Visa Strategy Advice And Flights Into Bkk

[lucidwave]

Hi all,

Many apologies in advance if someone has asked a similar question. I have read a lot of the trhreads on this board and am still unsure about what to do in my situation.

I am a graduate student in the US and my plan was to do research in Isaan from Febrary until early July or late June. With all the changed visa rules, this doesn't seem like this will be possible. My question is, what is the best strategy to maximize the time I am able to spend in Thailand?

From what I understand I get arrive without a visa and they will allow me to stay 30 days. I can then leave on day 30 and come back the same day for another 30 days, and then do this again for a maximum of 90 days. I also understand there to be some sort of 60 day visa I can apply for in the US (I am a british citizen but I live in the US). Can this then be extended by 2 30 day visa runs for a max of 120 days in Thailand?

I also understand there to be a 90 day research visa that I can get. However, my fiance will be travelling with me. She is a US citizen. Will they give her the research visa if she is only travelling with me?

I have also been told that I might have trouble with the airline or Thai immigration of I fly into BKK in Feb with my return in June/July. Would it make more sense to fly into Singapore perhaps? or would I encounter simiar problems there?

Thanks very much in advance for helping work through this confusing situation.

Cheers.

[Maestro]

February to June or July, that’s four to six months in Thailand.

Get a double-entry tourist visa. This way, you won’t risk being denied boarding in the USA. No fear of being denied entry by Thai immigration.

With each entry, permission to stay 60 days will be stamped in your passport. With at least 21 days remaining of your permitted stay, go to any immigration office in Thailand and get a 30-day extension. Before this extension expires, hop across a boarder and return, get 60 days again. Then, if necessary, get again a 30-day extension.

---------------

Maestro

[lucidwave]

February to June or July, that’s four to six months in Thailand.

Get a double-entry tourist visa. This way, you won’t risk being denied boarding in the USA. No fear of being denied entry by Thai immigration.

With each entry, permission to stay 60 days will be stamped in your passport. With at least 21 days remaining of your permitted stay, go to any immigration office in Thailand and get a 30-day extension. Before this extension expires, hop across a boarder and return, get 60 days again. Then, if necessary, get again a 30-day extension.

---------------

Maestro

So, just to clarify. The double entry visa will give me 120 days in 2 x 60 day increments? Each increment can be extended once for 30 days (but only 21 days before the visa expires)?

Thanks for the clarification.

Are such visas difficult to get?

Thanks again.

[Maestro]

So, just to clarify. The double entry visa will give me 120 days in 2 x 60 day increments? Each increment can be extended once for 30 days (but only 21 days before the visa expires)?

Without extension of each entry, it is a total of 120 days. With the 30-day extension of each entry, you get a total of 180 days.

---------------

Maestro

[lucidwave]

So, just to clarify. The double entry visa will give me 120 days in 2 x 60 day increments? Each increment can be extended once for 30 days (but only 21 days before the visa expires)?

Without extension of each entry, it is a total of 120 days. With the 30-day extension of each entry, you get a total of 180 days.

---------------

Maestro

and will it be difficult to convince the Thai embassy in DC to give my fiance and I such a visa?

Thanks again for your help.

[Maestro]

and will it be difficult to convince the Thai embassy in DC to give my fiance and I such a visa?

Not at all difficult. Tourist visas are standard. Some government-staffed consulates try to discourage visa applications by giving single-entry tourist visas only, as they prefer to do more meaningful work, for which reason many people apply at an honorary consulate. However, I see no reason why the consulate in Washington should reject your application.

---------------

Maestro

[lucidwave]

and will it be difficult to convince the Thai embassy in DC to give my fiance and I such a visa?

Not at all difficult. Tourist visas are standard. Some government-staffed consulates try to discourage visa applications by giving single-entry tourist visas only, as they prefer to do more meaningful work, for which reason many people apply at an honorary consulate. However, I see no reason why the consulate in Washington should reject your application.

---------------

Maestro

Thanks again. I always had taken the wording on the website (http://www.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/visa.htm)

Tourist visa.................. US $25.00 per entry for pleasure purpose only. (require copy airline ticket or itenery)

(Maximum stay 60 day, extension of stay may be applied in Thailand.)

to mean that I can only stay for 60 days total. Those 60 days could then be extended. But, they are actually saying that it is 60 days per entry. And are there no rules about re-entering directy after exiting?

A few more questions if you don't mind. How difficult is it to get extensions? Will I have a problem when they see that I am trying to stay for a total of 180 days on a 2 entry tourist visa with 2 extensions?

