Need to get more days onto a visa waiver

[uyenlaam]

I have Vietnamese passport and initially with everything I read online + my school's advice, I assumed upon arrival in Thailand, I would be granted visa exemption.

At the airport I was stamped in from 8/8 to 6/9 (29 days). The stamp was in Thai and I couldn't read it well. As this was my first time entering Thailand without a visa, I thought that was the visa exempt.

 

But now after clarifying with the school admin and visa agents, I realize the stamp reads "ผ.ผ.30" (visa waiver), not "ผ.30" (visa exempt). And I've been told visa waivers cannot be extended.

 

I need to stay in Thailand to apply for an ED visa, which could take a month. What can I do here?

 

1. Try to get a covid extension and later convert that to an ED visa. The covid visa scheme is supposed to end on Aug 24. If I apply on that last possible date, it would mean I would be 15 days into my visa waiver.

Will the IO bat an eye on this?

2. (Unfavourable but) Leave Thailand, apply for ED visa in home country then go back in on that visa.

3. Stay the entire length of the visa waiver and do a visa run. I really would like to avoid this option if possible.

Edited August 17, 2022 by uyenlaam

[DrJack54]

OP, you have me confused.

Thinking you were given 30 days visa exempt/visa waiver.

That can be extended by 30 days.

BTW you won't be able to apply for covid extension until you first up apply for standard 30 day extension. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by DrJack54

[FriendlyFarang]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, you have me confused.

Thinking you were given 30 days visa exempt/visa waiver.

That can be extended by 30 days

He is from a country which doesn't qualify for visa exempt, but gets 30 days under a bilateral agreement or similar. These can't be extended by 30 days, the advantage is that they aren't limited to two at land border crossings. For example Laos citizens get those.

 

1. This would be your best option,

3. In my opinion this is better than 2.

I think you have listed all of your options.

Edited August 17, 2022 by FriendlyFarang

[uyenlaam]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, you have me confused.

Thinking you were given 30 days visa exempt/visa waiver.

That can be extended by 30 days

Hey, sorry for the confusion. I was perplexed as well.

I have Vietnamese passport and initially with everything I read online + my school's advice, I assumed upon arrival in Thailand, I would be granted visa exemption.

At the airport I was stamped in from 8/8 to 6/9 (29 days). The stamp was in Thai and I couldn't read it well. As this was my first time entering Thailand without a visa, I thought that was the visa exempt.

 

But now after clarifying with the school admin and visa agents, I realize the stamp reads "ผ.ผ.30" (visa waiver), not "ผ.30" (visa exempt). And I've been told visa waivers cannot be extended. So now my choices are the ones mentioned in the original post, or if you could suggest another way to go about this, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

I've updated my post for clarification.

Edited August 17, 2022 by uyenlaam

[uyenlaam]

8 minutes ago, FriendlyFarang said:

He is from a country which doesn't qualify for visa exempt, but gets 30 days under a bilateral agreement or similar. These can't be extended by 30 days, the advantage is that they aren't limited to two at land border crossings. For example Laos citizens get those.

 

1. This would be your best option,

3. In my opinion this is better than 2.

I think you have listed all of your options.

Thanks a lot for the reply. Yes, I'm from Vietnam and we have a bilateral agreement with Thailand. I should've done more research on this though, now time is a little tight.

I will try to get an agent do my covid extension now. I'm already in contact with Thaivisacentre, but if you have any reccomendation for a reliable agent that would be great help too.

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, uyenlaam said:

At the airport I was stamped in from 8/8 to 6/9 (29 days).

How are you counting the days. The day you enter the country is the first day of the 30 days.

[uyenlaam]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

How are you counting the days. The day you enter the country is the first day of the 30 days.

Hey Joe, that was the result google gave me:

 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, uyenlaam said:

Thanks a lot for the reply. Yes, I'm from Vietnam and we have a bilateral agreement with Thailand. I should've done more research on this though, now time is a little tight.

Vietnam qualifies for a standard visa exempt entry but is also listed on the visa exempt list.

You should be able to apply for a 30 day extension.

See this file and read the remarks about the ** shown on for Vietnam at the bottom page

List of countries for visa exempt and visas on arrival dated October 2021.

