Type O To Tourist Visa?

[Wossnext]

I had just finished typing out a long ass email about this problem when my awesome Smart Zone "Broadband " connection crashed and wiped it all Grrrrr!

So once again....please can some smart in the know person advise me on this little upcoming problem; I am here on a Type O sponsored by my missus, unfortunately a job I had hoped to get did not work out. We have decided to scrap it and move on to the UK but need a bit more time to get organised.

My Type O expires on the 12th February but our shipping only just arrived in Thailand yesterday! so that is at least a week before it gets sent out to our address, probably more. We intend to fly to Hanoi in a couple of weeks to visit a good friend of mine and was thinking that maybe we could get me a tourist visa to re-enter Thailand. I have tried to give as much info as possible to help you give me an accurate answer as possible:

1. 12 month permit is not an option, have had to use some of the 400,000 and cannot replace.

2. 7 day extension for 1900 baht is not enough time.

3. I have dual nationality NZ & UK, Type O is in UK passport.

4. Can I apply for a tourist visa to re-enter Thailand while my Type O is still valid? or must I fly out on Type O expiry date.

5. What is the processing time and the cost to get visa in Vietnam, and what docs are needed to apply.

6. Can I come back in under UK or NZ visa waver scheme and if so is it 30 days or has that now changed to 15 days?

7. I do not need multiple entry on return from Vietnam, single entry would be fine. I have not left the country since my first arrival.

Apologies if I should have posted this in a more appropriate forum. I usually get excellent responses from the Bangkok members so thought I should just stick it in here for the best most informative results

PS: I copied and pasted it this time!

[mjperry]

Sounds like just flying out to Vietnam to visit your friend and then getting a 30 day visa exemption on arrival I your easiest option, assuming that is enough time for you.

Martin

[Wossnext]

Sounds like just flying out to Vietnam to visit your friend and then getting a 30 day visa exemption on arrival I your easiest option, assuming that is enough time for you.

Martin

Yes 30 days is enough. So it's easy as that? it doesn't matter if my Type O is still valid in my passport.

[mjperry]

Just to check but you are on a 1 year extension based on marriage not just on a non-immigrant O multiple entry? Assuming you are here on the 1 year extension and don't have a valid re-entry permit that 1 year extension will be lost when you leave the country so you are free to come back in on a 30 day visa exemption with your UK passport

Martin

[Wossnext]

Just to check but you are on a 1 year extension based on marriage not just on a non-immigrant O multiple entry? Assuming you are here on the 1 year extension and don't have a valid re-entry permit that 1 year extension will be lost when you leave the country so you are free to come back in on a 30 day visa exemption with your UK passport

Martin

Hi Martin, No, I am not on a 1 year extension, I am only 8 weeks into my initial entry into the country, so in effect I have 90 days with no multiple entry opton. I will not be applying for the 1 year extension as I do not have the required amount in my bank anymore. So that said I am still ok to come back in on visa waiver from VN yes?

Ah! one key point I did not pick up on there....of course regardless of what type of visa I am here on if it is not multiple entry then it will expire on leaving the country anyway, so of course visa waiver "if eligible" will apply on entering again. Makes sense to me, other opinions always welcome though.

[mjperry]

Hi Martin, No, I am not on a 1 year extension, I am only 8 weeks into my initial entry into the country, so in effect I have 90 days with no multiple entry opton. I will not be applying for the 1 year extension as I do not have the required amount in my bank anymore. So that said I am still ok to come back in on visa waiver from VN yes?

You have just a single entry Non Immigrant O visa then? That being the case you have two options or a combination of the two if you wanted more time, you could apply at immigration for a 30 day extension which doesn't require showing any money, they get you to sign a document stating that next time you would have to show 400,000 I have done this myself recently at the new Chaeng Wattana, this means you can stay in the country without having to leave or you can just take that trip to visit your friend in Vietnam if you had that planned anyway, you 90 day permission to stay is lost when you leave the country and you re-enter on a 30 day visa exemption using your UK passport.

Martin

[Wossnext]

Hi Martin, No, I am not on a 1 year extension, I am only 8 weeks into my initial entry into the country, so in effect I have 90 days with no multiple entry opton. I will not be applying for the 1 year extension as I do not have the required amount in my bank anymore. So that said I am still ok to come back in on visa waiver from VN yes?

You have just a single entry Non Immigrant O visa then? That being the case you have two options or a combination of the two if you wanted more time, you could apply at immigration for a 30 day extension which doesn't require showing any money, they get you to sign a document stating that next time you would have to show 400,000 I have done this myself recently at the new Chaeng Wattana, this means you can stay in the country without having to leave or you can just take that trip to visit your friend in Vietnam if you had that planned anyway, you 90 day permission to stay is lost when you leave the country and you re-enter on a 30 day visa exemption using your UK passport.

Martin

Awesome, thanks for that. Now I can make my plans

[Wossnext]

Hi Martin, No, I am not on a 1 year extension, I am only 8 weeks into my initial entry into the country, so in effect I have 90 days with no multiple entry opton. I will not be applying for the 1 year extension as I do not have the required amount in my bank anymore. So that said I am still ok to come back in on visa waiver from VN yes?

You have just a single entry Non Immigrant O visa then? That being the case you have two options or a combination of the two if you wanted more time, you could apply at immigration for a 30 day extension which doesn't require showing any money, they get you to sign a document stating that next time you would have to show 400,000 I have done this myself recently at the new Chaeng Wattana, this means you can stay in the country without having to leave or you can just take that trip to visit your friend in Vietnam if you had that planned anyway, you 90 day permission to stay is lost when you leave the country and you re-enter on a 30 day visa exemption using your UK passport.

