When Can I Leave And Re-Enter Thailand With A Multi-Entry Tourist Visa?

[greencat]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum.

I have a question about Multi-Entry Tourist Visas...

I've been searching online for an answer but the information I've found so far seems to be incomplete or conflicting.

I have a UK passport and a Multi-Entry Tourist Visa for Thailand.

The Visa states that it is good for 3 journeys to Thailand. Issue date is 16 April, visa must be utilized before 16 October 2012.

Ive been here nearly 2 months now, I entered Thailand on 16 May 2012, the entry stamp in my passport says admitted until 14 July 2012.

I am planning to travel to Penang, Malaysia for a break of 4 or 5 days, travelling on the sleeper train on 13 July. This crosses the Thailand border early morning on the 14th.

Then I plan to stay in Penang until 20th July and return to Bangkok by train on that date.

My concern is: is this ok with my visa? Will it still be valid for the second of the three permissible entries into Thailand? I don't want the rest of my visa to suddenly become invalid for some reason or other.

Or do I need to come back to Thailand before the 14th July? Or maybe I need to purchase a re-entry permit as well? Or will I need to extend my visa by 30 days ie extend the first entry by 30 days, before I travel to Penang? And if I do extend the visa entry by 30 days, will this effectively rule out my planned trip to Penang?

You can see I'm pretty confused by all this.

So thanks in advance for any reliable advice in this matter!

[sotsira]

To keep it simple, you are entitled to enter Thailand 3 times on your current visa you've already entered the first time on your

arrival 16th May.

This leaves you another 2 more entries that can be utilised by the 16th Oct.

You can also extend your stay by 30 days on each occasion by going to your nearest immigration office and paying 1900bt,

this will then give you the benefit of staying in Thailand for 90 days instead of your allocated 60 days that you are given on each

entry in to Thailand.

If you do this on each occasion you can get a max of 3 x 90 days

otherwise you'll will get only 3x 60 days.

Also be aware that as long as you leave and re- enter before the 16th October, you will still get your 60 days permission to stay with the option to extend another 30 days.

So in effect you can stay on your last entry until the end of December early January 2013.

Edited July 10, 2012 by sotsira

[greencat]

Ok thanks for that. My only concern was that I might be required to leave and reenter before the first period of entry was up, ie in my case 14 July.

In other words, it's ok to have a period of time in another country after the last entry validity has passed, without the whole visa thereby becoming void?

The other thing is, if I do extend the first entry by 30 days, then thinking about it I guess wouldn't be able to go to Malaysia like I had intended and return a week later, without this eating up another "entry" back into the country?

[Lite Beer]

It is quite simple.

You have 3 entries. The final entry has to be made before 16th October..

[sotsira]

No, you can stay in another country for as long as you like as long as you leave on or before your permitted to stay date in your passport.

So in other words your plan to visit Malaysia is fine.

Just remember that when you return you will still have the option to extend your 60days by another 30days, and then again the same on your third entry as long as it's on or before the 16th October.

[greencat]

ok thanks a lot for that.

Someone on another site had said that you have to "activate" your second entry "before" your first entry expires, otherwise your visa will no longer be valid.

But it sounds like you guys know what you're talking about, also seeing that this is a forum specialising in visa issues.

One thing that's only occurred to me now: my visa issue date is 16 April, and I entered on 16 May. Its valid until 16 October ie 3 x 2 months.. Since I didnt actually travel to Thailand until 16 May so effectively it means Ive "wasted" a whole month of visa validity, right?

I had thought that the visa time only started from when you enter the country, ie in my case 6 months from 16 May, which would have given me until 16 November with just the 3 x 2 months.

(leaving aside here the extra 3 x 30 days extensions you can obtain on top).

Oh well, cant have everything.

Edited July 10, 2012 by greencat

[sotsira]

Not such a big deal, as you've planned to leave for Malaysia anyway.

But when you return as you say on the 20th July you'll get another 60days, and if you extend another 30days too, that will in effect give you permission to stay until mid October, around

the same time as your utilization date of 16th October, so if you leave and re-enter on or before that date you'll get your additional

60 + 30 days if you wish, that will take you into Jan 2013.

Edited July 10, 2012 by sotsira

[Ohyesuare]

The whole point of a multiple entry tourist visa is so you can leave the country and return back to Thailand without applying for a new visa each time I think, so it definitely isn't going to be an issue. As someone already said depending on how long you were planning on staying you will only lose the 30 days you could have extended your first entry for. Just make sure you leave and reenter Thailand the day before your enter before date if you need to stay till January.

