American Plans To Stay For 45 Days

[Chingatchgook]

American plans to stay for 45 days. Has a plane ticket in and out. What's cheapest, smartest way to go?

VOA and extend ?

Do I have to do a border run? Its not really convenient for me to to get a 60 day visa in advance but I could get one if I have to.

Use to live in Thailand b-4 but was always on a Non O and WP.

With a Thai wife and kid travelling w /me any chance of getting comped in?

Cheers,

[Tim207]

American plans to stay for 45 days. Has a plane ticket in and out. What's cheapest, smartest way to go?

VOA and extend ?

Do I have to do a border run? Its not really convenient for me to to get a 60 day visa in advance but I could get one if I have to.

Use to live in Thailand b-4 but was always on a Non O and WP.

With a Thai wife and kid travelling w /me any chance of getting comped in?

Cheers,

You are going to need to get a tourist visa, do a border run, or extend your VOA and pay overstay fee for the additional day(s). All relatively equal in cost (although I am not sure about VOA extention) so it is more a question of what is most convenient for you. If you have the time to get one, a tourist visa will allow you to avoid a border run that could waste a whole day for you. If popping over to the border is not an inconvenience for you then I would do that.

[ubonjoe]

You could enter on 30 day visa exempt entry (it's not a VOA) and then go to immigration and apply for a 60 day extension to visit your wife. Providing she has her house book, ID card and and your marriage certificate (cost 1900 baht).

See page 11 clause 7.23 of police order.

Link to police order: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

If not then a tourist visa is best. You can do mail in applications to any Thai consulate in ths states ($35).

An overstay is 500 baht per day so I don't think you would want to go that route plus you would be in the country illegaly after your entry expires.

[Lite Beer]

Yes. The overstay option is not a good idea.

[Tim207]

Yes. The overstay option is not a good idea.

I mentioned overstay in the context of 30 day on arrival + extention being a little short of 45 days. I am not sure about how long they extend the 30 day but if it is 2 weeks that is only a 1 day over stay. I agree a week over stay would not be wise but one day is not very risky.

As for ubonjoe, must we be so pedantic? I doubt the OP cares if the legal term is VOA, entry permit, permission to stay, or anything else. I used the same term he did so that it was clear we were talking about the same thing. That is effective communication. I knew what he was talking about and saw no need to possibly confuse him by using different terms than he was familiar with.

[Lite Beer]

Yes. The overstay option is not a good idea.

I mentioned overstay in the context of 30 day on arrival + extention being a little short of 45 days. I am not sure about how long they extend the 30 day but if it is 2 weeks that is only a 1 day over stay. I agree a week over stay would not be wise but one day is not very risky.

As for ubonjoe, must we be so pedantic? I doubt the OP cares if the legal term is VOA, entry permit, permission to stay, or anything else. I used the same term he did so that it was clear we were talking about the same thing. That is effective communication. I knew what he was talking about and saw no need to possibly confuse him by using different terms than he was familiar with.

A VOA is only available to certain Nationals , costs 1,000 Baht and gives a stay of 15 days.

A Visa exempt is free and gives 30 days. They really are not the same and lead to a lot of confusion so we try to explain this all the time.

If he arrives on a 30 day stamp the most he could hope for would be 7 days extension.

[Mario2008]

A VOA is something different. In the end calling a visa exempt entry a VOA is confusing. Not in the least because when OP will arrive at the airport he will see signs for where to go to apply for a VOA. That will send him in the wrong directions, as he is a US national and has to go to the normal immigration counters.

[Tod Daniels]

Its not really convenient for me to to get a 60 day visa in advance. .. ...

It's not convenient for you, <deleted>?

Nearly EVERY Honorary Thai Consulate in the United States will issue a 60 day tourist visa within a day of receiving the application, some on the same day.

If you pre-pay the FedEx to / from the Consulate; you could have your passport back in less than 4 days.

Oh the terrible inconvenience of it all...

[Chingatchgook]

Thanks for the replies maybe I sould have said visa waiver or visa exempt, anyway, I'm not in the US, by mail is not allowed and I would have would have travel some distance to apply in person.

I have already adjusted my plane ticket and it is open. I can extend my flight later at no charge assuming the plane has seats.

Right now I have to work and where I have to travel to in order to apply for a real visa is not so close.

Once I'm n Thailand can I just take trip to a nearby country like Lao and get another visa waiver when I reenter?

I am on vacation at that point so I'm cool with visiting another country with my family.

[Guest madcow]

Thanks for the replies maybe I sould have said visa waiver or visa exempt, anyway, I'm not in the US, by mail is not allowed and I would have would have travel some distance to apply in person.

I have already adjusted my plane ticket and it is open. I can extend my flight later at no charge assuming the plane has seats.

Right now I have to work and where I have to travel to in order to apply for a real visa is not so close.

Once I'm n Thailand can I just take trip to a nearby country like Lao and get another visa waiver when I reenter?

I am on vacation at that point so I'm cool with visiting another country with my family.

You will get a 30 day visa on arrival , go out of Thailand before the 30 days are up and come back in ( Same day if you wish ) and you will get another 30 days

[Chingatchgook]

Great sounds like I'll be good to go then!

