Longer Term Visa

[snapdharlich]

I'm new to this forum, I was recommended to come here by my brother.

The thing is, I want to visit my brother, his Thai Wife and her family.

They're currently based in Chiang Mai and her family live in Dansai.

Is there any way I can get a longer Tourist Visa than 3 months. I'm in the UK, and would love to hear any suggestions...Through letters etc...

[lom]

You can apply for a 2 x tourist visa with which you have to do a border crossing after 90 days , using the second visa for your re-entry.

Or get a single tourist visa , cross the border and get a 30 day entry permit when you return.

Which to choose depends on how long you're gonna stay in Thailand , you

forgot to mention that..

Also be aware that a tourist visa is valid for a 60 day stay but can be extended with 30 days for the cost of 1900 baht, giving you 90 days per visa. Not 3 month !!

Edited February 18, 2006 by lom

[thaiflyer1]

Just to add to the above post you can even apply for a triple entry tourist visa that will give you close to 9 months in Thailand in total................thing to be careful of is that the visa has a 6 month validity in which to use all the entries from the time of issue at the Thai Consulate NOT 6 months from when you first enter Thailand.

To clarify how it works...........you enter on the first entry and recieve a 60 day stay stamp 59 days into the stay you go to local immigration and pay a 1900 fee for a 30 day extension to the 60 day stay.........this puts you at the 90 day stage, you then nip to the closest border exit and re-enter using the second entry of the tourist visa and repeat the process...........your now at the 180 day stage...........nip to the border again and use the last entry on the visa to re-enter and recieve the last lot of 60+30 days.

Just remember all 3 entries must be used within the 6 month period from when the visa is issued though............so although we say 9 months its probably closer to 8 and a half.

If you wish to stay between 9 months and a 15 months then there is another option.............post again if you need to know about this.

[wowwo]

Just to add to the above post you can even apply for a triple entry tourist visa that will give you close to 9 months in Thailand in total................thing to be careful of is that the visa has a 6 month validity in which to use all the entries from the time of issue at the Thai Consulate NOT 6 months from when you first enter Thailand.

To clarify how it works...........you enter on the first entry and recieve a 60 day stay stamp 59 days into the stay you go to local immigration and pay a 1900 fee for a 30 day extension to the 60 day stay.........this puts you at the 90 day stage, you then nip to the closest border exit and re-enter using the second entry of the tourist visa and repeat the process...........your now at the 180 day stage...........nip to the border again and use the last entry on the visa to re-enter and recieve the last lot of 60+30 days.

Just remember all 3 entries must be used within the 6 month period from when the visa is issued though............so although we say 9 months its probably closer to 8 and a half.

If you wish to stay between 9 months and a 15 months then there is another option.............post again if you need to know about this.

I need some advice: I have been working in Thailand for 2 1/2 years. I just stopped working and my workpermit will be canncelled next week which means I have 7 days to leave and come back as a tourist.

I intent to stay in Thailand, I live here and I am currently looking for a new job, but this can take some time, maybe a very long time...

1) How & where can I get a triple entry tourist visa? Just go to any Thai embassy and ask for triple entry tourist visa?

2)One more thing, my wife is on an O-visa and this is also void now. So she should do the same?

3)What is this option with 9 and a 15 months one, I would like to know!!

4) What is the best way to go for my situation?

5) What is this 365 day Tourist Visa Extension?

Thanks you so much for a answer

[snapdharlich]

Thanks for all your help.

I'm not really sure how long I am going for at the moment. I am sure that I won't be there for longer than that. But then I haven't left yet!

Cheers all!

[thaiflyer1]

Wowwo..............the only place you will get a triple entry tourist visa in this area is Penang Malaysia.

Make your way down there and apply at the Thai Consulate (watch out for Thai/Malaysian holidays as its closed...........plan on a 2 night 3 day stay.

You can use an agent to do the leg work for you when you get to Penang if you so wish.

If you do a search on this forum all the ins and outs of the journey can be found.

Your wife will need her own tourist visa.

There is an "option" whereby you can obtain a multiple entry Non Immigrant O visa that can give you up to 15 months stay in Thailand before a new visa is required (90 day border runs are needed though)..........unfortunatly you would have to be a UK citizen and apply in the UK to obtain it......................what we are talking about here is an "option" for somebody under 50 and without a Thai spouse.

365 day extensions are available for those people over the age of 50 wishing to reside in the Kingdom and are subject to meeting certain requirements............or people who are supporting a Thai spouse again subject to meeting certain requirements.

There is one further way to obtain the 365 day extension and that is on investment grounds...........again a search here will reveal the ins and outs.

Difficult to advise you your best option but if you are under 50 then i guess it would be the triple entry tourist in Penang..............it/ll give you a total of 9 moths here with 2 border runs and 3, 30 day extensions at local immigration.

Hope this helps.

[adult gapyearers]

hi thaiflier you seem to know quite alot about visas and just wondering if you can help us.

My partner & I are in NZ and have been planning a long term stay in Thailand. We applied today for a multiple entry - 4 tourist visas to take us through from March to Jan next year. We had not seen anything anywhere about the visa only being valid for 6 months. This we were advised on application today which threw things into a small turmoil we had flight info & money info all of that is in order. So I am now waiting on a 2x entry visa - we have a visa run already planned in July for KL. So reading your informed reply today in regards the six month validity etc just wondering if you can help.

Can you tell me firstly if I can get a multiple entry visa 2 in KL as I can't find much info on the KL embassy for Thailand to tell me how easy it is to get visas and how long etc.

