Answered3 years ago
Can I transition from a Non-B work visa to a tourist visa in Thailand by leaving the country?
Hey, i might have messed up. I didn’t realize the 13th was a holiday and I had planned to go to immigration as I need to transition from a nonB work visa to a tourist visa before the 17th. Does anyone know if I have to go to immigration or can I just leave the country and come back and it’ll be a normal tourist visa now? Thanks in advance!
Answer summary
The user is concerned about transitioning from a non-B work visa to a tourist visa before a deadline, but is unsure if they can simply leave Thailand instead of going to immigration due to a holiday. Commenters explain that a tourist visa cannot be obtained while in Thailand. If on a work extension, they must cancel their permit at immigration to avoid fines. Alternatively, if eligible for visa-exempt entry, the user can leave and return for a 30-day entry without a visa.
19 repliesnewest first
Click comment and we will ask for your email, then OTP, then name.
Wilhelmina ********
@Brandon ***********
e Are you sure about that fine, even if it would show that one went out of Thailand from an exit record or stamp?Wilhelmina ********
@Brandon ***********
No, not the agent, but at the border control when you cross and exit. The pre-informed agency rep assists in the process, afaik.Wilhelmina ********
@Brandon ***********
It's stamped, so it's legit? I think it still goes technically right with "must inform the immigration of any change ... " so long as it's timely done.Brandon ************
@Wilhelmina *******
I told you, you can only cancel an extension at the office you received it at. No one else can cancel it regardless of what a random agent puts into your passport.Wilhelmina ********
@Brandon ***********
As far as I know, it could really be done at the border for a penalty fee (not sure even with the absence of a cancellation letter). Visa run agencies could assist and it is stamped on your passport during the crossing. That stamp is the reference used when you apply for a future extension.Brandon ************
@Wilhelmina *******
That's not legit at all. Your extension will still be active in the system.Wilhelmina ********
@Brandon ***********
Ah, OK, and that would be stamped again (the visa cancellation), right? And then, I heard visa run agencies could help for the penalty when this is done at the immigration border without the cancellation letter, right?Brandon ************
@Wilhelmina *******
you can only cancel an extension at the office you received it. You won't have any issues leaving or entering Thailand, only when you apply for another long term extension at immigration.Brandon ************
@Wilhelmina *******
yes. You sign a document when you apply for a work extension that says you'll notify immigration when there's a change in your status. You ending your work is a change in your status and this is what they will fine you for, failure to notify them of the change.Brandon ************
You can't get a tourist visa inside of Thailand. Going to immigration won't do anything. When you have a work visa or work extension, the only extension you have available to you as another 1 year work extension.
If you are on a work extension now, you need to take your cancelled work permit to immigration and cancel it before you leave, or you will not be able to get another long term extension again and will be fined 500b per day that you did not cancel up to 20,000 baht.
If you are still on the original non-B visa that you obtained, then you cannot cancel that and you can just leave.
Leaving the country and returning will not put you on a tourist visa, as a tourist visa can only be applied for and purchased from a Thai embassy or consulate outside of the country. If you are from a country that is eligible for visa exempt entry, then you can leave and return without a visa and you will be stamped in for 30 days visa exempt, which is eligible one time for a 30 day extension.
If you are on a work extension now, you need to take your cancelled work permit to immigration and cancel it before you leave, or you will not be able to get another long term extension again and will be fined 500b per day that you did not cancel up to 20,000 baht.
If you are still on the original non-B visa that you obtained, then you cannot cancel that and you can just leave.
Leaving the country and returning will not put you on a tourist visa, as a tourist visa can only be applied for and purchased from a Thai embassy or consulate outside of the country. If you are from a country that is eligible for visa exempt entry, then you can leave and return without a visa and you will be stamped in for 30 days visa exempt, which is eligible one time for a 30 day extension.
Gregory *********
OP@Brandon ***********
okay, so that did answer a lot of my questions and I appreciate all the information. So yes I am currently on a work visa but it is being cancelled by the 17th, I just never brought the paperwork to the immigration office because I was planning to do that tomorrow. Now I do not need another long term visa, just a tourist visa and my plan was to do a visa run on Saturday out of the country. Is the visa run useless if I don’t bring the paperwork to the immigration office beforehand?
