kenkannif

Generally a tourist Visa is good for 60 days on entry and then you can extend by a further 30 days....you'd probably be able to get another 7 days or so on this (Imm officers discretion and all that).

You can get back to back tourist Visa from some Consulates...so you can go this route if you wish....I know of at least one person who has got three back to back ones (not a triple rather three singles) thus giving him 9 months of cover.

Alternatively you can do 3 x 30 day border runs (Visa exemptions) and then get a tourist and extend it to break the 'only allowed 90 days worth of Visa exemptions in 180 days' rule....can do this (currently) indefinitely.

Help? Clear?

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Your style to my style you can't hold a candle to it
Equinox symmetry and the balance is right
Smokin' and drinkin' on a Tuesday night
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olive232

"Alternatively you can do 3 x 30 day border runs (Visa exemptions) and then get a tourist and extend it to break the 'only allowed 90 days worth of Visa exemptions in 180 days' rule....can do this (currently) indefinitely. "

Okay, it's almost clear, except this last section. I thought that when you went out of the country on border runs that you cam back in on a tourist visa, but instead those are visa extentions- correct? And a tourist visa is one that I would have to go to a consulate (ex. in Peneng) to recieve/apply, but I can keep going to a consulate and getting the tourist visa indefinetly

Do you know how much is cost to get either of these? I am guessing around 1,900 Baht. Also how long does a tourist visa take to get, I've heard it can take a few days, do you know if that is correct?

Thanks for all your help!! Britney

kenkannif

30 day stamp is a Visa exemption and is automatically given to most Western nationalities on entry (the name means we're exempt from having to apply for a Visa at a Consulate, or applying on arrival (VOA) like some nationalities have to if they don't currently have a Visa 'activation' stamp/sticker from an Embassy/Consulates).

A tourist Visa will need to be obtained from a Consulate/Embassy and is good for 60 days (generally although some nationalities get less) on entry and extendable by a further 30 days.

The 90 days in a 180 days rule ONLY applies to Visa exemptions (and possibly VOA's that dodgy nationalities get).

A tourist Visa has to be obtain from a Consulate...generally it takes two days (put in for it in the morning get the following afternoon) and this has to be done generally during the week as they're shut at the weekend (although I think Khota Baru used to be open on Saturday and shut Friday...or something like that). Cost is generally in their currency but I think it's around a 1,000 Baht or so....definitely less than 2,000! The 30 day extension is done at Immigration in country and will cost 1,900 Baht.

Not sure if Penang does back to back ones....check with a Visa agency their the first time you apply to see what they say....but there are certainly places that will issue them back to back!

Okay now?

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Riddle me this brother can you handle it
Your style to my style you can't hold a candle to it
Equinox symmetry and the balance is right
Smokin' and drinkin' on a Tuesday night
It's not how you play the game it's how you win it
I cheat and steal and sin and I'm a cynic

russellsimpson

An extremely vauable tidbit Ken.

I wonder how long it's going to take the "authorities" to plug it ?

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kenkannif

^ As one closes another opens mate

__________________


Riddle me this brother can you handle it
Your style to my style you can't hold a candle to it
Equinox symmetry and the balance is right
Smokin' and drinkin' on a Tuesday night
It's not how you play the game it's how you win it
I cheat and steal and sin and I'm a cynic

jonny danger

I heard you can buy a year for 5-6,000B.

kenkannif

^ If so well cheap mate you can get 15 monthers from the West (if you have the correct paperwork) for around 7,000 Baht or so....but if you include the flight etc. it can work out quite costly. I'd be surprised if that was doable in Asia....actually I'd pay you a couple of grand for the info if it is doable So please try to find out!!!

Here in Asia without a WP or marriage and money....it's nigh on impossible to get anything over 90 days at a time.

Visa agents are doing mail outs for between 18-25,000 Baht upwards. Even a single entry tourist mail out is 11K!

__________________


Riddle me this brother can you handle it
Your style to my style you can't hold a candle to it
Equinox symmetry and the balance is right
Smokin' and drinkin' on a Tuesday night
It's not how you play the game it's how you win it
I cheat and steal and sin and I'm a cynic

peelieorion

I do the tourist visa to Laos (2 days, one night in Vientienne) for a 60 day visa. then i do a border hop 30 day visa on arrival. Then reapeat the process. Have done this for almost 2 years. My colleague has been doing this hassle free for 4 years. I live near the border of Laos so not a lot of hassle.

kenkannif

^ Visa exemption mate....VOAs don't apply to Westerners (rather like Indians etc.)...just to be a pedant and that (although with all the shit happening it's probably best to be specific).

Why not do the 3 x 30 day border runs and then get a tourist Visa? Saves you losing week days so often?

__________________


Riddle me this brother can you handle it
Your style to my style you can't hold a candle to it
Equinox symmetry and the balance is right
Smokin' and drinkin' on a Tuesday night
It's not how you play the game it's how you win it
I cheat and steal and sin and I'm a cynic

russellsimpson

I'm starting to see why people might be opting for the various visa configurations, namely no tax.

Not having a work permit kinda keeps things open. I have always had a WP and wondered why people would choose not to have a work permit. But now I'm beginning to see that there are certain advantages.

I mean, we are all breaking the law for a little while when we first arrive. So what is the legal difference between breaking the law for a little while and a longer while?

Yes, lots of grey areas that are actually quite safe that I'm only starting to see after a couple of years here.

Short of outright breaking the law in an obvious fashion, being on an overstay and teaching with false certificates there are many many safe grey areas in Thailand that have advantages depending on what the point of your being here is.

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kenkannif

Actually IME sometimes you will pay tax without a WP....not often but more than you'd expect!

Mate even those with WPs are often teaching off location or subjects etc. So basically illegal!

Does take a while to get it....don't it? But once you do....takes a fair amount of weight off your mind!

__________________


Riddle me this brother can you handle it
Your style to my style you can't hold a candle to it
Equinox symmetry and the balance is right
Smokin' and drinkin' on a Tuesday night
It's not how you play the game it's how you win it
I cheat and steal and sin and I'm a cynic