10 month stay - can I do this?

[jonty1973 0]

Hi all,

 

on Wednesday I am leaving the UK for a 10 month trip to Thailand. I tried to get a non-immigrant O visa but was told that as I wasn't married to or seeing a Thai girl I would only be able to get a 3 entry tourist visa. Anyway I am aware that I can extend each 60 day stamp at immigration for another 30 days but my problem lies nearer the end of my stay. My third and the final entry has to be used before Christmas Day and so then I will have around 90 days (60+extenstion) left which will take me to the 20 something of March. At this point I will have to leave the country and all my entries are used up. At this point can I then re-enter and get a 30 day on arrival stamp or will I have to get another tourist visa from an embassy in another country?

 

And one final question - As i am entering on a multi-entry visa I take it I won't have to show a return ticket out of the country? (I do have one but it is for May 2008)

 

 

Any advice appreciated gratefully and I look forward to meeting some of you guys in the coming months.

I also hope I have posted this in the correct section - I thought the 'expats' would have the best anwers.

 

Cheers

 

J

[jacko 8,762]

Hi all,

 

on Wednesday I am leaving the UK for a 10 month trip to Thailand. I tried to get a non-immigrant O visa but was told that as I wasn't married to or seeing a Thai girl I would only be able to get a 3 entry tourist visa.

Where did you apply? Normally this is not a requirement.

Anyway I am aware that I can extend each 60 day stamp at immigration for another 30 days but my problem lies nearer the end of my stay. My third and the final entry has to be used before Christmas Day and so then I will have around 90 days (60+extenstion) left which will take me to the 20 something of March. At this point I will have to leave the country and all my entries are used up. At this point can I then re-enter and get a 30 day on arrival stamp or will I have to get another tourist visa from an embassy in another country?

Yes you can... but now you may need the outward flight ticket.....

 

And one final question - As i am entering on a multi-entry visa I take it I won't have to show a return ticket out of the country? (I do have one but it is for May 2008)

True...

 

Any advice appreciated gratefully and I look forward to meeting some of you guys in the coming months.

I also hope I have posted this in the correct section - I thought the 'expats' would have the best anwers.

 

Cheers

 

J

Just fine here, they are a rough lot in the members area Edited July 10, 2007 by jacko

[jonty1973 0]

Cheers for the reply Jacko. I spoke to Carl in the Birmingham consulate. It would have been nice to have the Non-Imm visa but it shouldn't affect my trip too much. Just have to plan a trip or two to the Phillipines or somewhere near the end of my trip but that should be a lot less than a chore!

[jacko 8,762]

Cheers for the reply Jacko. I spoke to Carl in the Birmingham consulate. It would have been nice to have the Non-Imm visa but it shouldn't affect my trip too much. Just have to plan a trip or two to the Phillipines or somewhere near the end of my trip but that should be a lot less than a chore!

Interesting, I got my Non-Imm O from the Hull Consulate, by post, there is a possibility they look less closely, particularly if you are over 50. I lived here for 2 years on triple entry tourist visas... taking trips back to the UK when they ran out. Plenty of options for the visa run, 2000-2400 baht for the day-trip to the Cambodian border. A few days in Cambodia or Laos by land. Or a flight to Phnom Pehn on Air Asia.....weekend in Singapore, Penang or the Philippines as you say. Edited July 10, 2007 by jacko

[Gus 97]

jonty

If you were born in 1973 that may be the problem, you're too young

The multi entry non immigrant O visa for over 50's is the one I will be going for later this year.

Of course if you are over 50 then I may have to change consulates and use Hull rather than Brum

[Ilich Ramirez Sanchez 0]

I recently did a 10 month stay and had no problem getting a non-imm 'O' from Hull. I was also born in '73

[torrenova 644]

No worries but remember this, please.

 

ANY extension of a 60 day visa can be counted as one of your 30 day, non visa allowances in 180 days.

 

So, if you did, 60+30+60+30+60+30 you would have hit 90 days extension in a maximum 180 days (likely to be less as you will probably go before the final day of your allowance). If you go to the border, you may only get 3 or 4 days until your true 180 days are up. Beware this. Even the agents do not know for certain, whatever they say.

 

If you want to stay for Xmas, then work backwards. You don't want to have to travel at that time so book a flight now to Penang on Air Asia for around the end of November. That will give you 60 days (new tourist visa) and enought until well into January.

 

Work backwards and use trips and extensions to fill in the gaps back to when you arrive.

[fredcyber 0]

The whole thing can be a lottery and depends, in practice, on the entry point and the particular immigration officer you get. What is allowed seems to be changing all the time and there are many different interpretations. Just because Birmingham or Hull issue a visa to you (they are in business to make money- no visas no money) don't assume that it will all be plain sailing. Just have a fall back plan for if it goes wrong.

 

The tourist visa is just that, a tourist visa and trying to extend it to a 10 month stay is stretching things so consider what could go wrong and be prepared. A 60 day tourist visa gives you 60 days plus the possibility of a 30 day extension at the discretion of the immigration officer. Two further visa runs will give you 60 plus 90 days and the 90 will have been incurred within 180 days so you are out for 90 days. That is the strict interpretation of it. You will probably be OK but the problem with all of this is that you cannot be certain.