Stacking Up The Visas

[CrankyCarrot]

Hey all,

My passport is starting to look like a flick-book full of Tourist Visa stickers and I may be going for yet another in the not-too-distant. I've had 5 tourist visas over the past year, but only one of them was extended for 30 days. What can I say? It's a fun and fascinating country.

I'm currently deciding whether or not to go for another extension (I'm on a separate tourist visa now to the one I extended previously), or to go to Cambodia or Laos to get a fresh Tourist Visa. All previous visas were issued in Malaysia. I don't want to extend the current visa if it jeopardises the chances of my getting a new tourist visa later.

My understanding of this:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/433392-current-visa-availability-summary-from-neighboring-countries/

is that it's only the Thai Embassy in Penang that takes issue with (and refuses to issue visas to) people with extensions on old visas -- based on the © annotation only appearing beside that embassy.

Am I correct?

I hear a lot of people have had back-to-back tourist visas for extremely long periods of time, like eight years plus ... at least I think I remember reading that on the forums here somewhere. Does this mean that most embassies aren't likely to question the 'mere' five I have?

[Mario2008]

Penang will nt issue if you extended, and it seems Vientianne will not issue if you have more than 3 tourist visas.

You could try it in Savanaket or in Pnom Phen.

[CrankyCarrot]

Hey Mario,

Thanks for that.

"it seems Vientianne will not issue if you have more than 3 tourist visas"

I was wondering about that when I looked down the list as well. Wasn't sure if it meant they won't issue a visa if you have more than 3 tourist visas from them - or simply more than three from anywhere. I take it it's the latter.

Is that more than 3 tourist visas over a specified period of time, or just ever. If I went back in 2015 and they found 5 visas in my passport from 2010/2011, would they still refuse to grant another on that basis?

[Mario2008]

Not sure about the exact tiem they look at, but believe something like 3 in a year.

[Atmos]

Penang 'may' issue - unofficially of course.

I used an agent and paid an extra 2000b in March this year for a new TV - all 2010 on TVs and 3-day permit to stay.

Went to Phnom Penh in June, no problem getting a double-entry TV and will head back later in the year.

[CrankyCarrot]

@Mario - that sounds like it would be right

@Atmos - Hmm... next stop: Phnom Penh

How come you didn't go for the triple entry visa? Or is such a thing not available there? How much are those doubles/triples running for these days?

[Mario2008]

A tourist visa costs 1,000 baht per entry (in local currency). Using an agent often increases your chances.

[CrankyCarrot]

Got it - cheers.

[CrankyCarrot]

Just had a look through my flipbook and it seems I only have two TVs from 2011, with the other three being from 2010. If the three-in-a-year things holds, Vientienne may not be out after all.