60 2 Entry tourist visa, what are my options after my time runs out?

[rws85]

Hi,

This is my first post in this forum. I am currently in Thailand in a 60 day tourist visa, with 2 entries allowed. I entered Thailand on the 1st of September, if I get a 30 day extensions from immigration I think I'm able to stay until 29th of November.

I have a Thai mrs who is expecting our baby early November and ideally I'd like to stay in Thailand until the end of January.

From speaking to a Thai person in a visa shop, here in Pattaya, he told me I would be able to do a border run and get another 60 because I had a multiple entry tourist visa. This would be ideal for my situation but I am concerned as I thought I would only be giving 30days from a visa run and also have heard immigration are cracking down on border runs.

Any advice people could give would be appreciated.

[ubonjoe]

You can get a 60 day entry from your tourist visa at a border crossing as long as you do it before the enter before date on your visa.

They are only tightening up on visa exempt entries not when you have a valid visa.

[ldiablo]

You can stay in Thailand for 60 days then go to immigration for a 30 day extension after which you will have to leave the country to activate your second part of your tourist visa. Stay 60 days, go to immigration for another 30 day extention after which you could go to Laos for a second 2 entry tourist visa. Do the same as stated above and then after go for a 3rd tourist visa. Could stay for a minimum of 18 months utilizing this method. As joe states, ensure you activate your second entry before the use by date stamped on your current visa.

[rws85]

My enter before date is the 15th of October. So better of doing a visa run then and not worrying about the initial 30 day extension as I would then be to late to re-enter the country?

[ubonjoe]

You would only gain about 15 days if you did the the 30 day extension so it would be best to use your 2nd entry instead of getting the extension.

If your wife is Thai and you are legally married you can apply for a 60 day extension to visit her of your next entry. Or if not married and she is Thai you could also apply for the 60 day extension to visit you child after their birth.

[rws85]

Yes she is Thai but we aren't married.

[ubonjoe]

As soon a your child is born and their birth has been registered and a house book registry has been done you could apply for a 60 day extension to visit them.

[Sophon]

You would only gain about 15 days if you did the the 30 day extension so it would be best to use your 2nd entry instead of getting the extension.

If your wife is Thai and you are legally married you can apply for a 60 day extension to visit her of your next entry. Or if not married and she is Thai you could also apply for the 60 day extension to visit you child after their birth.

Maybe it's me that is confused, but if he entered Thailand on the 1st of September his current permission to stay should end on 30th of October. So since he has to use his second entry on the tourist visa before 15th of October, and his current permission to stay is already beyond that date, an extension of the first entry would not gain him any more time and would be a complete waste of time and money.

It seems the OP got his tourist way too early (mid July?).

Sophon

[ubonjoe]

You would only gain about 15 days if you did the the 30 day extension so it would be best to use your 2nd entry instead of getting the extension.

If your wife is Thai and you are legally married you can apply for a 60 day extension to visit her of your next entry. Or if not married and she is Thai you could also apply for the 60 day extension to visit you child after their birth.

Maybe it's me that is confused, but if he entered Thailand on the 1st of September his current permission to stay should end on 30th of October. So since he has to use his second entry on the tourist visa before 15th of October, and his current permission to stay is already beyond that date, an extension of the first entry would not gain him any more time and would be a complete waste of time and money.

It seems the OP got his tourist way too early (mid July?).

Sophon

I might of got couple of dates wrong. He just needs to to do border run before October 15th to use his 2nd entry anyway.

[rws85]

Yes it does seems I got my visa to early. I originally planned on coming to Thailand earlier but then thought I'd be better off waiting in Australia and "saving my days" and coming closer to the due date of my baby.

60 days from the 15 of October would give me until ~ 14th of December? And then I can go to immigration for a 30day extension, correct? Which would cover me until ~13th of January.

Currently without going to immigration for a 30 day extension I only get until 30th of October. +30 days gives me until end of November.

[rws85]

Or because I am allowed to stay until the 30th of October if I re-enter before that date (and before the 15th of October) I wouldn't be given another 60 days.

[ubonjoe]

You will get a new 60 day entry as long as you do it on or before the 15th of October. Your current admitted until date does not effect doing that.

With just the 30 day extension you could stay until mid January. With the 60 day extension to visit your child it of course would be 30 days more.

[rws85]

Thanks for the advice ubonjoe [emoji106]

[lordblackader]

You would only gain about 15 days if you did the the 30 day extension so it would be best to use your 2nd entry instead of getting the extension.

