What should I do if I received an exemption stamp instead of my pre-approved visa stamp upon arrival in Thailand?

Question

Hey all,
Do hope this is allowed, I recently arrived in Thailand with a pre-approved visa in my passport, however they stamped an exemption stamp rather than my 60 day stamp.
Embassy says I should do a Cambodian border run and come back on my visa as it hasn't been used yet.

Any recommendations on fees or most convenient way to do this?

Also I am looking for work opportunities while here, what is the process in future to go from tourist to work visa?

Many thanks

Ask Thailand · Answer

The user encountered an issue upon arrival in Thailand, receiving an exemption stamp rather than a 60-day stamp for their pre-approved visa. The embassy advised performing a border run to Cambodia to activate the visa. The discussion includes recommendations on the best ways to execute the border run, tips on entry stamps, how to check visa validity, and transitioning from a tourist visa to a work visa.

Tod ********* · Answer

[mention redacted] sorry that happened, you're far from the first person whose had this happen stamping in to thailand,

the up side is you got some 'free time' in country, (y)

the down side is you have to exit/re-enter to get that visa activated and get the entry stamp from it. 😕

Somehow I have the feeling that from now on you'll be checking those entry stamps while you're standing there at passport control 😛 😉

Good luck with the bounce out and back, 🙂

Garth ********** · Answer

I did it in advance before arriving here. My visa is only valid until December 14. So thinking of leaving and re-entering on December 2 long weekend

Garth ********** · Answer

I handed him the passport open. He flipped through it and stamped at the back.

No idea what even made me open it and check randomly

Tod ********* · Answer

The embassy is right, once you walked away from passport control you're on a visa exempt entry now.

Look at the visa sticker and see when the "valid until" or "enter before" date is. You have to exit the country and re-enter to activate that visa on or before that date otherwise you lose it.

You can do this "bounce out and back" by air OR land, and you might as well wait until just before the visa sticker is going to expire (giving you as much time as you can get on this 45 day visa exempt entry.

Example a tourist visa is valid for 90 days from the date they issue it; meaning you have 3 months to ENTER thailand on that visa and you'll get 60 days when you do.

Tod ********* · Answer

So you applied for a visa from the thai consulate in your country before you came here but they didn't see that you had a visa and stamped you in visa exempt instead of on the visa.?

What should I do if I received an exemption stamp instead of my pre-approved visa stamp upon arrival in Thailand?

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