Koh Samui Imigration - Confused

[Aplin]

I was at imigration with a friend the other day as she wanted to extend her VISA by 10 days... whilst there we were chatting with a woman who said she was having her ED VISA renewed there (as you have to every 90 days). I was lead to believe you had to leave the country every three months, am I correct and if so how come she could do it there?

Very confused =/

[sbk]

Koh Samui is a full fledged Immigration office and as such capable of renewing and extending visas. If your question is about the ED visa specifically and not Koh Samui Immigration then may I suggest moving this to the visas forum?

[Aplin]

So I could renew my ED VISA here without going outside of the country... i.e. Malaysia / Laos etc?

[sbk]

I'll move this to the Thai Visas section as you will get the answers you need about ED visas there

[lopburi3]

Visa can not be renewed at any immigration office. If you have a multi entry visa you must exit Thailand and return yourself. Any travel of passport to obtain border stamps without you is illegal.

I have not seen any report of a 10 day extension being approved in the last year - was yours? It is normally 7 days maximum unless you have the tourist visa one time 30 day available.

There is an extension of stay available for language education which allows a new extension of stay every 90 days, upon presentation of TM.7/1,900 baht and proof of study. I suspect that is what you observed.

[astral]

whilst there we were chatting with a woman who said she was having her ED VISA renewed there (as you have to every 90 days).

This sounds like confusion with the 90 day reporting requirement for a person who

has a one year extension on an Ed Visa.

Any person with a One year extension must report their current address to immigration every 90 days.

As Lopburi states, if you have a multi-entry visa, you MUST leave and re-enter every 90 days.