Best place for a SETV

[juice777]

Hi I am a uk citizen, I have had a tripple entry tourist visa from London then a double from Vientiane then two singles from Vientiane. Can I get one more from Vientiane or do I need to try somewhere else? I've herd you can get 3 singles in a row from Vientiane. But I am not sure if my double counts as one of the three. Also I have herd you can keep applying till they give you your last one along with a red stamp, so if I haven't got a red stamp yet dose this mean I am OK in Vientiane. If Vientiane say no,can I then just go straight to that over place in loas (I've forgotten the name) and apply there. Or should I just go there in the first place.

Thanks for any help

[BritTim]

I would suggest avoiding potential problems and going to Savannakhet Laos directly. You might also choose to go to Penang Malaysia.

[juice777]

I would suggest avoiding potential problems and going to Savannakhet Laos directly. You might also choose to go to Penang Malaysia.

Yes probley the right thing to do thanks a lot.

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[notmyself]

Could be wise to leave the easiest as an option in case you need a fast visa in the future. Say you are not feeling very well or some such. A three month 'ed' visa could also break any chain.

[juice777]

I was thinking about a Ed visa as it will also give me something to do. And I Would like to learn Thai but it all just seems so complicated I just got put of the ideal.

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[notmyself]

I was thinking about a Ed visa as it will also give me something to do. And I Would like to learn Thai but it all just seems so complicated I just got put of the ideal.

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http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/182-language-school-courses/

[JepSoDii]

Could be wise to leave the easiest as an option in case you need a fast visa in the future. Say you are not feeling very well or some such. A three month 'ed' visa could also break any chain.

Do you mean, an ED visa breaks the chain of what would otherwise be back to back SETVs, e.g., breaking the chain is ideal? So an SETV, 3-month ED, wash rinse repeat continuously, is ideal?

And people are suggesting Savvanakhet is the easiest?

Another point, I didn't know there was a 3 month ED; I thought it was issued for up to a year, but you had to check in every 3 months and it could be cancelled anytime by an immigration officer.

[ubonjoe]

Could be wise to leave the easiest as an option in case you need a fast visa in the future. Say you are not feeling very well or some such. A three month 'ed' visa could also break any chain.

Do you mean, an ED visa breaks the chain of what would otherwise be back to back SETVs, e.g., breaking the chain is ideal? So an SETV, 3-month ED, wash rinse repeat continuously, is ideal?

And people are suggesting Savvanakhet is the easiest?

Another point, I didn't know there was a 3 month ED; I thought it was issued for up to a year, but you had to check in every 3 months and it could be cancelled anytime by an immigration officer.

A single entry non-ed visa would be expensive to get since you would have to pay a school tuition to get the paperwork to get it. Getting one might break the chain of back to back tourist visas from the same location.

Savannakhet and Vientiane are both good locations to get visas.

A single entry non-ed visa allows a 90 day entry that can be extended for 90 days at a time up to a total stay of one year. You would have to pay for 400 hours of study to get the one year.

There are also multiple entry non-ed visas that allow unlimited 90 day entries for one year from the date of issue (not available within the region though).

[notmyself]

A single entry non-ed visa would be expensive to get since you would have to pay a school tuition to get the paperwork to get it.

Some of the cost is offset by being able to negotiate for goods and services in Thai in the future. It obviously depends on the level before starting but if you speak very little then it should be looked at as an investment.

[ubonjoe]

A single entry non-ed visa would be expensive to get since you would have to pay a school tuition to get the paperwork to get it.

Some of the cost is offset by being able to negotiate for goods and services in Thai in the future. It obviously depends on the level before starting but if you speak very little then it should be looked at as an investment.

You only wrote about getting a single entry non-ed visa as if it was easy to get. No mention of studying Thai long term.

[JackThompson]

Could be wise to leave the easiest as an option in case you need a fast visa in the future. Say you are not feeling very well or some such. A three month 'ed' visa could also break any chain.

Do you mean, an ED visa breaks the chain of what would otherwise be back to back SETVs, e.g., breaking the chain is ideal? So an SETV, 3-month ED, wash rinse repeat continuously, is ideal?

And people are suggesting Savvanakhet is the easiest?

Another point, I didn't know there was a 3 month ED; I thought it was issued for up to a year, but you had to check in every 3 months and it could be cancelled anytime by an immigration officer.

Consider the experience of one applicant at Vientiene last year. It was the last week when double-entry visas were still being issued. I obtained one in a relatively new passport, no problem. He showed up with a used Ed visa in his passport, was accused of "working illegally in Thailand," (no evidence of this) and given only a single-entry.

From the responses reported here of some IOs and consulate personnel upon seeing Ed visas in passports, I would say it is one of the least desirable things to have in ones passport, short of a long overstay. That said, it may be useful as the last visa one gets before getting a new passport, getting married, turning 50, etc.

[juice777]

Could be wise to leave the easiest as an option in case you need a fast visa in the future. Say you are not feeling very well or some such. A three month 'ed' visa could also break any chain.

Do you mean, an ED visa breaks the chain of what would otherwise be back to back SETVs, e.g., breaking the chain is ideal? So an SETV, 3-month ED, wash rinse repeat continuously, is ideal?