Plus I foudn your commnet on the six month validiy from the application being processed and not from date of entry interesting, as I was assured at the embassy today that my visas are from date of entry to Thailand.

Any specific advice or comments greatly appreciated - thanks in advance

[thaiflyer1]

adult gapyearers..........easy bit first, the validity of the visa runs from the date it is issued at the Consulate/Embassy not from when you enter Thailand..........it doesnt really affect you with you only applying for a double entry visa but as you can appreciate if you apply for a triple entry and want to get the most out of the 3 entries then its best not to apply for said visa too far in advance of your intended trip as the validity starts counting down from the moment it is issued.

In your case, lets say for sake of argument you arrive here 1st March you will recieve a 60 day initial stay stamp upon arrival this takes you through to 29th April you can then go to local immigration in Thailand and for a 1900 baht fee apply for an extra 30 day extension to the 60 day stay.......your now at the 29th May.

29th May off you trot to the nearest border exit and re-enter (straight away if you so wish) using the second entry on your visa...............upon entry you will recieve another 60 day stay stamp.........taking you tp the 28th July you can then apply for a 30 day extension again which will take you up to 27th August .

27th August you will need a to apply for a new visa.

Ive heard tell that KL is difficult to get a double entry tourist visa................if you can Penang would be a better bet (your virtually guaranteed a double/triple)

All the above dates are only if you want to get the max out of your visa...............you can do your border run anytime you want but the second entry and second lot of 60 days supercede the first 60 days and are not stuck on top of them............hope that makes sense.

Edit......just before anyone posts ive avoided re-entry permits as i dont think they will need them.

Edited February 20, 2006 by thaiflyer1

[adult gapyearers]

Thanks Thaiflyer1- Excellent advice we will research getting our additional visas in Penang. Amazing how sometimes the best place to get advice is via other people and not via embassies and official websites - we had not read anywhere on the Thai Embassy site in Wellington re the six months and on my initial enquiry with them nothing was mentioned so they had thrown me when I applied for the visas on Monday - thank god for the internet and forums and informative people like you!!!

Once again thanks we are really starting to look forward to the trip!!

[JAS21]

Thanks Thaiflyer1- Excellent advice we will research getting our additional visas in Penang. Amazing how sometimes the best place to get advice is via other people and not via embassies and official websites - we had not read anywhere on the Thai Embassy site in Wellington re the six months and on my initial enquiry with them nothing was mentioned so they had thrown me when I applied for the visas on Monday - thank god for the internet and forums and informative people like you!!!

Once again thanks we are really starting to look forward to the trip!!

Thaiflyer1..a little help please.

Both my Thai wife and I are over 50 (I am retired). We have a house in BK. At present we are here and I have a multi-entry O visa. We will return to the UK before ‘the first’ 90 days are up. Later this year we intend to come here for good.

I propose changing to a retirement visa when the year (or year +30 days) are up. I have a quite a good pension.

Is the retirement visa the best option..what is the ‘support Thai wife’option I see here?

Do I have to have significant funds here or will the pension suffice? I have a Thai bank savings account. I intend transferring money from the UK on a regular basis.

As I understand with a retirement visa I need to report every 90 days. What happens if I am not in Thailand at the 90 days (eg away on holiday) .that sounds a strange thing to do I know….I assume that I can enter Thailand and leave at will with this type of visa..Am I correct?

Thanks

[lopburi3]

1. Retirement requires a yearly medical - support Thai wife the wife. Up to you is probably the best answer we can provide. For myself I have changed to retirement as it takes fewer trips to immigration and does not require us both to be present. For those with low pension the support type only requires 400k rather than the 800k of retirement.

2. You will require a bank account and letter from bank here but the amount in the account will not be a factor if you meet the 65k pension requirement as certified by your Embassy.

3. Any time you remain in Thailand 90 days or more you have to report your address. This can be done in person or by mail. If you are outside Thailand when do no report until 90 days after your return.

4. Once you have an extension of stay for any reason you must obtain a re-entry permit prior to travel outside of Thailand or the extension becomes invalid. This costs 1,000 baht or 3,800 baht for the multi entry type which would cover the full year of the extension.

[briley]

Very willing to be corrected but,

I thought a dual entry tourist visa had to be used within 6 months of it being put into the passport,

But a triple entry tourist visa had to be used within 9 months, etc?

And can't you get a multiple re-entry tourist visa valid for entry up to 12 months after it is put into your passport?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Very willing to be corrected but,

I thought a dual entry tourist visa had to be used within 6 months of it being put into the passport,

But a triple entry tourist visa had to be used within 9 months, etc?

And can't you get a multiple re-entry tourist visa valid for entry up to 12 months after it is put into your passport?

A single entry tourist visa must be used within 90 days of the date. Any number of entries permitted must be used within 180 days.

[rb3]

Ive heard tell that KL is difficult to get a double entry tourist visa................if you can Penang would be a better bet (your virtually guaranteed a double/triple)

All the above dates are only if you want to get the max out of your visa...............you can do your border run anytime you want but the second entry and second lot of 60 days supercede the first 60 days and are not stuck on top of them............hope that makes sense.

Edit......just before anyone posts ive avoided re-entry permits as i dont think they will need them.

Hello, I want to go to Penang for the visa run, what forms do I need, paperwork?? Do I need to make an appointment? I dont need a sponsor letter do I? how about bank statement?? I only want to stay in BKK as a tourist for as long as I can.

PLEASEEE please do advice. Thanks!!!!!