If we opted for this strategy, we then would be allowed (as per visa rules) to leave the county except for one time after 90 days. If we did take a trip to a neighboring country we would have messed our schedule up and would then have to leave Thailand much earlier than intended. I am understanding this correctly.

Finally, when the embassy states that they:

require copy airline ticket or itenery

how strict are they about this? Can I just tell them I am crossing overland from Malaysia or Cambodia?

Thanks again for your help. I would buy you a beer if we weren't talking in cyberspace.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

and will it be difficult to convince the Thai embassy in DC to give my fiance and I such a visa?

Not at all difficult. Tourist visas are standard. Some government-staffed consulates try to discourage visa applications by giving single-entry tourist visas only, as they prefer to do more meaningful work, for which reason many people apply at an honorary consulate. However, I see no reason why the consulate in Washington should reject your application.

---------------

Maestro

Apply at a Consulate like Houston by mail. Easy peasy.

[lopburi3]

It is 60 day entry stamp on a tourist visa entry and can normally be extended for 30 days. So a two entry could be 60+30 exit/enter 60+30.

There is no requirement to apply for extension of a tourist visa more than 21 days before expiration of 60 day stay - in fact they would probably not want to do that early. It can be the last day, or better planning during the last week.

The place "21 day" comes into play is for conversion from a tourist visa to a non immigration visa at immigration (and that requirement is currently not being required) for those intending to stay one year at a time for marriage/business type reasons.

[lucidwave]

It is 60 day entry stamp on a tourist visa entry and can normally be extended for 30 days. So a two entry could be 60+30 exit/enter 60+30.

There is no requirement to apply for extension of a tourist visa more than 21 days before expiration of 60 day stay - in fact they would probably not want to do that early. It can be the last day, or better planning during the last week.

The place "21 day" comes into play is for conversion from a tourist visa to a non immigration visa at immigration (and that requirement is currently not being required) for those intending to stay one year at a time for marriage/business type reasons.

Thanks very much. So how many entries could I get? Could I get 3 or 4 entries? Or am I restricted to only leaving the country once if I stay form Feb until July?

Thanks again.

[lopburi3]

It is up to the Consulate how many they will issue but do not believe many normally issue more than 3 entry currently.

[lucidwave]

It is up to the Consulate how many they will issue but do not believe many normally issue more than 3 entry currently.

So, if I get a 3 entry visa will I be able to stay for a maximum of 270 days if I time all of my border runs correctly?

Is there then a time limit that I am not allowed back in the county after the last day of my 180 or 270 days?

Thanks again very much.

[lucidwave]

It is up to the Consulate how many they will issue but do not believe many normally issue more than 3 entry currently.

So, if I get a 3 entry visa will I be able to stay for a maximum of 270 days if I time all of my border runs correctly?

Is there then a time limit that I am not allowed back in the county after the last day of my 180 or 270 days?

Thanks again very much.

a little bump. Thanks again to all for their help.

[aaechan]

Not at all difficult. Tourist visas are standard. Some government-staffed consulates try to discourage visa applications by giving single-entry tourist visas only, as they prefer to do more meaningful work, for which reason many people apply at an honorary consulate. However, I see no reason why the consulate in Washington should reject your application.

---------------

Maestro

i just did tourist visa to Thailand , and Consulate issue visa for me with "Single ENtry"

question is. ... if i want to chage for "double entry", possible ? at Consulate or at the Custom when i landed to Thailand ?

[lopburi3]

You would have to apply for a double entry at a Consulate - your visa has already been used once you enter Thailand.

Lucid:

The 90 day rule for being out of the country only effects arrival without visa stays from current information.

[aaechan]

You would have to apply for a double entry at a Consulate - your visa has already been used once you enter Thailand.

Lucid:

The 90 day rule for being out of the country only effects arrival without visa stays from current information.

please advise me:

for me, i just received "Single Entry" tourist visa from consulate...,

1. after 60+30 days in Thailand, then i go out to Malaysia, and i can do Tourist visa (60+30days) to come back Thailand again ? on the "Next day" ?

2. without the rule stayout Thailand 90 days ?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You would have to apply for a double entry at a Consulate - your visa has already been used once you enter Thailand.

Lucid:

The 90 day rule for being out of the country only effects arrival without visa stays from current information.

please advise me:

for me, i just received "Single Entry" tourist visa from consulate...,

1. after 60+30 days in Thailand, then i go out to Malaysia, and i can do Tourist visa (60+30days) to come back Thailand again ? on the "Next day" ?