[chaamguy]

A friend of mine was over earlier this year with his Thai wife and child. He was going to do a visa run but, I told him to go to the Immigration office in Huahin and see if he could get a 60 day extension for visiting family and friends. All they wanted was the childs birth certificate, 1,900 baht and he got the extension.

[Lite Beer]

You will get a 30 day visa on arrival , go out of Thailand before the 30 days are up and come back in ( Same day if you wish ) and you will get another 30 days

Visa Exempt Stamp.

A Visa On Arrival is a totally different animal.

[jdinasia]

With no Visa and a ticket dated to leave over 30 days after your arrival you MAY get denied boarding by the airline.

[Lite Beer]

A friend of mine was over earlier this year with his Thai wife and child. He was going to do a visa run but, I told him to go to the Immigration office in Huahin and see if he could get a 60 day extension for visiting family and friends. All they wanted was the childs birth certificate, 1,900 baht and he got the extension.

Yep. A one off 60 day extension to visit your Thai Wife or Child.

[thaihome]

With no Visa and a ticket dated to leave over 30 days after your arrival you MAY get denied boarding by the airline.

That is certainly true if departing from an Asian country to Thailand. They check for visa very carefully at check-in counter.

TH

[ubonjoe]

Thanks for the replies maybe I sould have said visa waiver or visa exempt, anyway, I'm not in the US, by mail is not allowed and I would have would have travel some distance to apply in person.

I have already adjusted my plane ticket and it is open. I can extend my flight later at no charge assuming the plane has seats.

Right now I have to work and where I have to travel to in order to apply for a real visa is not so close.

Once I'm n Thailand can I just take trip to a nearby country like Lao and get another visa waiver when I reenter?

I am on vacation at that point so I'm cool with visiting another country with my family.

Don't forget the 60 day extension option I mentioned in my earlier post. It's easy to get. Best though to do it soon after arriving since some immigration offices might invoke the 21 day remaining on visa rule.

If you are going to keep coming and going you might think about a trip to Penang or KL they both will issue a one year multiple entry O since you are married to a Thai.

[Lite Beer]

Don't forget the 60 day extension option I mentioned in my earlier post. It's easy to get. Best though to do it soon after arriving since some immigration offices might invoke the 21 day remaining on visa rule.

The 21 day rule is only used when converting to A Non O Visa as part of the process for an annual extension.

Not for an Extension of stay.

[ubonjoe]

Then why did we have a member report getting one yesterday just to stay longer on a visa exempt entry?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Immigration-...ao-t220703.html

[Lite Beer]

Then why did we have a member report getting one yesterday just to stay longer on a visa exempt entry?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Immigration-...ao-t220703.html

I cannot see any reference to the 21 day rule in the thread you provided.

[Mario2008]

I agree with Lite Beer, no need to have 21 days left on your visa exempt entry or tourist visa. The 21 day rule only applies to convertion to a non-immigrant visa. Not for an extension of stay to visit wife or kids. I don't think this is a conversion, but rather a one time extension of stay on special grounds.

[Chingatchgook]

I appreciate the help and pointers from everyone.

I have already reset my ticket for a shorter stay and I can extend it later after I know for sure I can stay longer.

Going to immigration in Hua Hin and getting the extension sounds easy. I have been there before but that what when is was still in the police station.

[chaamguy]

Hua-hin immigration is not hard to find.Leave town towards Pranburi, head for the U-Turn at Ko Tha Kiap

( chopstick mountain ) come back into town and turn left at soi 102, it's signposted all the way, a <deleted> road I may add!

Good luck.

PS. Mention my name, they'll be cowering in their shiny boots!

[cushendall]

American plans to stay for 45 days. Has a plane ticket in and out. What's cheapest, smartest way to go?

VOA and extend ?

Do I have to do a border run? Its not really convenient for me to to get a 60 day visa in advance but I could get one if I have to.

Use to live in Thailand b-4 but was always on a Non O and WP.

With a Thai wife and kid travelling w /me any chance of getting comped in?

Cheers,

You are going to need to get a tourist visa, do a border run, or extend your VOA and pay overstay fee for the additional day(s). All relatively equal in cost (although I am not sure about VOA extention) so it is more a question of what is most convenient for you. If you have the time to get one, a tourist visa will allow you to avoid a border run that could waste a whole day for you. If popping over to the border is not an inconvenience for you then I would do that.

If you have a thai wife and you enter thailand on a 30 day tourist visa, you will be able to get a 60 day visa extention at immagration in korat, 1,900 bhat. I dont know about anywhere else in thailand, i got one on the 14 of october,2008.

[Maestro]

Yes, this is a standard 60-day extension available at any immigration office to a foreigner visiting a Thai spouse or child, regardless whether entry into Thailand was without a visa or with any type of visa.

--

Maestro

[RJJ]

With no Visa and a ticket dated to leave over 30 days after your arrival you MAY get denied boarding by the airline.

That is certainly true if departing from an Asian country to Thailand. They check for visa very carefully at check-in counter.

TH

Traveling from Australia in the last few years, they have checked my return date carefully and even once on the calendar to ensure I wasn't over 30 days.

That is twice on QANTAS and twice on JetStar.

If the flights aren't full, I would set the return date under 30 days to ensure successful departure bound for Thailand.

Alter your flight and do what ever you like after that.