Want To Stay In Thailand For 6 Months

[NeedSomeHelp]

Hi,

Great forum here. I read all the stickys so I hope I'm doing the right thing with this thread.

Age: 21

Citizenship: British

Current Location: South Africa

Aim: To go to Thailand for up to 6 months

I may want to stay there longer (not sure its possible) but up to 6 months is my aim right now. I make all of my money

online so I will not be looking for work.

I am a british citizen in South Africa. I want to leave for Thailand in the next three weeks. What steps are necessary

for me to take. I'm not sure there is a Thai embassy in Cape Town or is it the British one that I need to go to?

I'm going to Bangkok where I have a friend (non-thai) staying as he is teaching English there. Do I need any vaccinations?

I want to Thailand in 2007 for two weeks and had vaccinations then, but don't have records of those anymore.

[IMA_FARANG]

Want 6 months in Thailand? Easy to do.

First way: get yourself a 60 day tourist visa before you leave South Africa from a Thai consulate there (Sorry I don't know what city, but that info should be readily available on the internet by googling the location of the Thai consulate in South Africa). Once you have that 60 day tourist visa (I think they are currently free of charge to improve tourisim) you can get a 30 day extension in Thailand. Total 90 days. Then take a quck trip across the border to Vientianne,Laos. Get another 60 day tourist visa from the Thai consulate there, which you extend again in Thailand for 30 days Total: (60 day visa plus 30 day extension) plus (60 day visa plus 30 day extesion) = 180 days.

Second way: Try for a dual entry 60 day tourist visa from the consulate in South Africa. Now some consulates don't like to issue this visa...not sure how the Thai South African Consulate feels about it. But give it a try if they will let you. They may charge you for a dual entry visa...I'm not sure if it will be free. You can enter on each 60 day visa, and extend it in Thailand (same as a single entry). At the end of the first 90 days (60 day visa plus 30 day extension) you just go to a border, exit Thailand, turn around and come back in on your second entry for another 90 day stint. Same 180 days total.

Just be careful of when you arrive and what days you have to leave.

There's two ways of spending 180 days (6 months or close to it) in Thailand legally.

There is a fee for each 30 day extension, but I'm not sure what it is. Shouldn't be that much however.

P.S. Forgot to add...expect two days in Laos to get visa. You have to turn in passport in morning to apply for visa, and return for pick up of visa next afternoon. So it takes two days. Kill time by doing the tourist thing looking around Vientianne while you are waiting.

Edited July 17, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[Jingthing]

Better hurry. The Thai embassy is in Pretoria.

http://www.thaiembassy.co.za/

[NeedSomeHelp]

Thanks for the great information IMA_FARANG. Much appreciated.

I have to go all the way to Pretoria? Seriously?

[Jingthing]

Thanks for the great information IMA_FARANG. Much appreciated.

I have to go all the way to Pretoria? Seriously?

Well if you can't find a closer consulate your PASSPORT must go there, yes. I didn't try very hard to find a Capetown consulate as I am not you, but I didn't see one. Google more or contact Pretoria to see if there is one. I don't think there is.

Anyway, also be advised the Pretoria embassy strongly suggests you do not ticket before applying for a visa and that they can't guarantee any specific turnaround times for visa applications, so like I said, you best get on this quick.

If you can't manage a visa in SA, you could do this.

Fly into Thailand without a visa but do buy an air ticket to either Vientienne, KL, or Penang leaving within 30 days (otherwise you likely won't be boarded to go to Thailand). Then at a neighboring country embassy or consulate you can apply for a tourist visa there and do what IMA suggested, but now needing two trips out. BTW, in SA if you are going for a tourist visa, by all means ask for a double entry one.

Edited July 17, 2010 by Jingthing

[steve187]

stop off at Vientiane on the way into Thailand and pick up double entry tourist visa, save having to do a border run later

[Jingthing]

He would still need to do a quick in and out with a double entry. Just saves the hassle of dealing with the embassy again. Agreed though, should go for a double.

