How many Visa Extensions?

[Ryan]

I came in on the 30 day visa at the aiport. I plan to go to Jomtien to get it extended for an additional month. I want to stay in LOS at least for another 5-6 months without working.(I do plan to get my TEFL certificate to teach English) I know I have to do some border runs. I plan to go to Vietnam after the Jomtien extension expires and work my way into Laos to go get a 2 month tourist Visa at the consulate there. Getting back to my original question, can I go get a 1 month extension again after the 2 month tourist Visa. Also, how many times can I do this?

[Devil Plaything]

You cannot get another month at Jomtien if you arrived on the 30 day visa waiver - I believe you can get another 7 days (for 1900 baht). You'd be better off making that trip to Laos or Phnom Penh and getting a tourist visa (currently free), which is good for 60 days and can be extended once only, for an additional 30 days (1900 baht again).

 

If you sign up for a TEFL course they'll probably sort you out with an education visa - I don't believe you're allowed to study on a tourist visa. Not sure on that though - google "Thai visa" for some websites that specialise in that sort of info.

 

Hope you've got plenty of pages left in your passport ;-)

[pawngotto]

Education visa through the TEFL company is the best way to go. If you sign up before you leave its easier to get the visa prior to going.

[Anokanite]

Best to get a 60 day visa before you leave the US. Right now it's free. You do have to prove you have finacial resources of at least 10,000 B. Then you can extend for another 30 days, for 1900 B., right in Pattaya. Haven't done it yet, hope to in Jan-Feb. Don't expect to extend, but if I can push it to 40-45 days I'll be happy.

[Scumbag]

They have recently tightened the requirements of the tourist visa issue in neighbouring countries. I would consider asking if you can get a second visa wherever you apply for the first visa (after it is issued of course.)

[Shimy]

You cannot get another month at Jomtien if you arrived on the 30 day visa waiver - I believe you can get another 7 days (for 1900 baht). You'd be better off making that trip to Laos or Phnom Penh and getting a tourist visa (currently free), which is good for 60 days and can be extended once only, for an additional 30 days (1900 baht again).

 

If you sign up for a TEFL course they'll probably sort you out with an education visa - I don't believe you're allowed to study on a tourist visa. Not sure on that though - google "Thai visa" for some websites that specialise in that sort of info.

 

Hope you've got plenty of pages left in your passport ;-)

I plan on going to Thailand for a total of 4 months from late July to late November of this year 2010. In you opinion how should I handle this? Should I just get a 60 day visa, and then two 30 day visas afterwards? Or is there a better way thank you for your help.

[Scumbag]

I plan on going to Thailand for a total of 4 months from late July to late November of this year 2010. In you opinion how should I handle this? Should I just get a 60 day visa, and then two 30 day visas afterwards? Or is there a better way thank you for your help.

I would get a double entry tourist visa. That way you only need to do on border runs. You may need to get an extension on the last entry to carry you through to the full 4 months.

[Shimy]

I would get a double entry tourist visa. That way you only need to do on border runs. You may need to get an extension on the last entry to carry you through to the full 4 months.

Is it easy to get a double entry visa?

[bocelli27]

Assuming you have a British passport, you have two options:

 

1. Obtain a tourist visa with a 2 or 3 entry option,. With this, you will get an initial stay of 60 days on entry. After 60 days do a border run when you can get an exit and re-entry stamp which I think will give you another 60 days. If you need another run later, that would use up your third entry.

 

Each entry costs £28, so a 2-entry visa costs £56 and a 3-entry visa costs £84.

 

2. The other option is to obtain a Non-Immigrant Category 'O' visa of the 'Multiple' Entry type (A 'Single'entry would only allow you 90 days and you could not do a border run and re-entry). This multiple entry visa allows unlimited entries to Thailand and lasts 12 months from date of issue; but if you re-entered Thailand on the last day of the 12 months you would get a 90-day entry; hence, it can last almost 15 months.

 

The visa costs £100; but it may be the better option if you intend to return to Thailand for a further extended stay or if you also wish to make some trips to neighboring countries. If you go for this option, when you apply to the Consulate (preferably Hull),where the application form asks Evidence substantiating purpose of visit respond: N/A - extended period of tourism.

 

Full details can be found on http://www.thaiconsu...-and-visas.aspx with the details of visa types and costs under the Ab STANDARD VISA APPLICATION PACK heading.

