Quick Question, I'M About To Book My Tickets

[hayden5650]

Firstly, my aeroplane will arrive at Suvarnabhumi at 11pm. Can I wait until 12am before going through customs and extend my stay by a day?

Also, my first 30 days are Visa exempt, as I'm from NZ. After 28 days I will go to Laos and get a tourist visa, 6 months double entry. Does the 6 months take effect from the date the visa is issued, or from the date I first arrived in Thailand?

I'm sure the answers are already on here somewhere but I'm pushed for time right now. Thanks.

[Mario2008]

You might be able to wait, but if you plan to go out after 28 days there is no need and don't forget your luggage will be waiting for you.

However, I understand you want to travel to Thailand without a visa, this might be a problem unless you already have a ticket to fly to Laos. Without a visa you are required to show a ticket out of the country within 30 days. Without that or a visa, the airline can refuse to take you with them.

A tourist visa validity (the time within you must enter Thailand) takes effect from the day it is issued. Normally a double entry is valid for 6 months. But Laos only gives a validity of 3 months. Meaning you must make your second entry within 3 months. Once inside Thailand on your second entry, it doesn't matter that the visa is expired.

[hayden5650]

What I want to do is..

Arrive Suvarnabhumi 24/05/2011 11pm (Visa exempt 30 days)

After 28 days go to Laos (I went last year) and get a tourist visa that will enable me to stay 6 months, perhaps requiring leaving and entering a couple of times

Depart Suvarnabhumi 28/11/2011 - A total of 188 days after arriving.

Any problems with this?

I had no problem with the airlines last year flying in with no visa and a return ticket for 3 months in the future. Staying longer this time though

[moe666]

If you have done it before then you have your answer. Just hang out in the duty free shops before immigration control.

[Maestro]

At some airports the check-in staff of some airlines sometimes check the visa requirements on this website and in a case like yours would deny you boarding when you have no visa for Thailand and no onward ticket out of Thailand within 30 days from your arrival. Run the details through on that site for your nationality. For my nationality, the result includes the following:

Visa required, except for A touristic stay of max. 30 days.

Visitors who are visa exempt are required to hold documents

for their next destination.

[Squigy]

If coming from Auckland, New Zealand they will ask to see your onward flight or return flight ticket. I go caught in the same situation and had to rush to buy a BKK to KL fare on the Internet before they would let me board the aircraft.

[hayden5650]

If coming from Auckland, New Zealand they will ask to see your onward flight or return flight ticket. I go caught in the same situation and had to rush to buy a BKK to KL fare on the Internet before they would let me board the aircraft.

They were sweet with me, as long as a had a credit card with enough to buy a ticket if I couldnt get a visa.

Please stop telling me about this, you're answering a question I'm not asking.

I merely want to ensure I will not be a few days overstay.

[theoldgit]

Please stop telling me about this, you're answering a question I'm not asking.

I merely want to ensure I will not be a few days overstay.

Posters on this forum are not answering questions that you haven't asked, they are offering advice that may prevent you encountering a problem, that's what people do on this forum.

As a resident on Thailand, with an extension of stay, I regularly travel home on a one way ticket and have frequently been asked for my visa, this has happened throughout Asia and Europe, fellow posters are advising you that you could possibly encounter a problem, and are trying to help you.

[highonthai]

Why didn't you just get the proper visa?

[lopburi3]

Perhaps because a visa is not required for a stay of less than 30 days? He clearly stated his intent to obtain a visa for longer stay.

[hayden5650]

Perhaps because a visa is not required for a stay of less than 30 days? He clearly stated his intent to obtain a visa for longer stay.

I've booked my tickets for a stay totalling 188 days. I'll let you all know how I go during my stay.

[Maestro]

Also, my first 30 days are Visa exempt, as I'm from NZ. After 28 days I will go to Laos and get a tourist visa, 6 months double entry. Does the 6 months take effect from the date the visa is issued, or from the date I first arrived in Thailand?

I believe there are no 6 months entering your calculations.

1. You apply for a double-entry tourist visa at the Thai consulate in Vientiane and receive it the following day. The visa's issue date will probably be the same as the date of application and it will be valid for two journeys to Thailand within the validity period, which the Vientiane consulate usually makes 90 days.

2. On each of the two arrivals, you receive permission to stay for 60 days. Each of these can be extended at the immigration office by 30 days.

[Jeffrey346]

Also, my first 30 days are Visa exempt, as I'm from NZ. After 28 days I will go to Laos and get a tourist visa, 6 months double entry. Does the 6 months take effect from the date the visa is issued, or from the date I first arrived in Thailand?

I believe there are no 6 months entering your calculations.

1. You apply for a double-entry tourist visa at the Thai consulate in Vientiane and receive it the following day. The visa's issue date will probably be the same as the date of application and it will be valid for two journeys to Thailand within the validity period, which the Vientiane consulate usually makes 90 days.

2. On each of the two arrivals, you receive permission to stay for 60 days. Each of these can be extended at the immigration office by 30 days.

