Application For New Visa Before Current Visa Expires?

[krummi]

Possible to apply for a new visa non B before the old one expires? In my case approx. 2 weeks before the expiry of current visa due to travel schedule

[lopburi3]

What are you asking exactly? A visa is valid for an entry and then expires on use and any exit would end the permitted to stay. Are you talking about a multi entry non immigrnat B visa? Or are you talking about an immigration extension of stay? You can not have more than one active visa (if noticed).

[krummi]

I have single entry non B valid until 16/08/2012 and a multiple re-entry permit with same validity. I am traveling before 16/08/2012 and will re-enter before the 16th and want to avoid an extra trip on or around 16th.

[lopburi3]

Not sure Consulate will issue but you can try. Your visa entry must be 16/08/2012 rather than the actual visa I suspect (unless you entered day of issue?). The re-entry permit is really for the permitted to stay rather than the visa itself.

[krummi]

Hmmmm, what you mean by entry visa? The date I enter on the new visa must be 16 or later?

Other scenario: Say i lodge new application on 14 and pick up the passport on 17 and enter on 17, will that be ok? In other words, will the embassy accept an application before the current visa expires but knowing I will enter on the mew visa as current will be expired by the time i am able to pick up the passport?

[lopburi3]

Believe Consulates date is normally prior to delivery but expect that could be arranged.

By visa entry I was referring to the permitted to stay stamp in your passport which your re-entry permit also indicates. The actual visa may have had a different expiration date from Consulate (use by date).

[krummi]

Indeed, the actual visa expired already before the permitted to stay stamp. So in this case i should be fine with my 'early' application for a new visa?

[SlyAnimal]

I might be completely off on a tangent here, but from what you've said:

You have:

- single entry Non Immigrant B visa

- permission to stay until 16/08/2012

- unlimited/multiple re-entry permit

Thus, you have 2 choices:

1/ Get a 1 year extension on your current visa. This should be easier than applying for a new visa, and yes you can do this prior to your current visa/permission to stay expiring, and it can be done at your local immigration office. The paperwork should be mostly the same as what you used to extend your visa 9 months ago (Although also bring your tax return & work permit as well, incase they ask for the details). If you didn't extend your original visa yet, then the paperwork is slightly different, and you'll need to probably show your work permit as well.

2/ Get a new visa. This would likewise be easy. You just need to goto an embassy outside of Thailand (Or maybe BKK can do it too), and submit the same paperwork you submitted originally (albeit newer copies). You can do this prior to your current visa/permission to stay expiring, although probably look into getting a multiple entry this time, rather than a single.

Make sure that if you do extend your visa, you also get a new re-entry permit as well, so that you can come and go as you please over the next 12 months.

[krummi]

Thanks SlyAnimal. My multiple re-entry permit is only valid until 16/08 when also the B visa runs out. Hence to my understanding I need to apply for a new visa outside Thailand as WP not ready. My question was if it is possible to lodge the visa application with a consulate a few days BEFORE the current visa runs out?

[lopburi3]

Effectively your re-entry permit is now your visa and being multi entry it has not expired. So it will be a judgement call for the Consulate and expect they will issue a visa.