Dramatic Cut In Visa Extensions

[dman]

Same experience at Thai Immigration Hong Kong, Very polite but no no no multiple entry visas are issued here only single entry. Thank you very much for your continued $upport.

[dthomasss]

Moan moan whine.. Not so long ago the visa on demand was 15 days and a tourist visa was 30 days. It was extended to 60 days and that was good news.

It is called a 60-day Tourist Visa, not a 90-day Tourist Visa, nor a Tourist Visa Plus Bonus Miles... Complaining about the length of the extension is akin to showing up to work for a month, being given a raise just because the employer feels like giving it, and then complaining about the amount of the raise.

It's simple. If you want to stay in Thailand longer than 60 days without having to leave the country, do NOT get a tourist visa.

Seems pretty simple...

[VanZam]

Good to note that the site thaiimmigration.com is NOT a valid source of info as you might believe.

This was even detailed in a recent artical in the Bangkok Post regarding a rouge immigration officer giving wrong information to the public on visa and law changes.

Come on Moderator, this was months ago and is commonly known, a phone call to a friend in immigration,she stated:"Although some districts may apply there own judgement on visa extentions, there have been no law changes regarding the extention of tourist visas, we at Bangkok continue to give 30 day extentions for the fee of 1900 baht, as far as i know, this is what most of the immigration posts do throughout the country."

I suggest checking info before posting topics with dodgy sources.

[seatimes]

why doesn't someone email the owner of thaiimmigration.com

and find out who really posts the site

and is the information from nong khai or thai immigration in bangers

from whois.net his email address is

[email protected]

[kenkannif]

It is called a 60-day Tourist Visa, not a 90-day Tourist Visa, ...

Erm it is sold as a 90 day tourist Visa NOT a 60 day tourist Visa actually!

And if you want to stay in Thailand longer than 60 days what Visa should you get? As it's not always easy to get a Non-imm?

Edited September 30, 2004 by kenkannif

[dotcom]

"I am told that Immigration is encouraging people to get a proper visa at home before they leave. The extension process is causing them hassles. "

It makes me want to break down & cry to think that some Immigration Cop would actually be forced (against their will) to do some (excuse the profanity) WORK.

--

Snip /Admin

--

Please - all you whining Falangs (root of all problems in Thailand) - please stop flaming hard working cops trying to extort a living. Go elsewhere to spend your tourist dollars. We simply don't want you stinking up our beloved homeland, given to us by God almighty.

Edited September 30, 2004 by george

[george]

It is called a 60-day Tourist Visa, not a 90-day Tourist Visa, ...

Erm it is sold as a 90 day tourist Visa NOT a 60 day tourist Visa actually!

And if you want to stay in Thailand longer than 60 days what Visa should you get? As it's not always easy to get a Non-imm?

No, it is issued as a 60 days visa, which sholuld be utilized within 90 days from issue.

[kenkannif]

Okay I know you're right, BUT most Embassies and Consulates will inform you it will cover you for 90 days, I've had a lot of people overstay because of this.

[eljeque]

I am told that Immigration is encouraging people to get a proper visa at home before they leave. The extension process is causing them hassles.

*************I can see the pain on their faces wehnt hey take 1,900 baht for about 5 minutes of work.

***********When I got my driver's license, I was thre for hours, ilistening to a lecture, taking written tests...over and over, taking a driving test, etc. I took up a lot of their time, and the total cost including my little plastic card was about 50 baht for each license. My memory fades. Now, I did give one hundred and fifty baht to the kind lady who rented me her car and the same for her motorcycle. She also changed an answer on my test so that I could pass.

These people actually worked for the money they received, and I did not se the kind of cars in their parking lot that I see in on Soi 8 - Beach Road, Pattaya.

[sriracha john]

I am told that Immigration is encouraging people to get a proper visa at home before they leave. The extension process is causing them hassles.

*************I can see the pain on their faces wehnt hey take 1,900 baht for about 5 minutes of work.

***********When I got my driver's license, I was thre for hours, ilistening to a lecture, taking written tests...over and over, taking a driving test, etc. I took up a lot of their time, and the total cost including my little plastic card was about 50 baht for each license. My memory fades. Now, I did give one hundred and fifty baht to the kind lady who rented me her car and the same for her motorcycle. She also changed an answer on my test so that I could pass.

These people actually worked for the money they received, and I did not se the kind of cars in their parking lot that I see in on Soi 8 - Beach Road, Pattaya.

well constructed and astute post, eljeque. one of several from you.

[Jeddah Jo]

It has to be the ultimate irony that a website called thaivisa.com supposed to contain reliable information about laws and practices regarding the issuance and usage of Thai visas contains so much misinformation.

Especially it seems when it comes from the moderators themselves. If this new 'practice' by immigration turns out not to be the case I would expect a full apology for cluttering up my mail box with yet another visa scare story, and some kind of assurance that such threads would not be started until the information was properly corroborated.

