Multiple Entry Visa Expiration

[TheTechChik]

If I apply for a three entry tourist visa, wouldn't my second and third visas expire before I am able to use them? I was told that visas are valid for 90 days from the time that they are issued. If my visas are issued on November 1st and I arrive in Thailand on November 15th, I can stay 60 days plus 30 more days with an extention but won't my second and third entry visas expire 90 days from November 1st?

[sotsira]

No, double & triple entry tourist visas are valid for 6 months from date of issue.

[TheTechChik]

No, double & triple entry tourist visas are valid for 6 months from date of issue.

Thanks for the info, I didn't see that anywhere on the embassy site.

[moe666]

No, double & triple entry tourist visas are valid for 6 months from date of issue.

Thanks for the info, I didn't see that anywhere on the embassy site.

Embassies are the worse for info. You may not be able to extend all 3 for the 30 days, be sure to look at this and figure your days. I met a Germay who CM immigration wouldn't extend one of his multiply entries as it would have put him over his 6 month period for the 3rd entry of 60 days. Even if you are over the 6 months you can still extend the visa for 30 days if you have activated it.

[TheTechChik]

You may not be able to extend all 3 for the 30 days, be sure to look at this and figure your days. I met a Germay who CM immigration wouldn't extend one of his multiply entries as it would have put him over his 6 month period for the 3rd entry of 60 days. Even if you are over the 6 months you can still extend the visa for 30 days if you have activated it.

I will be in Thailand for 177 days. Should I apply for 2 entries and extend them or is it better to apply for 3 entries? If I apply for 2 entries and they refuse to extend them, I will be screwed right?

[sotsira]

I would apply for a double entry tourist visa with the 2 extensions will

be good for 180 days.

I wouldn't worry about being refused an extension it's unlikely to happen.

Even if it did, you would only need to do another re-entry border run to get

another visa at Vientiane Laos, or fly to a nearby country and re-enter by air

to get a free 30 day visa on arrival. As long as your country of origin qualifies.

[wayned]

The validity of the visa , 3 months or 6 months, depends on where you obtain the visa. If you obtain the visa in a neighboring country to Thailand they will only issue single and double entry visas which both are valid for only 3 months. If you obtain the visa in your home country, or other overses country, the single is valid for 3 months but the double and triple are usually valid for 6 months - but should indicate that you want a 6 month visa when you apply to be sure. A recent OP states that he obtained a double entry tourist visavisa from a European Embassy that was only valid for 3 months

The visa is like a bus pass, it only gives you permission to enter Thailand during the validity of the visa. All betries, be it one or 3 must be made before the "must enter by" date.

If your visa is issued on November 1 and you don't enter until November 15, you have lost 15 days! So it's best to get the visa just befiore you plan to travel. If you get a triple entry tourist visa uou can get almost 270 persission to saty if used properly. In your case, if your visa is issued on 1 november, and it is a 6 month, triple entry tourist visa, it willl expire on the last day of april 2013. So all three entries must be made prior to 30 April 2013.

Senario for maximum time:

1. Enter Thailand 15 November 2012 - first entry Receive 60 days permission to stay, until about 14 January 2013.

2. During the last 30 days of your permission to stay, go to immigration in Thailand and extend it for 30 days - until about 13 February 2013.(1900 baht).

3. On 12 February, do a border run to a neighboring country. Exit, enter/exit foreign country, reenter Thailand (second entry) - receive 60 days permission to stay until about until about 13 April.

4.During the last 30 days go to immigration in Thailand and extend for 30 days (1900 baht)- it will actually only give you 16 days as you have to exit and reenter again before 30 April. THE "ENTER BEFORE DATE" on your visa.

5. On 29 April, do another border run, and obtain another 60 days permission to stay until abou 28 June.

6. During the last 30 days go ti immigration abnd extend for 30 days (1900 baht). You can do this even though your visa is expired since you are already in Thailand. Will giv you to approximately 27 July.

I said approximately because I'm too lazy to get a calendar out and count the actual days.

This senario will give you the maximum time. The border runs will cost you travel plus the cost of the visa for the country that you enter (laos, $35, Cambodia, $20, Myanmar, 500 baht, Malaysia, free). If you want to save 1900 baht, you can skip step 4 and do a border run instead, but you will loose anoter 16 days.

It' really not that difficult!

Edited October 9, 2012 by wayned

[moe666]

The validity of the visa , 3 months or 6 months, depends on where you obtain the visa. If you obtain the visa in a neighboring country to Thailand they will only issue single and double entry visas which both are valid for only 3 months. If you obtain the visa in your home country, or other overses country, the single is valid for 3 months but the double and triple are usually valid for 6 months - but should indicate that you want a 6 month visa when you apply to be sure. A recent OP states that he obtained a double entry tourist visavisa from a European Embassy that was only valid for 3 months

The visa is like a bus pass, it only gives you permission to enter Thailand during the validity of the visa. All betries, be it one or 3 must be made before the "must enter by" date.

If your visa is issued on November 1 and you don't enter until November 15, you have lost 15 days! So it's best to get the visa just befiore you plan to travel. If you get a triple entry tourist visa uou can get almost 270 persission to saty if used properly. In your case, if your visa is issued on 1 november, and it is a 6 month, triple entry tourist visa, it willl expire on the last day of april 2013. So all three entries must be made prior to 30 April 2013.

Senario for maximum time:

1. Enter Thailand 15 November 2012 - first entry Receive 60 days permission to stay, until about 14 January 2013.

2. During the last 30 days of your permission to stay, go to immigration in Thailand and extend it for 30 days - until about 13 February 2013.(1900 baht).

