6 Month Tourist Visa

Post by **Timdean** » September 5, 2015, 12:57 pm

Hi

Does anyone have any info on the (apparent) new 6 month tourist visa?

I am English and am currently on my second 2 month visa which expires in October. I intend on staying and will be applying for my next 2 month visa in Laos. I have read that I should not have a problem with this one.

But I have heard of a new 6 month multi-entry tourist visa, anyone have any info?

Thanks

Tim

Post by **BobHelm** » September 5, 2015, 1:29 pm

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/lea ... le-entries

New Tourism-boosting visas: 6-months with multiple-entries

Reported 6th. August this year...

Areepong Bhoocha-oom, newly appointed tourism permanent secretary, said his ministry would propose a strategic tourism development plan to the National Tourism Policy Committee next Monday.

But I haven't read anything about it becoming law & a quick look at the Embassy in London page certainly did not mention it...

Post by **tutone** » September 5, 2015, 3:05 pm

In 2008 I had a tourist visa that was valid for 6 months with 3 entries allowed. The only catch was that you couldn't stay for 6 continuous months. Had to leave and re-enter before so many days. Don't remember what that number was, perhaps 60 days? So is what they are proposing now somehow different from before or just a rehash of old policy?

Post by **FrazeeDK** » September 5, 2015, 4:21 pm

no six month tourist visa yet showing on the official Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908

Post by **tutone** » September 5, 2015, 5:41 pm

This from the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. 7. Please note that the period of visa validity is different from the period of stay. Visa validity is the period during which a visa can be used to enter Thailand. In general, the validity of a visa is 3 months, but in some cases, visas may be issued to be valid for 6 months, 1 year or 3 years. The validity of a visa is granted with discretion by the Royal Thai Embassy or Royal Thai Consulate-General and is displayed on the visa sticker.

8. On the other hand, the period of stay is granted by an immigration officer upon arrival at the port of entry and in accordance with the type of visa. For example, the period of stay for a transit visa is not exceeding 30 days, for a tourist visa is not exceeding 60 days and for a non-immigrant visa is not exceeding 90 days from the arrival date. The period of stay granted by the immigration officer is displayed on the arrival stamp. Travellers who wish to stay longer than such period may apply for extension of stay at offices of the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok, located at Government Center B, Chaengwattana Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210, Tel 0-2141-9889 or at an Immigration office located in the provinces. For information on application for extension of stay, see the Immigration Bureau website at www.immigration.go.th

Apparently the period of validity varies from different embassies. I think the ones issued in Lao are only valid for 60 days, but mine was for 6 months from Thai consulate in the U.S. I understand it's pretty easy to get a 90 day non-immigrant "O" in Vientienne. Why not go that way?

Post by **Aardvark** » September 28, 2015, 6:30 am

Coming soon, maybe ...... http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... imit-stays

Post by **mickojak** » September 28, 2015, 7:36 am

Got email from my visa rep in Phuket ( ozvisa.org) yesterday.
New 6 month visa available from November.
Mick

Post by **Tod Daniels** » October 1, 2015, 8:56 am

The new 6 month "wonder visa" <- I call it that because every thai related forum out here on the inter-wed is wondering how it'll really work, will be available Nov 13.. I have the Royal Gazette article which was published the 18th of Sept (although signed off by Prayuth on the 13 of July).

It appears they are doing away with double/triple entry Tourist visas and you'll now have a choice of either a single entry tourist visa or this new multi entry one. Stays on tourist visas are still 60 days per entry.

What is unknown is;

There is nothing in the posting which says you can't get 2 back to back in a calendar year, but there's nothing which says you can either. .
There is nothing which says it has to be got in your home country it just says "at a thai embassy or consulate".
It doesn't say if it's gonna work like the year long multi-entry Non-O's; where if you exit/re-enter just before the visa itself expires you get another permission to stay stamp.
It doesn't say whether it can or can't be extended by 30 days each entry inside the country. That's probably because MFA doesn't set immigration law inside the country thai immigration does.

It's anyone's guess on those issues. Those were the things I asked the MFA when I called them last week. They were awful iffy on the particulars of how it's really gonna work.

Post by **Aardvark** » October 2, 2015, 5:55 pm

Thanks for that Todd. I still don't understand if you have to leave the Country and return on back to back Visa's, or if you can go after 60 days and return say, 60 days later, and repeat over a 12 month period ??