Explain options please

[JAS21]

A friend arrived from the UK on Nov 9th and got stamped in for thirty days.

 

He is staying.with us at present but will shortly go to 'stay' in Chiang Mai. 

 

He is under the impression that he can extend for 60 days and then wants to extend again and then before that extension expires go back to the UK. He is about seventy years old.

 

How to please? Can he avoid an agent?

 

Thanks

[ukrules]

If he got the 30 day stamp on arrival then he can extend it by 30 days, you can only do this once then you have to leave the country.

 

He should have got a visa before coming but he can still get one from a neighbouring country.

 

[lopburi3]

60 days would be a tourist visa entry (but you report he only got 30 days).  Did he actually have a tourist visa and get wrong stamp?  That can be corrected and then extended 30 days it that was the case.  If not he can only extend 30 days as above.

[paul18620]

he cannot get 60 days extension on an exempt visa he can only get 30 days at the immigration office for a fee of 1900 bhat and when that expires he will have to go either back to the UK or another country and get a tourist visa if he wishes to continue to stay in Thailand as a tourist.

[elviajero]

• If he entered the country without a visa (visa exempt) and was given permission to stay for 30 days he can only extend that once by 30 days.
• After his extension expires he could do a border hop, not all borders, and get a new 30 day stay which could also be extended by 30 days.
• 60 day extensions are only available to spouses or parents of a Thai.

[JAS21]

Thanks ... when should he apply for the 30 day extension ie how many days before December 8th...

[elviajero]

4 minutes ago, JAS21 said:

Thanks ... when should he apply for the 30 day extension ie how many days before December 8th...

• He should have no problem applying within the last week. Note that immigration will be closed on Monday 5th, therefore, it will be busier than usual on the 6th.
• Regardless of how early he applies, day 1 of the 30 day extension will be December 9th.

 

[JAS21]

How much will this 30 day extension cost please? He is sitting next to me now and insisting that he will get a 60 day extension for 1900thb ...

[elviajero]

41 minutes ago, JAS21 said:

How much will this 30 day extension cost please? He is sitting next to me now and insisting that he will get a 60 day extension for 1900thb ...

• All extensions of stay cost 1,900 baht regardless of how long.
• I assure him that he will not get a 60 day extension as a tourist. They are only available to spouses and parents of Thais.

[JAS21]

Thank you all for your contributions ... elviajero, sorry I missed the bit about 60 day only being for those with Thai wives etc in your earlier post ... so when he does a border run he will only get another 30 days?

 

So, he plans to stay for towards six months, he may have to  "go out of the country' for  a few days or can just do border runs? 

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, JAS21 said:

Thank you all for your contributions ... elviajero, sorry I missed the bit about 60 day only being for those with Thai wives etc in your earlier post ... so when he does a border run he will only get another 30 days?

 

So, he plans to stay for towards six months, he may have to  "go out of the country' for  a few days or can just do border runs? 

It would best if he made a trip to a nearby embassy or consulate to get a singe entry tourist visa that would allow a 60 day entry that can be extended for 30 days.

From Chiang Mai the nearest border crossing that allow a crossing for new 30 day visa exempt entry is the Chiang Khong crossing to Laos.

[elviajero]

13 hours ago, JAS21 said:

Thank you all for your contributions ... elviajero, sorry I missed the bit about 60 day only being for those with Thai wives etc in your earlier post ... so when he does a border run he will only get another 30 days?

 

So, he plans to stay for towards six months, he may have to  "go out of the country' for  a few days or can just do border runs? 

• Yes, he will only get 30 days with a visa exempt entry.
• Visa exempt out/in border hops are not available at every border. As suggested, Chiang Khon, would be the best option from Chiang Mai.
• If he's planning to stay 6 months it would be better to get a second SETV from the Embassy in Vientiane, Laos. That visa would give him 60 days plus a 30 day extension of stay. After that he could do a 30 day visa exempt entry if he wants more time.

[JAS21]

Yes that is what happened ... 30 day extension ...and advised to get the SETV.

 

Apparently cost him 2900thb ...guess the 1000thb split somehow between agent and 'others'.

 

Reading about CM Immigration seems that they are just bad news.