Hi,

Considering the angst that so many of us have every year on our pilgrimage to the Royal Thai Immigration Department for the annual extension of permission to stay, does anyone know how often applications for extensions are turned down and the grounds for the denials? What even happens in that case, do people really have to skedaddle within seven days?

I imagine no one has concrete numbers, but I thought it might be worth the ask.

I don't have a Plan B for the situation where the IO denies my application - anyone have good ideas?

Edited June 21Jun 21 by StillHereToStay

If you qualify, apply for the LTR, then you have 5 x 2 years and only see an IO once in five years. I don't see any changes in the one year permission to stay based on Retirement being changed, as long as you have paid your taxes, have not enlisted the help of an agent’s scheme to acquire property, or start a business - you should have no problem.

You either meet the requirements or you don't.

By way of example for my last extension, I caught break.

My funds in bank dipped below the required by 2k for two days.

Immigration let it slide.

If not my option would have been to exit Thailand and start over.

Either bounce for visa exempt and obtain Non O at local immigration.

Or obtain Non O eVisa.

Don't understand your thread. As stated the requirements are clear and unambiguous. You either satisfy them or you dont

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

You either meet the requirements or you don't.

By way of example for my last extension, I caught break.

My funds in bank dipped below the required by 2k for two days.

Immigration let it slide.

If not my option would have been to exit Thailand and start over.

Either bounce for visa exempt and obtain Non O at local immigration.

Or obtain Non O eVisa.

Don't understand your thread. As stated the requirements are clear and unambiguous. You either satisfy them or you dont

"You either satisfy them or you don't," I just worry (my nature) that the requirements might change or that unknown/unenforced requirements might become known/enforced. Remember a few years ago they wanted TM30s all of a sudden? What if a person refused to pay or couldn't pay the 2,000 baht penalty for the missing TM30, for example?

And if you can "exit Thailand and start over," as you mentioned, does that mean that a denied application for extension does not lead to any kind of blacklist?

Sorry if my thread is unclear.

3 minutes ago, StillHereToStay said:

What if a person refused to pay or couldn't pay the 2,000 baht penalty for the missing TM30, for example?

If someone can't cover unforseen expenses they shouldn't be living in Thailand.

4 minutes ago, StillHereToStay said:

And if you can "exit Thailand and start over," as you mentioned, does that mean that a denied application for extension does not lead to any kind of blacklist?

In my example of last year messing up money in bank the io would have just handed my paperwork back.

No stamp in pp (technical could)

It's not a big deal.

1 hour ago, StillHereToStay said:

Considering the angst that so many of us have every year on our pilgrimage to the Royal Thai Immigration Department for the annual extension of permission to stay

I don't think many people have that angst, in fact I don't know any among my expat friends in real life. Getting those extensions year after year is just a mildly annoying nuisance, a bureaucratic necessity that needs to be dealt with for an otherwise pretty relaxed life in Thailand.

On this forum and elsewhere online, on the other hand, there are a few prolific posters who indulge in nonsensical scare mongering.

Sure, things can and do go wrong sometimes, but it can all be fixed.

4 hours ago, Caldera said:

I don't think many people have that angst, in fact I don't know any among my expat friends in real life. Getting those extensions year after year is just a mildly annoying nuisance, a bureaucratic necessity that needs to be dealt with for an otherwise pretty relaxed life in Thailand.

On this forum and elsewhere online, on the other hand, there are a few prolific posters who indulge in nonsensical scare mongering.

Sure, things can and do go wrong sometimes, but it can all be fixed.

Agree 100%.

It's not rocket science, you KNOW if you think the boxes - if you don't you use an agent.

If Immigration do pull a ra bit out of the hat I will follow in @DrJack54 shoes.

No blaclust, normally a 7 day stamp to give you time to pack.

6 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

No blaclust, normally a 7 day stamp to give you time to pack.

Just posting for others. Bit off topic.

Folk can apply for extension knowing that application will be rejected.

Option for short overstay.

Application would be rejected and given 7 days to get out of Dodge.

Most people don't apply for their extension on the last day of their current permission to stay. If you are bounced back due to missing something, you leave and get that thing, and then try again. They don't deny you with a big stamp in your passport. They just refuse to accept your incomplete application. Most of the time you don't even make it past the document checker. There is nothing in your record and the immigration officers don't care.

