Tourist visa after 3 visa exemptions

[mrnike]

Hello everyone,

I just take a chance to say hello, as this is my first post

I am currently in Thailand since January 20th. I got a 1st exemption on arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport. Then i extended it at a local immigration office, and finally, got my last 30 days as i flew to Don Mueang.

I would like to know wheater i can stay another 60 to 90 days, after the 90 first days. Some people suggested i take a tourist visa for 60 days and then extend it for 90 days.

So, my questions:

1) whats the maximum stay in Thailand with a tourist status?

2) Is it possible to get a tourist visa after 3 extensions? If not, do u see any LEGAL solution?

3) What's the requirements for this visa ? Proof of funds? I have money, no problem, but i can't get the original certificates from my bank, as i'm here in Thailand.

4) Are some embassies & consulates looser than others ? If yes, which would u recommend?

P.S i am from Switzerland

Thanks in advance for ur help.

Cheers

Nicolas

[elviajero]

1. There is no official limit, You can stay as long as Embassies/Consulates will issue them to you. Each Embassy/Consulate will have it's own limit of tourist visas it will issue back to back to the same person. You will likely be limited to 2 or 3 from the same place.
2. You can apply for a new tourist visa at any Thai Embassy/Consulate outside of Thailand.
3. Depends where you apply. Several places just require an application form.
4. Vientiane or Savannakhet in Laos OR Penang in Malaysia.

Tourist visas (SETV) are good for 1 entry. You get 60 days on entry and that can be extended at an immigration office by 30 days for 1,900 baht, giving a maximum stay of 90 days. At the end of the 90 days you need to travel outside Thailand to get a new visa.

[mrnike]

Hi, tks for your complete reply.

1) "There is no official limit, You can stay as long as Embassies/Consulates will issue them to you"

Oh, i thought that they had strict rules saying that a tourist could not stay more than 180 days a year...

2) Due to the 3 visa exemptions i already had, you don't think that the consulate officier will get suspicious and start to ask me a lot of questions?

3) In case my visa would be denied, do u think i would be able to reenter Thailand? I still have a few things in BKK and my flight back home is from there.

Cheers

[johnatong]

Hi, tks for your complete reply.

1) "There is no official limit, You can stay as long as Embassies/Consulates will issue them to you"

Oh, i thought that they had strict rules saying that a tourist could not stay more than 180 days a year...

2) Due to the 3 visa exemptions i already had, you don't think that the consulate officier will get suspicious and start to ask me a lot of questions?

3) In case my visa would be denied, do u think i would be able to reenter Thailand? I still have a few things in BKK and my flight back home is from there.

Cheers

1. There is no "strict 180 day rule"

2. Most Embassy's/Consulates disregard visa exempt entries.

3. It is unlikely you would be denied a visa at Vientiane or Penang.

[elviajero]

Hi, tks for your complete reply.

1) "There is no official limit, You can stay as long as Embassies/Consulates will issue them to you"

Oh, i thought that they had strict rules saying that a tourist could not stay more than 180 days a year...

2) Due to the 3 visa exemptions i already had, you don't think that the consulate officier will get suspicious and start to ask me a lot of questions?

3) In case my visa would be denied, do u think i would be able to reenter Thailand? I still have a few things in BKK and my flight back home is from there.

Cheers

1. There is no 180 day limit.
2. Unlikely. If you have a booked flight home take confirmation with you and show it if necessary.
3. Very unlikely you would be denied a tourist visa. As you have had 3 recent visa exemptions you might get questioned about what you do in Thailand if you try and enter using visa exemption again.

[mrnike]

1) "If you have a booked flight home take confirmation with you and show it if necessary."

Do you think a cheap air asia flight would be enough, or do they want a proof that the person is going home after that?

2) "As you have had 3 recent visa exemptions you might get questioned about what you do in Thailand..."

Is there anything they don't wanna hear? And would the "tourism and girlfriend" reasins be fine?

Thanks.

[johnatong]

1) "If you have a booked flight home take confirmation with you and show it if necessary."