If your wife is Thai and you are legally married you can apply for a 60 day extension to visit her of your next entry. Or if not married and she is Thai you could also apply for the 60 day extension to visit you child after their birth.

Maybe it's me that is confused, but if he entered Thailand on the 1st of September his current permission to stay should end on 30th of October. So since he has to use his second entry on the tourist visa before 15th of October, and his current permission to stay is already beyond that date, an extension of the first entry would not gain him any more time and would be a complete waste of time and money.

It seems the OP got his tourist way too early (mid July?).

Sophon

You are correct although 2 things: it confuses Thai immigration + it may not be a case of applying too early vs some consulates being tight with the enter before date.

I applied for a double entry from Perth January 15 (sent it up the 14th, processed the 15th) I received only 3 months for the second entry and I wasnt landing until Feb 1; had applied elsewhere previously and was usually given 5-6 months for the second entry. I don't specifically recall but I'm pretty sure I've read here before of other cases of people getting tight/non generous dates for the second entry.

So I get my 30 day extension after 60 days, then head up to the Mae Sai the 12th/13th April (what ever the weekend was, it was a Saturday, I overnighted in Mae Sai as the bus takes it out of me) and get to the border and the Immigration Officer points at the date in my passport (late April with extension) and tells me to come back then.

Fortunately the English wasn't too bad and I managed to explain that I needed to exit to get my second entry after a 3-4 mins and was allowed to cross, but op needs to be aware that the second entry with current permission to stay set some time later may cause issues.

[Suradit69]

You would only gain about 15 days if you did the the 30 day extension so it would be best to use your 2nd entry instead of getting the extension.

If your wife is Thai and you are legally married you can apply for a 60 day extension to visit her of your next entry. Or if not married and she is Thai you could also apply for the 60 day extension to visit you child after their birth.

Maybe it's me that is confused, but if he entered Thailand on the 1st of September his current permission to stay should end on 30th of October. So since he has to use his second entry on the tourist visa before 15th of October, and his current permission to stay is already beyond that date, an extension of the first entry would not gain him any more time and would be a complete waste of time and money.

It seems the OP got his tourist way too early (mid July?).

Sophon

You are correct although 2 things: it confuses Thai immigration + it may not be a case of applying too early vs some consulates being tight with the enter before date.

I applied for a double entry from Perth January 15 (sent it up the 14th, processed the 15th) I received only 3 months for the second entry and I wasnt landing until Feb 1; had applied elsewhere previously and was usually given 5-6 months for the second entry. I don't specifically recall but I'm pretty sure I've read here before of other cases of people getting tight/non generous dates for the second entry.

So I get my 30 day extension after 60 days, then head up to the Mae Sai the 12th/13th April (what ever the weekend was, it was a Saturday, I overnighted in Mae Sai as the bus takes it out of me) and get to the border and the Immigration Officer points at the date in my passport (late April with extension) and tells me to come back then.

Fortunately the English wasn't too bad and I managed to explain that I needed to exit to get my second entry after a 3-4 mins and was allowed to cross, but op needs to be aware that the second entry with current permission to stay set some time later may cause issues.

Generally, one entry tourist visas are valid for three months and three entry visas (if available) are valid for six months from the date of issue. A two entry tourist visa could be valid for three months or, less often, 6 months depending on where you get it.

In the case of the Perth consulate, it states clearly on the application that the validity of the visa is 3 months.

[rws85]

Just thought I'd give an update on my situation.

After being informed here by @ubonjoe that I'd be entitled to a 60 day extension due to me having a child in Thailand I travelled to my local immigration office two days before my visa was due to expire. I was given the forms to fill out and told I needed to get two passport photos.

Once I had the forms completed I returned to the immigration office, this time made it to the lady at the family extension desk, who didn't have the best customer service skills I have ever seen, and was quickly sent away because I didn't have my partner and kid with me. First thing the next morning I returned with my partner and one month old daughter, waited nearly one hour to be served, then the same lady told me I couldn't get the extension because i didn't have the address of the lady we rent our condo from or a copy of her I.D.. She then advised me to get a 30 day extension instead, which at the time had 40+ people waiting to to be served... After waiting over an hour and trying 3 times to get an extension which I was entitled to and being denied and asked to wait how ever many hours more to get a 30 day extension made me very upset to say the least.

However I did end up paying the money and getting a 30 day extension. During these 30 days I got the other paper they asked for returned to immigration close to my expiry date, now only expecting a 30 day extension and to my surprise got 60 more days.

So even though my first experience was very frustrating it was a blessing in disguise really!