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What are the best visa options for a 154-day stay in Thailand for an American expat?
Visa ExemptionsThailand VisaLong-Term StayVisa ExtensionThai Immigration RulesTourist VisaOverstayOnward TravelVisa Runs
Jul 4, 2017
9 years ago
John **********
ORIGINAL POSTERAdvice Please: 154 Day Thailand Plan
Hello all. I am an American flying to Phuket in September. I will fly out of Phuket in February. Total days in thailand is 154 days. I am currently in Europe and will not have time to apply in USA for Multi Visit Visa. These are my 2 plans. Would love your thoughts.
Plan A:
30 day stay visa exemption
Extend 30 day stay visa exemption
Leave thailand and get single entry visa
I will leave country for at least 5 days.
Apply in another country for single entry 60 day visa
Extend 60 day visa for another 30 days
By leaving Thailand for 5 days I now will be in thailand for 149 days rather than 154 days making me legal
Plan B:
30 day stay visa exemption
Extend 30 day stay visa exemption
Leave thailand and get single entry visa
I will leave country only for a day or two
Apply in another country for single entry 60 day visa
Extend 60 day visa for another 30 days
I purchase the 7 day overstay visa because I am in Thailand 154 rather than the legal 150 days
Concern: When I first enter Thailand and am on a 30 day visa exemption I will not have a plane ticket leaving country within 30 days to present to immigration. My plane ticket will read leaving country in 154 days. Will this be an issue?
Thank You Much!
Hello all. I am an American flying to Phuket in September. I will fly out of Phuket in February. Total days in thailand is 154 days. I am currently in Europe and will not have time to apply in USA for Multi Visit Visa. These are my 2 plans. Would love your thoughts.
Plan A:
30 day stay visa exemption
Extend 30 day stay visa exemption
Leave thailand and get single entry visa
I will leave country for at least 5 days.
Apply in another country for single entry 60 day visa
Extend 60 day visa for another 30 days
By leaving Thailand for 5 days I now will be in thailand for 149 days rather than 154 days making me legal
Plan B:
30 day stay visa exemption
Extend 30 day stay visa exemption
Leave thailand and get single entry visa
I will leave country only for a day or two
Apply in another country for single entry 60 day visa
Extend 60 day visa for another 30 days
I purchase the 7 day overstay visa because I am in Thailand 154 rather than the legal 150 days
Concern: When I first enter Thailand and am on a 30 day visa exemption I will not have a plane ticket leaving country within 30 days to present to immigration. My plane ticket will read leaving country in 154 days. Will this be an issue?
Thank You Much!
TLDR : Answer Summary
An American planning a 154-day trip to Thailand in 2017 seeks advice on managing visa options without applying for a Multi Visit Visa from the USA. They proposed two plans: Plan A includes using a 30-day visa exemption and then obtaining a single-entry visa, while Plan B involves a similar approach but with a risk of overstaying. Concerns about presenting an onward travel ticket upon entry were raised, along with practical suggestions from the community regarding visa application processes, proof of financials, and hotel bookings.
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John **********
ORIGINAL POSTERThanks for all the advice on this. Heading to Penang for a visa run. What do I need for docs at thai consulate in Penang for 60 day visa. I think 2 passport photos and....? Thank you much
Tod *********
@Jo**
, should work, they know you can get a 30 day extension in countryJohn **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Tod ********
Thank you. My plane ticket is 90 days out. I plan on extending the visa by 30 days. OK to give them this ticket?Tod *********
proof of a hotel booking and proof of onward travel in 60 days.
I don't think they require proof of 20K baht in a bank account.
I don't think they require proof of 20K baht in a bank account.
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Tod *********
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Tod *********
1- 30 day visa exempt entry free
2 -extend by 30 days 1900baht
go to a thai consulate and get a tourist visa
3 - 60 day entry 1000baht
4 -extend by 30 days 1900baht
5- border bounce for another 30 day visa exempt entry
Total 6 months in country ;)
2 -extend by 30 days 1900baht
go to a thai consulate and get a tourist visa
3 - 60 day entry 1000baht
4 -extend by 30 days 1900baht
5- border bounce for another 30 day visa exempt entry
Total 6 months in country ;)
John **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Tod ********
Great. Appreciate the helpTod *********
if you needed you could even extend that last 30 day visa exempt entry by another 30 days for 1900baht
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Tod *********
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Jessica *******
Do plan A and come visit Vientiane for 5 days :)
John **********
ORIGINAL POSTERSounds like a plan!