P.S Will I get banned for making this point?

Jeddah Jo.

[Guest fj2003]

thai people call there own country where everything is possible

and everybody has his personal own rules

there is nothing absolutly officially equal here

[dighambara]

Guys,

I must agree with MASTERCHIEF on this. I applied for an (O) retirement visa with very little trouble. Although I recommend using the consulate in Houston, TX, as most of the other consulates (in USA) are manned by Thai citizens, which seems to slow down the process. Houston promises a 3 day turn around, once the application is complete.

Michael Weldon

Udon Thani

[axl]

I don't understand what the discussion is all about.

Thai immigration laws are the faremost "open" to foreigners than many countries around the word.

What do you exspect...?

I can understand the Thai government doesn't want to support these "scums" coming into Thailand thinking they can have a "easy life", spending their pension on hookers and thinking they are something special.

We in Switzerland just voted them OUT and dare anyone who thinks he has a right to question the Thai immigration politics before questioning himself!

[pschef]

I don't understand what the discussion is all about.

Thai immigration laws are the faremost "open" to foreigners than many countries around the word.

What do you exspect...?

I can understand the Thai government doesn't want to support these "scums" coming into Thailand thinking they can have a "easy life", spending their pension on hookers and thinking they are something special.

We in Switzerland just voted them OUT and dare anyone who thinks he has a right to question the Thai immigration politics before questioning himself!

Just like to know, why this guy is painting everyone with his same tar brush

I know many of the people on this forum, I hope decent mostly married to Thai nationals. Where does it come about scum and hookers, what DOES he mean??

MAybe Swiss cannot read, THE TOPIC IS ABOUT VISA EXTENSIONS.

Maybe a buddy of Immigration, who did they vote out/?????

[ovenman]

I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn that there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of applications for these short-term extensions since the fee was jacked up to 1900 baht.

[The Coder]

I find it hard to believe the reason could be related to many people showing up to renew. I am a tourist visa runner and I can say the number of people getting renewals in Bangkok DRAMATICALLY dropped when they raised the fee to 1900 baht. It went from a room full of people down to 1-3.

I also don't trust thaiimmigration.com since they give out information proven to be false and also try to maintain a (false) appearance of an official site. I think the best thing would be for Thailand to add them to their black list to put an end to their false rumors.

[simey]

I'm off to get my visa next week here in Amsterdam. Their website says I can buy the following :

From 26 August 2003 the following visa prices are valid:

Tourist 1 entry Euro 30,- valid; 3 months

stay; 60 days

2 entries Euro 60,- valid; 6 months

stay; 2 x 60 days

3 entries Euro 90,- valid; 6 months

stay; 3 x 60 days

Id. Every 60 days you have to leave the country (pass the border).

I'm still assuming that I will be able to extend my visa at Samui Immigration by 30 days at the end of my first 60, but I might check first just in case I have to follow these rules and 'pass the border'.

[expat2000]

60 DAYS TOURIST VISA GET 30 DAYS EXTENSION.

Extended my 60 days Tourist visa THIS month = 30 days extra for b 1.900 in Pattaya. So you get 1 months extension on your 60 days visa !

NON immigrant "O" Visa is (almost?) impossibel to get these days. Went to Malaysia - Thai Consulate in Khota Baru - THEY ONLY ISSUE 60 DAYS TOURIST Visa now, new head of staff ..... ( 2 ENTRY OK ) (NO MULTIPLE).

Khota Baru have the previous 4 years always granted me a NON O Visa, even i am younger than 50,and single, but meet the b 800.000 criteria and can proof it.

Have also email many Embassy / Consulate, near Thailand. ALL answer the same : " we only issue Tourist Visa" (if not married, no company, ...........)

My older farang friends also ONLY get Tourist Visa these days. Something have shure happend, much stricter these days. I dont know about farangs married, my "post" is SOLELY for single farangs, without a "company" or a "work permit".

Wish people would stop write empty/not confirmed rumors here, check the fact yourself, before you "post" anything here.

[teelac888]

I think you are hoist on your own petard.

Tourist visa's are not intended for long-timers!!

They are intended for tourists, and the immigration has been quite tolerant of the over use of these visas.

Look at Nepal, by comparison. 6 months as a tourist in one year, and that is it.

astral, thank you for my laugh of the week hahaha. hilarious hahaha.

tourist visa's have been intended for long-timers for 20 years.

this sudden shift represents a dramatic change in practice by Thai Immigration.

just watch the money, and every time the thai standard of living goes up, the foreigner who comes for several months per year spending his good money is less important, so bye bye farang.

hahaha good laugh anyway thank you.

[dotcom]

I don't understand what the discussion is all about.

