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How do I fill out the 'Visa Expiration Date' if I only have an extension of stay in Thailand?
Jan 9, 2026
4 months ago
Gregory *********
ORIGINAL POSTERI went to immigration today and i froze in anxiety as i read this form. How would i fill out the "Visa Expiration Date" when i dont have a visa and only have an extension of stay. Are these terms interchangeable or mutually exclusive? I knew pedants here would cherry pick an answer. :)
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is confused about filling out the 'Visa Expiration Date' on a form when they only have an extension of stay, not a traditional visa. The discussion reveals that in Thai immigration terminology, a 'stay permit' is often used interchangeably with 'visa,' despite technical inaccuracies. Users suggest entering the expiration date on the current entry stamp or the limit of the extension of stay. They recommend understanding that the Thai immigration system may use confusing language and mention the benefits of consulting with an immigration agent for assistance.
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Rico ********
C'est quoi comme visa que tu veux ?'
Saraswati ******
Do they mean you current visa ?
Gregory *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Saraswati *****
A lot of people who read my post don't realise that there is a running argument amongst pedantic posters who assert that once you enter thailand you have a permission to stay and your visa is cancelled. Others like myself believe that a visa gives you a right to enter and stay. The extension of stay is an extension of your visa. Hence as a joke i put up this post as the Thai immigration in their documents use Visa and extension of stay interchangeably. Pedantic people have a case but the Thai immigration don't share their interpretation.Reply to
Gregory *********
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Tanya *****
how can you request a residence certificate without having a Thai visa?
Night *******
If you don't know the answer to this and you freeze in anxiety, you should stay home. Why do these mentally challenged people travel? And I wonder how they keep their jobs in their home country.
Zulai **********
Use chat gpt for translation.
Porky ******
It’s your current visa that’s allowing you to to stay here…
Lisa ********************
Why are you filling out that form?
Gregory *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Lisa *******************
I need it to get a proof or residence for obtaining a Driver's licence. I have done one before to open a bank account.Reply to
Gregory *********
Reply
Alessandro *************
but spend 150 bt and get filled by an office that doesn't make mistakes
Pertti **********
You can't have a Residence Certificate unless you are on a Long-Term-Visa. At least in Lamphun can not.
Keith ************
@Pertti *********
do you mind if I dm you? I have a couple of questions about the Lamphun immigration office.Reply to
Keith ************
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Dac *******
Extension of stay is an extension on your entry visa. So yes, you do have a visa. Most likely a tourist visa
Greg ***********
@Dac ******
a visa cannot get extended. Only a stay permit can get extended. Every single-entry visa on which you enter Thailand expires and becomes invalid when you enter, it cannot be used again, and cannot get extendedCissi *********
@Dac ******
not exactly. In fact, some visas expires once you use it to enter the country and the stamp you get in the passport is a "permit to stay". A person that enters without any visa also gets a "permit to stay". So - the extension is an extension of permit to stay (not of the entry visa).Reply to
Cissi *********
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Nigel *********
Get google translate app on your phone, and the big one is, talk with a visa agent first, doesn’t cost much, and it saves on stress
Gregory *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Nigel ********
they aren't visa agents they are extension of stay agents. :)Nigel *********
@Gregory ********
well I’m in the process of doing my retirement visa, and the agent I’m using done my 30 day extension and now my retirement visa, and they do everything, opening bank accounts, driving license and helping with buying a carGregory *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Nigel ********
They are good. But I like DIY and learning the hard way. I live in a small town and all the departments are within a few minutes from where I live so I am in Bureaucratic heaven here in Thailand. Nothing takes more than a few minutes. I often draw 001 on the ticket queue machine. I pity all the others living in big cities with all those farangs.Nigel *********
@Gregory ********
I’m not that brave 🤣🤣I’m in Khon Kaen and the immigration office is normally pretty busy.
Reply to
Nigel *********
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David *******
You cant normally buy a bike or car etc on a tourist visa
Incognia **********
@David ******
canReply to
Incognia **********
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Jesper *******
Visa expiration date = date you are allowed to stay until....dont get to upset about the words immigration uses.....its even worst when u do the driving licence theory test in English all the Google translate doesn't make sense at all
Jim *********
F
Antonis ***************
It is extremely helpful to use chatgpt for such things! It can also help you step by step how to fill up the forms etc. Can be very useful for visa applications etc
Gregory *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Antonis **************
AI is definitely making some things easier except when it tells you the wrong thing. I have got into a Google maps loop a few times.Gregory *********
ORIGINAL POSTERIt really is a game changer that I can use google lens to translate signs and menus all over the world. Quite impressive and super helpful. I had to learn local languages and scripts before AI.
Nick ********
@Gregory ********
It’s getting better with new ‘thinking’ modes that add loops into the process so it can check its own answers. You can be explicit in the prompt as well. Add “please double check the accuracy of your response” to the prompt.Antonis ***************
@Nick *******
exactly. Don't just put the text to translate. Ask precisely what you want to do and why so you can get a more precise answerReply to
Antonis ***************
Reply
Greg ***********
they would also say "you overstayed your visa" and this is just ridiculous, because technically you cannot overstay a visa. You will only run into an overstay if you stay longer than your stay permit allows
Greg ***********
for Thai Immigration in their poor English, a "stay permit" is the same thing as a "visa". It is technically wrong, but once you accept their wrong wording, just go with the flow
Kevin *********
When you come here as a tourist, you're on tourist visa, even though it's visa exempt for some countries. There should be an expiry date stamped on your passport, sometimes handwritten. That's the one
Cherie *********
@Kevin ********
you fill out the dtv before u get the passport stamp thoughReply to
Cherie *********
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Rico ********
Tu fais remplir ce papier par ton propriétaire
Reply to
Rico ********
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Pete *******
Just give the date your current entry stamp expires.
Brandon ************
What they have in English is irrelevant. It's a crappy translation by a non-native English speaker. In Thai it just says "permission to stay until"
Gregory *********
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brandon ***********
Yes I knew that, but I still had to laugh about it. I google lens translated it. I have PTSD from Bureaucratese lessons and 45 years filling out applications for visa extensions ( sorry I slipped up again). :)Mark ***********
@Brandon ***********
I have followed this group for years. The advice that you give is accurate and sensible. This is despite the occasional stupid questions posted.... and I don't mean this question. On behalf of the anxious farang trying to navigate an arbitrary immigration and visa system, I say kop-kun-krap 🙏John *******
@Mark **********
I disagree as u have to add all context by the op for this guy to get what u post.Stephen ******
@John ******
yes that’s the idea,BT like me has probably been here a long time,you have to cover all bases as the one thing you forget,is the one thing they will ask forBrandon ************
@Stephen *****
if you bring it they won't ask for it. If you don't bring it they'll ask for it.Stephen ******
@Brandon ***********
correct,keep up the good workLeigh ***********
@Stephen *****
I was told once by a colleague "Better to have and not need, than to need and not have". I have applied that principle all the time and never failed to achieve my objective.Mark ***********
@John ******
you don't pay him anything. That is particularly ungrateful. I hope that your next experience with Thai immigration goes badly 😀John *******
@Mark **********
When I followed his advice, which I did once, they told me I had too much information or another type of document was adequate.Mark ***********
@John ******
yet you should know that immigration are arbitrary. Isnt it better to cover every question they might ask? What do you do when you are not pulling the wings off flies?Reply to
Mark ***********
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Charles ********
@Mark **********
krap…😜Reply to
Charles ********
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