Tourist visa advice

[miwi]

I am coming to Thailand on the 1st of November with my wife and plan to stay for around six months.

We also plan to travel to Malaysia / Cambodia but our plan is to rent an apartment in Thailand and base ourselves there.

We are both UK residents and I was planning to apply for a quadruple entry tourist visa.

My question is if I apply for it before next Friday I pay £32 but if I apply for it a month before I go the price goes up to £100.

How long is the visa vaild before I have to enter Thailand and does applying.  Birmingham Consul said the visa quad visa is valid for a year but I did not get that impression from Hull Consul

Cheers

[dr_Pat_Pong]

From the date of issue of the visa you have 6 months in which

to utillize it. ie. all entries must be made within that 6 months.

[PREM-R]

???

DR_Pat_ Pong,

I have a TR Visa issued@Birmingham UK Consulate on 27th June 2003 which states it must be utilized before 26 March 2004. As this utilization date is beyond 6 months then there is either a problem with the visa or the rules regarding the TR visa have changed and you have not been informed.

If the visa has been issued incorrectly then it seems that I may have a problem at sometime in the future, anyone  had experience of such a problem?

[huski]

As this utilization date is beyond 6 months then there is either a problem with the visa or the rules regarding the TR visa have changed and you have not been informed.

If the visa has been issued incorrectly then it seems that I may have a problem at sometime in the future, anyone  had experience of such a problem?

Your last ENTRY into Thailand has to be before 26 Mar 2004.

How many entries is on your visa, 4 ?

[george]

A single entry visa should be utilized within 90 days. Double or triple entries should be utilized within 180 days.

The only exception is the Multiple Entry Noin-Immigrant visa which should be utilized within 1 year from issue.

[PREM-R]

From the date of issue of the visa you have 6 months in which

to utillize it. ie. all entries must be made within that 6 months.(dr_pat_pong)

A single entry visa should be utilized within 90 days. Double or triple entries should be utilized within 180 days.

The only exception is the Multiple Entry Noin-Immigrant visa which should be utilized within 1 year from issue.(george)

??? I am confused! My 3 entry TR is stamped 'must be utilized by 26 March 2004,I take this to mean that the third entry must be utilized before 26 March 2004 which is much more that 180 days from the issue date of 27 June 2003. I am now concerned that I will make my 'visa run' to utilize the third entry of the TR and they will say that my visa is not in order, HELP!

[george]

??? I am confused! My 3 entry TR is stamped 'must be utilized by 26 March 2004,I take this to mean that the third entry must be utilized before 26 March 2004 which is much more that 180 days from the issue date of 27 June 2003. I am now concerned that I will make my 'visa run' to utilize the third entry of the TR and they will say that my visa is not in order, HELP!

I think the consular did a mistake and stamped it wrong. Be sure to utilize all your entries within 6 months to avoid problems. Most entry points are computerized these days, so it will be confusion for sure if you try to use the visa after 6 months.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I'd be most surprised if the rules have changed. Get clarification from the issuing Consulate and to be very very sure crosscheck with another Thai Consulate. I suspect an officer got confused between your visa and a one year non-immigrant visa.

Good luck

[miwi]

Ok Hull Consul say it lasts eight months from the time of issue on the phone and their web site says eight months for a quad tourist visa.

Birmingham Consul say it lasts for a year for a quad tourist visa????

I am confused as the others will only issue a triple will they say last six months from the date of issue.

All I want to do is save some money and get the visa now when I am travelling on the 1st of November and plan to be in Thailand for up to six months.

Any ideas??

[george]

2. Validity of visa for entering Thailand

  2.1 Visa will be utilized upon arrival at port of entry

  2.2 Visa must be utilized within 90 days from the date of issuance; 6 months in case of 2 or more entries.

  Note: Do not apply for visa more than 3 months before your visit.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok

[dr_Pat_Pong]

No idea...as I see it, they are both wrong. Ask the Embassy in London

[PREM-R]

TOURIST VISAS (Source Thai Consulate Hull Website)

There are various options available:-

a) Single Entry

The validity of this visa is 2 months from date of issue and allows a visitor to enter Thailand for a single period of up to 59 days after which they must depart. A further visit will require another visa which can only be obtained outside Thailand.

Double Entry

The validity of this visa is 4 months from the date of issue and allows a visitor to enter Thailand for one period of up to 59 days after which time they must leave the country. They can then re-enter for a further stay of up to 59 days. On expiry of the second stay they must depart and cannot return without a new visa which can only be obtained outside Thailand.

c) Triple Entry

Same principle as for Double Entry except that it allows for up to three visits within a period of six months.

d) Quadruple Entry (maximum)

Same principle as for Double Entry except that it allows for up to four visits within a period of eight months

??? Like so many things in Thailand it seems that there is no definitive answer to my problem. The Thai Consulate in Birmingham has stamped my 3 entry TR visa as valid until 26 March 2004 but the above information from The Thai Consulate in Hull would seem to confirm that the date is not correct. The information from the Hull website also conflicts with the information provided by george and dr_pat_pong,  So I suppose I will have to wait and see what happens when I try to utilise the last entry. I will use the Nong Khai/ Lao crossing and if the worst comes to the worst  and my TR is invalid I should be able to receive a 30 day 'on arrival' stamp and sort things out when I retun to UK.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A CONFIRMED OUTBOUND AIRTICKET WITHIN 30 DAYS....maybe the consulate info is wrong ..you have been told