Extension of stay without a visa

[craighj]

Hi there

 

I'm sure this question has been asked a thousand times before and I have searched it without any luck.  So it would appreciated if I could get help with the answer please.

 

My sister is visting late November and wants to stay around 6 weeks.  She is Australian and gets the first 30 days visa free.  What will she need to do to stay another 2 weeks?  Will a simple visit to immigration and a bunch of forms be enough?

 

Thanks Craighj

[Red Phoenix]

Yes, she can visit any Imm Office and apply for a 30-day extension.  It costs 1.900,- THB and is provided on the spot and the 30 extra days will be added to her Permission to stay expiry date (so no need to wait till last days to do it).

She would however need to bring a copy of the TM-30 notification that the Hotel/Guesthouse where she is staying has to make stating that a foreigner is residing at their premises.  And that Hotel/Guesthouse needs to be in the same province as the Imm Office where she would be applying.

[Phillip9]

57 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

She would however need to bring a copy of the TM-30 notification that the Hotel/Guesthouse where she is staying has to make stating that a foreigner is residing at their premises.  And that Hotel/Guesthouse needs to be in the same province as the Imm Office where she would be applying.

 

I think whether or not she will need a copy of the TM30 depends of the Immigration office she extends at.  I've never been asked for it in the 10+ times I've extended a visa exempt entry.

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

 

I think whether or not she will need a copy of the TM30 depends of the Immigration office she extends at.  I've never been asked for it in the 10+ times I've extended a visa exempt entry.

The majority of immigration offices require a TM30 for 30 day extension to visa exempt and tourist visa.

Which immigration office did you not require a TM30 for "10+ times"

[Phillip9]

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Which immigration office did you not require a TM30 for "10+ times"

Phuket

[stix40]

Latest TM30 will definitely be asked for .

[Brock]

If you need a TM30, the form is here. It can be filled in on a PC, saved and printed. Also here is an extension request form  . with explanaion on how to fill in. print single sided..

 

TM30-Fill in and Guide.pdf TM 7 fill in with guide.pdf

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, Brock said:

Also here is an extension request form  . with explanation on how to fill in. print single sided..

That's a handy link for the TM47 

Also clear advice.

Hadn't seen it previously. 

 

The form should be printed double sided

[Jumbo1968]

What happens if he/she is staying at a friends house not a hotel or guest house, should the house owner have done a TM 30 ?

[likerdup1]

15 hours ago, Red Phoenix said:

Yes, she can visit any Imm Office and apply for a 30-day extension.  It costs 1.900,- THB and is provided on the spot and the 30 extra days will be added to her Permission to stay expiry date (so no need to wait till last days to do it).

She would however need to bring a copy of the TM-30 notification that the Hotel/Guesthouse where she is staying has to make stating that a foreigner is residing at their premises.  And that Hotel/Guesthouse needs to be in the same province as the Imm Office where she would be applying.

I had thought two weeks extension was the limit for visa on arrival? Has this changed recently? I'm certain I've read a 30 day extension is allowed on a 60 day STV but 30 days for visa on arrival? 

[Red Phoenix]

6 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

I had thought two weeks extension was the limit for visa on arrival? Has this changed recently? I'm certain I've read a 30 day extension is allowed on a 60 day STV but 30 days for visa on arrival? 

The OP's sister is Australian, and like the large majority of Western nationalities she is thus eligible to enter Thailand VisaExempt (without a Visa) which will provide her with a 30-day Permission to stay. 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Red Phoenix

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, likerdup1 said:

I had thought two weeks extension was the limit for visa on arrival? Has this changed recently? I'm certain I've read a 30 day extension is allowed on a 60 day STV but 30 days for visa on arrival? 

Entry with a tourist visa: 60-day permission to stay, 30-day extension possible.

Entry visa exempt (without a visa): 30-day permission to stay, 30-day extension possible.

Entry with a visa on arrival: 15-day permission to stay, no extension possible.

[likerdup1]

38 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Entry with a tourist visa: 60-day permission to stay, 30-day extension possible.

Entry visa exempt (without a visa): 30-day permission to stay, 30-day extension possible.

Entry with a visa on arrival: 15-day permission to stay, no extension possible.

