Here On Visa Exemption, Need Stay Bit Longer

[david_je]

Hello,

I hold a Hong Kong passport. Arrived on 30-day visa exemption that expires May 26. I know I can extend it for 7 days at Bkk Immigration. However, I'd like to stay until the 2nd or 3rd week of June. My questions:

-- Has anyone ever gotten an extension longer than 7 days?

-- May 26 is a Sunday, and Fri May 24 is a holiday. If I go to Immigration on Thurs May 23, they will extend it for 7 days starting May 26, not May 23, is that correct? If so, could I even just do it this coming Monday?

-- Toward the end of my extension, I was thinking of making an overland visa run (Pong Nam Rong or Mae Sai) for an extra 14 days. And then I can have that extended in Bangkok for another 7 days if I need, is that correct?

Or do I have other, inexpensive options to stay until 2nd-3rd week June?

Thank you for your help,

[Mario2008]

Unless married to a Thai, the most you can get is an extra 7 days. If you go to the border and return, you will get 15 days. Than you can extend that with an extra 7 days.

If you go to Laos, Vientiane or Savanakhet you can get a tourist visa which will give you 60 days. Simply leaving Thailand (by land or air) and returning by air will give you 30 days.

[lopburi3]

You should be able to obtain a new 30 day entry by any exit/return to Thailand by bilateral agreement having a Hong Kong passport. You should not be subject to the 15 day visa exempt land entry rule.

[david_je]

You should be able to obtain a new 30 day entry by any exit/return to Thailand by bilateral agreement having a Hong Kong passport. You should not be subject to the 15 day visa exempt land entry rule.

I could not find online any reference to HK passport holders getting 30 rather than 15 days on land entry visa run. I saw mention that Malaysians were only exception. Could you pls point me to the documentation/text of the bilateral agreement?

Also, would you pls advise re my other question:

-- May 26 is a Sunday, and Fri May 24 is a holiday. If I go to Immigration on Thurs May 23, they will extend it for 7 days starting May 26, when my visa expires, not May 23, is that correct? If so, could I even just do it this coming Monday?

Thank you for your help,

[MeowBundit]

I know now for sure, I'm Malaysian Just joke, I have NON last 2 years...

David, due to agreement between countries, your stay can be 30 days more in case you just do border run. The same for Thai nationals, they will have 30 days of stay on every entry to HK. Rule is simple - Thais can enter HK for 30 Days, holders of HKSAR passports can enter for 30 days.

So, you better just do border run. ALWAYS check stamp, because sometimes officers do mistakes and can stamp you 15 days instead of 30. This happens because a lot of visitors and only a few nationalities excluded from 15-day land arrival rule, and officers can be very tired if a lot of people want cross border. Mistake can be corrected immediately if you found it.

Next question - yes, the date of extension will be exactly counted 7 days from day following your arrival stamp "until to" date.

Another thing, if you close to Mae Sai, do border run better. Yesterday I spent almost all day in BKK Immigration, hundreds of people and computer system failure. And immigration building - BTS roundtrip taxi can cost you about 200-300 baht. This place is FAR from any mass-transport...

If you stay in Bangkok you can join border run company to Cambodia and go back in less than 10 hours...

Edited May 17, 2013 by MeowBundit

[lopburi3]

This outlines the various periods of stay allowed:

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/contents/files/services-20130503-153844-612966.pdf

As for 7 day extension I would not do as you need more time so a border trip for the same price allowing 30 day stay would seem to be logical. I would not count on the 7 day starting from end of current stay as it is not an extension of stay but a refused application allowing you 7 days to pack out. But from most recent reports they do allow early application and date it from end of current stay currently.

[david_je]

Thank you all for your help, especially re the 30 days for land crossing. It made me wonder if there are other benefits of the bilateral agreement, such as whether I can get longer than the standard 7 days extension at Bkk Immigration, etc. If anyone knows where online I can find the text of the bilateral agreement, I'd appreciate it.

[lopburi3]

The 7 days is a non-approved extension of stay period to pack out - it does not vary and is all that can be obtained for such application. It is not subject to any bilateral agreement.