30 Day Or 60 Day Visas ?

[altmtl]

Hi, this is my first post...

I'm a canadian citizen (will be on a tourist visa)

and I'm a little confused... I read that I will get 30 days in Thailand without visa when I arrive, but also can get stamped for 60 days?

The other issue being: I would arrive Oct. 30 (Aprox) which would mean my 60 day visa would expire on Dec. 30. An awkward time to be moving around due to holidays. I'll be on a beach right about then:)

My plan was to leave to Malaysia around after Jan. 5th - which would mean I would have to overstay my visa for 5 or 6 days which I don't want to do... is it possible to get a 15 day extension, in order to give me a bit of flexibility in case I decide to stay longer... I will most likely be near Ko Sumai or Phuket or Krabi during New Year's.

1900 baht seems to be the cost of a 30 day extension, but I don't need that long.

Would I really have to go back to Bangkok to get my extension?

If I left the country (overland) for a day in early Dec. would that give me an extra 30 days?

Does going to Kawthaung as a one day visitor affect your length...

Thanks for your help

Jim

[dwalker]

I'm a canadian citizen ... read that I will get 30 days in Thailand without visa when I arrive, but also can get stamped for 60 days? I would arrive [about] Oct. 30 ... plan was to leave to Malaysia around ... Jan. 5th

Assuming you arrive via airplane you would get a 30 day Visa Exemption - until Nov 28 (Oct 30 is day 1 ... Nov 28 is day 30).

You cannot get 60 days on arrival - only by applying for a Tourist Visa thru the Thai embassy in Ottawa or at 1 of the 6 consulates. The fee for 60 days is $35.

This would enable you to stay until December 28. At that time you'll have 3 choices:

a. Go to the nearest Thai Immigration office and pay 1900Bt for a 30 day extension (no discount for leaving early).

b. Travel to the Malaysia border (hourly buses from Hat Yai), cross and come back - you will get a 15 day Visa Exemption good until December 11 (entering Thailand by land only gets you half the amount of arriving by air).

c. Exit Thailand for Malaysia.

-dwalker

[altmtl]

I'm a canadian citizen ... read that I will get 30 days in Thailand without visa when I arrive, but also can get stamped for 60 days? I would arrive [about] Oct. 30 ... plan was to leave to Malaysia around ... Jan. 5th

Assuming you arrive via airplane you would get a 30 day Visa Exemption - until Nov 28 (Oct 30 is day 1 ... Nov 28 is day 30).

You cannot get 60 days on arrival - only by applying for a Tourist Visa thru the Thai embassy in Ottawa or at 1 of the 6 consulates. The fee for 60 days is $35.

This would enable you to stay until December 28. At that time you'll have 3 choices:

a. Go to the nearest Thai Immigration office and pay 1900Bt for a 30 day extension (no discount for leaving early).

b. Travel to the Malaysia border (hourly buses from Hat Yai), cross and come back - you will get a 15 day Visa Exemption good until December 11 (entering Thailand by land only gets you half the amount of arriving by air).

c. Exit Thailand for Malaysia.

-dwalker

What you say makes perfect sense. The problem remains Dec. 28th - not the best time to move seeing that it's holidays. If I left on the 28th of Nov. and came back, could I the extend my 15 day visa for another month at the immigration office near where I am around Dec. 11th? (I don't have to go to BK do I?)

Is there a fee for the 15 day Exemption.

Alternatively, I could also fly back to Thailand from Malaysia one way and get another 30 days.

thanks

[Maestro]

Look at it this way, altmtl: your five or six days’ overstay will cost you 500 Baht per day. You are better off paying 1,900 Baht for a 30-day extension of stay, even if you will use only a few days of it, and you will have no overstay stamp in your passport. So it’s a tourist visa before you leave Canada, then a 30-extension from any immigration office, it doesn’t have to be Bangkok. You don’t have to wait until the last day to apply for the extension but can do it earlier, at your convenience.

--

Maestro

[dwalker]

The problem remains Dec. 28th - not the best time to move seeing that it's holidays. If I left on the 28th of Nov. and came back, could I the extend my 15 day visa for another month at the immigration office near where I am around Dec. 11th? (I don't have to go to BK do I?) Is there a fee for the 15 day Exemption. Alternatively, I could also fly back to Thailand from Malaysia one way and get another 30 days.