OK, this is news to me. I hadn't realized as a US citizen I was getting 30 days permission to stay as visa exempt on arriving in Thailand with no pre-arranged visa. I had always thought that was VISA on arrival. So, that begs the question.. who's being given Visa's on arrival and getting permission to stay for 15 days? Strange.

[Jumbo1968]

2 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

OK, this is news to me. I hadn't realized as a US citizen I was getting 30 days permission to stay as visa exempt on arriving in Thailand with no pre-arranged visa. I had always thought that was VISA on arrival. So, that begs the question.. who's being given Visa's on arrival and getting permission to stay for 15 days? Strange.

The Chinese do visa on arrival.

[Lemsta69]

2 hours ago, likerdup1 said:

who's being given Visa's on arrival and getting permission to stay for 15 days? Strange.

Here is the list of countries that are eligible for VOA, from the MFA:

 

 

VOA.pdf

Edited September 6, 2023 by Lemsta69

[GypsyT]

Aussies can "just walk" in ???? and stay 30 days. No paperwork.

 

- 30 day extension can be trip to Hell if at Jomtien.

Quick visit to neighboring country and return visa free for 30 days is option many use, like me.

 

 

[craighj]

Much appreciated to all of you and thanks for those forms, awesome.

 

Thank you!!!

[Pattaya57]

1 hour ago, GypsyT said:

Aussies can "just walk" in ???? and stay 30 days. No paperwork.

 

- 30 day extension can be trip to Hell if at Jomtien.

Quick visit to neighboring country and return visa free for 30 days is option many use, like me.

30 day extension at Jomtien as an Aussie is easy as. Been doing it 3 times a year for last 8 years (except Aussie covid ban) and never had a problem. Even better now they've built the new air-con building in the car park

[MangoKorat]

OP, don't forget - entering on a 30 day exempt, the airline will almost certainly want to see that she has an outbound ticket within that 30 day period.  You can't just say "oh I know the outbound flight is in 6 weeks time, I intend getting an extension".  They won't allow that - the reason being is that the 30 day extension, although I've never know one be refused, is not guaranteed.

 

You'll probably have to book a throw-away for her.

Edited September 6, 2023 by MangoKorat

[MangoKorat]

No idea who added the confused emoji to my post or the reason for the confusion but I'll try to explain for you Mr Confused Person.

 

When entering Thailand on a visa exempt you are required to have a flight ticket out of the country on a date that is before your 30 days are up.  Airlines know this and usually check, - if they don't they can be fined and/or have to pay the cost of a ticket out when immigration discover the entrant doesn't have a ticket.

 

If this lady has a return ticket with a date that is beyond the original 30 day exempt entry because she intends staying longer or doesn't have a ticket out at all, the airline is extremely likely to deny boarding.

 

To avoid this, many people book a return ticket with and outbound date corresponding with their intended date (beyond 30 days) and then book the cheapest one way flight out of Thailand that they can find that shows them leaving before their 30 days are up. The airline will accept that although there is a possibility of questioning at the immigration counter - easy to deal with.  They may be lucky and be able to cancel that ticket and obtain a refund - as they have no intention of using it but usually these tickets are lost - hence 'throwaway'.

 

I've never seen one but apparently there are companies that allow you to 'rent' such a ticket for a fee.

 

Just to explain my meaning of 'easy to deal with' above.

 

I.O. "You are allowed to stay for 30 days but your return ticket is for 60 days time"

Traveller. "Yes, I am travelling to Cambodia in 28 days time (throwaway ticket), this is my ticket to Cambodia.  I will stay there for 2 weeks and then return to Thailand for a further 2 weeks."

Edited September 6, 2023 by MangoKorat

[BritTim]

9 hours ago, likerdup1 said:

OK, this is news to me. I hadn't realized as a US citizen I was getting 30 days permission to stay as visa exempt on arriving in Thailand with no pre-arranged visa. I had always thought that was VISA on arrival. So, that begs the question.. who's being given Visa's on arrival and getting permission to stay for 15 days? Strange.

Some nationalities are not allowed to enter free of charge with no visa (tourist visa exemption) but are allowed to apply for a visa at a special desk at the airport on payment of 2,000 baht. That is when the term "visa on arrival" is accurate, though the visa exemption is often erroneously misnamed a visa on arrival.

