Visa Advice For 2012

[rdcny1]

Two questions - first the easy one:

(1) is there a Immigration/Visa office in Chumphon? I have been doing research there each year for the past 4 years - the wonderful Diplomatic office here in NYC tells me there is indeed an official Thai government Immigration/Visa office in Chumphon. However, in my searches and discussions with the locals, they tell me emphatically that there is no such office in Chumphon...can anyone offer advice/experience on this? It would be wonderful if there was such an office in Chumphon.

(2) I have a year long ED multiple entry Visa ending on 14 August 2012. I need to be in Chumphon this year from about 19 July until 5 November. My question is this: should I get a 90 day Visa while I am here at home in NYC by going to the local consulate office that I would use once the year-long ED visa ends on 14 August? OR should I wait until about 1 August and travel from Chumphon to Hua Hin and get a 90 day visa then?

Thanks for any advice and suggestions,

Robert DeCandido PhD

NYC

Photos of Thailand and my research (raptor/bird migration): http://photo.net/pho...older_id=714849

[Mario2008]

If you have a valid multiple ED-visa, with a validity till 14 Aug. 2012, it emans that every time you travel to Thailand before 14 Aug, you get a new permisison to stay for 90 days. So leave and enter Thailand one last time before 14 Aug and you get another 90 days for free. Plan it well and you will have enough time till 5 Nov.

An immigration office will be of no use to you, as you don't seem to qualify for an extension of stay, unless you are connected to a Thai university for your research project.

[rdcny1]

Quick question - so I can make a border crossing from Chumphon to Burma (Mayanmar) - this is where the visa runs are made from Chumphon. At that boder crossing they will give me 90 days? It seems (and I hope I am wrong) that they were giving 15 day tourist visas at such border corssings in autumn 2011.

What would happen if I got a 90 day visa here in NYC, and made the border crossing on 14 August? Would that be a safer (well guaranteed) way of getting the 90 days?

I am just worried that if I make the 14 August visa run right across the border, I will have to return every two weeks to do the same again...

Again, thank You for the help - it does make a difference.

rdc/nyc

[Mario2008]

What you get depends on the visa you have. As an American you get 15 day at a land border if you don't have a visa.

If you hve a valid mutliple entry visa from the consulate NYC and it is valid till 14 Aug, than there is no problem getting the 90 days. When you enter Thailand again, fill in your visa number.

If you get a 90 day visa in the US, the 90 days would start from the day you enter Thailand coming from the US. But if the VISA from NYC clearly says MULTIPLE and is valid till 14 Aug. 2012, just leave and reenter Thailand and get your new 90 day without the need for a new visa.

[rdcny1]

OK it does indeed say Non-immigrant ED M (for multiple) visa issued on 13 June 2011 from the Consulate in NYC, and first used on15 August 2011 at Bangkok (and used again exiting in November and returning in December to exit in early January)...Ok I am keeping my fingers crossed and will follow your advice.

[digitalchromakey]

OK it does indeed say Non-immigrant ED M (for multiple) visa issued on 13 June 2011 from the Consulate in NYC, and first used on15 August 2011 at Bangkok (and used again exiting in November and returning in December to exit in early January)...Ok I am keeping my fingers crossed and will follow your advice.

What is important is not when you first used the visa, but the 'Use Before' date on the visa itself; re-enter Thailand before this date and you will get a 90 day stamp at any border.

[rdcny1]

OK here might be a problem: the Visa is marked: "Use before 12 June 2012" - so I began using it on 15 August 2011...so does this info change things for me - and more importantly, what I should do?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I believe that means you can use the multi entry visa for new entries into Thailand up until June 11 2012 (the day before the expiry date). And if you made a last and final entry any time on or before June 11, you'd get an automatic additional 90-day permission to stay stamp from that entry date.

But that would be the end of that visa... After that final 90 days, you'd need some other arrangement.

[digitalchromakey]

OK here might be a problem: the Visa is marked: "Use before 12 June 2012" - so I began using it on 15 August 2011...so does this info change things for me - and more importantly, what I should do?

.Leave Thailand and re-enter before the 12th June 2012 and all is well - you will get another 90 day stamp, note that your prior stamp does not need to be fully utilised.

For you, the 'Use Before' date is the only significant factor - you can even use a one year visa for the very first time the day before it expires and you will still get a 90 day stamp.

[rdcny1]

Any other thoughts on this by anyone? My gut feeling is that the one year multiple entry time frame begins the day one first enters Thailand using that visa - and gets it stamped on that day (in my case I should be allowed multiple entries beginning 15 August 2011, when fist stamped in Bangkok, and good for multiple entries until 14 August 2012...

It seems as though I should make a trip to the NYC consulate office and ask them what they think..and report back here with their response. Meanwhile, I continue reading here for advice/suggestions, etc.

[rdcny1]

Ok it seems the consensus is that my Visa expires on 12 June 2012 - even though I first used it in August 2011...so it seems a one year multiple entry Visa is not one year from date of first use but one year from date of issue...(my apologies for repeating everything again and again...but details are important here).

[digitalchromakey]

Ok it seems the consensus is that my Visa expires on 12 June 2012 - even though I first used it in August 2011...so it seems a one year multiple entry Visa is not one year from date of first use but one year from date of issue...(my apologies for repeating everything again and again...but details are important here).

Correct, but your Multiple Entry Visa is valid for 90 day entries to Thailand; so you can enter Thailand at any border on the 11th June and you will get a valid 90 day stamp that will see you through to early September 2012.

[rdcny1]

Ok I understand 100% now. Since I am planning to arrive in Thailand on 19 July 2012 then I need to have a new Visa from the Consulate here in NYC (if it was not clear before, I am currently in NYC) to enter then. So to stay from July 19 until 5 November 2012, I need to get either another one year Visa (preferably multiple entry) OR get a 90 day Visa and about 15 October make a trip up to Hua Hin and apply for another 90 day Visa. Does this sound like a legal and doable plan? (I will have a rental vehicle to make that trip from Chumphon to Hua Hin.)

[lopburi3]

This further information is vital as you will not have a valid visa for your July entry so you really need to obtain a new multi entry visa for the period of time you require or just plan on 15 day trips for the time over 90 days. You can not obtain a visa inside Thailand so a visa trip would involve a trip to another country and depending on your paperwork might not result in and ED visa being issued (although a tourist visa would provide the time required).

Yes a one year visa is valid from date of issue.

[rdcny1]

Thanks everyone ever so much - I am off (well in July) to get a new 1 year multiple entry Visa. Thank You - much (and very sincerely) appreciated!

Robert DeCandido

NYC