New Tourist Visa From Neighboring Countries

[kedecker]

My wife and I are US citizens and we would like to spend 4 months in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia as Tourists. We understand that a tourist visa is good for 2 months with possible extension for another 30 days. Our plan is to spend about 5 weeks in Thailand, then travel to a neighboring country, and apply for another Tourist visa so that we can return to Thailand for another 2 months. How easy is it to do this? Do we need to visit the Thai embassy in the neighboring country, or can we get another tourist visa at the border crossing?

kind regards,

Karl

[Thaiquila]

I would get a DOUBLE ENTRY tourist visa in the US. That way, you can stay in Thailand the first over 30 day stay, then leave, and come back and use your second entry for that 60 day stay. Be sure to explain your itinerary to the Thai embassy/consulate so that the second entry is still valid for your second stay. The first entry will always be good for 90 days from issuance. The second entry validity can vary. For example, I had a double entry where BOTH the first and second entry were only valid for 90 days from issuance. Not so good, so be sure to be clear about that issue with the embassy/consulate.

Bon voyage!

Edited August 28, 2006 by Thaiquila

[lopburi3]

You can not obtain a visa except from a Consulate/Embassy. Laos that would be Vientiane or Savannakhet. Cambodia it would be Phnom Phen (but most people do not have kind words for the Embassy treatment there). If you obtain a two entry tourist visa in the US and travel between Laos/Cambodia without return to Thailand that is probably the easy way - they cost no more in the US than anywhere else. But if you have to return to Thailand and then travel to other country the immigration will expect to use your second entry for that - you can ask him not to do so and probably get him to just stamp a 30 day visa free entry but it is not guaranteed. In the event he will not you would then either have to obtain a new tourist visa or plan to enter on a 30 day visa free entry and then make a border crossing later to obtain another. I would give the two entry tourist visa a go.