Trying To Extend My 15 Day Extend Period?

[jayinoz]

I had planned a near 3 month stay in North Thailand b4 heading back to Aussie approx 10th June....

Planned that I would simply need to perform 2 Visa ran's in that time. As I have been coming off and on to Thai for a decade. Yet not since Nov 2008... So I niavely thought everything was the same.

So I arrive on 18th March............Visa run to Mai Sai on 17th April........

To my SHOCK I am stamped with a Visa lasting only until 30th April......

I was counting on an initial 30 day (Which I got being from Aussie)......But now told rules have changed and you can only get an extra 15 days 1 time. Then you must go back to your own country.... So Immigration in Changmai states.

Yet others tell me I can fly to PP, Cambodia and get 30 day tourist entry.... BUT that still not enough and is a large extra expense to goto PP, Cambodia x2 up and back to ensure I have 60 more days.

Can anyone please tell me my options to stay until mid June, being approx 45 days after my supposed last 15 day extension.

I have read that some use a service in BKK that takes you to Poipet, u stay 2 nights in a hotel and they go get a 60 Tourist Visa for you from the Cambodian capital. Is this true? Can anyone recommend a company to take this trip for 2 days? I hear the cost in total is approx 8000-9000 bt.

I am unsure why the thai government have chosen to make it more difficult to stay.... As many wish to stay and spend money in their country for well over 1 month and 15 days. I could understand a 6 month cap, but 1 month + 15 final days is very harse now.

You would think they would be trying to get more tourists, not throw us out of the country so quickly.

Any help would be appreciated? Thanks.

I planned to get a Business Visa next time to stop the Tourist Visa foolish rules. As they do not seem to want long term tourists anymore- pity. The country having enough trouble as is....who are the fools who change these rules. And yes I am a fool for not checking up on the latest tourist visa changes in the last 1.5 years. Cheers Jay

[wolf5370]

When u say stamped with a 15 day Visa - I assume you mean entry clearance stamp (visa waver).

Ah should have got a 60 day tourist visa and extended it 30 in-country I think. Do like many ion Tourist Visas do, two weekly visa runs to Maesai - bus less than 500B return from CM and ten dollar US for the Myanmar customs. Oh and 30 baht for the Songtaew to the border.

Edited April 26, 2010 by wolf5370

[Toolz]

They changed the rulez in Dec 2008 - if you come overland you get 15 days - and they implemented too. Shame you didn't take advantage of the free visa. You've just rented a car long-term right? Might make that Poipet shenanigans seem like a nice option. Or keep doing Mae Sai runs but I guess you're limited to just two more.

[jayinoz]

They changed the rulez in Dec 2008 - if you come overland you get 15 days - and they implemented too. Shame you didn't take advantage of the free visa. You've just rented a car long-term right? Might make that Poipet shenanigans seem like a nice option. Or keep doing Mae Sai runs but I guess you're limited to just two more.

Is it possible to get more than 1 x 15 day Visa? Ahhh I been told you will be refused a 2nd time???? Are you saying you get a MAX of 3 x 15 day Visa--- Well that get me to only late May.....Mid June needed. Leaving either the Poipet minibus option for approx. 8K for 60 day Visa or fly OS to apply for a 60 Day Tourist Visa then fly back or 30 day then can get a 30 day extension.

Whilst more of a hassle that means 3 or 4 more Visa runs of 15 days, which seems impossible..... Limited to 3 x 15 days before needing to leave country. Then come back by air.

But you suggest I can drive over to Poipet and pay for a 60 Tourist Visa for a few K bt? Long drive, yet 1 long drive maybe worth more than 3 to 4 Mai Sai trips...

Any thoughts... Thxs for your help.

Edited April 26, 2010 by jayinoz

[Toolz]

Is it possible to get more than 1 x 15 day Visa? Ahhh I been told you will be refused a 2nd time????

Quite possibly - although I don't know about that one. I consider Mae Sai an emergency option - no way I'd do consecutive runs.

Are you sure I could get 4x more 15 day extension or waiver or whatever they wish to call it???

