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Can one obtain a Thai driver's license on a 30-day tourist stamp?

Thai driver's license30-day tourist visavisa rulesCertificate of Residencyexpat adviceThailand driving regulationsInternational Driving Permit (IDP)
Feb 25, 2018
7 years ago
David ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Can one obtain a Thai drivers licence on a 30 day tourist stamp?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Yes, it is possible to obtain a Thai driver's license with a 30-day tourist stamp or a 60-day tourist visa, but it may vary by province. To successfully acquire the license, applicants typically require a Certificate of Residency, which can be sourced from certain immigration offices or embassies. While many have done it with just a tourist visa, having an International Driving Permit (IDP) can simplify the process. It's worth noting that the type of license granted (one year versus five years) often depends on the length of the visa and personal circumstances.
Tod *********
Truly the thread that will not die. :O

To sum up the responses YES it is indeed possible to get a thai driver's license on a 30 day visa exempt entry stamp OR a 60 day tourist visa stamp at most Department of Land Transport offices.
7 years ago
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Steve ********
I think many people may have a situation like mine . I USED to have an International Driving Permit , but they are only valid for 1 year and I have not been back home for years . So to get legal on a Thai scooter , I'd like to get licensed , even as an 'exempt entry' type tourist . A pity they make it awkward and provoke so many travellers to ride without a license .
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
Reiner you can 100% definitely get the residency cert in Chiang Mai on a 30 day visa exempt stamp. But this depends on the province, not all will do it.
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
@St***
 it's not difficult in Chiang Mai, getting the residency cert is very easy, 600B from Tian visa agency top floor of Promenada. Then if you have an existing foreign license I believe you can convert it pretty quickly. If your current license doesn't cover the class of vehicle you want, you have to take a test. But it's not that difficult and I know lots of people who have done it.
7 years ago
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Reiner *********
Wright Steve, but the question was ..." On a 30 day visa" ...I agree much better with the thai once....
7 years ago
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Reiner *********
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Steve ********
I intend to try this in a few days in CM . From my research , it hinges on a Residency Certificate .
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
@St***
 you can for sure get a residency cert in Chiang Mai. You have to pay Tian visa service (top floor Promenada) for it though unless you are willing to wait a month. It's 600B I believe now. I got one a while back when it was still G4T and paid 500B.
7 years ago
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Steve ********
@David *******
 I will , even if I do not succeed😀😀😀
7 years ago
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David ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hope you share your experience here after you are successful of course.
7 years ago
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David ********
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Linda ****************
Can be done we done ours on a 30 day
7 years ago
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Mark ********
Better bring an International Lisc. For both.
7 years ago
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Barry ******
Yes
7 years ago
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Rungnapa ***********
Can but if you have license from your country it more easy.if you no have any license then you must training 5 hour then test next day if you make in Pattaya appointment it April just bring your passport only to book appointment after you get appointment already then you can get this document
7 years ago
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Asif *********
tik tok visa shop can make and good service i think u contact
7 years ago
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Michael ********
Yes way too much in my opinion for something that is usually under 1k all up.
7 years ago
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Sarah ****************
They charge 5000 baht but can sort it easily
7 years ago
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Sarah ****************
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Michael ********
Yes you can for sure (in Pattaya). As long as you can get a residency certificate. If you are a TOURIST and staying short term then an IDP is fine If you plan to stay long term in Thailand you need a Thai licence after 90 days. This is legal wise and insurance wise.
7 years ago
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Arnee *******
i know someone who did even without visa , you may not believe but its true :)
7 years ago
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Rob *********
I believe you.... Hes talking about a visa exempt stamp....so no visa....
7 years ago
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Rob *********
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Rob *********
yes you can!
7 years ago
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David *******
why do you need one? Just get IDC from post office
7 years ago
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Danny *********
No!
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
For a thirty day lease? Seriously?
7 years ago
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Robert *******
You can get the residency certificate from your Embassy, so I don't see any problem to apply for a driving license.
7 years ago
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Robert *******
Your Embassy.
7 years ago
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Farwy ************
@Robert ******
 oh I see thank you and how about an American? 🙂
7 years ago
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Robert *******
As a Thai citizen you have the bleu house book as residency certificate.
7 years ago
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Farwy ************
So what if I’m a dual is American and Thai citizen. What should I do since I have an American driver license! 😊
7 years ago
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Farwy ************
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Mathew *******
Yes but only one year license not 5
7 years ago
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Lance *******
I got mine a couple of year's ago now just outside of bkk. Maybe they have changed the rules again TIT.
7 years ago
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Justin *****
@Lance ******
 no it was in Khon Kaen - very friendly and helpful and she took her time to explain.
7 years ago
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Lance *******
Justin your in Bkk?
7 years ago
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Justin *****
I tried to renew this week and get 5 years. Not possible they told me, they would only give 2 year licence based on a 30 day exemption stamp and required a visa of a year or longer to get a 5 year one.
7 years ago
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Lance *******
Must be different rules everywhere. I got my five year license on a setv.
7 years ago
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Mathew *******
@Tod ********
 that was my experience too Tod
7 years ago
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Ellie *******
okay. Seems better to change my comment like:

