Back to back

[timberpond]

As we know that back to back is to make a U turn on border/airport.

If each trip we make, we stay out for 2 weeks like e.g - 30(waiver) + 30 extension follow by 2 weeks outside LOS and repeat process.

Will this considered as BTB?

[ubonjoe]

You would have a problem doing it at a border crossing.

Their was a recent post about a person being questioned about his exempt entries at an airport and they pointed out the extensions.

The best option is to get a tourist visas if you want to stay here long term. Doing exempt entries to stay here is no longer a valid option.

[timberpond]

Thank you ubonjoe! Since I'm a Singaporean and stay most of my time in northern LOS, going to Laos is equally as costly as going home(thanks to the budget flight). Currently I have been visiting LOS at least once every 2 months for the pass 1 and half year and planning to switch to staying in LOS and visiting SG once every 2 months. Getting a single entry from Laos(60 days) and a 30 days extension(which I dont need) is tiring process. If I can get away with this kind of "soft" back to back, that will be perfect!

[SLESQ]

It seems the issue for many is how to avoid paying for a new visa. Please help me with this: My son and his friend are students between University and Grad School taking a year + off to be here in Thailand as tourists. They are willing to pay for the 90 day visa a few times to allow them to stay in LOS for a full year plus (about 340 to to 420 days).

They are just tourists and want to explore and photograph the National Parks and beaches.

• Can they do this following plan and legally stay in LOS for up 420 days?

They entered LOS on visa exempt status and got a 30 day extension for 1,900 THB to cover them for the first 60 days.

Now they plan to go to Laos and apply and pay for a " 90-day" visa.

I understand they must after returning to LOS from Laos apply after the 1st 60 days for the last 30 day extension. Does that also cost us 1,900 THB? (I hope I understand this correctly) - giving them a total of 150 days in LOS).

After 150 days (that last extension), they will want to go to another neighbor land (Vietnam or Malaysia) to apply for a new "90-day" visa with the same need as above to apply for the last 30 days extension (giving them 240 days total in LOS). Will these consulates also give them a new "90-day" visa for one two more times thus allowing them to arrive, stay, leave and return to LOS for their planned 330 to 420 days holiday?

I see most people go to Vientiane or KL because getting a visa on arrival is easy there.

• Can they get a visa on arrival in Ho Chi Minh City?
• Will the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City also grant them a "90-day" visa?

Thanks very much.

[nzexpat]

If as you suggest the son and his friends really are intelligent people why do they not apply , before leaving home, for a triple entry tourist visas which will provide almost 9 months "stay" in Thailand?

If required a further double entry tourist visa could easily be obtained from a nearby country .

Seems these these young people risk being badly advised by a "parent "

Edited May 15, 2015 by nzexpat

[lordblackader]

It seems the issue for many is how to avoid paying for a new visa. Please help me with this: My son and his friend are students between University and Grad School taking a year + off to be here in Thailand as tourists. They are willing to pay for the 90 day visa a few times to allow them to stay in LOS for a full year plus (about 340 to to 420 days).

They are just tourists and want to explore and photograph the National Parks and beaches.

• Can they do this following plan and legally stay in LOS for up 420 days?

They entered LOS on visa exempt status and got a 30 day extension for 1,900 THB to cover them for the first 60 days.

Now they plan to go to Laos and apply and pay for a " 90-day" visa.

I understand they must after returning to LOS from Laos apply after the 1st 60 days for the last 30 day extension. Does that also cost us 1,900 THB? (I hope I understand this correctly) - giving them a total of 150 days in LOS).

After 150 days (that last extension), they will want to go to another neighbor land (Vietnam or Malaysia) to apply for a new "90-day" visa with the same need as above to apply for the last 30 days extension (giving them 240 days total in LOS). Will these consulates also give them a new "90-day" visa for one two more times thus allowing them to arrive, stay, leave and return to LOS for their planned 330 to 420 days holiday?

I see most people go to Vientiane or KL because getting a visa on arrival is easy there.

• Can they get a visa on arrival in Ho Chi Minh City?
• Will the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City also grant them a "90-day" visa?

Thanks very much.

If they go to Vientiane, Laos they can get a double entry, which is 60 days +30 days extended. At the end of the 90 days they just need to do a border run to be stamped out of the country and back in again (in Chiang Mai that would be a bus to Mae Sai/ Tachiliek,) gives them another 90 days (with extension.)

You don't say if they're here yet or not; if you're from the US or Europe they can get a triple entry at a local embassy or consulate before leaving, which would give you 3 x 90 days with border runs. Australia sadly you can only get double entries.

If they can get a triple, take the triple (270 days) then Vientiane for a double (180) and you're basically there.

As for Visa on Arrival in Vietnam you can organise it online, you get a pre-visa approval letter you present at the airport. KL/ Malaysia there are no visa on arrivals for westerners, depending on what country you're from you get a 90 day visa exempt entry.

