Which Embassy (In Which Country) Is The Easiest One To Get A New Tourist Visa At?

[GoGet]

Hi there,

I am in Hua Hin. I hold a Scandinavian passport which expires on the 13th of March 2013. I have had a tourist visa (2 months) which I have extended once (+1 month). This permission to stay expires on the 11 September 2012.

Which embassy (in which country) is the easiest one to get a new tourist visa at?

Myanmar is relatively close to Hua Hin, but I do not know if a new tourist visa can be arranged over there. If anyone has gotten a visa there please let me know. Otherwise I guess I have to go to Cambodia, Laos or Malaysia.

I'm also thinking about the six months rule. 13th of March minus six months would equal roughly 13th of September 2012. But how do I calculate exactly? Should I assume that every month has 31 days and thus calculate 6x31=186 days. That would mean 8th of September 2012. From what I have understood the six months rule means the passport has to be valid for six months when entering Thailand. That would mean my new visa must be ready and I must return to Thailand before the 8th of September, correct?

So, these are two questions:

Question 1:

Which embassy (in which country) is the easiest one to get a new tourist visa at?

Question 2:

Is the calculation above correct, i. e. do I have to return to Thailand before the 8th of September 2012?

Regards

GoGet

[metisdead]

Moved to the Visas forum where you should get better responses.

[lopburi3]

Any Consulate should issue you a tourist visa but Malaysia does not require a visa for entry and is easy from you location and next day service at all Consulates.

There is no six month rule - that ended years ago (when visa exempt by land was changed to 15 days rather than 30).

[Tomtomtom69]

@lopburi, except if you are a citizen of some ASEAN countries such as Vietnam, who continue to receive 30 days even when arriving overland. I am also assuming that 90 day exempt citizens such as Peruvians and Brazilians continue to receive 90 days when arriving overland. Anyway, this is not relevant in the case of the poster as he is Scandinavian (either Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish or Danish).

OP, Myanmar may be "close" to Hua Hin, but it's not currently possible to travel overland to Yangon from there. Since a Burmese visa is required for entry prior to boarding your flight and that takes time and money to get, I'd suggest either Malaysia (Penang or Kuala Lumpur) or Vientiane, Laos. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is OK too (and you don't need a visa to enter Vietnam for up to 15 days as a Scandinavian) and while I found Phnom Penh easy enough, don't apply there without proof of outbound flights from Thailand or if you have many back-to-back tourist visas. You can always use an agent if you feel there could be problems but normally you should be fine unless you have been living in Thailand on tourist visas.

Yes, do re-enter Thailand with more than 6 months validity to spare on your passport or get a new one before you apply for another visa.

[lopburi3]

@lopburi, except if you are a citizen of some ASEAN countries such as Vietnam, who continue to receive 30 days even when arriving overland.

Malaysia also gets 30 days at that border only; but I was referring to when the six month rule ended - am aware there are bilateral agreements for various entry times but the normal visa exempt by land is 15 days and expect most are aware of that change about two years ago.

[GoGet]

-If I apply in Malaysia, is the consulate in Penang a good option?

-Do I need proof of onward travel? If yes, is a hotel reservation in Cambodia good enough?

[SeaVisionBurma]

Possible to get a tourist visa from the embassy in Myanmar - I'm currently on a 60 day 2 entry issued in Yangon.

However as tomtomtom69 has pointed out - although it is close to get to Yangon by air, it requires a visa process and therefore may not be the quickest/easiest option

Sent from my ALCATEL_one_touch_918D using Thaivisa Connect App

[lopburi3]

Although believe Penang may provide in some cases (at least for some agents) they were recently not providing any tourist visa if you previously had extended such an entry. I would be prepared to travel to KL if you have a problem in Penang but last report I have seen said that policy had ended. Penang is subject to many such temporary policy changes.

[GoGet]

Hmm...

Can anyone else confirm what the status is with the Penang consulate right now? Has anyone received a second tourist visa there recently even with a previous 2 months + 30 days visa stamp in the passport?

[Tomtomtom69]

Hmm...

Can anyone else confirm what the status is with the Penang consulate right now? Has anyone received a second tourist visa there recently even with a previous 2 months + 30 days visa stamp in the passport?

Wouldn't this depend a little bit on when that last tourist visa was applied for? If it's been say, a year or two, then I don't think there should be any problems. If it's been only a couple of months, then they might be reluctant, although you could always show them proof of a ticket out of the country (or alternatively, a nearby country back to your country of residence) and then it should be issued.

[GoGet]

The tourist visas would be back to back. This one expires on the 11th of September and I would go down to Penang say on the 6th of September to have it renewed.

I do have a return ticket to show them but it's for the 20th of November.

Feedback please : )

[GoGet]

Lopburi3,

Although believe Penang may provide in some cases (at least for some agents) they were recently not providing any tourist visa if you previously had extended such an entry. I would be prepared to travel to KL if you have a problem in Penang but last report I have seen said that policy had ended. Penang is subject to many such temporary policy changes.

Hey : )

Do you have any links to those reports you mention_

I have to get a new visa somehow, somewhere as my current permit expires on the 11th of September.

If Malaysia is a bad idea then maybe I should head for Laos, Vietnam or Kambodia instead? Then again, I guess I would have to apply for a visa to enter those countries, no? Or can I get it on the border?

I was sort of focusing on Penang, but now I'm having something like second thoughts.

Anyone got latest update on the probability of having a second tourist visa issued at an embassy in one of the surrounding countries?

[lopburi3]

This was policy in Penang earlier in the year and most people stopped going there - there have been recent reports that more normal visa issuance is now taking place but not enough reports to know what that normal is. KL is an alternative Malaysia location and did not have the same policy. Yes you can go to Laos with visa at border and for a two entry tourist visa that is currently the best bet.