New Visa, When I Still Have Valid Visa.

[javel]

Hello

I'm stuck with a problem I can't find an answer to in this forum.

I’m younger than 50, so I need to solve an 8 month stay in Thailand with tourist visas.

This is normally not a problem, since I travel a lot.

My next trip is split up in these 4 - 60 days tourist visas.

Entry Thailand - 1. tourist visa.

Kuala Lumpur - 2. tourist visa.

overland Malaysia - 3. tourist visa.

Phnom Penh - 4. tourist visa.

Exit Thailand.

I can apply for visa in all these places except for my short overland trip to Malaysia.

I thought I had the following solutions to the visa's:

1) triple entry from "home" and single entry from Phnom Penh (= 6+2 months or 4 x 60 days)

2) single entry from "home", double entry from Kuala Lumpur, and single entry from Phnom Penh (= 2+4+2 months or 4 x 60 days)

Then I was informed about my problems:

- I can get a triple entry tourist visa in my home country, but only with a 3 months validity. Since I need to "stretch" the visas close to 60 days, my 3.rd entry will not be valid within the 3 months.

- I could solve this with a single entry from my home country, and then a double entry from Kuala Lumpur, and then a single entry from Phnom Pehn. The problem with this is that thaivisa.com reports that I can't get a double entry tourist visa in Kuala Lumpur.

Without changing my planned trip, I have the question if this could be a solution?

Double entry from my home country, and then a single entry from Kuala Lumpur, and then a single entry from Phnom Pehn.

If I do it like this, I will have an unused visa (entry) from my home country in my passport when I apply for the visa in Kuala Lumpur.

Will they give me a new visa, when I still have a valid entry unused in the passport?

And if they give me the visa, will I be able to control that the border control use my "home country visa" with short validity first?

To me this is a tricky question, but I have seen a lot of knowledge in replies on this website.

I hope that my question is understandable.

Ys

J!!!

[ubonjoe]

I could help you better if told me how long you plan on staying in Thailand each time you enter Thailand and then outside Thailand.

You could get re-entry permits at immigration for your visa entries that would solve your problem. For example with one entry you get 60 days then leave using a re-entry permit to enter when you come back. A re-entry permit would keep your entry valid but not extend your permit to stay. Also you can extend each entry for 30 days at immigration. With exensions a 2 entry visa will give you almost 6 months total even with a 90 day validity as long as you use the 2nd entry just before it expires. After that you could get a single entry to finish your trip.

Are you sure you only get a 90 day validity on a 3 entry from your home country most embassies give 6 months other than some of the nearby ones. You should check with the embassy about thiis.

[javel]

I could help you better if told me how long you plan on staying in Thailand each time you enter Thailand and then outside Thailand.

You could get re-entry permits at immigration for your visa entries that would solve your problem. For example with one entry you get 60 days then leave using a re-entry permit to enter when you come back. A re-entry permit would keep your entry valid but not extend your permit to stay. Also you can extend each entry for 30 days at immigration. With exensions a 2 entry visa will give you almost 6 months total even with a 90 day validity as long as you use the 2nd entry just before it expires. After that you could get a single entry to finish your trip.

Are you sure you only get a 90 day validity on a 3 entry from your home country most embassies give 6 months other than some of the nearby ones. You should check with the embassy about thiis.

Thanks for your answer.

I have already made the bookings (AirAsia tickets for "free" special, just pay fees).

This means my almost 8 months stay is 60 + 60 + 60 + 60 days.

Because of this, the re-entry, or immigration extension is not the solution, unless I have to change my travelling plans.

You made a good point about checking with the embassy about the 6 months validity.

In our capital we have both an embassy and a consulate. I always use the consulate because this is run by a lady aged about 70.

She has an extremely high service level (same day service if needed), but she is also an "old trooper" very careful about breaking the rules.

I had a 20 minutes talk with her, but I will follow your suggestion to contact the embassy. They might be more "liberal" with giving the 6 months validity.

This could be a solution.

J!!!

[ubonjoe]

Even consulates normally give 6 months on a visa with more than one entry. That rule is shown on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. But the nearby consulates that issue 2 entry visas only give 90 days validity.

[javel]

Even consulates normally give 6 months on a visa with more than one entry. That rule is shown on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. But the nearby consulates that issue 2 entry visas only give 90 days validity.

The General information pages states the following text:

7. Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the period of stay. Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand. In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months, but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years. The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa sticker.

Under Tourist Visa I find the following text:

4. VALIDITY OF A VISA

The validity of a visa is 3 months or 6 months.

The way I read this is that generally the validity of the visa is 3 month, but in some cases they can on their own discression issue with a validity for 6 months. A tourist visa can not be issued with a 1 or 3 year validity. This is also how the consul described it, but she stated that a 6 month validity for a tourist visa would only be given in very special cases.

.... but as I said before, I will check this with the embassy, I hope you are right.

J!!!

[Lite Beer]

From Norway you should get a 6 month Validity.

[lopburi3]

What it means is that single entry are normally 3 month validity - if you obtain more than a single entry they have the option to make the validity period longer, and normally do.

[javel]

Thanks guys

I talked with the embassy. For a triple entry they would issue it with a 6 months validity. No problem.

(This did not worry them at all, but they were very eager to tell that I could not get this before June 6th. This thing with free tourist visas is obviously not something the embassies likes. And even worse for the consulates that actually lives of the visa fees.)

J!!!