@Kristina *********

good luck and congrats on the wedding 🙏

@Kristina *********

I get that. But I'm just trying to reassure you that you need not to think/worry about it, no paranoia necessary.. you're not the targeted Audience for the *few* people who've been denied re-entry.

So it's like worrying about drowning in a desert.

Not IMPOSSIBLE, but highly, highly unlikely. Not worth the energy to worry about it.

@Kristina *********

Phuket is more relaxed than BKK

You really shouldn't worry much about it

But if you're able to fly into Phuket, generally there's less likelihood of immig. having any issues... So if it's not a huge inconvenience, yeah... Return by flying into Phuket

Just remember you haven't done anything wrong. You're NOT the target audience for immigration to be denying upon re-entry.

@Robert ******

ah yes thanks. She would apply for the visa (after married) and have an "under consideration stamp"... Right?

Which, then, can be converted to the 1 year extension of stay...?

Thanks

🙏

@Kristina *********

totally unnecessary

The rules for the Thai Pass / for Thai tourists does not require any hotel stay now (so long as your vaccinated)

Just come back in and you can literally go to your bf's house the first night you're back.

You'll have to deal with stuff like your TM30 (states your address for the time being) etc

But nothing major.

Also note: depending on your passport, you can come in as 'visa exempt' for 30 days -- that's NOT a tourist visa. A tourist visa would require you to visit a Thai embassy in the country you go to (it's unnecessary hassle) don't bother. Just come in with your 30 day "exemption" status and this can be extended for another 30 days (1900 baht) without any issue --> this is a given extension to any & all tourists. There's no "denial" of it. It has been in place long before covid and it's a completely standard extension for tourists.

This gives you a total of 60 days, though you may be able to get married and switch to the extension of stay based on marriage within your first 30 days and you won't 'need' the other 30 (it's just an option if you do)

OP

Go to immigration this week and apply for the covid extension (worst case scenario it's denied, but to my knowledge you'll still be able to stay until your studies officially ends on May 15)

Being here for 4 years on an ED. Visa isn't illegal, you haven't done anything wrong by being here. Therefore there's little to no chance you'll be denied re-entry... The only people who've reportedly been denied upon immediate re-entry, are those who claimed they couldn't leave and stayed on covid extensions for the past 1-2 years.

I just had a friend who, after about 3 yrs on Ed visas ... She went to Singapore for 3 nights and returned (using Phuket airport rather than BKK) without any issues.

You could easily book a flight and get your Thai pass all approved before leaving Thailand (get a Thai pass approved for example for May 17 arrival .. it just requires the 10,000USD insurance) leave on may 15 to the country of your choice (Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia) and fly back in 2 nights later. Not much to worry about. You'll have your 30 days as a tourist and even the option to extend another 30 if needed (in order to have all the paperwork to prove your marriage) and switch on to an extension of stay based on marriage to a Thai

As the person above has said, being on overstay is much more likely to result in denial (you can't receive a new visa while currently on overstay) + the 500 baht fine per day, which I'm sure you don't want to pay.

@Robert ******

foreigners can't apply for themself... Nor can they cancel their own work permit

We are at the direction of our school, as they are the ones applying for us... I was just trying to tell the OP of my own experience having gone through this just last month. 🥴

I know you're a moderator, not trying to argue. Just sharing my own firsthand experience, that's all

@Robert ******

no... I didn't wait until the last day, my new school had prepared to have everything done by day x.

They told previous employer (at least 2 weeks prior to day x) to cancel things on day x.

But when day x came, some documents weren't completed yet.

This forced me on to overstay and I was just letting OP know it can still be done if you end up on overstay but best to try and arrange it so that doesn't happen.

Basically if the new school knows what it's doing and the old school is willing to co-operate it's fairly easy to do

Essentially all parties must co-operate in sending necessary documents etc. And the 'previous' school must agree to cancel the work permit/visa on the exact same day the new school tells them to in order to get you the new non-b + work permit (all needs to happen on the same day)

☝️this.

@Peter *********

you can easily purchase a single or "multiple re-entry" from any immigration office

It will simply be "added" to your passport and it allows you to go out of Thailand and re-enter, keeping your status of being permitted to stay under your current extension as-is