I am currently in Bangkok on a 90 day entry on a Non immigrant O visa, and my current permitted to stay date is August 27th. Since my flight back home isn't until August 30th, I went down to Suan Phlu today to apply for a 7 day extension. Everything seemed to go well and I now have a stamp in my passport with the following text:

"Application of extension of stay is not approved

Applicant must leave the kingdom not later than 3 Sep 2009"

So even though my application was "not approved" I still got the 7 days I applied for. Is it handled like this because there technically is no such thing as a 7 day extension, and the 7 days are just given to you so than you can get your affairs in order before leaving Thailand, if your aplication for a "real" extension is denied? Whatever the reason I assume that I will have no problems when leaving on August 30th, since I now have a stamp in my passport saying I will have to leave before September 3rd.

I know I could/should have asked these questions down at the immigration bureau, but I was so focused checking that they stamped the correct date, that I didn't notice the rest of the text in the stamp until I got home (nobody mentioned that my application had been denied, which is fair enough since they gave me the 7 days I applied for).

My application was handled by a friendly, older lady who also told me that they were moving to their new offices on September 1st. It took 4 hours (including the hour where everything closes down for lunch) to get (or not to get) my extension, but that's the price you pay if you, like me, don't like to get up early.

Sophon

Looks like she used the wrong stamp for the first one.

Officially there is no such thing as a 7 day extension of stay - but they provide you 7 days to leave so in effect you obtain 7 more days (and everyone calls it an extension). Not to worry - as long as you leave before the date indicated you are fine.

This happens often , they used a wrong stamp, but since you got the 7 day extension all should be OK for you.

Officially there is no such thing as a 7 day extension of stay - but they provide you 7 days to leave so in effect you obtain 7 more days (and everyone calls it an extension). Not to worry - as long as you leave before the date indicated you are fine.

That was what I expected, but it seems a little illogical that they give me a stamp saying your application for extension has been denied, when all I applied for (and in effect got) was a seven day extension.

Thank's for everyones replies.

Sophon

Officially there is no such thing as a 7 day extension of stay - but they provide you 7 days to leave so in effect you obtain 7 more days (and everyone calls it an extension). Not to worry - as long as you leave before the date indicated you are fine.

This is the right answer.