And people are suggesting Savvanakhet is the easiest?

Another point, I didn't know there was a 3 month ED; I thought it was issued for up to a year, but you had to check in every 3 months and it could be cancelled anytime by an immigration officer.

Consider the experience of one applicant at Vientiene last year. It was the last week when double-entry visas were still being issued. I obtained one in a relatively new passport, no problem. He showed up with a used Ed visa in his passport, was accused of "working illegally in Thailand," (no evidence of this) and given only a single-entry.

From the responses reported here of some IOs and consulate personnel upon seeing Ed visas in passports, I would say it is one of the least desirable things to have in ones passport, short of a long overstay. That said, it may be useful as the last visa one gets before getting a new passport, getting married, turning 50, etc.

So its true if you get a new passport it resets it to?

I might need one next year anyway maybe I should just get one early. But I am not sure how to do it in Thailand.

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[JackThompson]

Consider the experience of one applicant at Vientiene last year. It was the last week when double-entry visas were still being issued. I obtained one in a relatively new passport, no problem. He showed up with a used Ed visa in his passport, was accused of "working illegally in Thailand," (no evidence of this) and given only a single-entry.

From the responses reported here of some IOs and consulate personnel upon seeing Ed visas in passports, I would say it is one of the least desirable things to have in ones passport, short of a long overstay. That said, it may be useful as the last visa one gets before getting a new passport, getting married, turning 50, etc.

So its true if you get a new passport it resets it to?

I might need one next year anyway maybe I should just get one early. But I am not sure how to do it in Thailand.

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Before getting a new passport - You may be able to get 3 from Cambodia regardless of history (according to recent reports). Vietnam may also work, provided you can show funds and air-tickets. Penang was good until the last month or two, when they seem to have started counting 'recent time in Thailand' such that people had to pay agents ~3000 Baht "extra fees" to get a visa there.

A new Passport means "starting over" in Laos and other consulates. Just go to your embassy and request one. But no need to do this until you get a red-stamp from Laos and exhaust other options. You could even do the Ed thing for awhile, then go to Laos for Tourist Visas after that (which may come back with a red-stamp - but maybe not - there is no consistency) - then get your new passport.

[juice777]

Consider the experience of one applicant at Vientiene last year. It was the last week when double-entry visas were still being issued. I obtained one in a relatively new passport, no problem. He showed up with a used Ed visa in his passport, was accused of "working illegally in Thailand," (no evidence of this) and given only a single-entry.

From the responses reported here of some IOs and consulate personnel upon seeing Ed visas in passports, I would say it is one of the least desirable things to have in ones passport, short of a long overstay. That said, it may be useful as the last visa one gets before getting a new passport, getting married, turning 50, etc.

So its true if you get a new passport it resets it to?

I might need one next year anyway maybe I should just get one early. But I am not sure how to do it in Thailand.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Before getting a new passport - You may be able to get 3 from Cambodia regardless of history (according to recent reports). Vietnam may also work, provided you can show funds and air-tickets. Penang was good until the last month or two, when they seem to have started counting 'recent time in Thailand' such that people had to pay agents ~3000 Baht "extra fees" to get a visa there.

A new Passport means "starting over" in Laos and other consulates. Just go to your embassy and request one. But no need to do this until you get a red-stamp from Laos and exhaust other options. You could even do the Ed thing for awhile, then go to Laos for Tourist Visas after that (which may come back with a red-stamp - but maybe not - there is no consistency) - then get your new passport.

Thanks a lot for the info but just a couple of questions. When you say about the red stamp do you get the red stamp along with your last visa or do they give you a red stamp with no visa. If they don't give you a visa and a red stamp will I be able to get back into Thailand without a visa to get a new passport? And if I do get back in I've herd a British citizen only gets 15 days at a land crossing is this enough time to get a new passport?

Thanks for any help

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[ubonjoe]

Thanks a lot for the info but just a couple of questions. When you say about the red stamp do you get the red stamp along with your last visa or do they give you a red stamp with no visa. If they don't give you a visa and a red stamp will I be able to get back into Thailand without a visa to get a new passport? And if I do get back in I've herd a British citizen only gets 15 days at a land crossing is this enough time to get a new passport?

Thanks for any help

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They do the stamp above the visa sticker after issuing it.

If you are from the UK you get 30 day visa exempt entries at a border crossing (G7 country rule). The 30 day entry can be extended for 30 days at immigration.

Info for getting a UK passport is here: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

[notmyself]

If you plan to spend a long time here then you need to start thinking beyond SETVs

[juice777]

I've just had 2 of them

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[juice777]

If you plan to spend a long time here then you need to start thinking beyond SETVs

Yes but unfortunately I don't fit into any category. I am not 50 so I can't retire, I am not working, I am not married and don't plan to get married, I was thinking of about a ED visa but I don't see the point of learning Thai then one day I have to leave Thailand, and it seems they are making the Ed visas hard to. I will just keep getting tourist visas until I can't get anymore then if I have to leave I have to leave not a massive problem.

I was just thinking I wonder if there is any other courses I can do in Thailand, instead of learning Thai. Something I can actually use in a practical way career wise or even something I enjoy.

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