O Visa - Multiple Visit Type - Questions - Border Run Or Change To Another Visa?

[Mphone]

Hi guys,

I have questions needing your help.

From Singapore, and am currently married to a Thai wife and few months ago, I obtained a spouse visa from the Singapore's Thai embassy (it was a breeze). This visa is valid for 1 year and multiple visits - M type, and FYI, it is free.

When I arrived Suvarnabhumi Airport, I was chopped on my passport for three months until November. So I have one one-year visa sticker on one page and the chopped on the next page for coming soon Nov.

Few days ago, I visited Chaeng Wattana office, the information counter advised my wife that I should apply for the local 1 year spouse visa (but a SINGLE trip) which will cost me 1900 baht and will invalidate my current Multiple visit visit. Before we went down to this immigration office, I did some research here in this forum which seems to fit my category that says I should go to do the reporting and get a free 90 days extension again. But it seems not the case

As I have not travelled to Lao/Myammar/Cambodia before, these are my questions:

- Is it true that Cambodia is the nearest to me staying in Bangkok now?

- Do I have to stay overnight or few hours in order to get another re-entry chop? And if so, 90 days stay in Thailand?

Thank you in advance.

Onala

[Mario2008]

You have a multiple non-O, meaning as long as the visa is valid you can travel an unlimited number of times to Thailand and each time you enter Thailand you can stay for up to 90 days. Then you have to leave, but as long as the visa itself is valid can return to Thailand the same hour, as long a you first enter and leave another country. By leaving and re-entering just befor the visa expires you get an additional 90 days.

Cambodia is closest by from BKK.

You will be leaving after 90 days, so you don't make a 90 day report.

You spoke with immigration about getting a 1 year extension of stay. With a 1 year extension of stay you would be staying longe than 90 day and must do a 90 day report. Further if you want to leave the country, you should get a re-entry permit first as to not lose our permission to stay in Thailand.

[Mphone]

Hi Mario,

Thank you for the quick reply.

Yeah, the officer suggested to me to get another spouse visa which is similar to my SG born baby, a one time fee of 1900 baht, but which requires, as you said, every 90 days reporting.

So if I want this spouse visa, it will invalidate my current multiple visit visa. For me, I think that this multiple visit is more "superior" than the single visit type in case of emergency needs to go back to nearby SG, like a free bird

As for Cambodia, any suggestions from any dudes here for the directions/lowest price costs guide. Thanks again.

[Mario2008]

With an extension of stay and a re-entry permit (single = 1,000 baht, multiple = 3,800 baht) you can also leave and return to Thailand.

[Mphone]

Hi Mario,

Apologies, i am a bit sup-son now.

You mean to say if I leave Thailand for Cambodia for few hours and return back to Thailand, i have to pay 3800Baht for another 90 days extension?

Thanks.

[Mphone]

And you used the word permit.

Permit=Visa?

Thanks

[Mario2008]

No, with your curent visa you have to pay to enter Cambodia but entering thailand is free. (You already have paid for your visa).

I'm telling you that you can get a 1 year extenson of stay and also get a re-entry permit. The re-entry permit than allows you to leave and re-enter Thailand more or less like a multiple entry visa, while keeping your 1 year extension. It doesn't add any days, but for instance Nov. 2013 would stay November 2013 if you leave and re-enter Thailand for a holiday in january for example.

[lopburi3]

All you need to do is mak a border crossing and return every 90 days or less for the next year using your current visa. There is no need to visit immigration for anything or to change to one year extension of stay until your final entry (after visa expires) if you do not want to obtain a new multi entry visa. For those who travel often this type of visa is likely a better choice than one year extension of stay. As you have already paid for the visa and seem to plan frequent travel to Singapore it appears to fit.

[Mphone]

Hi Mario and Lopburi,

Thank you for your replies!

FYI, my application for this multiple visa from Singapore Thai embassy was free of charge, or like what you guys said, paid for already.

Anyway, with my mulitple visa, anyone here knows how much do i have to pay Cambodia on entry there? And Lao? Mynammar?

Thanks!

[lopburi3]

We are to assume you are a citizen of Singapore? As all inclusive transport/lunch/visa cost from Bangkok firms going to Cambodia crossing for nationalities requiring visa to visit Cambodia is only about 2,000 baht the visa itself can not be very expensive, even if it is required.