If for some reason it's something that you can't fix (for example a financial issue) that you can't fix, you either go to an agent and fix it with money, or you leave and return to start again.

The 7-day thing only comes into play if you force the issue, and demand they accept your application. You will pay the 1900 baht for the extension, and they will give you an "extension denied, 7 days to leave Thailand" stamp. This stamp starts the day of your application, so in most cases you would probably get LESS time if you tried to do this, since most people would be applying with more than 7 days left on their stay. They won't just accept your application and money and give you a 7 day rejection stamp without telling you anything and it being a surprise.

So the worst case scenario is you go see an agent, or pop out and back. Hardly the end of the world, and hardly anything to stress about. For 99% of people, they just leave and get what is missing and then return to complete the extension.

Thanks for all the encouraging posts, everyone. I guess I'm worrying needlessly. Other than the TM30 surprise a few years back, I've never had a problem at CW with the annual extension application.

Moderators: you're welcome to close this thread at this point.

15 minutes ago, StillHereToStay said:

Other than the TM30 surprise a few years back, I've never had a problem at CW with the annual extension application.

Thinking you are dealing with pretty consistent immigration office in CW.

Previously I never supplied a TM30 and was questioned one time.

I have annual lease.

I now provide a TM30.

Also previously I only provided bank book + photocopies of pages however it was suggested that 12 month bank statement is better option.

In my case there was two months with no activity as I use dedicated bank account.

There is always change you will be sent away to obtain this or that.

At CW you can apply up to 45 days early.

I have made very good relations with the lead immigration officer. I'm sure if something was wrong or missing on my application for a one-year extension, she would allow me to correct it. And I file for the extension about a week before it's due, so I have a chance to correct any errors or adjust my application in case the rules have changed over the past year.

23 hours ago, Caldera said:

I don't think many people have that angst, in fact I don't know any among my expat friends in real life. Getting those extensions year after year is just a mildly annoying nuisance, a bureaucratic necessity that needs to be dealt with for an otherwise pretty relaxed life in Thailand.

On this forum and elsewhere online, on the other hand, there are a few prolific posters who indulge in nonsensical scare mongering.

Sure, things can and do go wrong sometimes, but it can all be fixed.

Everyone i know here dreads the annual visit to the Immigration Department for the annual extension of permission to stay, in case they are denied, given the runaround or a hard time. For the wife and I it's the day of the year we dread coming around (and we've been doing renewals for decades). So much comes down to the attitude that day of the imm officer whether it's an OK experience or a difficult experience.

Edited June 22Jun 22 by Bredbury Blue

I first did not know, that Bangkok Bank now requires funds to be on the bank for 4 months as opposed to the official requirement of 2 months. I could save it by getting a 60 day extension. - So that's two visits.

Then I came again, but this time my rental contract was not fine and the supporting documents of it were too blurry and the lease just lasted another 6 weeks, which also seems to be not ok now. Fun fact: It was a 2 year contract and one year ago the blurriness of the documents was not an issue. - Third visit.

Now I got a new contract plus non blurry documents and hoping for the best on my fourth visit.

I'm married almost 10 years and had many extensions with no issues until this happened.

Here my thread with the details:
https://aseannow.com/topic/1397138-annual-marriage-extension-at-cw-rentaldocument-issues-pickier/

23 minutes ago, frimu said:

I first did not know, that Bangkok Bank now requires funds to be on the bank for 4 months as opposed to the official requirement of 2 months

That is a rogue bank requiring something unrelated to immigration. No other bank has pulled this prank.

Also the account would have been frozen to obtain the Bank Letter for immigration.

You could have just accepted that.

26 minutes ago, frimu said:

Then I came again, but this time my rental contract was not fine and the supporting documents of it were too blurry and the lease just lasted another 6 weeks, which also seems to be not ok now.

Just one month prior to next extension (CW) I will change address.

(first time in 14 years)

I will provide TM30 plus 12 month lease. (not blurry)

Extensions are easy if you prepare.

I've always sailed through my own extension applications, originally based on retirement, then later Thai spouse.

