Period Of Visa Validity Is Different From The Period Of Stay

[visarunner]

A common mistake which can be easily avoided.

Period of visa validity is different from the period of stay. The visa validity is a period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand.

Generally, the validity of a visa from Vientiane/Laos or Phnom Penh/Cambodia is 3 month and shown in the visa.

The period of stay depends on the type of visa and is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry. The period of stay for a tourist visa does not exceed 60 days and can be extented at Thai immigration for 30days.

In case a short month , like February, is invloved or you overstayed you might loose the visa if you follow the extension of stay date.

Please always crosscheck the ENTER BEFORE date on the visa itself.

[Tod Daniels]

Hands down, this is clearly the number ONE reason foreigners who have double entry tourist visas write on this forum and complain about losing their second entry.

In their endeavor to max out the days they can stay in the glorious Land O Thais, they neglect to pay attention to the Enter BEFORE date (sometimes it also says must be utilized by). They inevitably get a 30 day in-country extension on the first entry and then put off running for the border until the very last day of the extension. Then when they show up at the border, cross over and come back theyre told visa finish already. Usually depending on nationality, the best they can get is the 15 day visa exempt stamp for a land crossing.

I have had all to many tourist call me and ask if this "can be sorted out" at Changwattana. The answer is always NO, as their original visa expired already. It is just an end of story type of problem.

I think this is a good post and should be mandatory reading to anyone here on a tourist visa while also playing the in-country extension game to max out your stay here!

Edited January 5, 2011 by tod-daniels

[KKvampire]

I have a 2 entry 60 days TR visa. I extended it by 30 days at thai imm in Bkk ,I will do visa run next week, but I have noticed a "notice " on the 30 days extension it says.. "To keep your stay a re-entry permit must be made before leaving Thailand"

Does this mean I need to get a re-entry permit before I use the 2nd entry on my 2 entries TR 60 day Visa? It is all so complicated.

[beechguy]

I have a 2 entry 60 days TR visa. I extended it by 30 days at thai imm in Bkk ,I will do visa run next week, but I have noticed a "notice " on the 30 days extension it says.. "To keep your stay a re-entry permit must be made before leaving Thailand"

Does this mean I need to get a re-entry permit before I use the 2nd entry on my 2 entries TR 60 day Visa? It is all so complicated.

No, you do not need a re-entry permit if you are going to use the second entry of your double entry Tourist Visa. That statement means if you want to continue the stay on the "Extension" and not use the second entry, you would need the re-entry permit. I suppose that could be useful for some if they just wanted to make a short trip out.

Edited January 5, 2011 by beechguy

[KKvampire]

Hands down, this is clearly the number ONE reason foreigners who have double entry tourist visas write on this forum and complain about 'losing' their second entry.

In their endeavor to max out the days they can stay in the glorious "Land 'O Thais", they neglect to pay attention to the "Enter BEFORE" date (sometimes it also says "must be utilized by"). They inevitably get a 30 day in-country extension on the first entry and then put off 'running for the border' until the very last day of the extension. Then when they show up at the border, cross over and come back they're told 'visa finish already'. Usually depending on nationality, the best they can get is the 15 day visa exempt stamp for a land crossing.

I have had all to many tourist call me and ask if this "can be sorted out" at Changwattana. The answer is always NO, as their original visa expired already. It is just an end of story type of problem.

I think this is a good post and should be mandatory reading to anyone here on a tourist visa while also playing the in-country extension game to max out your stay here!

I extended my 1st entry of a double TR by 60 days on 14th December 2010 expiring 13th January 2011 surely I can do a visa run , exit and enter the country , the same day it expires 13th January and use the second entry of Visa?

My "Utilize by" date on Visa is later in January

Edited January 5, 2011 by KKvampire

[Tod Daniels]

My "Utilize by" date on Visa is later in January

And there my thai visa posting pundits is the critical sentence in the above poster's post. As long as he exits the country BEFORE his "must be used by" date stamped ON the original visa at what ever thai embassy they got it at; the second entry will activate without a hitch.

It is the mixing up the two dates; One is how long the entire visa is valid for and is stamped ON the visa at the Embassy where you got it. The other is a permission to stay until stamp and is a seperate stamp you get inside the country at Thai Immigrations when you do a 30 day extension of stay. That stamp does NOT lengthen the original visa's validity by a single day!! It only lengthens the time allowed in country on that particular entry.

Given most double entry tourist visas that I have seen have a validty of 90 days, if people cut it to the last day of their first 60 days before they get their extensions, and then burn up all of those 30 days too before running for the border; sometimes the way the calander works out you come up a day late and a dollar short.

Edited January 5, 2011 by tod-daniels

[JimGant]

As long as he exits the country BEFORE his "must be used by" date stamped ON the original visa at what ever thai embassy they got it at; the second entry will activate without a hitch.

I know you meant to say: "as long as he exits -- and re-enters -- the country BEFORE his "must be used by" date....

Given most double entry tourist visas that I have seen have a validty of 90 days

Unless things have changed, single entry tourist visas are valid for 3-months; double (and triple) entry tourist visas are valid for 6-months. It's the triple entry tourist visas that require a 'heads up' on gaming how you'll enter Thailand 3 times within the 6-month visa validity to maximize total stay time in Thailand.

[Maestro]

Unless things have changed, single entry tourist visas are valid for 3-months; double (and triple) entry tourist visas are valid for 6-months...

It it depends on the consulate that issues the visa. Some make it 90 or 180 days, some others 3 or 6 months.

Vientiane gives a 3-month validity also for the double-entry tourist visa. Example: http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/uploads/1246522044/gallery_21260_1006_14410.jpg

[Maestro]

A common mistake which can be easily avoided.

Period of visa validity is different from the period of stay.

So common, in fact, that ThaiVisa has a link to this notice of the immigration in this pinned topic. Many consulates have similar information on their websites.

[lopburi3]

I extended my 1st entry of a double TR by 60 days on 14th December 2010 expiring 13th January 2011

Obviously the above is wrong (you extend 30 days not 60) so I strongly urge you to check the expiration date of your visa. It should be 90 days from date of issue if it expires in January and if you will have been in Thailand for 60+30 days on January 13th it would appear the expiration date may have passed by that date. Are your sure (mistakes happen but please be sure).

My "Utilize by" date on Visa is later in January

[KKvampire]

I extended my 1st entry of a double TR by 60 days on 14th December 2010 expiring 13th January 2011

Obviously the above is wrong (you extend 30 days not 60) so I strongly urge you to check the expiration date of your visa. It should be 90 days from date of issue if it expires in January and if you will have been in Thailand for 60+30 days on January 13th it would appear the expiration date may have passed by that date. Are your sure (mistakes happen but please be sure).

My "Utilize by" date on Visa is later in January

The Expiration date, I assume you mean "Utilize by Date" the date the visa must be used within,is after 13th January