Valid Ed Visa/Re-Entry -> Get A Tourist Visa?

[FarBeyond]

Hey guys, I could need some advice here since I am a bit confused about my non-immigrant education visa with multiple re-entry that is valid til october 31. I am leaving for Singapore before that visa expires but I would like to enter the Thailand on 30 days for Tourist. Does anyone knows if this is possible? Do I need to cancel my valid visa in advance? Or can I just leave the country and then ask the immigration officer to give me 30 days for tourists? Thank you very much for your help! Fariha

[lopburi3]

If your return is after October 31 it will not be an issue - but before it might be - I would not enter the re-entry on arrival card and if noticed ask that it be canceled and you be provided the 30 days.

[FarBeyond]

If your return is after October 31 it will not be an issue - but before it might be - I would not enter the re-entry on arrival card and if noticed ask that it be canceled and you be provided the 30 days.

Thank you, lopburi3 , I forgot to mention that I am re-entering Thailand on the 24th, so exactly one week before the visa expires.

So, there is no need to contact the officials before I am leaving the country?

[TerryLH]

Why would you want 30 days instead of 90 days?

Most people here are looking for ways to get more days, not less.

The only reason I can think of is that you don't understand what you have, and think you'd only be stamped in until the 31st.

Is that close...

[FarBeyond]

Well, my visa is expiring on the 31st ( don't plan on extending it) , but I am leaving and coming back to Thailand before that. So I would like to get the 30 days on arrival rather than having to leave the country again a few days after my return.

I hope I got your comment right, TerryLH.

[Mario2008]

Your multiple ED-visa is valid till Oct 31. It means that each time you enter before Oct. 31 you get a permission to stay of up to 90 days. If you enter on Oct. 30 you will still get a permission to stay of 90 days and not till Oct. 31.

[lopburi3]

with multiple re-entry

By that language believe he has a visa entry until Oct 31 and a multi re-entry permit so any entry would only be until current permitted to stay date. But agree other guess is just as good as perhaps he is using re-entry rather than new entry of a multi entry?

[richard10365]

If you plan to continue your education, prior to the education visa expiring, you might want to get your ED visa extended for another year before you leave.

[FarBeyond]

Really? That would be so great!

Just to make sure that I do understand this right and I apologise, if my terminology is a bit off:

• I am holding a non-immigrant education visa, valid until 31 October with a multiple re-entry permit.

• I am going to leave the country and re-enter Thailand before it expires (before the 31st)
• According to Mario, I will be allowed to stay up to another 90 days, even though my visa is only valid until 31 October?

Is that right?

So how does that work? Anything I need to do to get this permission?

Thanks Richard, but I am not going to continue my studies, at least not at the same institution.

[lopburi3]

Again we have mixed terms being used. You have a consulate issued one year ED marked "M" for multi entry and that expires on 31 October so any entry before that expiration date gets you a new 90 day entry?

Or do you have a single entry ED visa that expires on 31 October and a multi re-entry permit which would only provide a stay until 31 October?

Or do you have an extension of stay for education issued by immigration and a multi re-entry permit which would only provide a stay until 31 October?

[FarBeyond]

When I got here, I entered with a with Non-immigrant ED visa (single) and then got two extensions of stay.

I checked again and it is the last one: Extension of stay permitted up to 31 October with multi re-entry permit.

Again we have mixed terms being used. You have a consulate issued one year ED marked "M" for multi entry and that expires on 31 October so any entry before that expiration date gets you a new 90 day entry?

Or do you have a single entry ED visa that expires on 31 October and a multi re-entry permit which would only provide a stay until 31 October?

Or do you have an extension of stay for education issued by immigration and a multi re-entry permit which would only provide a stay until 31 October?

[lopburi3]

In that case you were right from beginning and will only receive a stay until 31 October if you use that re-entry permit.

[FarBeyond]

Alright, thanks for your help anyway - so in order to get the 30 days on arrival I just follow your advice and don't enter the visa number on

the arrival card and if noticed, I will ask for not using the re-entry permit? Does that usually work out?

In that case you were right from beginning and will only receive a stay until 31 October if you use that re-entry permit.

[lopburi3]

It should and often even works for visas but they tend to want to use them if in passport so no guarantee. Luck and smile may be helpful.

[FarBeyond]

Thanks heaps!

[TerryLH]

This appears to be an excellent example of why using correct terminology for this subject is important.

If I'm not mistaken, there is a pinned topic about immigration/visa terms.

[FarBeyond]

Terry, I know - you are right about that. I naively thought I am using the correct terminology.

Thanks you guys for helping a ควาย!

This appears to be an excellent example of why using correct terminology for this subject is important.

If I'm not mistaken, there is a pinned topic about immigration/visa terms.