Vientian giving visas?

[expatsally]

This is probably a question directed to Lumo, as he seems to be the resident visa expert. Is Vientian still giving double entry visas? And if so, are they still free?
Has anyone done it recently? Need to go by August 1, 2011.

Thanks for any info........

[lomuamart]

I havn't got personal experience of it, but I believe they still are issuing double entries. However, a lot may be dependent on whether you have any others in your passport. I have heard of people being refused both double and single entries if they have 3 or more double entries back-to-back in their passport. There's no option then but to return to Thailand on a 15 day visa exempt stamp. If you don't have too many double entries or any ar all then I'd say the chances are good that you'll get what you want. Hopefully someone else may provide more accurate and up-to-date information as mine is hearsay.
Tourist visas aren't free any longer. That ran out on March 31st 2011. Costs now are 1,000 and 2,000 THB for single and double entries.
As an aside, is there any way you could qualify for a Non Immigrant O visa. Ie, over 50? If you can, then you'd get a single entry which is good for 90 days on arrival and there's the possibility for you to extend it for a year here in Thailand as long as you meet the financial requirements.

[bapak]

Slightly different destination but we had a guy go to Phom Penh for a B Visa... Did not have the right paperwork so they gave him a double tourist visa.

[expatsally]

Thanks guys,
I was on an O from the U.S. and it just ran out. I'm not 50 yet so that option is out.
Have only one double from V.T. Do they only give you 3 then out like Penang? And if so, is that for the life of your passport or a certain time period?

Haven't been to P.P. since 2002, maybe I should go there for a change of pace. Any idea what they charge for them there?

Was planning a trip to England, I don't suppose Hull would give me an O if I'm not a Brit?

Thanks for all the help.

[bapak]

Haven't been to P.P. since 2002, maybe I should go there for a change of pace. Any idea what they charge for them there?

Was planning a trip to England, I don't suppose Hull would give me an O if I'm not a Brit?
---------------
Thai visa charges are the same from all Consulates except that they are only payable in local currency.

Hull has recently tightened up so not sure of present situation. Check http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/

Or you could PM me for a possible alternative.

[lomuamart]

These Thai consulates do change the goalposts regularly and unfortunately what is good today isn't tomorrow.
If you've only got one double from Vientiane then you should be OK for a second and probably third. But both of those are in the future so the situation could have changed by then.
Basically, there's no hard and fast rule and certainly nothing written in Imm law. The Embassy/consulate will eventually wonder what you're doing in Thailand. Staying for years on tourist visas will lead them to think that you're working and the onus will be on you to satisfy them that you have overseas financial funds to support yourself without working.
In your case, it would probably be wise to take along financial evidence of independent means - bank statements from abroad showing income or savings. If you're drawing on those funds from ATMs or transferring them into a Thai bank account, that's good evidence that you support yourself. Normally, I'd advise not to submit anything that isn't asked for or required for a visa but as you don't get a face-to-face interview it's probably best to be safe rather than sorry.
Despite that, I don't think you're going to get any problem this time but if you're here for a longer period they may well arise.
I agree with bapak the Phom Penh has become good again for double-entries after years of being very unfriendly so you have that option as well.
As far as a Non O in Hull is concerned, there's nothing to stop a Non UK national applying for and being granted the visa. However, Hull have recently tightened up the requirements to get a single or multi entry Non O and I reckon you'll have a hard time getting one as you're not over 50 or married to a Thai (I'm assuming the latter scenario). The option of applying for the Non O on the basis of visiting friends has been rescinded. You might have better luck at the other consulates such as Birmingham as I've heard good reports from there from people in your kind of situation.

[expatsally]

I had always been told by Thai Immigration that in order to get an O you had to apply "in your home country".
As usual it's hard to find out the real story from them as they change as it suits them.
Anyone have an e-mail address for the Hull Consulate? I would definitely want to contact them to make sure before going there as the $ to pound is crap.

Thanks,

Sally

[moja]

I had always been told by Thai Immigration that in order to get an O you had to apply "in your home country".
As usual it's hard to find out the real story from them as they change as it suits them.
Anyone have an e-mail address for the Hull Consulate? I would definitely want to contact them to make sure before going there as the $ to pound is crap.

Thanks,

Sally

Details below - you are probably best phoning them as they can be very slow when it comes to answering e-mails. From what I have read elsewhere they are more than happy to issue visas to people who have used their services before but are using the new rules for everyone else.

Tel: +44 (0)1482 581668 Fax: +44 (0)1482 628877
Email: enquiries@thaiconsul-uk.com Website: www.thaiconsul.co.uk

[lomuamart]

It's the OA visa that needs to be applied for at The Thai Embassy in your home country. Non Os can be applied for anywhere.
Details of Hull here: http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/

[expatsally]

Five years ago my friend came here on a Non O and then turned it into a OA whilst here. OA being retirement visa.

Could change everything if I can get an O anywhere there is a Thai consulate as I still want to travel. But the U.S. is a 17 hr. plane ride, basically a 24 hr. journey all in, a hell of a trip..........

[lomuamart]

I think you'll find that your friend got an annual extension of stay to their O visa based on retirement, not an OA. The latter can only be issued by Thai Embassies in your home country and there aren't any Thai Embassies in Thailand itself.
As far as getting an O visa from any Thai consulate is concerned, I'm afraid that isn't the case. You need to find a "friendly" one such as Hull was up until a short while ago and Birmingham still might be. If you went, for instance to Penang, you wouldn't get one as, strictly speaking, you don't qualify - over 50 (retirement), married to a Thai national or taking care of a Thai child (that must be yours).
In fact, honourary consulates are the best bet as they are not employed by the Thai government. They are usually nationals of the country in question who have been given special dispensation to grant visas. They pocket the visa fees and so are more lenient about granting them. Embassies and full consulates are employed by the Thai government and only get to keep a portion the fees for running costs. Therefore they apply the strict letter of the law as it dosn't benefit them financially to be more generous.
EDIT: When I said before that an O visa can be applied for at any Thai mission (consulate, Embassy or honoury consulate), that is the case but you have to qualify for one and it dosn't seem that you do. Hence, find a mission that is user friendly.

[expatsally]

Thank you so much for all the info. I hope others will also benefit from your experience.

Cheers,

Sally

[Roel]

Allow me to get back to the initial question. I just been to Vientiane and got a double entry Tourist Visa. There was already a single entry Tourist Visa in my passport (obtained in Penang). Before that I had non-imm. B visas for many years. Apparently they consider the single entry and the double entry being three Tourist Visas in a row and I got the dreaded red stamp next to my visa. It reads: Remark: The holder of this passport travels to Thailand under a tourist visa several times which may result in the refusal of a visa in the future.

Other information: 3 pass photo's are required: one for the Laos Visa and two for the visa application at the Thai Consulate.
Cost of the Laos Visa for me was USD 30 (but apparently this can vary depending on your nationality).
Cost of the double entry Tourist Visa was 2,000 Baht.

[expatsally]

That's terrible! I guess it's time to "loose" your passport and start fresh!