Brandon ************
@Gregory ********
it will get you off your visa. But if your have an extension rather than a visa you're going to need to cancel it regardless. The sooner the better to avoid fines.Wilhelmina ********
@Gregory ********
Are you even reading? You need to cancel your visa first by taking the paper to the immigration before you go anywhere. Get it?Gregory *********
OP@Brandon ***********
Is if possible for me to message you?Steve *******
@Gregory ********
You wont get a Tourist visa until Tuesday(in Laos) or Wednesday(in Cambodia). Embassy/Consulate closed at the weekends. Processing time 1 day in Laos, 2 days in CambodiaBrandon ************
@Gregory ********
that's not a visa run which is where you go apply for and purchase a visa. That's a border bounce. You also aren't changing to tourist visa because you won't have a tourist visa because you're not going to a Thai embassy and applying for one. You'll have NO VISA and enter visa exempt. I explained that all in my first post.Gregory *********
OP@Brandon ***********
bangkok buddy said they were still doing. Cambodia runsBrandon ************
@Gregory ********
how do you plan to do a visa run on a Saturday when the embassies are closed?Gregory *********
OP@Brandon ***********
okay perfect! So I can do the visa run Saturday to get me on the tourist visa and then bring the paperwork back Monday before the 17th to avoid fines and that would solve it right?Activity
4 joined4
people
Related
25Can I enter Thailand on a 30-day visa exemption if my flight out is after 30 days?
1.1k6228d
How can I change my Tourist visa to a Non-B visa in Thailand?
9256124mo
Can I stay in Thailand for two long visits in 2026 using a tourist visa?
1.1k2139mo
Will Immigration question my cancellation of a Non B Visa if I apply for a Tourist Visa in Thailand?
1.2k1042y
Can I apply for the Digital Nomad Visa from a nearby country after entering Thailand on a tourist visa?
907472y
Do I need to cancel my Education Visa before leaving Thailand?
1.4k1232y
How can I switch from a non-B visa to a tourist visa after my work permit expires in Thailand?
1.4k233y
Can I extend my visa exempt stamp and then switch to a Non-B visa?
945563y
What are the visa options for an Australian staying in Thailand for two months before heading to Vietnam?
1.8k6293y
What are the visa options for a 45-day stay in Thailand for travelers from the US and Switzerland?
1.3k8103y
Do children need to apply for a visa extension in Thailand if the adults do?
2.2k2164y
Can I change my tourist visa to a Non-B visa in Thailand?
1.6k11124y
Do South Africans need a tourist visa for Thailand after visiting Cambodia?
1.2k935y
Can I Change from a Tourist Visa to a Non-B Visa Without Leaving Thailand?
942285y
What should I know about applying for a Covid visa extension in Thailand if I'm traveling to Phuket?
1.3k7135y
What steps should I follow to convert my tourist visa to a Non-B visa while transitioning to a teaching position in Thailand?
1.6k10135y
What should I do with my work permit cancellation letter to extend my stay in Thailand?
1.7k1535y
What are the steps I need to take after my ED Visa expires on June 30, 2021 in Thailand?
714286y
Can my friend convert a tourist visa to a Non-B visa in Thailand after finding work?
1.6k1396y
What are the current rules regarding changing from student or volunteer visas to work visas in Thailand?
1.4k9106y
How can I switch from a Non-B visa with work permit to a tourist visa in Thailand?
1.3k8126y
How can someone transition from an amnesty visa to a Non-B work visa in Thailand?
8513106y
What is the process for canceling Non-B and Non-O visas in Thailand before departure?
44218y
Can my parents extend their stay in Thailand by leaving and re-entering before their visa expires?
38928y
Do I need to report my residence address in Thailand every time I re-enter the country on a Non-B visa?
1.5k1189y
Resources
Need help with your Thai visa?
#1 visa agent · 4,000+ reviews · 100,000+ expats served