The free visa on entry to Thailand...

[bigmick22]

local consul (no embassy in ireland)

[SamplerDoc]

The Visa rules change yearly or more often
Isn't it still in for 30 days or now 60 days visa on arrival and if you leave you have to stay away for a certain period before being allowed to re-enter on a new visa for a fresh 30/60 days visa and just repeat often as you wish or did that all change?

[thaibound]

I was searching the forum to find if anybody could recommend a particular company for a "visa run" from pattaya to cambodia -- but finding this thread, i now fear i've fucked up somehow.

i entered (as always) with the no-visa-30-day-entry permit and figured i'd leave thailand for a heartbeat, then return for up to 30 more days, as always. ...but... is that not how it works anymore?

i think i'll head from here to an operating company and see if they can give me the latest.though not sure who to trust here...

meanwhile, if anyone's made the bus trip from pattaya to cambodia to update their re-entry 'visa', i'd love any suggestions. or if there's a newer/better/easier way for me to stretch this currently visa-less visit from the states up to 50 days
i'd be much obliged to hear about it.

[EyeMahk]

(kahuna @ Apr. 28 2009,12:52) The Royal Thai Consulate in LA will stack at least two tourist visas...I just had them do it...I think if you go to an Honorary Consulate they will stack three visas...

What is the expiry on these VISAs? Could you get the VISA(s) under the free program before 4 June then travel on them late in the year or early next year?

[kahuna]

My last double entry Tourist Visa was good for 6 months from date of issue...

It was issued by the Royal Thai Consulate in LA on Oct 8, 2008 and had to be used
before April 5, 2009...

I arrived on October 14, 2008 and left on April 9, 2009...

[Snick]

(thaibound @ May 12 2009,11:44) i entered (as always) with the no-visa-30-day-entry permit and figured i'd leave thailand for a heartbeat, then return for up to 30 more days, as always.  ...but... is that not how it works anymore?

I think the new rules are 15 day visa on a land crossing, 30 day visa if you fly somewhere.
If thats still the case (and things change so fast here)

Option 1) get a 60 day tourist visa somewhere. Probably Phnom Phen or Vientiene, that will require staying overnight and needs to be done during the week. BUT the visa is free.

2) fly somewhere and get a 30 day visa on return. Check AirAsia for cheap flights.

3) Go to Cambodia every 15 days.

4) Fuck it, go over and pay the fine on exit. I think its 500B day, max 20,000 Baht

[SamplerDoc]

If you are fined doesn't that go on your file and flag you?

Also, I understood the 30 day visa to be good on arrival as you stated but if you were to re-enter you would need to wait a certain time frame for another 30 day visa.

TIT so who knows what the current rules are but you should play it safe.

Good Luck

[Snick]

I have never heard of anyone being red flagged for overstay. You just pay the fine and thats that.

The rule limiting a person to 90 days in country per 180 days w. visa on arrival is no longer in effect. You can get unlimited 30 day on arrival visas if you fly (and no limit on land visas either, but you would have to get a new one every 2 weeks).

[SamplerDoc]

Snick, You could also be arrested if you are listed as an overstay as well as the fine.

Problem with the LOS is for the visa items and everything else rules change as often as the Government  


So Snick, the most updated rule seems to be then from your post...... a visa upon arrival by land or air and you can keep renewing them every 15 and 30 days by a simple border crossing respectively on an unlimited basis as of today

Guess that means TB really doesn't need a 60 day tourist visa if they are going to travel out at least once.

[swaraj]

That's right, the ' 90 day' rule also vanished some time ago

[thaibound]

turns out as i need *exactly* 22 more days (52 total to last til my return flight) i can get it with a combination of a 7-day extension and a 15-day re-entry permit, so i'll have to make at least one shitty bus ride from pattaya to cambodia. i'm going to jomtien tomorrow to see what i can work out -- such as, does it matter if i get the extension first, then the re-entry, or should i get the re-entry and then add on the extension? wouldn't think it'd matter, but....TIT ....

[Ivor Biggun]

Snick is correct- 15 days on a land border entry, 30 from an airport. I had a deliberate overstay once of 3 days, they put a stamp in my old passport, but said no problem when i got all apologetic and 'worried' that I'd not be able to come back again That was nearly 4 years ago and I've had no trouble as a result of it. It's a different story if they catch you before immigration though- thats when a prosecution and deporting can take place. I do get pulled at the airport for a couple of minutes as my lost passport is flagged, but its never a major issue and at lest its good to see they ARE checking passports properly

[kahuna]

(SamplerDoc @ May 14 2009,13:39) a visa upon arrival by land or air and you can keep renewing them every 15 and 30 days by a simple border crossing

First, you're not eligible for a visa on arrival if you're a Yank or a Brit or an Aussie or from any other civilized country...Only a very few countries are eligible for a visa on arrival and it's only good for 15 days...If you arrive without a visa you get an entry stamp....not a visa...Good for 30 days...

Second, a 60 day tourist visa costs about 1000 baht in the USA...if you didn't get a tourist visa and made border runs to stay 60 days it would cost somewhere around 4000 baht...plus you lose a couple days of your holiday running to the border...Why would you want to do that?

You guys are making this really hard...First Google and read...if you still have questions, pick up the phone and call...The person answering the phone will speak English...Well, unless you're in Italy...

[swaraj]

thaibound: not sure about the availability of an extension on a 14 day stamp, please let us know.

[thaibound]

(swaraj @ May 17 2009,22:28) thaibound: not sure about the availability of an extension on a 14 day stamp, please let us know.  

i'll finally be getting down to jomtien tomorrow morning (if tonight's ladyboy will let me go )
and i'll report back on whatever nuggets of extension-info i obtain.