This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.
Can Australians Stay in Thailand for 55 Days Without a Visa and What Are the Procedures for Extensions?
Jun 11, 2023
3 years ago
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTERHello
My husband & I want to travel to Kho Samui for about 55 days from 7 Sep to 31 to Oct 2023.
As Australians we understand that we can stay 30 days without a Visa. We have been advised we can apply for a Visa extension for an additional 30 days through the Thai Embassy closer to the end of the first 30 days.
Can you please advise on three questions:
- Would citizens of good character normally be approved for a Tourist Visa as long as we supply required documentation & fee?
- If challenged by customs would the response be we are requesting 30 days as a an Australian tourist, then seeking a further Visa extension for an additional 30 days?
- Is anyone aware of other issues that regularly cause problems for tourists with customs?
We appreciate any assistance greatly, many thanks đđźââď¸
My husband & I want to travel to Kho Samui for about 55 days from 7 Sep to 31 to Oct 2023.
As Australians we understand that we can stay 30 days without a Visa. We have been advised we can apply for a Visa extension for an additional 30 days through the Thai Embassy closer to the end of the first 30 days.
Can you please advise on three questions:
- Would citizens of good character normally be approved for a Tourist Visa as long as we supply required documentation & fee?
- If challenged by customs would the response be we are requesting 30 days as a an Australian tourist, then seeking a further Visa extension for an additional 30 days?
- Is anyone aware of other issues that regularly cause problems for tourists with customs?
We appreciate any assistance greatly, many thanks đđźââď¸
TLDR : Answer Summary
An Australian couple plans to travel to Kho Samui for 55 days, relying on the initial 30-day visa exemption and seeking a possible 30-day extension. They inquired about the likelihood of obtaining a tourist visa, what to say to customs if challenged, and other potential tourist issues. Community responses suggest applying for a 60-day tourist visa before departure or confirming a flight out of Thailand to satisfy airline policies regarding proof of onward travel. Most community members agree that getting a 30-day extension is generally straightforward, and concerns about customs issues are minimal for visa-exempt travelers.
Pelle Erikssonâ
â
â
â
â
Absolutely Bangkok's best service I highly...recently on Facebook
Luca G.â
â
â
â
â
I used this agency for my DTV Visa...recently on Google
Trusted Thai Visa Agent
OVER 100,000 EXPATS SERVED
#1 VISA AGENT IN THAILAND
Tod *********
I'd dial back the paranoia just a notch. Face it you're not the first Aussiez to enter the country visa exempt and want to get the 30 day extension
you won't have ANY issue at all entering visa exempt on a 30 day free stamp and then extending it for an additional 30 days.
You won't do it at a thai embassy <- seeing as there are no thai embassies in thailand đ ) but at a thai immigration office that serves the area where you're staying. The cost of the 30 day extension is 1900baht.
You'll be fine..
you won't have ANY issue at all entering visa exempt on a 30 day free stamp and then extending it for an additional 30 days.
You won't do it at a thai embassy <- seeing as there are no thai embassies in thailand đ ) but at a thai immigration office that serves the area where you're staying. The cost of the 30 day extension is 1900baht.
You'll be fine..
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTERHello Brandon
Many of our issues arise from not being able to commit to a Visa until now 90 days out, where as it would have been easy from Australia.
I am interested in your point on the flight out of Madrid to Bangkok & need to have a Visa when the Thaiâs themselves do not require a Visa as long as we do not go beyond 30 days (we could extend later).
Would be interested in your thoughts and anyone else who may have had a similar experience.
We have booked flights to Thailand & then onto Australia, where does that leave us??
Thank you for all of your assistance.
Many of our issues arise from not being able to commit to a Visa until now 90 days out, where as it would have been easy from Australia.
I am interested in your point on the flight out of Madrid to Bangkok & need to have a Visa when the Thaiâs themselves do not require a Visa as long as we do not go beyond 30 days (we could extend later).
Would be interested in your thoughts and anyone else who may have had a similar experience.
We have booked flights to Thailand & then onto Australia, where does that leave us??
Thank you for all of your assistance.
Shaughn ***********
@Suzi **********
call the airline to see if they will allow you to board with you having the onward travel to Australia at the 55 day mark, not 30 while using visa exempt.Reply to
Shaughn ***********
Reply
Bill **********
In France, you cannot apply for a visa personally at the Thai embassy or consulate. You must try again online at
You will have to submit a number of scans. For the proof of legal residence in France, send a scan of your Schengen visa ie the visa youâre staying in France on. If youâre renting a house or apartment, send the rental agreement. Youâll need to send a copy of a bank statement and show some means of income. If youâre living off a pension or investment income, some statement to that effect, even one you write yourself and scan. Theyâre trying to prevent global nomads making a living on the internet from living in Thailand on tourist visas.
The visa will come as an emailed pdf document that you should print out and bring with you to Thailand for a 60-day stay.
***************************
You will have to submit a number of scans. For the proof of legal residence in France, send a scan of your Schengen visa ie the visa youâre staying in France on. If youâre renting a house or apartment, send the rental agreement. Youâll need to send a copy of a bank statement and show some means of income. If youâre living off a pension or investment income, some statement to that effect, even one you write yourself and scan. Theyâre trying to prevent global nomads making a living on the internet from living in Thailand on tourist visas.
The visa will come as an emailed pdf document that you should print out and bring with you to Thailand for a 60-day stay.
Bill **********
If you decide in the end not to get a tourist visa, just book a flight within the 30-day period of stay to anywhere outside Thailand on one of the low-cost carriers. Could be Cambodia, Malaysia etc. And show that at check-in as Proof of Onward Travel, so you donât get denied boarding. Thai Immigration usually wonât check. Itâs a regulation enforced by airlines.
