Visas and border crossings forum

"Does anyone know how complicated a process it is to get an extension or 60-90 day visa once I arrive in Bangkok the first go around?"

You can't come into Thailand on a 15/30 day free entry stamp and get a 60 day tourist visa once you are there. 60 day tourist visas can only be obtained outside the country.

If you arrive in Thailand in January and are staying there till you go to Cambodia in March then you will need a 60 day tourist visa and you'll have to get it before you arrive.

If you are travelling overland from Laos and plan to stay in Thailand 3-4 weeks then you'll need another tourist visa. (You can get one at the Thai consulate in Vientiane ).

You don't say how long you'll be staying in Thailand after Burma but you'll be flying (it's obligatory) so you'll get a 30 day stamp on arrival then.

At the moment Thai 60 day tourist visas are free ...can't remember offhand how long this free offer is on for (they keep extending the dates) but I've heard that the Thai consulate in Vientiane gives free multi-entry visas. Most consulates only give free single entry visas and you have to pay the usual price for the multi-entry type.

Check with the nearest consulate to you. Ask how long the free visa offer is on for and whether they do free multi-entry tourist visas. You have to "activate" a visa by using it within 90 days of issue but I think if you have a multi-entry you can use it for a second visit after the 90 days period.

If you had a multi-entry tourist visa when you first arrive I think that would solve most of your problems. (But check about the length of validity etc).

The free 60-day tourist visa SBE mentions is available until March 2011 or so, at least at the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles. Given your itinerary and the need to enter Thailand multiple times and stay for more than 15 days, I think SBE's suggestion to get a multi-entry tourist visa is the perfect idea. You'll likely have to pay for a multi-entry visa, but when you compare that to the costs and hassles of having to get a Thai visa while you are on the road, I think it is still a bargain.

"the Visa is good from date of ISSUE"

That doesn't mean you have to use it on the date of issue, it just means that you CAN use it that same day if you want.

I just looked at an old (single) entry visa in my passport. It says:

Date of issue 29 November 2007
Enter before 27 February 2008

You definitely have 90 days to use your tourist visa. Once you enter Thailand you can stay for 60 days (even if you arrive on the 89th day after the visa was issued).

In your case you should wait until at least October to get your visa, November would be better, just to be absolutely sure that less than 90 days have elapsed since it was issued.

If you want to stay longer than 60 days you can get a 30 day extension once you are in the country. The extension costs 1900B and can be obtained at any immigration office.

Nothing has changed. That's exactly what I said too... don't apply for the visa right now, wait till November because you have to use it within 90 days from the date of issue.

"Using" means activating it... entering Thailand. You have to enter Thailand within 90 days of getting the visa. When you enter Thailand you can stay 60 days.

God I don't know how to say it any plainer so you understand. Ok here is another example from my passport. It's roughly the dates you will be doing.

Visa issued 15th November 2006
Admitted 10th January 2007
Until 10th March 2007

Is that any clearer?