Martin

Martin, just a wee bit more if I may be so bold:

1. Is Chaeng Wattana in the Sukhumvit area?

2. I currently have a month left on my Non-O, is now an ok time to apply for a 30 day extension, if I do not go the VN route.

3. What docs do I need to apply for the 30 day extension, is there a fee and do they ask for an explanation why you want it. No problem if they do, just curious.

[Crossy]

If married to a Thai you can get a 60 day extension 'to visit your wife'.

All extensions cost 1900 Baht.

Chaeng Wattana is north of Bangkok, skytrain to Mo Chit then a taxi.

I'll move this to visas, you're likely to get better (more) responses there

[thaiphoon]

You have just a single entry Non Immigrant O visa then? That being the case you have two options or a combination of the two if you wanted more time, you could apply at immigration for a 30 day extension .....

You cannot get a 30 day extension on a Non-Immigrant visa. 7 days only with sight of ticket out of the country within that timescale.

You say 30 days will be enough extra time. If have Thai wife can obtain 60 day extension from immigration on basis of visiting (fee 1,900 baht) or re-enter the country by air and obtain 30 day visa exempt entry. As you plan to fly out to Hanoi anyway, the second option would seem to be the easiest.

[mca]

I'd like to point out that KK immi informed me that the 60 day extension is a 1 time only deal. You can't extend 60 days then another 60 then another 60 etc. Don't know if this holds true at other immi offices.

[monty]

I'd like to point out that KK immi informed me that the 60 day extension is a 1 time only deal. You can't extend 60 days then another 60 then another 60 etc. Don't know if this holds true at other immi offices.

correct.

However apparently it is one time per entry. So one could do the 60 day extension, then leave Thailand, re-enter on 15 days (land) or 30 days (air), and get another 60 days extension...

[Wossnext]

You have just a single entry Non Immigrant O visa then? That being the case you have two options or a combination of the two if you wanted more time, you could apply at immigration for a 30 day extension .....

You cannot get a 30 day extension on a Non-Immigrant visa. 7 days only with sight of ticket out of the country within that timescale.

You say 30 days will be enough extra time. If have Thai wife can obtain 60 day extension from immigration on basis of visiting (fee 1,900 baht) or re-enter the country by air and obtain 30 day visa exempt entry.

Hmmm that's interesting. To all reading this thread you do know that my wife and I moved here together from NZ and that we do live here together, surely you cannot get a visa extension to visit your wife when immigration already know you both live as husband and wife at the same address? I think a trip to see my mate in VN and back in under visa waiver will be the way to go as I only need a few weeks extra to get sorted. I suppose you need to show onward ticketing to Thai Immi when you fly back in do you?

[mca]

To all reading this thread you do know that my wife and I moved here together from NZ and that we do live here together, surely you cannot get a visa extension to visit your wife when immigration already know you both live as husband and wife at the same address?

It's fine. I've used it myself before (when I messed up my yearly extension-my bad) and I'd been living here with my wife 7 years at that time.

[Crossy]

Hmmm that's interesting. To all reading this thread you do know that my wife and I moved here together from NZ and that we do live here together, surely you cannot get a visa extension to visit your wife when immigration already know you both live as husband and wife at the same address? I think a trip to see my mate in VN and back in under visa waiver will be the way to go as I only need a few weeks extra to get sorted. I suppose you need to show onward ticketing to Thai Immi when you fly back in do you?

Yup, you can get 60 days to visit wife no problem (assuming she's Thai) you'll need to show her and your marriage documents

You will likely need to show the airline onward ticketing within 30 days when returning to Thailand if you don't have a visa, immigration themselves rarely bother.

[thaiphoon]

Hmmm that's interesting. To all reading this thread you do know that my wife and I moved here together from NZ and that we do live here together, surely you cannot get a visa extension to visit your wife when immigration already know you both live as husband and wife at the same address?

From Police Order 777/2551

2.24 In the case of an alien visiting a Thai spouse or child:

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 60 days at a time

[Wossnext]

Hmmm that's interesting. To all reading this thread you do know that my wife and I moved here together from NZ and that we do live here together, surely you cannot get a visa extension to visit your wife when immigration already know you both live as husband and wife at the same address?

From Police Order 777/2551

2.24 In the case of an alien visiting a Thai spouse or child:

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 60 days at a time

Well that seems pretty clear except the Type O I already have, does the 60 day visitation visa override that, I am assuming it does not go on top. That is not a rule I had ever heard of so that is great. A quick recap then...I need to go to an immigration office armed with wife, marriage documents, 1900 baht and verbally request or fill out a form? for a 60 day extension to visit with my wife? I am a detail man and always work within the rules so please give me any other info you think I will need to make it a one time successful visit. Oh yes, one more thing, If after getting the 60 days can I fly over to visit my mate in VN (with my wife) without invalidating my 60 day extension?

There will be more questions, there always is with me.......

[Crossy]

Immigration will have the forms, I think you need photos too (someone confirm please).

If you get an extension you will also need to get a re-entry permit to keep it alive if you leave the country, 1000Baht single, 3600 multi, you will need photos for that too.

NOTE You can NO LONGER get re-entry permits at BKK airport (for over a year now)

[thaiphoon]

You will need to visit Immigration with wife, taking with you marriage certificate, wife's ID card, tabbien bahn (house book), completed application form TM7, copies of passport pages/TM6 departure card + passport photo. Some offices are also asking for photos of you and wife around the house and map to house. Fee 1,900 baht.

As said, given plans to travel during the period of the extension, you will need to obtain re-entry permit to keep your new permission to stay alive. Need completed form TM8, passport, recent passport sized photo and fee (1,000 baht single entry; 3,800 multiple entry). Suggest you obtain from immigration at the same time as you apply for your 60 day extension.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/tm7.doc (print double sided on single sheet of A4 paper)

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/tm8.doc