Should I apply for a tourist visa for receiving dental treatment?

[hermesalpha]

Should I apply for a tourist visa for receiving dental treatment?

I've already received the plan from the dentist in Phuket in writing, where it says I will need 6 month to complete the whole dental treatment (some surgery, some extraction of teeths etc.). I've also done the first part of the treatment already, and have 4 receipts from this dental clinic.

I think this medical visa is not an option for me, because I need a doctor I think at a Thai hospital to write some assurance I need treatment there. I haven't heard of anything similar for dental treatment. So I plan to just apply for a tourist visa and start with that, maybe ask the dental clinic once in Thailand if they can help me with a medical visa. But I think maximum for medical visa is 3 months, not 6 months.

I have around 7 months of stay during 2014 already: 2 or 3 VOA and the rest 60 days tourist visas. I will fly into Thailand, to Bangkok first. Will it be any problem for me to enter with a new tourist visa?

If so, should I reply that I will receive dental treatment and show my receipts? Or could I be refused entry because a tourist visa can't be used for receiving dental treatment?

[paz]

You should get a double or triple entry tourist visa from your home country. it is perfectly legal and you do not need to show any letter or receipts for that.

[hermesalpha]

Ok, thanks for the advice. But I will apply for the visa in Hanoi in Vietnam. Although I've read about good service there recently, and people getting a double-entry 60-days visa without problems. Should I mention in the application form and verbally that I intend to undergo a dental treatment during 6 months, and also enclose the receipts and the plan from the Thai dentist to my visa application? Even thought I will apply for a tourist visa?

If I try to get a triple entry tourist visa (which would give me the 6 months I need to complete the dental treatment), will the Thai embassy either grant me the triple entry tourist visa or completely deny my application? Or is there a third possibility, that they just give me less than what I applied for (triple-entry)?

[lopburi3]

Only provide what is asked - if they ask why you need more than a single entry you can go into detail - but normally always best to provide the least number of documents required to prevent confusion. I doubt that more than a two entry visa will be available but that will cover six months with normal 30 day extensions.

[hermesalpha]

Are these requirements in the uploaded documents here enforced always? If so, I would need to provide a local guarantor in both Vietnam and Thailand, and for a double-entry visa I would need to present 4 flight tickets and 40,000 baht in cash or bank statements.

13-10-8 visa form.pdf

13-10-8Tourist visa.doc

Edited August 27, 2014 by hermesalpha

[ubonjoe]

The guarantors are not needed. A ticket out for each entry yes. A 2 entry would require 2 other than your return trip.

I don't recall any report of them wanting to see the money. Report here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/742747-double-entry-tourist-visa-in-hanoi-vietnam-report/

You can get a 2 entry in Vientiane or Savannakhet without the tickets or money.

[hermesalpha]

If I try in Hanoi first, would they require seeing bank statements when I submit my application, and not afterwards? So all documentation they require they would ask to submit together with the visa application?

So if I try Hanoi first, I wouldn't risk to get my visa application denied in the end, loose the visa application fee and have a record of being denied a visa?

[ubonjoe]

If you don't have everything they want they will not accept your application. I am confident they will not want to see the financial proof.

[paz]

If I try in Hanoi first, would they require seeing bank statements when I submit my application, and not afterwards? So all documentation they require they would ask to submit together with the visa application?

So if I try Hanoi first, I wouldn't risk to get my visa application denied in the end, loose the visa application fee and have a record of being denied a visa?

As mentioned, if it's only a double entry that you're after, Savannakhtr or Vientane are a batter choice than Hanoi. Unless of course if you're interested in visiting there.

[antsrule]

You cannot get a medical exemption for elective procedures (procedures that the doctor can plan), only emergencies or immediate issues. I found this out the hard way. I had a document from the surgron at a government hospital and was refused at Chang Wattana. I am now in Malaysia heading home.

It is odd, to say the least. The government wants this country to be the medical hub of ASEAN but they have no process to support patients. What I get is "You must get out of my country" with the offer of a 1900 baht 7 day extension. I respect the doctors here but immigration here lags far behind in both regulations and overall direction. Beaurocratic leadership in the immigration area seems disconnected from political directive. In the long run I believe Thailand will work these issues out but in the meantime, beware.

[technologybytes]

unless you have a really good reason to avoid a Thai consulate in your own country, I would get the Tourist Visa there instead of hanoi. A triple entry is good for 3 entries up to 9 months in total.. I think you will only get a tripe entry in your own country and not in Hanoi.

[hermesalpha]

I'm already in south China now so I don't have the option to submit my visa application in my home country. And I need a new passport since my current one is almost full stamped.

paz, are you certain most European nationalities get a double-entry tourist visa in Laos? I think I can recall that about 3 years ago I tried to tick the box for double-entry 60 days tourist visa on my visa application in Vientiane, but the lady in the counter said I could only get a single entry.

[Mario2008]

Should be no problem getting a double entry tourist visa in Laos.

[hermesalpha]

I just bought a flight ticket to Phuket, and an onward ticket from Phuket to Penang within 30 days. Should I throw away that onward ticket, take the train to Vientiane after the 30 days and apply for the double-entry visa there? Or would I have any chance of getting a double-entry visa in Penang (although I think my visa agent said no when I tried 2 months ago)? Try with another visa agent in Penang and see if I get a double-entry visa?

[ubonjoe]

They will not do a 2 entry tourist visa in Penang.

You can now get a 30 day extension of a visa exempt entry. With your 30 day entry, 30 day extension and a single entry tourist visa and extension of it you would have about 5 months total stay.

I not sure how you would take a train from Phukhet to Vientiane.

You could check for flights to Udon Thani or Nok Air for flights to Vientiane that are a fly/ride service via Udon.