An American visa agent claims on its website that the holder of a one-year multiple-entry non-immigrant business visa must enter Thailand within 30 days of the issuence of the visa; otherwise, the visa will be invalid.

But I've never seen this requirement listed on the website of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Does such a requirement exist, or is the visa agent mistaken?

For a one year non imm B multi entry, you have 90 days from issuance to enter the first time. This is based on my current visa. I suppose it's possible that sometimes the "enter before" date isn't calculated to be 90 days after issuance, but mine was 90 days.

Edited September 7, 201411 yr by a6patch

Nope, there is an 'enter before' date on the visa, you must enter before that date.

Agent is mistaken.

Thank you. I had never heard of such a 30-day initial activation rule until I saw the agent's website. But with the recent crackdown on border runs, and chatter concerning other changes, I wanted to put it to the forum.

Of course, if you apply too early you're wasting visa time as it becomes active on the day of issue.

Indeed.

So if I get a multi entry spousal non O , and dont use it for a month , Ive lost that time ? it isn't triggered when I first enter Thailand ?

Edited September 7, 201411 yr by Sena Dave

That's correct. Your last entry must be on or before the date it expires which is one year from issue.

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That's correct. Your last entry must be on or before the date it expires which is one year from issue.

Oh ok , so if I went in 3 weeks after it was issued and did my last return a day before it expired , I'd still be getting over a year

Edited September 7, 201411 yr by Sena Dave

Yeah, you can get about 15 months. People think it needs to be valid during your stay, but that's not true. The valid visa gets you admitted for 90 days at a time. It can expire during (even just one day into) you 90 day permission to stay.

You would get more than a year of total stay from it but 3 weeks shorter.