Why not make it easy... you are from NZ and eligible foe an APEC Card. This allows you to come and go as you please.. You can stay a maximum of 90 days and then do a boarder run... check it out

http://www.google.co...BoKYYVA&cad=rja

[IMA_FARANG]

I personally have had a lot of experience with the airlines insistance on a "out-uf country ticket" being required before they allow you to check in for the flight.

When I was working outside of Thailand I usually went to Thailand at least twice a year so I was asked about that "onward ticket" many times.

When I had a tourist visa they seldom asked. Sometimes they would ask, then see my tourist visa, and then quickly apologize for asking. So the way to solve that problem is to get a tourist visa before leaving, if you can. It's worth the small cost and the time required just to avoid the possible hassle from the airline at check-in time.

[mwl6652]

Yes you can wait until after 12. Immigration will still be open and your bag is likely to take that long anyway. The 2 month tourist visa starts on the day you enter Thailand. You get 3 months to enter after it is issued. Note that you do not have to use the visa when you come in. You may choose to leave it for a later date if that particular stay is going to be less than 30 days.If you do want to use it you need to enter the visa number on your incoming immigration forms.

I am also a Kiwi and travel to Thailand regularly on one way tickets using either the 30 day on entry visa or the 2 month tourist visa. If asked about the return ticket (rarely) I say I am travelling out via land. It usually satisfies them. I cant guarantee that will happen in NZ tho.

I usually get my 2 month tourist visa in KL. At that office if you want to get double entry then you need to show airtickets for both trips. A bit of a hassle so I do not do it. You have to go out after 90 days anyway (60 of visa and 30 extension) so for me it is easier just to get another 2 month visa then. I have been doing this regularly for 2 and a half years without any real problem. Sorry I cannot comment on the exact rules in Laos. TheY do tend to differ slightly from each region but they are likely to be similar.

[lopburi3]

If you have a visa you do not have the choice - it is up to immigration - and most recent reports are they require it be used or canceled if they see it and you do not want to use.

[mwl6652]

If you have a visa you do not have the choice - it is up to immigration - and most recent reports are they require it be used or canceled if they see it and you do not want to use.

OK Guess the poster of original question should consider your advice. I wouldnt want to put them crook. It was merely an observation based on recent experience. The immigration looked at my visa and specifically asked if I wanted to use it. I didnt as I was only staying 7 days. I had no problem using it when I returned a few weeks later. This was 2 or 3 months ago now and it was at Phuket airport where they are pretty used to seeing me.

Edited May 22, 2011 by lopburi3
fix quote

[KevinB]

Come on guys half of you aren't answering his question. Arrive on a NZ opassport = NO PROBLEM. 30 days automatic. If you overstay there is a charge but it doesn't seem to influnence future visas or entry. And if you want you can get a 7 day extension at immigaration.

New Thai Visa in Laos - have heard they have not been as friendly in Laos of late so may only get a 90 days. Enjoy - the weather back home is so s....y at the moment is you stay behind you might get foot rot.

[yiiim2]

Last year I arrived at Suvarnabhumi just before midnight and waited until after midnight to go through immigration. The immigration officer only gave me 30 days from the day my flight arrived ie the day before midnight(and of course they count the day you arrived as part of those 30 days).

I queried this straight away and he said that because my flight arrived just before midnight then that was the date that they used to calculate the 30 days even though I was going through immigartion after midnight on the next day.

[Old Croc]

Last year I arrived at Suvarnabhumi just before midnight and waited until after midnight to go through immigration. The immigration officer only gave me 30 days from the day my flight arrived ie the day before midnight(and of course they count the day you arrived as part of those 30 days).

I queried this straight away and he said that because my flight arrived just before midnight then that was the date that they used to calculate the 30 days even though I was going through immigartion after midnight on the next day.

The arrival time of your flight is inputted when it lands. Despite whenever you get to passport control, that arrival time/date will be yours.

Passengers are grouped together in the computers by their flight numbers. All from one plane will have the same arrival time.

Edited May 22, 2011 by Old Croc

[hayden5650]

I'm in Thailand now!

The only time a return ticket was queried was in Christchurch airport, it was pretty much a fleeting comment as she was already in the process of printing my boarding passes.

Anyway my passport was stamped with 30 days from 24 May, which gives me until 22 June to leave and get a double entry.

Being 3 days overstay last year was no issue at immigration.

Are passports supposed to be stamped chronologically? My stamps this year preceed my visas from last year!

Edit by Mario208

Racist comment deleted.

[Mario2008]

1 reply to racist comment deleted.

[Maestro]

...Arrive on a NZ opassport = NO PROBLEM. 30 days automatic...

You are right. Arriving in Thailand on a New Zealand passport without a visa and without a confirmed flight out of Thailand within 29 days from arrival is NO PROBLEM. However, in order to arrive in Thailand the OP must get on a plane in New Zealand, and that's where there is a potential problem, as has been explained. Whether this potential problem becomes a real problem depends a lot on how the airline in question trains, instructs and supervises its check-in staff.