Asia - Should I fly into BKK or SIN

I plan on spending about 3 months in Thailand starting in Feb and ending in early July. We will spend some of that time outside of the country due to visa issues. Will I have a prioblem with immigration or the airport if I fly into BKK as they will see that Feb-July is longer than my allowed 3 months? Should I fly into SIN instead or will I have a similar problem there as well?

Thanks.

What is your nationality?

As a US citizen, Thai immigration never looks at my onward ticket. They look at my passport, ask on the immigration form how long I intend to remain in the country and stamp it with the normal length of stay permitted for Americans.

In your case, wouldn't you fill out the form with your maximum permitted length of stay, then exit via a short flight or bus trip to a neighboring country and re-enter for a new visa? Many foreigners make cross border trips for this purpose (Singpapore for inexpensive flights or Cambodia by bus).

Thanks. I am a UK citizen.

I guess we should be fine flying into BKK then.

Cheers.

Before Thaksin got booted, they were talking about tightening reentry visa requirements for tourists who exit every few months and return immediately. I'd double check before going.

Before Thaksin got booted, they were talking about tightening tourists who exit every few months and return immediately. I'd double check before going.


With the embassy?

This was discussed earlier:

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=600424&highlight=Thailand+visa

Essentially, within a six month period, you can stay a total of 90 days. For instance, say you arrive Jan 1st 2007. You can stay no longer than 90 days from Jan 1 to end of June.

This was discussed earlier:

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=600424&highlight=Thailand+visa

Essentially, within a six month period, you can stay a total of 90 days. For instance, say you arrive Jan 1st 2007. You can stay no longer than 90 days from Jan 1 to end of June.

This only applies to those without a visa.

I just got a trippple entry 60 day tourist visa here in Canada. cost $40C per entry.

Issued this week, expries 6 months from issue (Apr 29, in my case) Each entry can be extended for 1900baht (10 or 30 days, per entry). If I can delay my 3rd entry until Apr 28th, I have 60 days from then, plus one extension for 1900baht.

YOU MUST APPLY FOR AND GET YOUR VISA to comply with these new restrictions, but it's not as bad as it sounds.

I plan on spending about 3 months in Thailand starting in Feb and ending in early July. We will spend some of that time outside of the country due to visa issues. Will I have a prioblem with immigration or the airport if I fly into BKK as they will see that Feb-July is longer than my allowed 3 months? Should I fly into SIN instead or will I have a similar problem there as well?


I've had problems checking in with UA going to Asia. The agent thinks she cannot allow you to travel without a ticket leaving again within 30 days.

If they ask, they will not allow you to check-in...

I buy a Discount carrier ticket (Air Asia, Tiger Air, JetStar Asia, etc) leaving within 30 days. Twice I've used it (HKT-SIN) for a Visa Run, the other time I just tossed it out.

If you're 1K, you can issue an award and refund it once in Singapore/Thailand without any fees.

This only applies to those without a visa.



You are correct. The thread I provided discusses this at length.

The new 'visa' regulations are for those who travel in/out without a visa. It is an attempt to insure you don't just fly in and stay 'forever'....many foreigners trying for long stays....now you can't do that must apply for bonafide visa.

This only applies to those without a visa.

I just got a trippple entry 60 day tourist visa here in Canada. cost $40C per entry.

Issued this week, expries 6 months from issue (Apr 29, in my case) Each entry can be extended for 1900baht (10 or 30 days, per entry). If I can delay my 3rd entry until Apr 28th, I have 60 days from then, plus one extension for 1900baht.

YOU MUST APPLY FOR AND GET YOUR VISA to comply with these new restrictions, but it's not as bad as it sounds.


Thanks for this info. I am planning on arriving in late Feb and leaving at the end of June. If I got a 2 entry visa, would I be allowed to stay until late april (extended until May) and then re-enter on the second entry and have another 60 days so that I can enter and stay until late June?

Have I understood this correctly? I am a bit worried about this, because we really want to book our tickets soon before all award availability is gone.

