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Can I extend a 30-day tourist visa in Thailand through an agent or embassy?
Apr 27, 2022
4 years ago
Simon ******
ORIGINAL POSTERHello, I’m really bad at computer stuff and applying for a 90 day visa in my own country of Australia just rely stresses me out. My questions is can turn up in Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa and get an extension through an agent or me going to a embassy? Thank you.
TLDR : Answer Summary
This discussion centers around the process of entering Thailand on a 30-day tourist visa and the possibility of extending this visa. It was clarified that after arriving on a 30-day visa exempt, one can obtain a one-time 30-day extension at a local immigration office. However, using visa agents is discouraged due to issues of legality and risks involved, as suggested by multiple participants sharing their experiences and advice on immigration matters.
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Luca G.★★★★★
I used this agency for my DTV Visa...recently on Google
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Simon ******
ORIGINAL POSTERYes thank you. Why does everyone hate agents is it money or ripped off?
Luc ********
@Simon *****
some ask *****
some *****
for same job. I would say the latter are a rip off. And in any case, you are supporting corruption. I used the 12k agent, as I couldn’t get the 800k transfered in time… all done in 2 days time.Bobby ********
@Luc *******
If you didn't have the 800k in the bank, a bribe has been paid. Your choice of course, but I find the 65k/month process to be the best. The money is mine to spend as soon as I get it, and let's face it, you need money to live on anyway, so you have to bring it in from overseas anyway. I can't see the big deal. I managed to live in Thailand comfortably for 12 years, and never paid a single baht to an agent.Luc ********
@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.
Bobby ********
@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 periodReply to
Bobby ********
Reply
Brandon ************
@Simon *****
because agents don't need to be licensed at all. There's no regulations. And a lot of what they do isn't legal. Getting a retirement visa when you don't have 800,000 isn't legal. If they find out they can retroactively cancel your extension and you'll go onto overstay which could easily get you banned from Thailand. Same thing if they bribe someone to get the extension.
Plus once you start with an agent you're stuck and have to keep using that same agent every single year and paying every year because the extension they got isn't fully legit and if you ever take it to a different immigration office or even try to re-enter Thailand with the sketchy stamps in your passport you'll be denied.
Also many recent reports of agents holding onto passports for months assuring that they'll be finished next week, next week, next week, then eventually they never got any extension and the person has been on overstay for months.
There's even been cases of agents stamping passports themselves without ever even taking your passport to immigration.
Simon ******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brandon ***********
ok understand the complexities. ThanksLuc ********
@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
Simon ******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Luc *******
yes good luck and ones health become more scary when in a new country and the need for good travel insurance is vital. I had a heart attack in Chiangmai and took me 3 hours to get to a hospital and I jumped in a red taxi and fell asleep because I had no oxygen left. Still alive cost my insurance $60,000 Aussie. Don’t skimpLuc ********
@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 careSimon ******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Luc *******
good result for both of us. I’ll be back in Thailand again in one month to live. Can’t wait. All the bestLuc ********
@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 👍🏻Reply to
Luc ********
Reply
Luc ********
@Brandon ***********
immigration found out in my case, and suggested to go to the agent again 😂😂. They said I would be successful next year as they only check bankbook 1 year back…Reply to
Luc ********
Reply
Luc ********
Just pay an agent around 20k-30k baht, and all will be sorted for you. No need to transfer 800k.
Bobby ********
As Brandon says, you come on a visa exempt, and from day one you start looking for a bank to open an account. My suggestion if you're not having any luck to start with is to go to Bangkok Bank head office branch in Silom and explain the situation, that you're applying for a retirement visa and you need to park 800,000 baht in your account. Once you've got that done, call back here and Brandon will give you further instructions. Just take it a step at a time and it won't seem so daunting, and the closest you'll ever come to technology is putting your BTS ticket into the ticket collection machine 😆
Luc ********
@Bobby *******
opening an account on visa exempt is not going to work in my experience. They will ask for your non O…Bobby ********
@Luc *******
Ok, I've opened an account on visa exempt. The staff at Silom are aware of how the retirement visa works, and you need money in the bank before you can get the visa, so it's quite straightforward. The biggest problem is many people go traipsing through the suburban banks who have no idea how to deal with it, so it's easier for them to say no.Luc ********
@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 ‘. 👍🏻Reply to
Luc ********
Reply
Brandon ************
Please do not ask about agents.
If you arrive on a 30 day visa exempt you can get a one time 30 day extension from your local immigration office. After that you would need to leave the country unless you qualify for a different visa you could get inside the country like retirement for being over 50 or marriage to Thai, etc.
Embassy doesn't have anything to do with visas once you're inside Thailand.
If you arrive on a 30 day visa exempt you can get a one time 30 day extension from your local immigration office. After that you would need to leave the country unless you qualify for a different visa you could get inside the country like retirement for being over 50 or marriage to Thai, etc.
Embassy doesn't have anything to do with visas once you're inside Thailand.
Martinello **********************
If I have already extended and would like to return, how long must I leave the country and return
Martinello **********************
So I can leave same day and get stamped back in same day? Thanks again
Brandon ************
@Martinello *********************
there is no requirement to be gone any amount of timeReply to
Brandon ************
Reply
Simon ******
ORIGINAL POSTERThank you
Simon ******
ORIGINAL POSTERThank you
Jonas *************
You need to have transferred the money to get the 90 day visa. Once it's seasoned 60 days you can apply for 1 y ext
Simon ******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brandon ***********
thanks. I’m over 50 so is it possible to go towards a retirement visa in my first 60 days ?Brandon ************
@Simon *****
yes it's possible. The only tricky thing is trying to open a Thai bank account while you're on visa exempt because many banks want to see a long term visa. It's possible, just difficult. You'll need to have 800,000₿ in a Thai bank account in your name only as one of the requirements to get a non-O for retirement inside the country.
Simon ******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brandon ***********
ok yes that’s fine, but can I go for the 90 day report visa first then go for retirement later?Brandon ************
@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.
Martin *******
@Brandon ***********
you can do 30 day extension then another 60 day extension, yes did it from start of February expires early June.Brandon ************
@Martin ******
yes because you got a Covid extension but that program is currently set to end May 24thMartin *******
@Brandon ***********
I guess you must work for Thai immigration 🙄🙄🙄Brandon ************
@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?Martin *******
@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?Brandon ************
@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
Martin *******
@Brandon ***********
so that must also be why they let me open a Bangkok Bank account, because of your supposed Covid extension??Brandon ************
@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.
Martin *******
@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 hereMartin *******
@Brandon ***********
did not apply for any such thing when it was done sorryBrandon ************
@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.Martin *******
@Brandon ***********
not Covid extensionLuc ********
@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.Brandon ************
@Luc *******
you CANNOT convert from visa exempt to non-O inside the country without having 800k already in the bank.Luc ********
@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).Brandon ************
@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.Nick *******
@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?Brandon ************
@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 requirementsNick *******
@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?Colleen *********
@Nick ******
is all confusing at first but keep reading and asking questions it helps. Best of luckGarrett ***********
@Nick ******
YesBrandon ************
@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
Nick *******
@Brandon ***********
Ok got it 👍Reply to
Nick *******
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