flight ticket for a 1 week extension

[lowprofile]

Due to an unfortunate banking experience (both USA and UK banks) my 800k Baht arrived a few days after the 3 month requirement - Visa renewal due on the 22nd Oct but money arrived in account on 27th July - so 5 days under the 3 months. The volunteer in the Immigration office informed me my best option was to get a 1 week extension for 1900 Baht, get the bank letter on the 27th (Friday) and then apply for the renewal that same morning.

Unfortunately, after getting my photocopies etc, the official (and his boss) both told me I need a flight ticket to apply for this 1 week extension.

Well, that is quite obviously absurd, but, that is the law, so.......

I should have asked the following question in the office, but it did not occur to me till a while after, as I contemplated where to get a ticket to: Do I get a ticket (which I'm not going to use) for a date before or after my original visa expires - the 22nd? I would assume it needs to be the 28th or 29th (Sat / Sun), having now got my Retirement Visa renewed on Friday the 27th.

Any serious advice welcomed :)

LP

[ubonjoe]

You given wrong info by the volunteer.

The 7 days is not an extension it is 7 days to leave the country after you apply for an extension, pay 1900 baht and the extension is then denied. 

Most immigration offices will not do an extension at the end of the 7 days now.

Not sure about Jomtien but many immigration office would do the extension after a short overstay after you paid 500 baht for each day of overstay. They should do it on the 27th with 5 days of overstay.

[darrendsd]

I have done plenty of the 7 days to leave the country and never been asked for a ticket

 

You have either been given wrong info or someone is looking for a little tea money

[lowprofile]

31 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You given wrong info by the volunteer.

The 7 days is not an extension it is 7 days to leave the country after you apply for an extension, pay 1900 baht and the extension is then denied. 

Most immigration offices will not do an extension at the end of the 7 days now.

Not sure about Jomtien but many immigration office would do the extension after a short overstay after you paid 500 baht for each day of overstay. They should do it on the 27th with 5 days of overstay.

Hi Ubonjoe, I'm in Phuket, not Jomtien. I have found in the past that every volunteer is likely to give different info on any given topic. I'm sure it is not their fault, information given to them, and their interpretation is bound to vary considerably.

So, basically I should forget the 1 week extension idea. I should ask in the office (an officer) if I can do as you say - 5 days overstay and renew the retirement visa on Friday 22nd.

Otherwise it is a flight to, say KL, and return after the 22nd on a tourist visa on entry and then apply for a Non O in Phuket and then change it to a retirement, although that still leaves me needing another ticket out when I return on the tourist visa  from KL.......

Does that sound right?

Cheers

LP

 

[ubonjoe]

Not sure why I wrote Jomtien. It was near the end of a long day.

Forget the 7 days since I don't think they will let you apply for an extension.

Talk to a real immigration officer about the 5 days of overstay. I have read of people having as much as 10 days and applying for an extension at other offices. Other offices have told people to overstay that had the same problem as you do.

 

[AndyB747]

Hi

I was the Volunteer you spoke to at Phuket Immigration yesterday. Firstly, I am sorry my advice to you yesterday did not work out. As I said to you, I had a very similar case earlier in the day, i went and asked a Thai officer for advice on this one, and i was just passing on what I was told. I will get this checked out and make sure that we all know the correct advice for next time.

[lowprofile]

Hi Andy, thanks for fronting up!

I'm going to take Ubonjoe's advice and pop back in to see what is possible.

I don't want to leave the country if I don't have to. If I do, then either a Tourist on entry combined with another cheap ticket out OR a Non O from KL or Penang would be my options. Not sure which is the best option on either of those....

Cheers,

LP

[BritTim]

How about returning to Thailand on a visa exempt entry? The 30 days you receive would be sufficient for a conversion to a Non Imm entry and subsequently apply for an extension. This ought to negate the need for a wasted air ticket, as well as the cost of the visa.

[lowprofile]

Went back to the Immigration Office, and, after some consulting found that it would, indeed, be possible to do the visa renewal with 5 days overstay at 500 Baht per day. There is a slim chance that they may close on the 27th as well as the 26th, though

Thanks for the input everyone, much appreciated.

LP

[lowprofile]

Final update:

Visa renewed without any problems on Friday. Paid 5 days overstay. It does seem rather odd that a visa can be renewed 5 days after it has officially expired, but I'm not complaining :)

 

Picked up the passport on Monday and got the multi re-entry permit in about 15 minutes.

Unbelievable how quiet Phuket Immigration has been when I've visited recently - it used to be bedlam!!!

 

Hopefully everything is good till next year.