Tr Multiple Entry Visa Expiry Date

[aht]

On June 22, 2009 I was issued a TR 3 entry visa; each entry would be for 2 months. The visa says, 'This visa must be utilized before Jan 21, 2010'. I questioned this at the time because I was planning on being in Thailand for 6 months from Oct. 2009 to April 2010. I was told that it meant that my first entry must before Jan. 21, 2010.

I arrived Oct. 19, 2009 and made my first visa run in Dec. 2009 and received 2 months when I came back in. My next visa run was to be Feb. 14, which I did, expecting to get another 2 months but I was given only 2 weeks. The Immigration office interpreted the visa as saying it expired on Jan. 21, 2010.

Either the information I got in Toronto was incorrect or the Immigration officer here was incorrect in his interpretation of the English.

Does anyone know who is correct? Is there a chance of getting this straightened out at the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok?

Thanks

[beechguy]

Toronto was wrong, and Thai immigration is correct.

[thaiphoon]

Toronto was wrong, and Thai immigration is correct.

Yup, have to agree with that.

You tried to enter the Kingdom on an expired visa, and received 15 day visa exempt entry at immigration.

[SeanMoran]

Traps for new players it seems. Yesterday a similar thread to this, and I got my triple-entry visa 11 days before I arrived in Thailand for stay #1, so I was fortunate in that instance. The six month clock starts ticking the day the visa is issued, which means that you must use (BEGIN) the final 60 days entry before that six months has passed.

As far as I presume, a double entry visa gives you four months, but don't get the visa too long before you get on the plane.

<ed: that is how one might get almost nine months out of three lots of sixty days with 30 day extensions each time, if they get on the plane and land in Thailand the day that they leave the consulate with the visa.>

[thaiphoon]

With extensions it is possible to get nearly 6 months stay from a double entry tourist visa. Always best to get the visa just before you travel to maximise stay period. Most consulates issue double entry tourist visas with a 6 month 'use by' date, but some consulates restrict that to 3 months.