Best option for 7 month stay?

[nightfoxx]

Hey everyone. I'm trying to work out the best option for a stay of 7 months, although not necessarily in the country for all those months.

I was thinking the double entry tourist visa with +30 day extension on each entry and spend 30 days out of the country in between the entries, would that work okay?

The other option I was considering was the dble entry with extensions then leave the country for some amount of time before coming back and getting a standard 30 day exemption to see me to the end of my stay. Would this option work okay?

One other question, is getting the 30 day extension/s a certainty?

Thank's a lot for your help

[thepool]

30 day extensions on a Tourist visa are routine.

30 day visa exemption are depended on Nationality if sought at a land border.

Edited March 6, 2014 by thepool

[ubonjoe]

Staying outside the country between entries would depend upon the validity period of the tourist visa that starts on it's date of issue.. It it is only 90 day you would have to do the 2nd entry by the date expires. If it is 6 months it would not be a problem.

You could also get a 3 entry tourist visa.

[nightfoxx]

Thanks for your replies.

What determines the "validity period"?

Is a triple entry visa difficult to get? I'm Australian an in Australia now, where/how can I get the visa?

ty

[thepool]

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Thanks for your replies.

What determines the "validity period"?

Is a triple entry visa difficult to get? I'm Australian an in Australia now, where/how can I get the visa?

ty

Visas are obtained from a Thai Embassy/Consulate or Honorary Consulate.

The visa will have an "enter before date" which is also the expiry date .

As an Australian you will only get a 15 day visa exempt entry at a land border. 30 days if entering via air.

[ubonjoe]

Normally single entry visas are valid for 90 days and 2/3 entry visas are 6 months. But there are some embassies that only do 90 days for 2 entries.

You should be able to get a 3 entry in Australia without a problem.

See here for locations: http://canberra.thaiembassy.org/consulate.html

[nightfoxx]

Awesome. Thanks!

[LivinginKata]

Unhelpful post removed.

[bheard]

Awesome. Thanks!

I just yesterday picked up a triple entry tourist visa from the Thai Consulate in Melbourne (third floor 566 St Kilda Rd), good for 6 months stay obviously.

They said the visas would be honoured when crossing a land border (I'm personally a little wary of that). Total cost $135.

And as noted in another post, dates for use of the visas are included on the stamps. Turn around at the Consulate is 2 days minimum (used to be pick up next day).

Look up the web site to see what documents to take. If you forget your passport photos there is a shop on the ground floor at 566 which does 'em.

[ubonjoe]

Tourist visa entries can be done by land, sea or air that will give a 60 day entry without a problem.

You can also get 30 day extensions at immigration for each entry and by doing the last entry on or before the enter before date of the visa you can get almost 9 months of stay.

[1130bobs]

related to this, can you get a triple entry visa in Laos or other neighboring Thai embassy, or do you need to be in your home country? I am here now for 6 months (2 weeks in cambodia) on 2 single entry (with 1 Mo. extensions) and now a double entry that just got extended for the 1st time. Much easier & cheaper to cross & turnaround with no new visa required.

[ubonjoe]

related to this, can you get a triple entry visa in Laos or other neighboring Thai embassy, or do you need to be in your home country? I am here now for 6 months (2 weeks in cambodia) on 2 single entry (with 1 Mo. extensions) and now a double entry that just got extended for the 1st time. Much easier & cheaper to cross & turnaround with no new visa required.

The nearest place to get a 3 entry tourist visa is Bali. Laos only does 2 entry visas.

It is best to start out with 3 entry from your home country or at least a 2 entry.

[delh]

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Tourist visa entries can be done by land, sea or air that will give a 60 day entry without a problem.

You can also get 30 day extensions at immigration for each entry and by doing the last entry on or before the enter before date of the visa you can get almost 9 months of stay.

I agree. I have just returned from Laos overland and got 60 days as I have a 60 day, triple entry tourist visa. If you do plan on travelling much, its worth considering the triple entry visa so that you have more options.

Lots of good places to travel from here and the visa cost is not much more than a double entry. Enjoy your trip.

[nightfoxx]

Hi all, thanks for your replies.

I'm looking over the visa application form (http://www.royalthaiconsulate.org.au/New_Visa_Application_Form.pdf) and just had a few questions.