If I do use the strategy outlined above, would this mean that I am unable to exit the country if I want to visit any neighboring countries? (apart from leaving to reactivate the visa in May)


Thanks for helping me sort out the confusion.

Cheers.

I didn't realize you held a U.K. passport. Check with the Thai Embassy/Consulate in Hull as they are seen as accomodating. I would get the longest duration tourist visa that is available, which appears to be 60 days now (used to be 90 days). After 60 days, apply for an extension. Then make a single border run, or flight out/back and start use one 30-day tourist visa expemption. That should cover your trip. If the purpose of your journey is other than tourist related I would try to get a 90 day Non-Immigrant Visa (Education, Research, Religion, Press, Business, etc.). These can be extended in country for up to 30 days.

Generally speaking airlines can sometimes be picky, and deny boarding for travelers going to Thailand, who do not have any type of visa and whose itinerary shows a stay longer than 30 days. I've had friends denied boarding by both UA and NW in the U.S.A. They way around this is to have another fully-refundable ticket for BKK-??? within 30 days in hand, which can be used or not used. Again, generally speaking, if you have a valid visa (tourist, non-imm) then airlines do not deny boarding regardless of the length of your stay as determined.

With a valid visa issued by the Thai Embassy or a Consul in the U.K. then you'll be fine to fly into BKK.

seanthepilot, I believe that you might possibly be misunderstanding the terms of your visa? You must use your visa by April 29, 2007 (if issued on ~Oct. 29). It is valid for 60 days following your first entry, and you can leave/re-enter three times. So if you enter Thailand on Nov. 15, 2006, then you can stay in Thailand until Jan. 15, 2007, and leave/re-enter three times in that period. The clock does not re-start to 60-days upon each subsequent re-entry. Application for extension is I believe capped at 30 days, one-time, extending the length of the visa to 90 days, and is up to Immigration officials to approve. There are reports that extensions are being denied more frequently or capped at 10 - 15 days. Note that a 1 year, multiple entry Non-Immigrant B visa does sort of work like this in that if you leave/re-enter just prior to the one-year expiration you do get an additional 90 days, thus making a sort of 15 month visa.

I didn't realize you held a U.K. passport. Check with the Thai Embassy/Consulate in Hull as they are seen as accomodating. I would get the longest duration tourist visa that is available, which appears to be 60 days now (used to be 90 days). After 60 days, apply for an extension. Then make a single border run, or flight out/back and start use one 30-day tourist visa expemption. That should cover your trip. If the purpose of your journey is other than tourist related I would try to get a 90 day Non-Immigrant Visa (Education, Research, Religion, Press, Business, etc.). These can be extended in country for up to 30 days.

Generally speaking airlines can sometimes be picky, and deny boarding for travelers going to Thailand, who do not have any type of visa and whose itinerary shows a stay longer than 30 days. I've had friends denied boarding by both UA and NW in the U.S.A. They way around this is to have another fully-refundable ticket for BKK-??? within 30 days in hand, which can be used or not used. Again, generally speaking, if you have a valid visa (tourist, non-imm) then airlines do not deny boarding regardless of the length of your stay as determined.

With a valid visa issued by the Thai Embassy or a Consul in the U.K. then you'll be fine to fly into BKK.

seanthepilot, I believe that you might possibly be misunderstanding the terms of your visa? You must use your visa by April 29, 2007 (if issued on ~Oct. 29). It is valid for 60 days following your first entry, and you can leave/re-enter three times. So if you enter Thailand on Nov. 15, 2006, then you can stay in Thailand until Jan. 15, 2007, and leave/re-enter three times in that period. The clock does not re-start to 60-days upon each subsequent re-entry. Application for extension is I believe capped at 30 days, one-time, extending the length of the visa to 90 days, and is up to Immigration officials to approve. There are reports that extensions are being denied more frequently or capped at 10 - 15 days. Note that a 1 year, multiple entry Non-Immigrant B visa does sort of work like this in that if you leave/re-enter just prior to the one-year expiration you do get an additional 90 days, thus making a sort of 15 month visa.


