Extending the Tourist Visa, How Many Times?

[st11x]

Hi,

 

I am allowed to stay 30-day without first obtaining a visa when I enter by air. Do you know how many times can I go to extend my stay? Can I do it twice without leaving the country?

 

thanks

  Matt

[lordblackader]

One extension of 30 days, a final extension (order to leave) will subsequently give you another 7 days but by that point you should be doing a border run. 

[EricTh]

Most people do a border run and there's a lot of agencies which can help you on this.

 

Click below for more details

 

https://southeastasiabackpacker.com/a-crash-course-in-thai-visa-runs-extending-your-stay-in-the-land-of-smiles/

Edited April 7, 2018 by EricTh

[st11x]

Thanks all.

 

6 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Most people do a border run and there's a lot of agencies which can help you on this.

 

Without a visa like the non-O, wouldn't' you only get a 7 day extension if you did the border run at the end of the 30 day extension? Unless they count that you had originally arrived by air and will give yet another 30 day extension.

 

I remembered a friend of mine  crossed the border by land from the south on a bike. He then did a border crossing and was only given a 7 day extension.

 

Matt

 

 

[EricTh]

24 minutes ago, st11x said:

 

Without a visa like the non-O, wouldn't' you only get a 7 day extension if you did the border run at the end of the 30 day extension? Unless they count that you had originally arrived by air and will give yet another 30 day extension.

 

I remembered a friend of mine  crossed the border by land from the south on a bike. He then did a border crossing and was only given a 7 day extension.

 

 

 

 

 

The link below has all the details. You can apply for a 60 days tourist visa and pay like USD 40 (1300 baht)   once you're in a neighbouring country.

 

https://southeastasiabackpacker.com/visa-guide/

 

If you extend in Thailand, that would cost you 1900 baht and that's only for 30 days. No more extension unless you go out of the country,

 

7 days is a bit short, I've heard some people do get 30 days but this would depend on the officer and of course, how many trips you've been to Thailand

 

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by EricTh

[KhunBENQ]

Quote

I am allowed to stay 30-day without first obtaining a visa when I enter by air.

If allowed for your nationality (most "western" countries).

Quote

Do you know how many times can I go to extend my stay?

Once.

Quote

Can I do it twice without leaving the country?

No.

 

Options for a longer stay have already been described.

The 7 days is not a regular extension but a grace period for leaving the country.

It should not be used as a planned method.

Edited April 7, 2018 by KhunBENQ

[Swimman]

6 hours ago, st11x said:

Without a visa like the non-O, wouldn't' you only get a 7 day extension if you did the border run at the end of the 30 day extension?

Extensions of stay are NOT available at border crossings. A new Visa Exempt entry might be provided if the applicant qualifies for one. 

[BritTim]

1. When entering without a visa, you get a 30-day permission to stay (most nationalities) whether entering by air or by land. However, when entering by land, only two visa exempt entries are allowed per calendar year. If you try for a third visa exempt entry by land in the same calendar year, you will be denied entry.
2. When entering with a tourist visa, you receive an initial 60-day permission to stay. To get a visa, you must visit a town outside Thailand with a Thai embassy or consulate.
3. Whether you enter visa exempt, or with a tourist visa, your initial permission to stay can be extended a single time for an additional 30 days, at an immigration office inside Thailand, on payment of 1,900 baht.
4. If you ask for a second extension of your permission to stay, your application is denied, but you are given seven days to leave the country.

[seancbk]

On 07/04/2018 at 1:37 PM, st11x said:

Thanks all.

 

 

Without a visa like the non-O, wouldn't' you only get a 7 day extension if you did the border run at the end of the 30 day extension? Unless they count that you had originally arrived by air and will give yet another 30 day extension.

 

I remembered a friend of mine  crossed the border by land from the south on a bike. He then did a border crossing and was only given a 7 day extension.