No. Read. I said two more.

But you suggest I can drive over to Poipet and pay for a 60 Tourist Visa

No. You did.

[wolf5370]

You have two choices then - leave the country and go get a proper 60 day tourist visa (which can be extended to 90) - or do the 15 day visa runs. If they do tell you no more (at the border not immigration office - they always try to talk people out of visa runs) AND write/stamp your visa with "no more walk throughs" of whatever, then you can do the former. However, I know people that have been doping the Visa runs at Maesai for years and still do without problem.

I believe they got rid of the back-to-back limit in favour of the 15 day limit (?)

Edited April 26, 2010 by wolf5370

[Toolz]

I believe they got rid of the back-to-back limit in favour of the 15 day limit (?)

I know nothing abt that so if you've heard something, your info trumps mine!

[wolf5370]

That's what I believe. A few years back (its all so hazy now) they did their annual change-the-visa-laws-shuffle and brought in the much-hated back to back rule. Only three back to back tourist Visas by land. Then just about 2 years back they changed it again (shuffle shuffle) and came up with the 15 day visa for land and (so I believe) dropped the back-to-back rule in law. However, as with all customs and immigration points on the globe, they have a fair leeway in addressing what they may see as abusing the system. So, they do stamp "no walk throughs" for those people on occasion. I've never seen anyone get one since it was dropped, but I have heard of it.

Someone out there want to confirm or correct me here please!

[IanForbes]

I am sorry for your predicament, but you should have checked with the Thai consulate before you left home. It is all written down in plain English and has all the options and forms to fill out.

If you FLY out of the country then you get another 30 day extension. But, if you walk or drive out of Thailand then you only get another 15 days. However, if you FLY out of the country and apply for tourist visa (as different than a regular visa) then you can stay longer than 30 days. I'm not sure what the stipulations are in Cambodia or Laos so I can't comment. I do know if you are from the USA or any of the Commonwealth countries then you can get a single entry (60 days), double entry (120 days) or a triple entry (180 days) if you apply from your own country before you enter Thailand.

The reason for the change in 2008 is the number of people who were abusing the system. It's no harsher than any other country.

Nobody can complain if they haven't done due diligence before leaving their own country.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Sure they can complain. If only because it's what they do best!

[jayinoz]

CMai Immigration Officer stated most of the above----

1) Come with no Visa from eligible country then only re-entry by land for 15 days at border.

2) You can only do this 3 times....

3) That means 30 + 15 + 15 + 15 only in a 6 month period only (Officially)

4) Has anyone tried for a 4th consequtive entry- if so what happened??? As I worked out I only need 10 extra days till my flight home.

Then I back after a couple of months with a Biz or Family Visa, as I used to get year after year...

I guess you still need to do the border runs every 3 months like I did from 2003 to 2008, on a biz or family Visa?

Have thai son and thai partner so family Visa fine. Have a Co Ltd in Thailand, so biz Visa fine. Once back in Oz. Not sure you can get work permit on Family Visa so always used to get Biz Visa. Simply show Co Ltd papers, etc and stamped per year.

Anyway it looks like a 10 day overstay will be the cheapest option- 5000bt. Or I think you can get 1 last extension from CMAI Immigration for 7 final days for 1900bt + 1500bt for 3 day overstay

2 Runs to go and 1 extension- pay the 3 day overstay on the way out- Done and Done.

NOW I KNOW............

[IanForbes]

Some times they will give you a little leeway if you pay 2000 baht for a short extension if you have a plane booked out of the country. I've been allowed up to a 30 day extension under the circumstances. It's worth a try before doing the 500 baht fine thing.

[Toolz]

3) That means 30 + 15 + 15 + 15 only in a 6 month period only (Officially)

Careful, it's more like 30+14+14+14. If you pop out on your last day and that happens to be, say, a Sunday then your new stamp will also be a Sunday.

Some times they will give you a little leeway if you pay 2000 baht for a short extension if you have a plane booked out of the country.

Last I heard they'd give extra days if you had a confirmed ticket in hand. Absolutely do try to avoid the overstay.