2. without the rule stayout Thailand 90 days ?

Read back to post#13

[dr_Pat_Pong]

LOP I hear that Embassies and Consulates are restricted to issuing TWO Tourist visa's at a time. I have not yet seen it in writing.

[jdinasia]

Can you document your research as REAL trough a school? if so you might try to get a non-imm-ed visa (multi) from Denver and try to get the same for your GF as a research assistant helping you.

[lopburi3]

You would have to apply for a double entry at a Consulate - your visa has already been used once you enter Thailand.

Lucid:

The 90 day rule for being out of the country only effects arrival without visa stays from current information.

please advise me:

for me, i just received "Single Entry" tourist visa from consulate...,

1. after 60+30 days in Thailand, then i go out to Malaysia, and i can do Tourist visa (60+30days) to come back Thailand again ? on the "Next day" ?

2. without the rule stayout Thailand 90 days ?

1. If the Consulate will issue you another tourist visa yes - at this point it seems they will issue at least one.

2. The 90 day rule is entry without visa so it should not effect you (but how it works in practice is still to be seen).

[jessixcate]

You would have to apply for a double entry at a Consulate - your visa has already been used once you enter Thailand.

Lucid:

The 90 day rule for being out of the country only effects arrival without visa stays from current information.

Thanks. So, what is the max number of entries I can get on a visa?

[lopburi3]

You would have to apply for a double entry at a Consulate - your visa has already been used once you enter Thailand.

Lucid:

The 90 day rule for being out of the country only effects arrival without visa stays from current information.

Thanks. So, what is the max number of entries I can get on a visa?

I must assume your other name is "lucidwave" as I have not been talking with anyone using the "jessixcate" name here. You are aware dual personality is not allowed on this forum? Please provide an explanation. Please make a choice.

[lucidwave]

You would have to apply for a double entry at a Consulate - your visa has already been used once you enter Thailand.

Lucid:

The 90 day rule for being out of the country only effects arrival without visa stays from current information.

Thanks. So, what is the max number of entries I can get on a visa?

I must assume your other name is "lucidwave" as I have not been talking with anyone using the "jessixcate" name here. You are aware dual personality is not allowed on this forum? Please provide an explanation. Please make a choice.

Hi, sorry about that. I wasn't trying to break any rules. I posted from my fiance's computer and didn't realise that it auto logged on to her username. It was me posting though. I didn't realise until it was too late. She is also urging me to figure this out though

Thanks.

Just to reiterate: what is the max number of entries I can get on a visa? Thanks.

[lopburi3]

It depends on the Consulate. Penang is one, Singapore is two, others may (still) be up to three. You will have to call or email the Consulate you intend to use and ask.

//The above is for a tourist visa - for a non immigrant visa the number is not limited for the multi entry type.//

[lucidwave]

It depends on the Consulate. Penang is one, Singapore is two, others may (still) be up to three. You will have to call or email the Consulate you intend to use and ask.

//The above is for a tourist visa - for a non immigrant visa the number is not limited for the multi entry type.//

Thanks. And so each entry gives me 60 days (extendable to 90)?

Cheers.

[lucidwave]

It depends on the Consulate. Penang is one, Singapore is two, others may (still) be up to three. You will have to call or email the Consulate you intend to use and ask.

//The above is for a tourist visa - for a non immigrant visa the number is not limited for the multi entry type.//

Thanks. And so each entry gives me 60 days (extendable to 90)?

Cheers.

So, am I correct in thinking this?

Thanks.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It depends on the Consulate. Penang is one, Singapore is two, others may (still) be up to three. You will have to call or email the Consulate you intend to use and ask.

//The above is for a tourist visa - for a non immigrant visa the number is not limited for the multi entry type.//

Thanks. And so each entry gives me 60 days (extendable to 90)?

Cheers.

So, am I correct in thinking this?

Thanks.

Yessir

[aaechan]

I just make a call to Thai Consulate at Guangzhou, ask whether they can change for "double entry" visa for me. they said, after 60 days i can go out Thailand to do more Tourist visa, but .... they will give me visa or not, it's upon consideration of the embassy i go apply. And they said: for Consulate at Guangzhou, if found me request tourist visa again in next 2 months, they will not issue for me... because they assume that my purpose of visit is more than just tourist, .... .

so.... after 2 months or 3 months in Thailand.... when i go out to neighbour country, can be take a risk for me to get a tourist visa again....