How To Extend Your Tourist Visa - A Guide

[helpplease]

I've noticed that a lot of info about how to extend a tourist visa is either missing or outdated, so I thought I would put together a short post to help others who need to go through this process:

Location

Firstly, and most importantly, if you are in Bangkok, you have to go to the Chaengwattana offices of the Immigration dept.

You cannot get a tourist visa extension at the Sathorn offices. (Ignore the TV guide, ignore the Immigration Dept's own website, ignore the signs on the outside of the Sathorn building - all these are wrong).

From the Sathorn office to Chaengwattana, it takes almost an hour by taxi (THB280+highway).

Or

Take a BTS to Mo Chit/MTRD to Bang Sue and it is a 25min (THB120+highway) taxi ride

Map (handy to show taxi drivers, though they should know it by name)

Opening times: 08:30 to 16:30, mon-fri with lunch at 12:00-13:00 (I think saturday mornings as well?)

Once inside, the offices are on the ground floor at one end of the oval concourse.

What you need:

1) You need to complete this form:

Extension of Temporary Stay in The Kingdom Application Form (TM. 7)

(make sure you print it double sided)

2) One photo (4x5cm, but they seem flexible on exact size)

3) Photocopies of your passport (photo page, current visa, immigration card)

4) Original Passport + immigration card

5) THB1,900

Time:

Pretty efficient - it took me less than 90 mins for the whole thing (including getting lost inside and photocopying). Your forms are checked before they give you a queue number and the actual submission process was quick and cursory. You'll spend most of that time sitting around, waiting for your number so bring a newspaper/ipod.

Notes:

1) There are quite a few places to eat in the basement (food court+coffee shops)

2) If you need photocopies, there are 2 shops by the food court that will do it for 1 baht per page (they are obviously experienced) and they can take your photo for THB100 (4 copies)

I hope some of you find this useful.

[giulio78]

Thanks for the great guide.

Couple of questions if you can help:

- is it possible to extend the visa also in other offices outside bangkok? like nakhon pathom?

- do i need to wait until my visa is almost expired of can i just go during the first few weeks?

thanks a lot

[IMA_FARANG]

Good post.

Some other points.

The address for Chaeng Wattana immigration is:

Government Center Chaeng Wattana Building B, Nr. 120

Moo 3, Chaeng Wattana Road Soi 7,

Tung Song Hong Subdistrict

Laksi, Bangkok 10210

Point: for those of you arrived by air and recieved a 30 day stamp on arrival at the airport...

you do NOT have a tourist visa.

What you have is a 30 day stamp-on-arrival entry. Tourist visas are issued by a Thai embessy or consulate in your home country and that form is stamped in your passport. A small fee is charged for that visa.

So if that IS what you did before you left your country...or got a Thai tourist visa in a neighboring country before you entered Thailand...then you DO have a tourist visa.

The difference is important because that stamp-on-arrival entry can be extended for only (I think) 14 days.

A tourist visa however, normally gets you a 60 day entry and may be extended for 30 days (small fee required for extension).

They are two different things.

Final point: In the basement at Chaeng Wattana there are also branches of almost if not all Thai banks.

They will also do currency conversion if you need Thai Baht...to pay fees and such.

[lopburi3]

A 30 day visa exempt entry can not be extended but they will normally provide 7 days under review to provide extra time to leave for normal 1,900 baht extension fee; but may require sight of an outgoing ticket.

[David48]

My 2 cents for what it’s worth.

I went for my first ever Visa extension between Christmas and New Years Eve just past. Went with the Thai gf and took a taxi from Chatuchak Markets (BTS Mo Chit).

Taxi driver eventually mapped out the route in his head.

The place is HUGE and at odds with typical Thai buildings. On the way you pass a number of corporate headquarters including Thai Post.

Being newbies, we didn’t know what to expect (was prepared for the worst) and I have to say 10 / 10 for service, courtesy, efficiency and flexible thinking. Having read the posts here had all the documentation ready, dressed sweet, smelled sweet etc. My photo was smaller then suggested … but no problems.

Filled out the form, waited for about 30 mins and our number was called. Happy lady(I asked if my Thai gf could sit in … no problems). She read all the form, looked at the documentation and then started with a no smiling face talking Thai with the gf.

I’m currently staying at Samut Prakam, not far from BTS Bearing … and I thought that it was Bangkok … WRONG. I’m at the wrong office and she politely pointed that out.

Lot’s of silence … lot’s of looking at the floor … lot’s more clearing of the throat.

Then she ask me again … ‘What hotel u stay at in Bangkok?’

Oh … I see that maybe I make a mistake with my form. I will change that.

