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What are the options for extending a visa if unable to do a border run due to illness?

Visa ExtensionBorder RunNon-O VisaMedical Statement for ImmigrationThailand Immigration ProceduresVisa OverstayExpats in Thailand
Dec 4, 2018
6 years ago
Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
What happens if you are unable to do a border run due to illness?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
If you are unable to complete a border run due to illness, you have several options to legally extend your stay in Thailand. You can request a medical statement from your hospital confirming your inability to travel and apply for an Extension of Stay at your local Immigration Office. This extension can be granted for the duration stated in the medical documentation, up to a maximum of 90 days. Additionally, if mobility is an issue, you can have someone pick up the medical documents and your passport and handle the application process on your behalf. However, it's essential to note that if you overstay your visa without taking action, you may incur a fine of 500 baht per day.
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Peter **********
i am going to marry a Thai lady and want to live in Thailand what visa do i have to apply for to be able to stay
6 years ago
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Robert ********
You need to start a fresh post with your new question, Peter...
6 years ago
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Robert ********
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Robert *******
And that brings us back to the question, what stamped inside your passport: A Visa as on the top and what is than your Admitted until date OR an Extension of Stay as in the bottom and when do you need to do the next 90 day report and what is the permitted up to date:
6 years ago
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Jackie ******
@Tod ********
 yes, that is probably true. i am only talking about what happened with me in Udon Thani. I was given 1 medical extension then when I went back to IO wen that was over I was denied and had to do border run that day since it was my final day. i hope i didn't seem to convey this happens everywhere. i don't know about everywhere, as you say. just here in udon thani is where I have had my most recent experiences. sorry if I implied everywhere.
6 years ago
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Tod *********
careful with that broad brush statement there
@Jackie *****
 :O Not all immigration offices hand out that medical extension easily. Some are hard as nails to get one from even if you're IN the hospital :/
6 years ago
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Jackie ******
the medical extension should be no problem unless IO finds that it is not serious enough. i have had both so know what i am talking about.
6 years ago
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Tod *********
he has a year-long, multi-entry Non-O visa where he bounces in and out every 90 days
6 years ago
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Tod *********
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Tod *********
That leaves you with three choices:

a medical extension of stay using documentation provided by the hospital or a doctor and someone going to the immigration office on your behalf

OR

someone packs you in a car and lugs you to the border to see if they can just get your passport stamped out of thailand, in&out of another country and then back into thailand while you wait on the thai side.

OR

you end up on a 500 baht a day overstay for every day you're over your admitted stamp when you finally can bounce out and back in.
6 years ago
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Tod *********
@Peter **********
, send your wife to the immigration office to see if you can get a 60 day "visit family" extension for 1900baht without you being there which would give you 60 more days before you needed to bounce out of the country.

I mean face it even if they had to lug you to the immigration office in person for the 60 day extension it'd be easier than slogging to the border
6 years ago
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Tod *********
@Peter **********
 The VISA you has allows you to stay no longer than 90 days at a time. Then you either bounce out and back into the country to get another 90 days

OR

You apply for the 60 day visit family extension (WITH your wife present)

Those are your choices on that visa.

Now that you have a medical condition where you can't walk, you either get lugged to the border and bounce out and back in when you're supposed to, you get a medical extension of stay, OR you end up on overstay and pay 500 baht a day fine when you finally CAN bounce out of the country and back in
6 years ago
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Tod *********
@Peter **********
 and I said AFTER you border bounce every 90 days for the validity of the Non-O visa you could apply for an extension.
6 years ago
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Biff *******
Because getting an extension might be easier than going to the border? You say you can't walk so maybe going to the immigration office, with some help obviously, might be something you could do?
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
, why should I have to get a visitors extension, if I got a visa which runs out in June next year? I not understand.

