Hi guys,

I'm a UK Citizen with dual Australian Citizenship. I have a friend who lives in Chaing Mai, and another in Hong Kong who's traveled across Thailand. One of them referred me to this forum to ask any questions if I get confused. To say the least, I'm confused, cos both of my friends are giving me different information and I'm reading slightly different info on this forum.

I plan on leaving Sydney, Australia in 2 weeks. and I was hoping that someone can head me in the right direction.

To see where I'm getting confused, I'll let you know what i was told.

My friend who lives in Chaing Mai - a UK Citizen. Says book a flight to Chaing Mai and worry about the Visa status once I get there.

Apply for a Double Entry Tourist Visa which would allow me 6 months stay with ability to extend the visa. Once that runs out, reapply by going for a Educational Visa, or hopping across the border and do it all over again (applying for the Double Entry Tourist Visa).

I asked about whether I should purchase a return ticket, or just a one way ticket. He said it doesn't really matter. I read online that if I don't have a return ticket / proof of leaving the country after 30 days, they wont let me in the Country.

My other friend who lives in Hong Kong also a UK Citizen said "Good luck in getting an extension", and that its best to purchase a one way ticket, purchase another ticket that takes me out of Thailand - not bother using the ticket, but make my way across the border, say to Cambodia or Vietnam stay there for a few hours, then head back in for another 30 day visa (to me that seems far too tiresome).

Can anyone give me the low down on what I can do to make this possible.

Should I buy a return ticket back to Australia (I don't particularly want to come back to be honest). I'd prefer to stay in Thailand for a while before travelling somewhere else. Will I be allowed entry if I just purchased a 1 way ticket to Thailand, Chaing Mai?

Is a visa given to me at the airport or do I need to apply for one? I was told to go to the Thai Consulate and apply for a Double Entry Tourist Visa once I arrive in Chaing Mai. I'm getting confused at this point because he makes it sound so easy in that I don't need to apply for a visa before leaving Australia, and from what I read I must apply for a visa 4-5 weeks ahead of time, but i'm leaving in 2 weeks. So now my head is going around in circles and I really don't know what to do now.

Can you help me and let me know the procedures I need to take to make this as smooth as possible?

So in short... 1 way ticket, or return ticket (even though I may not even use the return ticket back to australia), visa applications for 6 months and extensions, and renewals.

Thanks so much for your time

There is no such thing as a Double Entry Tourist Visa.

You need a Multi Entry Tourist Visa if you can get one.

If not, a Single Entry Tourist Visa will do for starters.

This gives 60 days and can be extended at Immigration by another 30 days.

After this you can get Single Tourist Visas at a Thai Consulate in a neighbouring country.

You do not need an onward flight if you have a Visa.

Without a Visa you might be refused entry to the flight without an onward ticket within 30 days.

Just doing border runs will only get you 15 days with Aus Passport and 30 days with UK Passport.

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by Eclipse

Hi thanks for the reply.

How do I get a visa before I travel?

"This gives 60 days and can be extended at Immigration by another 30 days.

After this you can get Single Tourist Visas at a Thai Consulate in a neighbouring country."

How often can this be done? Where's the best place to get these?

I was told I can extend it for 6 months.

Cheers

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by Loz702

Hi thanks for the reply.

How do I get a visa before I travel?

"This gives 60 days and can be extended at Immigration by another 30 days.

After this you can get Single Tourist Visas at a Thai Consulate in a neighbouring country."

How often can this be done? Where's the best place to get these?

I was told I can extend it for 6 months.

Cheers

Your friend gives bad advice....lol.

Apply for a Multiple Entry Visa only in your home country or country of residence.

Apply for a Single Entry tourist Visa at any Thai Embassy/consulate outside of Thailand.

you cannot apply for any Visa inside of Thailand.

You can get a 30 day Visa exempt stamp by just showing up which can be extended by 30 days at immigration inside of Thailand.

How long do you intend staying in Thailand?

How old are you?

There are many options available, help us narrow the field

Initially just arrive and get a 30 day visa exemption, extendible by another 30 days. Give you chance to get your ducks in a row

You will need a flight out within the 30 days or you may not be allowed to board, but a cheapie to a neighbouring country will do the trick.

Tonray... wow... odd, cos he's lived in Chaing Mai with his 5 kids and g/f for a decade, he often travels out of the country to Vegas to play poker for a few months, and Asia Pacific Tour Poker Tournaments once a year.

