Double Entry Tourist Visa

[FarangSerbia]

Heya,

since I am planning to spend some time in the Kingdom, I have few questions about tourist visa.

- I visited Thailand 2 years ago on double-entry tourist visa, but I never made a second entry - stayed only for a month or so. However, in my passport it says "This Visa must be utilized before 20. May if passport remains valid. Issued on 21. February." Is this normal? I thought it was supposed to be valid for 6 month (not 3) if it's a double entry Visa?

- I plan to book a flight with 5 months difference between arrival and departure. Could this be a problem since Visa is issued for only 3 months?

- If I decide to stay more than 5 months, could I visit the nearest embassy and just go for another tourist visa? If yes, is there a high chance of Visa denial?

Thanks in advance!

[IMA_FARANG]

Heya:

Oh dear!...not good.

I take it from what you said you are still in your home country (U.S. I'm guessing)?

Apparently they gave you a visa that must be used within 90 days of issue.

The Thai consulate should have explained that...but I guess they didn't.

If you had left immeadiately after you recieved your visa (21 February) you could probably have stretched that visa into 6 months (180 days) with two entries of (60 days each) plus two extentions (each extension 30 days) or a total of (60 entry plus 30 extension) plus (60 entry plus 30 extension) which equals 180 days total.

I'm not criticising, but that is an example of exactly why you should book flights before getting a visa and leave as soon as possible after you actually recieve the visa.

Unfortunately now, you need to enter Thailand before 21 May 2012 to activate your FIRST entry into Thailand. That will get you 60 days on entry and can be extended for 30 days more in Thailand at your local immigration office for a fee,

What's worse for you is that probably now you won't be able to get that 2nd entry on that double entry visa you paid for.

That is because Thai immigration will probably insist that past 21 May 2012 your visa is expired....that's the "must be used before" date of your visa. And that date applies to BOTH entries. That means it is almost impossible to actually use that 2nd entry.

Again, I'm not criticising, but you should have booked your flight first...to leave no more than 1 week after you actually recieved your Thai visa...just to maximise the time you could spend in Thailand.

In other words always make the flight reservations first...then when you know what date you will be leaving....get your Thai visa no more than 1 week before you will be that date.

Althougth the Thai consulate probably SHOULD have explained that to you....it's not their job to do it...and what they did in giving you only 90 days to activate your visa by entering Thailand was legal.

Ideally. when you recieved that visa you should have asked them to explain why you only had 90 days from the issue date of that visa to make your first entry...and the Thai consulate should have then explained it.

But they apparently didn't explain...and you didn't ask....so now you have a problem.

I can't say what they will do when you do arrive in Thailand....but I'm very much afraid you will be limited to a 3 month (60 day entry plus 30 day extension) stay in Thailand.

That is all due to that 21 May 2012 (90 day after issue) expiration date.

Sorry, to have to tell you that.

Edited May 6, 2012 by IMA_FARANG

[FarangSerbia]

Ok, I guess I didn't explain it well. The date on my Visas are from 2010, I just gave an example of it when I visited Thailand for only 1 month. That was 2 years ago.

I am planning to go to Thailand in September 2012, so I have plenty of time to figure it all out. Moreover, I am not from the USA, but Serbia (small country in Europe). The problem is that there is no Thai consulate in my country, so I had to use a travel agency to arrange my Visa in 2010 in neighboring country.

I can't tell from your answer if it is normal to get 90 days Visa and then extend my stay after 60 days at immigration > do a visa run to gain second entry > stay for 2 more months > extend my stay for 30 more days at immigration office or I should get 180 days Visa in the first place?

[IMA_FARANG]

Ok, I guess I didn't explain it well. The date on my Visas are from 2010, I just gave an example of it when I visited Thailand for only 1 month. That was 2 years ago.

I am planning to go to Thailand in September 2012, so I have plenty of time to figure it all out. Moreover, I am not from the USA, but Serbia (small country in Europe). The problem is that there is no Thai consulate in my country, so I had to use a travel agency to arrange my Visa in 2010 in neighboring country.

I can't tell from your answer if it is normal to get 90 days Visa and then extend my stay after 60 days at immigration > do a visa run to gain second entry > stay for 2 more months > extend my stay for 30 more days at immigration office or I should get 180 days Visa in the first place?

Thank You...I just assumed you meant 2012 with those dates.

What I wanted to emphasise was to check for a 180 day expiration date when you recieve the visa...and ask the consulate why they gave you 90 days before expiration rather than 180.

Also make airline reservations first...and then do the best you can to get your Thai visa as close as possible after that airline reservation date.

I realise sometimes that may be difiicult.

And to make maximum use of the visa after arriving in Thailand...assuming you get a 90 day expiration date on your double-entry visa.

1. Arrive in Thailand...first entry...they will give you 60 days on entry.

2. On the 59th or 60th day go to immigration and extend for 30 days.

3. On the 29th day of that first extension make a "border run". On that you go to the nearest land border and exit Thailand...making sure to get stamped as exiting Thailand in your passport.

4. Now immeadiately turn around and re-enter Thailand. You will then activate your 2nd entry on your double-entry visa for another 60 day entrance.

5. On either the 59th or 60th day go back to immigration in Thailand for your 2nd 30 day extension.

6. On the 60th day of that 2nd extension....it's time for you to leave for home.

And always plan ahead when in Thailand because your local Thai immigration office may not be open on Saturdays or Sundays....and if they are closed you can't get that extension.

[FarangSerbia]

I will surely buy my ticket well in advance, so no problems about that. However, according to this thread, it doesn't matter whether you get 90 or 180 days before expiration visa - you can still make 6 months off it. Can anyone confirm this?

I would also very much appreciate if anyone could answer my other questions in the OP

[beechguy]

I will surely buy my ticket well in advance, so no problems about that. However, according to this thread, it doesn't matter whether you get 90 or 180 days before expiration visa - you can still make 6 months off it. Can anyone confirm this?

I would also very much appreciate if anyone could answer my other questions in the OP

It depends on which consulate you apply at, you just need to make the second entry while the visa is still valid, and you will stamped permited to say 60 days, and each entry can be extended for 30 days for 1900 Baht . So you may not be able to use the full 30 days extension of the first entry, but you should still be able to stay almost 6 months. Also, it just depends upon the mood of the consulates in the region as to being able to apply for another Tourist Visa, they seem to be fairly generous again.

Edited May 6, 2012 by beechguy

[FarangSerbia]

Thanks a lot, that's what I needed to know. I plan to make it 5 months instead of 6 to play on the safe side.

Edited May 6, 2012 by FarangSerbia

[chris5346]

yes you can book a flight with 5 months between but ideally you will need a double tourist visa in your PassPort or else the airline may not let you check in.

if the double tourist visa only has 3 months validity thats fine for a 5 month stay if used correctly.

where are you thinking of getting the visa from

[chris5346]

if you want to stay longer than 6 months you can simPly visit laos and get another double tourist visa,

ideally you want to try and get a 3 entry tourist visa with 6 months validity with that you can stay for close to two hundred and seventy days but they are not easy to get hold of.

[FarangSerbia]

yes you can book a flight with 5 months between but ideally you will need a double tourist visa in your PassPort or else the airline may not let you check in.

if the double tourist visa only has 3 months validity thats fine for a 5 month stay if used correctly.

where are you thinking of getting the visa from

Sorry for the late answer - In order to make sure I planned everything right before purchasing an airline ticket , I decided to review this thread again. I will be getting my visa from a neighboring country(s) - which would be Croatia or Hungary. That's what I did the last time and everything went all right. Sadly, Thai consulate doesn't exist in my country.