[Sheryl]

12 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

What happens if he/she is staying at a friends house not a hotel or guest house, should the house owner have done a TM 30 ?

Yes.

 

(House owner or "house master" which could be other than owner).

[DrJack54]

5 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

I've never seen one but apparently there are companies that allow you to 'rent' such a ticket for a fee.

"onwardticket.com" 

Works fine approx $12usd.

 

[likerdup1]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

"onwardticket.com" 

Works fine approx $12usd.

 

Another thing that appears to work just fine is buying a ticket and then canceling (using the 24 hour free cancellation grace period, this is at least done in the USA). Buy the ticket, print the Itinerary and then cancel. I doubt very much if any of the airlines bother to look up the booking. Just don't book a return ticket with the same airline. Several ticketing agencies in the USA allow 24 hour risk free cancellation.

Edited September 7, 2023 by likerdup1

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

. Several ticketing agencies in the USA allow 24 hour risk free cancellation

The sister is flying from Oz.

The low cost airlines such as Jetstar, AirAsia etc do not have free cancellation. 

[Pattaya57]

To OP, to save all the hassle of TM30 and TM7 30 day extension while your sister is on holiday, she could just get a 60 day tourist visa from Thai Consulate in Sydney. It costs $60 (1350 baht) and is valid for entry within 3 months so can apply now (mine took 5 business days + 1 day express post each way).

 

This is actually cheaper than the 1900 Baht extension and she doesn't need to worry about all this onward flight stuff quoted above

 

https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa-single-entry

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Pattaya57

[MangoKorat]

13 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

To OP, to save all the hassle of TM30 and TM7 30 day extension while your sister is on holiday, she could just get a 60 day tourist visa from Thai Consulate in Sydney. It costs $60 (1350 baht) and is valid for entry within 3 months so can apply now (mine took 5 business days + 1 day express post each way).

 

This is actually cheaper than the 1900 Baht extension and she doesn't need to worry about all this onward flight stuff quoted above

 

https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa-single-entry

 

Yes, I'd go along with that.

[likerdup1]

On 9/7/2023 at 12:44 AM, Pattaya57 said:

To OP, to save all the hassle of TM30 and TM7 30 day extension while your sister is on holiday, she could just get a 60 day tourist visa from Thai Consulate in Sydney. It costs $60 (1350 baht) and is valid for entry within 3 months so can apply now (mine took 5 business days + 1 day express post each way).

 

This is actually cheaper than the 1900 Baht extension and she doesn't need to worry about all this onward flight stuff quoted above

 

https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa-single-entry

 

When you say that "she doesn't need to worry about all this onward flight stuff" are you sure the airlines will let her fly on a one way ticket only showing the tourist visa? Would the airlines also want to see an onward ticket?  (because the airlines are left responsible to fly a person back if not allowed entry into the Kingdom)

[BritTim]

5 minutes ago, likerdup1 said:

When you say that "she doesn't need to worry about all this onward flight stuff" are you sure the airlines will let her fly on a one way ticket only showing the tourist visa? Would the airlines also want to see an onward ticket?  (because the airlines are left responsible to fly a person back if not allowed entry into the Kingdom)

I cannot guarantee what every single airline might decide, but almost all will follow IATA guidelines. These state that someone travelling to Thailand only requires an onward ticket if planning to enter without a visa/re-entry permit.

[Red Phoenix]

7 hours ago, likerdup1 said:

When you say that "she doesn't need to worry about all this onward flight stuff" are you sure the airlines will let her fly on a one way ticket only showing the tourist visa? Would the airlines also want to see an onward ticket?  (because the airlines are left responsible to fly a person back if not allowed entry into the Kingdom)

When entering Thailand with a new Visa or with a Re-Entry Permit protecting the Permission to stay from such Visa, there is NO need for an onward-flight, 

Such onward-flight is only required when you enter VisaExempt with a one-way flight or with a return-flight where the return date is later than the 30-day Permission to stay you would be stamped in by border-Immigration. 

Note that in such case Thai border-immigration can ask you to show such onward-flight reservation.  Most often they do not as they know that the airline with which you entered would normally have refused you boarding without such onward-flight reservation, as they could be forced to fly you back when you did not meet that requirement.