Staying in Thailand 60 days?...90 days?

[roadfriend]

Greetings,

I'm an American, doing an extended trip to SE Asia flying into and out of BKK from Aug. 1 to Oct. 23, 2014. I am now thinking of changing my return date to extend my stay in Thailand. So, upon my last entry into Thailand from the Philippines (don't have this ticket yet, but it will be mid/late Oct.), I'm wondering how it would work to stay in Thailand an additional 60 or 90 days (preferably 90).

I would like to stay in Chiang Mai during this time and rent an apartment for 3 mos. A friend of mine in Thailand told me to just go there on the 30 day entry-w/o-a-visa and then apply for the Thai-language-study visa once I'm in Thailand. That sounds okay if it would work, I guess. Is that doable?

Or, if I could just go overland 2 times, renewing my stay for 30 days each time (for a total of 90 days), I think that would be fine, too. If I could go overland once, for a total of 60 days, that would be okay, too; the point, though, is that if I could only stay in Thailand for an additional 30 days, I don't think it would be worth paying the $260 to change my return ticket.

Will the overland 30 day entry to able to be done after Aug. 12? ... Would the Thai-lang.-study visa be a good way to go?

I really appreciate any input/insight into this.

Thanks,

John G.

ps - Just for clarification, my itinerary is as follows:

- 8/1: arrive bkk

- 8/3: overland to Cambodia

- 8/19: fly Cambodia to Chiang Mai

- 8/27: bkk to Nepal

- 9/29: Nepal to bkk

- 10/3: bkk to Phil

- Phil to bkk: date not fixed, but aprox. 10/20

- 10/23: original departure date back to the US (this is the date I would like to push 60 or 90 days back.)

[Maestro]

A tourist visa for three entries into Thailand within six months from its issue date will be most convenient for your itinerary. On each entry you will get permission to stay for 60 days and after your third entry, from the Philippines, you apply for a 30 day extension of stay for 1,900 Baht.

Arrival in Thailand: 23 OCT 2014

Permission to stay until: 21 DEC 2014

Extension of stay until: 20 JAN 2015

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[wayned]

A triple entry visa is the way to go but it won't cover your entire trip as you have 4 entries. I would suggest the triple entry plus one reentry permit, cost 1000 baht.

1st entry 8/1, arrival from USA

2nd entry 8/19, arrival from Cambodia

Purchase a single entry re-entry permit at immigration in Chang Mai or at the airport on departure, cost 1000 baht

before departing for Nepal and use it when you return from Nepal on 9/29 making sure that you putthe reentry permit number in the :visa" section on the arrival card.

3 entry 10/20 returning from PHIL . You will get 60 days which can be extended for 30 at immigration for 1900 baht

[Maestro]

You are right. Now that I recount them, there are indeed four arrivals in Thailand.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[el jefe]

Maybe easier:

Assuming you have the BKK-Nepal tickets before you leave the US, and assuming you have the BKK-Phil ticket before you return from Nepal, You should have no trouble getting a 30 day visa exempt entry on each of your first 3 arrivals.

Then apply for a single entry tourist visa in Manilla giving you 60 days, then extend that for an additional 30 days for 1900 baht.

[roadfriend]

Thank you, everyone! Yes, perhaps I should have mentioned that I'll be in Alaska (but flying into Vancouver) from July 5 - 20, so am unable to secure a tourist visa in the US before embarking on the Asia trip (fly out July 31). In light of that, El Jefe's plan does sound the most doable, I think.

Jefe, do you know how long it would take to get the tourist visa in Manila? I will have all my flight tickets.

[roadfriend]

Also, maybe I could get the tourist visa in Kathmandu, as I'll be in Nepal 5 weeks, thus avoiding a stop in Manila if I don't have to, since my first destination in Phil is Dumaguete.

[el jefe]

Also, maybe I could get the tourist visa in Kathmandu, as I'll be in Nepal 5 weeks, thus avoiding a stop in Manila if I don't have to, since my first destination in Phil is Dumaguete.

That would work too but you'll need a double entry visa if you get it in Kathmandu.

btw, I have no idea how long it takes in either KTM or the Philippines.

[wayned]

You might be able to get a triple entry tourist visa at the Consulate in Vancouver since you are going to be there 15 days. I'm American and the last TV that I got was in Vancouver, but that was many years ago, 1997 to be exact. I don't know about the current rules.

[roadfriend]

Jefe,

If I just got a single entry tourist visa in Kathmandu, would it be automatically 'activated' when I next fly into BKK before going on to Phil.? Or, could I hold off activating it until I do my final return to Thailand, after the Phil trip? My point is that I don't want the 90 days to start until I enter Thailand after the Phil trip. ... So, if I have the tourist visa upon returning from Nepal, could I just re-enter Thailand on the entry-w/o-a-visa and activate the tourist visa after Philippines?

[ubonjoe]

Whether you can use a visa exempt entry instead of the tourist visa will depend upon the immigration officer that stamps you into the country.

You could get a re-entry permit for for the 60 day entry if it is used.

[el jefe]

Whether you can use a visa exempt entry instead of the tourist visa will depend upon the immigration officer that stamps you into the country.

You could get a re-entry permit for for the 60 day entry if it is used.

UbonJoe is way more qualified than me to answer that question. But since you'll be spending so much time in the Philippines, that reentry stamp won't do you much good if immigration makes you use the single entry visa upon entering from Nepal. From reading this forum it sounds like the majority of the time immigration will make you use the visa.

I definitely recommend you get a double entry visa in Nepal or a single in the Philippines.

[roadfriend]

Everything I've read says it's very difficult to get Thai visas either in Manila or Cebu and that getting a Thai visa in Kathmandu is quite simple...is that in fact the case? If so, I guess it would behoove me to get the double entry in Nepal, just to be on the safe side.

[ubonjoe]

There was a recent report that Manila has gotten friendlier for getting a tourist visa. A 2 entry was reported but it required showing 2 tickets out of Thailand.