Tourist Visa Extension

[watgate]

I want to stay in thailand, specifically chiang mai, for 6 months and my understanding is that I have to get a double-entry tourist visa approximately a month before my departure from the U.S to thailand. Once in thailand, I get the initial 60 days and do I have to go to immigration on the 60th day to get the additional 30 day extension by paying 1900 baht? Also, I understand I have to do a border run to leave thailand and come back in to get an additional 60 days in thailand and then after those 60 days are up,I have to go to immigration again to get another 30 days by paying another 1900 baht. Is this scenario correct in order to get 6 months in thailand? I am also going crazy with trying to understand stamps in passports versus stamps in visas and when the countdowns begin and end. Can anyone spell out the correct procedure in as simplest terms as possible so as to avoid any problems once I am in thailand. Thank you

[Lite Beer]

Your plan above will work fine.

Apply for the 30 day extensions a few days before the 60 days finish.

[wayned]

As LB said, your plan will work fine. You can apply for a double entry tourist visa by mail. Portland seems to be quite friendly. here's their requirements:

Visa application porcedures, Portland Oregon.doc Mary has been very helpful to others in the past.

You should apply with in 30 days of your flight. The visa will be issued with a validity of 6 months and be valid for two entries. The visa is only a "ticket" to enter Thailand. When you arrive, you will be granted 60 days "permission to stay" During the last 30 days of that permission, you go to an immigration office and extend it for 30 days, cost 1900 baht. On the day before your extension expires, you must leave Thailand and enter a neighboring country. Malaysia is free, Cambodia is $20, Myanmar is 500 baht and Laos is $35. The cost of the visa run depends on where you are staying? You turn around and come back into Thailand and are again issued 60 days permission to stay, which can be extended for 30 days, cost 1900 baht.

[lopburi3]

But it will only work if the visa has a six month validity - are more Consulates are providing with only 3 months this can be an issue - so best to make application as close to departure as you can with safety. The reason is both entries must be made before the visa expires and count starts on date of issue.

[watgate]

I am still confused with a visa only valid for 3 months. It would seem to me that if I receive my visa from the consulate office in the US 7 days before I depart for thailand and then enter thailand on the 8th day and fast forward and I go to immigration office a day before my 60 days is up, so now I am up to 68 days. I get the 30 days extension by paying the 1900 baht but wouldn't that mean that I must do a border run within 21-22 days to be within the 90 days validity of my initial visa? If so, haven't I reduced my 90 days useage of this visa down to 81-82 days in thailand?

[Ohyesuare]

Yes you might be short a few days that way, but when I got my double entry tourist visa in my home country it was valid for 6 months. As long as you do your border run before the enter before date on your visa you will be ok. If your a week or so short of the 6 months you can always do another border run for an extra 15 days. Or fly in and out for 30 days. I wouldn't worry about it.

[watgate]

If I understand this, then a week or so short I wouldn't sweat but,according to wayned, and I do appreciate your advice and don't mean to criticize, if I apply 30 days before my flight, wouldn't that shorten the length of my double-enry tourist visa by a month since the tourist visa wil have been issued a month before I enter thailand.? So then,after my border run and after my second sixty more days in thailand I wouldn't be able to just go to immigration to pay 1900 baht to extend my stay an additional 30 days since my 6-month validity tourist visa will have expired. What then? What other options are there besides flying in and out of the country for 30 more days. I guess another option would be to apply within 2 weeks of my flight to thailand and then, instead of being short 30 days, I would only be short 2 weeks which could be added back by another border run. Is this correct.?

[wayned]

If you use Portland as I suggested, make sure that you ask for a 6 month double entry visa. E-mail Mary and she will tell you what she can provide. If you do not want to use Portland, Houston has also been very friendly. Here's the info:

Visa application procedures , Houston Texas.doc

Houston's website states that the validity of the visa is 3 months for a single and 6 months for multiple entries.

[Lite Beer]

As far as I know your double entry Visa will be valid for 6 months.

Tourist Visa * A single-entry must be utilized within

3 months from the date of issue.

* Two-Entry Visa must be utilized

within 180 days from the date of issue.

http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=25

[lopburi3]

You can go to immigration a few days before your current extension ends to obtain the 30 day extension - it adds to your current stay so nothing lost - your visa does not have to be valid for an extension of stay (only for entry). For two entry you should not have any issues if the visa says it is valid for six months - but if initial visa is only valid for 3 months second entry must be made while visa is valid so obtaining before travel will require you use sooner (although you would still get the normal 60 day stay and be able to extend 30 days).