Tourist visaWe paid $400 in NZ for four double entry Thai visa to cover our holiday from the 5th may to the 10th July for myself, my husband and our two children.

We flew in late at night to Phuket and the customs officer didn't ask any questions and just stamped our passports and sent us through. Jet star lost some of our luggage so we spent

the next few days trying to sort that.

We are now in Bangkok for five days and I see that he has stamped 3July on our departure card, but our tickets are booked to fly out on the 10th July.

We have just been to the incorrect immigration office in Bangkok and are getting lots of conflicting advice..I am not sure what to do?? Could you help please? Thank you

Sarah Ellis-Kirifi

Edited May 19, 201313 yr by Sarahelliskirifi

Don't panic, it will be corrected in the end.

is it not that double entry means you leave Thailand after the 60th day via a border and get another 60 days?

The officer is correct 60 days from the 05th May is 03 July, so you have to do a border run.

Also customs do not stamp your passport, Immigration officers do.

Edited May 19, 201313 yr by beano2274

Ok so r heading off to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam so when we come back in to Thailand we will get more time then?

Don't panic, it will be corrected in the end.

There is nothing to correct, the Phuket immigration officer was correct, he gave them 60 days. Either exit the country and use the second entry, or before July 3rd, go to an immigration office and apply for a 30 day extension, 1900 Baht each.

If you are going to another country, just make the second entry while the visa is still valid, "Use By" or some similar statement should have a date written near it.

Edited May 19, 201313 yr by beechguy

It's just that when applied in NZ we were told that our visa covered the ten weeks we were here for, when we saw the incorrect date on stamp I thought we would have to extend visa?? But hopefully what u r all sayings is that when we go into the other countries it will all be ok when we come back into Thailand? Probably around the 3rd July?? Is that correct? Thanks in advance got your help x

i also would recommend for a Extension, except they want to go out of Country for have looking something else like ankor wat....

So far i understand, it is correct the 60 days.

Don't panic, it will be corrected in the end.

There is nothing to correct, the Phuket immigration officer was correct, he gave them 60 days. Either exit the country and use the second entry, or before July 3rd, go to an immigration office and apply for a 30 day extension, 1900 Baht each.

Bad wording on my part. Should have used 'solved' as in the OP's predicament rather than an error.

Quick jaunt to the border or a couple of days somewhere is the key indeed and could have been planned given the double entry.

It's just that when applied in NZ we were told that our visa covered the ten weeks we were here for, when we saw the incorrect date on stamp I thought we would have to extend visa?? But hopefully what u r all sayings is that when we go into the other countries it will all be ok when we come back into Thailand? Probably around the 3rd July?? Is that correct? Thanks in advance got your help x

Shame time was not taken to explain to you how to use it though if you told the agent you would be leaving to Vietnam in under 60 days I guess they saw no point in doing so.

It's just that when applied in NZ we were told that our visa covered the ten weeks we were here for, when we saw the incorrect date on stamp I thought we would have to extend visa?? But hopefully what u r all sayings is that when we go into the other countries it will all be ok when we come back into Thailand? Probably around the 3rd July?? Is that correct? Thanks in advance got your help x

Yes, that is correct, when you exit, the current stay will be canceled. When you re-enter, you will receive another 60 day permission to stay.

Thank you all so much! I have been worrying so much and we were all set to get kids up early and go to immigration tommorrow in our best clothes! So glad to have revived your correct information. Wish Thai embassy in NZ had explained it better, we were trying hard to do everything correct as this is a once in a lifetime trip for us x

Thank you all so much! I have been worrying so much and we were all set to get kids up early and go to immigration tommorrow in our best clothes! So glad to have revived your correct information. Wish Thai embassy in NZ had explained it better, we were trying hard to do everything correct as this is a once in a lifetime trip for us x

Hope your once in a lifetime trip goes well. You may wish to post back perhaps in the 'General' section of the forum if you find any gems.

I'm not any sort of expert on this subject and the last time I had a multiple entry visa was in the 1980's. However, in reading up on marriage visas I keep bumping into a form called "Re-entry Permit". Will Sarahelliskirifi and her family need to fill in this form or can they do like I did in the '80s, fly to Penang, get stamped into Malaysia, walk over to departure, get stamped out of Malaysia and fly back to Bangkok on the same plane?

Just curious.

Here is what I'm asking about.

