Visa Confusion

[Cameraman]

hi everyone

my tourist visa is running out in 2 weeks and im thinking of extending by doing a visa run. what i am not shure about is: i read that have to leave thailand and go to a thai embassy somewhere in another country...like cambodia for example. is that true ? or is it enough just to go to cambodia or vietnam for the day and then on the way back i get a new 30 day stamp at the border when going through customs ?

thanks for the help.

[lopburi3]

You can use the simple 30 day visa exempt entry for up to 90 days stay in a six month period.

[Cameraman]

You can use the simple 30 day visa exempt entry for up to 90 days stay in a six month period.

thanks for the quick reply.

thats what id like to do, how do i get this 30 day extension ? simply by crossing the border ? all in all i can do this twice right ?

Edited March 15, 2008 by Cameraman

[lopburi3]

You exit Thailand, enter another country, and return. You can do it any number of times but can not stay in Thailand longer than a total of 90 days in a six month period doing this. If you have used more than 60 days entry time will have to be calculated on each entry.

It is much better to obtain visa when close to 60 days used.

[Cameraman]

ive been here for almost 60 days, arrived on the 1st of february, dam_n so i can only done one visa run then ? :/

i am going to be in trat next weeks, do you know if there is a place close by where i can cross the border to cambodia ?

[lopburi3]

If you are here on a Consulate issued visa (tourist visa) it does not count in the 90 day/six month limit. Only entry using visa exempt 30 day stays count against that. Also a 60 day tourist visa can be extended 30 days at any Immigration office by filling out a TM.7, attaching a 4x6cm photo and paying 1,900 baht.

[Lite Beer]

ive been here for almost 60 days, arrived on the 1st of february, dam_n so i can only done one visa run then ? :/

i am going to be in trat next weeks, do you know if there is a place close by where i can cross the border to cambodia ?

You said you were here on a Tourist Visa. This does not count on the 90 day rule.

The rule is 90 in 6 months using Visa Exempt 30 stamps NOT Tourist Visas.

[Cameraman]

yes ive got a consulate issued 60 day visa. so theoretically with this sort of visa, i can do a 30 day visa run twice ?

cause my situation is this: my 60 days are expiring on the 21st of march....so i can cross the border and extend another 30 days until the 21st of april......on this day my family is coming to visit for 2 weeks...so if i go around the 21st of april again...i can get another 30 day extension ?

what is the situation like if you simply overstay by teo ore three weeks and then try to leave thailand ? are there severe punishments ? i heard quite a few oposing stories on that.

[lopburi3]

You go to jail for overstay and pay up to 20,000 baht fine.

You still do not understand. You have a visa entry that has been used. You can extend that 60 day stay for 30 more inside Thailand by application at any immigration office prior to the end of the current 60 day stay. That will make it a total of 90 days. At any time (nothing to do with your tourist visa) you can enter Thailand for 30 day stays up to a total of 90 days in a six month period using visa exempt entry if from a country allowed this.

From your saying 60 days we have assumed you are from such a country. Did your tourist visa entry provide the whole 60 days or have you already extended your stay for 30 days? What country is your passport?

[Cameraman]

jail ??? even for an overstay of lets say two weeks ??????

sorry this is all a bit confusing for me :/

no i havent extended my 60 day tourist visa yet, i hold a german passport.

ok so my understanding is now:

i have a 60 day tourist visa which is running out next week....so i can go to the immigration office and extend for 30 days....within these 30 days i can go outside of thailand and extend eacht time for another 30 days...for a total of 3 times untill 90 days (3 times a 30 day extension) is reached ?

[Crossy]

jail ??? even for an overstay of lets say two weeks ?????? Yes, if you get caught on overstay of even ONE day you WILL go to jail, you WILL be deported, you MAY be designated as Persona non gratia! Do note however, that if you make it to the airport none of the above apply, pay 500 Baht per day, get an 'overstay' stamp in your passport, no other issues.

i have a 60 day tourist visa which is running out next week....so i can go to the immigration office and extend for 30 days....within these 30 days i can go outside of thailand and extend eacht time for another 30 days...for a total of 3 times untill 90 days (3 times a 30 day extension) is reached ? Extend at immigration, 30 days 1900 baht. Just before the extension expires do a border run, you will get a 30 day Visa Exemption, each time you cross the border you get a NEW 30 days (not an extension of the previous one), doing this you can remain in thailand for up to 90 days in a 6 month period.

[Lite Beer]

jail ??? even for an overstay of lets say two weeks ??????

sorry this is all a bit confusing for me :/

no i havent extended my 60 day tourist visa yet, i hold a german passport.

ok so my understanding is now:

i have a 60 day tourist visa which is running out next week....so i can go to the immigration office and extend for 30 days....within these 30 days i can go outside of thailand and extend eacht time for another 30 days...for a total of 3 times untill 90 days (3 times a 30 day extension) is reached ?

Yes.

Go to Immigration on Monday. Take a passport size photo and 1,900 Baht and they will give you 30 days from when your current 60 days finish.

This is the form to fill in.

Edited March 15, 2008 by Lite Beer

[Cameraman]

awesome now i got it, thanks so much for the help