Because they only hand out so many numbers per day for Long Stay Extensions.

If it was a tourist visa I'd be there in the afternoon.

@Tod ********

thank you.

Bridgid, been there and done that thanks to the sound advice from Tod.

Rather than take any chances, especially if you’re going to border bounce at say Mae Sai.

It’s easy and fast to grab a piece of paperwork from school saying you will stop studying on 1 March.

About one week before that head to Immigration with the paper from school.

They can cancel your visa effective 1 March.

Then you are free to leave and enter at all border crossings and come back visa exempt for free.

And if you return to Thailand at a later date and want to study again there’s no headaches. You did it all by the book.

Hello!

1) I wish you best of luck. No one can say for certain, but we have feelings based on our own experiences.

2) I dug through your post history for a more complete picture.

You came here visa exempt last year. Extended it. (60 days)

Then went to Vientiane for SETV. Extended it. (90 days)

Now looking at going back to Vientiane for another SETV which you will likely extend.

This likely won’t be a problem. Adding a border bounce before it won’t help/hurt your history.

The question is: what do you do after this next SETV?

If you say:

Two border bounces that get extended and then “home” or elsewhere for months that’s not a bad option.

If you say: get another SETV, well that’s where it becomes uncertain, especially with Vientiane.

You’d want to try HCMC Vietnam before going back to Laos.

-OR-

Since you want to be here long term, consider applying for ED in HCMC.

You mentioned cost. The school tuition can be found for about or less than 20,000฿.

You’ll need to go to class most of the time and still pay for extensions at Immigration ever 90 days.

There may be a nasty person or two who replies but this group is well moderated.

The point is this: Immigration rules and the uneven enforcement of them has a lot of people worried.

There will be people saying to get the “right visa”. Ignore them. You’re in a relationship possibly with a local and it’s just not that easy.

The future is uncertain so we have to keep our eyes and ears open.

The letter is good for all kinds of visas, but the Vietnam eVisa doesn’t require a letter and is good for a 30-day single entry tourist.

Fill in the blanks, upload a couple pics, pay $25, it takes 2-3 days, then you print out a page and you’re good to go.

Can confirm. Under local guarantor, I wrote the address of my hotel in HCMC.

That’s par for the course in Thailand.

Where others complain, I use it to my advantage.

Not in an aggressive way, but I’ve learned to not take “No” for an answer. It means ask someone else or try again later.

I sound like a kid, but it’s like asking Dad for something and when he says no you go to ask your Mom.

The laws/rules are not enforced. They are merely suggestions a majority of people abide by and a small minority of the people who do otherwise pay a penalty if they’re caught.

@Terary *********

two photos, copy of passport details page, entry stamp, visa, tm30, and the application form.

I skipped the details on residence certificate because it’s a point of contention with a lot of people. Including me.

Be it free, 200, 500 or 1000฿.

In Chiang Mai it’s free with a wait, could be 2-4 weeks maybe longer or 1000฿ for next day service.

It takes 15 minutes or less to prepare. I know because when I showed up to collect mine, it wasn’t ready and they told me to wait.

And it’s a fairly useless form that adds to the paperwork.

If you have your passport with your TM30 in it, it’s just duplicating the info with your photo attached...which your passport has but I digress.

It’s just a thing. Don’t have to agree with it or understand it but I do it because it’s required.

IMO 10am or 2pm are better. Probably around 30 minutes.