Other than the odd new form thrown at us to complete, the process is hassle free if you have your ducks in a row.

Last week I submitted my extension application as usual, and other than another new form to complete, The 30 day under consideration was stamped in my Passport.
But the following morning my wife received a call from Immigration who had just noticed her ID card expired in 4 days.
Even my wife hadn't noticed, so she skedaddled down to the Amphoe the following morning to renew her ID card, then back to Immigration with 2 new signed copies.

All's well that ends well, but it was an oversight even I didn't notice when preparing the application.

8 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

All's well that ends well, but it was an oversight even I didn't notice when preparing the application.

Fact is that pointed out often...

Never leave extension till last few days.

With a month to apply early folk can attend to any extra "request"

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Fact is that pointed out often...

Never leave extension till last few days.

With a month to apply early folk can attend to any extra "request"

My application was 30 days in advance of the due date.

The concern by the IO was by the time my application reached KK for approval, her ID would have then expired.

If you have real anxiety about it, make a plan and execute it. Put aside as much as you can every month instead of spending your entire budget. By next year you should be in a much better position and have a lot less to worry about.

On 6/22/2026 at 4:10 PM, Bredbury Blue said:

Everyone i know here dreads the annual visit to the Immigration Department for the annual extension of permission to stay, in case they are denied, given the runaround or a hard time. For the wife and I it's the day of the year we dread coming around (and we've been doing renewals for decades). So much comes down to the attitude that day of the imm officer whether it's an OK experience or a difficult experience.

If your extension is based on marriage, can't you get a 60 day extension? I did years ago when I messed up my application and was told it wouldn't be accepted. Maybe that is no longer an option.

I switched to a retirement visa for the reason you listed above.

Edited June 23Jun 23 by atpeace

On 6/21/2026 at 9:27 PM, BrandonJT said:

Most people don't apply for their extension on the last day of their current permission to stay. If you are bounced back due to missing something, you leave and get that thing, and then try again.

Which is why I always get started 3 weeks before it expires.

Reading some reports here again... allow me a little rant... I'll never understand why anyone who's old enough for a retirement extension gets a marriage extension instead. What could be a simple task all done and dusted in a morning of quiet solitude without any "better half" meddling (or forgetting to ensure that her part of the paperwork is in order), becomes a ridiculous bureaucratic exercise with bedroom photos, an up to date K.R.2 confirmation, other wife documents, a return trip after the "under consideration" time, more likely than not a home visit (with or without a need for witnesses to be questioned)...

17 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

That is a rogue bank requiring something unrelated to immigration. No other bank has pulled this prank.

Also the account would have been frozen to obtain the Bank Letter for immigration.

You could have just accepted that.

Just one month prior to next extension (CW) I will change address.

(first time in 14 years)

I will provide TM30 plus 12 month lease. (not blurry)

Extensions are easy if you prepare.

Sometimes landlords give you these documents - it was not my first time with such documents - and you take them to immigration hoping, there will be no issue and until now, there never has been. Because if you say to the landlord, you want nicer non blurry ones, someone else might get the place.

The screws have been tightened.

And I dare say that, because I have been doing this marriage visa extension thing 5 times now since Covid. (Before I did the Savannakhet multiple entry visa). So that's five successful one year extensions, where I just came twice.

It could sound like I was always in trouble due to lack of preparation, but I clearly wish to say, I was not. It was the first time now in 2026!

And I want people to see, that there can be problems and one has to be extremely pedantic nowadays. So not easy in my opinion, but doable.

15 hours ago, atpeace said:

If your extension is based on marriage, can't you get a 60 day extension? I did years ago when I messed up my application and was told it wouldn't be accepted. Maybe that is no longer an option.

I switched to a retirement visa for the reason you listed above.

You can get a 60 day extension once on every yearly extension of a marriage visa. Just did it a bit more than two months ago.

14 hours ago, Caldera said:

Reading some reports here again... allow me a little rant... I'll never understand why anyone who's old enough for a retirement extension gets a marriage extension instead. What could be a simple task all done and dusted in a morning of quiet solitude without any "better half" meddling (or forgetting to ensure that her part of the paperwork is in order), becomes a ridiculous bureaucratic exercise with bedroom photos, an up to date K.R.2 confirmation, other wife documents, a return trip after the "under consideration" time, more likely than not a home visit (with or without a need for witnesses to be questioned)...

