DTV visa extension

[JoseThailand]

I went to immigration in Jomtien to ask about a DTV visa extension. From what I can tell, they were not super happy about it. One nasty lady at the information desk outright lied to me that they don't do DTV extensions and I need to exit and reenter. Of course, I didn't buy this BS and went to ask the information desk "boss" (the older lady sitting on the left). After a few shouts between them she told me that I can extend it but need to come within the last month of the current 6 month stamp.

[DrJack54]

And .....

[JoseThailand]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

And .....

 

Just sharing my experience so far and will be happy to learn about others' experiences

[Briggsy]

I have a DTV and I understand that a 180-day extension is feasible and allowable. However, I have no plan to do this as experience tells me that it will be a much harder experience than a border run.

 

I understand there are locations in Thailand that are inconvenient for border runs, Koh Phangan, perhaps, or rural Western Thailand. Also, some foreigners may have mobility issues that make long journeys difficult. So, for them, it is an attractive option.

 

Just because you have a stick and there is a bear, there is no need to poke it.

[Phillip9]

On 12/13/2024 at 5:57 PM, Briggsy said:

I have a DTV and I understand that a 180-day extension is feasible and allowable. However, I have no plan to do this

 

Me too.  For me the best part of the DTV is that you never have to visit immigration and deal with any of their nastyness if you simply leave the country twice per year.

[DrJack54]

Interested to see how the passport renewal is done regarding transfer of stamps and visa information. 

[Maestro]

On 12/13/2024 at 3:40 PM, JoseThailand said:

...she told me that I can extend it but need to come within the last month of the current 6 month stamp.

 

How many months and days had you left of your permission to stay when you asked about the possibility of an extension of stay?

[Seppius]

Don't you have 4 years to worry about this?

[DrJack54]

35 minutes ago, Seppius said:

Don't you have 4 years to worry about this?

No the allows stay of 6 months.

You then either apply for extension or exit and reenter Thailand.

Sounds to good to be true. 

Hopefully no surprises in the future.

 

Thinking folk with DTV will just mini break to somewhere nice (eg Saigon) rather than deal with immigration 

[Seppius]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

No the allows stay of 6 months.

You then either apply for extension or exit and reenter Thailand.

Sounds to good to be true. 

Hopefully no surprises in the future.

 

Thinking folk with DTV will just mini break to somewhere nice (eg Saigon) rather than deal with immigration 

OK I get what you mean, if immigration not doing them, then it's a trip out and back

[NorthernRyland]

8 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

Me too.  For me the best part of the DTV is that you never have to visit immigration and deal with any of their nastyness if you simply leave the country twice per year.

As I understand the department responsible for creating  the DTV visa is not technically the same department as immigration and there has been no public statement on how re-entries are going to work and if they will even allow them. Maybe someone else can clarify this.

 

This is typical in Thailand that two departments will not communicate and coordinate with each other so I would expect surprises once  the first 6 month period arrives.

 

Personally I can't see immigration giving out a 5 year visa so easily, especially since it undercut the elite visa now. None of that makes sense does it? All these retired and married people still have all these steep requirements and annual extensions but they're going to let anyone that can prove a job and 500k baht in their HOME bank get a whole 5 years? I very much doubt this.

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

All these retired and married people still have all these steep requirements and annual extensions but they're going to let anyone that can prove a job and 500k baht in their HOME bank get a whole 5 years? I very much doubt this.

Agree.

What's that saying : "if it sounds to good to be true......." 

I have been suggesting in various threads that anyone currently living in Thailand on extensions based on retirement/marriage to hold on for the time being

[Phillip9]

41 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

As I understand the department responsible for creating  the DTV visa is not technically the same department as immigration and there has been no public statement on how re-entries are going to work and if they will even allow them. Maybe someone else can clarify this.

Immigration is not resposible for issuing any visas outside of Thailand.  The embassys and consulates issue all visas outside of Thailand.  So there is no difference in who issues a DTV, retirement visa, tourist visa, etc.

 

It's a multiple entry visa.    

[Rob Browder]

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

Personally I can't see immigration giving out a 5 year visa so easily, especially since it undercut the elite visa now. None of that makes sense does it? All these retired and married people still have all these steep requirements and annual extensions but they're going to let anyone that can prove a job and 500k baht in their HOME bank get a whole 5 years? I very much doubt this.

No, immigration would not, because their policies / treatment of us makes clear they don't care about the Thais our spending employs. 

 

But, the MFA, who issue "Visas" at Thai Consulates, does seem to care, hence creating this visa, to help all those with money to spend, who have been "locked out" of a way to stay in Thailand longer-term without being hassled and/or extorted via agents to stay here.

 

I would expect immigration to hassle DTV re-entrants at some point - with an agent-workaround, of course - as-is at Bangkok airports now for "come too much" visa-exempt entrants.  If that doesn't happen, be pleasantly surprised.

 

If over 50, retirement-extensions are simply too easy to bother with the DTV.  But for younger folks, much better than the alternatives - including the annual nightmare of a "married to a Thai" extension, where if your Thai wife doesn't leave in tears, it was a "very good year."

[mikebike]

4 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

No, immigration would not, because their policies / treatment of us makes clear they don't care about the Thais our spending employs.

Yeah, that 0.01% expats contribute the the Thai GDP is SO important to the economy 🤣🤣🤣