Re-Entry Permit into The Kingdom Application Form (TM.8)

Can be found here:

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=download

Edited May 19, 201313 yr by dustyniche

No

I'm not any sort of expert on this subject and the last time I had a multiple entry visa was in the 1980's. However, in reading up on marriage visas I keep bumping into a form called "Re-entry Permit". Will Sarahelliskirifi and her family need to fill in this form or can they do like I did in the '80s, fly to Penang, get stamped into Malaysia, walk over to departure, get stamped out of Malaysia and fly back to Bangkok on the same plane?

Just curious.

Here is what I'm asking about.

Re-Entry Permit into The Kingdom Application Form (TM.8)

Can be found here:

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=download

No, for her purposes she doesn't need a re-entry permit. A re-entry permit keeps the current permission to stay valid, she has another valid 60 day entry available, or could do a visa exempt entry.

Could be worth mentioning visas for Cambodia, 'nam etc. Might be better off getting an evisa to Camb. since she (they) have a couple of kids. Off topic I guess.

Each entry can be extended for 30 days at immigration for 1900 baht. The key is the "must enter by" date on the VISA. If you intend to use the second entry, it must be made on or before that date. If you are past the date you will only get 15 days if you reenter by land.

As said you have two options available - that double entry visa was not required and any Consulate that said it was was either very misinformed or looking for extra money. A tourist visa covers up to 90 day stay with the 30 day extension available.

1. You can all visit Chiang Watanna (if in Bangkok) or local immigration office a few days before July 3 to extend stay 30 days filling out a TM.7 form with passport photo attached and paying 1,900 baht each. Actually the children, if under age 15, would not be fined for overstay even if you do not obtain extension for them.

2. You can all exit, enter another country, and return for a new 60 day stay at any time. You will likely have to pay for a visa for other country in addition to transport costs but could provide a view of another country for a couple of days and expand your vacation.

I recently faced the exact same situation as the OP. A double entry tourist visa means that the first entry is good for 60 days and cannot be extended. It's only the second entry which can be extended 30 days. Therefore the OP and family must leave Thailand before July 3 and will then receive the next 60 day entry upon returning to Thailand, be it overland or by air.

The double entry tourist visa is therefore two 60 day entries with only the second entry permitted to be extended by 30 days.

Totally false - any entry can be extended 30 days and there is never a requirement to use both entries.

that double entry visa was not required and any Consulate that said it was was either very misinformed or looking for extra money.

Unless the consulate had exact dates to work with then they would have done the right thing.

Lopburi3 - totally false. Immigration was quite clear that the first entry could not be extended 30 days, only the second entry could be extended 30 days. I'm not going to comment anymore, I'm just relating my experience.

What immigration where? If you received that information at an immigration office I suspect it was not from a government immigration officer but a person helping that did not know the rules or misunderstood your question.

that double entry visa was not required and any Consulate that said it was was either very misinformed or looking for extra money.

Unless the consulate had exact dates to work with then they would have done the right thing.

The exact dates do not support a two entry visa. Unless he was obtaining more than three months before trip of said trip was longer than the 10 weeks.

I was told this info. by an Immigration officer at the Chiang Mai Immigration office when I went to extend my initial 60 day entry. So a quick trip to Mae Sai was made the next day.

Lopburi3 - totally false. Immigration was quite clear that the first entry could not be extended 30 days, only the second entry could be extended 30 days. I'm not going to comment anymore, I'm just relating my experience.

Not true at all.

Both entries can be extended.

The above is likely a misunderstanding resulting from the fact that a double entry visa usually has to be used within 90 days of issue. Indicated by the "use before" date written or printed on the actual visa.

Example, if your first entry is 10 days after issue of visa, and you would get the 30 day extension, for a total stay of 90 days, then your visa would be expired for 10 days and you would not be able to use he 2nd entry.

The information is totally false - just read some of the posts here of people doing this every day - many people go to Vientiane from Chiang Mai to obtain two entry visas and extend then leave for second entry and extend to cover almost six months stay - the only caution is the visa is only valid for 3 months from time of issue so that first extension will be a bit longer than that so you must leave/return to get second entry on about day 28 or 29 rather than the full amount.

One can draw their own conclusion as to the knowledge of the Chiang Mai Immigration official, I'm simply passing on my experience.

One can draw their own conclusion as to the knowledge of the Chiang Mai Immigration official, I'm simply passing on my experience.

You had a bad experience. It was just an immigration officer giving you incorrect information.

Unless he thought he was helping you out because your visa was very close to expiration.

My PP is almost full of triple entry tourist visas (valid for 6 months) and every single entry has been extended for 30 days without a problem. My present one (now expired) was issued on 21st Sept. 2012 and I got my final extension on the 3rd entry last Friday. 269 days all up.