Best place to get a double entry visa - first time?

[autumnm7]

Hello everyone,

I posted earlier about obtaining a double entry visa at the royal thai embassy in Mexico City. We are traveling through Mexico city and I thought I might be able to get one here, but unfortunately they only offer them to residents of Mexico. Which is really too bad for it would have solved all my problems!

To make a long story short- we are a family of 4 - my husband is Canadian and myself and 2 little girls American, are flying into Bangkok on July 2nd. We are then flying over to Phuket and will be there until August 20th. We then fly back to Bangkok for 2 months - and then perhaps on to Chiang Mai until the new year. We are looking to stay in Thailand for 6 months.

I am looking for advise regarding what to do Visa wise. Since we have 2 little girls ages 4 and 2 - the less border runs the better. I am interested in the double entry visa - but was wondering where would be the best place to go get it and when. I thought if we had this visa and did the 30 day extension on both ends- this would fulfill our Visa needs for the 6 months we are in Thailand. Am I right to think this?

Thank you in advance for any advise, words of wisdom or help. I find this process very confusing and throwing 2 small kids into the mix definitely ups the ante!

[Mario2008]

You will have to get a visa before you fly to Thailand, or the airline might not board you. The US seems your best option to get a double entry visa.

Yes, double entry plus extensions gives you 180 days, (or 179 days if the day you leave is the same day you re-enter Thailand).

[wayned]

If you are in the US you can do it by courier service. Double entry would be best. The Honoray Consulate in Portland is very friendly. Here's their website: Visa application porcedures, Portland Oregon.doc I think that they will only mail to a US address.

[SSSlongtime]

i have just got my O visa ,one year multi entry ,married to thai lady ,been doing this for many years ,in europe ,this time was asked for thai bank book ,told it should show 200,000bt in the account ,is this now normal ,or a new law

[lopburi3]

i have just got my O visa ,one year multi entry ,married to thai lady ,been doing this for many years ,in europe ,this time was asked for thai bank book ,told it should show 200,000bt in the account ,is this now normal ,or a new law

It is not a law but the policy of that specific Consulate. The reasoning is that only a single entry visa should be required for most travelers to Thailand for marriage reasons and they they then extend there stay on a yearly basis at immigration with proof of 40k income or 400k in bank account. Consulate may issue the multi entry but they may also ask to see from zero to 400k in a bank account to do so. If there are travel reasons for using visa entry, such as working overseas, they might allow issue without there normal bank requirements but it would be on a case-by-case basis. Yes it is relatively new but becoming more common - just as they now normally want copy of spouse ID card and home register entry as well as the normal marriage certificate.

[SSSlongtime]

thanks for this been in thailand since 1978 coming and going ,seems the world is getting more difficult world over ,

[autumnm7]

You will have to get a visa before you fly to Thailand, or the airline might not board you. The US seems your best option to get a double entry visa.

Yes, double entry plus extensions gives you 180 days, (or 179 days if the day you leave is the same day you re-enter Thailand).

Thank you Mario,

When we arrive via air from mexico city through LA, we are automatically issued a 30 day visa. We are not in the US so I cannot get a visa from there- Looking to find out my best option once we are in the Thailand

If you are in the US you can do it by courier service. Double entry would be best. The Honoray Consulate in Portland is very friendly. Here's their website: Visa application porcedures, Portland Oregon.doc I think that they will only mail to a US address.

Wayned,

Thank you for your advise but we are in Mexico and leaving directly from here to go Fly to Bangkok. So I cannot get a visa from the us at this point.

[Mario2008]

When arriving without a visa, you will get 30 days on arrival. But there is a catch, you must have a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival. Immigration leaves the checking over to the airline, some don't check and others check very carefully and will deny you boarding if you don't have a ticket out within 30 days.

With a visa there is no need for a ticket out of Thailand.

[Eesat]

Arrive and get a 30-day visa waiver but you must have ongoing flights after 30 days to show to Thai immigration,they may ask to see these ongoing flights at your country of departure,they do in the UK.See if a Mexican travel agent can issue you with fake ongoing flights for a few pesos,shouldn't be a problem there!
Next,when you land either go directly to Vientiane,Laos to apply for 60-day double entry visas or wait until the end of your 30-day visa waiver to make the trip.Laos is by far the quickest and easiest embassy as they have fantastic relations with Thailand (Isaan,North-East Thailand is an extension of Laos!)

You'll need at least 2 days,hand your passports in before 11:30am one day,then collect them with your shiny new visas the next afternoon,they're closed at the weekend.

[autumnm7]

When arriving without a visa, you will get 30 days on arrival. But there is a catch, you must have a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival. Immigration leaves the checking over to the airline, some don't check and others check very carefully and will deny you boarding if you don't have a ticket out within 30 days.

With a visa there is no need for a ticket out of Thailand.

