Answereda year ago
What should I know about getting a visa extension on Koh Phangan and Koh Samui?
So don't be an idiot like me. I went to immigration only Koh Phangan to request a visa extension armed with all the documents, only to find out you now need an appointment! I had no idea. I am now going to Koh Samui for an appointment at 9:00 am tomorrow. No appointments available in Koh Phangan. They told me to go and do a visa run!
Answer summary
A user recounts their frustrating experience trying to extend their visa in Koh Phangan, only to discover that appointments are necessary, leaving them to go to Koh Samui instead. Community members discuss the challenges of visa extensions, particularly the difficulties with DTV extensions, and offer advice on alternatives like border runs and the optimal timing for extensions. Various suggestions for dealing with immigration complications are shared, highlighting the importance of being informed about local rules and procedures.
27 repliesnewest first
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Miriam ************
Hi, good luck tomorrow! How did you book with samui immigration? Please let us know how it was. I too have all docs and will do first extension soon ๐๐ผ
Anonymous ******************
#iloveDTVvisa
Anonymous ******************
Yayyyy!!
Anonymous ******************
If you have to go to samui just do a border run.
Wais **********
Even when extending for a month after your two month visa is sometimes complicated and confusing due to language barriers among all the parties involved. Meaning your landlord, the immigration staff and yourself. So when renewing a DTV, that means 10 times more confusion and complications. So it is best just to do a border run, enjoy a new destination for a week or two and come back. I know we all love Thailand that we donโt want to be away for a minute, but letโs not be cheap Charlies and do what is simple and stress free.
Anonymous *************
OPBut we will be going away for the weekend if all else fails
Anonymous *************
OP@Wais *********
I have a kid in school and i am a single mum
Dnatjugweme ************
Participant(e) anonyme Your child goes to school in Koh Phangan? You should have applied for a non-O + extension of stay then. Much better than a DTV, and does not require you to do border runs.
Brandon ************
Don't worry, they would've come up with another reason if it wasn't the make-believe appointment. Many immigration offices don't want to do DTV extensions, so they'll give you crazy requirements. Then if you meet those requirements, they'll say "But you need this too" and keep doing that until you stop bothering them.
Tod *********
You are far from an idiot ๐ but with that being said you sure picked a tough immigration office to deal with ๐ฎ ๐
AND
You're probably way ahead just going to Samui and trying
BUT
if it doesn't fly there and you are running out of time just bounce you out and back by land to get a new 180 day stamp (There are services that run almost every day to the border from Samui)
AND
You're probably way ahead just going to Samui and trying
BUT
if it doesn't fly there and you are running out of time just bounce you out and back by land to get a new 180 day stamp (There are services that run almost every day to the border from Samui)
Miriam ************
@Tod ********
good to know, from Samuiโฆ any recommendation please? ๐๐ผAnonymous *************
OPi have an outbound flight for July 24 so I hope they won't give me too much trouble
Tod *********
Anonymous participant seeing as an extension is for 180 days (it can't be issued any shorter) they aren't gonna care in the least when you're leaving the country
It's all down to the documentation (which is pretty much a carbon copy of the stuff you used to get the DTV at the consulate AND the proof you have 500K baht in a bank account in your name for a month
It's all down to the documentation (which is pretty much a carbon copy of the stuff you used to get the DTV at the consulate AND the proof you have 500K baht in a bank account in your name for a month
Anonymous *************
OPAnd pictures of yourself working at home and outside the home and all the stuff that belongs to the landlord
Dnatjugweme ************
Participant(e) anonyme This will most probably not have any influence on the outcome of your extension application. Either they give you 180 more days, or they don't. I don't think they will be more willing to approve your extension because you have an outbound flight booked a couple of weeks later. If it made a difference, everybody would book cheap and/or refundable flights to show when applying for an extension.
Anonymous *************
OP@Tod ********
I will be doing this if all fails in Samui but I hope I have everythinTod *********
Anonymous participant report back if you can on how it goes for you
Best of Luck with it, the DTV extensions are pretty hit-or-miss at immigrations
Best of Luck with it, the DTV extensions are pretty hit-or-miss at immigrations
Anonymous *************
OPWill do
Tod *********
the real question would be WHY did you burn your 180 day entry stamp down so far before you went to the immigration office ?
At most offices in the country you can apply for a new extension of stay when you have 30 days or less left on your current stamp (and you don't lose any time applying early because the extension is added to your current expiration date)
At most offices in the country you can apply for a new extension of stay when you have 30 days or less left on your current stamp (and you don't lose any time applying early because the extension is added to your current expiration date)
Anonymous *************
OP@Tod ********
because when I came last year on a 60 day visa, I was told to go a few days before which I did. If I had know I would have made an appointment 180 days ago.Tod *********
Anonymous participant right, and that's because Koh Phangan, Koh Samui and Jomtien all tell people who enter on 60 day free stamp OR real 60 day tourist visas to come when they have a week or less left on your stamp
BUT
You aren't here free stamp or on a tourist visa ๐ฎ you have a Destination Thailand Visa and you could have applied for a new extension any time you had 30 days or less left on your entry stamp ๐
BUT
You aren't here free stamp or on a tourist visa ๐ฎ you have a Destination Thailand Visa and you could have applied for a new extension any time you had 30 days or less left on your entry stamp ๐
Tod *********
@John ****
something is wrong with that story, a Non-O visa CAN be extended when you have 30 days or less left on the stamp right on down until the day your stamp expires ๐ Not saying that didn't happen to you, just saying you were 'misinformed'
John *****
@Tod ********
all good and well I went to jomtien to extend a non o 30 days before, "come back 7 days before" I go back 7 days before, too late you should come 1 month before. Choice, leave or agent. Thai immigration are scumbags through and through
Richie-Rich ********
@Tod ********
did they say anything about that though?Tod *********
@Richie-Rich *******
๐ก๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ต ๐ฃ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ป. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐๐ป!That would lead me to believe that they'd run out of time on their current stamp BEFORE they could get an appt at that renegade office there on the "Island of Misfit Toyz" aka Koh Phangan ๐
Richie-Rich ********
@Tod ********
now I am more intrigued why you referred to it as โMisfit Toyzโ. Never been there myself, but on the radar of possibilities.
Yasmin ***********
hmm i think many people don't know about this so you are not a idiot. I've read before that the dtv extension at KP is quite difficult.
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