Hope this helps.

[ubonjoe]

It would be best if they got a 2 or 3 entry tourist visa before leaving their home country.

In Laos only a 2 entry visa is issued. That gives two 60 day entries that can be extended for 30 day at an immigration for a fee of 1900 baht. This will give a total stay of about 180 days by extending the first entry then leaving and re-enter the country to use the 2nd entry and then getting a 30 day extension of that entry.

A visa on arrival can be obtained for Vietnam but it has to be applied for online prior to arrival.

The consulate in Ho Chi Minh City will do a single entry tourist visa.

[SLESQ]

Thanks guys so much; I did write in the English past tense "they entered...." meaning they are already here. They failed to get their 3 X entry tourist visas on time; hence their bind. Your advice is sound and they will follow it. Thanks again.

[nzexpat]

Thanks guys so much; I did write in the English past tense "they entered...." meaning they are already here. They failed to get their 3 X entry tourist visas on time; hence their bind. Your advice is sound and they will follow it. Thanks again.

True ! And on re-reading your post you did indeed use the past tense but not in the opening sentence.

Hope you will inform the "youngsters" that displays of intellectual "brilliance" such as entering Thailand on "visa exempt" entries whilst wishing to stay for a year + will not impress the "Grad School"

Edited May 15, 2015 by nzexpat

[flyingdoc]

Several posts have given good advice about obtaining visas before they leave their home country, I agree! The trouble is that in the U.K. this has now been made so difficult, one tends to resort to exempt 30 days, then get an extension if and when necessary. Abolished has become the option of getting a visa by post from one of the Consulates! One now has to go to London and the visa cannot be issued the same day, so then another trip has to be arranged to collect it. That is fine if one lives in London, but most people don't, so it has become a total aggravation, especially for people who have to travel a lot and cannot readily surrender their passport for any length of time!

[nzexpat]

Several posts have given good advice about obtaining visas before they leave their home country, I agree! The trouble is that in the U.K. this has now been made so difficult, one tends to resort to exempt 30 days, then get an extension if and when necessary. Abolished has become the option of getting a visa by post from one of the Consulates! One now has to go to London and the visa cannot be issued the same day, so then another trip has to be arranged to collect it. That is fine if one lives in London, but most people don't, so it has become a total aggravation, especially for people who have to travel a lot and cannot readily surrender their passport for any length of time!

Total Garbage Nonsense !

Tourist Visas are easily obtained by post from the Thai Embassy or by personal application at any one of the Hon.Thai consulates .

[mango66]

If as you suggest the son and his friends really are intelligent people why do they not apply , before leaving home, for a triple entry tourist visas which will provide almost 9 months "stay" in Thailand?

If required a further double entry tourist visa could easily be obtained from a nearby country .

Seems these these young people risk being badly advised by a "parent "

many Embassys dont grant a triple visa if you have not

3 tickets to fly out !!

land crossing they will not accept !!

what they should have done, yes a single one in their homeland,

and after a triple in Savannakhet !

[mango66]

Several posts have given good advice about obtaining visas before they leave their home country, I agree! The trouble is that in the U.K. this has now been made so difficult, one tends to resort to exempt 30 days, then get an extension if and when necessary. Abolished has become the option of getting a visa by post from one of the Consulates! One now has to go to London and the visa cannot be issued the same day, so then another trip has to be arranged to collect it. That is fine if one lives in London, but most people don't, so it has become a total aggravation, especially for people who have to travel a lot and cannot readily surrender their passport for any length of time!

travell to London is too much time consuming and too much expensive,

Buit they have time to stay more than a year in Thailand to take pictures of a forest :-)))

and they have money for vstay more than 1 year in Thailand, includuing travelling some neighbour countries;

BUT they dont have the money to travell to London !!

BS !!

[nzexpat]

If as you suggest the son and his friends really are intelligent people why do they not apply , before leaving home, for a triple entry tourist visas which will provide almost 9 months "stay" in Thailand?

If required a further double entry tourist visa could easily be obtained from a nearby country .

Seems these these young people risk being badly advised by a "parent "

many Embassys dont grant a triple visa if you have not

3 tickets to fly out !!

land crossing they will not accept !!

what they should have done, yes a single one in their homeland,

and after a triple in Savannakhet !

Triple entry visas can be obtained in the USA and the UK , without "tickets out" to my certain knowledge !

The "expert" '66' character , of course , knows better !

Edited May 15, 2015 by nzexpat

[biggles45]

"It seems the issue for many is how to avoid paying for a new visa. "

Not always so, the Thsi embassy in Manila issues my Filipina GF with a FREE 60 day TR. Unfortunately it takes them two working days to issue it, so you either stay in Manila at a hotel for 2 nights or travel 100km home and come back again. Given Manilas pollution and traffic this is not a pleasant option.