[Devil Plaything]

I plan on going to Thailand for a total of 4 months from late July to late November of this year 2010. In you opinion how should I handle this? Should I just get a 60 day visa, and then two 30 day visas afterwards? Or is there a better way thank you for your help.

 

Two options:

 

1. Get a 60 day visa, when it's up do a border run - fly to Phnom Penh (or somewhere) and get another 60 day visa there.

 

2. Get a 60 day visa, when it's up go to Jomtien immigration and extend it for another 30 days. When those 30 days are up, do a border run to wherever, and FLY BACK, getting another 30 days.

 

You'll have to cross a border at some point if you want to stay more than 90 days.

[walshybfc]

Assuming you have a British passport, you have two options:

 

1. Obtain a tourist visa with a 2 or 3 entry option,. With this, you will get an initial stay of 60 days on entry. After 60 days do a border run when you can get an exit and re-entry stamp which I think will give you another 60 days. If you need another run later, that would use up your third entry.

 

Each entry costs £28, so a 2-entry visa costs £56 and a 3-entry visa costs £84.

 

2. The other option is to obtain a Non-Immigrant Category 'O' visa of the 'Multiple' Entry type (A 'Single'entry would only allow you 90 days and you could not do a border run and re-entry). This multiple entry visa allows unlimited entries to Thailand and lasts 12 months from date of issue; but if you re-entered Thailand on the last day of the 12 months you would get a 90-day entry; hence, it can last almost 15 months.

 

The visa costs £100; but it may be the better option if you intend to return to Thailand for a further extended stay or if you also wish to make some trips to neighboring countries. If you go for this option, when you apply to the Consulate (preferably Hull),where the application form asks Evidence substantiating purpose of visit respond: N/A - extended period of tourism.

 

Full details can be found on http://www.thaiconsu...-and-visas.aspx with the details of visa types and costs under the Ab STANDARD VISA APPLICATION PACK heading.

 

I got a multiple entry visa that gave me 12 months, I went to the consulate in Kensington. Had to take things like education certificates as well as letters from employer. Cost £100, and it was ready withing 2/3 days, only downside was no appointment and had to queue which can be a pain, even just to collect it.

[bocelli27]

I got a multiple entry visa that gave me 12 months, I went to the consulate in Kensington. Had to take things like education certificates as well as letters from employer. Cost £100, and it was ready withing 2/3 days, only downside was no appointment and had to queue which can be a pain, even just to collect it.

 

There are three types of multiple entry, 12 month, non-immigrant visa:

 

Category “B” - to conduct business as employee of non Thai company or to work for Thai company.

 

Category “ED” - to study, attend/participate in seminar/conference/exhibition, attend as official at a recognised event, study Thai boxing, etc) and study as Buddhist monk. This category does not allow paid employment.

 

Category “O” - to visit friends/family, for extended stay in Thailand, visit as UK pensioner, to work as a volunteer, attend training course (teaching English, scuba diving, etc) and to seek work/employment. This category does not allow paid or unpaid employment without a work permit.

 

The nature of your application determines what documentation, if any, is required to support its issue.

 

Extra evidence, as detailed below, is required only for Non-Immigrant Visas Categories “B” and “ED”:-

 

Category “B” = Letter from sponsor or copy of company documents or valid work permit

Category “ED” = Sponsor letter from educational establishment

Category “O” = Copy of Marriage Cert (if married to Thai national) or Pension Book or Sponsor Letter

 

For a category 'O' visa indicating extended stay , there is no relevant supporting documentation, so there is no requirement or sense in being required to present education or employee documents. The education certificates are only relevant if you require a category 'ED' visa and the employer letters if you are applying for a category 'B' visa or where applying to undertake unpaid work as defined under the category 'O' visa options.

 

The consulate staff at Hull understand this. That is why they accept an application with an N/A- extended stayresponse to the supporting documenation question. I cannot vouch for the understanding or unnecessary requirements of other consulates.

 

In terms of service, if you telephone Hull and make an appointment, your visa will be prepared while you wait (a matter of minutes), but it costs you an additional £10 administration charge.

 

The alternative is special delivery post through the Royal Mail. Last week I passed the documentation to my local post office at 10am on Monday morning, cost £5.05. The RM guarantee delivery by 1pm next day and you can track delivery on the internet. On Wednesday morning at 11.40 I received my passport back stamped with visa, returned by special delivery at a cost of £8.

Edited May 19, 2010 by bocelli27