When To Apply For Tourist Visa 30day Ext.?

[nephilim]

Hi all,

I'm on my last 60day entry on my tourist visa and want to apply / pay for the final 30 day extension. When should I do this? Can it be anytime before the expiry date?

Also, where do I go to do this in Bangkok?

Cheers!!

Neph

[manfromoz]

Wait as long as possible before applying. The extension starts the day they give it to you, not at the end of your existing visa. On saying this, leave yourself a day to do a mercy dash visa run to the border if immigration refuse the extension.

I know of many people who have happily gone into immigration on the last day of their visa to find a refusal and then a panic to get to Cambodia (thier choice of venue) to get a renewal.

[mmaggi]

Recently I posted a note reassuring somebody about visa extensions because I have been coming in and out of Thailand regularly for 5 years (25 round trips) and never had a problem.

Today I went in for my visa extension and now I have a problem.

I arrived from Vietnam and got stamped in for 30 days, due to leave March 3. I requested a 10 day extension because March 2 is my birthday and I want to spend it in Thailand with friends and visit Chiang Mai.

When my passport came back it was stampted March 13 -- no problem.

Later I looked at it again and it was stamped, "Applicant for extension of stay is not approved. Applicant must leave the Kingdom not later than 13 March 2004."

So was my extension granted or not? They gave me the extra 10 days from March 3 and today is only March 25.... so I don't understand the 10 days if I was refused.

My guess is that they just used the wrong stamp.... but the problem is: what did they put in the computer? Am I going to have a problem coming back into the country after a short stay somewhere like Ankor Wat for a weekend?????

I guess I need to talk to an attorney.... Maybe I will go back to the office and ask for an explanation. The Bangkok office has a desk that does nothing but correct stamps made at the airport. Maybe it is a simple mistake.

Since my only real home is Bangkok, this is a vital issue for me.

Regards, Michael

[george]

Don't worry, this is normal, the extenstion stamps are old and confusing...

Just leave the Kingdom before or on 13 March and everything will be fine.