On my recent post about my visa run to Penang, "Bob" left a comment asking why I don't just get a 60-day (extendable to 90-day) tourist visa in Penang. I have never heard of such a thing. Does anyone have any details on how to get it? Is there a Thai Consulate there? If so, where is it? Do I have to do anything special to receive the extra days? Where do I extend it to 90 days?
Thanks for any info anyone can share!
P.S. And no April Fool's jokes, OK? :)
There are several different types of visas: some with specialty uses. For those of Thailand see the following:
http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php
Hope this helps.
John
If you just fly down to Penang and then fly back to Bangkok, you are just given a 30-day Permit to Enter (not really a proper visa). It's much better to go to the Thai consulate on Penang and get a proper 60-day tourist visa, which can be extended for another 30 days from the immigration office in Bangkok.
The Penang Thai consulate is a few miles north of downtown Georgetown, so it's best to take a taxi. Visa takes an overnight but it's no hassle at all.
I guess it's the same procedure as I did when I first came to Thailand (and before applying to the non-immigrant visa). I applied for the long tourist visa at the Thai consulate on my city, which, as you say, lasts for 60 days and, as Carl Parkes says, may not be given on the same day that you apply (I think this depends on the particular consulate). Before my 60-day tourist visa expired, I went to Immigration (Suan Plu) and applied for the visa extension. The long tourist visa can be extended or upgraded to other kinds of visa, but the 30-day, tourist visa-on-arrival can't.
Hi, I need more time to check out your website, thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for the info, everyone. I tried to get the 60-day visa in Vientiane once, but was unsuccessful. And one time I tried to extend my 30-day visa at Suan Plu in Bangkok, but was unsuccessful.
But now I see what you guys are saying: Get the 60 day in Penang and I should be able to extend this "special" tourist visa in Bangkok. I'll give it a try soon, I'm sure. Thanks for the good advice y'all!
There is a Thai Consulate in Penang, I'm sure on that! Hey, when are you going to Penang? Maybe we can meet up..... I can spend the weekend in Penang too..... hee hee
I have a 30-day tourist visa. Are you saying that I am stuck with that and cannot change to anything else? I'm not currently working, am not retired, have a girlfriend but am not married. I want to stay on indefinitely but don't know what to do.
Rick, the tourist visa sounds like your only option, unless you want to work in Thailand or marry your girlfriend or become a student or if you are over 50 or... If you really want to stay indefinitely, then you have to figure out what visa is most appropriate to you.