5 Week stay in the land of smiles

I am planning a trip to arrive in April from America t Thailand and would like to stay 5 weeks this trip. Will this require me to make a visa run for the 7 additional days? Does any member have experience with doing this? Thanks in advance.

Save yourself a headache and apply for a tourist visa (good for 60 days) before you come. It will be cheaper than making a "visa run", or paying the fine (and risking arrest) if you overstay your initial 30-day visa-free stay.

I agree, get the tourist visa, its easy and cheap to get and saves a lot of hassle when you get there.

I agree, get the tourist visa, its easy and cheap to get and saves a lot of hassel when you get there.

Not to mention hassle.

Anyway, is there an echo in here?

[Brad the Impala]

Do you call someone agreeing with you an echo? Is it so surpising? Does it not happen much?

I am planning a trip to arrive in April from America t Thailand and would like to stay 5 weeks this trip. Will this require me to make a visa run for the 7 additional days? Does any member have experience with doing this? Thanks in advance.

Just take your passport and flight ticket, dress nicely and go to the nearest Immigration Office. They will give you without an problems another week. Best is doing it 3 or 4 days before your visa expires. You need to pay a smal fee for it.

There is no need for a visa run.

Of course, hassle free but not always cheap is a 60 day single entry tourist visa.

[adman5000]

I would recommend the tourist visa route as it is only $25 USD.. You can go to a Thai embassy website under consular services and get the particulars. Then your trip is much more worry free.

Yes, you could go to Immigration if you wanted to interrupt whatever you are doing, and pay an amount that I think is at least equivalent to what it would cost you to get the 60 day visa (as I recall it was a bit more). I also think the extension can be viewed as a black mark in the future. The place in BKK can also be a bit crowded and hectic fighting for space, forms and pens, filling out forms, paying for pictures or copies, paying fees, and then waiting. Why bother?

You could also consider a side trip to Laos or Cambodia and then get a re-entry visa at the border.

[adman5000]

I checked and you can apply for an extension. It is at the discretion of the Immigration officer and the fee is 1900 baht. It seems like a no-brainer to me to get the 60 day before you leave.

[IEB2004-old]

I am also planning a 5 week trip in July-August, but have heard that airlines will not even allow you to board a flight to Thailand if your stay in Thailand is longer than 29 days without, in this case, a 60 day tourist visa. So, you might arrive at the airport without a visa and miss your flight!

I am also planning a 5 week trip in July-August, but have heard that airlines will not even allow you to board a flight to Thailand if your stay in Thailand is longer than 29 days without, in this case, a 60 day tourist visa. So, you might arrive at the airport without a visa and miss your flight!

I went x-times to Thailand on open ticket, 3 or 5 month-tickets but never ever just for a month. I have never ever been asked any questions regarding visa.

If you can get your visa on arrival, the airline is not responsible any more. You need to check wit your travel agent or nearest Thai consulate. If your passport is valid at least 6 month AND qualifies for visa on arrival, there is no problem at all. It has nothing to do with the airline anymore. You can arrange your visa requirements as you like.

Find out more here: www.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/visa.htm (http://www.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/visa.htm)

According to international agreements, any carrier who is boarding passengers without proper travel documents is obliged to take this person back – on the carrier’s expenses plus will be fined. This is a big problem for blind passengers and people who human trafficking (smuggle)

Thanks everyone for the advise. I will go the tourist visa route. :flower: