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.: THAI VISA :. |
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Normally you will get a 30-days tourist visa at the border when you enter Thailand. This can be extended up to 15 days at the immigration office for a fee of 1900 baht. When your visa expire, you must leave Thailand. But you can enter Thailand as many times you want and you will always get a 30-days tourist visa. |
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 Tourist Visa |
If you plan to stay longer, you should apply for a Tourist Visa at the Thai embassy in your home country or go to a neighbour country of Thailand when your 30 day tourist visa expires. It is easy to get and you will be granted a 60 days tourist visa. This one can be extended with another 30 days at the immigration office for 1900 baht, thus 90 days in total. You can also try and ask for a double entry visa, this means you can enter Thailand two times and stay in Thailand up to 6 months. Althought, you must cross the border after 3 months to get another 3 months.
Note: Thai embassy in Penang only allows applicants to apply for a tourist visa 3 times (anyone with experience from this rule?)
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Business Visa (Non Immigrant B)
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If you plan to stay longer, you should apply for a Tourist Visa at the Thai embassy in your home country or go to a neighbour country of Thailand when your 30 day tourist visa expires. It is easy to get and you will be granted a 60 days tourist visa. This one can be extended with another 30 days at the immigration office for 1900 baht, thus 90 days in total. You can also try and ask for a double entry visa, this means you can enter Thailand two times and stay in Thailand up to 6 months. Althought, you must cross the border after 3 months to get another 3 months.
Note: Thai embassy in Penang only allows applicants to apply for a tourist visa 3 times (anyone with experience from this rule?)
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| Married Visa (Non Immigrant O) |
If you are married with a Thai lady/man and can show proof of your marriage, you can obtain a 1-year Non-O Visa.
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Work Permit
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Don't pay the high fees the consultants/accounting companies will charge you, you can easily apply and renew your work permit yourself if somebody help you fill out the application form in Thai. It cost you 500 baht when you apply for work permit first time and then 300 baht to renew it. (Normally every 3 months, when you do your visa run.)
It takes about 1 month to apply for a work permit and 2-3 weeks to renew it. (This is new and may be specific for Phuket, earlier we could renew the work permit in just one hour.)
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| Visa Run |
| Many companies offer Visa Run to Ranong from Phuket, it takes around 10 hours (r/t) and cost about 1000 baht with minibus; food and boat included. |
| .:.Hat Yai |
Take airplane to Hat Yai, the air fare takes about 40 minutes and then you take a taxi to Sadao (Malaysian border) and then back to Hat Yai town and stay one night at hotel.
Airticket cost about 2500 baht (r/t), taxi 800 baht and good hotel 980 baht. |
| .:.Penang |
If you need to renew your visa, go to Penang by airplane on Tuesday. Visit the Thai embassy in the morning on Wednesday (9:00 - 12:00) to fill out the application form. On Thursday you visit the Thai embassy on afternoon (14:00 - 16:00) to pick up your visa. These are the rules and procedures at the Thai embassy Penang. There are flights between Phuket-Penang on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. I am not sure, but I think there are flights from Bangkok daily.
Be aware of Public Holidays in Thailand - The Thai embassy in Penang will close too. (If the holiday is during the weekend, expect the embassy to be closed on Monday.)
Airticket cost about 4000 baht (r/t), taxi to/from airport (Penang) and Georgetown 250 baht, budget hotel at 800 baht/night and high end hotel with all facilities at 1600 baht/night. I can recommend Cititel in Penang, it's worth the extra money if you want to have a pleasant time during your three nights when renewing your visa. Especially if you travel alone. |
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| Overstay |
| You can easy clear an heavy overstay at the Airport, but if you are caught by Immigration before you reach the airport, you will be jailed and deported until you can pay your fine and show a one way ticket back to your home country. |
| If you overstay by one day, there is no charge. After that, it's 500B per day, so 2 days is a 1,000B fine. |
Don't overstay your visa! Except the 200 baht fine/day you may also end up in jail! |
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