I'm looking to travel to thailand for 3 months (later this month until the end of july / early august).

I'm about to be a US citizen on the 10th of May. I'm 19 years old, and trying to take a vacation from college.

I was thinking of doing the 30 day on-arrival visa when I get there by plane ride, and then maybe get a 60 day extension from the consulate while I'm there.

Does this sound like a good idea, or should I try to apply for a visa outside the country?

You can be denied to board a flight from the US to Thailand if you don't have a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days or a valid visa.

Suggest you get a tourist visa from the US prior to your visit.

A tourist visa will give you 60 days that can be extended with 30 days at immigrations within Thailand (you can not extend with 60 days unless you are married to a Thai)

If you intend to stay longer get a double entry or triple entry tourist visa in the US.

Where are you staying, there are a lot of honorary consulates in the US that can provide you with a VISA.

I'm staying in Orlando FL right now. From my research, there's a consulate in Miami.

Would you suggest applying for a 60 day tourist visa?

If I fly to bangkok and get the 30 day visa-on-arrival, can I use that with my 60 day tourist visa to gain the 90 day period that I need for my stay?

You should get at least a single entry tourist visa. It will give you 60 days permission to stay when you enter and then it can be extended for 30 days at immigration in Thailand, cost of visa (single entry) $40 and extension 1900 baht. If you get a tourist visa, you have to use it upon entry, you cannot enter on a visa exempt entry and then activate the visa. You can get the visa by courier service. I have not seen many posts regarding Miami, but the Honorary Consulate in Portland is very friendly. Here's their info:

Visa application porcedures, Portland Oregon.doc

Portland is always mentioned as THE place to get a visa.

Get the tourist visa but do not fill in the visa information on arrival card and ask if you can get a 30 day stamp-they can only say no but there is some chance of a year if your stars are in the right position. The visa will cost less than border trips as covers 60 days and insures no problem with airline.

If you get a tourist visa and get a 30 day visa exempt entry you would then have to leave the country and use the tourist visa to get 60 days on re-entry.

It is much better to use tourist visa on entry and then get the 30 day extension at immigration.

Edited May 3, 201313 yr by ubonjoe

I was thinking of doing the 30 day on-arrival visa when I get there by plane ride, and then maybe get a 60 day extension from the consulate while I'm there.

Just to be clear, you cannot get a tourist visa while you are in Thailand. You need to go to a Thai consulate which are located outside Thailand. You can go to Thai Immigration office to get an extension as mentioned above.

But the important thing to consider, as also mentioned above, is you will probably not be able to board the plane to come to Thailand unless you have a visa or a plane ticket leaving the country within 30-days. Most airlines in the US are very strict about this..

I bought a $ 60 USD ticket from BKK to Phnom Phen on Air Asia as insurance once. Turned out I did not needed and I almost used it anyway.

I was thinking of doing the 30 day on-arrival visa when I get there by plane ride, and then maybe get a 60 day extension from the consulate while I'm there.

Just to be clear, you cannot get a tourist visa while you are in Thailand. You need to go to a Thai consulate which are located outside Thailand. You can go to Thai Immigration office to get an extension as mentioned above.

But the important thing to consider, as also mentioned above, is you will probably not be able to board the plane to come to Thailand unless you have a visa or a plane ticket leaving the country within 30-days. Most airlines in the US are very strict about this..

"you will probably not be able to board the plane to come to Thailand unless you have a visa or a plane ticket leaving the country within 30-days"

Pure conjecture on my part, but as a 19 year old, travelling alone, Immigrations and the airline will probably want proof that you have air tickets to exit Thailand and in addition Immigrations will want evidence, upon initial entry and either re-entry or application to extend your stay, that you have the financial means to support yourself.

There are no Thai consulates in Thailand, only Immigrations offices. A visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate is simply a recommendation to Immigrations that you be allowed to enter Thailand. The decision about whether or not you can enter and for how long is entirely up to Immigrations and, as we saw in another thread recently, if you appear scruffy or disrespectful, your application to extend may get dumped with no refund of the Baht1900 fee.

Edited May 4, 201313 yr by Suradit69

You said you are about to be a US citizen. What is your current nationality? + if you are not a US citizen they don't ask you for round trip tickets when u leave the US.

Nobody is asked for a round trip ticket - the requirement is onward travel documents for next destination that allows entry.

Poor Sucker said above "you can not extend with 60 days unless you are married to a Thai".

Can a US citizen with a 60 day tourist visa get a 60 day extension if traveling with and married to a Thai woman who also is a US citizen? If so, how/ what do I ask for, and what documents are required? Never heard of this in my 25+ trips and numerous 30 day extensions. Thanks.

You visit immigration with wife and her ID card/home register copy and proof of marriage (not sure all will be required but should have) and ask for 60 day extension to visit wife.

But if you are married to a Thai you can use the same documents to obtain a non immigrant O visa from Consulate rather than tourist which provides a 90 day stay at less cost if that is all the time you need.

2 great suggestions. Thanks.

(not sure all will be required but should have)

Don't take copies and they need them, do take them and they don't.

I commend Samui immigration who just charge an extra 20 Baht to copy what they want. TM. 7, one photo, passport and 1920 Baht is all that is required.