Thanks for the helpful info.

I don't think I will be able to use Hull, because I live in the U.S. Should that be a problem applying to the Thai embassy in D.C.?

I think I understand this a little better now. Could you maybe confirm that I understand the following correctly? I can get a 60day advance visa (with between 1 and 3 entries - although the number of entries has no bearing on how long I can stay - and as soon as I leave (even after 1 day) my 60 day visa is nullified). The 60 day visa can be extended in Thailand for between 10 and 30 days. The minimum total is now 70 days. Then I can leave the country and re-enter the same day for another 30. I now have 100 days. Can I do this up to 3 times? giving me a total of 160 days?

60 day visa +
10 day extension +
30 day visa on arrival +
30 day visa on arrival +
30 day visa on arrival
= 160 days.

Would this work?

We are going to fly into BKK and out of either SIN or PEK? Would UA still have an issue with us doing this seeing as we are flying out of another country?

Thanks again very much.

Where, roughly, do you presently reside in the U.S.A.? I only ask this in order to present the most friendly Consul (via PM). You can apply for a visa at any Thai Embassy (DC/LA) or Royal Thai Consul in the U.S.A.

I honestly think you should try to get a valid visa for the purpose of your visit, i.e. Non-Immigrant. All you need is an invitation or sponsorship letter from a reasonably accredited entity in Thailand. Establish some sort of informal partnership with a colleague in Thailand.

A multiple entry tourist visa is not nullified when you depart as long as you have entries left.

I feel comfortable saying that, with a 60 day tourist visa you could get:

60 days
10 days (minimum, 30 days maximum for 1,900 baht) extension to the tourist visa

30 days on a first tourist visa exemption by leaving the country and re-entering

for a total of 100 days (min, 120 max.) and anything more than that might be possible, like another two 30-day entries but there are no guarantees. Even that first 30 day TVE might be dicey at certain land crossings? An international arrival at BKK would be better, IMO.

I do not believe your open-jaw award itinerary has a bearing on the visa situation but you might want to be able to produce documentation supporting the BKK-SIN/PEK segment?

my suggestion is to book your ticket first, worry about visa issues later. you'll be able to work it out.

http://thaivisa.com will have more info than you could ever want.

your best (most conservative) bet is the multiple entry visa, but there are other options that you'll discover as you investigate.

just book your ticket.

seanthepilot, I believe that you might possibly be misunderstanding the terms of your visa? You must use your visa by April 29, 2007 (if issued on ~Oct. 29). It is valid for 60 days following your first entry, and you can leave/re-enter three times. So if you enter Thailand on Nov. 15, 2006, then you can stay in Thailand until Jan. 15, 2007, and leave/re-enter three times in that period. The clock does not re-start to 60-days upon each subsequent re-entry. Application for extension is I believe capped at 30 days, one-time, extending the length of the visa to 90 days, and is up to Immigration officials to approve. There are reports that extensions are being denied more frequently or capped at 10 - 15 days. Note that a 1 year, multiple entry Non-Immigrant B visa does sort of work like this in that if you leave/re-enter just prior to the one-year expiration you do get an additional 90 days, thus making a sort of 15 month visa.


Good info transpac In fact I have yet to pick up my passport, it's still at the consulate in Vancouver. She was trying to talk me out of a tripple entry (to save me money) and leaning towards a double entry. I can ask again when I go this week to pick it up.

I understood her to say that I must enter the third time before the expiry day. Will check again.

I intend to have a non-immigrant visa before these run out, but we'll see how it goes.

I intend to have a non-immigrant visa before these run out, but we'll see how it goes.

What type of Non-Immigrant Visa? I can make a specific recommendation, via PM or email. FWIW, it is best to apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa in your home country. Many of the nearby Thai consulates (Singapore, Malayasia, etc.) have stopped issuing Non-Imm. visas forcing the applicants farther afield. One can convert from a Tourist Visa Extension, or any type of visa, to a Non-Imm. "O" (Other) Visa for Retirement (age 50 or older) or Marriage (to a Thai national) in country.