Arrive and get a 30-day visa waiver but you must have ongoing flights after 30 days to show to Thai immigration,they may ask to see these ongoing flights at your country of departure,they do in the UK.See if a Mexican travel agent can issue you with fake ongoing flights for a few pesos,shouldn't be a problem there!

Next,when you land either go directly to Vientiane,Laos to apply for 60-day double entry visas or wait until the end of your 30-day visa waiver to make the trip.Laos is by far the quickest and easiest embassy as they have fantastic relations with Thailand (Isaan,North-East Thailand is an extension of Laos!)

You'll need at least 2 days,hand your passports in before 11:30am one day,then collect them with your shiny new visas the next afternoon,they're closed at the weekend.

Easat, thank you for your information- I never thought of this part! Since we will be in Phuket- air asia flies directly to Udon Thani - do you think that booking flights to there and traveling into Issan to get our double entry visa's is a good idea?

[Eesat]

When arriving without a visa, you will get 30 days on arrival. But there is a catch, you must have a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival. Immigration leaves the checking over to the airline, some don't check and others check very carefully and will deny you boarding if you don't have a ticket out within 30 days.

With a visa there is no need for a ticket out of Thailand.

Arrive and get a 30-day visa waiver but you must have ongoing flights after 30 days to show to Thai immigration,they may ask to see these ongoing flights at your country of departure,they do in the UK.See if a Mexican travel agent can issue you with fake ongoing flights for a few pesos,shouldn't be a problem there!

Next,when you land either go directly to Vientiane,Laos to apply for 60-day double entry visas or wait until the end of your 30-day visa waiver to make the trip.Laos is by far the quickest and easiest embassy as they have fantastic relations with Thailand (Isaan,North-East Thailand is an extension of Laos!)

You'll need at least 2 days,hand your passports in before 11:30am one day,then collect them with your shiny new visas the next afternoon,they're closed at the weekend.

Easat, thank you for your information- I never thought of this part! Since we will be in Phuket- air asia flies directly to Udon Thani - do you think that booking flights to there and traveling into Issan to get our double entry visa's is a good idea?

It's the best idea but be warned,I just got stuck in Laos for 6 days after waiting at the wrong bus station from 7:50am for about 40-50 minutes.The city centre bus station buses don't arrive for Nong Khai until 11:00am and the Vientiane bus won't take you unless you already have a visa.

All this happened on a Thursday and I got to the Thai Embassy for 11:50am,it closes the application process and stops issuing tickets for the queue at 11:30am!I even went to the lengths of buying a ticket from a Laotian guy outside for me and my Aussie mate,he wanted 1,000 baht each but we haggled him down to 1,500 baht for two.

Unfortunately when we went to the window with the filled in forms and photocopies of passport,visa etc. and the girl said the numbers had already gone.I told her that we'd been out to get some food and just at that moment the guy who'd told me the ticket office was closed sat down next to her and started whispering in her ear.

She was just about to process our applications before him but he'd specifically come out of the office before to inform us the tickets for visa application processing finished at 11:30am,so if I hadn't have banged on his window asking for tickets we would probably have made it.

Our desperation cost us an extra 1,500 baht just to add insult to injury and we were stuck there until Monday.

So the lesson learned was...TiT...This is Thailand (Although it was Laos but The Thai Embassy,so maybe considered Thai soil like the US Embassy?)

Just a word of warning,stay overnight in Laos or allow an extra day before the weekend if traveling across from Udon!

Edited June 19, 2013 by Eesat

[jrtmedic]

I note you have two youngsters!

You may care to investigate the possibility of flying from Phuket to Penang, KL, or Singapore to secure your tourist visas. I am sure this will be easier than attempting the trek to Laos with the two little ones!

Hopefully one of the experts will come along and advise.

[Eesat]

I note you have two youngsters!

You may care to investigate the possibility of flying from Phuket to Penang, KL, or Singapore to secure your tourist visas. I am sure this will be easier than attempting the trek to Laos with the two little ones!

Hopefully one of the experts will come along and advise.

The "trek" from Udon Thani to Vientiane,Laos is one hour on a single bus,I use to travel for longer to school as a lad!

Plus as far as I'm aware NONE of those places offer a 60-day double entry visa for Thailand!

[ubonjoe]

Just having a domestic flight to Udon probably would not be be considered proof of onward travel.

Nok Air offers flights to Vientiane from Bangkok that are fly/ride via Udon that might work.

[BudRight]

Do the visa at the consulate in LA. Very nice people there.

[autumnm7]

Hello, thank you all for all of your answers. I have (surprise surprise!) another question-

We fly into BKK on July 1st from Mexico City. I am unable to procure us visa's from this end.

We arrive in BKK and are issuied a 30 day visa. I book us flights to Loas using Nok Air fly and ride (Thanks Ubonjoe!)