 

Matt

 

 

An entry by Air without a Visa will get you a 30 day Visa Exempt Stamp.   Before the 30 days are up you can go to Immigration and for a 1900 baht fee they will give you a 30 day extension.  Technically you can pay another 1900 baht before the second 30 days expire and get a 7 day extension but its actually a refusal and order to leave in 7 days.  

If you cross a land border you can re-enter with a new Visa Exempt Entry, giving you a fresh 30 days (and possibility of a 30 day extension).  You can only do land border crossings without a valid visa two times per year.  
 

There are some differences depending on your nationality but I'm assuming those don't apply to you.

 

[carlinternational]

How many times can you enter Thailand with a 30 days tourist visal on arrival, extend it for 30 days more in immigration flying a weekend outside the country (Vietnam, Malaysia..) and enter again to start a new  process? (30 days visa on arrival + 30 days extension + flying out + come back) 

[BritTim]

57 minutes ago, carlinternational said:

How many times can you enter Thailand with a 30 days tourist visal on arrival, extend it for 30 days more in immigration flying a weekend outside the country (Vietnam, Malaysia..) and enter again to start a new  process? (30 days visa on arrival + 30 days extension + flying out + come back) 

There is no explicit limit to the number of visa exempt entries you are allowed when entering by air. Pursuant to a Ministerial Order issued in mid 2014, immigration is supposed to deny entry to those using back-to-back visa exempt entries to stay extended periods in Thailand. However, the Prime Minister advised that this regulation should be "applied flexibly". The effect is that immigration has a lot of discretion when you return visa exempt after a short period outside Thailand. Usually, you will not have a problem until you have accumulated about six visa exempt entries over some indeterminate period (seems to be about two or three years). After that, there is a low, but very real risk you could be denied entry.

 

If you want to risk entering visa exempt (especially when you have several previous visa exempt entries) after spending the bulk of, say, the last six months in Thailand, there are ways you can improve your chances

• Carry 20,000 baht equivalent in cash. Make sure this is visible as soon as you are referred to a senior official for questioning.
• Be prepared with credible answers to the question of why you are spending so much time in Thailand. Acceptable are
  • you are in a relationship with a Thai lady, but not yet ready for marriage;
  • you have taken early retirement (being financially secure) and find Thailand a pleasant place to spend the bulk of your time at present; and
  • (slightly riskier, but OK currently) you have an online business conducted outside Thailand, but which can be done anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. You find Thailand provides a good balance of the infrastructure to work, and a good living environment.

Do not suggest you might be working for a Thai employer, with Thai customers, or in any other way helping out a business in Thailand.

• Have bank statements handy that demonstrate your ability to live comfortably in Thailand without illegal working.

[ericthai]

2 hours ago, carlinternational said:

How many times can you enter Thailand with a 30 days tourist visal on arrival, extend it for 30 days more in immigration flying a weekend outside the country (Vietnam, Malaysia..) and enter again to start a new  process? (30 days visa on arrival + 30 days extension + flying out + come back) 

There is no 30 day tourist visa on arrival, a visa on arrival is 15 days and only for certain countries.  Most western countries will get a 30 day visa exempt (allot of people call this visa on arrival by mistake). If you qualify you can get the 30 visa exempt on entry to Thailand. You can go to immigration and pay 1900B to get this extended by 30 days. Then you can do land board crossing using a visa agent or fly out and back in to start the process over again. 

 

However constant in and out's using visa exempt is not recommended. Thai immigration is getting stricter.  I suggest you get either a SETV or METV in your home country. It's better to have a visa than to rely on visa exempt entries.  

[carlinternational]

What is SETV and METV?

