Free Tourist Visas Between June 25, 2009 And March 2010

[Tonyzill]

Wow a free tourist visa, while Thailand remains the hardest country in the world to immigrate to. They need to make it easier to get long term visas. Im 27 and want to stay in Thailand for a year or 2 years. Everything is so cloudy with these requirements to get extensions every 3 months etc. while I can go to Malaysia for 6 months without a visa and only 30 days in Thailand without one. Theres lots of people like me, who could care less about spending money on a visa, as long as the visa lasts long enough to where we wont have to worry about getting extensions for awhile.

Get a 1 year Non immigrant O visas

[Lite Beer]

Without having to read all the pages, can anyone tell me if the "free" period ends on the last day of March, or earlier?

Thanks.

March 4th.

[thaiphoon]

as there are very few tourist who do a single entry to stay more than a month.

I think you would be very surprised , Vientiane issues double entry tourist visa for free.

Edited August 16, 2009 by thaiphoon

[thaibeachlovers]

Without having to read all the pages, can anyone tell me if the "free" period ends on the last day of March, or earlier?

Thanks.

March 4th.

Thanks.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Without having to read all the pages, can anyone tell me if the "free" period ends on the last day of March, or earlier?

Thanks.

Ends on 04 March 2010

[MrHammer]

What puzzles me is why the Thai government cannot treat all nationals the same. Why make it so difficult for some nationals to visit the country?

Cause Thailand don't want their country overrun by Nigerians criminals.

[astral]

Yea, what you're saying is, visa is not a permission to enter and stay.

That is correct.

You can have a valid visa in your passport, and still be refused entry,

for example, if you are on the immigration black list.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Yea, what you're saying is, visa is not a permission to enter and stay.

That is correct.

You can have a valid visa in your passport, and still be refused entry,

for example, if you are on the immigration black list.

The average blacklisted punter would have a bit of an idea he was on a blacklist.

[tropo]

Yea, what you're saying is, visa is not a permission to enter and stay.

That is correct.

You can have a valid visa in your passport, and still be refused entry,

for example, if you are on the immigration black list.

You would think that a computer database could be made available to all consulates so that visas would not be issued to blacklisted applicants in the first place.

Asking too much?

[thaiphoon]

Ahh, but this is Thailand. There may be data protection issues/implications in hooking in the honorary consulates, which are privately run, given the sensitivity of information.

[tropo]

Yea, what you're saying is, visa is not a permission to enter and stay.

That is correct.

You can have a valid visa in your passport, and still be refused entry,

for example, if you are on the immigration black list.

You would think that a computer database could be made available to all consulates so that visas would not be issued to blacklisted applicants in the first place.

Asking too much?

Ahh, but this is Thailand. There may be data protection issues/implications in hooking in the honorary consulates, which are privately run, given the sensitivity of information.

Yes, good point!

[astral]

What puzzles me is why the Thai government cannot treat all nationals the same. Why make it so difficult for some nationals to visit the country?

It is often a matter of reciprocity that dictates the policy.

Mind you the UK is tough on all visitors, and Thailand is quite easy on Brits.

Perhaps they want the tourist's money??

[postlaserdisc]

Note: The Thai Consulate in Penang, Malaysia is not issuing Free 60 day Tourist Visas to anyone who has already had a free one before!

[thaiphoon]

Note: The Thai Consulate in Penang, Malaysia is not issuing Free 60 day Tourist Visas to anyone who has already had a free one before!

What is the source of this information? My understanding was that the consulate was refusing tourist visas to people who already had an extension.

[tropo]

Note: The Thai Consulate in Penang, Malaysia is not issuing Free 60 day Tourist Visas to anyone who has already had a free one before!

What is the source of this information? My understanding was that the consulate was refusing tourist visas to people who already had an extension.

You're welcome to be a gunea pig and try, but I wouldn't go to Penang for a tourist visa if I had any other recent ones (from this year) in my passport with or without extensions.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Yea, what you're saying is, visa is not a permission to enter and stay.

That is correct.

You can have a valid visa in your passport, and still be refused entry,

for example, if you are on the immigration black list.

You would think that a computer database could be made available to all consulates so that visas would not be issued to blacklisted applicants in the first place.

Asking too much?

Ahh, but this is Thailand. There may be data protection issues/implications in hooking in the honorary consulates, which are privately run, given the sensitivity of information.

The honoraries have the black lists.

[lopburi3]

Note: The Thai Consulate in Penang, Malaysia is not issuing Free 60 day Tourist Visas to anyone who has already had a free one before!

What is the source of this information? My understanding was that the consulate was refusing tourist visas to people who already had an extension.

You're welcome to be a gunea pig and try, but I wouldn't go to Penang for a tourist visa if I had any other recent ones (from this year) in my passport with or without extensions.

The question is valid - what is the source. We have no other such report.

