Can I extend my Ed Visa by doing a land crossing before it expires?

Question

Hi there group. I am on 12mth Ed Visa, which requires regular 90 day extensions until the end of Nov 2018 when the year long language course ends. I’m planning to go back to Aus for Dec/Jan and have just spied cheap flights in first week of Dec - one week after my Visa is set to expire. Am I able to get an extension by doing a land crossing (at Mae Sai for example) so that I can fly a week later?

Ask Thailand · Answer

The conversation addresses whether an individual on a 12-month Education (ED) visa can extend their stay by crossing a land border before their visa expires. It's clarified that exiting Thailand does not automatically cancel an ED visa extension, which could lead to being considered in overstay if not properly canceled. To avoid fines, one must cancel their existing extension at immigration before leaving, after which re-entry will grant a 30-day Visa Exempt Entry. Extensions cannot be obtained directly at border crossings.

Christopher ************** · Answer

Understood. Thanks gentlemen 😊

Tod ********* · Answer

Somebody on an ED visa extension was just denied exiting the country at Mae Sai for a 30-day Visa exempt entry because they hadn't cancelled their ED visa extension before trying to leave.

Glen ********* · Answer

IMPORTANT thing to remember is BEFORE you leave Thailand - cancel your extension of stay based on your ED visa.

I myself, Aussie, didn’t know of this fact until after the wise Tod explained that if you don’t cancel your previous extension of stay (before you leave Thailand), you can still be considered to be on “overstay” even though you return and are admitted back into the country on a new visa.  Leaving Thailand doesn’t automatically cancel your previous extension of stay.  Seems weird and illogical but if you don’t do it - you face a fine up to 20,000 Baht when you next go to extend your stay on your new visa.

Simply get a letter from your school requesting to cancel your extension of stay on the day you are planning to leave Thailand.  Go to immigration and cancel, then leave on that day.

Robert ******* · Answer

You won't get an Extension of Stay at a border crossing. If you go out and come back you will get a 30 day Visa Exempt Entry stamp.

Can I extend my Ed Visa by doing a land crossing before it expires?

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