Visa on Arrival extension

[rick88]

Hi,

 

I have some friends coming to Thailand with an Indian passport who will get the 15-day visa on arrival.

They are coming for medical treatment, which may (not sure yet) take a couple extra days than those granted by VoA.

I told them to apply for a tourist visa in advance but it was too late already.

 

Now I read contradicting information on extending a VoA. Some say it's just not possible, while others say you can get a 7-day extension at CW (which may actually be a denied extension with 7 days to leave the country?). Just wondering if anyone has actual information on this and how it works.

I specified about the medical treatment because the hospital could provide a letter about the treatment and the need for a longer stay in Thailand, if it makes it easier.

 

Thanks

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, rick88 said:

Some say it's just not possible, while others say you can get a 7-day extension at CW (which may actually be a denied extension with 7 days to leave the country?). Just wondering if anyone has actual information on this and how it works

It is possible and you are correct it's not an extension it's a denied application and given 7 days to exit Thailand 

[BritTim]

No extension of a visa on arrival is allowed. If you apply for an extension, you are instead given seven days to leave the country (and really must comply).

[DrJack54]

OP, I did little research and one site suggests that you can do border run and obtain another VOA.

I always thought this was possible.

 

I was under impression that VOA had to be via air entry

[OJAS]

5 hours ago, rick88 said:

I specified about the medical treatment because the hospital could provide a letter about the treatment and the need for a longer stay in Thailand, if it makes it easier.

Medical extensions of up to 90 days are possible under para 2.25 of Immigration Bureau Orders 327/2557 and 138/2557, English translations of which can be downloaded by clicking on the relevant links at 12 and 16 (not the Siam Translation ones, though!) of the "Laws, regulations, Police Orders, etc" pinned thread (linked below for ease of reference):-

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/981135-laws-regulations-police-orders-etc

 

Your friends will therefore need to establish, as a matter of extreme urgency, with their Thai hospital whether a stay of more than 15 days will be needed in their case; and, if so, what assistance the hospital can provide in obtaining the necessary medical extensions from the local immigration office on their behalf.

 

 

 

 

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, I did little research and one site suggests that you can do border run and obtain another VOA.

I always thought this was possible.

 

I was under impression that VOA had to be via air entry

Some major land crossings and seaports also have visa on arrival desks. I do not know how amenable they generally are to those doing same day visa runs. A full list of the checkpoints with visa on arrival facilities is available at https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/visa-on-arrival. (This is from an embassy website, so be aware that any information is unreliable and should be checked.)

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, OJAS said:

Medical extensions of up to 90 days are possible under para 2.25 of Immigration Bureau Orders 327/2557 and 138/2557, English translations of which can be downloaded by clicking on the relevant links at 12 and 16 (not the Siam Translation ones, though!) of the "Laws, regulations, Police Orders, etc" pinned thread (linked below for ease of reference):-

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/981135-laws-regulations-police-orders-etc

 

Your friends will therefore need to establish, as a matter of extreme urgency, with their Thai hospital whether a stay of more than 15 days will be needed in their case; and, if so, what assistance the hospital can provide in obtaining the necessary medical extensions from the local immigration office on their behalf.

It might be possible to arrange medical extensions if entering with a tourist visa. If entering with a visa on arrival, extensions are only provided under the most exceptional circumstances (basically in the hospital, completely unable to travel).

[travelerjim]

6 hours ago, OJAS said:

Medical extensions of up to 90 days are possible under para 2.25 of Immigration Bureau Orders 327/2557 and 138/2557, English translations of which can be downloaded by clicking on the relevant links at 12 and 16 (not the Siam Translation ones, though!) of the "Laws, regulations, Police Orders, etc" pinned thread (linked below for ease of reference):-

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/981135-laws-regulations-police-orders-etc

 

Your friends will therefore need to establish, as a matter of extreme urgency, with their Thai hospital whether a stay of more than 15 days will be needed in their case; and, if so, what assistance the hospital can provide in obtaining the necessary medical extensions from the local immigration office on their behalf.

 

 

 

 

AND while you are correct , the medical tourist visa MUST be obtained from your home country Thai Embassy or Consulate.