[hijiji]

I recieved a free 60 day tourist visa in Australia. If I extend this visa for 30 days, do I have to pay the extension fee (around 2000 baht from memory)?

If I go to the embassy in Laos or Cambodia, and apply for another 60 day tourist visa, will I have to pay a fee?

Thanks.

[thaiphoon]

Extending tourist visa by 30 days at Thai immigration will cost 1900 baht

Vientiane is still issuing free double entry tourist visas, but you may care to look at the attached thread regarding recent clampdown on back to back tourist visas at Vientiane

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Red-Warning-...ne-t300805.html

[beechguy]

I recieved a free 60 day tourist visa in Australia. If I extend this visa for 30 days, do I have to pay the extension fee (around 2000 baht from memory)?

If I go to the embassy in Laos or Cambodia, and apply for another 60 day tourist visa, will I have to pay a fee?

Thanks.

Extension fee is 1900 Baht, a new Tourist Visa will be free, and you may be able to obtain a double Tourist Visa in Laos.

(Didn't see that you were replying Thaiphoon)

Edited October 1, 2009 by beechguy

[hijiji]

I recieved a free 60 day tourist visa in Australia. If I extend this visa for 30 days, do I have to pay the extension fee (around 2000 baht from memory)?

If I go to the embassy in Laos or Cambodia, and apply for another 60 day tourist visa, will I have to pay a fee?

Thanks.

Extension fee is 1900 Baht, a new Tourist Visa will be free, and you may be able to obtain a double Tourist Visa in Laos.

(Didn't see that you were replying Thaiphoon)

Is Vientene the only place in Laos I can apply for the tourist Visa? As I will be in Ubon around the time.

Will just take my chances with a free double entry I think as this will work out better with timing for my return home.

[Lite Beer]

Vientienne is probably the only place in Asia you will get a double entry.

[LuckyLew]

Can someone please tell how long it takes the Thai Embassy

to issue a 60 day tourist visa in Vientian, Laos?

Same day?

24 hours?

2 days?

Thanks

LL

[Mario2008]

You pick up the next working day.

[LuckyLew]

Thanks

LL

[LuckyLew]

I am heading up to Ventiane Laos Monday for a free tourist visa

Anyone been up there recently?

Is it still very busy in the morning?

Would it be better to head there for 1pm

and hand in passport then pick it up the next day?

Anyone know if I hand it in in the afternoon, is it

still next morning pick up?

Thanks

[lopburi3]

They only accept in morning - and if too many received they stop early. Have seen reports of being lighter than before but also others that still very busy - different days/views I guess; but you will not be alone.

[thaiphoon]

Can currently obtain double entry tourist visa for free at Vientiane. With extensions, and border run in the middle, that would give you nearly 6 months stay if required. Apply morning Day 1 and collect afternoon Day 2.

[dangman]

well, i am one guy who is very happy about this extension to free two-month visas.

i utilised this twice last year, and will be able to do the same this year..

i hope it extends past march!

it would be nice to get a 60 day on arrival, or even 90 days like singapore or malaysia..

but i'll take this..

doing border runs for 30 days was tiring enough.. but for 15 days.. grr!

not everyone works the same. not everyone works all year then gets one month off at the end of the year.

many people work in shifts through the year, or run their own businesses..

giving them more flexible times.

and there are people on pensions and people who have investments (and not just over-50s) and who don't need yearly visas.

me, i like to work for three or four months at home (australia) and go to thailand for two or three months.

i could work more and have more money..

but free time is so much more valuable than money.

we don't get to live til 1000 years old!

so when coming to thai, i can either get a 90 visa beforehand (pang!)..

or fly into thailand and then do one border run after 30 days, and get a 60 days (i'm doing that this year)

or what i did last year, fly into malaysia, stay a week or two, and enter thailand with a 60 day

in previous years, a couple of border crossings.. just tiring..

last year i got a free 60 day from KL, and then later in the year one from penang.

if they are not giving them to people who have already had a free one,

it is either a new policy, or the free one before must've been from penang as well.

anyway, i'm not the only one who really enjoys this discount.

when they brought in the 15 day land crossing rule,

i was seriously considering spending more time in malaysia..

even though i enjoy thailand more!

getting a 90 day stay when entering malaysia is a nice peace of mind..

luckily, the free two-month visa was brought in.. made my day

this trip.. actually just a week away.. i'll be going into laos for the first time,

as i'm exploring the north of thailand for the first time..

and asking for a 60 day in vientiane.

i probably won't need it, but if they're giving double entries for free,

then fantastic! i may as well take it.. maybe i can pop into laos again, or visit cambodia.

the thousand and something baht saved on the visa pays for a plane ticket.

[rroland]

Without having to read all the pages, can anyone tell me if the "free" period ends on the last day of March, or earlier?

Thanks.

March 4th.

Still on March 4th? Or they have extended the date?

Thanks in advance for the info.