60 Day Tourist Visa Application

[karTER]

We will be spending a month in Bangkok from the 1st October with a stamp on arrival from Bhumi airport and then intend to travel onto Cambodia for a month during November.

At some point we want to apply for the single entry 60 day visa (I believe this is still free?) and would like to know where it is better to do this? The two options we have will be either Siem Reap or Phnom Penh.

This year we have only had one previous 60 day visa, which we used during July and August.

Any advice will be appreciated.

PS: Full UK passports, married couple in our mid-forties.

[lopburi3]

Unless you have air tickets within that first month I would advise a tourist visa prior to travel as 30 day visa exempt requires exit ticket within that period and airlines will often check.

Only Phnom Penh in Cambodia has a Thai Consulate to obtain a new visa.

[Capealava]

I would be much easier to apply for a 60 day tourist visa with 2 entry at Thai consulate in your home country before you come to Thailand. You can stay in Thailand for your 1 month and go to Cambodia for 1 month and then return to Thailand with your 2nd entry then stay in Thailand up to 3 months with a 30 day extension from immigration office.

[karTER]

Right, PP it is then- thanks.

Are they cracking down then? We've been flying in and out of Bhumi airport for the past two and a half years, every other month or so, and have not once been asked to provide onward flight details. We usually use Air Asia and have flown in from most of the surrounding countries.

We're also unable to apply for visa from the UK as we no longer live there- we left in 2006 and have been travelling non-stop ever since.

[lopburi3]

I said the airline is likely to check (not the airport) based on your post saying UK passport but not indicating local location. Often it is not checked on more regional flights, especially AirAsia, but could be. If just a local hop probably will not be an issue.

[karTER]

I said the airline is likely to check (not the airport) based on your post saying UK passport but not indicating local location. Often it is not checked on more regional flights, especially AirAsia, but could be. If just a local hop probably will not be an issue.

Sorry, I wasn't too clear in my OP- we are flying in from Taipei, Taiwan, where we've had a quite fabulous first visit. Great city.

And you are of course quite correct, it is the airline that is responsible for checking onward flights and the only time I have experienced this was when flying via AA to Australia. Saying that, we have already set dates to go to Cambodia and so perhaps it makes sense to book our flights anyway.

Another question/clarification. Would the airline need to see onwards flights or can it be any proof of departure, for example train, bus or ferry tickets? I would have thought that these could also cover the requirements to prove onward travel.

[lopburi3]

They can only validate flights in there computers.

[phuketrichard]

Get a double entry tourist visa for free where u are. That will solve all ur troubles,

I have a friend that just came over this month form the states LA consolutegave him a triple tourist visa for free!!!

I have seen that most airlines in asia dont ask for return tickets UNLESS ur asian

[karTER]

They can only validate flights in there computers.

Yes, that makes sense but they surely couldn't deny you access to the plane as you have proof of onward passage, irrespective of the mode of transport.

Besides, by "validate" all they did in my previous experience (Australia) was look at the print out of our e-ticket. Nothing was entered into their computers and I doubt they could do so for other carriers anyway.

I wonder if anyone has had any direct knowledge of this?

[karTER]

Get a double entry tourist visa for free where u are. That will solve all ur troubles,

I have a friend that just came over this month form the states LA consolutegave him a triple tourist visa for free!!!

I have seen that most airlines in asia dont ask for return tickets UNLESS ur asian

That would have been a better solution but we try and space out 60 day visa applications between stamp on arrival visits. We were last in Bangkok in August on a 60 dayer and have been away for seven weeks travelling through Myanmar, Philippines and Taiwan. We fly back tomorrow, stay 28 days and then go onto Cambodia, where we hope to pick up our second 60 day visa of the year.

I don't the authorities to think we are working the system, we merely enjoy living in Bangkok for around half the year, interspersed with month long trips to neighbouring countries. We've been doing this for the past two and a half years and thoroughly enjoy the lifestyle. We have no choice anyway as we can't officially retire to Thailand for another five years until we hit 50.

And as mentioned, we have only once been asked to provide proof of an onward journey when flying to Australia. Other than that it's been fine.