**urgent Advice Required** - Visa Extension

[kap]

Urgent Advice Required - Visa extension

I'm a US passport holder residing in HK (permanent resident status). I arrived in Thailand and received a standard 30 day visa (Thursday, the 29th is my last day). My plan was to spend 30 days at my condo and then return to HK.

Unfortunately, I had an accident and ended up fracturing two bones in my foot about 10 days ago. I was treated at Bangkok Hospital Pattata where they put a cast on me (for 4-6 weeks) and gave me crutches to get around. I had planned on leaving on Thursday as scheduled, but yesterday decided to stay for a few more weeks due to mobility issues (I rebooked for 22 May). At least here I can strap my crutches onto my bike and off I go (and park pretty close to wherever I'm going), in HK just getting food and groceries would be a struggle.

Today I went to immigration on Jomtien Soi 5 to enquire about a visa extension. The guy at the info counter first gave me a bit of shit about the time (4pm) and then told me I could only get a 7 day extension. I told him the medical/accident related reason (I hobbled up to him on crutches and showed him some paperwork from the hospital) and he said that I should get a letter from my doctor/hospital in Thai.

-Is it standard to only be granted a 7 day extension...for 1900 baht? (Later on I realized that my passport, which he asked to see, had a used visa from about two months ago...I had obtained it for my prior trip since I was going to be in Thailand for 31 days...did he maybe conflate that with my current trip?)

-Since I need about 22 days, a land visa run won't work, right?

-I guess I can speak to my doctor/hospital tomorrow, Wednesday, and ask them to write some sort of letter which will allow me to get an extension for at least 22 days (as opposed to 7)...

I'd be grateful if anyone could please urgently provide me with some advice ASAP. Perhaps I'm missing something.

Thanks in Advance. Cheers!

KAP

 

[scorpio1945]

I can not speak with certainty but I believe 7 days ext. is standard for a 30 day visa on entry. If you had gotten a 60 day tourist visa from the Thai embassy in the US you could get a 30 day extention. You best bet is a strong doctors letter.

[metisdead]

Get the letter from your doctor. You should qualify for a waiver due to medical reasons.

Someone else will soon be along with all the correct procedures.

[phetpeter]

Get the letter from your doctor. You should qualify for a waiver due to medical reasons.

Someone else will soon be along with all the correct procedures.

No you got it! One letter from the doctor explaining ongoing treatment to injury, make sure the letter informs them of the lenght of time you require the ongoing treatment plus a few extra days blah blah blah... and there you go, I would asl about not paying more money due to the fact he could have sent you away to get the letter...Plead nicely

[BWPattaya]

You should have no problem getting a doctor's letter justifying an extension. It is not wise to fly with a fractured bone, there is an increased rixk of a fat embolism when flying.

[SFMarkD]

If you have not yet found a solution I would contact the International Patient desk at the hospital. The hospitals have people to assist their foreign patients with visa extensions. Bangkok Pattaya is part of the Dusit Group, which also owns the large Bangkok Hospital complex off of Phetchburi Road. So you might be able to arrange this in Bangkok. The two hospitals work closely on most things. I would start by calling the Pattaya hospital.

Bangkok Hospital Pattaya

301 Moo 6, Sukhumvit Road (km 143)

Pattaya,Chonburi 20150

Tel: (+66) 38 259-999

Fax: (+66) 38 259-990

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.bangkokhospital.com/pattaya/

Bangkok Hospital

2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchburi Road

Bangkapi, Huay Khwang

Bangkok 10310

Tel: (+66) 2310-3000

1719 (local mobile calls only)

Fax: (+66) 2318-1546

(+66) 2310-3327

Email: [email protected]

[smokie36]

You should have no problem getting a doctor's letter justifying an extension. It is not wise to fly with a fractured bone, there is an increased rixk of a fat embolism when flying.

Agree 100%.

[gk10002000]

I have gotten the 7 day extension before and yes it does cost that 1900 baht or there abouts. That is the only advertised type of extension for a 30 day visa on arrival that I am aware of. Maybe they will do something special for a medical reason, I do not know. You might want to consider the day trip drive over to cambodia and back. That will only get you a 15 day visa extension, but it is somewhat easy to do.

Get well.

[monty]

All answers correct.

* extension on the 30 day visa free entry is 7 days at a cost of 1,900 Baht.

* Border run over land will give a 15 day stamp (practically 14 days as day of entry is counted as day 1)

* You can get a longer extension with proper paperwork from your doctor, but it should clearly state that travel is a definite no due to medical risks. Go to Bangkok Pattaya hospital and talk with their customer service, they have staff handling immigration issues. Actually immigration used to have an officer at the hospital, but must say that on my last few visits I haven't seen them...

[kevkev1888]

As stated above get the Hospital to sort it for you.

Have done this myself and the hospital delt with all for me just had to supply my Passport plus small admin fee.

[kap]

Thanks for all the quick responses! Unfortunately as I suspected, there is no silver bullet.