[david555]

To avoid confusion should call this a double or triple entry visa , as a multiple visa is different & has no limits of entry's in the visa valid period ( i think )

[lopburi3]

But that "multi entry" only applies to non immigrant visas - tourist visas are only sold by specific number of entries.

[marstons]

If you got a triple entry tourist visa thats good for a 9 month stay, so i dont understand why it has to be used by 16th October. Assumig April 2012 3 x 2 months 3 x 1 month extension from immigration = 9 months after entry.

I always took utalised as entry date for the visa to start. Thats how my tripe entries used to work. Inyour situation depending on how long you want to stay i would extend in Thailand for 1 month cost 1900 then go to Malaysia to get another 60 days.

do you have a triple entry tourist visa?

[lopburi3]

Because all entries must be used during the validity of the visa for use. Has always been this way. The visa only allows entry to the doorstep - immigration provides the allowed stay at that time and that had nothing to do with visa validity date.

[greencat]

Yes its a triple entry tourist visa.

If what lopburi says is correct, then it wouldnt make sense for me now to pay to extend 30 days three times because it expires in October?

Since there are only 3 more months to October and my visa already gives me 2 x 60 days still to run, ie 4 months, without any extensions being needed.

I assume I can extend the third entry by 30 days, provided I do this before it expires in mid October?

Or does it mean that I have to *start* the third and final entry before the "utilize by" date, which for me is 16 October?

I understand it as meaning: you can stay til 16 October if you utilize it as 3 entries with 2 months each.

You also have the option to extend each entry by 30 days, in which case this will mean that you will be staying beyond 16 October perfectly legitimately.

If you don't extend, then you have to leave by 16 October.

EDIT: re having to to *start* the third and final entry before the "utilize by" date, which for me is 16 October:

on reflection if this was the requirement then there'd be no point in giving 30 day extensions, because if you already had 2 x 2 months plus 2 x 1 months extensions, this would mean you'd already be here beyond the "utilized by" date. In which case you would be beginning your third and final entry beyond the utilized by date...

Edited July 11, 2012 by greencat

[lopburi3]

It means you must enter by October 16th. You would get the normal 60 day stay and be allowed to extend 30 days. The visa usage date has nothing to do with your stay or how long you can stay. It only indicates the last date to use the visa for entry.

[greencat]

It means you must enter by October 16th. You would get the normal 60 day stay and be allowed to extend 30 days. The visa usage date has nothing to do with your stay or how long you can stay. It only indicates the last date to use the visa for entry.

Right, so it's not just the first entry into the country that must occur before the end of the "utilize by" date, the third and final entry into the country must also be before the end of the "utilize by" date?

In other words, although my first entry was in May, I couldnt say go away and come back in January 2013 and be allowed back in on that visa for the third and final entry - because this would be after the "utilize by" date?

[lopburi3]

Correct - all entries must be made by the use date or they are lost.

[ripstanley]

"Ive been here nearly 2 months now, I entered Thailand on 16 May 2012, the entry stamp in my passport says admitted until 14 July 2012.

I am planning to travel to Penang, Malaysia for a break of 4 or 5 days, travelling on the sleeper train on 13 July. This crosses the Thailand border early morning on the 14th."

He is permitted to stay until 14 July 2012. Does this mean he has to depart before the 14th? He will not have his passport stamped until he reaches the border. The stamped date will be 14th. Will this effect his visa if he is classed as overstayed?

[lopburi3]

He is not overstay if leaving on the 14th before midnight.

[ripstanley]

He is not overstay if leaving on the 14th before midnight.

Thanks. That answers my question.

Edited July 12, 2012 by ripstanley

[greencat]

The train crosses the Thai/Malaysia border on the early morning of the 14th, I think about 6am or thereabouts.

Just hope there are no hitches in practice with this visa malarky with leaving and coming back!

It seems simple in theory with these multiple entry tourist visas but in practice there seems to be a big potential for misunderstandings with what is meant by all these rules.

[greencat]

Just to update the above:

All went swimmingly well.

Checked out of Thailand ok with no problems.

Granted 90 days stay in Malaysia on arrival at border (although I was only staying 6 days this time round).

Second visa entry activated on return to Thailand with 2 month stay stamped in passport as expected. No problems with border on return either.

Also enjoyed Penang as well, well worth a visit.

Edited July 22, 2012 by greencat