Tourist Visa for New Zealand Resident.

[gunnick]

Hi everyone,

Sorry if these are commonly asked questions but I have myself quite confused after reading all sorts of different information on the internet. So here is my situation.

I am entering Thailand on 25th December this year, and I want to stay until around March (about 3 months) as far as I understand I need the Tourist Visa which is 60 days then can apply for a 30 day extension totalling 90 days. If i was wanting to stay longer than 90 days I also understand I would need to leave Thailand most likely to a neighbouring country, reapply for a tourist visa and have another 90 days. Please correct me if I am wrong so far. I also do not have a flight booked out of Thailand yet.

I am wondering now do I have to get my visa before entering Thailand or can I enter on the 'under 30days' non visa stamp, and then apply for the tourist Visa when I get there?

Another question I have is when sending off my application do I have to send my passport itself with it or can I send a photocopy?

The reason I am asking these questions is it is around a month until I am arriving in Thailand and Im heading overseas somewhere else between now and then so it could be a problem if I have to send my passport away.

Also for the Tourist Visa application, is this what Im looking for? --> http://www.thaiembassy.org/wellington/contents/files/services-20130913-053631-477790.pdf

Many thanks in advanced for any help!

[Sceptict11]

A double entry tourist visa is easily obtained in Wellington or Auckland .

[lopburi3]

If doing by mail you have to send passport. Yes you can exit to obtain a new visa or visa exempt entry but if you plan a longer stay it is better to get a 2 entry visa prior to travel. Visas must be obtained outside of Thailand.

[gunnick]

Thanks for the replies. So theoretically if I didnt have time to sort a visa before hand, I could arrive on the visa exempt 30 days, leave Thailand to a neighbouring country after that, where I could apply for the tourist visa, then re enter Thailand for the 90 days?

Thanks

[lopburi3]

Yes if you are allowed to board aircraft - which might require an onward ticket within 30 days allowed visa exempt stay.

[gunnick]

Im flying Thai Airways, any knowledge on how strict they are? What if I said I was leaving by land..

[Sceptict11]

Im flying Thai Airways, any knowledge on how strict they are? What if I said I was leaving by land..

Why not do the easy thing and get a tourist visa ?

"leaving by land" is not an onward air ticket and if challenged you would be refused boarding if you tried that line !

[ubonjoe]

Im flying Thai Airways, any knowledge on how strict they are? What if I said I was leaving by land..

Thai airways is one of strictest. If you don't get a tourist visa I suggest you get a one way ticket to any nearby country to show as an onward ticket. Check airasia.com for flights.

Edit: I suggest you apply for a 2 entry visa so that if you want to stay longer you would not need another visa.

Edited November 20, 2013 by ubonjoe

[Dork]

Im flying Thai Airways, any knowledge on how strict they are? What if I said I was leaving by land..

The check-in counters for THAI in Auckland are manned by Air New Zealand employees but with a THAI flight manager supervising. In my experience, they check for either onward travel or visa/re-entry each and every time. I don't know why they are so strict. From Australian airports it's quite random whether they bother to check but not Auckland.

An easy solution if you don't have a visa to is go to one of the airline ticketing offices at the airport and buy a full fare one way ticket from BKK to e.g. Hong Kong and pay cash (not credit card). Then when you return to AKL go back to that office where they will refund the ticket in full. Obviously the full fare ticket is expensive but since you won't use it, that doesn't matter.

[Sceptict11]

Im flying Thai Airways, any knowledge on how strict they are? What if I said I was leaving by land..

The check-in counters for THAI in Auckland are manned by Air New Zealand employees but with a THAI flight manager supervising. In my experience, they check for either onward travel or visa/re-entry each and every time. I don't know why they are so strict. From Australian airports it's quite random whether they bother to check but not Auckland.

An easy solution if you don't have a visa to is go to one of the airline ticketing offices at the airport and buy a full fare one way ticket from BKK to e.g. Hong Kong and pay cash (not credit card). Then when you return to AKL go back to that office where they will refund the ticket in full. Obviously the full fare ticket is expensive but since you won't use it, that doesn't matter.

An easy solution is to obtain a tourist visa !