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Why are there complaints about the visa extension process in Thailand?

Apr 1, 2025
2 days ago
Why are people complaining about the moving goal post extension process, surely its a sign that immigration don't like this. This can easily be remediated by briefly leaving and country and re-entering once a year. Reason I bring this up is I just saw someone crying on the Thailand sub-reddit that they are now required by immigration to have a Thai Bank account in order to extend their Visa.

I got my Visa back in September 2024 and already been in and out the country 4 times, without any issues.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Many expats are expressing frustration regarding the perceived 'moving goal posts' of the visa extension process in Thailand. There are reports of new requirements, such as needing a Thai bank account to extend a visa, which some believe is an unofficial guideline enforced by local immigration offices. While some users shared their experiences of successful visa extensions without issue, others highlight the inconsistent interpretation of rules across different regions, leading to confusion and complaints. Additionally, the community discusses the policy of having to leave the country every 180 days unless an extension is granted, emphasizing that there is no inherent right to extensions on tourist visas.
DTV VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
Lachlan **********
wow! so does this mean we can open a bank account now??!?
Jason ***********
Why extend just do a border run
Winston ************
That OP is an idiot. He can't catch a hint? Immigration will come up with anything at this point to discourage DTV holders from extending. They prefer we exit and re-enter! Expect to see more SURPRISED PIKACHU posts from DTV holder wondering why it's so hard to extend. Meanwhile, some of us never bothered with that nonsense.
Kris **********
I’ve seen a lot of comments saying “They never said you could extend blah blah” It clearly states that you can extend another 180 days. That gives you a full year without leaving. You can file this extension 1 time PER ENTRY. So technically if Thailand followed their own DTV policies you should be able to extend and stay a year per entry before leaving the country and coming back.

I heard Hua Hin was to be the friendliest place to do this, seems things have changed there as well. I never heard about needing a “Thai Bank Account” in order to extend. Nowhere on their website does it say that so it seems that embassy or maybe Hua Hin in general doesn’t want tourists there and it’s there way of getting rid of people. Who knows.
Erik *******
If you don’t choose to extend in country, you have to leave twice a year (every 180 days) . Not once a year … And in some cases, it can even be 3 times a calendar year (if you do a border run on Jan 2, you have to leave again on day 182 early July then leave again on day 362 late December).
Christopher ********
I kept telling people they don’t want you to do extensions and everyone screamed “I have the right !!! It said so!!”” No, you don’t. It’s a tourist visa and you’re meant to come and go. And now, they are going to make you do that.
Erik *******
I’m really puzzled by all of this: people can’t see or don’t want to see that DTV is getting more and more hurdles. And I like the classic comment “I entered 3 times with zero problem” … until they get pulled apart and get questioned in the backstage room on the 4th time …
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Not really, its called a multi-entry visa for a reason.
Erik *******
Anonymous participant

Tell that to the ones who got questionned on re-entry. Plenty here and elsewhere … and it’s just the tip of the iceberg : not everybody reports here or on other forums …
Luit *****************
Anonieme deelnemer multi entry does not mean you don't have to comply with the requirements on subsequent entries.
Saul *******
No one is entitled to an extension.
Erik *******
@Saul ******
Do your maths: it’s twice a year (every 180 days)
Anonymous ******************
A lot of snowflakes on Reddit.
Anonymous *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
if you say so boomer
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant it's facts tho browski
Tee *********
Anonymous participant 237 from California ?
Bruno ***********
What this story just say is that the immigration offces has their own interpretation and as usual it leads to inconsistancies between IO offices and even between immigration officers. Nothing new under the sun
Anonymous ******************
Just fly into Cambodia or Vietnam for a day and come back lol 😂 or go to another immigration office.
Stuart *********
Visa offices around the country typically interpret “rules” their way. The “official” rule is that you need 500k in a “bank account” for at least a month prior to applying for the extension. If Hua Hin is interpreting that as “in a Thai bank account” then so be it. There’s pretty much not a lot you could do about it.

Do what 90 or so % are doing and bounce rather than extending.
Christopher ***********
It’s every 180 days (without an extension) not once a year as you state.
Marb ********
@Christopher **********
well it’s pretty safe to assume he’s talking about staying 180 days then leaving to renew the 180 days = once a year lol
Christopher ***********
@Marb *******
You need to read it again and try to comprehend. To manage your DTV without applying for extensions at local immigration office you have to exit Thailand every 180 days. That’s twice per year.
Tim *****
I highly doubt any request to require a Thai bank account to extend a tourist visa actually happened. Just my 2 cents.
Anonymous ******************
Goal posts haven’t moved . For ANY visa extension inside Thailand you MUST provide updated documents. Learn how to have a day or 2 out at immigration
Greg ********
I do not think the goalposts were moved. There were no goal posts. Immigration did not publish any guidance for extensions until almost 6 months after the visa was implemented. This was mentioned by the MFA in the FCCT interview ie Immigration were still working on guidelines. They can whinge about the actual goal posts but they have not moved
Dnatjugweme ************
Many warm thanks for this very useful rant posted anonymously!