Crossy... I'd like to stay for as long as I can to be honest. I'm 41 yrs old. UK Citizen. With a Full passport valid for 10 years.

Cheers guys

A Multi Entry Tourist Visa will last 6 months and give multiple entries of up to 60 days.

So you can get almost 9 month from this. Apply in your country.

Single entry TV gives a stay of 60 days and can be extended by a further 30 days at Immigration.

There is no set limit but a few applications at the same Consulate might be met with a refusal.

Spread them around a bit.

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by Eclipse

Tonray... wow... odd, cos he's lived in Chaing Mai with his 5 kids and g/f for a decade, he often travels out of the country to Vegas to play poker for a few months, and Asia Pacific Tour Poker Tournaments once a year.

Crossy... I'd like to stay for as long as I can to be honest. I'm 41 yrs old. UK Citizen. With a Full passport valid for 10 years.

Cheers guys

Having 5 kids will give your friend more options than you have.

Eclipse, is there anywhere I can apply online before I leave? Since I'm new to all this, im not sure where to go - I dont have a car, and im in the far bottom of NSW - Pambula - Australia, and its a LONG journey into Sydney Harbour to visit a consulate -- so is there any way I can apply online and get approved within a few days and pick visa up at Airport? I'm currently in a hotel right now, so I have no real fixed address.

Cheers

Crossy... I'd like to stay for as long as I can to be honest. I'm 41 yrs old. UK Citizen. With a Full passport valid for 10 years.

OK, so a retirement visa / extension is out, so the best option is going to be a multi-entry tourist visa, you should be able to get that in Oz as you have citizenship there.

With planning you should be able to get 9 months out of that visa (combination of border hops and extensions).

Then nip back to Oz or the UK to get another (this visa is new, so the restrictions on how many you can get back-to-back are unknown).

EDIT Have a look on the consulate websites, you ought to be able to sort a visa by post in a few days, unfortunately the Songkran holiday is upon us during which they will likely be closed

Eclipse, is there anywhere I can apply online before I leave? Since I'm new to all this, im not sure where to go - I dont have a car, and im in the far bottom of NSW - Pambula - Australia, and its a LONG journey into Sydney Harbour to visit a consulate -- so is there any way I can apply online and get approved within a few days and pick visa up at Airport? I'm currently in a hotel right now, so I have no real fixed address.

Cheers

Your Visa will be a STAMP in your passport so you must mail your application/Fee and Passport to the Thai embassy in AUS and then they will mail it back to you.

You can apply by mail.

How long do you intend staying in Thailand?

How old are you?

There are many options available, help us narrow the field

Initially just arrive and get a 30 day visa exemption, extendible by another 30 days. Give you chance to get your ducks in a row

You will need a flight out within the 30 days or you may not be allowed to board, but a cheapie to a neighbouring country will do the trick.

Where would you recommend thats cheap to fly out to from Chaing Mai after a 30 day stay. How long would I need to stay across the border of Thailand before I can come back in? Do I apply for a multi entry visa for 6 months once I'm across the border?

I'm still a little hazy on all this stuff wanna make sure I do it right, I dont wanna get stranded in middle of nowhere lol

Or better yet, is there anywhere online I can apply for a visa?

I'm looking at this site but I dont see anywhere on the site to apply or purchase it or when I get the visa or if i need to pick it up at airport.

http://www.thaiembassy.com/visa/thailand-visa.php

Cheers

You can apply by mail.

Cheers, but thats not an option, from what I read its 4-8 weeks to be processed and I'm planning on leaving on the 24th April.

Eclipse, is there anywhere I can apply online before I leave? Since I'm new to all this, im not sure where to go - I dont have a car, and im in the far bottom of NSW - Pambula - Australia, and its a LONG journey into Sydney Harbour to visit a consulate -- so is there any way I can apply online and get approved within a few days and pick visa up at Airport? I'm currently in a hotel right now, so I have no real fixed address.

Cheers

Your Visa will be a STAMP in your passport so you must mail your application/Fee and Passport to the Thai embassy in AUS and then they will mail it back to you.

There has to be a way I can do this online, applying via mail takes up to 2 months from what I have read

Eclipse, is there anywhere I can apply online before I leave? Since I'm new to all this, im not sure where to go - I dont have a car, and im in the far bottom of NSW - Pambula - Australia, and its a LONG journey into Sydney Harbour to visit a consulate -- so is there any way I can apply online and get approved within a few days and pick visa up at Airport? I'm currently in a hotel right now, so I have no real fixed address.

