Is visa approval in Thailand dependent on the immigration officer's discretion?

@Miguel ************

Yes, just every step is very organized, and they follow through. I was very happy with them.

@Natalia *******

It will depend on the province.

Plenty of travelers have reported trouble obtaining a 60 day covid extension directly on top of a visa exempt entry / tourist visa, and are pushed to first apply for a 30 day extension they should be obtaining.

Your experience confirms that it is possible to apply on your own, but the general consensus at the moment is that not currently the norm.

@Miguel ************

hm.. you are rude and aggressive, I was helping you out !

@Miguel ************

“thanks for the info” would’ve been nice.

@Thai *****************************

no they don’t. It’s official immigration news of Thailand.

@Miguel ************

it’s the law, before you go please check Google Covid visa extension, this time it’s extended until 24th August, so if yours expires before -Just go and no need smart dressing, all good and legit. BTW: when I first went for extension I literally searched web in a taxi and found a blogger who claimed that Covid extensions are still valid. At immigration they won’t tell you unless you ask - that’s the trick))

@Natalia *******

agree

@Natalia *******

Thank you for sharing your experience.

What also would be helpful for the poster would be the date when you applied for the extension, as some offices change their process / policies.

@Frank-Steven **********

lol just money game ..remember here is Thailand .. money is the king

@Miguel ************

What you are trying to do is possible through the standard route of applying on your own its just enforced differently depending on the office, history, and officer.

There are plenty of people who have obtained a covid extension directly on top of their tourist visa / exempt entry in this group.

We assume your intention of doing this is to prolong your stay as you fear the covid extensions may not exist past August 24th. Under normal circumstances you should be applying for the 30 day extension, and the officer may feel that you are abusing the covid extension, as you still can obtain the 30 day extension. But another officier may not mind, and still allow you to obtain the covid extension as you technically may still qualify for it.

This is not Thailand specific, and there are many countries which have processes where an officer can use their own discretionary powers to determine what should be done. You may get denied the first attempt, and then approved the next attempt as your situation can fall in-between the lines.

We honestly do not believe that these 60 day covid extensions will even be possible later this year, as they have already reduced the deadline extension term to only 1 month. It was supposed to be extended until September but it was only extended until August. We interpret this as a tapering off of these types of extensions. Because of this you may be better off by applying for a Tourist Visa before your next arrival (you may use the evisa system to do this).

You can do everything on your own. It's the simple answer, there is nothing else to add to that. It's not 100% success rate. Here in Chaiyaphum, you can do whatever, it's a chill immigration.

You are asking too many questions. You are asking agents to share their secrets. Everyone takes their cut, it is bribery. It's not legal per se but it's legit. I've used Thai Visa Centre many times in the past. They are legit. Understand that you are paying more to have peace of mind in the process. The way things work in Thailand is not something you can understand after being here only a few months. So you will have to accept not knowing everything.

@Miguel ************

"bypass" would be the wrong word as we just ensure that the extension will happen as requested. You can attempt to do this on your own as well, but a successful outcome will depend on multiple factors.

You can try asking in this group to find out which specific provinces are handling the extensions how you prefer, but keep in mind this may require traveling to another province if you are in a unfavorable province.

@Thai *****************************

That is definitely true! Of all the plenty extensions I got over the last three years, it was never the same procedure. Every immigration office, heck even every immigration officer does things differently and wants different things - although the extension should work exactly the same throughout Thailand. Oh well - part of the game, I guess. I understand why people eventually resort to paying a good premium to agencies to not have to deal with the whole immigration office experience anymore. 😅

@Frank-Steven **********

You can obtain a covid extension extension on your own without an under-consideration stamp, but it may depend on which immigration office you apply at as well as your history, and the officer.

Not all offices enforce the guidelines the same way, and there is sometimes room for their own interpretation. This also changes from time to time. Some offices always issued under-consideration stamps, and then they stopped, and some do it sparingly.

You can try asking in the group, and I'm sure you will have many reports of full 60 day extensions without an under consideration-stamp.

@Thai *****************************

Curious: Why can an agency get the covid extension without that “under consideration” nonsense and an individual cannot do without this unnecessary bureaucracy? I guess there is brown envelopes for officials involved, right? Oh man … Thailand.

Everyone can get 90d+1y for retirement. Nothing to do with giving extra bahts. But you typically need to visit twice.

@Miguel ************

won’t get denied. Every one of these Agents have a connection inside and they never get denied. I got a 90 day extension plus 1 year on top. I had to pay so everyone made a few Bhat along the way and that is totally cool with me. I get to stay for 15 months now. Paradise

@Miguel ************

It's not going to be denied either way.

@Thai *****************************

Not every one can do evisa, Australia can not.

I did say it was only a proposal.

@Wayne ********

This did happen before in 2021 but it did not last that long.

However they were not doing 45 day extensions, it was still 30 days.

Also they have submitted this proposal multiple times already this year, and the main reason.

We believe the core reason it was approved in 2021 was because of the 14 day quarantine which was required. Before without the addition 15 days you would not have enough leadtime to apply for some visas (after your quarantine you would only have 16 days if they did not extend it).

Once thailand launched the evisa system the need for this was not as necessary, and that's most likely why it was so short lived.

@Miguel ************

no such thing as a regular 60 day extension. Its the covid 60 day extension which will end

@Miguel ************

I didnt answer that as you said your leaving. And when the covid extension stops it will not matter as 60 days will not be available to get first or 2nd anyway

@Michelle ***********

earlier this year

Think things are tightening up and many reports of rejections now...depending a lot on location and how long on Covid extensions, what country of citizenship. If the poster only needs 30 days then what's the point of trying to get Covid extension?

@Jared *********

same here , in February this year

@Jared *********

...recently?

I’ve gotten a 60 day Covid extension off a TR 60 without first taking the protocol 30 day extension.

It’s thailand, most rules are optional with a convenience charge

That is the rule Miguel yes 30 day extension first.