Here is what you told me month ago.
6 years ago
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Tod *********
@Peter **********
 well, that's gonna be a problem then.. :/
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Tod Daniels, my wife lives in Phuket and I live in Isaan on my own. My next bounce is due next week
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
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Tod *********
First off what type of visa are you on?
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
 Spouse Visa M-O
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
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Robert *******
Okay, unable to walk. Call the hospital, let them make the medical statement, call a friend, let him/her pick up this statement and your passport. He/she can bring both to Immigration and apply for the Extension of Stay. Please give him/her also the fee of 1.900 Thb.
6 years ago
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Jackie ******
i was in hospital, ICU, and immigration allowed the International ladies from Wattana hospital take care of my visa issues since I could not travel. Don't know what your situation is (serious heart failure for me), but there is a way to get your visa problems taken care of if you are really not able to make it. i was given a 90 day visa, medical i believe, with no problem.
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ***********
 . Good luck to them
6 years ago
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Robert ********
@Peter **********
 without a Thai passport, we are ALL visitors!
6 years ago
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Robert ********
@Peter **********
 You'd be even more surprised how many Expats have no insurance!
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ***********
 I am not a visitor. I live here.
6 years ago
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Robert ********
@Peter **********
 you'd be surprised by how many visitors do not.
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ***********
 ! Why wouldn’t I have excellent health insurance living in Thailand?
6 years ago
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Jackie ******
@Robert ***********
 nope, paid for it all out of pocket. only covered in the states.
6 years ago
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Robert ********
@Peter **********
 I hope you have excellent health insurance as well....
6 years ago
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Jackie ******
Peter Schlosser can you get there in a wheel chair?

I mean transported using a wheelchair. all I know is my doctor would not let me leave ICU for anything. she was very adamant about that.
6 years ago
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Jackie ******
@Biff ******
 at Wattana hospital. thatz what they are called. they are liaisons working with mostly non thai patients. They have similar liaisons at AEK, but I have never heard them called international. From personal experience.
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jackie *****
, I am unable to walk.
6 years ago
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Biff *******
They have 'international ladies' there? Where exactly is this? :)
6 years ago
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Jackie ******
oh, i forgot, doctor has to fill out paperwork specifying that you are ill, and cannot travel, and give them a time period for wen you can travel again. at least thatz what I was able to find out. you can't have a serious cold. it has to be a real medical emergency type of thing.
6 years ago
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Jackie ******
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Robert *******
You ask the hospital to make a statement that you're unable to travel, and apply for an Extension of Stay at local Immigration Office for the duration mentioned in the medical statement or maximum 90 days.
6 years ago
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Robert ********
If you overstay. be prepared to pay the fine, Bt. 500 per day...
6 years ago
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Tod *********
@Peter **********
 you'll be on overstay with or without that letter. It doesn't cut any ice as far as waiving overstay fines UNLESS you get the medical extension at the immigration office BEFORE you start overstaying.
6 years ago
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Peter ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I think I just get a letter from my local doctor and do the border bounce a couple of days later and present them the doctors certificate.
6 years ago
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Robert ********
Yes
@T**
, I've read about those cases here in this group as well. Leave nothing to chance, take the letter and get it and the passport to Immigration for the extension, be informed and avoid overstay.
6 years ago
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Tod *********
@Robert ***********
 Believe me I've had people get the letter, end up on overstay then show up to stamp out of the country and get fined for their overstay. :/ That's why I wanted to spell out that just having the letter stating you can't travel isn't enough to not have you fined for overstay IF you don't go get the medical extension FIRST :P
6 years ago
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Robert ********
Yes
@T**
, with that letter you can get the extension @ Immigration as your stated. The letter alone will not help IF you don't use it to get that extension and you will be on overstay :-)
6 years ago
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Tod *********
@Robert ***********
 umm, you won't be fine with just that letter unless you also go or send someone to the immigration office to get the medical extension for you

If you only have the letter and DON'T get the medical extension you're on overstay and they will NOT waive the fines because you or someone didn't get the medical extension for you BEFORE you went on overstay.
6 years ago
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Robert ********
IF it is serious enough that you cannot travel, then you must get to a hospital and get a letter stating your condition, then you'll be fine.
6 years ago
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Robert ********
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