Everybody gets 2 years (temporary license - 1 year a while ago) for the first apply. it doesn't depend on your type of visa. If you have long term visa, you may be able to get 5 years when you renew after first 2 years up.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@El***
, umm, I dunno if that is right or not anymore.

A friend of mine who had a 5 year license (when he was on a b visa and work permit) went to renew it and because he was only on a tourist visa they would only give him a 2 year temporary license this time. :/
7 years ago
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Ellie *******
Everybody gets 2 years (1 year a while ago) for the first apply. you will get 5 years when you renew after 2 years up. it doesn't depend on your type of visa.
7 years ago
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Michael ********
Yes 2.
7 years ago
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Jon **********
Its a 2 year license these days, but yes, u can not get 5yr license without a long term visa
7 years ago
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Jon **********
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Graeme **********
Why do you want a Thai License anyway. You only need a license from your home country and an International Drivers License. But if you do that, make sure you carry the originals with you because I got pinged for only showing the cop a photocopy of my International Drivers License. The ticket said I didn’t have a license. 400baht fine.
7 years ago
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David *******
mine is brown, just got it from post office
7 years ago
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Thomas *************
In Thailand you need the international driver's license from 1949, white, not the one from 1964, gray.
7 years ago
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Thomas *************
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Graeme **********
See
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%20vehicles%20ThaiLicense.html
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
But yours is right? BS.
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
It's actually licence in both British and Australian English
@Gra***
, license is the American English spelling.

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7 years ago
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Jon **********
That was the question in the OP. Your answer was wrong. Get over it and stop crying u muppet
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
You should substantiate your claims in writing from an official source. Now build a bridge and get over it. There’s more important things than whether or not you can get a drivers license on a 30 day tourist stamp. Who really cars, and why would you want to get a Thai license if potentially you’re only here for 30 days anyway? And BTW, correct spelling is license not licence.
7 years ago
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Jon **********
"Can one obtain a Thai drivers licence on a 30 day tourist stamp?" the answer is YES. If its your website, you should edit it to reflect that, if not, you shouldn't quote it as guidance, cos its wrong.
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
Like many things in Thailand. The answer is yes, you can, but how to go about it and how easy it is going to be depends on the province.
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
Therefore, by definition, there’s no correct answer
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
@Gra***
 just providing information. It's correct that some immigration offices, including Bangkok, won't do a residency cert until after a 90-day report, which effectively means that no-one on a visa shorter than that can get one. It's also however the case that other immigration offices will, and it's also an option to get an affidavit from your embassy instead if you happen to be in Bangkok.
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
Good on you. You’ve done well.
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
@J**
 you don't even need a lease, you just need to provide your address. You can get it staying night-by-night at a guesthouse. The name card of the hotel can be enough. I got mine without any lease.
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
Oh sorry, I thought Pattaya was the ONLY place in Thailand. Guess I’m wrong again. Anyway, I’ve got a Thai License so I don’t really care about anyone else.
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
@Gra***
 Pattaya is not the only place in Thailand. The rules on this vary by province.
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
Well he might as well buy a motorbike then and he’s got all the bases covered
7 years ago
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Jon **********
TV = Tourist Visa = SETV