No, can not. Please complete a new form and I can not see you next time. Just get a new number and my fellow officer will see you. I will tell her your situation.

Without making a 2 page story about this the staff there were excellent, because there was another small mistake and the new lady was able to handle that also.

All in all 10/10 for the service … the only downer was the long wait to get out of the place while waiting for a taxi/motorcycle to take you back to the main road. It’s a loooooong way to walk, even for us Farangs.

Apologies if I used up all the good fortune there and the next applicant gets shafted.

[lopburi3]

Did you use the South entry door? The one nearest Immigration office (turn left on exit from immigration area)? I have always had a queue of taxi waiting there after first month or so of operation. Main entry door on East side can be a wait. You are right it would be a long walk to main road.

[David48]

Did you use the South entry door?

Lopburi3 ... being newbies, not exactly sure what exit we used but probably as you mentioned.

Thanks for the tip and next time will follow the advice.

Regards ...

[Maestro]

From the OP:

...You cannot get a tourist visa extension at the Sathorn offices. (Ignore the TV guide, ignore the Immigration Dept's own website, ignore the signs on the outside of the Sathorn building - all these are wrong)...

A TV guide would definitely be the wrong place to start looking for information about an extension of stay. To the best of my knowledge, there are no television channels broadcasting information about this subject.

[bibblies]

I waited over 2 hours today for an extension. Three months ago, when I had to use Suan Plu when the floods were still around Chaengwattana, it took less than 10 minutes in total at a makeshift centre. It might even have been 5.

They had a notice up saying sorry for the delay, there was a new computer system. I could see at least 3 people working. Assuming there were just 3 and they processed 30 people in 2 hours, that's 12 man-minutes per person processed.

Enter a few basic details, put the forms in a pile, take photo, take money, give receipt. Move a stamp 30 places and stamp a passport on the right page. Am I missing something? Is Monday a bad time to go? Or is it because of the Iranian incident? (I noticed that people from certain countries were taking longer to process than Europeans. I guess that could also have been English problems. I also try to avoid getting behind Chinese people in any queue for that reason. They tend to spend 2-3 times as long trying to understand instructions in English...)

[wrazoru]

There are 2 posts here that state different extension days for a 30 day VOA transit visa.

One says 15 days, the other says 7 days.

I only need an extra 10-11 days on a Canadian passport.

Last date in passport stamp = March 11

And my flight date = Mar 21st...

[Mario2008]

There are 2 posts here that state different extension days for a 30 day VOA transit visa.

One says 15 days, the other says 7 days.

I only need an extra 10-11 days on a Canadian passport.

Last date in passport stamp = March 11

And my flight date = Mar 21st...

Unless married to a Thai national or having a child wih Thai nationality, the only thing you can get is 7 days (with a ticket out within those 7 days).

Best to make a border run and get a new 15 days on re-entry.

[wayned]

Border run time. You can only get a 7 day extension if you have a ticket out during that 7 days.

[heatwaving]

Good information, thanks. I have a 60 day tourist visa that will expire at the end of April. When can and or when should I go to get my 30 day extension. I think from reading online I can go any time during the final 30 days on my current 60 days. Is that correct? And if so, does it matter when I go within that time period or do I get a full 90 days total no matter when I extend. Thanks for your help.

[Mario2008]

Do it one or two weeks before the 60 days are up, but from 30 days shoul be OK.

The extension starts when the current permission expires, so you don't lose any days by going early.

[heatwaving]

ok thanks!

[Romfordboy]

i've got a similar question. I'm here on a 30 day visa exempt stamp and when that expires I intend to apply for a 60 day extension based on marriage to my Thai wife.

When should I be going to the immigration office to make the application to extend? Will a few days before my stamp expires be ok, or does it need to be earlier?

[Mario2008]

The 60 day extension is given on the spot, a few days or week before will be OK.

By extending early you will not lose any days, the extension starts when the current permission is finished.

[Jayman]

A 30 day visa exempt entry can not be extended but they will normally provide 7 days under review to provide extra time to leave for normal 1,900 baht extension fee; but may require sight of an outgoing ticket.

Can be extended for 60 days if you have a wife or thai child. Same fee but also need papers showing marriage or child's relationship to applicant.

[luap]

A 30 day visa exempt entry can not be extended but they will normally provide 7 days under review to provide extra time to leave for normal 1,900 baht extension fee; but may require sight of an outgoing ticket.

Can be extended for 60 days if you have a wife or thai child. Same fee but also need papers showing marriage or child's relationship to applicant.

Correct but your wife and child MUST go with you, last week my wife was sick so when on my own (with all the paperwork) no way would they extend without my family with me

cheers.....luap