It asks for duration of proposed stay. From when I enter to when I leave will be 7 months but I intend to travel around in between and haven't decided exactly those dates so what do you think I should put for duration?

It also asks for travel documents (second page). Do you think they'll need to see a return ticket as well? I wasn't planning on getting that until closer to the time I actually do return.

Any help would be much appreciated

Cheers,

[thepool]

A " Travel Document" is your passport !

The dates should be confined within the period of the visa being applied for.

[nightfoxx]

A " Travel Document" is your passport !

The dates should be confined within the period of the visa being applied for.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. It actually asks for "A photocopy of air ticket or confirmed travel itinerary."

[ubonjoe]

Duration of stay you can put whatever you want to. I think I would put 6 months.

They will not ask you for tickets.

[nightfoxx]

I went to apply for my visa today and they said they can't do triple entry tourist visas, only double. Also, she did ask for my flight documents and took a photocopy so lucky I had them.

This was at the Thai Consulate in Adelaide, South Australia (http://www.royalthaiconsulate.org.au/)

I'm hoping I'll still be able to make 7 months by doing 2 months + 1 month extension then go traveling for 6 weeks or so the come back and do another 2 months + 1 month extension.

[thepool]

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I went to apply for my visa today and they said they can't do triple entry tourist visas, only double. Also, she did ask for my flight documents and took a photocopy so lucky I had them.

This was at the Thai Consulate in Adelaide, South Australia (http://www.royalthaiconsulate.org.au/)

I'm hoping I'll still be able to make 7 months by doing 2 months + 1 month extension then go traveling for 6 weeks or so the come back and do another 2 months + 1 month extension.

Be very careful !

Take note of the "use by date" on the visa!

Both entries must be made whilst the visa remains valid.

[nightfoxx]

Thanks for the heads up.

I guess another option would be;

2 months + 1 month ext.

Short trip ~ 1 week out

2 months in

1 month out

1 month in on regular 30 day exemption < would there be any troubles getting this after already having a tourist visa just prior?

[thepool]

Again your plans are totally dependent on the visas "use by date

If you applying for your visa from an Honorary Consulate they may be prepared to adjust the visas use by date to suit the planed itinerary.

There will be no problem in securing a visa exempt entry but if entering Thailand via a land border only 15 days will be given.

The visa "countdown" commences on the day of issue so look to obtain it as close to departure date as possible.

[nightfoxx]

Ok, so I just rang the consulate to ask what the 'use by date' is and she said 90 days but she also said that this is only for the first entry and there's no restrictions on when the second entry needs to be made.

Don't really know how to reconcile what they are telling me and the info I'm getting from this forum.

Any thoughts?

[thepool]

You have been given poor information.

With a two/three entry tourist visa ALL entries MUST be made whilst the visa is valid

[ubonjoe]

Ok, so I just rang the consulate to ask what the 'use by date' is and she said 90 days but she also said that this is only for the first entry and there's no restrictions on when the second entry needs to be made.

Don't really know how to reconcile what they are telling me and the info I'm getting from this forum.

Any thoughts?

They are wrong. The use before date (visa expiration date) includes the 2nd entry. Thailand would never issue a visa that could be used forever.

From: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/content/visaxpiredate.html

What does the Visa Expiration Date Mean? The visa expiration date is shown on the visa. Depending on the alien’s nationality, visas can be issued for any number of entries, from as little as one entry to as many as multiple (unlimited) entries, for the same purpose of travel.

• This generally means the visa is valid, or can be used from the date it is issued until the date it expires, for travel for the same purpose, when the visa is issued for multiple entry.
• This time period from the visa issuance date to visa expiration date as shown on the visa, is called visa validity. If you travel frequently as a tourist for example, with a multiple entry visa, you do not have to apply for a new visa each time you want to travel to Thailand.
• The visa validity is the length of time you are permitted to travel to a port-of-entry in Thailand to request permission of the immigration officer to permit you to enter Thailand. The visa does not guarantee entry to Thailand.
• The Expiration Date for the visa should not be confused with the authorized length of your stay in Thailand, given to you by the immigration officer at port-of-entry. The visa expiration date has nothing to do with the authorized length of your stay in Thailand for any given visit.
• Each time you arrive at the port-of-entry, an immigration officer decides whether to allow you to enter and how long you can stay. Only the immigration officer has the authority to permit you to enter Thailand.