Anonymous participant when did you apply?

Anonymous participant what do you mean three working days left? They can take as long as they want. What embassy and what day did you apply?

@Tod ********

if it has absolutely no impact in anyway, why does immigration stamp it into the passport?

@Mark *******

- If you would have chilled and not entered on an visa exemption, why wouldn’t you have done the same even with having a retirement extension?

@Mark *******

nope, DTV still requires 90 day reporting

Also, just having canceled the visa would not have done the trick. You entered before the DTV was issued. So, if you had canceled and returned, you would most likely have entered with a visa exemption (60 days). You still would have needed to exit and re-enter to activate the DTV and get off of the visa exemption.

@Mark *******

- Not every embassy website has this language, but many do. I think it makes it much clearer. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (based outside of Thailand at embassies/consulates) is the only entity that supplies visas, and they are used to enter the country (hence why people are saying you need to exit and re-enter with the DTV). Immigration (which is based inside Thailand) can supply you an extension of stay (we often just call these visas too, but technically they are not). Immigration can not issue DTVs and can only extend them for another 180 days at the end of first 180 days.

@Mark *******

Also, for clarity, you can only extend your stay one time per entry. So if you entered today, your stamp is for 180 days. You can then extend for another 180 days, but then after that you have to leave. You then can re-enter and repeat.

@Mark *******

Not sure which embassy/consulate you applied through (4 in the US) but this is what has been posted on the DC's embassy webpage. 15 business days, but you should plan for a month. Where did you see 7 days?

@Mark *******

Not sure if there is any formal guidance, but you can search this group and see that many people were unable to get the DTV and told they either had to wait for their current visa to expire or get it canceled. However, it sounds like you might not have a visa, but an extension (visas are issued by MoFA and extensions by immigration) and that you were able to get the DTV. Therefore, it sounds like you need to exit and then re-enter and can then use the DTV.