How to arrange visa for 3-month tourist visit in Thailand. EU passports.

[MariaJohansson]

Hi

We're 2 European girls: one from Finland, one from Latvia. Both are EU and Schengen, but Thailand treats them differently, which is part of our problem.

We'd like to travel around in Thailand for 3 months starting in December. How can we do it?

I've done a lot of research about different options, spoken (in person) to staff at several embassies... and am totally confused haha!!! So I wanted to ask the experts here for your advice on what's the best option for us and for anyone else in similar situation.

Our details:

- We're both tourists. No work in the country, no marriage, no children, no job, nothing. Just tourists travelling around.

- The Finnish passport (that's me) gets a 30-day visa-free under the visa-exempt program.

- While in Thailand, I can extend fairly easily for another 30 days under the visa-extension program started last year. I have to pay a fee, but I don't have to leave the country.

- The Latvian passport (my friend) can only get 15-days visa-on-arrival at the airport. It can't be extended after arrival. So we think it's better that before going to Thailand, she get a tourist visa issued from the embassy. That will give her 2-months, single entry.

_____________

Those steps take us both to 60 days.

But we'd like to spend 3 months touring about the country. We're not G7. Ideas we had, based on ideas from internet research and embassy researchers:

- We'd prefer not to have to leave the country if possible during the 3 months. We've researched many different options, but haven't found any option that seems legitimate and current. Any ideas?

- If we can't stay for 3 months continusously, we have no choice to leave to a neighbouring country and re-enter Thailand. Our preference would be Myanmar. Would this be possible at all? If yes, then 1) Would we need to apply for a tourist visa in the embassy? Would there be a difference for the Latvian passport vs. the Finnish passport? 2) Is bus possible, or flight only? 3) How long must we stay in Myanmar before re-entering Thailand?

- Both of us apply now for an O-A non-immigrant visa. Most places seem to indicate that this is a retirement visa for people over 50 years of age, but one woman at the embassy told us that they issue it as a "precursor" visa to people who intend to go to Thailand and live permanently (job, marriage, retirement, etc), and we could just use it as a single-entry 3-month visa. I'm very skeptical, but she does work at the embassy...

We're only interested in real, legal options. We've come across some sketchy alternatives, but that's not for us haha!

We'd really appreciate any insight you'd have to help us make our dream trip come true!!!

[elviajero]

• Visa exemption. You may have a problem being allowed to fly if you don't have an onward flight dated within 30 days.

You should both get a single entry tourist visa.

On entry you will be granted a 60 days stay.

Towards the end of the 60 days you can apply for a 30 day extension at an immigration office (1,900 baht). That will give you a total of 90 days in Thailand (nearly 3 months).

No need to leave the country.

You don't need a non 'O-A" visa for a 3 month visit. A tourist visa is good enough.

Edited October 12, 2015 by elviajero

[oncearugge]

If you both get single entry tourist visas they can be extended by 30 days at an immigration office for a fee of 1900 Baht

By doing this you can enjoy almost 90 days in the Kingdom without leaving the country.

I very much doubt you will qualify for an O/A or any other type of visa

[MariaJohansson]

• Visa exemption. You may have a problem being allowed to fly if you don't have an onward flight dated within 30 days.
• You should both get a single entry tourist visa.
• On entry you will be granted a 60 days stay.
• Towards the end of the 60 days you can apply for a 30 day extension at an immigration office (1,900 baht). That will give you a total of 90 days in Thailand (nearly 3 months).
• No need to leave the country.

Thanks, elviajero. About the flight, that's fine, we'll have a change-able onward ticket. The bigger question is about what you write about visas. I thought the extension was only available for people who get the 30-day visa-exempt entries...? So it wouldn't be possible to extend a 60-day tourist issued in the embassy for me because it's a tourist visa, and not a visa-exempt entry? And for her, it wouldn't be possible to extend the 60-day tourist visa at all, since she isn't on the list of visa-exempt countries...? (d'oh, how confusing this all is!! thanks for trying to make it easier for us!! )

[elviajero]

• Visa exemption. You may have a problem being allowed to fly if you don't have an onward flight dated within 30 days.
• You should both get a single entry tourist visa.
• On entry you will be granted a 60 days stay.
• Towards the end of the 60 days you can apply for a 30 day extension at an immigration office (1,900 baht). That will give you a total of 90 days in Thailand (nearly 3 months).
• No need to leave the country.