Cheers

Your Visa will be a STAMP in your passport so you must mail your application/Fee and Passport to the Thai embassy in AUS and then they will mail it back to you.

There has to be a way I can do this online, applying via mail takes up to 2 months from what I have read

I say again: The VISA is a STAMP inside your passport...They MUST have your Passport to Stamp the Visa

There is no online application.

You might be better off arriving without a Visa and getting 30 days.

You can extend that by another 30 days.

You can then go to Laos and get single entry tourist visas. 60 days plus a 30 day extension.

Eclipse, is there anywhere I can apply online before I leave? Since I'm new to all this, im not sure where to go - I dont have a car, and im in the far bottom of NSW - Pambula - Australia, and its a LONG journey into Sydney Harbour to visit a consulate -- so is there any way I can apply online and get approved within a few days and pick visa up at Airport? I'm currently in a hotel right now, so I have no real fixed address.

Cheers

Your Visa will be a STAMP in your passport so you must mail your application/Fee and Passport to the Thai embassy in AUS and then they will mail it back to you.

There has to be a way I can do this online, applying via mail takes up to 2 months from what I have read

It certainly does not take 2 months to apply by mail. You may enough time to apply before you leave. I suggest you contact the consulate in Sydney.

There is no online application.

You might be better off arriving without a Visa and getting 30 days.

You can extend that by another 30 days.

You can then go to Laos and get single entry tourist visas. 60 days plus a 30 day extension.

But I dont want to buy a return ticket back to Australia though.

I just called the consulate in Sydney... they said I can head over there for less than 30 days... I asked them can I extend it if i traveled across the border and they said, NO!

So im confused why you guys saying its possible when the consulate said its not.

There is no online application.

You might be better off arriving without a Visa and getting 30 days.

You can extend that by another 30 days.

You can then go to Laos and get single entry tourist visas. 60 days plus a 30 day extension.

But I dont want to buy a return ticket back to Australia though.

I just called the consulate in Sydney... they said I can head over there for less than 30 days... I asked them can I extend it if i traveled across the border and they said, NO!

So im confused why you guys saying its possible when the consulate said its not.

Head over without VISA ...you will get 30 day exempt stamp. You should have an onward ticket to anywhere. Buy a cheap online ticket to Vietnam/Laos/cambodia...etc.

When your 30 days is almost up...you can go to Immigration office and extend INSIDE of Thailand for 1900 baht for another 30 days.

After that you can go to neighboring country to apply for Single Entry 60 day visa which can then be extended in the same way for 30 days for 1900 baht.

This will give you about 5 months in country and during that time you can make plans for the future. What is your plan and reason for coming ? That would help in advice given.

Edited April 12, 201610 yr by tonray

cheers

So let me get this straight...

1. buy 1 way ticket to chaing mai

2. buy a 1 way ticket to Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia (but dont necessarily need to go/use the ticket).

3. go to immigration office BEFORE my 30 days are up to apply for extension, if im denied the extension, I still have my onward ticket to use.

4. if I am denied the extension and I use my onward ticket to Laos, or where ever, apply for a single entry 60 day visa and extend it. (where do I extend it, at the same place at the same time of applying for the single entry visa?)

5. once the single entry visa is used, just repeat and spin, but go to different neighboring countries every time, say like... go to Laos, extend it there, head back to Thailand for 90 days, leave and head to vietam do the same thing, then cambodia, same thing again? so basically i could just keep doing this indefinitely ?

Hope I got that right

Cheers

Crossy... I'd like to stay for as long as I can to be honest. I'm 41 yrs old. UK Citizen. With a Full passport valid for 10 years.

OK, so a retirement visa / extension is out, so the best option is going to be a multi-entry tourist visa, you should be able to get that in Oz as you have citizenship there.

With planning you should be able to get 9 months out of that visa (combination of border hops and extensions).

Then nip back to Oz or the UK to get another (this visa is new, so the restrictions on how many you can get back-to-back are unknown).

EDIT Have a look on the consulate websites, you ought to be able to sort a visa by post in a few days, unfortunately the Songkran holiday is upon us during which they will likely be closed

Cheers.... prob is, im like 500+ Km away from the consulate in Sydney...

max of 9 months? so thats like, border hopping for 3 months with single tourist 60 day visa with 30 day extensions. cant i go to say, laso, then cambodia, then vietnam, then back to laso etc again and repeat and spin, since they will be like 6 months apart from each visit / application from the previous application?