I called the hospital about an hour or so ago to speak to my doctor, but he is in surgery until 1:00...I'll have to call back in about an hour or so. While on with the hospital, I asked about visa extensions. Although I did not speak to someone in the specific area that might deal with these issues, the person I did speak to said that it might be for hospitalized individuals only.

Just in case the medical angle didn't work, the only choice(s) I'd have would be visa run(s)/7 day extension. Bearing in mind that Thursday, 29 April is my day 30, and my flight out is on Friday, 21 May...what would you suggest?

-Two (15 day) land Visa runs (bear in mind traveling in a cramped minivan for 7? hours return with a broken foot will be rather uncomfortable, to say the least!)

-An extension (7 day) and then a visa run...would this even bring me to my 21 May HK departure date?

-anything else that I need to take into consideration?

If I do a visa extension (medical or 7 day) I need a photo, where is a fairly priced/easy place to get it in Pattaya/Jomtien? Do I need one for visa runs?

Thanks in advance again!

KAP

[kevkev1888]

As stated above get the Hospital to sort it for you.

Have done this myself and the hospital delt with all for me just had to supply my Passport plus small admin fee.

This was for a broken ankle and was as an out patient only!

You defiantly should have no problems getting an extension until your required date 100%.

[kap]

...doctor now at lunch, post surgery...hopefully he'll call me back shortly!

[NADTATIDA1]

You really need to get yourself down there,take the bull by the horns so to speak a telephone call is not the way to go...you need a letter in Thai from them and to speak to a person who can move things on for you and give you the correct procedure to follow.

[kap]

...just got off the phone with my doctor and he will have a letter drawn up for me by about 4pm. I can then go to immigration tomorrow morning (my day 30). While at the hospital maybe I can enquire to see if they can actually do the extension for me. Lastly, the doctor told me to come see him two days prior to my 21 May departure to see if the cast can be removed here instead of HK (an x-ray will be taken).

Any advice on where to get a photo for the application?

Thanks again for timely advice provided by all the posters. Cheers!

[kap]

...just got off the phone with my doctor and he will have a letter drawn up for me by about 4pm. I can then go to immigration tomorrow morning (my day 30). While at the hospital maybe I can enquire to see if they can actually do the extension for me. Lastly, the doctor told me to come see him two days prior to my 21 May departure to see if the cast can be removed here instead of HK (an x-ray will be taken).

Any advice on where to get a photo for the application?

Thanks again for timely advice provided by all the posters. Cheers!

[Mario2008]

Technically, you would need to be incapable of traveling for this extension. I advise tyou to have the hospital to take care of this, if they provide this service. They will have liason with immigration and can smooth things for you, where you on your own might be denied an extension.

[MTH]

^ Good advice, BPH has immigration services in house. Not sure about the other hospitals in Pattaya.

[gk10002000]

...just got off the phone with my doctor and he will have a letter drawn up for me by about 4pm. I can then go to immigration tomorrow morning (my day 30). While at the hospital maybe I can enquire to see if they can actually do the extension for me. Lastly, the doctor told me to come see him two days prior to my 21 May departure to see if the cast can be removed here instead of HK (an x-ray will be taken).

Any advice on where to get a photo for the application?

Thanks again for timely advice provided by all the posters. Cheers!

I had my Visa Run photos taken right at the Key Visa office on LK Metro, just off Soi Bukhao. I am sure any of the visa offices scattered around town will photo you for a fee. I think a few of the photo/CD/reproductin stores will also do it.

[kap]

...now have my (Thai) doctor's (BPH) form letter stating that I need treatment until the 28th(?) of May and cannot travel ticked off. I got 4 passport photos for 100 at some shop on the main road in South Pattaya near the Novotel(?)...

Will let you know how I make out at the immigration office on Thursday...Cheers!

[kap]

Sorry for the delayed update, but I had some Internet access issues to work thru.

First of all, thanks again to all that took the time to send in all of those prompt replies.

I went to Imm in Jomtien on Thursday, 19 May (my day 30) with all my paperwork in order. It included the letter from my doctor at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya requesting an additional 30 days and stating that I could not travel.

When my number was called, I went up and spoke to the officer and handed in my papers. He conversed a bit with his superior and motioned towards me and my crutches. Then the boss man came over and looked at me and my leg and then went back to his desk. I also showed the officer my appointment slip (from the hospital) for the 19th. He had me pay the 1,900 fee and told me to wait for my name to be called.

After a while my name was called and the officer handed me my passport. He said something (jokingly, I assume) about not getting into anymore accidents. I took the passport without checking it and began to walk out. I then stopped right before the exit and decided to take a look at what was stamped in it. To my surprise, shock actually, the extension was to the 17th! Two days before my next doctor's appointment!

I went back to the officer and asked why it was only to the 17th, especially since I had shown him my appointment slip for the 19th! His response was that they could only give 20 days and that if needed more I should later apply for another (I assume standard) extension of 7 days. When asked if I could speak to his boss, he just said that they can only give 20 days.

Ironically, later that day (I think), I read on Thai Visa that Thailand had now extended their visa free access to next March. Now I have to go back again and spend another 1,900 since my flight out isn't until 21 May, two days after my doctor's appointment.

:-(

KAP