Question About Double Tourist Visa

[Simon1985]

I want to stay in Thailand for 6 months. I have read that I can get a 60 day Tourist Visa and extend it by 30 days and then apply for another 60 day Visa and then extend that by 30 days which equals the 6 months. Will I have any problems at immigration trying to get the 2nd 60 day tourist visa. If so is there any solutions so I can stay 6 months.

[Lite Beer]

You need a Double Entry Tourist Visa. Apply at a Thai Consulate before leaving.

Each entry gives a stay of 60 days and can be extended by a further 30 days at Immigration.

This will give 6 months.

You can apply for a Triple Entry if you wish. This would give almost 9 months.

[Simon1985]

LB thanks for your reply. So with the Double Entry Tourist Visa you just need to apply at Immigration to extend it by 30 days, theres no need to do a boarder crossing to get the 30 day extension.

[lopburi3]

But for second visa entry a border crossing will be required. And you can not obtain a tourist visa from immigration - only the 30 day extension of stay(s).

[Simon1985]

So at the end of the 90 days( 60 day visa + 30 day extension) I will need to do a border crossing. I can then can stay for another 90 days without doing a boarder crossing if I have the Double Entry Tourist Visa and get the 30 day extension at immigration.

[lopburi3]

Yes

[Simon1985]

Ok great thanks for your help. After my 6 month stay could I leave Thailand for say 1 year and then return and get another Double Entry Tourist Visa and repeat the same procedure or is there rules which would prevent this.

[lopburi3]

You get the tourist visa before you arrive in Thailand but yes you should be able to obtain every year for six month stays from home country if that is what you want.

[Simon1985]

Lopburi3 & LB thanks for the info.

[Simon1985]

If I stayed for 6 months with the Double Entry Tourist Visa with 2 extensions and at the end decided I want to stay another 6 - 12 months without going home first could I leave Thailand and apply for an Educational Visa. After spending 6 months in the country on Tourist Visa's would immigration look at my application for the Educational Visa in a negative light.

[lopburi3]

Yes you could (if available) - no they would not assume the worst.

[IMA_FARANG]

Simon1985

No not eactly.

You get the double entry tourist visa before you come to Thailand at a Thai consulate in your home country.

On arrival in Thailand that activates the first entry of the double entry visa. You are stamped in for a stay of 60 days.

Just before that 60 days is up you go to the immigration wherever you're staying in Thailand.

You get your first 30 day extension for a 1900 Baht fee.

Just before that extension ends, you go to the nearest Thai border.

You exit Thailand, making sure they stamp you out of the country...a valid exit stamp in your passport.

Once you have that exit stamp you can turn around and re-enter Thailand.

That second entry on your double entry visa is activated...and you're stamped in for another 60 day stay.

Again you extend that at your local immigration, just like the 1st entry.

(60 day entry #1 plus 30 day extension) plus (60 day entry #2 plus 30 day extension) = 180 day total.

Just be careful that the days you pick to do this aren't Thai government holidays....otherwise the immigration offices may be closed.