Some of you members (new or not so) may wonder why us mods or others are pedantic about terminology when referring to visas or entry in to Thailand. Many people are confused and mix up terms like “visa” and “extension of stay” or “visa on arrival”, “visa exempt” and “visa waiver” - to name a few.

The reason we are pedantic is that the correct answer to a question can differ wildly depending on the correct term being used.

One example is a question asking “where can I extend my tourist visa in Bangkok”. If they had a tourist visa it would be at the main government complex in Chaengwattana. If they had a visa exempt entry (which some assume is a tourist visa) it would be IT Square Laksi Plaza. Imagine being told to go to one only to find out you need to go to the other after waiting for perhaps hours in a queue.

Another example is “do I need to cancel my visa when leaving Thailand”. The answer is if they are on their initial visa from entry then they can’t cancel it anyway and it will just expire when they leave. However the majority are actually asking “do I need to cancel my extension of stay before I leave”. The answer to that is yes. [edited for clarity - if on an education or business extension] If they ever try to return and get another extension of stay for that reason then it’s a minefield of problems that could occur if they haven’t cancelled their previous one.

Many other instances of needing the correct terminology to give correct answers. So if one of us seems stupidly pedantic in asking for such then please understand that we’re only trying to give you the best answers we can by knowing your exact circumstances.

Just to explain:

As we can not see your passport when you ask a question in this group it is important to use the correct terminology to get a correct answer.

a Visa is normally a sticker you get from an Thai Consulate outside Thailand, see picture one with explanation on what is what on the visa.

Peole who convert from a Visa Exempt Entry or Tourist Visa to a Non Immigrant Visa at their local Immigration Office get a rectangle stamp with the word VISA inside.

If you entered Thailand with a visa and you like to stay longer you can visit your local Immigration office and apply for the Extension of Stay, see an example in picture 2.

I understand that sometimes the text of the reasons are long, in these days where everything must go quick quick, the text is way to long to type the correct terms.

But to get the correct advice short way of typing like: I have a retirement visa, Thai wife visa, Guardian Visa, spouse visa, jo-jo visa, without telling if you have the visa from the Thai Consulate or the Extension of Stay from Immigration, we have to start with questions to you and it will delay to get to an advice. Next to this, you have a big chance to get incorrect advice as the short cut names could be the same but the rules and regulations between a Visa and an Extension of Stay are totally different.

Please help all to make life easier, look in your passport to use the correct words for what is stamped inside or just make a picture, whipe out all your personal details and place that as attachment to your question.

Thanks.

Lost some times in terminology.

This first picture explains your Visa, on Entry in Thailand the Immigration Officer put a NEW stamp (second picture) in your passport with text: Admitted until and a date. This date is the day you have to leave Thailand or apply for an Extension of Stay at local Immigration Office. This Extension of Stay will be added to the Admitted until day stamped in your passport, this means you do not have to wait till the last day and you will not loose days by going early.

Dear members.

We offer advice for visa and Extension of Stay to stay inside Thailand.

But we need to know what you like to know, for that please use in your question and in your comments the correct terminology. I will give you some examples:

a RE-entry permit, to leave and come back to keep your current admitted to stay alive is not a jojo visa or a re-entry visa.

What is what many of you call a "retirement" visa, it could be:

1. Single Entry Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years.

2. Multiple Entry Non Immigrant O visa based on being over 50 years

3. Non Immigrant O-A (long stay) Visa

4. Non Immigrant O-X visa

5. Extension of Stay based on being over 50 years.

a Border run is going to a border, stamp out Thailand, stamp in/out other country and come back into Thailand without a Visa using the visa exempt entry.

Edited after comment: you can also do a border run to activate another entry on a valid multi-entry visa (METV, Non-O, Non-B).

a Visa run is going to other country and apply for a NEW visa at a Thai Consulate or Embassy.

Why I explain this again, well just try to answer this question by yourself:

1. I want to renew my retirement visa.

What does he/she like to do, which one of the 5 options is inside his/hers passport?

You can not renew a Visa or Extension of Stay, you just apply for a NEW visa or Extension of Stay.

Using correct terminology saves more questions to find out what is what you have in your passport or like to get in your passport.

Thanks for reading, and all the questions asked and all the help all members provide to others.