Changing tourist visa to non-O

[uncle tom]

Last year, the good folk at Hull gave me a single entry 'O' visa to save me trotting in and out of the country to renew my visa. I duly got a 90 day stamp on entry.

This was useful, but it cramped my style a bit, as I realised that if I left the country for any reason within 30 days of the end of my ten week sabbatical here, I'd have to make another trip in and out of the country before leaving.

So this year I dug deep, and asked for a triple entry, to cover all eventualities.

However, getting my passport back in the post this morning, I find that they've given me a tourist visa, not an 'O', which means I'll only get a 60 stamp on arrival - which is not long enough..

As I'm over 50, they shouldn't have an issue with giving me an 'O'

Is it worth protesting to Hull? - or shall I just resign myself to definitely making a trip out of the country at some point..

[bapak]

I think you had better resign yourself... Hull and many other Honorary Consulate have had to tighten up on the issue of "O" Visa to visit friends, etc. Mainly issued now for visiting a Thai dependent.

[JimmyGreaves]

Can't understand if you asked for the multiple entry O and paid £100.00 they should have emailed or phoned you. How musc is the 60 day tourist? Did they just do this without any correspondence?

[uncle tom]

Can't understand if you asked for the multiple entry O and paid £100.00 they should have emailed or phoned you. How musc is the 60 day tourist? Did they just do this without any correspondence?

Including the charge for returning my passport by special delivery, the total cost was £94..

[lomuamart]

What reason for the O visa did you give?
If tourism then I'm not surprised that you got the tourist one.
However, as you're over 50 and if you'd put "for retirement purposes" or similar, I reckon that Hull should have given you the Non O - single entry.
Definitely worth chasing it up with them.
I don't really understand your words regarding in and out of the country. Can you elaborate?
BTW, there's no such thing as a double or triple entry O visa. It's simply single or multiple. Tourist visas are different and come in those varieties.
Your tourist visa can be extended for 30 days at any Imm office for 1,900 THB. If you're going to other countries than you'll need a re-entry permit that can be got here for 1,000 THB, single, or 3,800 multiple.

[JW]

Give them a call and plead your case, I did it ne time and they fixed the problem. Worth a shot!

[uncle tom]

Your tourist visa can be extended for 30 days at any Imm office for 1,900 THB.

That may be the practical solution - is there an Imm office in HH?

[PJG]

I believe that with only a tourist visa when you do an in and out at a land crossing you only get a 15 days stay. Experts correct me if that is not correct.

[Ken]

Fees from Hull Website:-

Tourist visa:

one entry = £ 28.00
two entries = £ 56.00
three entries = £ 84.00

Non-Immigrant visa:

one entry = 45.00
multiple entries = £100.00

Charges:
Application in person £ 10.00
Return postage charge £ 10.00 (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only

So looks like you paid for and got a tourist visa with triple entry i.e. £84 + £10 postage when in fact you should have paid £100 for the multiple entry non immigrant + £10 postage.

The previous advice from our "Immigration Guru" about getting the one months extension at Hua Hin Immigration seems the easiest option.

[lomuamart]

Your tourist visa can be extended for 30 days at any Imm office for 1,900 THB.

That may be the practical solution - is there an Imm office in HH?

Yes. It's on the canal road about 10 mins north of the town centre. If you need more precise directions then just ask again.

PJG - the tourist visa gives 60 days permitted to stay on arrival here - extendable by a further 30. As long as the OP has a re-entry permit which he gets here (single or multiple) he can come and go as he wishes and Imm will stamp him in up until the original entry/extension date.
You're quite correct in as much as entry to Thailand without a visa only gives 15 days at a land or sea entry or 30 days at the airport but that isn't the OP's situation.

[uncle tom]

So looks like you paid for and got a tourist visa with triple entry i.e. £84 + £10 postage when in fact you should have paid £100 for the multiple entry non immigrant + £10 postage.

Yes - looks like I screwed up on the charge calculation, and they gave me the visa that fitted the amount sent!