Can I maintain an Extension of Stay in Thailand if I only live there 3-4 months a year?

Extension of Stay Re-entry Permit Thai Visa Rules Long-term Visa Visa Procedures Tourist Visa

July 1, 2023

a year ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

In one of the pinned notes, it says you have to surrender your Extension of Stay. So I can’t use an Extension of Stay if I want to have Thailand as a home base but only live here 3-4 months out of the year?

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The discussion clarifies that while an Extension of Stay is important for staying in Thailand, individuals can live in Thailand for 3-4 months a year as a home base without needing to surrender their extension. It is recommended to apply for a re-entry permit if one wishes to leave and return to Thailand to maintain their extension. Furthermore, the conversation emphasizes the importance of using the correct terminology when discussing visa types and extensions to avoid confusion, especially regarding the need to cancel or retain an extension based on one’s intentions.

Stuart *********

If you are permanently leaving Thailand with no intention (at the moment) of returning then you need to cancel a extension of stay if on a educational or business reason.

If you’re intending on returning you just need a reentry permit to keep your “allowed to stay until” date alive.

If you get a year extension say in January, but leave in February and don’t come back until October then that’s not a problem if you have a reentry permit.

a year ago

Steve *******

You certainly can, you just need a re-entry permit if you want to leave and not lose your extention of stay

a year ago

Kool *******

The people I know that make Thailand their home base, living here 2-3 months on their time off from working, just do it on tourist visas, and an extension. It gets a little more of a hassle over 3 months, but isn't that hard to do.

a year ago

Bryn ********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Moderator: Stuart Cumming May 16

Some of you members (new or not so) may wonder why us mods or others are pedantic about terminology when referring to visas or entry in to Thailand. Many people are confused and mix up terms like “visa” and “extension of stay” or “visa on arrival”, “visa exempt” and “visa waiver” - to name a few.

The reason we are pedantic is that the correct answer to a question can differ wildly depending on the correct term being used.

One example is a question asking “where can I extend my tourist visa in Bangkok”. If they had a tourist visa it would be at the main government complex in Chaengwattana. If they had a visa exempt entry (which some assume is a tourist visa) it would be IT Square Laksi Plaza. Imagine being told to go to one only to find out you need to go to the other after waiting for perhaps hours in a queue.

Another example is “do I need to cancel my visa when leaving Thailand”. The answer is if they are on their initial visa from entry then they can’t cancel it anyway and it will just expire when they leave. However the majority are actually asking “do I need to cancel my extension of stay before I leave”. The answer to that is yes. [edited for clarity - if on an education or business extension] If they ever try to return and get another extension of stay for that reason then it’s a minefield of problems that could occur if they haven’t cancelled their previous one.

Many other instances of needing the correct terminology to give correct answers. So if one of us seems stupidly pedantic in asking for such then please understand that we’re only trying to give you the best answers we can by knowing your exact circumstances.

a year ago

Alistair **********

@Bryn *******

yeah if your extension is for education or work, not for a retirement extension.

You also aren't cancelling your extension anyways, you apply for a re-entry permit and your extension remains valid whilst you are out of the country. When you re enter you get stamped back in to the same date as what it said when you left.

a year ago

Reply to

Alistair **********

Richard *********

?????

a year ago

Steve ********

Surrender extension of stay? I don't think so

a year ago

Garrett ***********

I can guarantee you it doesn't say that.

a year ago