Reply to
John **********
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John **********
ORIGINAL POSTERMy 2 scenarios are correct in how to solve the 4 day overstay? Scenario 1- Pay for a 7 day extension Scenario 2- Leave thailand. Stay/wait for a few days in another country and then apply for single entry visa after a few days?
Tod *********
again, there's NO need to wait a few days in another country :/ You can go to the border, stamp outta thailand, stamp in&out of another country and stamp right back into thailand on a 30 day visa exempt entry. Or you can fly out and back in the same day to do the same thing. The only reason you'd need to be outta thailand longer would be to go to a thai consulate and apply for a tourist visa. Most consulates you turn in your passport and paperwork one day and pick it up the next afternoon.
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Tod *********
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Tod *********
The only other thing I'd say is to avoid your projected overstay at the end of your planned stay.
John **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Tod ********
So basically my 2 scenarios are my only 2 options and I could do either? Understood about the onward ticket within 30 days-I will need to figure that outTod *********
Also remember as of Dec 31st 2016, they put a limit on 30 day visa exempt entries by land borders of TWO per calendar year. There is currently no official limit on the number you can get flying in.
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Tod *********
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John **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@John *******
See note I just wrote about not being in home country or a european country that has a consulate. Assume that would put me out of consideration for ed visaJohn **********
ORIGINAL POSTERThanks Tod for the feedback. I am located in a country that does not have a thai consulate. So that is the issue. Given that, would either scenario A or B work? I am assuming I figure out how to find some proof of onward travel within 30 days of arriving since I am entering potentially visa exempt
John **********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Ryan ********
Thank you. I am assuming it is risky telling thai immigration you are leaving the country via ground transportation and will book this transportation at a later date. They want to see an actual plane ticketRyan *********
If you want to get onward travel proof just incase, perhaps give flyonward.com a go? I've used it twice, great service.
Tod *********
Comin' in visa exempt would be an option for you.
You're gonna have more problems checking in without an onward ticket in 30 days than you are once you get here and deal with passport control.
It's the airlines who bear the cost to lug you back if you're denied entry when you come here visa exempt. That's why they want onward travel proof when you check in.
You're gonna have more problems checking in without an onward ticket in 30 days than you are once you get here and deal with passport control.
It's the airlines who bear the cost to lug you back if you're denied entry when you come here visa exempt. That's why they want onward travel proof when you check in.
Reply to
Tod *********
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John ********
Get an ed visa for year
Tod *********
@Jo**
, Of course he'd also have to get the 90 day ED visa, STUDY some language for the required hours AND get a 90 day extension at the immigration office too ;) That could take time away from him being a "tourist".
John ********
Well, I work at a language school in Korat and I know it can work very easily, instead of running around as in plan A and B
Tod *********
He is NOT in thailand now, so he would have to enroll in a school here "blind" without having seen if it's good or bad, pay the tuition, get the paperwork sent to him, GO to a country that has a thai consulate and then get the 90 day ED visa.
That just doesn't make too much sense (to me anyway ;) )
That just doesn't make too much sense (to me anyway ;) )
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Tod *********
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Tod *********
Why not just pull a single entry tourist visa BEFORE you come here? You can most likely get that at a thai consulate in Europe.
Remember you can ALWAYS be asked by passport control when you stamp into the country to show you meet the 3 proof-ofz:
-proof of onward travel
--within 30 days entering visa exempt
--within 60 days entering on a tourist visa
-proof of adequate financials
--10K baht entering visa exempt
--20K baht entering on a tourist visa
-proof of a hotel booking or lodging.
I'd say start with a tourist visa FIRST, extend that by 30 days, then go get tourist visas at the thai consulates in neighboring countries as you need them and extend them if you need to.
Remember you can ALWAYS be asked by passport control when you stamp into the country to show you meet the 3 proof-ofz:
-proof of onward travel
--within 30 days entering visa exempt
--within 60 days entering on a tourist visa
-proof of adequate financials
--10K baht entering visa exempt
--20K baht entering on a tourist visa
-proof of a hotel booking or lodging.
I'd say start with a tourist visa FIRST, extend that by 30 days, then go get tourist visas at the thai consulates in neighboring countries as you need them and extend them if you need to.
Tod *********
There is no "stay out of thailand xxx number of days" between entries NOR is there a maximum number of days you can say in a defined period of time.
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Tod *********
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