Needed: Up To Date Info On Renewing Tourist Visa

[johnnyBgoode]

I arrived in Thailand on 2007/12/8 with the usual 60 day tourist visa. (What this post

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3139

calls a "3 month validity, single entry tourist visa") My understanding is that with the 60 day counting starting on that day, I am eligible to stay here thru 2008/2/5. At that point, I can apparently goto a Thai emigration bureau and extend my stay for another 30 days.

Some questions:

1) this renewal is a 1 day process, as in, you walk in, wait in lines, become aggitated, but finally get rubber stamped and walk out the same day with everything done? (It would be bad if you merely submit your application and it gets completed over some number of days...)

2) is there anything that you need to bring to the Thai emigration bureau besides your passport (with the Thai visa inside) and the cash for the fee?

I ask because this post

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=28988

had a replier say

"dont forget your passport photo and photo copies of the relevant pages in your passport"

(see thaiflyer1 2005-03-08 08:31:49)

What? Do I really need all that crap? That sounds like what I went thru to get the original visa! Why do they need all that stuff again--they should have it on filee from just 60 days ago!

Please confirm or deny the above for me, and give me warnings about anything else that I need to bring.

3) given that I can stay thru 2008/2/5, should I apply for an extension on that very day (or just the day before), or should I do it a week or two earlier?

I would love to do it earlier. The problem is that some countries (e.g. China) have the stupid policy of starting the extension days on the very day that your renewal is approved, and not on the day when your original visa runs out.

Scouring these forums, I found contradictory info. For example, from

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=28988

sezzo 2005-03-08 15:11:33 says

"if you go to ask for the extension one week prior to the end of the visa your extension starts on that day. Be safe and go the day before your visa expires."

but thaiflyer1 2005-03-08 16:21:40 notes

"This has been my experience as well. However there have been people who have commented before on Thaivisa that they have applied a week early for the extension but it has started from when their 60 days are up rather than date of application...........so it may be one of those situations where it comes down to how the officer feels on the day and his interpretation of the rules. I/d go either on the last day or the day before your 60 days are up just to be on the safe side."

These posts are old, from 2005. I would love to hear current definitive info.

4) from this website's permanent pages

http://www.thaivisa.com/visa/tourist-visa.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/298.0.html

it looks like the Bangkok location is

Office of Immigration Bureau located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10120 , Tel (662) 287-3101-10.

and it costs:

THB 1,900

How long does this process typically take--an hour? the whole morning? the whole day? If I got to renew on 2008/2/5, which is a Tuesday, is that a fine day (e.g. fewer people)?

5) Anything else that I should be warned of?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[lopburi3]

1. Takes a few minutes to several hours depending on how busy the office is.

2. Passport/copys/arrival card/copies/photos/1,900 baht. You should also have on onward ticket but seldom checked at most locations.

3. You should apply a few days/week before expiration of current permitted to stay stamp. Extension to a visa stay starts on the expiration date.

4. You can use that or Novotel Airport Hotel office. Time, as said, varies.

[Maestro]

...Do I really need all that crap... stupid policy...

...and, johnnyBgoode, when you are at the immigration office, be good and do not use words like “crap” and “stupid”. They would not appreciate it.

--

Maestro

[johnnyBgoode]

...Do I really need all that crap... stupid policy...

...and, johnnyBgoode, when you are at the immigration office, be good and do not use words like "crap" and "stupid". They would not appreciate it.

--

Maestro

I am stupid, but not that stupid!

[B-BOY]

To everybody wanting to extend tourist visa

Info on this web site is still correct

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/ba...p?page=service#

You will need to bring exactly

1 pass port size photo

Copy your departure card

Copy Tourist Visa page

Copy of Arrival Stamp

Fill out TM7 form which you will receive from information counter

1900THB Cash

Contact Immigraton at Soi Suan Plu, Sathorn Soi 3, BKK

Photocopy shops are opposite Immigration

Enjoy!!

[B-BOY]

oh forgot,

After having filled out TM7 form, go back to information counter and which will give you number for Counter 2 to queue, wait for your number hand in passport and all documents including cash, you will then receive another number, which is for you passport pick up.

Got it?

[Onnutrd]

Alternatively, you can just go to the Thai Immigration website and print the TM7 Form, fill it in, and when you arrive to Immigration Bureau in Suan Plu, just go to the counter and get a Q Number. That way, you won't need to spend time filling the form in

If you forget any photocopies, there are people at your disposel right across from the Bureau "for all your photocopy needs." Is'nt that convenient?

Make eye contact, smile (let them see your teeth and exaggerate every bit, i find that all government officials like sucking up to; no matter what nation you're in), and don't forget your manners:)

[Savanna]

B-Boy is that then an extension for only 30 days? What happens if you still want to stay longer than that?

[B-BOY]

Yep, that's for regular 30days extension.

Normally, you shouldnt receive another extension on top of your already extended tourist visa, however depending on reason you might get max of 7 days, but cant cofirm that.