Procedure to extend 30 day visa exemt entry.

[MalandLee]

My French friends, who speak, read and write little English, want to know the procedure to extend the 30 day visa exempt entry.

 

1. Can they use a regional office? (Lamphun prefered).
2. What documents are required?
3. Any idea how long this takes? (once they are seen)
4. The 30 days is up on the 19th Nov.

They have been staying in "Dorms" in Chiang Mai, When I asked which ones, they did not remember the names AND cannot even find their way back there

Asked them did they register, they told me  that they never even showed their passport. (Language difficulties and I guess the guest house, just did not bother for one night - but I don;t know for sure)

 

Anyhow I do not know if this is checked or is even asked???

 

I hope the question is clear - please ask for clarification if you need more info.

 

An answer(s) will be greatly appreciated.  - we intend taking them to overcome language difficulties.

 

[ubonjoe]

1. It can be done at any immigration office they have a local address to put on the application form. The designated immigration office for Lamphun is Chiang Mai. The application would be done at the Promenada office there.

2. A completed TM7 form with a 4 X 6 cm photo attached (with blue back ground in CM). Copies of their passport photo page, entry stamp and TM6 departure card.

3. The extension is done while they wait. 

4. They have to do the extension this week. Immigration will be closed on Saturday the 19th.

They may need a TM30 form from the place they are staying now unless the owner has already done the report.

[pjthefey]

They have to go to the local immigration office.   I found this out the hard way when I tried to extend the first time at the main Bangkok office when I live in Samut Prakan.     They will need the receipt from the hotel/dorm/residence owner from when they reported  them coming into Thailand. 

[MalandLee]

Thank you for your replies, on the basis of your replies, particularly "pjthefey", given the total impossibility of complying with this requirement - they have no idea where they stayed on INCOMING - in BKK, ecept it was a dorm bed in Khao San Road. They are now in Lamphun and were hoping to travel to Chiang Rai, Pai & Mai Hong Son.

 

I am suggesting they leave Thailand as there is no way they can "jump these hoops"!! I suggest they continue their travels in Malaysia, Laos & Cambodia - SOONER rather than what they planned. It is sad as Ubon Joe says, they cannot use the Lamphun immigration office as the CM is designated for extensions - I can use it for my retirement visa, reporting etc.. Not sure why extensions are referred to CM, but I really know very little about all the rules.

 

They were warned in their own country of Thailand's strict laws, however, they thought it was exaggerated after talking with friends who had been here.

[pjthefey]

When they go to the local immigration office they should ask the owner of their residence if they can be available by phone in case there's any question.    I don't know how it works in a dorm type of situation.     In the case where you are renting a room somewhere the owner needs to sign some paperwork and  provide it to immigration within 24 hours of arrival, or they will face a 1,000 baht fine per person staying on their property.  They can do it later but they may have to pay the fine.    I suspect that the owner of their residence never bothered to do this since, as we were told at immigration, many Thai people don't know that they have to do this. 

 

BEfore my experience at immigration today I always thought it was the person who was visiting Thailand that might be faced with a fine for not reporting to immigration within 24 hours.    Apparently that's not the case, as my office told me the condo owner had to pay the fine and sign the documents. 

 

You will also need to make copies of your passport, entry stamp, and arrival card.   As someone else indicated, you also need 1 or 2 passport photos.    In my experience they usually only want one, but last time we got an extension they asked for two. 

[ubonjoe]

As far as I know there is no full service immigration office in Lamphun.

If there is one now then they can do their extensions there. 

Please post the address and GPS address of there is one now.

[pjthefey]

With all the changing of addresses, I have no idea what immigration would ask for.   Might be easiest just to do an in and out border run. 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, pjthefey said:

With all the changing of addresses, I have no idea what immigration would ask for.   Might be easiest just to do an in and out border run. 

Only their current address would be needed. Lots of tourists bounce around the country.

A border run from Lamhpun would not be an easy option. The nearest crossing that allows a border hop for a visa exempt entry is the Chiang Khong crossing to Laos.

[BritTim]

11 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

As far as I know there is no full service immigration office in Lamphun.

If there is one now then they can do their extensions there. 

Please post the address and GPS address of there is one now.

 

According to Google, there is such an office, but a bit of confusion over details: https://www.google.co.th/maps/search/Lamphun+immigration/@18.5400774,99.0290028,15z/data=!3m1!4b1?hl=en. Note two different locations shown.

[MalandLee]

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

 

According to Google, there is such an office, but a bit of confusion over details: https://www.google.co.th/maps/search/Lamphun+immigration/@18.5400774,99.0290028,15z/data=!3m1!4b1?hl=en. The location may be different from the one shown on this map.

 

Hi  guys below is a pic from Google Earth of the new office (Less than 6 months I think) To the right of the picture in this url  - Big sign in the area now - Good Guys in Bad guys out or something similar...

  http://bit.ly/2fTblC7

[MalandLee]

Hi Ubon Joe,

 

If it is the case the last address, I will "shout" them a hotel night near immigration and that will be their address when they apply.

I have learned you are quite an authority on this, so we will try. Thursday night book in the hotel, Friday morning go to immigration with the forms you suggested in your original post.

I will post the outcome.

If all fails I will drive them to the closest border.

Thank you so much for your time.

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, MalandLee said:

 

Hi  guys below is a pic from Google Earth of the new office (Less than 6 months I think) To the right of the picture in this url  - Big sign in the area now - Good Guys in Bad guys out or something similar...

  http://bit.ly/2fTblC7

Can you confirm the phone numbers are correct on the map?

The GPS coordinates are 18.548625, 99.052644 according to the map.

[MalandLee]

Hi Joe

phone 053-080-0110.  & 053-584-275 - email Lamphun[email protected]

 

Mal

 

PS: I found them to be very nice people

[MalandLee]

Hi Joe,

 

We will reply to this forum, the outcome of this procedure - in the hope it will help others. The reason I post this to you is simply a credibility factor. If you are the custodian of info re visa related things, it is best you have first hand reports

[MalandLee]

To conclude this thread, I promised I would report back.

 

1. Took them to a low/mid-range hotel in Lamphun.
2. Hotel was not interested in their passport, only their money.
3. After check in, we saw no reason to wait until the next day (Passport not sighted, so why wait) sooo, headed off to Lamphun Immigration
4. They had the details of the hotel with them, immigration insisted they find it on the internet, which they did.
5. The formalities after this took about 10 minutes, genuinely lovely people at Lamphun immigration.
6. Paid 1900 Baht and left with an extra month.
7. Only one of the two required an extension, hence the plurality within the explanation.

I know the hotel's name but prefer not to list it here.

 

Thank you to EVERYONE for their help.