Is the 60-day visa extension for visiting family limited to once per year or once in a lifetime?

Jul 14, 2020
4 years ago
Daniel **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Question: Is the 60-day visa to visit family good once per year or "once in a lifetime"? Immigration repeatedly told me to save it for an emergency because it can "only be used once". When I asked in both Thai and English for clarification, they just said "only once". Thanks.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The 60-day extension of stay for family visits in Thailand is generally available once per entry, meaning it can be utilized multiple times if you enter the country on different occasions. However, some immigration offices may impose a restriction, allowing only one extension per visa validity (e.g., once per year if you hold a Non-O visa). Therefore, clarification of local immigration policies is essential, as there are variations in how different offices interpret and implement these rules.
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Jatzek ********
Definitely once per entry.

I have used it many times
Steve *******
Once per entry, although some immigration offices only issue one extention per visa.
Tod *********
Okay, sorry didn't even bother to read the responses

The way a 60 day visit thai family extension (which you can get based on marriage OR based on raising half thai kids) REALLY is

IS like this

Some immigration offices allow you to get the 60 day extension once PER ENTRY <- meaning you could get it off every 90 day entry from a Non-O visa if you wanted to

BUT

Some immgiration offices allow you to get the 60 day extension once PER VISA. <- meaning you can get it ONCE on a year-long, Non-O visa and then you couldn't get it again until you went and bought a new visa.

The offices that do it once a visa also look at it as once per extension. SO if you have been getting yearly extensions one after another for many years AND at any time you already got that 60 day visit family extension they won't let you do it again. AND those offices will look in the computer to see if you got it on a previous passport too. They are persnickety about it
Daniel **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
thanks, now I understand.
Federico **********
I think the OP refers to a 60 day EXTENSION OF STAY based on family.

Which can be done once per entry (of course u aint gonna do an extension of the extension)

And (some) offices only allow 1 per visa validity (for the 1 year Non-O that would mean do it once in whichever entry u like)

In normal times (AKA: NOT NOW) it would make sense to come into the country on day 364... get 90 days... and do the 60-day extension on that last entry... thats how historically people got 17 months outta that visa.
Daniel **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Federico *********
yes that is what I meant. 60-day extension of stay based on family. Even though my last extension of stay (O-A Non Imm for 13 years) is finished and I am on amnesty, as I understand it, I would get the 60-day extension to my expired extension of stay.
Federico **********
@Dan *********
i asked about this at Chaengwattana and they said the 60 day would start on the date the extension is issued. NOT backdated to the day ur last stamp ran out... the amnesty fills the days in between.

So it would make sense to wait (almost) till the end of the month... not too close as offices will be ridiculously crowded tho.
Tod *********
@Dan *********
IF you are married to a thai and/or raising half thai children you could indeed apply for the 60 day visit thai family extension off amnesty from your O-A extension of stay
Anthony ********
Nonsense I've never heard this before?
George ********
@Anthony *******
my understanding is once per year. I fail to see where the nonsense is and I suspect there are many things in the world you ve never heard about. 99.99% of what you don t know is real, you just haven t heard yet. Me too
Anthony ********
@George *******
I was informing him that what he's been told is nonsense. Which it is! Fail to see what's wrong with that? So the nonsense just you!
George ********
@Anthony *******
I apologize Tony. Your abrupt and dismismissive manner led me to think you were an arrogant SOB. I am sure you can see how such a simple mistake could be made.
Anthony ********
@George *******
no problem George.
Phill ******
what country are you from?
Daniel **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Phill ******
@Dan *********
, that doesnt sound right , but , TIT.
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