Do you think a cheap air asia flight would be enough, or do they want a proof that the person is going home after that?

2) "As you have had 3 recent visa exemptions you might get questioned about what you do in Thailand..."

Is there anything they don't wanna hear? And would the "tourism and girlfriend" reasins be fine?

Thanks.

Earlier you were implying you had a flight home ..............

"I still have a few things in BKK and my flight back home is from there."(sic) but any ticket out of the country would suffice if you were asked for one.

What you give as reasons for staying in Thailand are for you to determine.

[mrnike]

"Earlier you were implying you had a flight home".

Yes i do. But i would have to cancel it (as it is only valid 3 month), get a partial refund and book a new one.

So i want to be sure that i can have a visa before to cancel and book a new one, that's why .

[elviajero]

1) "If you have a booked flight home take confirmation with you and show it if necessary."

Do you think a cheap air asia flight would be enough, or do they want a proof that the person is going home after that?

2) "As you have had 3 recent visa exemptions you might get questioned about what you do in Thailand..."

Is there anything they don't wanna hear? And would the "tourism and girlfriend" reasins be fine?

Thanks.

1. You wont be asked for flight details at any of the three places I recommended. I only suggested taking details of your booked flight as it shows an intention to return home in the unlikely event that you are questioned about your stay/longer term plans in Thailand.
2. You are entering for tourism. As long as you give them no reason to suspect you are working in Thailand you will be fine. It's my personal opinion, but saying you are visiting a girlfriend does not help and in some cases could go against someone that an IO wants to believe is leaving Thailand after their visit.

[Ebumbu]

You will be fine in Vientiane. It is a tourist visa mill. You will not be asked a single question. You will be fine. Just follow the protocols by reading up about it in advance. As a rule, look tidy and shaven. Arrive early in case of anything unforeseen. Have plenty of Thai cash with you (20,000 baht or more). I had a problem with their ATMs there.

Is there anything they do not want to hear? YES! If you say anything about working, you're completely screwed. They may ask you same thing in 10 different ways. Example: Do you work a little in Thailand? You look for job in Thailand? You have job? Did you work before in Thailand but not now? And so on.

99.999% they will ask you nothing in Laos. If they do, you keep a nice calm attitude, smile nicely but not arrogantly, calm calm, friendly, calm and keep saying you love Thailand and want to see your girlfriend again because maybe you get married. You met beautiful Thai lady. You can repeat the same thing as much as they can.

But, you'll be fine in Laos. Visas are a cottage industry. I stayed at Salana Boutique hotel. Very very nice. The hotel will drive you up and back. It's not cheap, but very nice, quiet, and good food in the restaurant.

[Ebumbu]

You can deal with this all yourself. If you are scared, PM me and I'll hook you up with a Laos "visa service" guy I used to walk me through everything the first time. If there is a problem, he might fix it. He wants about 5000 baht. It is not needed.

[mrnike]

All right guys. I think I'll go to Vientiane. A few more questions:

1) So, are 2 full labor days gonna be enough, or should i allow more time?

2)Should a submit my visa application in a way that it's gonna be no interuption between my last stay and the new one, or that doesnt matter?

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

1. You apply the morning of one day and pickup the next afternoon. If you apply the morning you arrive in Vientiane you would on need to spend one night there.

2. You current stay will end as soon as you leave the country. It would not be possible not to have an interruption.

[darrendsd]

You can deal with this all yourself. If you are scared, PM me and I'll hook you up with a Laos "visa service" guy I used to walk me through everything the first time. If there is a problem, he might fix it. He wants about 5000 baht. It is not needed.

5000 Baht? What did he do for this "service"

[mrnike]

Thanks for ur reply. Will be going there soon;)

[mrnike]

Hi guys,

Went there last weekend. Application submitted on friday and visa on monday. Except that i was terribly bored in Vientiane for 4 days and found everything very expensive for the shithole it is, everything went very smoothly.

I submitted my application with the requested paperwork, got no question at all, very few people (probably due to the fri-mo) and paid the 1000thb on monday and got my visa. That's it .

Tks for ur precious advises everybody.