries.

You can make 30 day Visa exempt entries. A total of 90 days in a 6 month period.

Or you can get Visas in neighboring countries.

[chockomonkey]

I have an outbound ticket already booked... which is why i was freaking about about being able to be in the country to leave...

but it sounds like that could save me?

[JimGant]

You should be ok.

I doubt the Embassy will postdate your "issued on" date. But you can always try....

And, they'll also probably give you only a 3-month validity period (based on past histories). So, if you've already sent in your extra $70, you'll now get your passport back with, say, a 21 July "issue date" -- and a "use before date" of 20 Oct. But, no problem:

You arrive as planned on 26 Aug, then exit and re-enter before 20 Oct -- say, 19 Oct. You'll be stamped in until 17 Dec.

So, before 17 Dec, you'll either have to get a 30-day extension from Thai Immigration -- or leave Thailand. In the latter case, it would probably be best to go somewhere where you can get another tourist visa, as the alternative would be two 30-day visa exempt entries to get you to your 3 Feb go-home day. The new tourist visa would preclude having to do 30-day exempt entries, plus only require one out-and-in, not two. And, the first of those two 30-day visa exempt entries wouldn NOT encompass your return flight date (which is usually not problematic with Immigration -- but it could be, including airlines)

A 30-day extension would also work, but would then require one 30-day visa exempt entry mid January. So, as others have said, you do have options.

Hopefully, however, the Embassy will give you the normal 6-month validity period.....But I wouldn't hold my breath.

You should have used an honorary consulate, as has been preached on this forum ad nauseum. How'd you happen to chose the Thai Embassy?

Oh, were you asked for proof of at least $500 in the bank? This seems to be a new requirement on the Thai Embassy's webpage -- and two weeks ago a friend getting a tourist visa from them had to go home and get her bank book (her roundtrip airline ticket was also asked for). The first time she's ever had to do this......

[chockomonkey]

You should be ok.

I doubt the Embassy will postdate your "issued on" date. But you can always try....

And, they'll also probably give you only a 3-month validity period (based on past histories). So, if you've already sent in your extra $70, you'll now get your passport back with, say, a 21 July "issue date" -- and a "use before date" of 20 Oct. But, no problem:

You arrive as planned on 26 Aug, then exit and re-enter before 20 Oct -- say, 19 Oct. You'll be stamped in until 17 Dec.

So, before 17 Dec, you'll either have to get a 30-day extension from Thai Immigration -- or leave Thailand. In the latter case, it would probably be best to go somewhere where you can get another tourist visa, as the alternative would be two 30-day visa exempt entries to get you to your 3 Feb go-home day. The new tourist visa would preclude having to do 30-day exempt entries, plus only require one out-and-in, not two. And, the first of those two 30-day visa exempt entries wouldn NOT encompass your return flight date (which is usually not problematic with Immigration -- but it could be, including airlines)

A 30-day extension would also work, but would then require one 30-day visa exempt entry mid January. So, as others have said, you do have options.

Hopefully, however, the Embassy will give you the normal 6-month validity period.....But I wouldn't hold my breath.

You should have used an honorary consulate, as has been preached on this forum ad nauseum. How'd you happen to chose the Thai Embassy?

Oh, were you asked for proof of at least $500 in the bank? This seems to be a new requirement on the Thai Embassy's webpage -- and two weeks ago a friend getting a tourist visa from them had to go home and get her bank book (her roundtrip airline ticket was also asked for). The first time she's ever had to do this......

Thank you SO much for spelling all that out for me!! This visa stuff is confusing at first, but now that you put it that way, I finally understand my options, and i'm not freaked out anymore! yay!!

I chose the Thai embassy becuase that's where I thought i had to do it, and as I live in WA state, i didn't want to fly somewhere to get my visa in person, so i used the mail system. And yes, i did have to send proof of money in the bank and a copy of my itinerary.

[chockomonkey]

Also, I haven't mailed the additional money in yet... i have it sitting on my desk ready to go, but because of this recent information, i stalled... I wonder how long i can stall?

