Can I extend a 30-day tourist visa in Thailand through an agent or embassy?

@Luc *******

I'm in the same boat. I have a string of rental properties in Australia which need taking care of, which is why I favour the OA visa, using funds in your own country to meet the financial criteria. In theory you need never transfer one baht into a Thai bank account, and can get almost two years from the one visa, with a border bounce. Covid stuffed up this method, but it's pretty close to being workable again. By far the best retirement visa for anyone who travels home within the two year period

@Bobby *******

you have a point, I will think about that option, but I still don’t live in Thailand permanently, as I still have properties in Europe to take care off, and I only spend around 300k per year.

I normally transfer big amounts when exchange rates are in my favour. And yes, I do have the 800k in my account. Only not in time for my first extension.

@Simon *****

good luck to you, and enjoy the not always easy, but beautiful life at the place where we both lost our hearts. Nice to meet you 👍🏻

@Simon *****

they would have saved me from a heart attack as well, just a tumour was easy peasy…. They only forgot about COVID. Once back in Belgium, I would have to go through the whole procedure again, to restart my trip… visa, paperwork, thai pass, 15 days quarantine…. Not to mention the time in quarantine I would have lost in Belgium. And the available beds at that time….. Obviously your case had a different urgency. Take care

@Simon *****

can I tell My story . Not only for you of course.

I wanted to stay long term in Thailand. The first thing I did was getting a 6 months tourist visa (3 times 2 months with border crossings).

I tried to open a bank account, but failed ( as a fixed address and a non O was mandatory….. (we now know this was bullshit)

So, the next year, obviously I went for a non-O . The embassy gave it to me only after I promised in writing, that I needed it, to open a bank account and paid 200€.

Arriving at bbk, I first had to go through 15 days quarantine(1500€). During this quarantine, I discovered a lump, that needed medical attention.

When released from quarantine, I visited Bkk hospital and arranged for surgery. (320k baht).

At that point, my travel insurance didn’t want to pay anymore, and wanted to send me home. Over my dead body, I replied. I finally found a hospital that wanted to do surgery on me at a much lower price. I finally paid 30k at Chulalongkorn in bkk.

By then, I was overdue, registering my drone at nbtc, as well as getting my 0 in my bank account for my retirement extension. The problem with nbtc, caused me a lot of headaches and possibly fines, but i got my license without fine on day 34. They still made me travel to bkk again around day 60, to sign paperwork ( to promise I did not fly the drone yet).

I was finally ( after talking to a lawyer) permitted a bank account in Pattaya, after taking a one year accident insurance (about 6000 baht).

Knowing that I was too late for my 60 days seasoning, I found an agent, that would arrange my 800k in the account, and the retirement visa for baht, including reentry permit.

This year, I tried it myself, but immigration found out that I didn’t have 400k baht in my account for 1 full year. So back to the agent. Next year it shouldn’t be a problem anymore, and I should be able to do it myself.

Leaves me now with finding a health insurance that will cover me for cancer, as the lump appeared to be malignant.

I’m at the moment cancer free, but living in Thailand full time, has become more of a dream than reality . Leaving my own country behind, means leaving my existing health insurance behind.

The next page of this story is still to be written.

I just wanted to share.

Thank you moderators of this group, for giving the only true advice. Best group ever. Regards

@Bobby *******

you should have told me before 😅. Great to know now. Thank you for sharing. Btw. This group has more useful information than any thai government website. I even had to buy an accident insurance for my account, as I didn’t have an ‘official address ‘. 👍🏻

@Brandon ***********

all good, time to remove myself from here, you lot hate any conflicting opinions, and the forms were in English, and I also have a condo here

@Martin ******

There are no requirements to open a bank account in Thailand. Each manager sets their own requirements, but lots of people open bank accounts on tourist visas all the time. You keep making points that don't support anything. I've been helping people with this stuff for 2 years. Believe me or not, but I know what I'm talking about.

The covid extension is legal order 5, which is clearly written on your extension.

@Brandon ***********

so that must also be why they let me open a Bangkok Bank account, because of your supposed Covid extension??

@Martin ******

It doesn't matter what you applied for, it's what you got. You probably asked for an extension and they handed you a form and you filled it out. Most of it was in Thai so you don't know what you applied for. But the only thing you qualified for was Covid extension. If that wasn't a thing, you would have been given a stamp in your passport that said you have 7 days to leave Thailand.

@Brandon ***********

did not apply for any such thing when it was done sorry

@Martin ******

visa exempt only qualifies for ONE 30-day extension. If you got a 60 day extension it wasn't for tourism.

The picture you uploaded shows that you got a 60 day Covid extension. Indicated by the number 5 written here ๕

@Brandon ***********

basically because your wrong, I came in exempt, as Australians can, wasted the day standing in line for 30 day extension, then did the same for 60 day extension, no mention of Covid or anything else, didn’t come in on STV, do you understand?

@Martin ******

The only 60 day extensions that exist are Visiting Thai Family and Covid Extension. And I doubt the op qualifies for visiting Thai family so what's the point of mentioning it?

@Brandon ***********

I guess you must work for Thai immigration 🙄🙄🙄

@Brandon ***********

not Covid extension

@Martin ******

yes because you got a Covid extension but that program is currently set to end May 24th

@Brandon ***********

you can do 30 day extension then another 60 day extension, yes did it from start of February expires early June.

@Luc *******

you can convert to non-O from Tourist Visa or Visa Exempt in the country, yes. But you need to have everything in place first.

@Brandon ***********

and from a tourist visa ? Or also not? I definitely failed to open a bank account on a 6 months tourist visa. My only option was a non O from my home country ( which also wasn’t easy).

@Luc *******

you CANNOT convert from visa exempt to non-O inside the country without having 800k already in the bank.

@Brandon ***********

the 800k is only needed for extension based on retirement, but needs to season for 60 days. Unless he is happy to only stay 150 days.

@Nick ******

is all confusing at first but keep reading and asking questions it helps. Best of luck

@Nick ******

Yes

@Brandon ***********

Ok got it 👍

@Nick ******

yes. There's no short term visa that will cover you for that length of time. Your only option is to do visa run by leaving the country and re-entering to get more time, or putting the money in the bank and converting to non-O.

If you got the 90 day non-O in your home country your only options would be to leave Thailand or extend for 1 year with the same 800,000

@Brandon ***********

I hear you but a bit confused. If I wanted to come to Thailand for months only (not retire) and wanted a non O to cover me after having, let’s say a 60 TV, are you saying I’d need to open a bank account and deposit 800k just to get the O visa inside Thailand?

@Nick ******

if you don't want to show the money then you get it in your home country. If you want to convert inside Thailand then you need to meet the requirements

@Brandon ***********

Surely the initial 90 day non O is just a visa to stay long term? The 800k would only be needed at the time of applying for the one year extension based on retirement?

@Simon *****

I'm not sure what you're talking about when you say 90 day visa.

If you enter on visa exempt you get 30 days. You can extend that for 30 days.

If you want to get a non-O then you need to meet all requirements including 800,000 in the bank when you apply. This visa is 90 days and then after those 90 days you would then apply for a 1 year extension.