Can an Indonesian with a 60-day tourist visa exemption convert to a Non-B visa in Thailand?

Jul 21, 2024
4 months ago
Nisa *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello everyone, I need your advice!

Our staff member is Indonesian and entered Thailand with a 60-day tourist visa exemption, but the immigration officer wrote (ม.17) next to the stamped.

Can he do a visa conversion with this type of visa? He would like to change to a Non-B visa at the Immigration Office in Thailand.

Does anyone have experience with this? Thank you in advance.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A community member seeks advice on whether an Indonesian national with a 60-day tourist visa exemption, marked with 'ม.17' by immigration, can convert this visa to a Non-B visa in Thailand. Several comments highlight the lack of clear information regarding this new stamp type, suggesting that while individuals from certain nationalities (specifically Russian and Taiwanese) may face issues in extending or converting their visas, experiences vary. One user confirms the possibility of converting to a Non-Immigrant Educational visa, but is unsure about the Non-B visa, indicating that official confirmation from immigration is necessary.
Oleksandra **********
I can say that this type of a stamp (with m.17 mark) can be converted into Non-Immigrant Educational visa inside the country (my school consulted the Immigration on my behalf) but I am not sure about Non-Immigrant B visa 😶
Christopher ******
Seems fake.....it says u arrived in PR60 (no such flight!), on 17th
Tod *********
That's why I wrote this in my answer

Cute how they used a TR60 stamp (the real tourist visa stamp) then crossed it out and wrote the ผ up above the TR and hand wrote the ม.17 <- clause 17 of the immigration act
Christopher ******
@Tod ********
can't read that.mits all XXXXX
Tod *********
@Christopher *****
sorry you should be able to read it now, my apologies
Ellie *******
@Christopher *****
, read his first comment.
William ***********
@Christopher *****
it’s TR60
Andrew *******
@Christopher *****
? That means TR60 it’s not a flight
Ellie *******
@Christopher *****
, it's not fake. Officer used TR60 (entry on tourist visa) stamp and changed TR to ผ (visa exempt).
Indra ********
I am Indonesian and my experience is I cannot have non-B visa inside thailand (Chaengwattana Immigration).
Ellie *******
@Indra *******
, it's not because of your nationality, rather because of the employer or you just didn't meet the requirements for in-country visa.
Indra ********
@Ellie ******
i had completed requirement and still need to do outside. Just share my experiences.
Graham ******
@Indra *******
so your company only did the documentation required for an out of country Non-B not the more documents need for an in country Non-B
Indra ********
@Graham *****
they told us that non-B visa only able be released by the Thai Royal Embassy in ur country. We just follow the the officer told us. Its my first time hear About diff Requirement of non B Visa in or out of Thailand.
Graham ******
@Indra *******
Companies are reluctant to do the extra documentation to make things easier for you
Indra ********
@Graham *****
I wish I got that lucky.
Robert *******
Read the part with the red back ground,

specially the last few words
Stephan ***********
@Robert ******
Well... I wouldn't put a bet on this last, incomplete, sentence. Time will tell... it's still Thailand here...😁
Dca *****
@Stephan **********
As per the Interior Ministry Notice as published in the Royal Gazette making this 60 Days Visa Exemption in effect, the Thai language mirrors this English language infographic as published by the Thai Department of Consular Affairs (DCA), Thailand MFA:

"...

ข้อ ๕ คนต่างด้าวซึ่งได้รับสิทธิยกเว้นการตรวจลงตราตามประกาศนี้ ต่อมามีความประสงค์ จะขอเปลี่ยนประเภทการตรวจลงตราหรือขอรับการตรวจลงตราเพื่ออยู่ในราชอาณาจักรเป็นการชั่วคราว ด้วยวัตถุประสงค์อื่นให้สามารถกระทำได้ ทั้งนี้ การพิจารณาอนุญาตให้เปลี่ยนประเภทการตรวจลงตรา และการอยู่ต่อในราชอาณาจักรเป็นการชั่วคราวด้วยวัตถุประสงค์อื่น ให้เป็นไปตามหลักเกณฑ์ วิธีการ และเงื่อนไขที่สำนักงานตรวจคนเข้าเมืองกำหนด

...."
Robert *******
@Stephan **********
It would depend IF the person and the employer can meet the requirements, but agree this is Thailand where most foreigners have other ideas than Immigration.
Stephan ***********
@Robert ******
Yep... we have a lot of "wishful thinking"... but the country doesn't care too much about what we want... 😁
Tod *********
I was TOLD (by immigrations) that the only two nationalities who couldn't get a 30 day extension on that stamp or convert it in country to a Non-Imm visa type were Russian and Taiwan passport holders. BUT I cannot confirm that at all 😕

Sadly it's just too new of a stamp and no one (as in not one single person who got a 60 day entry stamp from this new program) has converted it to a Non-Imm visa inside the country. 🙁

You're gonna hafta slog on over to your immigration office and ask them if it can be converted or not

Cute how they used a TR60 stamp (the real tourist visa stamp) then crossed it out and wrote the ผ up above the TR and hand wrote the ม.17 <- clause 17 of the immigration act
Siggi *******
@Tod ********
Russians get 90 days so they can't extend
Tod *********
@Siggi ******
russianz DON'T get 90 days, they did until April 30th, 2024 then it went down to 60 days until July 31st 2024, then their promotion entry ends and they get the 60 days that 90+ countries get, but they still cannot extend or change to another visa inside the country
Sam *********
@Tod ********
They get unlimited land in and outs, the borders are full theres no reason to mess with those profits 🤣,
Tod *********
@Sam ********
which doesn't negate the fact that they DON'T get 90 days 😛
Pete *****
@Tod ********
we are entering from the Uk in Sept of 60 day pre approved (london embassy) tourist visa. Do we need to ensure we dont have this (ม.17) on our stamp? Especially if we decide to convert our visas whilst in country? TIA
Tod *********
@Prete ****
they won't stamp you that if you're coming in with a tourist visa, print the PDF file they email you (because that IS your visa) and give it and your passport to the officer

They should stamp you in TR60
Pete *****
@Tod ********
thanks mate, helpful as ever.
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