Thai immigration laws are the faremost "open" to foreigners than many countries around the word.

What do you exspect...?

I can understand the Thai government doesn't want to support these "scums" coming into Thailand thinking they can have a "easy life", spending their pension on hookers and thinking they are something special.

We in Switzerland just voted them OUT and dare anyone who thinks he has a right to question the Thai immigration politics before questioning himself!

You have seriously missed the point. The frustration is about people who enact a set of rules & then empower each & every immigration offical to "use his own discretion" - in essence throw the rule book out the window. TIT. It is sort of like finding a statute on the books from 1965 which says that any person wanting a tourist visa at an airport or a border crossing must show 10,000 baht or 20,000 baht cash - even though to carry that amount of Thai currency out of the country would be a crime punishable by jail time. Through the looking glass.

You did not make it clear whom you "voted out of extra white switzerlamd". Danish pedophiles? Euro sex tourists? Thai Immigration Police? Corrupt Swiss politicians?

The POM's are complaining that they have Swiss cost of living without Swiss salary levels. Amsterdam would be the place to see prostitues. Another point you are missing Axel - is that we didn't create the Thai sex industry - the Thai people invented the Thai sex industry.

[BackPackThailand]

Just a quickie.

I have just been to Immigration in Kanchanaburi to extend my double entry tourist for the second time. First time round I extended the 2nd half of the visa for 30 days, as is the norm, with no probs.

Today I went back to get what I thought was a ten day wonder before I leave for Malaysia but to my surprise I got 21 days for my 1,900 BAHT.

In effect, my double entry Tourist was valid for 60 Days + 60 Days + 30 Days + 21 Days. All for 2,000 BAHT (Kota Bharu Consulate)

Just love those immigration chicks in Kan!

[unbiasbob]

Thai Immigration: Dramatic Cut in Visa Extensions

Immigration now give only a 7 or 14 days extension to the 60 days tourist visa

Most Immigration Districts now only give 7 days extensions (fee: THB 1.900,00) on tourist visas. Others, like Nong Khai, only 14 days. Some few might still give 30 days, it's up to the single district to decide, but we don't have knowledge of any doing it.

Source: Thai Immigration, Nong Khai 2004-09-30

if this is only supposed to apply to visa on entry, why does the headline here cleary state "7 or 14 days ext to 60 day tourist visa"?

[farang62]

The registration information for www.thaiimigration.com is as follows.

IP address: 195.128.174.104

domain: thaiimmigration.com

status: production

organization: NongKhai Immigration Thailand

owner: Sorrapol Payoongveeranoi

email: [email protected]

address: NongKhai Immigration Office

city: NongKhai

postal-code: 43000

country: TH

admin-c: [email protected]#0

tech-c: [email protected]#0

billing-c: [email protected]#0

Farang62

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I think you are hoist on your own petard.

Tourist visa's are not intended for long-timers!!

They are intended for tourists, and the immigration has been quite tolerant of the over use of these visas.

Look at Nepal, by comparison.  6 months as a tourist in one year, and that is it.

astral, thank you for my laugh of the week hahaha. hilarious hahaha.

tourist visa's have been intended for long-timers for 20 years.

this sudden shift represents a dramatic change in practice by Thai Immigration.

just watch the money, and every time the thai standard of living goes up, the foreigner who comes for several months per year spending his good money is less important, so bye bye farang.

hahaha good laugh anyway thank you.

Hahahahaha ....yet another believer in the idea that the defacto residents/walkers singlehandedly support the entire Thai economy.

[ZOVOX]

60 DAYS TOURIST VISA GET 30 DAYS EXTENSION.

Extended my 60 days Tourist visa THIS month = 30 days extra for b 1.900 in Pattaya. So you get 1 months extension on your 60 days visa !

NON immigrant "O" Visa is (almost?) impossibel to get these days. Went to Malaysia - Thai Consulate in Khota Baru - THEY ONLY ISSUE 60 DAYS TOURIST Visa now, new head of staff ..... ( 2 ENTRY OK ) (NO MULTIPLE).

Khota Baru have the previous 4 years always granted me a NON O Visa, even i am younger than 50,and single, but meet the b 800.000 criteria and can proof it.

Have also email many Embassy / Consulate, near Thailand. ALL answer the same : " we only issue Tourist Visa" (if not married, no company, ...........)

My older farang friends also ONLY get Tourist Visa these days. Something have shure happend, much stricter these days. I dont know about farangs married, my "post" is SOLELY for single farangs, without a "company" or a "work permit".

Wish people would stop write empty/not confirmed rumors here, check the fact yourself, before you "post" anything here.

You should never have been issued with a non immigrant visa in the past without meeting any of the criteria. did you have to pay somebody off ?

[Up2U]

It is called a 60-day Tourist Visa, not a 90-day Tourist Visa, ...