 

 

[uyenlaam]

7 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Vietnam qualifies for a standard visa exempt entry but is also listed on the visa exempt list.

You should be able to apply for a 30 day extension.

See this file and read the remarks about the ** shown on for Vietnam at the bottom page

List of countries for visa exempt and visas on arrival dated October 2021. 263.57 kB · 123 downloads

 

 

I have read the announcement.

However my stamp says "ผ.ผ.30" which I understand is a visa waiver, and therefore not eligible for an extension. I've also confirmed this fact with several visa agents. If it works differently, please let me know.

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, uyenlaam said:

Hey Joe, that was the result google gave me:

What was the actual day you entered the country.

As I wrote the day you enter the country is the first day of the 30 days.

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, uyenlaam said:

However my stamp says "ผ.ผ.30" which I understand is a visa waiver, and therefore not eligible for an extension.

If it means visa waiver that is the same as a visa exempt entry. You should to go immigration and ask them about it instead of a agent.

[Lemsta69]

21 minutes ago, uyenlaam said:

Hey Joe, that was the result google gave me:

 

that result is what's known as "incomplete days". you need to add 1 to make it "complete days". I always use MS Excel for the avoidance of doubt.  eg. =Day2-Day1+1

[uyenlaam]

22 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

What was the actual day you entered the country.

As I wrote the day you enter the country is the first day of the 30 days.

 

14 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

that result is what's known as "incomplete days". you need to add 1 to make it "complete days". I always use MS Excel for the avoidance of doubt.  eg. =Day2-Day1+1

My apologies, with this logic it is actually 30 days and not 29.

 

 

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If it means visa waiver that is the same as a visa exempt entry. You should to go immigration and ask them about it instead of a agent.

You know what, I think I will do this before booking a visa service. In Bangkok would that be IT Square Laksi or Chaengwattana?

Anyway thank you for the advice. I will keep everyone updated.

Edited August 17, 2022 by uyenlaam

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, uyenlaam said:

In Bangkok would that be IT Square Laksi or Chaengwattana?

It square at Laksi. See: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/courses/muangthongthani-will_be-closed/

This what that page for visa exemptions shows.

"Short-term Visa Extension for Visa Exemption (ผผ.14, ผ.30)."

[FriendlyFarang]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It square at Laksi. See: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/courses/muangthongthani-will_be-closed/

This what that page for visa exemptions shows.

"Short-term Visa Extension for Visa Exemption (ผผ.14, ผ.30)."

But he has ผผ.30 and thus doesn't qualify for such an extension.

[uyenlaam]

27 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It square at Laksi. See: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/courses/muangthongthani-will_be-closed/

This what that page for visa exemptions shows.

"Short-term Visa Extension for Visa Exemption (ผผ.14, ผ.30)."

 

18 minutes ago, FriendlyFarang said:

But he has ผผ.30 and thus doesn't qualify for such an extension.

In that announcement ผ.ผ.30 was not mentioned, however it was in an older one.

Attached photo is from the older one.

So I think I will just bite it and go to IT Square Laksi tomorrow to clarify.

Edited August 17, 2022 by uyenlaam

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, uyenlaam said:

So I think I will just bite it and go to IT Square Laksi tomorrow to clarify.

I would go with the intention to apply for 30 day extension.

The immigration office is on level 3 and there is photocopy joint left side of entry. 

Have your TM30 from your hotel just in case it's asked for. 

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, FriendlyFarang said:

But he has ผผ.30 and thus doesn't qualify for such an extension.

Not sure exactly what it says . The first one does not look the same as the 2nd one. 

It might be the officers initials. 

[uyenlaam]

Quick update for anyone interested:

 

I didn’t have to find out if it’s possible to extend a visa waiver because the MoE approval letter for my ED visa came back on Thursday, which I will bring to immigration to apply for an ED visa on Monday. This means I will still have 15 days left on my stamp for the visa application process.

 

It was a bit confusing as my school initially said they had spoken to an immigration officer and got back the info that visa waivers could be extended. Yet the next day the school director emailed me saying I would have to leave. All in all the entire experience hasn’t been completely pleasant. 

Edited August 19, 2022 by uyenlaam