90 Days Are Up. What Are My Options?

[michaeltomas]

Hi guys,

My 90 "non-visa" days are up in a few days but I wish to extend my stay some in order to tie up a few loose ends.

Can I get an extension of 7 days at an Immigration office for 1900 Baht? This would probably be sufficient.

In case I can't get that, or if it isn't long enough for me, can I leave for Vientiane or Phnom Penh and apply for a 60-day tourist visa?

It seems most people opt for Vientiane. Is the service there more expedited or something?

Regarding the 60-day visa, does anyone have a link to a step-by-step guide for idiots? If not, could somebody please, please, pretty please provide with a step-by-step? I'd be eternally grateful!

[lopburi3]

1. If you have the ticket out within 7 days most likely they will provide a 7 day extension of stay.

2. You can cross any border and return for a 30 day visa exempt stamp if holding a passport of many countries. From Bangkok there are daily trips all inclusive for about 2,000 baht.

3. You can apply for a tourist visa at any Royal Thai Consulate. Vientiane is most popular currently because they are the only local one to issue a 2 entry tourist visa. You take passport, photos and payment and present at Consulate in morning and next afternoon pickup your passport with visa.

[michaeltomas]

1. If you have the ticket out within 7 days most likely they will provide a 7 day extension of stay.

Do you know how long this takes? I'd be going to the Jomtien office (Pattaya). Is it an all day wait?

2. You can cross any border and return for a 30 day visa exempt stamp if holding a passport of many countries. From Bangkok there are daily trips all inclusive for about 2,000 baht.

I've already done this twice, though. My understanding is that I only get 90 days in 180 visa exempt.

3. You can apply for a tourist visa at any Royal Thai Consulate. Vientiane is most popular currently because they are the only local one to issue a 2 entry tourist visa. You take passport, photos and payment and present at Consulate in morning and next afternoon pickup your passport with visa.

Are there visa-run companies that provide this service, similar to the Cambodia border runs?

[NotNew2You]

1. If you have the ticket out within 7 days most likely they will provide a 7 day extension of stay.

Do you know how long this takes? I'd be going to the Jomtien office (Pattaya). Is it an all day wait?

Normally, it would take only 15-20 minutes...Jomtien is very efficient and organized...not like Bangkok, where it takes at least half a day to get anything done. Fill out the TM-7 Request for Extension of Stay form, have a couple passport sized photos, and 2 copies of face page and Thailand entry stamp page of your passport (sign and date all copies), and your B 1900.

[lopburi3]

1. Should only take a few minutes to an hour - even in Bangkok should not be too long.

2. 2x30 = 60. So you could do one more time. The period is 6 months. Have not seen any reports of people having a problem with 30 day entry recently and some have reportedly been over the 90 days allowed.

3. There is no need for a visa run company but yes the same type places that go to Cambodia sometimes have service to Consulates for visas.

[michaeltomas]

Normally, it would take only 15-20 minutes...Jomtien is very efficient and organized...not like Bangkok, where it takes at least half a day to get anything done. Fill out the TM-7 Request for Extension of Stay form, have a couple passport sized photos, and 2 copies of face page and Thailand entry stamp page of your passport (sign and date all copies), and your B 1900.

Thank you.

[michaeltomas]

2. 2x30 = 60. So you could do one more time. The period is 6 months. Have not seen any reports of people having a problem with 30 day entry recently and some have reportedly been over the 90 days allowed.

30 initial days, plus 2 border runs = 90 days total.

The reports you've heard of people being permitted more than 90 visa-exempt days, what were the specifics?

In my case, will I be granted a 7 day extension even though that would take me over 90 visa-exempt days? (Pardon my pedantry. I just hate nasty surprises.)

3. There is no need for a visa run company but yes the same type places that go to Cambodia sometimes have service to Consulates for visas.

I see. I checked out the detailed thread on Vientiane which was right under my nose before I posted this thread. It seems taking Air Asia to Udon, a minibus to the border, and a minbus to Vientiane is the way most do it.

[lopburi3]

I misread your first post to be 90 days visa entry rather than visa exempt entry. So you probably will not be able to extend and another 30 day run might not work so best to head to Vientiane. You can ask as you depart if you can obtain a new 30 day stamp on return and if not just proceed to Consulate in city to obtain a tourist visa.

You have air, bus and train options for travel to either Udon or Nong Khai.

[michaeltomas]

I misread your first post to be 90 days visa entry rather than visa exempt entry.

It was poorly worded, sorry.

So you probably will not be able to extend and another 30 day run might not work so best to head to Vientiane. You can ask as you depart if you can obtain a new 30 day stamp on return and if not just proceed to Consulate in city to obtain a tourist visa.

Just to confirm, there won't be any problems obtaining a tourist visa, will there? (By that, I mean problems resulting from having already been in the country for 90 days.)

You have air, bus and train options for travel to either Udon or Nong Khai.

I'm planning on flying to Udon. Seems there's only flights from Bangkok that arrive in the later afternoon. That means two nights in Vientiane, then, I take it?

[lopburi3]

There should be no trouble with obtaining the visa. I would spend the nights in Vientiane so that you can arrive at Consulate early in morning as there is always a crowd there.