Erm it is sold as a 90 day tourist Visa NOT a 60 day tourist Visa actually!

And if you want to stay in Thailand longer than 60 days what Visa should you get? As it's not always easy to get a Non-imm?

Assuming we are discussing Tourist visas.

Please distinguish between the visa (issued by a Consulate) and the permit-to-stay (issued by the Royal Thai Immigration Police). The visa - 60-day - allows the holder to enter Thailand any time within sixty (ninety?) days from date of issue. That is - to take up the visa permit.

It is my understanding that the RTIP officer at point of entry will decide how long that person can lawfully stay in LOS. It may be as little as 12-hours, so that they can get a flight out! It may be 30 days, 60 days. I believe that there is no entitlement to any extension.

Same as most other countries.

The fact that the Thai authorities allow many people from many countries to visit Thailand without having to go back to a Consulate every couple of months for a new visa (permit to enter), but give permit-to-stay at the border shows a willingness to accept the presense of foreigners that is distinctly lacking in many of the posters' home countries. (UK as an example - how we treat SE Asians compared to how they treat us - chalk and cheese)

[dr_Pat_Pong]

It is called a 60-day Tourist Visa, not a 90-day Tourist Visa, ...

Erm it is sold as a 90 day tourist Visa NOT a 60 day tourist Visa actually!

And if you want to stay in Thailand longer than 60 days what Visa should you get? As it's not always easy to get a Non-imm?

Assuming we are discussing Tourist visas.

Please distinguish between the visa (issued by a Consulate) and the permit-to-stay (issued by the Royal Thai Immigration Police). The visa - 60-day - allows the holder to enter Thailand any time within sixty days from date of issue. That is - to take up the visa permit.

The RTIP officer at point of entry will decide how long that person can lawfully stay in LOS. It may be as little as 12-hours, so that they can get a flight out! It may be 30 days, 60 days. There is no entitlement to any extension.

Same as most other countries.

The fact that the Thai authorities allow many people from many countries to visit Thailand without having to go back to a Consulate every couple of months for a new visa (permit to enter), but give permit-to-stay at the border shows a willingness to accept the presense of foreigners that is distinctly lacking in many of the posters' home countries. (UK as an example - how we treat SE Asians compared to how they treat us - chalk and cheese)

With ANY single entry Thai visa the period of validity is NINETY DAYS, ie entry must be made within 90 days not 60.

[shellman]

Before we panic believe this probably applies to entry without visa rather than a tourist visa.

No, this is regarding extension of the 60 days tourist visa. Here is the info from Thai Immigration:

http://www.thaiimmigration.com/inv/index.php?showtopic=126

george, for what it is worth, information on this "official" website was wrong (and i mean completely incorrect) on more then one occasion, I would think it is run by some wannabes in denmark (as the hosting info suggests). My neighbour in Bangkok just got his usual 30 day extension for his tourist Visa in Nong Khai (where he has a house - so that's where he does his extensions as he likes it better then the often busy Suan Pluh) and he has more then 8 or 9 back to back tourist Visas in his passport.

I don't even bother to check the thaiimmigration.com site anymore, I asked here before and was told that it is beleived to be official, I have serious daubts about this, read some of the posts by the "Admin" there and you will have the same doubts.

cheers

[shellman]

it's been pointed out before that the thaiimmigration.com site isn't an official site.  Plus it only applies to one of the upcountry immigration divisions and it's wrong more often than right.

The first post in this thread is talking about different Immigration offices handle cases different.

They are actually an official Immigration site:

http://www.whois.sc/thaiimmigration.com

domain: thaiimmigration.com

status: production

organization: NongKhai Immigration Thailand

owner: Sorrapol Payoongveeranoi

email:

address: NongKhai Immigration Office

city: NongKhai

postal-code: 43000

country: TH

george,

what you did not mention - the email address of the owner that is registered with the whois entry is from an isp in denmark, so is the webspace, hosting, nameserver....rather unusual for the thai police i would say. they are semi official at the best (becuase there is a link on police.go.th) but they are NOT Immigration officers as they themselve stated that they are farangs...

whois -h whois.joker.com thaiimmigration.com ...

domain: thaiimmigration.com

status: production

organization: NongKhai Immigration Thailand

owner: Sorrapol Payoongveeranoi

email: [email protected]

address: NongKhai Immigration Office

city: NongKhai

postal-code: 43000

country: TH

admin-c: [email protected]#0

tech-c: [email protected]#0

billing-c: [email protected]#0

reseller-1: Registreret gennem jth.net (http://jth.net)

reseller-2: Geografisk adskilte navneservere

reseller-3: Vi saelger ogsaa SMS og postbackup

nserver: nsta.jth.net 195.128.174.10

nserver: nsta1.jth.net 80.197.5.166

registrar: JORE-1

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source: joker.com

cheers