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BaaBaa.
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Post by BaaBaa. »

dtaai-maai wrote:I thought there was at least one other Thai Consulate - in Birmingham?
Sorry, Yes your right.

Should have thought of that considering my friend went only last week.

I always do the postal application to Hull.

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Post by Guess »

There are a few in the UK

http://www.thailand-uk.com/thaiemb.html

There is even one in Dublin. Now there's me always thinking that Dublin was in Ireland.

Hull has always been the consulate of choice because of there good track record. London is reckoned to be the worst one to use.

The Mail turn round with Hull is 3 working days inclusive. I.e send the app on Tuesday morning and get it back in Thursday's post.
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Post by sandman67 »

I use the Birmingham Consulate and they are very helpful, friendly and fast. 10 minute turn around time for a multiple entry 60 day tourist visa. Last time I was there there was a guy getting an O Visa and that was just as quick.
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Post by lomuamart »

sandman67 wrote:I use the Birmingham Consulate and they are very helpful, friendly and fast. 10 minute turn around time for a multiple entry 60 day tourist visa. Last time I was there there was a guy getting an O Visa and that was just as quick.
Just as a mater of interest, what did you pay for that multiple entry TV? The reason I ask is that there was a recent thread about getting a re-entry permit here to allow you to leave the country and keep the visa alive. Cost of that's 1,900 Baht, so I wonder if this was added to the cost of the "standard" single entry you got from Birmingham?
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Post by sandman67 »

The multiple entry visa costs dependant upon how many entries you want (3 maximum). It cost £28 per entry last time I got one....

You still have to pay the 1900 baht at Soi 2 for the 30 day extension.

In effect a 3 entry 60 day TV gives you up to just under 9 months a visa.....

till they change the sodding rules again....

The IP here have never said anything about needing to re-register or stuff (yet)...whenever I go down for the 30 day extension they are happy to extend each 60 day entry by another 30 days. Then its a run to Burma to get a new entry, etc...

Birmingham is a cool consulate and very helpful. and its about 10 minutes walk from New Street so convenient.

They run a webpage at http://www.thailand-visa.com/

My mate Colin just returned from Penang. He says there they will issue a single entry 60 day visa, but on the proviso that you dont come back again for another.....and they wont issue a 3 entry one.

Seems the only way of getting the 3 entry one is to go back to Blighty.
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Post by Takiap »

Just a quick update on recent experience ar Ranong. I had to go down for my 90 day exit. Everything went smoothly, stamped out, did the crossing, stamped back in for another 90 days. However, there was a Swedish chap and an American who were not so fortunate. Not sure what the circumstances were with the yank but the Swedish guy did seem to have everything in order. His last stamp was for 90 days and so was the one prior to that. Hua Hin immigration told him he has to go out and get another stamp and then he can apply in Thailand for a retirement visa. The immigration officer in Ranong calculated his days as being 170 days and refused to stamp him out. He still has three days left on his last stamp so maybe he can still get something worked out. I tried to puzzle things out but it never made any sense to me. Of course he was fuming having paid the 2500 baht for the visa run and then not getting his visa. After listening to his complaints for two hours solid we comforted him by saying the 2500 baht was not for nothing as the visa run includes a small lunch - at least that brought a smile back to his face.
Not sure if anyone else has had a similar problem but just thought I would mention it. Also, all the faces have changed in Ranong.
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Post by Wanderlust »

Takiap,
The story about the Swedish guy makes no sense at all to me; if he had been getting 90 day stamps that must mean he had some sort of non immigrant or business visa because tourist visas are 60 days maximum unless they are extended within Thailand, which used to be an extra 30 days but I believe now is only 10 or 15. I really don't think an immigration officer can refuse to stamp you out of the country unless you have overstayed and won't/can't pay the fine, or are on some wanted/black list, because if you have previously been getting 90 day stamps, then you could still go out and then come back in on a 30 day visa exemption stamp. Either the official has got something wrong, or there were circumstances unknown to us regarding that guy's visa/passport. Having dealt with Ranong many times in the past I would think it is the latter. If it is new staff though that could be an explanation too. Hopefully he went and tried the Andaman Club instead if everything truly was in order.
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Post by chelsea »

Wanderlust as far as I am aware with the tourist visa you can only spend a max of 3 months in every 6 months in Thailand.
We get an automatic 60 days when we arrive from Australia and then you have the option of extending for 30 more days.
Then you have to return home for three months and then are free to come back for another 3 months after that. So basically you can spend 6 monts a year there but had to be in two separate 3 month periods separated by a 3 month break.
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Post by hulltoon »

