Hint and tips for dealing with Thai immigration
Samui Immigration Department s in Nathon town
Tourists staying in Thailand long term often find that a visit to their local immigration office is a necessary part of this process. Most of the visas issued by Thai embassies and consulates outside the country can be extended for a specific period one way or another and for a variety of reasons.
Thai immigration offices where visas can be extended are located in most major cities in the country. In Bangkok there is a brand new facility out past Lad Prao at Chaeng Wattana, while Chiang Mai’s is on the airport approach road.
On Koh Samui, the immigration office is on Thaweeratphakdee Road south of Nathon town and Pattaya’s is on Jomtien Beach Road in Banglamung. Phuket has a main branch of the immigration department in town at 482 Phuket Road in the City District (Amphur Muang) and a sub-branch at Patong Beach.
Not all immigration offices offer the same visa extensions and people requiring to extend one for reasons of marriage, work, retirement or education will usually have to visit one of the principal city offices. Visa extensions are also not dealt with at airports or land-entry points at border crossings with Thailand’s neighbouring countries.
Officers manning the counters at immigration offices in Thailand are always neat and tidy in their uniforms and they expect applicants for visa extensions to dress likewise. A smart appearance and polite demeanour always contribute to a smooth visa extension process.
As well as the applicant’s passport, several photocopies and two passport-sized photographs are required by immigration officers to process the request. Two copies each of the passport information page, the visa if used, the entry stamp and the TM6 departure card that is stapled into the passport are needed for standard tourist visa extensions. Those extending for other reasons will need supporting documentation. Applicants will also need to complete an application form at the immigration office.
All visa extensions are currently 1,900 Baht. Visitors who stay on in Thailand beyond their visa’s expiry date are subject to fines that accrue at the rate of 500 Baht for each day overstayed. The maximum fine is 20,000 Baht. Overstayers run the risk of imprisonment if their passport is checked in Thailand and it does not have a valid permission to stay stamp in it.
Thai immigration offices open from Monday to Friday, but are closed on public holidays. As there are quite a few national holidays in Thailand it pays to check that the office will be open on the requisite day. Office hours are 8:30 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:30. Visas can be extended before their actual expiry date. More on visas for Thailand.
The different visas and possible extensions of them as well as documentation needed are listed below.
Extensions for Thai visas
Visa-exempt entry extensions:
Visitors who entered Thailand by air and applied for a 30-day visa-exempt entry can get a seven-day extension of stay at immigration offices. Those who entered by land and were given 15-day visa-exempt entries are also able to get the additional seven-day extension.
Getting a tourist visa extended is relatively simple
Applicants need to provide two photocopies of the passport information page, the immigration entry stamp and the TM6 departure card, two passport-sized photographs, a completed application form and the 1,900 Baht fee.
Tourist visa extensions:
Visitors who applied for and were issued with 60-day tourist visas at Thai embassies or consulates outside Thailand can extend their permission to stay for a further 30 days at Thai immigration offices.
Applicants need nearly the same photocopies as for visa-exempt entry extensions and these are two each of the passport’s information page, the visa, the entry stamp and the TM6 card as well as a completed application form, 1,900 Baht and two photographs.
Non-immigrant visa extensions
People in Thailand on non-immigrant visas are given a 90-day permit to stay upon arrival. There are several types of non-immigrant visa which offer different options and require specific supporting documents for extensions.
Type O:
Is the most common and is issued to those with family in Thailand or those over 50 years of age. There are two possible extensions for those who are legally married to a Thai national. The first is a one-off 60-day extension and the second gives a one-year additional stay.
Most immigration offices will only issue the 60-day extension once and this requires the same photocopies as for a tourist visa extension plus copies of the marriage certificate as well 1,900 Baht fee, a completed application form and two photographs. A requirement for this extension is the attendance in person of the spouse.
A one-year non-immigrant visa type O extension for marriage reasons requires the same documentation and fee as the 60-day extension, the spouse’s attendance, plus evidence the couple are actually co-habiting. If the applicant is male he has to have 400,000 Baht deposited in a Thai bank account or an annual income remitted to Thailand equivalent to this sum. Female applicants can usually obtain the extension without the monetary requirement if their Thai partner can offer proof of financial support.
People in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa type O and over 50 years old can also obtain a one-year extension with evidence of 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank account or an equivalent yearly income.
Type B:
Those in Thailand for reasons of employment or running a business will have been issued with a type B non-immigrant when they applied for their original visa, provided they were in possession of the correct documentation at the time.
People in Thailand with a type B non-immigrant visa can extend it a Thai immigration office by producing their work permit and proof they are paying tax as well as the standard photocopies, application form, fee and photographs.
Extensions for type Bs are between 90 days and one year and are dictated by the employment field and qualifications of the candidate.
Type ED:
People learning Thai or another subject at an accredited Thai educational establishment can extend their non-immigrant ED visa for 90 days initially. These visas can then be extended every 90 days for one year or for the duration of the course.
Thai language academies such as Walen offer courses that allow their students to study for three years and use the same ED visa. This option just requires extensions to be made every 90 days with no requirement to leave Thailand. Students have to study four hours per week to satisfy the requirements for extensions.
Applicants for type ED extensions need the usual documents, photographs and fees as well as supporting paperwork from the school. Those extending for reasons of learning the Thai language should be prepared to answer basic questions in Thai which are sometimes posed by immigration officers.
Type M:
Media representatives are often in Thailand on type M visas and these can be extended for up to one year with press cards or other accreditation paperwork.
Type IM:
Non-immigrant type IM visas are issued to business people with legitimate investments or businesses in Thailand that have been certified by the Board of Investment. Applicants for IM extensions usually have companies with registered capital of at least 1,000,000 Baht. These visas can also be extended for up to a year.
