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What should I do if my single entry tourist visa is valid until November 9 but I'm staying in Thailand until the 26th?
Aug 13, 2025
9 months ago
Stephen *******
ORIGINAL POSTERHi any advice would be great but i think i have messed up, i applied for a single entry tourist visa, it has been approved but it says it’s valid till the 9th of november but i am there till the 26th, does that mean i have to leave thailand by the 9th or use the visa before the 9th thanks in advance steve
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user has applied for a single entry tourist visa to Thailand, which is valid for use until November 9th. The confusion arises regarding the validity of the visa and the length of stay allowed. Commenters explain that the visa allows for entry until its expiration date, granting a 60-day stay upon entering the country. Additionally, the user can apply for a 30-day extension at the immigration office, provided it is done before the end of the 60-days stamp. Thus, the user can stay until the 26th of November if they enter by the 9th of November and apply for the extension timely.
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Martin **************
You can apply for a 30 day extension at the immigration office before the 9th of Novemver, 1900 baht. You can only do that once. So the maximum stay is 4 months. If the 26th of November is within that period of 4 months, there is no problem.
Pui *****
@Martin *************
wow, you gave totally wrong information, as you must not understand that single entry tourist visas are valid to be used within 90 days of issuance to enter Thailand, and grant a 60 day stay once used. This can be extended at immigration offices within Thailand once to add 30 days, granting 90 days total. Not 4 months. And your 9th November date doesn't have anything to do with it. The OP has to get his extension before his 60 day allowed stay period ends, which is counted from his entry date, not the expiration date of the visa, which is just the date he must enter Thailand by, to use that visa.Martin **************
@Pui ****
He said he has a tourist visa, single entry, that has a validity of 3 months. He doesn't enter with a visa exemption for 60 days.Pui *****
@Martin *************
if you're going to try to prove your point with government info, maybe you should learn to read it more carefully first. I circled it for you. A tourist visa allows a 60 day length of stay. The 90 days is how long you have to use it to enter the country. Nothing more. Think of it like an admission ticket for Disneyland that expires in 90 days. It means you must present the ticket for entry within 90 days and has nothing to do with how long you can stay there.Martin **************
@Pui ****
I see, you're right. So the single entry tourist visa has become completely pointless with the 60 days visa exemption.I hardly dare to say, but looking at the result I may be right after all.When the 9th of November is within the 2 months period of stay, he can get the 30 days extention at the immigration office. Hopefully for him he just didn't know this possibility.
Pui *****
@Martin *************
you're still wrong. The 9th November date has zero to do with his allowed stay date. It's simply when his visa needs to be used by to enter Thailand. It's the equivalent of saying his gift certificate to enter Disneyland must be redeemed at the box office by 9th November. It doesn't have anything to do with calculating when he can stay till. For example, he might enter Thailand today on his visa that is valid through 9th November, which would make his permission to stay end on 14 October. So he would need to go to immigration to extend it before 14 October, not before 9 November, which grants a stay of 30 more days until 13 November, which still would not be enough for him to stay until 26 November as he wants to do. On the other hand, if he entered on 27 September, even though the visa was valid till 9 November, he is still stamped in for 60 days, allowing him to stay until 26 November without needing any extension.Martin **************
@Pui ****
The Thai immigration rules are sometimes (?) inscrutable.... But I don't give up. If he will enter the country after 27 or 28 of August (I didn't count the exact days) he can get the 30 days extension, as long as he does this within the validity of the visa (9th of November). From my own experience I know this for sure: when you apply for the 30 days extension before the visa expires, it will be granted. So, I do not completely agree with you.Martin **************
But of course he must apply for the 30 days extension before his 60 days stamp expires, that goes without saying. In the end I think we do not have an important difference of opinion. We don't know his entrance date, but he probably won't have to worry, he'll be able to get the 30 days extension.
