Can a visitor from the US under the Visa Exemption rule extend their stay for more than 30 days?

Visa Exemption Thailand visa rules Tourist visa Immigration Stay extension

October 15, 2020

4 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

I understand we are under a Pandemic, but under the rules that existed prior to it, can a visitor arriving from the US under the Visa Exemption rule extend his stay for more than 30 days?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

Under the pre-pandemic rules, a visitor from the US entering Thailand under the Visa Exemption could extend their stay for an additional 30 days at an immigration office for a fee of 1900 baht. However, this extension could only be done once, meaning that after the initial 30-day period and one extension, the visitor would need to leave the country before re-entering.

Jane ***********

No. After the first 30 day extension you had to leave the country and return.

4 years ago

Kool *******

If I read your question correctly, you seem to be asking if, before this virus, a person could get more than one 30 day extension on a visa exempt stamp. To that the answer would be no. They would have to leave the country after they had gotten their one allowed 30 day extension on a visa exempt stamp. This was also true for an actual tourist visa. In both cases only one extension was allowed before the person had to leave the country.

4 years ago

Johnny **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Kool ******

Do you know if there is a minimum time period you have to wait before re-entering Thailand on a second visa exempt status. (IE: Can you fly to Vietnam and return to the next day and come in Visa Exempt? ... or do you have to wait for some period of time? ) Thx in advance. :)

4 years ago

Kool *******

@Johnny *********

, before this virus, you could do just what you ask about. Yes, you could do that, but, if it got to be a pattern with the intention of staying in Thailand long term, then you could be denied entry, and it was happening in the previous years before this virus, when the government clamped down on loopholes people were using to stay long term on a tourist visa, or visa exempt stamp. At the end if you had done it a few times, and had not returned to your home country at all, then they would refuse you entry. Lots of expats moved out of Thailand when this clampdown started.

4 years ago

Johnny **********

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Kool ******

No pattern...just after a few more weeks, that's all. Thx much.

4 years ago

Sammy *******

@Johnny *********

previously, they might have allowed that one time, but more and more such a re-entry was being denied.

4 years ago

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Sammy *******