[ignis]

Look here I have used many times..... http://www.thaivisaservice.com/

If you are Asia then the Boarder run to Cambodia is 700 baht all in from 'On Nut' Bangkok..

Edited October 30, 2012 by ignis

[IMA_FARANG]

Mario2008 had the correct information.

You have the same type of visa I had for my first year.

It is a non immigrant O visa (class M meaning Multi-entry) and is valid for one year from issue.

Each entry during that one year validity gets you a "permission to stay" stamp in your passport for 90 days on arrival. But the visa itself will remain valid for one year,amd each time you enter Thailand during that one year, you will get another 90 day "permitted to stay" stamp for another 90 days stay.

If you want to during that year you can do a "border run" to activate another 90 entry. As another poster has mentioned there are visa run services that make daily runs to Cambodia from Bangkok so you can do this "border run". From Bangkok it is about a 12 hour day trip by passenger van. You do NOT have to stay overnight in Cambodia....but you do have to physically exit Thailand. Make sure you get an exit stamp on leaving Thailand. At the border point where I did my "border runs" there is a small wooden bridge. On one side of that bridge it's Thailand, on the other side it's Cambodia. All you have to do is cross into Cambodia, then turn around and cross the bridge back into Thailand. Then you re-enter through Thai immigration with that multi-entry visa, getting stamped back into Thailand for another 90 day stay.

The whole process at the border takes no more than 15 minutes maximum, and you don't need to spend any time in Cambodia unless you want to.

I made four "border runs" and I used the same company the other poster mentioned.

As a Singaporean you will be charged less than I was as an American....I'm not sure of the price but for you it's less than 1000 Baht for the trip.

As an American, I needed a Cambodian visa to enter Cambodia....this may not be true for Singaporeans...I just don't know. Bot if you do need a Cambodian visa it's included in the cost charged by the "border run" service. Just be aware that the Cambodian visa will take a whole page in your passport....so make sure there is enough room in your passport for that.

Now, you can effetively stretch that one year nulti-entry visa to 15 months.

The way you do this is to make a "border run" the day BEFORE your visa expires. You will get another 90 day "permitted to stay" stamp.

Even though you're visa expires the next day, you're new 90 day "permitted to stay" stamp keeps you legally in Thailand for that stay.

So, with border runs it is possible to extend that one year visa for 15 months effectively

Now, one more thing.....if you are married to a Thai....it is possible to EXTEND that visa you have for another year,,,,and in fact extend it annually as long as you remain married.

But that is an annual extension of your visa not another visa.

In my particular case I extended my original 1 year visa based on retirement in Thailand, and am now in my 2nd annual extension.

There are certain financial requirements and documents required to extend your visa annually based on marriage to a Thai.

But that's another topic.

[Mphone]

Hi all,

Many thanks for all your reply.

Maybe we have a Thai friend who wants to drive and pop over to Cambodia casino for some entertainment.

So I would assume that the visa run services, in my case, as an Asian Singaporean, which requires no visa on entering Cambodia, and the around 700 baht charges is the 100% paid service for the transportation, am i right to say that?

Confirming that, i would have to see if my friend would be free this weekend or I would have to go alone with the visa run services.

Thanks again.

[ignis]

If you want to do it cheaper than believe there are 5 or more Cambodia Casino Buses per day from the Eastern Bus Station cost about 200 baht.

[macgver]

If I don't mistake, there are only three countries are given free visa (any type) that is Malaysian, Singaporean and Philippians through the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate. But if you apply for one time visa (mean one year visa) in the Immigration Office at Cheangwattana Road, you will need to pay 1,900 baht plus showing your Thai bank statement have 400,000 baht and etc.

If you do a visa run at Aranyapretat (nearest from Bangkok), you need to pay 200 baht to the Cambodian Immigration when you do an exit out from Cambodia on the "same day" and you are Singaporean, you don't visa to enter Cambodia. No point to stay one night at the casino, there is nothing much to do there. From Bangkok - Aranyapretat - Bangkok will take 8 - 9 hours. I only spend 410 baht for the private van include return + Cambodia visa 200 baht.

Edited October 30, 2012 by macgver

[allen123]

hi everyone

can you extend O-A retirement visa every year at any immigration office in thailand or only in the province you settled in?

thanks in advance

[lopburi3]

Only at the immigration office officially responsible for the province you live at the time of application.

[macgver]

You have to go to the immigration office in the province where you live.

[allen123]

You have to go to the immigration office in the province where you live.

thank you all for your quick reply