Flights booked for August 25th

If I book the flights almost 2 months out- is it possible to get a visa extension in BKK - extending our visa from 30 days to 60 days before we have to make the visa run?

The reason I ask this is because we are set to be in Phuket from July 9th until August 20th- my travel options flying in and out of Phuket verses BKK are much more limited (and expensive)

and if it is possible to do it on the back end - when we return to BKK on August 20th - that would be awesome. But I don't know if this would work. Any advise is greatly appreciated!

Just having a domestic flight to Udon probably would not be be considered proof of onward travel.

Nok Air offers flights to Vientiane from Bangkok that are fly/ride via Udon that might work.

[Mario2008]

A visa exempt entry cannot be extended, at most you can get an extra 7 days at 1,900 baht per person.

[autumnm7]

A visa exempt entry cannot be extended, at most you can get an extra 7 days at 1,900 baht per person.

Mario,

Thank you for the info- that is unfortunate

[ubonjoe]

Your best option may be to buy tickets to Penang Malaysia from Phuket within 30 days of your arrival and get a single entry visa there. To reduce costs you could return overland if you wanted too.

Another option that may seem a bit far fetched but might well work would be to contact the honorary Thai consulate in Houston about your visas. I am certain if you explained your situation they would do it. This of course means being without your passports for about 3 days. From Mexico city to Houston you can get overnight service by Fedex, UPS, DHL and others. Houston normally does same day turnaround of visas sent by mail. You would need to provide prepaid overnight return of your passports. Contact info follows.

ROYAL THAI CONSULATE-GENERAL

600 Travis, Ste. 2000

HOUSTON, TX 77002-2911

Tel : (713) 335-3907

Fax : (713) 228-1303

Edited June 21, 2013 by ubonjoe

[Eesat]

Hello, thank you all for all of your answers. I have (surprise surprise!) another question-

We fly into BKK on July 1st from Mexico City. I am unable to procure us visa's from this end.

We arrive in BKK and are issuied a 30 day visa. I book us flights to Loas using Nok Air fly and ride (Thanks Ubonjoe!)

Flights booked for August 25th

If I book the flights almost 2 months out- is it possible to get a visa extension in BKK - extending our visa from 30 days to 60 days before we have to make the visa run?

The reason I ask this is because we are set to be in Phuket from July 9th until August 20th- my travel options flying in and out of Phuket verses BKK are much more limited (and expensive)

and if it is possible to do it on the back end - when we return to BKK on August 20th - that would be awesome. But I don't know if this would work. Any advise is greatly appreciated!

Just having a domestic flight to Udon probably would not be be considered proof of onward travel.

Nok Air offers flights to Vientiane from Bangkok that are fly/ride via Udon that might work.

The cheapest way from Phuket will be to fly,by Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur for the day to get another 30 days visa exempt,they have their own airport terminal there which is pretty awful but travelling through land borders will only give you an extra 14 or 15 days,I forget which?

I think I have seen returns to Ho Chi Minh City with Air Asia for around 3,000 baht also,if you book 2-3 weeks beforehand.Which is probably a better option as they have a massive range of hotels at very good prices in Saigon (HCMC).

The food is fantastic and the Vietnamese much friendlier than the Malays,who just want to rip you off and it's a God-awful,mega -expensive dump (KL that is)!

[phuketrichard]

I note you have two youngsters!

You may care to investigate the possibility of flying from Phuket to Penang, KL, or Singapore to secure your tourist visas. I am sure this will be easier than attempting the trek to Laos with the two little ones!

Hopefully one of the experts will come along and advise.

none of those places offer double entry visa only single

Best bet for double is Laos and its easy to fly to udon and bus to Nong khai an travel across the border, tuk tuk to hotel and than embassy next monrning

Vientiane is great for small ones as its not a big city and easy to move around,

next day pick up ur visa an head back to Thailand or say another night

[sunsetlover]

When arriving without a visa, you will get 30 days on arrival. But there is a catch, you must have a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days of arrival. Immigration leaves the checking over to the airline, some don't check and others check very carefully and will deny you boarding if you don't have a ticket out within 30 days.

With a visa there is no need for a ticket out of Thailand.

But wait, to get the tourist visa in the first place, you need to show "Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full)", as stated on the mfa and Consulates' sites.

So it's a catch 22, to be safe you need to have onward travel already booked, preferably one you can cancel.

Of course you could say at the Consulate/Embassy/Airport that after 29 days you plan to get the bus to Poipet, but I don't think that will "fly"...

Edited June 21, 2013 by sunsetlover

[ubonjoe]

I know it will be a single in Penang but since they need an onward ticket to enter the country visa exempt it might well be the best choice.

Just flying to Udon will not work for an onward ticket.

[Mic Samui]

I think the best place is vientiane Lao, check out this thread should have everything you need to know for the trip:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/642718-report-of-visa-run-in-vientiane-lao/