Answered2 years ago
How can I validate my 60-day Thai visa after receiving a 30-day stamp at the airport?
I went through all the hassle of getting a 60 day visa, then at the airport Immigration I only got stamped for 30 days. How can I get my original visa validated?
Answer summary
An expat faced an issue upon arriving in Thailand where they received a 30-day stamp instead of the 60-day visa they had obtained. The advice given includes immediately checking your entry stamp at the airport, returning to the immigration office where stamped if incorrect, and possibly approaching local immigration offices for assistance. Suggestions also include carrying proof of the 60-day visa and considering other stay options like extensions. Comments reveal mixed personal experiences regarding the ability to change the stamp after entry.
79 repliesnewest first
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Jamie ******
Next time have the passport opened at the page of visa when you present it ,,or at least check they stamp you in properly ,,so check and know number of page with the correct visa
Joe ******
Always check that the immigration officer stamps you in on your right visa and check the date for length of stay.
Armando **********
Yeah, I pulled the same rookie move. I didn't show them my visa and got 30day stamp. This time I did and got my 60 day tourist stamp. Next time you'll know better.
Richard *******
OP@Armando *********
thanks for your wisdom.
Micheal ********
This happened to me I had to go back to the airport were they restamp it ?
Richard *******
OP@Micheal *******
where at the airport? I can't go back into the immigration area.Micheal ********
@Richard ******
Richard go to the main desk information tell them you need to talk to immigration they will send immigration officer to meet you best of luck 👍Jamie ******
@Micheal *******
correct information ,,everyone else is talking rubbishMicheal ********
@Richard ******
They will have you waiting but will come ?Richard *******
OP@Micheal *******
ok thank you
Ronnie ******
you get 2 months automatically now... right...?
Richard *******
OP@Ronnie *****
no I applied through the Thai embassyHenrik **************
@Ronnie *****
not yet.
Roger **********
Interesting, I suggest you enquire at the closest immigration office to you. They will sought it
Naj *************
Depending where you are from, Thailand will have visa free entrance for 60 days soon!
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6
Dirk **************
@Naj ************
not until fall it seemsNaj *************
@Dirk *************
ok…hopefully soon…
Ling *****
My passport is full of Thai Tourist Visas (the sticker ones). Sometimes they miss it. Sometimes they just ask, you have visa. 2 days ago I just told the immigration officer that I had a visa and she checked it and stamped me in. My wife was given the 30 day stamp instead of 60 days and she was told by immigration to go back to original place of entry to rectify it.
Marcus ************
@Ling ****
depending on where you travel to, might be easier for her just to extend it at a local immigration office
William *********
Happen to me in January checked it after I went through only 30 day stamp the lady at desk changed it for me to 60 days always check
Brian *******
Can't you apply at immigration in Thailand during your first 30 days?
Dan ********
ÿan Myers no, you cant jump between some/many visa types. Some can only be issued upon entry...
Brian *******
@Dan *******
I don't mean changing types. Just an extension of your first 30 day Visa for 30 more. The interwebs may be giving me false info.Dan ********
@Brian ******
lol. Well everything is down to the immigration officer that you face. Literally 'at their discretion' - some people posting that they managed to get this amended at their local/regional immigration office, where others have had to travel 800 miles back to their port of entry to get it amended. So always dress well, and don't be a dick. Every rule of entry or denied entry can be overlooked by one officer, and played by another, often based on whether you have used/paid an agent to facilitate.Brian *******
@Dan *******
Hey, thank you man. I've had it so easy in Costa Rica(180 and extension with an easy border cross) that this mess is confusing. I appreciate the info.Dan ********
@Brian ******
ah OK, a standard 30 day extension to a tourist or excempt stamp is possible now, but if your planned stay is over 60 days, then you need to bounce out/in to get a new visa beyond the 60 days stay, but you can then utilise the unused 60 day tourist visa. It's 'potluck' whether a local immigration office will amend that 30 day exempt stamp to a 60 day tourist stamp, but the majority of cases have had to return to point of entry to get that amended, which is a ball ache if you're swinging in a hammock on koh Lipe, having arrived in Bangkok. 'All depends on the immigration officer on the day'.
Phil ********
Did you get an e-visa and did you print it off and hand it to the immigration officer with your passport?
Dan ********
@Phil *******
does not sound like it. Not the first time I've heard this, but I thought it would be very important, given the language barrier...Richard *******
OPNo, she was looking through my passport so I assumed she would find it. My mistake.
Dan ********
@Richard ******
you have the visa sticker in your passport already ? But never assume, and when you do, check on your own assumption to be correct....
Tony **********
Did you present your visa to the agent?
Lee *********
As of tomorrow you get automatic 60 day stamp if proposed plans go through
Christopher *************
@Lee ********
no you don't it's not finalised yet
Will ********
@Lee ********
Excellent news and it should be a massive boost for their economy.Lee *********
@Will *******
yeah hope so, time will tell if it’ll be a good thing or notWill ********
Where and how do you get a 60 day visa to begin with ?
