Visa Renewal -- What's the Best Option?

[MysteryX]

Alright. I'm in Thailand with a METV visa. My last entry expires on September 18th. My flight back to Canada is on December 21st. I have to renew my tourist Visa, but there are many options and everything changed considerably with Visas lately. For you guys who are familiar with the changes and options available, what do you think is best for me?

 

Basically I need 93 days.

 

One option is to extend this last entry for another 30 days (I heard they were getting very picky and intrusive in giving such extensions). Then I can do a border run to the North (from Chiang Mai) to get a Visa on Arrival and then renew that (I also heard these are getting harder to get and often ask for the plane ticket out).

 

Then I can fly for a week or two to another country -- I'm thinking Vietnam. There are 2 consulates in Vietnam, is one place better than the other? I'm thinking a single-entry visa would be good and then I can extend that.

 

Options aren't lacking, and what do you think would be best in my case? Anything else I should be aware of? The last thing I want is a failed Visa run.

 

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

You say your last entry from the METV.  Do you mean it was an entry you did just before the enter before date on your visa or your most recent entry. If you are not past the enter before date on the visa you could do another entry and extend it for 30 days.

No problem to get a 30 day extension of your current 60 day entry. Not sure where you heard they are hard to get.

Getting the 30 day extension will get you to the 18th of October. I suggest you go out for a single entry tourist visa then instead of doing a border hop for visa exempt entry (not a visa on arrival). Getting a 30 day extension of the 60 day entry from the visa would get you well past the 21st of December.

Also going to Chiang Mai to do a border hop would mean going to the Chiang Khong crossing to Laos since the crossing at Mae Sai does allow crossings for a visa exempt entry.

 

[MysteryX]

My last entry is ending; and my last entry was in the last allowed day of my visa.

 

One person told me that to get an extension, they ask for outbound plane ticket, any bank account in Thailand, and the name and contact information of friends and social media information. Then others told me everything went smoothly.

 

So yeah the best is probably to go get a single-entry Visa and extend that; so that would be my last trip outside the country until December. Out of the 2 consulates in Vietnam, is one better or more friendly than the other? ... or which of the 2 cities or area is best to visit?

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, MysteryX said:

One person told me that to get an extension, they ask for outbound plane ticket, any bank account in Thailand, and the name and contact information of friends and social media information. Then others told me everything went smoothly.

No office I know of asks for a ticket out of the country or a bank book for proof of funds. The other part sounds like the personal information form that is needed at some immigration offices for anything you do at them.

Either the embassy in Hanoi or the consulate in HCM City will ask to see a ticket out of the country and financial proof to get a single entry tourist visa.

Vientiane Laos and Penang Malaysia asks for nothing other than you passport to get the visa.

 

[MysteryX]

Getting the paperwork for financial proof can be an issue. I've never been asked before; but in Vietnam they do require it?

 

I have a friend in Hanoi. She just informed me that I also need a letter to apply for a VOA to enter Vietnam which her friend can get for me. That's another complication that I hadn't thought about that is good to know.

 

Vientiane; already been there 8 years ago. Came back with dengue fever. Penang is another option. What other option is there?

Another factor: plane cost. Chiang Mai - Panang is min 6700 baht, and leaving on the 18th is 11500 baht! Viantiane leaving on the 18th is 8300 baht, no direct flight; might be better by bus. What else is there?

[MysteryX]

Or another option: get a 30-day extension on this Visa, then fly out for at least 3 days anywhere, and get a VOA when I arrive back in Thailand (30 days) and extend it for 30 days.

 

Although I'd prefer to just get a single-entry visa.

[ubonjoe]

Check for flights from Chiang Mai to Udon Thani. You can take a van from the airport in Udon to the bridge in Nong Khai. 

[MysteryX]

There is 169 baht flight promotions to Hong Kong; how is the process there? Do they require a bank statement, and how long is the process?

 

There is 8 hours left for that flight promo so I have to decide quickly.

[MysteryX]

Found this. Looks good enough to me

 

[MysteryX]

Woah! Rent Prices in Hong Kong are 224.07% higher than in Montreal!?

 

Fortunately on Hotels.com there are lots of hotels promo at 50% price. Many hotels in the $25-40 range.

[MysteryX]

Shit. Didn't look at the promo right. Nothing available on 16, 17 or 18, and 19th is 14700 one way... OK what other option is left?

 

I'm not finding any reasonable flights to anywhere right now. Udon Thani has something for 4100 baht. Penang for 8700 baht. Pretty much it. Adding to that, Laos has 1500 baht VOA fee while Malaysia doesn't.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, MysteryX said:

Shit. Didn't look at the promo right. Nothing available on 16, 17 or 18, and 19th is 14700 one way... OK what other option is left?

 

I'm not finding any reasonable flights to anywhere right now. Udon Thani has something for 4100 baht. Penang for 8700 baht. Pretty much it. Adding to that, Laos has 1500 baht VOA fee while Malaysia doesn't.

 

Usually, your best bet is to book a combined flight+hotel deal through somewhere like Expedia. Short haul to places like Hong Kong typically need to be booked at least 2-3 weeks in advance to get the best deals (1-2 days is often best for transcontinental deals). However, Bangkok to Hong Kong return with 3 nights hotel leaving September 20 starts at around 8,000 baht, depending on the airline and hotel you choose (not too bad).

[MysteryX]

AirAsia just released new promotions 2 hours ago. Got decent flight to Hong Kong for ~8000 baht.

 

flight+hotel deals don't look interesting. Better with the 50% off options on Hotels.com

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, MysteryX said:

AirAsia just released new promotions 2 hours ago. Got decent flight to Hong Kong for ~8000 baht.

 

flight+hotel deals don't look interesting. Better with the 50% off options on Hotels.com

 

Not my experience, but each to his own. I have done comparison shopping, and invariably get the same deal 10-20% cheaper when booking the flight and hotel together. Sometimes, it is much more. When promotional flights are sold out when booking flights only, you can sometimes still get the promotional fare when booking flight+hotel.

 

Taking your example of Hong Kong, I checked that a few hours ago and can get flight plus 3 nights hotel for less than 8,000 baht for next week.

[moe666]

The easy solution change your flight out to match your visa, very easy