Visa Extension

[mwenzel]

Hello! I have a tourist visa good for 60 days and two entries. I called the Immigration office in Bangkok and was told that I could get my visa extended at the Immigration office for 10 days, and if I wanted to get the 30 day extension I need to cross the boarder. So, when I do cross the boarder, how much longer will my visa be extended- 30 days, or 60 days?

I live in Lopburi. Where is the best place to cross the boarder from here?

Any help is appreciated!!!!!!

P.S.- Is this true what the Immigration Office told me? I thought that if I filled out an application, I could get my tourist visa extended for 30 days from there, with no need to cross the boarder. Who knows the real deal? THANK YOU!

[lopburi3]

You had a communications problem with immigration. They gave you the information for a 30 day entry without visa.

For your tourist visa you can extend it 30 days by paying 1,900 baht and filling out a form TM.7 with photo at immigration (at Bangkok or two each elsewhere).

[thaiflyer1]

Just to add to Lopburi's reply if you cross the border when your 30 day extension is due to expire (ie day 29 of extension) and then re-enter Thailand immediately you will be given a further 60 days which can be extended by 30 days for a further 1900 baht towards the end of the 60 day period. Providing you do have a double entry visa of course!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

A language difficulty for certain. Go on in to Immigration. The first 30 day extension will be yours.

[mwenzel]

Thank you all for your help! One thing that I am still a little confused about........ If at the end of my initial 60 days, I cross the boarder, will I be given 30 more days or 60 more days? If I was given 60 more days, I see no point in making the journey to Bangkok to only extend 30 days. Who knows? THANK YOU!

[astral]

You will get 60 days when you cross the border and that in turn can still be extended for another 30 days, at a cost of 1900baht.

[thaiflyer1]

One more point......you can extend your initial 60 days that you get on arrival in Thailand by 30 days at any immigration office i.e Pattaya or wherever you are based so a trip to Bangkok wont be neccessary. Guess it just depends on how long your stay will be......up to 90 days pay the 1900baht and extend .......between 90 and 120 days go out the country and back in (ie 2 lots of 60 days).......between 120 days and 180 days you/ll need to extend twice at the 60 day point and 150 day point at local immigration and do 1 visa run out the country after 90 days......hope this makes sense

[harpman88]

Hi all...While we're on this subject,a friend of mine wishes to get a 3 entry tourist visa,(no problem in U.S.) and then extend for 30 days each entry,of course leaving before the end of each 90 day period to activate the next visa,giving him a total of 9 months stay. I see no problem in this,but my personal concerns center around the OA

retirement visa, so this isnt really anything Ive researched. He also wishes to return to the States after the 9 months is up,stay for 3 months or so and then start the process all over again. Could he conceivably do this indefinitely? What say all?? His financial situation wouldn't be an issue,by the way.

[huski]

Hi all...While we're on this subject,a friend of mine wishes to get a 3 entry tourist visa,(no problem in U.S.) and then extend for 30 days each entry,of course leaving before the end of each 90 day period to activate the next visa,giving him a total of 9 months stay. I see no problem in this,but my personal concerns center around the OA

retirement visa, so this isnt really anything Ive researched. He also wishes to return to the States after the 9 months is up,stay for 3 months or so and then start the process all over again. Could he conceivably do this indefinitely? What say all?? His financial situation wouldn't be an issue,by the way.

since you say funds aren't an issue, and you said he will be staying here that long, i would recommend he get the one year OA retirement...and the visa and entry stamp expiration date should be the same . this would avoid the need for any visa run in 90 days or extensions. and, he can get a bank account or driver's license also.

[mwenzel]

Thank you for your help! I have decided to skip the immigration office trip to Bangkok, and go straight for the boarder! I need advice on where to cross the boarder. I know for certain that I can cross the boarder at Mae Sai in the north with no problem, but as I live in Lopburi, it is very far away. What are my options for the Thailand-Laos boarder in the East? My friend mentioned that I may need to get a Laos visa to go into Laos and it may turn out to be more trouble than it's worth. Do I need a Laos visa to cross over the boarder? Also, my friend said I could cross at Nong Kai Provience or Sah Gaew Provience into Laos. Would either of these places work? I want to be certain that where ever I go I can actually get this done, and I'm not turned away! Thank you for all of your help!!!!

[lopburi3]

Thank you for your help! I have decided to skip the immigration office trip to Bangkok, and go straight for the boarder! I need advice on where to cross the boarder. I know for certain that I can cross the boarder at Mae Sai in the north with no problem, but as I live in Lopburi, it is very far away. What are my options for the Thailand-Laos boarder in the East? My friend mentioned that I may need to get a Laos visa to go into Laos and it may turn out to be more trouble than it's worth. Do I need a Laos visa to cross over the boarder? Also, my friend said I could cross at Nong Kai Provience or Sah Gaew Provience into Laos. Would either of these places work? I want to be certain that where ever I go I can actually get this done, and I'm not turned away! Thank you for all of your help!!!!

You are clear now that if you do this you will enter on your second tourist visa entry and receive 60 more days which you can then extend 30 days? You are forfeiting the 30 day extension of your first stay.

Nong Khai would be a sure bet and you can obtain your Lao visa at the border. Another option would be one of the all inclusive border runs run by bus between Bangkok and Cambodia as you are not that far north. They leave early in morning so you might have to overnight here. They advertise in Bangkok Post.

[harpman88]

Huski,thanx for your reply. However, I neglected to mention that my buddy is only 45 years old and doesnt qualify for the OA,Sorry about that.

He's also wondering then if there is any other consulate closer to Thailand that would be able to issue 3 entry tourist visas on a regular basis.(keeping in mind that he's a U.S.citizen) If so this would ,of course, save time,money,etc. If not, he would still be willing to recon to the West Coast,(probably the Portland

OR consulate) if this ends up being his best/only alternative. I myself am still curious as to whether this could be done on an ongoing basis...

Best to all,the Harpman.