Can a visa-exempt foreigner get a longer stay in Thailand due to a Thai partner's medical condition?

May 5, 2018
6 years ago
Patrik ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Extension of stay due to medical reason (visa exempt)

I have a Swiss friend, who entered Thailand under visa exemption. He came here, because his Thai girlfriend is in the hospital. His stamp is gonna expire in about 10-14 days. Is there any option to get a longer extension than the regular 30 days because of this situation? Thank you in advance.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A foreigner on a visa exempt entry in Thailand cannot obtain an extension beyond the standard 30 days simply due to a Thai partner's hospitalization. Several comments suggest that the usual immigration procedure would not allow for this exception, even with a doctor's note. The recommended course of action for extending stay is a border run to re-enter Thailand or obtaining a single entry tourist visa.
Patrik ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
FYI: My friend did not get a longer extension than the usual 30 days. He got a certificate from the hospital about the health condition of his girlfriend but at the immigration he was told, that they could not grant a longer extension. They recommended him to do a border hop to Cambodia. He did it at the immigration office in Nakhon Pathom.
Patrik ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@T**
Correct, that's what he is gonna do. 👍🏻
Tod *********
Thanx for reporting back
@Pat***
:)

Well, at least they tried, :/

AND

at least they got the regular 30 day extension. (y)

So after that they can just go border-bounce and get a 30 day visa exempt entry then extend that for 30 more days if they need to ..
Amornrat **********
Dealing with "medical extensions" is difficult already, but that someone get's an extension for GF it is unheard. I would say no, but the friend of OP could still do a quick trip to border to get another 30days which is extendable by a further 30days.
Per **********
@Patrik *******
doesnt get more simple that this! good luck!
Patrik ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Okay, thank you. We know the other options. Would just have been nice if there was a simple workaround. We might just ask the hospital.
Per **********
not unheard of, i have done it twice.
Ron *******
It's not the patient that needs the visa. It's his friend.
Per **********
Just get the doctor to write a note stating him as her ward/caretaker, doctors have higher jurisdiction than immigration officers.
Per **********
@Tod ********
i never advised you to delete my posts, i advise people to read them and comprehend so they dont need to be harvested, but never mind, good luck!
Tod *********
@P**
, (I took your advice and deleted most of your comments due to relevance)

Just so we're clear medical extensions of stays go thru the immigration staff doctor who reviews the treating physician's recommendations that a person not be allowed to travel or that a person be allowed to get an extension based on being the care giver of the sick person. They are the person who ultimately decides IF an extension due to medical reasons can be issued.

Personally, I've only seen those "care giver" medical extensions be issued for immediate family not in the instance of a girlfriend.

If I was a betting man I would bet they would be denied an extension because they are certainly able to travel and a border bounce (no matter where you are in thailand) doesn't take more than a day.

Still it will be interesting to see what transpires IF they do apply
Per **********
Glenn Styles I agree. the term is an oxymoron. So why mention it?
Per **********
@Tod ********
I havent mentioned politics. There seem to be alot of "advice" on this group based on opinions and belief as opposed to constitutional mechanics of porting/travel-documents. Everything i have posted here is to help people get their facts straight. If you dont like facts then ban me. Do me a favor, I have better things to do than to lecture law to people who dont appreciate it.
Tod *********
@Per *********
I will caution you this one time only about your ranting on the political situation in thailand.

Leave it for another group.

It has no relevance to visa advice.

You want to help people with visa advice please do so, you want to run on about something else, find another group.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation (y)
Patrik ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks for the replies.
Michael ********
Let me know how he goes getting a visa extension then ;)
Michael ********
Citizenship has everything to do with it. She is Thai so she doesn't need a visa and both of them can't aply for a visa extension for a foreigner based on a thai in hospital. Nice idea, but there is no rule on visas for this reason. So there is no fiction, there are only rules.
Alan *******
Per kristian, A very noble concept. I’m not sure that immigration law works that way though.
Per **********
@Michael *******
because the patient wants him to be her ward/caretaker for the betterment of her health.
Michael ********
Why would the Dr write a letter for the Swiss boyfriend of a Thai woman in hospital....??
Ron *******
Unfortunately, other than extending his visa for another 30 days. There is nothing else for him other than leaving the country and buying a single entry tourist visa valid for 60 days in a near by country at an Embassy or consulate.
Patrik ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you!
Alan *******
Did he already get the 30 day extension? That doesn’t require any special circumstances. If that’s running out, he will have to do a border bounce.
Alan *******
Just do the normal thing. I hope his girlfriend recovers in time
Patrik ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Not yet, we gonna do the normal extension in case there is no better option.
James *********
Unless he is hurt himself or happens to be her doctor I think the answer is going to be no, extension or a swift boarder run!
Patrik ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
No, he is fine. We were just wondering, if he could get a longer extension because the treatment of her is also gonna take longer.
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