12 Month Non-immigrant Visa

[fuzzy]

Thanks for the useful info on this site.

I am somewhat confused by the following para that I found in a post on visas. I've bolded the parts I find contradicting.

12 month validity, multi entry non-immigrant visa: pre-obtained at a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate (usually) in your home country and will result in the holder obtaining a 90 day 'permission to stay' stamp upon entry. Each time the holder enters the Kingdom whilst the visa is valid, he/she will obtain a further 90 day 'permission to stay stamp'. Such visas can be issued for students/work/family etc. but normally require supporting documentation. This visa can also be extended up to one year for specific reasons and with the required documentation (see 12 month extensions).

If the visa has 12 months validity, why do you need a 90 day permission to stay stamp upon each entry? techincally, you have permission to stay for longer than 90 days - depending on how long you have left on your 12 months, at the time of entry.

Sorry if I sound like an idiot!

One more question - is it possible to be granted a multi-entry non-immigrant visa that does not take effect until a particular date? eg- I could be granted the visa next week but don't need it until early next year and I don't want to 'waste' any of the validity period.

Thanks for your time.

[digitalchromakey]

I am somewhat confused by the following para that I found in a post on visas. I've bolded the parts I find contradicting.

12 month validity, multi entry non-immigrant visa: pre-obtained at a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate (usually) in your home country and will result in the holder obtaining a 90 day 'permission to stay' stamp upon entry. Each time the holder enters the Kingdom whilst the visa is valid, he/she will obtain a further 90 day 'permission to stay stamp'. Such visas can be issued for students/work/family etc. but normally require supporting documentation. This visa can also be extended up to one year for specific reasons and with the required documentation (see 12 month extensions).

If the visa has 12 months validity, why do you need a 90 day permission to stay stamp upon each entry? techincally, you have permission to stay for longer than 90 days - depending on how long you have left on your 12 months, at the time of entry.

One more question - is it possible to be granted a multi-entry non-immigrant visa that does not take effect until a particular date? eg- I could be granted the visa next week but don't need it until early next year and I don't want to 'waste' any of the validity period.

The visa is valid for entry for one year, but you never get more than a 90 day entry stamp, unless you have non immigrant 'OA' - which is a retirement visa.

No you cannot get a deferred non immigrant visa - better you wait to apply until just before you come to Thailand.

[Mario2008]

A visa is a permit to ask to be allowed to enter. It is not a permission to enter. The permission to enter you get from the immigration officer at the border, or not.

Regarding your second question, a multiple visa starts on the day of issue. Always just apply as late as possible.

[ubonjoe]

A multiple entry non immigrant visa is valid for one year and you are allowed to enter and remain in the country for a period of no longer than 90 days. It is not a one year visa it is only valid for one year.

You cannot get a visa with a later date. It normally only requires a couple of days to get a visa so you only need to apply a few days before your departure date.

[Mario2008]

A multiple entry non immigrant visa is valid for one year and you are allowed to enter and remain in the country for a period of no longer than 90 days. It is not a one year visa it is only valid for one year.

You cannot get a visa with a later date. It normally only requires a couple of days to get a visa so you only need to apply a few days before your departure date.

You confuse a visa with a permission to enter, which in this case is not helping Op to understand his question. The visa and permission to stay are 2 separete things.

As said a visa is a permit to ask for permission to enter. Nothing more. A multiple visa will say that you can use the visa to ask to enter Thailand as many time as you like within a year.

If you get permission to enter, from the immirgation officer at the border, he will give permisison for 90 days.

[ubonjoe]

You have confused me.

I think I answered the OP's question quite clearly.

[unomi]

re pete

[Mario2008]

You are right. It is this sentencethat confused me:

"A multiple entry non immigrant visa is valid for one year and you are allowed to enter and remain in the country for a period of no longer than 90 days"

[Maestro]

fuzzy, I suggest that for a start you read the information on this web page of the immigration bureau:

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/conte...axpiredate.html

It seems that you have never seen a multiple-entry non-immigrant visa yet. Different consulates may use different texts but this is more or less what it says on the visa in the case of a non-O visa:

NON-IMMIGRANT VISA

No. ... Fee ...

Classification “O”

Good for “MULTIPLE” journey(s) to

Thailand. This visa must be utilized

before ...

if passport remains valid.

Issued on ...

To sum it up, the visa (obtained from a consulate) allows you to travel to Thailand, the entry stamp (put in your passport by an immigration officer at the point of arrival) gives you permission to enter and stay in Thailand.

--

Maestro

[fuzzy]

A multiple entry non immigrant visa is valid for one year and you are allowed to enter and remain in the country for a period of no longer than 90 days. It is not a one year visa it is only valid for one year.

You cannot get a visa with a later date. It normally only requires a couple of days to get a visa so you only need to apply a few days before your departure date.

Thanks everyone for the info.

I was confused as it is so different to my own country's immigration system, where the validity period of a visa itself determines how long you can stay.

My dilemma is that I need a non-immigrant visa so I can start work in Thailand next year, but will be travelling around Asia beforehand for about 7 weeks. I don't know that I'll be in any one country long enough to lodge an application for a visa and wait 2 days to get it. Is there any way i can enter Thailand as a tourist, on the basis of a visa free period of 30 days (which Thailand allows for my nationality) and then apply for my non-immigrant visa while in BKK and just stay on and start work when I'm granted my non-immigrant visa? Or have I completely lost the plot :-)

[bangkokboro]

Your 1 year visa will actually last you for 15 months minus a day or so just do a visa run 2 days before your year expires and they will grant you another 90 days on re- entering Thailand so if your only here a year get the Non B visa before your travels through Asia.

I read on another post that you were going to be employed by an Embassy ask if they will sort your visa and work permit for you.

[Mario2008]

Take your loss with the non-immigrant B if you want to travel to other countries first. Technicaly it is possible to arrive on a visa exempt entry of 30 days and convert our visa exempt in a non-B within the first 9 days. In practise it is much easier and allows you a lot more time to arrange everything if you apply for a non-B outside of Thailand.