What is the best way to extend my stay in Thailand beyond the 30-day exemption?

Apr 16, 2022
2 years ago
Arnaud *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Good Morning, I am currently in Thailand under a 30 days exemption scheme ending mid may.

I would like to stay until mid August.

I understand the only way is to apply for a 60 days tourist visa and then get a 30 days extension.

Can anyone advise if it's the best way to do it please?

And do i need to leave Thailand and come back to activate the tourist visa once approved?

Thank you so much for your help

Arnaud
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user currently benefits from a 30-day visa exemption in Thailand and seeks advice on how to extend their stay until mid-August. Suggestions include applying for a 60-day tourist visa and potential extensions, with comments indicating that leaving Thailand (e.g., to Cambodia or Singapore) may be necessary to secure the visa. Some users recommend exploring immigration options available within Thailand, such as possible COVID extensions or visa runs.
Todd *********
Easy, go to immigration for 60 day Covid extension before yours expires mid May. Gets you to July 24 with zero hassles and only 1900 baht
Arnaud *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Todd ********
thank you Todd! Very helpful.

Alternatively we might also fly to Singapore mid May and apply for a 60 days tourist visa at the local embassy which is apparently easy to extend for another 30 days so 90 total. So mid august. Might be the safe option what do you think?

Just not sure how long we would have to stay in SG to get the tourist visa approved.
Todd *********
@Arnaud ********
i 'believe' you will be safe (at very little cost) with the 30 day extension + covid extension. Your wife's timing is a bit unfortunate for depending on the Covid visa to be extended after May, but it still seems likely at this time. Best of luck to both of you!!
Arnaud *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Todd ********
thanks for your help guys. Really appreciate. My wife is actually pregnant and would like to deliver in Samui around 15-24th of July. So I would like to make sure we can stay at least till beginning of august. Not sure how to do that.

Then we can still go to Singapore and come back the day after with a 30 days visa exemption scheme.
Todd *********
@Lyndon ***********
true. it’s definitely a factor. Also possible he could get his 30 day extension mid May and then apply for Covid extension on
*****
May to get an additional 2 months from there
Lyndon ************
@Todd ********
as he hasn't had a 30 day extension yet, that's what they would sell him. I doubt he would be offered a covid extension straight off. His only way of really finding out would be to go and ask
Ge ***********************
Do a visa run.
Ge ***********************
May 24 is the last for Covid extension and that will be 30 days only. Enlighten me.
Todd *********
@Ge **********************
doesn’t need to
Charles ********
You can get a 30 day extention on visa exempt first. Then you can do a visa run and switch to tr60. That would get you too August with one extension.
Bobby ********
Agree with Brandon. Cambodia is the preferred option at this stage. Fly to Phnom Penh and return with TR visa. At this stage you will be required to meet the Thailand Pass requirements on re-entry. If you can hang off until April 22, there MIGHT be some relaxation in the requirements
Brandon ************
You can go to Cambodia for a few days and get a tourist visa there and then return and spend 90 more days in Thailand.
Brandon ************
@Arnaud ********
I believe it's a 3 day turnaround now. But you'll want to double check their website as the processing time depends your country
Arnaud *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
how many days roughly do you think we would need to stay in PP to get the visa approved using your friends experience please ?
Arnaud *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
no worries thank you !
Brandon ************
@Arnaud ********
I don't know about Singapore. I haven't read any reports of people going to Singapore for tourist visa yet. Mostly people going to Cambodia so that's where we have the most reports from
Arnaud *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
thank you. I would probably choose Singapore as there are direct flight from Samui every 2 days.

Do you know how long the approval process for a TR visa takes roughly please ?
Grant *******
You cannot get a visa in the country, only extensions. Only from outside the country.
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