I just got back from Laos, and noticed that my double entry tourist Visa is only valid for 3 months from the date of issue. My double entry tourist visa from Los Angeles was valid for 6 months. Is it normal for Laos only to make visa's valid for 3 months from date of issue?

I just got back from Laos, and noticed that my double entry tourist Visa is only valid for 3 months from the date of issue. My double entry tourist visa from Los Angeles was valid for 6 months. Is it normal for Laos only to make visa's valid for 3 months from date of issue?

valid for entry. Get your second entry stamped right before the end of the 3 months and with 2 entries and 2 extensions then its good for just under 6 months of time in Thailand.

I just got back from Laos, and noticed that my double entry tourist Visa is only valid for 3 months from the date of issue. My double entry tourist visa from Los Angeles was valid for 6 months. Is it normal for Laos only to make visa's valid for 3 months from date of issue?

valid for entry. Get your second entry stamped right before the end of the 3 months and with 2 entries and 2 extensions then its good for just under 6 months of time in Thailand.

exaCTLY

i spoke with the consul in vientiane about the double or triple tourist visas..

here is now the official answer i got from him;

yes it is valid for 3 months.. meaning if your first of the visas id up on, lets say the 27thj of september.. then your should exit about 2 or 3 days before the day and the next visa will be again 2 months with an extendible 28 days available on paying 2000 baht at immigration office.

i also asked him about that alleged possibility of aSKING FOR 3 TOURIST VISAS...

I GOT A GREAT ANSWER!

he said "you can buy 10 if you want"

so there you go you can buy 3 or 5 or 10 or 1 or 2 up to you!

I just got back from Laos, and noticed that my double entry tourist Visa is only valid for 3 months from the date of issue. My double entry tourist visa from Los Angeles was valid for 6 months. Is it normal for Laos only to make visa's valid for 3 months from date of issue?

Giving out tourist visas with 3 months validity is good for business as customers will return more often.

Could I have complained, and requested for it to be valid for 6 months? or would it have been a waste of time?

--matt

Could I have complained, and requested for it to be valid for 6 months? or would it have been a waste of time?

--matt

I think your missing the concept. It means you have 3 months to enter the country not 3 months to stay. So, if you were just making a visa run and returning right away it wouldn't matter if it said 3 months, 6 months, or even one month. When you enter you have 2 months in country and can extend that for another month at immigration for 2000 Baht. Before that extension expires, leave the country and reenter and you will have another 2 months stay and then can extend that for another month as before. You now have almost 6 months of stay. This information pertains to a "double entry" visitor's visa.

Your confusing time window to enter with time allowed to stay in Thailand.

I hope I explained that correctly but this is how I understand it.

Martian

MattFS218, yes, it is normal for the Thai consulate in Vientiane to make a double-entry tourist visa valid only for 90 days for travel to Thailand.

For another topic today I made this calculation of dates pertaining to the maximum use of a double-entry tourist visa from Vientiane.

--

Maestro

20080911_tourist_visa_calculation.pdf

MattFS218, yes, it is normal for the Thai consulate in Vientiane to make a double-entry tourist visa valid only for 90 days for travel to Thailand.

For another topic today I made this calculation of dates pertaining to the maximum use of a double-entry tourist visa from Vientiane.

--

Maestro

I knew there was something wrong in your calculations because in reality you end up losing a day.

The reason is that the visa is issued on the day you apply for it, but you pick it up the next day...therefore you cannot enter Thailand on the issue date.

Thanks. I wasn’t sure about that. I now attach the revised calculation for your review. Does this play out correctly?

--

Maestro

20080911_tourist_visa_calculation_2.pdf

Thanks. I wasn’t sure about that. I now attach the revised calculation for your review. Does this play out correctly?

--

Maestro

The issue date of the 1st 2x tourist visa is 11.09.2008, but the "admitted date" would be the next day - 12.09.2008. This would bring the first visa extension to 10.12.2008 but the visa must be ulized before 10.12.2008 - so this is where you lose a day.

Over the 2 tourist visas you lose 2 days. I'm not sure how many total days that is...356?

My Double Entry was issued on 8 September, and given to me on the afternoon of 9 September, with a Enter before on 7 Dec 2008. I entered thailand on 9 september, and was stamped into 7 Nov. A 30-day extension means I have until 7 Dec (there are 30 days in Nov). So I would loose 1 day, assuming I must enter on 6 Dec 2008 (to enter "before" 7 Dec 2008).

I wanted a 6-month validity because I wanted the choice to go on vacation for 3 months either back to the US or in Malaysia before using the second entry, now I guess I must use it or loose the 1,000baht (+ travel expenses, and time) visa.

--matt

The issue date of the 1st 2x tourist visa is 11.09.2008, but the "admitted date" would be the next day - 12.09.2008...

Back to the drawing board! Modified calculation attached. C3=A3+1, etc.

...This would bring the first visa extension to 10.12.2008 but the visa must be ulized before 10.12.2008 - so this is where you lose a day.

Over the 2 tourist visas you lose 2 days. I'm not sure how many total days that is...356?

This is the formula I had to use for C5: =IF(B3-1<E4,B3-1,E4). Analogous for C9.

It turns out that my first guess of a total of 360-4 days was correct after all. It was a nice exercise doing this spreadsheet with the help of your input.

--

Maestro

20080912_tourist_visa_calculation.pdf

The issue date of the 1st 2x tourist visa is 11.09.2008, but the "admitted date" would be the next day - 12.09.2008...

Back to the drawing board! Modified calculation attached. C3=A3+1, etc.

...This would bring the first visa extension to 10.12.2008 but the visa must be ulized before 10.12.2008 - so this is where you lose a day.

Over the 2 tourist visas you lose 2 days. I'm not sure how many total days that is...356?

This is the formula I had to use for C5: =IF(B3-1<E4,B3-1,E4). Analogous for C9.

It turns out that my first guess of a total of 360-4 days was correct after all. It was a nice exercise doing this spreadsheet with the help of your input.

--

Maestro

I don't have a clue about all that spreadsheet terminology, but it looks spot on now.