Nongnuch ********
@Martin *************
a single entry Tourist Visa is valid for USE FOR ONE SINGLE ENTRY for 90 days after its issue date. When he ENTERS Thailand on this Tourist Visa, he will get stamped in for 60 days. You are confusing the visa validity with the duration of the stay permitReply to
Nongnuch ********
Reply
Nongnuch ********
@Martin *************
You are misleading! The visa is valid for use until November 9th, for ONE entry. Upon entering, he gets stamped in for 60 days. He can extend ONCE for 30 more days. So the maximum he can get out of this visa is THREE months, not 4 monthsMartin **************
@Nongnuch *******
Pui Suu He said he has a tourist visa, single entry, that has a validity of 3 months. He doesn't enter with a visa exemption for 60 days.Martin **************
Pui Suu He said he has a tourist visa, single entry, that has a validity of 3 months. He doesn't enter with a visa exemption for 60 days.
Nongnuch ********
@Martin *************
a single entry Tourist Visa is valid for USE FOR ONE SINGLE ENTRY for 90 days after its issue date. When he ENTERS Thailand on this Tourist Visa, he will get stamped in for 60 days. You are confusing the visa validity with the duration of the stay permitReply to
Nongnuch ********
Reply
Robert ********
@Martin *************
Get some knowledge instead of misinformation. The 9th on the visa is the last day he can enter the country - nothing more and has nothing to do with extension.
The day he enters, he gets the 60 days stamp that he can extend by 30 up to something like 2 weeks before its end.
Martin **************
To be more precise: there is no problem at all, because the 26th of November is shorter than 30 days after the 9th of November. Just apply for the extension any time before the 9th of November. The 30 days will always start after the 9th.
Reply to
Martin **************
Reply
Lawrie *******
Shouldn't we enquire with the basic question what Nationality and or passport do you hold or are you using?... Before going off on some weird responsive tangents? Not everyone has the benefits of living in Thailand nursing sick Isaan buffaloes 🐃..
Max *************
@Lawrie ******
Nationality doesn't matter when it comes to a single entry 60 days tourist visa.Reply to
Max *************
Reply
Kool *******
Be fully aware that from your past entry history if immigration determines you are trying to stay long term as a tourist they can refuse you entry whether you bought a tourist visa, or not. They become suspicious when someone buys a single entry tourist visa when they get the exact same entry time coming in on a free visa exempt entry. Both get a 60 day entry stamp, with the option to extend it by 30 days, so why would someone buy something they get for free?
Betty *********
@Kool ******
what past history ???Betty *********
@Kool ******
rubbish, he has a return ticket or ticket out of Thailand.Robert *********
@Kool ******
I will buy the multiple entry because I go for 5 months and they could easily change their minds and go back to 30 days .But
They can see I go home every year for 7 months and I am not scamming the system
Reply to
Robert *********
Reply
Ron *********
Has to be activated by that day
Graham ******
@Ron ********
It is active from the day of issue, it has to be used by that dayRon *********
@Graham *****
ohhhh, active and used aren't the same thing, i seeReply to
Ron *********
Reply
Brandon ************
When a single entry visa is issued, it is valid for 90 days. That means you have to enter Thailand within those 90 days. So if the date on the visa says November 9th, that means as long as you enter Thailand by November 9th, you'll receive a 60-day tourist entry stamp.
But there's not really any benefit to having the visa, since most people entering Thailand will get a 60 day visa exempt stamp if they don't have a visa.
But there's not really any benefit to having the visa, since most people entering Thailand will get a 60 day visa exempt stamp if they don't have a visa.
Rene ******
@Brandon ***********
mabye be immigrations officer will be more positive to let you in, if you have a long history of stays and/or border bounces??At the site of the Dutch embassy, the informationnaboit the STV is even removed.Max *************
@Rene *****
Immigration will not be more positive if you have many visits as a tourist incl border runs.Graham ******
@Rene *****
The STV is no longer availavle anywhereReply to
Graham ******
Reply
Stephen *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Brandon ***********
ok thankyou i am arriving on the 28th october, so that will be ok?Betty *********
@Stephen ******
yes.Brandon ************
@Stephen ******
yes as long as you enter by the date on the visa you can use itStephen *******
ORIGINAL POSTERI got a bit worried as i am there a few weeks before for my birthday and didn’t want to be not allowed back in
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Stephen *******
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