Thanks, elviajero. About the flight, that's fine, we'll have a change-able onward ticket. The bigger question is about what you write about visas. I thought the extension was only available for people who get the 30-day visa-exempt entries...? So it wouldn't be possible to extend a 60-day tourist issued in the embassy for me because it's a tourist visa, and not a visa-exempt entry? And for her, it wouldn't be possible to extend the 60-day tourist visa at all, since she isn't on the list of visa-exempt countries...? (d'oh, how confusing this all is!! thanks for trying to make it easier for us!! )

I understand that it's confusing, but I assure you that tourist visas can be extended by 30 days.

You really should forget about visa exempt entry and visa on arrival. it's far better for you both to get tourist visas before travelling.

[oncearugge]

60 day entries gained from tourist visas ARE extendable by 30 days! Many people do this every single working day at immigration offices all over the Kingdom!

I do not know where you have been obtaining information but , being polite, you have been badly misinformed.

Edited October 12, 2015 by oncearugge

[ubonjoe]

From the police order for extensions.

"2.4 In the case of tourism purposes:

Each permission shall be granted for no more than 30 days from the date on which the permitted period has lapsed.

The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a tourist visa (TOURIST) or exempted from applying for a visa. Each permission shall be granted for no more than 30 days as announced by the Ministry of Interior.

(2) Must not be of a nationality or type prescribed by the committee monitoring official proceedings of officers of the Immigration Bureau."

[Jmathews]

• Visa exemption. You may have a problem being allowed to fly if you don't have an onward flight dated within 30 days.
• You should both get a single entry tourist visa.
• On entry you will be granted a 60 days stay.
• Towards the end of the 60 days you can apply for a 30 day extension at an immigration office (1,900 baht). That will give you a total of 90 days in Thailand (nearly 3 months).
• No need to leave the country.

Thanks, elviajero. About the flight, that's fine, we'll have a change-able onward ticket. The bigger question is about what you write about visas. I thought the extension was only available for people who get the 30-day visa-exempt entries...? So it wouldn't be possible to extend a 60-day tourist issued in the embassy for me because it's a tourist visa, and not a visa-exempt entry? And for her, it wouldn't be possible to extend the 60-day tourist visa at all, since she isn't on the list of visa-exempt countries...? (d'oh, how confusing this all is!! thanks for trying to make it easier for us!! )

I understand that it's confusing, but I assure you that tourist visas can be extended by 30 days.

You really should forget about visa exempt entry and visa on arrival. it's far better for you both to get tourist visas before travelling.

Hi Elviajero,

re:

• You should both get a single entry tourist visa.

Can this be obtained in Thailand or only O.S. before arrival?

regards

[ubonjoe]

You can only apply for a tourist visa at a Thai embassy or consulate before arriving in the country.

[MariaJohansson]

Great!

Thanks for the advice from you all, ubonjoe, elviajero, and oncearugge!

I agree that we're misinformed. There's certainly a lot of misinformation out there haha! So I'm very appreciative to be able to get good information from experts like you to clear up the issues.

We'll apply soon. After everything is (hopefully!) well processed, I'll come back and post a quick report here so that anyone else searching around can also get the full info.

Thanks again!

[rawaimike]

• Visa exemption. You may have a problem being allowed to fly if you don't have an onward flight dated within 30 days.
• You should both get a single entry tourist visa.
• On entry you will be granted a 60 days stay.
• Towards the end of the 60 days you can apply for a 30 day extension at an immigration office (1,900 baht). That will give you a total of 90 days in Thailand (nearly 3 months).
• No need to leave the country.
• You don't need a non 'O-A" visa for a 3 month visit. A tourist visa is good enough.

that's spot on, I have just applied for a single entry visa for £25 which as you say gives me 60 days, then get an extra 30 days at immigration for 1900baht (£26)....... I'm English BTW.

[Liquorice]

Just make sure you leave after 90 days (not 3 months).

Visit your nearest Immigration office 7 days before your Tourist Visas expire to extend them for another 30 days.

You may find this map and locations of Immigration offices useful.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?hl=en&t=h&msa=0&z=6&ie=UTF8&mid=zgfDwlRKjQiw.ki8rj55aIYww