Hi,

Can someone please explain this process for me. I have a triple entry visa obtained in the UK. I have used the first 60 days and extended with another 30 days with local immigration to Monday 18th February. I am in Udon Thani and will be looking to travel to Nong Khai and into Laos on Thursday 14th February. Is it a case of just crossing the border, paying for the Laos Visa, filling out application form with passports photos etc then turning around and heading back into Thailand and activating the next 60 days for the 2nd Entry?

Someone advised me I should arrive Thursday, book into a hotel, fill out the forms etc and hand over with my passport on Friday 15th February,to be collected on the next working day, Monday and return to Thailand. If I can do the shorter of the two methods, would be great but would appreciate it if anyone can advise me on this, having never travelled to Thailand on this type of visa before.

Many Thanks

If you are activating the second entry, all that you have to do is enter another country and return. You can cross the border and immediately turrn around and come back. All three entries must be made on or before the "enter by date" on your visa. You do not have to go to the consulate. If you were applying for a new visa, you would and you would have to stay overnight, submit one day, pickup the next, but this does not apply to your situation.

Yep. Enter Laos and return.

Yep. Enter Laos and return.

Yes important: ENTER Laos. Immigration is actually checking for a Laos entry and exit stamp! As at any border-crossing.

You already have a triple entry Thai visa.

You've used one entry ... given 60 days ... and extended that for 30 days I understand.

So all you have to do now is this:

1. Exit Thailand ... making sure they stamp you out as you leave Thailand (when you return the Thais will look for that exit stamp)

2. Get your Laotian visa and get stamped into Laos with that visa,

3. Now you can exit Laos and make sure they stamp your passport on exit from Laos. Again the Thais will look for your Laotian exit stamp.

4. Now re-enter Thailand to activate the 2nd entry on your triple entry Thai visa. Mke sure you get the entry stamp for 60 days when you re-enter Thailand.

One important note. When tou recieved your original 3 entry Thai visa there was/is a date on that visa that usually says something like "Must use by... date..".

You must use ALL 3 entry and/or extensions before that "Must use by .... date ..." expires.

That date is the last day your triple entry visa is still valid, after that date, even if you haven't used the last entry, your visa is expired.

Often that must use by date is 180 days from the date the visa was issued to you.

So be sure to check that date on your original 3 entry visa .... and plan your nrxt re-etries to make sure you get all 3 entries you paid for.

The exit Thailand and re-enter Thailand thing can be all done on the same day.

You can extend your final entry after that use before date - it is just the entry that must be made prior to that date.

Thanks very much for the information. Was hoping that was the case and the advice I had recently was not quite right for my situation. Much appreciated.

Yep, its as easy as can be. I just did my first re-entry. My passport is from the US, otherwise we are in the same situation. My time came 2 weeks before yours

I posted this on another topic, but i'll re-post here as an FYI to you.

________________________-

1) I had opted for 3 re-entries when i got my first visa, i didnt know how important this would be lol

2) at the Cambodian boarder, i opted to get one of the visa run companies, to get me a cambodian visa.

-they took my passport and some money for processing fee, I sat in the shade for 20 mins, drinking a coke, and my passport was returned , with completed visa. That was easy The guy helping me even filled out the cambodian visa application for me!

3) Went to the Thai emigration building, spent 40 mins in line exiting Thai to get an exit stamp. That was pretty bad. It was miserably hot in there.

4) exiting the Thai emigration building, some guys tried to take my passport, saying they would help me. Hell no, I'm not giving my passport to anyone that i dont know. Finally I was met by the guy who got me my cambodian visa. he asked if i wanted a "quick quick" cambodian entry and exit. I said yes. He took me to a cambidian official, and i gave him 500bhat and my passport. I sat in an office in front of a nice cool fan. in 10 minutes, my passport was returned, with a cambodian entry AND exit stamp

5) Afterwards my guide directed me to the Thai entry point. spent 45 mins in that line (again, pretty miserable line in the heat) and got a 60 day stamp

Exiting the building, I saw my Visa helper friends as i entered Thaiand again, and gave them each a 200bhat tip.

DONE! no fuss no mess.

upon getting back across to the Thai boarder, my other friends asked, "how was the casino"?

CASINO!!?? <deleted>.???

I got thru the Cambodian side so quickly i missed the entire fricken CASINO!

Someone shoot me

________________________________________________

The duty free market on the Lao side of the bridge from Nong Khai is huge, bring extra baggage. Take the bus across the bridge, ignore the hustlers on both sides pushing taxis and mini-vans, not necessary.