[Jingthing]

Added note -- I have no idea if Pretoria, KL, Penang, and Vientienne are granting double entry tourist visas these days, but it doesn't hurt to ask for what you want. If you don't get the double, you'll get the single.

[lopburi3]

I suspect it might be a bit difficult to find a flight from Africa transiting Vientiane on the way to Bangkok.

[Jingthing]

I suspect it might be a bit difficult to find a flight from Africa transiting Vientiane on the way to Bangkok.

I agree. The OP probably is already ticketed to Bangkok. I suggested entering on a 30 day stamp with proof of an air ticket out if he doesn't manage to get a visa in SA.

Edited July 18, 2010 by Jingthing

[Bodger22]

You can courier your passport and the visa form to the Pretiroia Embassy and it will be returned within 3 days. They are very good and you can even call them and ask to speak to the Visa manager - he will advise you.

Might be 50/50 on whether you get the multiple entry 60 day visa.

If you can get a letter from a company saying that you are going over to investigate business opportunities then you can apply for a 90 day Non B visa (thats what I did!). You will still have to do a Visa run but at least you will have 90 days first.

[Jingthing]

I doubt he has time to organize a try for a B visa now. Good advice about getting his passport to the embassy though. Generally these things can be done by post, but the OP has some time constraints.

[Bodger22]

The letter that I got for the Non B was a one pager from my friends' company in Cape Town! The embassy were quite happy to give me a Non B Visa on this alone, on the basis that I was checking out investment and business opportunities in Thailand. I might have been lucky but thats all I needed to get the Non B. Just paid the fee, filled out the form and sent the letter!

If he can get hold of someone at the embassy he could even pre check to see if they will accept that. They were surprisingly helpful when I dealt with them!!

[Jingthing]

Well it sounds to that you are suggesting he try a bit of a scam, posing as a business investigator when he is not. Just saying ...

Anyway, good luck to the OP in getting this stay sorted out.

[NeedSomeHelp]

Better hurry. The Thai embassy is in Pretoria.http://www.thaiembassy.co.za/

The website is terrible. I can't work out anything that I need. And it continually goes to Thai. dam_n.I'm going to call them now.

Well if you can't find a closer consulate your PASSPORT must go there, yes. I didn't try very hard to find a Capetown consulate as I am not you, but I didn't see one. Google more or contact Pretoria to see if there is one. I don't think there is.Anyway, also be advised the Pretoria embassy strongly suggests you do not ticket before applying for a visa and that they can't guarantee any specific turnaround times for visa applications, so like I said, you best get on this quick.If you can't manage a visa in SA, you could do this.Fly into Thailand without a visa but do buy an air ticket to either Vientienne, KL, or Penang leaving within 30 days (otherwise you likely won't be boarded to go to Thailand). Then at a neighboring country embassy or consulate you can apply for a tourist visa there and do what IMA suggested, but now needing two trips out. BTW, in SA if you are going for a tourist visa, by all means ask for a double entry one.

I can't find a Thai Consulate in Cape Town. Thanks for the advice on the double-entry.

I suspect it might be a bit difficult to find a flight from Africa transiting Vientiane on the way to Bangkok.

I agree. The OP probably is already ticketed to Bangkok. I suggested entering on a 30 day stamp with proof of an air ticket out if he doesn't manage to get a visa in SA.

I do not have a ticket to Bangkok, though I would like to go in around 3-4 weeks.

[NeedSomeHelp]

You can courier your passport and the visa form to the Pretiroia Embassy and it will be returned within 3 days. They are very good and you can even call them and ask to speak to the Visa manager - he will advise you. Might be 50/50 on whether you get the multiple entry 60 day visa. If you can get a letter from a company saying that you are going over to investigate business opportunities then you can apply for a 90 day Non B visa (thats what I did!). You will still have to do a Visa run but at least you will have 90 days first.

Thanks, though I can't understand their website to save my life. It's awful. I will try and sort it out today. Appreciate the help everyone. You guys are awesome!