If he has a lease, yes
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
So you believe this guy on a 30 TV will be able to obtain a Residency Certificate?
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
Is a TV the same as a Retirement Visa
7 years ago
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Jon **********
The third paragraph. It say you cannot get DL on TV or exempt. I have maintained a drivers license for the last 9 years on nothing but exempt stamps and SETVs. No agency/under the table. Its allowed. Thai gov websites are terrible for updates and misinformation
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
What’s incorrect about it. Please be specific
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
Incorrect. The info is updated weekly when and if required
7 years ago
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Bauke ***********
This is old information. It used to be that way but you can get it on tourist visa now.
7 years ago
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Bauke ***********
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James *********
Basically yes. But if you want both car and bike make sure you tell them that at immigration when you are getting your residency letter. I learnt the hard way they are not the same!
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
@J**
 a person on a tourist visa or exempt CAN get a CoR from immigration in Chiang Mai. I got two. Not in Bangkok. It depends on the province.
7 years ago
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James *********
In my experience when asked what I wanted the letter for and said to open bank account they would not do it. They gave me a different letter for my license. When trying to open an account with said letter anyway they said that it was only valid for license. Hope this clears things up
7 years ago
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Jon **********
A tourist visa, or exempt cant get CoR from immigration anyway. Need to visit embassy
7 years ago
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Diane ******
Chiang Mai is the same certificate. Original for one license and copy for the second, but you must be doing the two at the same time.
7 years ago
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Chris *******
from my own experince not hiring agencies for sitting in the aircon...
7 years ago
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Chris *******
me neither, stating facts.
7 years ago
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James *********
Not going to argue
7 years ago
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Chris *******
NO same ceritifcate can use for motorbike/car/bank.
7 years ago
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James *********
One for car one for bike

And you need a different one for bank too
7 years ago
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Chris *******
I dunno who told you this which is not true.. same residency certificate for same purpose just vehiecle is different.
7 years ago
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Chris *******
They are the same, they take the original with one of the licenses and copy for the second one.
7 years ago
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Chris *******
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Bauke ***********
Yes you can see
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7 years ago
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Jon **********
@Graeme *********
 ive done it in bkk on 30day exempt. With a lease its easy to get CoR from embassy.
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
But this guy is on a 30 day visitor visa. How’s he gonna get a certificate of residency?
7 years ago
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Chris *******
yes.
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
I don’t believe it I’m afraid. Have you done it
7 years ago
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Chris *******
NO BS, thats how it is... believe or not :)
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
Sounds like BS to me
7 years ago
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Graeme **********
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Graeme **********
Doubt it because you need a Certificate of Residency from Thai Immigration
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
You can a certificate of residency on a visa exempt or tourist visa in many provinces. Not in Bangkok, but in many other provinces. I have got two of them, on a tourist visa, in Chiang Mai.

In Bangkok you have the option of getting it from your embassy instead.
7 years ago
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Ivan ************
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James *********
I made mine in BKK on a visa exempt, I'm from England, did it through a company to save any hassle think it was 'fatboy motors' or something on fb
7 years ago
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Chris *******
yeah medical certiifcate is 50-200 baht depends how classy is the hospital...
7 years ago
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James *********
Filled in my forms, made everything go smoothly, I just sat in the aircon, sorted out my medical certificate too, which I know now is a 5 minute job but it just made everything easier
7 years ago
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Chris *******
they dont do anything more than you by yourself, just collecting money for speaking...
7 years ago
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Chris *******
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San *********
Well in bkk u can not ...i did it 3 months ago but maybe they change the the rules so give a try and let us know
7 years ago
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Chris *******
yes you can!
7 years ago
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David ************
I have license from my own country and had to test out.
7 years ago
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Paul *********
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7 years ago
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Chris *******
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7 years ago
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Chris *******
if you dont have DL from your own country will need to take tests for motorbike or car license, because they are separate.
7 years ago
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Chris *******
Go to the local DLT with medical certificate + residency certificate, your original DL if its in english or IDP or certified translation.
7 years ago
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Dave ********
How
7 years ago
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Dave ********
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Steven ***********
I got mine on a visa exempt....
7 years ago
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Steven ***********
Maybe it depends where your from
7 years ago
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Steven ***********
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San *********
U need a non immigrant visa in order to make a drive license.
7 years ago
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Shane *********
I personally got my Thai drivers license for the first time here on a 30 day tourist visa. I went to the immigration with my key card from my hotel and they gave me the residency certificate. My situation has changed now but the first time I got it (2.5 years ago) this was the case.
7 years ago
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Jason *******
Confirmed! Tourist visa success here.
7 years ago
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Shayne **********
Any visa or exempt entry is possible.
7 years ago
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Shayne **********
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Reiner *********
Well some did it but I think not possible
7 years ago
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Tod *********
Totally possible. The critical thing is getting proof of residence either from the immigration office or from your consulate.
7 years ago
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Shayne **********
Possible
7 years ago
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Shayne **********
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San *********
No can not!
7 years ago
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Barry ******
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7 years ago
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Shayne **********
I did.
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7 years ago
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Shayne **********
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