As the Visa regulations are different for each country, I would like to ask a couple question to the Aussies on this Forum and hope they can help me out.

I have been travelling to Thailand twice a year for the last three years and been staying the regulation 30 days allowable under the Tourist Visa. Next year I was looking at staying for up to seven weeks and I don't really want to do a Visa Run. My question is:

1. Can I attain a Visa, to enable me to stay the seven weeks, via a travel agency or do I have to have to apply to the Thai Consulate, and

2. Normally when I buy an Airline ticket it is usually only good for 35 days, if I go for seven weeks do I only buy a one way ticket and purchase a return ticket a Travel Agency in Thailand or is it better off purchasing both one way tickets in Australia ?

Thankyou in advance for any replies.

Regards

John

IMHO, you should definately get a visa from the Thai consulate first. There are any number of problems that pop up when you need to do a visa run. In my experience you can usually get a better deal on tickets in Thailand if you look around, so buying a one way ticket in oz and doing the same in Thailand makes good sense. A friend of mine applied for a 12 month non immigrant O visa not long ago. It cost $250 and took about 10 days to come through. Much easyer than doing Visa runs. Good Luck!!

jrc wrote:As the Visa regulations are different for each country, I would like to ask a couple question to the Aussies on this Forum and hope they can help me out.

I have been travelling to Thailand twice a year for the last three years and been staying the regulation 30 days allowable under the Tourist Visa. Next year I was looking at staying for up to seven weeks and I don't really want to do a Visa Run. My question is:

1. Can I attain a Visa, to enable me to stay the seven weeks, via a travel agency or do I have to have to apply to the Thai Consulate, and

2. Normally when I buy an Airline ticket it is usually only good for 35 days, if I go for seven weeks do I only buy a one way ticket and purchase a return ticket a Travel Agency in Thailand or is it better off purchasing both one way tickets in Australia ?

Thankyou in advance for any replies.

Regards

John

If you're only coming for 7 weeks, than apply for a Single Entry visa. It's good for 60 days and extendable for 30 days. For a total of 90 days and no visa runs.

An addition to the post above

Its a Tourist Visa you want (good for 60 days and then a 30 day extension at any immigration office in Thailand)

The 30 day 'visa' you spoke of is not a Tourist Visa but simply a free 30 day VOE (Visa on Entry) and you can only have a culmination of 90 days visiting in any 180 continuous period

Are you sure the airlines will only give you a return ticket for 35 days later (not 350 days ?) The last return ticket I had was to return almost a year later (admittedly not from Australia to Thailand) but 35 days seems way too short

Jrc, if you are in Brisbane see Billy Dunn, the Thai Consul at Mater Hill in Brisbane. They are easy to get on with there. You can be in at 9:30 and out with your visa by 10:30

I understand the 35 day problem as some of the airlines have a 35 day special. They are cheaper than a full year ticket.

I think the cost of two single tickets will be far more than the cost of a one year return.

John

Jet Star, Tiger and Air Asia will all be competing for the discount market from Oz to SEA soon so it might be worth a shop around their websites for faires and route options.
The tourist visa process was simple from the consul in Melb but it's a long time since I have been there.
The 35 day - 1 year ticket issue doesn't seem to occur with the discount airlines as you essentially book two, one-way fares with 'do it yourself,' online bookings. The major airlines offer 35 day discount tickets or open 1 year return tickets from Oz.