First: The 30 days at airports and the 15 days at land ports are not visas ... they are visa exemptions. They are both free and may be extended for 7 days for 1900Bt.

Second: I am confused - you talk about leaving and returning on Nov 28th... I assume this means that you want to enter Thailand initially on a visa exemption instead of getting an actual visa before you leave Canada - a big mistake in my opinion. A Tourist Visa costs the equivalent of 1,000Bt for 60 days. Even considering registered/insured mailing costs if you can't get to a consulate in Canada, it's a lot cheaper and a lot less hassle than any other alternative.

A 4th option:

Get a dual entry visa for $70 (~2,000Bt) in Canada. This would leave you the flexibility of many dates when you could step over the Thai-Malaysia border from Hat Yai - the first visa would end then and the 2nd 60 days would begin. For example, if you wanted the option to stay in Thailand until Jan 15th, your border crossing could occur any time between Nov 17 and Dec 28 - you could avoid the high travel holiday times and schedule the trip to fit in with your other travelings around.

A 5th option:

You can fly round trip Phuket - Kuala Lumpur - Phuket for about $70-80USD. Thus you could fly out of Phuket on Nov 28, spend at least 9 days in Malaysia, fly back on Dec 7 and stay in Thailand until Jan 5. Malaysia gives a free 90 day Visa on arrival, and both your Thai 30 day airport Visa Exemptions would be free.

Happy ponderings ... dwalker

[dwalker]

Two more things -

1. With Thailand being a Buddhist country, there is no Christmas Holiday, tho Thurs Dec 31 is a National Holiday and some people will take the whole week off - nonetheless there won't be any big holiday travel congestion on Dec 28.

2. There are nearly 100 Thai immigration offices around the country where you can get your 30 day extension. If you search this forum for Strict changes in Immigration office areas/locations from February 15, go to the 1st post and click on the 4th pdf at the bottom of the post, you will see a list of the offices in the South of Thailand.

dwalker

[Lite Beer]

You may not be allowed on the flight without a Visa as your return ticket is more than 30 days after arrival.

As said you have to get a Visa.

Phuket and Samui have Immigration Offices. No problem getting an Extension.

[altmtl]

Thanks for all your comments... the dual entry visa for $70 from Canada sounds like a good option. But it still means i have to leave - oh well:)

"A 5th option:

You can fly round trip Phuket - Kuala Lumpur - Phuket for about $70-80USD. Thus you could fly out of Phuket on Nov 28, spend at least 9 days in Malaysia, fly back on Dec 7 and stay in Thailand until Jan 5. Malaysia gives a free 90 day Visa on arrival, and both your Thai 30 day airport Visa Exemptions would be free."

This sounds good as well

[ubonjoe]

If you don't want to leave the country and your stay is going to be less than 90 days you could get the 30 day extension and would only need a single entry visa. You can get the extension at any immigration office 2 or 3 weeks before your 60 day entry expires and allow you to stay until the end of January without leaving.

[dwalker]

You may not be allowed on the flight without a Visa as your return ticket is more than 30 days after arrival.

Also, some Canadian airlines have refused to allow boarding to passengers bound for Thailand without visas even tho immigration authorities have explained to them the visa exemption rule. Don't take the chance.

A 60 day tourist Visa plus a 30 day extension is your easiest no hassle choice.

[altmtl]

You may not be allowed on the flight without a Visa as your return ticket is more than 30 days after arrival.

Also, some Canadian airlines have refused to allow boarding to passengers bound for Thailand without visas even tho immigration authorities have explained to them the visa exemption rule. Don't take the chance.

A 60 day tourist Visa plus a 30 day extension is your easiest no hassle choice.

I've been to Thailand 2x before, but never stayed more than 30 days.

I never got a visa before leaving and it was never a problem.

My last trip was to India and to enter there, you do need a visa before you go.

Fortunately it's for good for 6 months.

[altmtl]

Sorry, I'll have to correct myself, I just checked my old passport and I did in fact have a double entry visa And I stayed 40 days my first trip. Sorry I forgot, it was in 2001. The second time didn't get one in advance.

I also found the website to the Thai consulate in Montreal which pretty much answers all the questions asked and contains some of the answers you have given.... I should of thought to check this before.

Looks like getting a double entry 60 day visa does make the most sense.

Thanks guys