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Can I extend my visa exempt stay in Thailand for 30 days, or must I get a visa in advance?

Visa Exempt Entry Thailand Visa Rules Visa Extension Tourist Visa Immigration Office Chiang Mai Swiss Travel Document

Dec 11, 2018

6 years ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Is it correct that that stamp you get when you enter the country that allows you to stay for 30 days is called visa exempt? And is it also correct that you can extend it by another 30 days (for 1'900 Thb) at any immigration office (for example at Chiang Mai)?

I'm asking because if I read about visa stuff on the website of the Thai Consulate in Switzerland, it says that if 30 days are not enough you MUST have a visa, you get in advance, valid 60 days. It's nowhere mentioned that you can extend that stamp. Do they just want to sell that very expensive visa (150 Euro) or is it really not possible to extend the stamp? Switzerland belongs to those countries that should have that possibility. Can anybody help? Thank you 🙂

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TLDR : Answer Summary

Yes, the stamp you receive upon entering Thailand, allowing a 30-day stay, is referred to as a visa exempt entry. You can extend this stay for another 30 days for a fee of 1,900 THB at any immigration office, such as in Chiang Mai. While the Thai consulate in Switzerland suggests that a visa must be obtained in advance if 30 days is insufficient, it is indeed possible to extend the visa exempt entry without needing the more expensive 60-day visa.

Joost *********

The Swiss embassy in Bern clearly says you don't need a visa for tourism purpose (first line), but that "Swiss Travel Document" sentence is confusing. A "reiseausweis" is not a passport though so it doesn't apply to you as a Swiss citizen. As for your other questions, Tod answered them.

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Evi ******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Joost ********

thank you

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Evi ******

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Tod *********

Yep, the free stamp you get for 30 days is called a visa exempt entry, and yep you can get a 30 day extension on that for 1900baht at the immigration office.

I don't know where you got the visa price because a single entry tourist visa (that gets you stamped in for 60 days when you arrive) is CHF 40 from the consulate in Bern Switzerland :/

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Andy ******

@Evi ***********

check in the search function this page re entry... have many post about... enjoi your stay... schöni ferie

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Evi ******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Andrea ***********

oh - good to know - didn't read about that anywhere

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Andy ******

@Evi ***********

and if you want go out Thailand some days and come back you can buy a re entry permit for 1000 bath at immigration or airport and your visa still be valid till the date you get stamped in when arriving thailand

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Evi ******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Andrea ***********

thanks a lot - merci vielmal 🙂

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Andy ******

Received with my visa

Because my fly back home it's after 60 days (80 days) I hope may help

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Andy ******

@Evi ***********

Tod is right

I'm Swiss and I'm here with 2 month tourist visa now.. issued in Basel for 40 chf.. I think you see the multi entry visa for your amount you talk about

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Evi ******

ORIGINAL POSTER

okay - that makes sense - thank you so much 🙂

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Tod *********

@Evi ***********

that's because thai embassies in other countries aren't run by the thai immigration office (the place you GET an extension at once you're here. They're run by the ministry of foreign affairs office and they sell visas outside the country.

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Martin ***********

oh don't doubt the advise on this page, its spot on.

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Evi ******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thanks everyone for your kind help. As I'm travelling already I cannot get a visa (60 days) anymore, but my friend still could. What still worries me is the fact that the possibility to extend your 30 days visa extempt is not mentioned on the official Thai Embassy Website. They say you MUST have a visa if you want more than 30 days. Is it absolutely for sure that I can extend the entry stamp?

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Robert ********

Have a terrific day

^_^

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Martin ***********

@Robert ***********

Okeydokey I would take my 👍🏼back as I'm in a good mood today 😂

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Robert ********

@Evi ***********

Thai Immigration requires Ca$h, but it can be in any exchangeable currency and not all in Thai Baht. The chances of you being asked are slim, but better to have it "just in case" because if they ask and you do NOT have that amount in cash, you can be refused entry and sent back to where you came from.

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Robert ********

Thanks

, but you are confusing me with the other TVA Superstar named

:-)

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Evi ******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you very much Tod, but the information I find on the website Thai Embassy Switzerland is as follows (copy paste): Visa Fee of CHF 185 in cash only.

This is for double entry what I would need as I also visit Siem Reap.

Another question arrised: do I really have to carry that much cash around to show them at immigration? I'm travelling in India now and I only use ATM for safety.

And my questions about getting a visa in advance are mainly for a friend joining me then in Thailand. For me it's anyway too late to get a visa.

Thank you

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Martin ***********

your pretty helpful too 😜, so here's 1 for you 👍🏼

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Robert ********

Tod leads an exciting life ;-) helpful guy!

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Martin ***********

I follow this site with interest, and I have just got to say, you are pretty 'shit hot' at answering ALL VISA ISSUES from all countries, a BIG thumbs up to you 👍🏼

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Martin ***********

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