Tourist Visa -- Change To Non-imm Visa In Thailand?

[mjochim]

First of all, I'm an American citizen and will be entering LOS April 6 on a double-entry tourist visa which is stamped with a use-by date of August 13.

The way I've got it figured out is that I'll need to apply for my first 30-day extension before the 60-day point (June 4). Then, depending on me receiving that extension (first questions: are these always granted as a matter of routine? is one immigration office more "friendly" than others? I'll be staying on Phuket...) I would have to leave the country before the 90-day point (July 2) to activate the second entry.

Okay, so if the second entry begins on July 2 I would have to apply for another 30-day extension at that 60-day point (September 1). The granting of an extension would bring me to October 1. (Of course, on all these I would do the extensions and visa run a day or so before these dates so as not to risk an overstay.)

Question: Since the date I would need to apply for the extension on the second entry is AFTER the original visa expiry date (August 13), can I still do this? Or, is the requirement just that the final entry be made before the expiration date? (Confusing point for me somehow...)

Finally, I am sure that I will want to stay on in Thailand at the end of my tourist visa. I have a girlfriend in Thailand and I think marriage could be in our future (I plan to ask her to marry me soon after I return next month). At any rate, I would like to stay and work in Thailand.

Question: Is it possible to change my tourist visa to a Non-Immigrant visa while in Thailand itself? I wouldn't want to do this until close to the expiry date of my second entry/extension of the tourist visa (gives me a good excuse not to work for a few months ). If so, what is the process involved and is it best to use a firm such as Sunbelt to accomplish this change? And is there any advantage/disadvantage to getting a Non-Imm-B or a Non-Imm-O?

Question: If is NOT possible to change the tourist visa to a Non-Imm visa inside Thailand, what is the best place to do this in the SE Asia region? I really don't want to have to return to the USA in order to wait and get a new visa to return (might be difficult to get a visa for my girlfriend to come with me and I wouldn't want to leave her there for long). If I can't change the visa in Thailand, I would rather fly to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur in order to get a Non-Imm visa. Which of these places would be best (or should I try Penang instead?).

Thanks in advance for any answers and advice.

[99BigLad99]

To answer part of your post you must use the permit that you have already obtained before the expiry date -

6April + 60days = 5th June

5th June 30 day extension = 5July

4th July visa run 60 days = 2ndSept

1st Sept 30day extension = 1st Oct

then as of 30th Sept you are on visa runs for 30 days a time unless you go to a Thai consulate outside of Thailand to obtain another multi entry permit.

. All immigration offices are fairly helpful as they are used to dealing with falangs.

Hope this helps a bit

Edited March 16, 2006 by mgc

[lopburi3]

1. Yes, you can apply for an extension of 30 days after the visa expiration date - that date is just to enter the country.

2. There is no provision mentioned on the Immigration web site for change of visa status for marriage (retirement or work are valid reasons).

3. The best place to obtain visas in Penang. KL has also been reported to be good lately.

[mjochim]

Thanks for the quick answers!

Another question: Not that I'd want to go this route, but how many times in a row would Thai Immigration allow you to do 30-day visa runs? It seems to me that they would put a limit on how many visas-on-arrival you can do before they would require you to leave for a longer period of time...

[lopburi3]

Up to the immigration officer involved at this point. Nobody can say when or if it might change. Most people do not have a problem using 30 day stay but you would not be a legal driver, could not work, and would likely have other problems (the rate of overstay seems to be very high in the 30 day border run brigade) and that can result in arrest and deportation for the unlucky few.