Visa For My American Sister

[kdc1899]

The Thai Consulate in Los Angeles California doesn't seem to know if my American sister can have a multiple entry tourist visa.

My sister is coming to Thailand for medical reasons and she will need to stay for at least one year.

As I understood, my sister should be able to get a multiple entry 90 day tourist visa and just do a visa run every 90 days for a total period of 15 months before she actually has to depart the Kingdom (is this assumption correct in full?).

My sister also has 2 nieces in Thailand. Can she get a non immigrant visa based on having family in Thailand (nieces are Thai/Falang).

My sister is 46 years young.

Any ideas on how she can stay in Thailand?

There will be a 4-6 month period near the end of the first 12 months that she will not be able to travel by air.

Thanks in advance

[jackdawson]

maybe they realize a 46 year old woman coming here for IVF is a croc

ps there is no animal called a 90 day tourist visa

[kdc1899]

maybe they realize a 46 year old woman coming here for IVF is a croc

ps there is no animal called a 90 day tourist visa

Tone it down cyber rambo.

Please explain what you mean by no 90 day multiple entry tourist visa. I thought it was a standard visa option when obtained from a Thai Embassy outside of the Kingdom.

?

[Mario2008]

If coming to Thailand for medical reasons, many of the bigger hospitals have liaison with immigration. I would advice that she contact the hospital to see if they can help her with extension of stay when she comes to Thailand.

In that case she can come on a non-O based on visiting her family and get extensions of stay through the hospital.

[jackbox]

The most the LA Consulate will give is a 3 entry visa good for 6 months. Each entry is 60 days only. She can get a 2 entry for free but a 3 entry she will have to pay around $25.00 per entry. She can also apply for a Non-O based on visiting Thai family. If she gets this visa she can stay for 90 days at a time. If the LA Consulate issues a multi-entry Non-O it will be good for a year. A single entry will be good for 90 days.

[whatchamacallit]

Thai Consulate in LA is very tough and not helpful at all. We applied for a one year Non-Imm-O on the basis of visiting friends/relatives - but they said they only issue this visa for foreigners married to Thai nationals.

So your best bet is to get a 3 entries tourist visa good for 6 months.

[kdc1899]

Thanks all.

If she goes to Cambodia for a while after the initial 6 months how long would she have to stay in Cambodia before she can get another 60 day multiple entry tourist visa?

Thanks

[gotlost]

There is a Medical Visa she could apply for.

[whatchamacallit]

You may want to check out Medical Visa as suggested by 'gotlost' - but like I said LA consulate is not the most helpful - if anything they're very rude :-(. You may want to call smaller honorary consulates such as Houston, Dallas, Portland, etc.

Another way of getting a non-o with multi entries on the basis of visiting friends/relatives is from Perth (Australia) - I took this route myself.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Hello KDC

You've actually asked about this already on another thread. And, actually, we did reply to this, though the post seems to have gotten lost. So let me run through it again. Easy stuff first:

Tourist Visas -- These are 60 days with a possible 30-day extension. IF you can get a double-entry tourist visa in the US, then your sister can stay 60-day, purchase a 1,900-baht 30-day extension, make a visa run to Cambodia (1-day) and receive another 60-days, followed by another 30-day extension.

If your sister could get a double-entry visa, it would allow her 6 months in Thailand (including extensions). She could then visit Vientiane, Laos -- not Phnom Penh in Cambodia -- to receive another double-entry tourist visa.

Los Angeles Consulate -- This is arguably the most difficult consulate in the U.S. to obtain help from. It is very unlikely they'd give you more than a single-entry visa of any flavor. You are better off dealing with Consulates General in Chicago or New York or the honorary consulate in New Orleans.

Do note, however, that consecutive tourists visas -- particularly in cases where the extensions have been utilized -- can become problematic with some consulates refusing to issue new ones.

The preferred method would be to obtain a non-immigrant O visa based on seeking medical treatment in Thailand. To do this your sister MUST have documentation from the IVF clinic she will be using that states she is seeking treatment and will be under a doctor's care.

This visa will be for 90-days (single-entry). At the end of those 90 days, the doctor can certify with Immigration that your sister is still under a physician's direct care and that travel by air home is not possible. In such a case, a 90-day extension will be granted. These extensions continue as long as the physician continues to certify that your sister cannot leave due to health reasons.

Finally -- While it technically is possible to obtain a visa based n visiting family, the process outlined above is preferred and has better odds of success.

Our expert Legal Advisors can provide you a more detailed information about visa requirements, work permit and company legal issues.

www.sunbeltasia.com

26th Floor Fortune Town BR, 1 Ratchadapisek Rd, 10400 Bangkok

Tel: 02-642-0213 Fax: 02-641-1995

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[moe666]

Lopburi and mario are the experts on visas, pay attention to what thay write.