Help Regarding Visas

[SamUK]

First of all hello! This being my first post on what seems like a good and informative board.

I have a question regarding what visa exactly i need for a 6 month trip to thailand. I'm going with a friend to pretty much just tour the place and see the sights etc. as a good way to use some redundancy money i've been given from my former place of work (aparently my jobs in india now!). I thought originally it was no worries we just got to the airport and every time it was needed we go on a visa run but the bloke i'm going with seems to think otherwise.

Any help as to what, if anything i need to apply for before leaving would be really helpfull

cheers!

[VBF]

First of all hello! This being my first post on what seems like a good and informative board.

I have a question regarding what visa exactly i need for a 6 month trip to thailand. I'm going with a friend to pretty much just tour the place and see the sights etc. as a good way to use some redundancy money i've been given from my former place of work (aparently my jobs in india now!). I thought originally it was no worries we just got to the airport and every time it was needed we go on a visa run but the bloke i'm going with seems to think otherwise.

Any help as to what, if anything i need to apply for before leaving would be really helpfull

cheers!

Hi SamUK - welcome to the fray.

What you say used to be true, however from October 1st, Thai Immigration is enforcing the rules to stop people staying in Thailand for long periods without the correct visa. From what you say, you're a genuine tourist so you should have no problems if you and your friend each do the following:

Get a Double Entry Tourist Visa from a UK Consulate - not the Embassy, consulates are easier to deal with.

(Note - both entries into Thailand must be made within 6months from the issue date of the Visa)

That will give you 60days permission to stay from when you enter (1st entry). Then, after approx 50 to 55 days, visit Thai Immigration and ask for an extension. Take copies of passport, visa pages, 2 photographs and 1900Baht fee.

They should grant you another 30 days from the end of your permitted stay - bringing you to 3months so far.

Then after another 29 days (to be safe!) do a border run to Myanamar, Cambodia, Vietnam or wherever you wish outside Thailand. You can literally at this stage just hop out of Thailand, into another country and turn around and return or you can go on a trip for a while (just remember the visa expires 6months after issue!)

Then, re enter Thailand (2nd entry) where the 60day followed by a 30 day extension cycle starts again.

Trawl this forum and you'll find lots more info - addresses of Immigration offices etc etc. Also many knowlegeable people (more so than I) some of whom live in Thailand some not. Be careful to read all postings as there is regrettably some misinfomation here too - it mostly gets corrected pretty quickly though!

Oh, BTW, when you enter Thailand or visit Immigration, dress appropriately - I don't mean a suit and tie, but neat shorts or trousers, collared shirt, clean and tidy - look like they'd want you in their country - the Immigration Officer has the power to refuse you or not extend if you antagonise them - I have found that being nice helps!

If I've erred anywhere in this post would the more senior members please correct me!

Happy travels!

Mike

[rocky]

Apply for a 12 month Multi entry Non immigrant O visa.

You could show a bank statement to the Consulate (not embassy) in your home country saying you are taking a year out between work. Also when you arrive in Thailand you will open a bank account and send the money in the UK account over.

If over 50 you could say that you need the visa so you can obtain a retirement visa when in Thailand. It wouldn’t matter if you gave this as a reason, but did not get the retirement when here.

If you obtain a Non immigrant O Visa, then you will have to do a visa run every three months, but in effect you could stay in Thailand for a total of 15 months, (do the last visa run before the twelve month Non immigrant O runs out)

What ever you do get a visa from a consulate, do not get a Visa on arrival

[h5n1]

sam: welcome. i too was 'bangalore-ed'

i would basically agree with vbf except...would say dont bother with any visa. this is first time to asia and you can get 3-30 day tourist stamps for sure. if you do a visa run by plane, new passport, no thai stamps im nearly certain youll not have hassles.

id recommend you see myanmar, lao, cambodia and vietnam. you may want to hop to sumatra and visit some of malaysia and skip down to singapore as well.

thailand is modern, over touristed and a bore from tourism perspective. use it as a base only. esp if this is a once in a lifetime deal. you wont be sorry - but if you sit on your ass in a bar in thailand and lose track of time - youll be ever sorry.

one point about vbf: shorts/clean shirt is fine to enter thailand. i would cover any tatoos and do not smell of alcohol. thailand sees it all, not to worry about small matters, just be clean.

Edited November 23, 2006 by h5n1

[SamUK]

Sorry for leaving the reply so late! Thanks very much for the info guys...looks like I have a few things to think about before I leave. I finally got the flight booked a few days ago and I couldn't be happier as it all seems to be more 'real' now that it was before.

h5n1, I have had alot of thought about visiting the neighbouring countries and i'm certainly open to doing so. Although I haven't really planned anything at all in this trip, I definately want to treat it as a once in a lifetime trip even if it turns out not to be. Never can tell at this point in my life. I'm only 24 and have never done anything like this before so i seriously cannot wait!

Cheers once more guys.