Richard *******
OP@Will *******
from the Thai embassy in my country.
Tony ********
@Richard ******
but did you show it the IO when you gave him your passport?Richard *******
OP@Phil *******
it's in my passport already.Phil ********
Richard *******
OP@Tony *******
they want to see the biometric page and I was exhausted so not paying attention 😔Henrik **************
If you want you can first stay 30 days, get a visa extension at immigration for another 30 and after that leave the country and come back with your visa printed out and stay another 60 and extend that for 30 days at immigration.
Naj *************
@Henrik *************
didn’t Thailand just announced visa exception will be extended from 30 to 60 days soon? **********************************************************************************************************
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6
Steven *******
@Naj ************
It’s not official yet.
Frank-Steven ***********
@Henrik *************
Bad advice. Just because merely 30 days were stamped in the passport does not mean the e-visa wasn’t invalidated in the system at the time of that entry.Henrik **************
@Frank-Steven **********
it's definitely not a bad advice, that e-visa is good to use until the date it expires if it hasn't been used.Henrik **************
@Frank-Steven **********
he didn't have it printed out from how I understand his comments so I say it's more likely that it hasn't been used yet. But it was only valid until 13th June or something so in his case it wouldn't really help him anyway, he should get back to immigration at the airport to have it corrected there.
Frank-Steven ***********
@Henrik *************
Sure. But it might have been “used” at that entry. Exactly my point. It might have been used - and likely so when it was handed over to the IO. Then the IO probably just used the stamp for visa exemption (30 days) instead of the 60 day stamp by mistake.Henrik **************
Have the price increased lately on touristvisas? I had no idea..
Richard *******
OP@Henrik *************
visa is valid until 13 June though.Henrik **************
@Richard ******
oh crap.. I thought (assumed) you got it just before you arrived.. 😓Richard *******
OP@Graham *****
yes
Graham ******
@Richard ******
Is that New Zealand?Richard *******
OP@Henrik *************
no I had to get it before the price increased by 500%
Russell *******
@Henrik *************
wow, that’s a lot of staying power. 😆 niceHenrik **************
@Russell ******
it's a good option to stay longer!I have a house pretty close to the friendship bridge Nong khai - Vientiane so sometimes I arrive on a touristvisa and then just border jump 2 times in a row after my visa runs out (only eligible to do it twice in a calendar year though)
Nick ************
@Russell ******
by then the Visa exempt entry will most likely be 60 days.
Joe ******
@Russell ******
Beware, you need to make sure you enter the second time within the visa validity. On a tourist visa, that's usually within 90 days of visa issue, not from the entry date.Russell *******
@Henrik *************
Dang, learn something new everyday. I’ll be visiting Thailand next yr so I’m definitely soaking it n as much info as I can. 30-60 days probably
Philip ***********
@Henrik *************
that's another optionStan ***********
Cannot be changed , you can leave the country and show your visa when you enter again
Sophie *********
@Stan **********
That's incorrect. It can be changed, whether or not it will be in this case, however, is not guaranteed.
Robert ***********
@Stan **********
Not true. Gotta go back to the airport and they will change it if you have a visa. The local office may do it.Stan ***********
@Robert **********
I tried back at immigration and they would not do anything for me, would not change itRobert ***********
@Stan **********
If you have a tourist visa they should change it to reflect the visa. I had this happen to a friend last month at Phuket Intl and he went back and in 20 minutes it was updated.Richard *******
OP@Robert **********
where at the airport? I can't go back to immigration it's a restricted area.Richard *******
OP@Sophie ********
I will go into the local Immigration office on Tuesday morning and see if they can change it.Sophie *********
@Richard ******
How did you fare in the end?Philip ***********
@Stan **********
wrong they change if the visa was approved before arrival they change
Kevin ******
@Philip **********
correctPhilip ***********
You can get it changed at some of local immigration offices, if they want and not too busy .. if not at the airport
Peter *******
too late, need to check your stamp, live and learn
Robin ********
You have the e mail from the embassy granting you 60 days , print it out and take it to your your local immigration place .
Chris *********************
@Robin *******
no got to leave Thailand and re-enter to activate itChris *********************
Play your dates and get 90 days
Michael ********
@Robin *******
nope border immigration stamp can normally only be dealt with by border immigration not immigration offices
Brandon ************
You should ALWAYS check your entry stamp as soon as you step away from the passport control desk.
The only sure way to get it fixed is to return to the place where you were stamped into Thailand and ask them to fix it.
You can try going to your local immigration office and see if they are willing to fix it, but they may just direct you back to the airport.
The only sure way to get it fixed is to return to the place where you were stamped into Thailand and ask them to fix it.
You can try going to your local immigration office and see if they are willing to fix it, but they may just direct you back to the airport.
Richard *******
OP@Brandon ***********
yep, lesson learned the hard way.Activity
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