How do i get a 6 months visa from Australia without leaving Thailand.
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Post by lomuamart »

I think there should be some clarification here.
Immigration laws since 1st Oct 2006 simply say that any person can only stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 6 month period if that person is using the 30 day on arrival "visa exempt" stamps. Those are not visas. You've got count your days carefully.
There is currently no maximum amount of Tourist Visas anyone can have. A Tourist Visa entitles the holder to 60 days on entry. That period can be extended for a further 30 days on application at any Immigration Office within Thailand. Cost 1,900 Baht.
NOTE: Certain Thai missions around the region are getting "more strict" about issuing Tourist Visas. Namely Penang, who are asking for proof of onward journey. This is "not the law", but basically up to them.
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Post by lomuamart »

hulltoon wrote:How do i get a 6 months visa from Australia without leaving Thailand.
There is no single visa that will entitle you to 6 months.
However, a "friendly" Thai consulate in Australia will probably grant you a Double Entry Tourist Visa.
On entry you'll get 60 days. Extend for 30 days within Thailand for 1,900 Baht. After that, exit Thailand and come back in on the second entry. Again, 60 days plus a 30 day extension. That's pretty close to 6 months, but everything's counted by days, not months.
It's possible that an Immigration Office will ask to see proof of onward travel when you extend the second entry.
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Post by chelsea »

Lomu I am aware of the asking for a ticket to leave the country and also that it cost you 1900baht to extend.

I am suprised that they let anyone in on a one way ticket now. I entered Australia in 1981 with a one way ticket and 1500 pounds when exchange rate was at the most 1.5 to 1, Now Im look back you would never get away with the equivilant of 2000 dollars and no ticket home now.

But for some people ( probably not yourself and a few others of the board included) the 3 months in every 6 months is a good thing.
You can work in the UK/Aus or where ever without becoming tied to the place.

My ideal scenario would be 6 month summer in Thailand and 6 months summer in Aus, hate the cold now
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Post by hulltoon »

Thanks for that Lomu.
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Post by lomuamart »

chelsea,
I thought I'd been "caught out" by the no onward travel scenario when I first came over here. My parents had driven me down to Heathrow and a few friends had turned up to say goodbye.
It was a morning flight and I was a bundle of nerves. This was the big step. Everyone was still at the airport as I went to check in. A Thai International flight. The clerk asked where my return flight was, then where proof of an onward ticket to another country was, then whether I had enough money to support myself whilst in Thailand. I got the third degree.
Anyway, eventually I took my passport back from her and pointed out the Tourist Visa and said I'd called The Thai Embassy in London a few weeks before (which I had) and they'd confirmed that I didn't need any extra travel arrangements from Thailand as long as I had a Visa. She checked me in. A nervous time as I almost didn't get past "Go".
As you'll know, internationally the onus on travelers of any description having the correct paperwork to enter a country was put on the airlines some time ago. So, if anyone's refused entry to Thailand and they don't have a return ticket and they've got no money, it's the airline's responsibility to get you home.
I had some 150 pounds in travelers cheques, maybe 250 pounds on my credit card limit and was unaware that I could use the ATM from Thailand to access my current account in the UK.
So, as far as I was aware at the time, I did not have enough readily available money to buy a return ticket. "A wing and a prayer", but I got away with it :thumb:
Sorry for the aside. That's just a traveler's tale, but a real one.
Incidentally, I do believe it's just Penang that's insisting on the onward journey ticket to get a Tourist Visa at the moment. It may well become the norm in the future. :idea:
I met a number of travelers when on Penang a few days ago and they had all been asked for a flight ticket out of Thailand before the Tourist Visa was granted. Some had to go and buy one first. The exception was the last person I spoke to who said he'd only needed a train ticket. Maybe he was just lucky?
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Post by chelsea »

Lomu, if you go on to Tiger Airways, Air Asia or the like I am pretty sure if your are booking tickets to Thailand or within Thailand, that it warns you somewhere that you need an exit flight to be able to get in the country.

In saying that perhaps next time it may be an idea to make some inquiries as to the cheapest ticket out of the country (whether it be bus plane or train) before you go, so that if it comes to it you can go and book straight away to comply with their wishes.

Would imagine that train or bus would be the cheapest. Have to stay one step ahead of them all.
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