Can I extend my Special Tourist Visa in Thailand to get my second vaccine and avoid overstaying?

Special Tourist Visa (STV)Visa extensions Thailand immigration rules COVID-19 vaccination Visa overstay concerns Visa types in Thailand

July 14, 2021

3 years ago

Natalie *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

I have a special tourist visa. I entered the country May 4th 2021. 

When I applied for it, it was supposed to be valid until February 2022 (after 3 90 day extensions).  Now I see they are only allowing me to extend until September 30th. The visa is nontransferable. 

My biggest issue right now is I have just had my first dose of AZ vaccine on Friday July 9th. My next appointment for my second vaccine is not until October 1st. 

Does anybody have any insight on whether or not I will be able to extend (even temporarily) just for enough time to get my second vaccine and then fly out of the country after that? 

I do NOT want to risk an overstay. 

I have spoken with the hospital and they said they don't even know what date they will be supplied with more vaccines yet to give the second dose so I have to go back in September to check if I can move my appointment a week sooner. 

I have spoken to immigration and the intake officer giving information wasn't any help.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user is seeking advice on extending their Special Tourist Visa (STV) to allow time for their second COVID-19 vaccine dose before leaving Thailand. Currently, their visa is set to expire on September 30, 2021, but they require an extension to avoid overstaying, especially given uncertainties around vaccine supply. Community comments highlight the challenges and inconsistencies surrounding STV extensions and suggest that there is no clear guidance from immigration offices, indicating a general skepticism about the viability of obtaining an extension past the set date.

Benjamin ******

I’m going to close comments:

1. The STV and the extension of stay was a badly planned, badly thought out visa. MOST immigration offices do not know what to do with an STV because so few people entered on this visa. A safe assumption would be that the OP can not stay past September 30th. There are (non-credible) reports of people being stamped in longer, past October.

2.The STV can not be converted to another visa, does not allow employment, and no visa agents would even touch the STV.

3. An extension of stay can be acquired at MOST immigration offices when there is 30 days remaining, but some allow extension of stays to be acquired when there is 45 days remaining. I have seen no creditable reports yet of how most immigration offices are treating the STV and the 90 day extension of stay based on STV.

4. The last day a person can enter on an STV and qualify for the extensions is July 3rd. If a person will enter Thailand after that date, no extensions can be acquired.

Very few embassies still have their STV page up. Here is one from The Hague:

***********************************************************************

Thank you

3 years ago

Benjamin ******

JUST to make sure, do you actually have an STV, or do you have a Single Entry Tourist Visa? Some people *THINK* they have an STV, but they actually have an Single Entry Tourist Visa because they don't read their passports.

3 years ago

Natalie *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Benjamin *****

for sure STV... which is so annoying... WHYYYYYYY did I do this? I thought I was being clever getting this one. clearly was the worst choice I could have made.

3 years ago

Reply to

Natalie *******

Benjamin ******

The Special Tourist Visas (STVs) were always a bad plan. From the information that's always been posted, you could stay in Thailand UP TO September 30th.

>Does anybody have any insight on whether or not I will be able to extend (even temporarily) just for enough time to get my second vaccine and then fly out of the country after that?

NOBODY would know the answer to this question. SOME immigration offices are stamping people in through September 30th, OTHERS are stamping people in longer when they request an extension of stay. It's July, and most people aren't coming up on the time when another extension of stay should be filed that would take them over September 30th (remember, you can apply for an extension of stay at most immigration offices there's 30 days remaining on your existing stamp).

What an immigration office SHOULD BE able to sell you (if you ask) is a 7 day extension of stay denied stamp. This stamp would give you another 7 days AFTER YOU APPLY to leave Thailand. The 7 days extension of stay denied stamp is NOT added on to your existing time. I recommend applying for that around September 29th, IF there isn't any new announcements.

Applying for a 60 day extension of stay based on unable to travel due to COVID-19 is not possible, because:

- The last day they are selling the 60 day extension of stay based on unable to travel due to COVID-19 is July 29. It is unknown if they would extend it

- The STV only allows the 90 day extension of stay based on STV.

Will there be a special extension of stay for STV holders to extend their time in Thailand? Nobody knows.

Can an STV extension of stay be extended past September 30th? Nobody knows.

3 years ago

Reply to

Benjamin ******

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