Today I went up to mai Sai to activate the second of my 60 day tourist visas. I obtained 2 for free in Laos on april 7th ,entered the Kingdom on 15th April and extended the first one by 30 days at CM immigration. This took me to the 13th July. I decided to go up a bit early, and get it out of the way, so, today, got stamped out of LOS, entered hideous burma, spun on my heel and reentered LOS. The Immigration official would not allow the 2nd entry as he said"...you must enter before 6 july", this is the date that the visa woud have expired on had i not uesed it at all. The very polite smiling gent only gave me 15 days. Its impossible to argue with them, particually through a hole in the glass set at a height that would benefit a 10 YO....Ha s anone else had a similar problem, It makes a joke of the 2 entrys, and means by being smart, and extending by 30 days I have shot myself in the foot.
I plan to go to CM immigration tomorrow, and have a chat with them. This guy must be wrong, a visa must be used within 90 days of issue, which it was, its not the life of the visa itself, Hope this makes sense, I am just off the bus and writing is catharic,
Thanks,

The immigration officer was right. You should have used the second entry before the visa itself expired, on the 6th. The stamp on the visa itself will say something like utilise before juli 6th.

Ok, That being the case i should not have extended the first visa, but the second. Looks like i am out of here again much sooner than i had planned, curses.
It says "enter before 6th july" dosent specify which entry.

This post has been edited by drfang: 2009-07-09 21:11:18

I think when it specifies the entries, it means, both entries before the expiration date, the expiration date usually being 90 days after the visa is issued.

So It's not necessarily shooting yourself in the foot to get an extension on the first. You can stay six months on the double entry, but you enter the day after it's issued, extend once and do the visa run within 90 of the visa being issued.

Of course, if you're staying less than four months, don't extend, just run once. If you're staying between four and five months, extend the second entry once, that way you could leave early without losing money. If you want to stay six months, extend twice, having entered as soon as the visa was issued and 'running' within expiry (expiry applying to both entries).

But I concur the visa officer was correct; put this one down to experience.

thanks, got it now, my fault for hanging round in Laos for a week, as you say put it down to experience, (and cop it sweet)

I got a double entry tourist visa in Vietnam from Thai consulate on May 22nd, it says use before 21 November. My immigration stamp says admitted until July 24. I leave to Philippines on July 21 returning August 11th.
Question #1 do I have to do anything before I leave.
Question #2 will immigration give me 60 days from and including August 11th, which takes me to Oct 8th will I then need to get 30 day extension?
Question #3 The visa says enter before 21 November, What does that have to do with it?
Question #4 Handwritten 1 with rubber stamp 26 May on Visa, and a 2 with nothing stamped on it. I assume this is where they will write August 11th.

Thanks in advance for the help.

I am about to apply for the 60 day tourist visa with the option of extending at the end for an additional 30 days. Sure hope that I don't have a problem getting the additional 30 days. Can the visa be extended at one of the immigration offices or is it necessary to go to Laos or Burma if in the Chiangmai area?

You can only extend at one of the immigration offices in Thailand.

You only have to enter Thailand before the visa expires. Once in Thailand the expiry date doesn't matter if it is a single entry.

I'm not sure if I understand the OP's problem, but I DO know how the multiple entry tourist visa works.

Because I stay in Thailand for 5 consecutive months each year (November first to April first) I always apply for a triple entry tourist visa. That gives me three separate 60 day periods (approximately 6 months). That means I have to go out of the country twice in the 180 day period for a visa stamp... usually at Mai Sai. But, it's very difficult to use the whole 180 day period. The reason being that if I leave the country any time BEFORE the end of my 60 day period I LOSE the remaining portion.

For example. If my first visa section (first part of three) expires on January 1st, and because I want to miss the Christmas holiday rush period, I go to Burma (Myanmar) on December 20 and return the same day on December 20 I will lose lose 11 days of my 60 day period. My new entry will begin on December 20 and end on February 18. Had I made the visa run on December 31st my new entry period would finish at the end of February instead of February 18.

I believe this might be the OP's problem and it's perfectly understandable. The only hassle is trying to plan not going out of the country until near the end of each 60 day period. I've missed out on a few good trips for just that reason. It is too bad I have to waste time making a border run and couldn't just go to the Thai immigration office to check in and get my visa stamped there.