This will give you about 5 months in country and during that time you can make plans for the future. What is your plan and reason for coming ? That would help in advice given.

I'm not sure how it will give me 5 months of permanent stay though? when I have to leave after the first 30 day extension. and even then, its up to immigration if they allow me to have the 30 day extension on top of the visa stamp 30 day access.

I'm not sure why it helps why I want to come over? let's just say, Australia SUCKS, UK SUCKS...

You get the 30 day extension from Immigration in Thailand.

You will not be refused

cheers

So let me get this straight...

1. buy 1 way ticket to chaing mai

2. buy a 1 way ticket to Laos, Vietnam, or Cambodia (but dont necessarily need to go/use the ticket).

3. go to immigration office BEFORE my 30 days are up to apply for extension, if im denied the extension, I still have my onward ticket to use.

4. if I am denied the extension and I use my onward ticket to Laos, or where ever, apply for a single entry 60 day visa and extend it. (where do I extend it, at the same place at the same time of applying for the single entry visa?)

5. once the single entry visa is used, just repeat and spin, but go to different neighboring countries every time, say like... go to Laos, extend it there, head back to Thailand for 90 days, leave and head to vietam do the same thing, then cambodia, same thing again? so basically i could just keep doing this indefinitely ?

Hope I got that right

Cheers

essentially Correct. All extensions for 30 days are done INSIDE Thailand at the local Immigration office nearest to where you are staying.

99.99 % of 30 day extensions are approved...not much to worry about there.Just remember they want you to think and act like a tourist if using a tourist Visa. If asked...you are a tourist nothing else.

Sweet, so basically I'm paying for a ticket out of thailand for no reason then, other than to prove that I will be exiting Thailand to allow me to enter the country on a 1 way ticket? Do I understand that correctly?

But when the immigration in thailand approves my 30 day extension... do I need to buy another ticket to come back to thailand to prove to say, Laos, vietnam, etc that Im exiting their country? so like the same rules apply?

This will give you about 5 months in country and during that time you can make plans for the future. What is your plan and reason for coming ? That would help in advice given.

I'm not sure how it will give me 5 months of permanent stay though? when I have to leave after the first 30 day extension. and even then, its up to immigration if they allow me to have the 30 day extension on top of the visa stamp 30 day access.

I'm not sure why it helps why I want to come over? let's just say, Australia SUCKS, UK SUCKS...

5 months with one 48 hour break in a neighboring country to get your Single Entry Visa. The reason I asked about your reason for staying is to offer better advice.

Education: You may qualify if attending school

Marriage: you can stay long term if you have Thai wife

Child: you can stay to visit your kids

Work: you can stay if you find valid job and get work permit

Sweet, so basically I'm paying for a ticket out of thailand for no reason then, other than to prove that I will be exiting Thailand to allow me to enter the country on a 1 way ticket? Do I understand that correctly?

But when the immigration in thailand approves my 30 day extension... do I need to buy another ticket to come back to thailand to prove to say, Laos, vietnam, etc that Im exiting their country? so like the same rules apply?

No...they only apply that rule (sometimes) at the border. In all likelihood the airlines might not let your board the plane without it unless you show a valid Visa Stamp before you get here. To be safe only have the onward ticket when coming in for exemption (30 days) and some places might ask to see 20,000 baht as a means of support so good idea to have that equivalent in your pocket (about $750 AUD)

drive up from pambula early, stop somewhere near sutherland, take the train to martins place. a short walk from there to the thai consulate.

have your application, photo, proof of address and residence in oz and all their copies ready (see checklist on application form), the correct amount of money in cash (they do not give change), observe the opening and closing times, the elevator won't even stop at their floor outside those hours.

and last not least take a prepaid, pre - addressed yellow express envelope with you. the consulate will send your passport back to you no extra charge, you will have it within a week from lodgement.

done it many times, i lived on the nsw south coast, too.

Ok great... I'll be having around 2-3k AUD on me, so that should be plenty

So I guess my plan then, is to get 1 way ticket to chaing mai... while at same time book a ticket to Laos (looks nice there, and doesn't seem too far away from Chaing Mai)... book a hotel for a week. and locate the immigration office in Laos to apply for the single tourist 60 day visa. then extend it when Im back in Thailand... and repeat and spin I guess?

Well, to go there, i hear its nice, cheap to live, etc. I work online mostly, so don't really need a job, etc. Plus a friend of mine lives there and he helps the local poor villages with food, clothes, etc, from time to time with a group of his friends.