What is the cost of extending a 30-day tourist visa in Chiang Mai compared to a border run?

November 3, 2019
5 years ago
Michael *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
can someone tell me the cost of extending a 30 day tourist visa at the Chang Mai immigration office for another 30 days?

versus the cost of making a trip to the border to get the 30 days stamp there

thank you
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The cost of extending a 30-day tourist visa at the Chiang Mai immigration office is approximately ฿1,900. Alternatively, making a trip to the border for a visa run might cost around ฿1,490 to ฿1,590, factoring in the visa run service and border fees. Many comments indicate that the extension fee is standard across immigration offices in Thailand.
Keith *************
Michael Paris by doing that will you not fall in the new insurance laws which came in force that all new visas issued in your home country must have full medical insurance .....
Steven ***************
@Michael ******
. I've had this conversation with a thai consulate in Australia. They confirmed that if your travel insurance meets thai imm requirements , then it's fine. Can't see why it would be any different for any other nationality.
Ivan ************
When your retirement visa expires your options are to renew it for a year, meeting the financial requirements, or to leave. There is no 30 day option.

The only other option is, you can get an extra 7 days extension denied if you don't meet the requirements. This runs from the date of application NOT the usual end of stamp so if you do get this apply late. It's only 7 days but sometimes it can be enough for people who just need a bit to bridge to a flight.
Ivan ************
It's unclear at the moment. Some indications it has to be Thai insurance only, from an approved company, if you read the police order literally that is what it says. Some immigration offices have said it has to be Thai. But maybe not an issue if you don't need to deal with them for an extension.

Other indications it can be foreign. If you are getting it in LA and don't plan to extend it matters only what they want, and what immigration want at the border.

There is a foreign insurance certificate you need to get signed by two directors of your insurance company. Some have reported already that their foreign insurance (understandably) won't sign this.

It will be clearer by June for sure, many people will have gone through it by then.
Keith *************
@Michael ******
can't help you with that I'm no expert.
Michael *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
thank you Keith there is a Visa service across the street from the Thailand Embassy in Los Angeles, this Visa service is owned by a Thai Woman and her American husband

she knows everyone at the Thailand Embassy across the street on a first name basis as he’s been there for 15 years

i’m sure by the end of June when I ask for her help she will know all the updated requirements

another question I have Keith if you know?

When my retirement visa expires on November 27 do I have to leave the country or can I get a 30 day extension
Keith *************
@Michael ******
I think you can have your own insurance but will need plenty of proof .and probably all documents in Thai .
Michael *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Keith ************
thanks for your help keith another question that I’m not sure if you know is will Travel Insurance be excepted?

it far exceeds the requirements they’re asking for inpatient and outpatient coverage ??
Michael *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Keith ************
yes I will have to show Insurance in Los Angeles at the Thailand Embassy, but as you know with Thailand the Visa rules could change quite a bit between now and the end of June when I will be going there😜

I do have Health insurance in America

but what I think is still unknown as far as I know is when you apply for a visa in America do you have to have Thailand health insurance or can you have your own countries health insurance when you go to the Thailand Embassy in America🤪??
Jhona ***************
1900THB that's the standard price at any immigration if you will come on your own.
Jason ********
1900 baht for extension, CM visa run service is 990 baht plus 500 baht stamp in Myanmar, or a $10 usd bill.
Ivan ************
Yes you get 30 days exempt by land if you are from a qualifying country (including most Western countries). You can get this twice per year. And you can extend each entry by 30 days.
Jesús *******
@Ivan ***********
meaning exempt for 30days entering by land?
Ivan ************
It is certainly possible to get from now through to the end of May 2020 purely on land visa exempts from Mae Sai plus extensions. And this is very low risk, lower risk than flying to Vietnam and back, there are no reports of refusals.
Steven ***************
Michael. It's important to get the wording correct.

Go to border and exit. Re enter on 30 day visa EXEMPT. Then get your visa exempt EXTENDED by 30 days which will give you a total of 60 days inside thailand without having to leave.
Ivan ************
That's correct. You can extend your 30 day visa exempt by a further 30 days at CM Immigration (cost=1,900B), so you can get 60 days out of each entry.

And you are allowed two per _calendar_ year. They reset Jan 1. So if you do your last one of 2019 right at the end of the year that covers the first two months of 2020. Then you can get another four months total.
Steven ***************
@Michael ******
. A 30 day entry is a visa exempt entry, not a visa. And more chance of denial at passport control than a Single entry visa, which also gives you 60 days instead of 30. Add a 30 day extension and you wont need to leave and reenter again until you leave in Feb
Michael *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
well thank you Stephen, Ivan, Garrett

for your advice and knowledge

I am flying straight from Chang Mai nonstop to Da Nang staying eight days and flying straight back into Chang Mai

hopefully I will get a 30 day tourist visa on arrival at Chang My airport

I will then go to the immigration office here in Chang Mai and extend that for 30 more days

and then when that expires go to the border for my final 30 day tourist visa

which hopefully will give me the 90 days that I need before flying out at the end of February

I own a car here in Thailand

and also have signed a lease on my condo until the end of February

awlsI can do is put 1 foot in front of the other and keep my fingers crossed

my plan is to go to Da Nang during the month of March April and May

leaving all my heavy suitcases here in Chang Mai and then flying back to Chang Mai at the end of May for three days to get my luggage then return to America for the month of June to visit family and get my one-year retirement visa at the Thailand Embassy in Los Angeles
Steven ***************
Seeing he essentially needs another 90 days, I dont see another low risk option. Using a SETV with an extension is a lot less riskier and much easier than using 30 day visa exempts to fill the gap. It will be his first TV in at least 5 years.
Steven ***************
If you apply for a SETV in Vietnam, maybe explain your situation and show them your booked flight home in Feb. The fact you've used a long term visa for 5 years will probably work in your favour they are aware of why you need the extra time.
Steven ***************
Get a single entry tourist visa whilst you're in Vietnam. Re enter on it, then extend it 30 days
Michael *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jason *******
Thank you thank you my retirement visa expires on November 27

and I’m flying to Vietnam for eight days

returning December 5

my flight leaving Thailand is that the end of February so I’m trying to find a way to stay 90 days more in Thailand

I have been living here for the last five years on a retirement visa but do not want to I have my finances hijacked in order to continue my retirement visa here

I will return to America and go to the Thailand embassy in Los Angeles and get my retirement visa there

just curious what is the best options for staying another 90 days in Thailand as I am not used to doing this, I have been here for the last five years on retirement

thank you
Jeremy ********
฿1,900 for a 30 day extension stamp
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