[carlinternational]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

If you want to risk entering visa exempt (especially when you have several previous visa exempt entries) after spending the bulk of, say, the last six months in Thailand, there are ways you can improve your chances

• Carry 20,000 baht equivalent in cash. Make sure this is visible as soon as you are referred to a senior official for questioning.
• Be prepared with credible answers to the question of why you are spending so much time in Thailand. Acceptable are
  • you are in a relationship with a Thai lady, but not yet ready for marriage;
  • you have taken early retirement (being financially secure) and find Thailand a pleasant place to spend the bulk of your time at present; and
  • (slightly riskier, but OK currently) you have an online business conducted outside Thailand, but which can be done anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. You find Thailand provides a good balance of the infrastructure to work, and a good living environment.

Do not suggest you might be working for a Thai employer, with Thai customers, or in any other way helping out a business in Thailand.

• Have bank statements handy that demonstrate your ability to live comfortably in Thailand without illegal working.

 

Here you mean if I DON'T want to risk entering visa exempt? Is that what I should do if they ask me more questions? Bring 20k thb equivalent in cash? I have actually an online business that allows me to stay in Thailand but not sure if that's the best idea to explain to immigration officials because "working online" is also working and we are not allowed to work without working visa..

 

I am ready to explain why I am expending so much time in Thailand but I always travel cash-free and withdraw in the atm on arrival. 

Edited April 8, 2018 by carlinternational

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, carlinternational said:

not sure if that's the best idea to explain to immigration officials because "working online" is also working and we are not allowed to work without working visa..

According to the letter of the law, you are correct that digital nomads would appear to need Non B visas and work permits (which are basically impossible to get). However, at the current time, it is clear that digital nomads are tolerated. Others have been honest about engaging in this activity without problems. That said, I admit it might be slightly risky because of what might happen in future.

 

If entering often visa exempt, you are taking a risk. If you do not carry cash to helpfully show immigration at the first hint of trouble, your risk is greater, and if you hit the wrong immigration official, be prepared to be denied entry under Section 12 (9) of the Thai Immigration Act of 1979.

[overherebc]

6 hours ago, carlinternational said:

What is SETV and METV?

Single Entry Tourist Visa.

Multi Entry Tourist Visa.

[carlinternational]

12 hours ago, BritTim said:

According to the letter of the law, you are correct that digital nomads would appear to need Non B visas and work permits (which are basically impossible to get). However, at the current time, it is clear that digital nomads are tolerated. Others have been honest about engaging in this activity without problems. That said, I admit it might be slightly risky because of what might happen in future.

 

If entering often visa exempt, you are taking a risk. If you do not carry cash to helpfully show immigration at the first hint of trouble, your risk is greater, and if you hit the wrong immigration official, be prepared to be denied entry under Section 12 (9) of the Thai Immigration Act of 1979.

Would it be safer for me to get a 2 month tourist visa every time I get out of Thailand + 30 days extension in immigration instead of 30 days visa exempt + 30 days extension in immigration?

[BritTim]

8 hours ago, carlinternational said:

Would it be safer for me to get a 2 month tourist visa every time I get out of Thailand + 30 days extension in immigration instead of 30 days visa exempt + 30 days extension in immigration?

Yes, much safer. In doing this, look for advice on where to go for the visas. Most consulates apply limits to the number of tourist visas they will issue you, though a new passport resets their counts.

[Moses Htoo]

I have a question about visa extension. I have done one time visa extension before on 26 April and leave the country on 28 May.

But now, I enter with another new visa and want to know whether I can extend it for 30 days with this new entry visa?

 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Moses Htoo said:

I have a question about visa extension. I have done one time visa extension before on 26 April and leave the country on 28 May.

But now, I enter with another new visa and want to know whether I can extend it for 30 days with this new entry visa?

 

Yes you can apply for another 30 day extension of a new visa exempt entry. The only restriction for doing them is that you can only do one extension for each entry.

[Moses Htoo]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes you can apply for another 30 day extension of a new visa exempt entry. The only restriction for doing them is that you can only do one extension for each entry.

Thanks for your information. That's a good news......then i can stay for another 30 days in Chiang Mai ☺️