3. On 12 February, do a border run to a neighboring country. Exit, enter/exit foreign country, reenter Thailand (second entry) - receive 60 days permission to stay until about until about 13 April.

4.During the last 30 days go to immigration in Thailand and extend for 30 days (1900 baht)- it will actually only give you 16 days as you have to exit and reenter again before 30 April. THE "ENTER BEFORE DATE" on your visa.

5. On 29 April, do another border run, and obtain another 60 days permission to stay until abou 28 June.

6. During the last 30 days go ti immigration abnd extend for 30 days (1900 baht). You can do this even though your visa is expired since you are already in Thailand. Will giv you to approximately 27 July.

I said approximately because I'm too lazy to get a calendar out and count the actual days.

This senario will give you the maximum time. The border runs will cost you travel plus the cost of the visa for the country that you enter (laos, $35, Cambodia, $20, Myanmar, 500 baht, Malaysia, free). If you want to save 1900 baht, you can skip step 4 and do a border run instead, but you will loose anoter 16 days.

It' really not that difficult!

This what I meant about checking your days to get max. out of you visas

[TheTechChik]

So I can go to immigration anytime during the last 30 days to get an extention, it doesn't have to be on the last day? The border run however needs to be done on the last day (as long as it's before the "enter by" date) in order to get them most days out of my visas?

[Mario2008]

It doesn't have to be the last day.

The border run is best doen on the last day, any daay sooner emans you lose that day.

[sotsira]

So I can go to immigration anytime during the last 30 days to get an extention, it doesn't have to be on the last day? The border run however needs to be done on the last day (as long as it's before the "enter by" date) in order to get them most days out of my visas?

Usually about a week before your "permitted to stay date" go to the nearest immigration office and apply for an extension.

To maximise your visa allowance days it's best to do a border run on the day your "permitted to stay date" is stamped in your passport.

[Maestro]

If you need your double or triple-entry visa to be valid for travel to Thailand for six months I suggest that you mention this in a covering letter addressed to the consul when you mail your visa application.

[wayned]

So I can go to immigration anytime during the last 30 days to get an extention, it doesn't have to be on the last day? The border run however needs to be done on the last day (as long as it's before the "enter by" date) in order to get them most days out of my visas?

Usually about a week before your "permitted to stay date" go to the nearest immigration office and apply for an extension.

To maximise your visa allowance days it's best to do a border run on the day your "permitted to stay date" is stamped in your passport.

Sorry, but not true!

If the "enter before date" on your visa is 30 April and the permitted to stay date stamped in your passport is 12 May, you must exit and reenter Thailand before 30 APRIL. If you wait until 12 May to make your last entry, you are screwed! Your visa "expires" on the "enter before date" and you will be only given a "visa exempt" entry of 15 days by land or 30 days by air. The visa (bus ticket) controls the number of times you can enter (get on the bus) and when you can enter (before the bus pass expires), not how long you are allowed to stay. The length of stay is stamped in your passport by immigration (the bus driver) when you enter Thailand and can extend beyond the date that your visa expires!.

[lopburi3]

wrong information

[wayned]

Lopburi3: Confusing post! Who is wrong me or sotsira? If you leave and try to reenter without a reentry permit to keep the validity of your permission to stay you will only get 15 days by land or 30 days by air. You have to leave and reenter nefore the "must enter date" on the visa to get the full benefit of the last entry, 60 + 30 days.

Edited October 11, 2012 by wayned

[lopburi3]

My post was wrong - sorry. Read your post as meaning not true to what you highlighted in read but in fact that statement is true - you were talking about the details of specific dates so was true with that statement - so removed my post.

[Quickmill]

There is confusion between the meaning of "ENTER BEFORE DATE" and the stamp " VALID UNTIL........".

When you get your visa you have a date to use it before expire, if your visa has an "ENTER BEFORE DATE" 30 April 2012 meaning you have to travel to the country who issued the visa before 30 April 2012, from your first entry you will start to count the days of stay checking only the immigration/border stamp "VALID UNTIL....."

[ubonjoe]

There is confusion between the meaning of "ENTER BEFORE DATE" and the stamp " VALID UNTIL........".

When you get your visa you have a date to use it before expire, if your visa has an "ENTER BEFORE DATE" 30 April 2012 meaning you have to travel to the country who issued the visa before 30 April 2012, from your first entry you will start to count the days of stay checking only the immigration/border stamp "VALID UNTIL....."

You don't have to return to the country where visa was issued.

If you have a visa you have to enter Thailand before (or on even) that date. In case of a multiple entry visa or a tourist visa with more than one entry you have to use do your final entry before that date.

The permitted to stay stamp from immigration indicates the last day you can leave the country without being on overstay.

[david555]

Wrong title for the topic :

a double or triple entry is NOT a multiple entry visa , this could be misleading people !!

Edited October 11, 2012 by david555

[wayned]

If you have a visa that has an "enter before date" of 31 December 2012, all entries allowed by the visa must be made before (or on) 31 December 2012. If it is a triple entry tourist visa, all three entries must be made before (or on ) 31 DEC, if it is a multiple entry Non-O visa, all entries, be it 1 or 500, must be made before (or on ) 31 Dec. The visa can no longer be used to enter Thailand after that day, BUT you can have a stamp in your passport giving you pernission to stay in Thailand past that day and you can leave and reenter and keep the validity date of that stay by purchasing a rentry permit. My visa expired on 1 June 2004 and I'm still here!

Edited October 11, 2012 by wayned