I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I'm working on it financially. :-)

4 minutes ago, frimu said:

I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth,

Neither was I but I did have a personalized silver serviette ring. 😜

14 hours ago, Caldera said:

Reading some reports here again... allow me a little rant... I'll never understand why anyone who's old enough for a retirement extension gets a marriage extension instead. What could be a simple task all done and dusted in a morning of quiet solitude without any "better half" meddling (or forgetting to ensure that her part of the paperwork is in order), becomes a ridiculous bureaucratic exercise with bedroom photos, an up to date K.R.2 confirmation, other wife documents, a return trip after the "under consideration" time, more likely than not a home visit (with or without a need for witnesses to be questioned)...

Of course, this is only speculation. But hopefully Thailand continues to move along with the rest of the world. Foreign women married to Thai men already have some advantages that foreign men married to Thai women do not have.

If Thailand one day decides to equalise those rules and recognise long term married foreigners who have lived here for years, paid taxes, and contributed to society, that could become quite attractive. I am not saying it will happen, but countries change their policies over time.

16 hours ago, Caldera said:

Reading some reports here again... allow me a little rant... I'll never understand why anyone who's old enough for a retirement extension gets a marriage extension instead. What could be a simple task all done and dusted in a morning of quiet solitude without any "better half" meddling (or forgetting to ensure that her part of the paperwork is in order), becomes a ridiculous bureaucratic exercise with bedroom photos, an up to date K.R.2 confirmation, other wife documents, a return trip after the "under consideration" time, more likely than not a home visit (with or without a need for witnesses to be questioned)...

You had all of these documents to get the visa, put them in a folder and save them for next year, I don't see the problem.

18 hours ago, Caldera said:

Reading some reports here again... allow me a little rant... I'll never understand why anyone who's old enough for a retirement extension gets a marriage extension instead. What could be a simple task all done and dusted in a morning of quiet solitude without any "better half" meddling (or forgetting to ensure that her part of the paperwork is in order), becomes a ridiculous bureaucratic exercise with bedroom photos, an up to date K.R.2 confirmation, other wife documents, a return trip after the "under consideration" time, more likely than not a home visit (with or without a need for witnesses to be questioned)...

18 hours ago, Caldera said:

Reading some reports here again... allow me a little rant... I'll never understand why anyone who's old enough for a retirement extension gets a marriage extension instead. What could be a simple task all done and dusted in a morning of quiet solitude without any "better half" meddling (or forgetting to ensure that her part of the paperwork is in order), becomes a ridiculous bureaucratic exercise with bedroom photos, an up to date K.R.2 confirmation, other wife documents, a return trip after the "under consideration" time, more likely than not a home visit (with or without a need for witnesses to be questioned)...

Another Retirement extension guy having a pop at Marriage extension guys.

Constantly see comments how difficult it is getting a marriage extension. It's not. Almost everything we provide is the same as we provided previous years. Only new documents every year are KR22 and photos. Wife gets the KR22 from local amphur office - easy. Taking photos takes 10 mins, 10 mins to put on A4 Word and print.

I prepare everything except KR22.

There are 2 visits compared to one which may be a consideration for those who don't live near the imm office.

We only have to tie up b400k for 3 months compared to Retirement b800k for 3 months and b400k for 9 months. Not an issue of course if you are well off but some of us are not so it's an issue for me.

It may be a false feeling, but I feel a little bit more secure supporting wife and sons than I think I would if I'm just a retiree with no blood links to Thailand, in case of immigration issues. I repeat that it may be a false feeling that would not help me anymore than a retiree should there be immigration issues.

Somebody commented no problem getting an extension if you've got your ducks in a row. I agree, but certain imm officers make it 'sweaty bum time' while others are lovely and helpful. That is the part most people don't like about trips to immigration.

4 hours ago, Hummin said:

If Thailand one day decides to equalise those rules and recognise long term married foreigners who have lived here for years, paid taxes, and contributed to society, that could become quite attractive. I am not saying it will happen, but countries change their policies over time.

I wish that in 2026, it would look like Thailand is moving in that direction.