Hi guys

I currently am on a non immigrant ED visa which expires on the 25th of October. I recently left the country to go back to Australia for a week and upon returning was stamped both on my departure card and passport another 3 months by the customs official (now admitted until xx January 2015)

So my question is do I have to leave the country when my visa expires? or can I stay longer as i now have a new date? Has anybody had any similar experiences and what did you do?

kind regards

Sara

If you have a multiple entry ED visa the stamp is correct and you can stay until xx January 2015. You get 90 days permission to stay on each entry and the permission to stay can go beyond the expiration of the visa. The visa is only a ticket to enter, once in you can stay until the date stamped in your passport.

I plan on returning to Thailand with a single entry non o/marriage obtained from home country, will i be stamped in for 90days?

Yes, a valid single non-O visa gives you a stay of 90 days.

I plan on returning to Thailand with a single entry non o/marriage obtained from home country, will i be stamped in for 90days?

Yes you will get one 90 day entry.

I plan on returning to Thailand with a single entry non o/marriage obtained from home country, will i be stamped in for 90days?

Yes

If you have a multiple entry ED visa the stamp is correct and you can stay until xx January 2015. You get 90 days permission to stay on each entry and the permission to stay can go beyond the expiration of the visa. The visa is only a ticket to enter, once in you can stay until the date stamped in your passport.

But remember your permission to stay in Thailand does not allow you to exit and re-enter the country after the visa expires. It just allows you to remain in Thailand until xx January. If you want to go out and return during your permission to stay, you will need a re-entry permit or the permission to stay will be cancelled

It is quite simple actually. The validity of your visa lives its own life and it is during that time you are allowed to enter Thailand. As soon as you enter the Immigration officer will stamp the duration of permitted stay in you passport, which is not the same as the visa's validity.

It can be confusing because so many people call their 'temporary permission to stay' for 'visa', which is formally incorrect even if the Immigration staff use the same terminology.