[JimGant]

I wonder how long i can stall?

I don't know how impatient the Embassy can be, waiting for follow-up payments. But, even if you could hold-off until nearer your 26 Aug departure date, I can't see how this would improve things much, given the same 3-month validity scenario -- you'll still have to exit and get another tourist visa -- or do an extension plus a 30-day visa exempt entry. Maybe others brighter than me can see something else....

Look at this quote from the Thai Embassy London website:

REMARKS :

The applicant can be apply up to 3 entries. Duration of stay not exceeding 60 days per entry (Please refer to Validation of Stay). Single entry visa has 3 months validity, more than one entry visa has 6 months validity.

When you send your $70 to DC, why not include a letter saying something like: 'I note on your website that you make no provision for a 6-month validity period for multiple tourist visa entries. This must be an oversight, as other Thai Embassies and Consulates do spell this out, as this example from London shows (give them the above quote) Request, therefore, a 6-month validity period.' (It would be tempting to go on and say something like 'charging me for three entries but providing a 3-month validity makes no sense, except to fatten your coffers.' However, as much fun as that would be to say, tweaking Thai bureaucrats is usually counterproductive -- and you'd probably end up with only a single entry, if that.

And, if you don't get the 6-month validity, not much is lost if you plan to spend max time in Thailand vice several out and ins.

I chose the Thai embassy becuase that's where I thought i had to do it, and as I live in WA state, i didn't want to fly somewhere to get my visa in person, so i used the mail system.

Honorary Consulates do most of their business by mail. They're all local folks; seemingly always helpful; and will glady entertain your questions by email or phone (in an accent you can understand, except maybe the one in Alabama......). The closest one to you is in Portland, OR. Anyway, too late now. But keep this in mind for any follow-up trips.

[chockomonkey]

I wonder how long i can stall?

I don't know how impatient the Embassy can be, waiting for follow-up payments. But, even if you could hold-off until nearer your 26 Aug departure date, I can't see how this would improve things much, given the same 3-month validity scenario -- you'll still have to exit and get another tourist visa -- or do an extension plus a 30-day visa exempt entry. Maybe others brighter than me can see something else....

Look at this quote from the Thai Embassy London website:

REMARKS :

The applicant can be apply up to 3 entries. Duration of stay not exceeding 60 days per entry (Please refer to Validation of Stay). Single entry visa has 3 months validity, more than one entry visa has 6 months validity.

When you send your $70 to DC, why not include a letter saying something like: 'I note on your website that you make no provision for a 6-month validity period for multiple tourist visa entries. This must be an oversight, as other Thai Embassies and Consulates do spell this out, as this example from London shows (give them the above quote) Request, therefore, a 6-month validity period.' (It would be tempting to go on and say something like 'charging me for three entries but providing a 3-month validity makes no sense, except to fatten your coffers.' However, as much fun as that would be to say, tweaking Thai bureaucrats is usually counterproductive -- and you'd probably end up with only a single entry, if that.

And, if you don't get the 6-month validity, not much is lost if you plan to spend max time in Thailand vice several out and ins.

I chose the Thai embassy becuase that's where I thought i had to do it, and as I live in WA state, i didn't want to fly somewhere to get my visa in person, so i used the mail system.

Honorary Consulates do most of their business by mail. They're all local folks; seemingly always helpful; and will glady entertain your questions by email or phone (in an accent you can understand, except maybe the one in Alabama......). The closest one to you is in Portland, OR. Anyway, too late now. But keep this in mind for any follow-up trips.

Thanks, JimGant. I'll try that, and i'll post a follow-up with what transpires! You all have been a great help and have eased my mind quite a bit!

[chockomonkey]

So, awesome news! I got my visa back today and, while they didn't respond in any fashion to my letter, they did give me a 6-month validity period, indicated by the issue date: July 25, 2008 and the Enter Before date: January 24, 2009.

w00t!!!

Thank you VERY much for suggesting I write one such letter, clearly it fixed my problem and will thus make the planning of my trip SO much easier.

And remember this! People may very well come across this is the future!