Why Me Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 If a US citizen comes in on a 30-day visa exempt how soon can he apply for a 30 day extension to make it 60 days total? Reason is he might have a bit of downtime right after arriving before a hectic travel schedule kicks off. So could he ideally say arrive Mon., go to CW Wed. and get an extension and be all set? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 Even CW would not do the 30 day extension that early. Most offices will not do one until the last week or so of the 30 day entry. There are immigration offices in almost all of the provinces now where he can apply for the extension. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Why Me Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 Thanks, UJ. So that's sort of the (unwritten) rule then: 1 week before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Why Me Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 UJ, got a follow up if you don't mind: Say someone comes in on a 30-day visa exempt and applies for a non-O based on retirement soon after. If the non-O processing goes on for up to 5 weeks (agent says 3-5 weeks) which takes it past the visa-exempt 30 day mark what happens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJack54 Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 11 minutes ago, Why Me said: UJ, got a follow up if you don't mind: Say someone comes in on a 30-day visa exempt and applies for a non-O based on retirement soon after. If the non-O processing goes on for up to 5 weeks (agent says 3-5 weeks) which takes it past the visa-exempt 30 day mark what happens? You would apply for 30 day extension to your current visa exempt 30 days 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJack54 Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 OP, if the non o was your plan you may have been better off with setv. Up to you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Why Me Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said: You would apply for 30 day extension to your current visa exempt 30 days Dumb point I know but the passport would be with the agent processing the non-O, right? So how to get the visa-exempt extension 30+30 at the same time as the non-O process? I know I am probably being stupid and the agent probably takes cares of the whole deal. But still it did strike me and the horror stories of 5 day overstays being picked up by IO worry me. Dr. Jack54, just saw your mail about setv. I just checked with a TA in the country from where I'll be reentering Thailand. He says US citizens are expected to go in visa exempt and can't promise I'll get a setv there. And I do not want to go back to the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 24 minutes ago, Why Me said: Say someone comes in on a 30-day visa exempt and applies for a non-O based on retirement soon after. If the non-O processing goes on for up to 5 weeks (agent says 3-5 weeks) which takes it past the visa-exempt 30 day mark what happens? It only takes a couple of weeks to get approval of a non immigrant visa application. The 15 days remaining on a entry to do the application is for the expected time for the application to be approved and the 90 day stamp being done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Why Me Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said: The 15 days remaining on a entry to do the application is for the expected time for the application to be approved and the 90 day stamp being done. Jeez, that makes total sense now. You're a freakin' genius. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max69xl Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 16 hours ago, ubonjoe said: It only takes a couple of weeks to get approval of a non immigrant visa application. The 15 days remaining on a entry to do the application is for the expected time for the application to be approved and the 90 day stamp being done. At Jomtien Immigration your conversion is approved almost instantly and you can pick up your passport next day after 2pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 21 minutes ago, Max69xl said: At Jomtien Immigration your conversion is approved almost instantly and you can pick up your passport next day after 2pm. Not any more. The application has to be sent to Division 3 in Bangkok for approval now (at least 2 years now). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max69xl Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said: Not any more. The application has to be sent to Division 3 in Bangkok for approval now (at least 2 years now). Well, in 2018 you picked up the passport next day. Of that I'm sure because a close friend of mine did it. Now it's January 11 2020, so hardly "at least 2 years now". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 7 minutes ago, Max69xl said: Well, in 2018 you picked up the passport next day. Of that I'm sure because a close friend of mine did it. Now it's January 11 2020, so hardly "at least 2 years now". It doesn't really matter when they started doing it. It is certainly not a next day pickup now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeman01 Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 Am I wrong in assuming extension of stay is a simple procedure that could be performed anytime with close to zero chance of being denied ? The only requirements being 1900 thb and address of stay reported to the immigtration by your hotel (tm30), did I miss anything ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyskamm Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 I applied for a 30 day extension of my SETV 3 weeks before expiry. This was in Phangnga. They are friendly and work very efficiently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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