Bill **********
Thereâs a section in the online application for âother supporting documents.â You could write a brief declaration explaining that youâre in the middle of a year-long trip and not resident in France, and sign it, then scan that and upload it. If you want, you could even provide your itinerary. That would explain any inconsistencies in your application re residence, employment etc.
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Bill *********
oh thankyou so much thatâs brilliant!!Reply to
Suzi ***********
Reply
Bill **********
Did you get a visa on entering France? Are you living in an apartment?
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Bill *********
Thanks Bill great info, but we are not living here we are touring around the world for a year only in France for a couple of weeks.Bill **********
When I apply for a Thai visa in Germany, the online application is directed to the embassy in Berlin, and I usually get the visa within 48 hours â one time I got it 6 hours after submission.
Bill **********
@Su**
, is there another country youâll be staying in longer?Reply to
Bill **********
Reply
Ian ***************
If you already intend to stay 55 days get a tourist visa in advance, problem solved.
P.S. Extension of stay would be obtained at Thai immigration, not embassy or customs.
P.S. Extension of stay would be obtained at Thai immigration, not embassy or customs.
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Ian **************
yep, thatâs what we are trying to do, but itâs more difficult than we expected.Reply to
Suzi ***********
Reply
Brandon ************
If you decide not to purchase the 60 day visa before traveling, please contact your airline. Thai immigration is not going to ask to see proof that you're leaving Thailand within 30 days, but your airline may require this proof before they let you board your flight to Thailand. You need to check their policy for people who travel to Thailand without a visa.
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brandon ***********
thanks we were wondering about that .Reply to
Suzi ***********
Reply
James ********
Welcome too Thailand đ
You should have no problem with your getting the 30 days extension of stay at your local Thai immigration office.
The 30 days extension are ADDED to your ending date of the 30 day stamp you will receive on arrival into Thailand.
So no need to wait until the ending week of your initial arrival to get the extension of stay.
Here are the common found requirements for the 30 days extension of stay for 1900 Thai baht...
You should have no problem with your getting the 30 days extension of stay at your local Thai immigration office.
The 30 days extension are ADDED to your ending date of the 30 day stamp you will receive on arrival into Thailand.
So no need to wait until the ending week of your initial arrival to get the extension of stay.
Here are the common found requirements for the 30 days extension of stay for 1900 Thai baht...
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@James *******
thanks so much this is so helpful.Reply to
Suzi ***********
Reply
Pauline *******
Easy solution is to get a 60day tourist visa from Thai Embassy in your country before departure, that way you're fully covered without having to go to any immigration for extensions
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pauline ******
thanks, we are already 7 months into our world trip unfortunately didnât realise it was going to be so difficult for us.Pauline *******
@Suzi **********
in that case your 30days visa exempt followed by 30day extension from immigration office is your best option. It's not customs or immigration who query your length of stay but sometimes the airline at check-in, I've been asked about onward flights by a couple of middle eastern airlines in the past and also checking in in Vietnam. Their thinking is that if you're refused entry the onus is on them to fly you backReply to
Pauline *******
Reply
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Pauline ******
too late unfortunately we have been travelling for 7 months already.Wannikea *********
@Suzi **********
you can apply at most any Thai consulate in whatever country your currently legally in. You can also apply at the Thai evisa website if it serves that country and get an electronic/pdf visa.Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Wannikea ********
we have already tried to apply online and got halfway through and their website was down for repairs? So we went to the Thai Embassy in Paris, they wouldnât see us unless we were living in Paris, they told us to go to ou Australia embassy in Paris, we did, they said they have never issued Thai visas from Paris embassy đŤReply to
Suzi ***********
Reply
Laurie ******
Just get a 60 day visa from Canberra Thai consulate Quick and easy
Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Laurie *****
we are travelling around the world for 12 months, currently into our 7 th month in Paris.Dave ***********
@Suzi **********
your can get a 60 day Tourist visa in the Royal Thai embassy in Paris. Download the application documents, and fill in before you go to the embassy. You should be able to get your visas in 2 to 3 days. If you want to stay in Thailand longer than 60 days you can extend the visa for 30 days, in any Thai immigration office in the country.Suzi ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Dave **********
unfortunately they wouldnât even let us in the door, we had a translator who explained to us, that the Paris Thai Embassy does Not issue visaâs to anyone but French citizens.Dave ***********
@Suzi **********
ah, OK. In Asia this can be done. Maybe you could go to Veitnam for a few days before going to Thailand, because I do know that you can go to the Thai Embassy in Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi. Just a suggestionBill **********
@Dave **********
in France as in many countries in Europe, you must apply online. No personal visits to the embassy are possible.Reply to
Bill **********
Reply
6 comments
2 years ago
8 comments
2 years ago
35 comments
2 years ago
9 comments
2 years ago
22 comments
2 years ago
25 comments
2 years ago
27 comments
3 years ago
5 comments
3 years ago
39 comments
3 years ago
24 comments
3 years ago
34 comments
3 years ago
6 comments
3 years ago
15 comments
4 years ago
14 comments
4 years ago
4 comments
4 years ago
8 comments
4 years ago
3 comments
4 years ago
27 comments
4 years ago
7 comments
4 years ago
29 comments
4 years ago
5 comments
4 years ago
16 comments
7 years ago
30 comments
8 years ago
Can you extend your stay in Thailand beyond 30 days without a visa, and do you need a return ticket?
24 comments
8 years ago
11 comments
8 years ago
7 comments
a month ago
9 comments
a month ago
21 comments
a month ago
16 comments
a month ago
8 comments
a month ago
The ask:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.