Yes, you must cancel your “extension of stay” last granted to you. If you don’t, you can return on a new Visa BUT when you go to extend or report again, they will see your previous extension of stay not cancelled and you will be fined for overstay, up to 20,000 Baht.

Simply ask your school for a letter to cancel the extension of stay, date the cancellation for the day you intend to leave Thailand, and take it to immigration to cancel BEFORE you leave.

The only Embassy I’ve heard asking for it, for non-degree, is KL. I don’t think this is wide spread or changing requirement...just sounds like confusion at KL?!

Thanks, but I only know a little...and still get things wrong...Tod and Robert are the real knowledgeable Kings here !!!

Danny Dickinson you should cancel your extension of stay BEFORE you leave Thailand, simply ask the school for a letter with a date of cancellation of when you expect to leave Thailand, take it to immigration and they will cancel your extension of stay, and you leave on the date stipulated.

You can’t do it at an Embassy outside Thailand.

If for emergency reasons you depart without cancelling, then once you arrive back into Thailand go to immigration within 24 hours (asap) to cancel and explain the reasons why you couldn’t cancel before you left...it is their discretion whether they fine you, but unlikely to fine you if you do it immediately in your return - and if they do fine you it will only be 500 or so Baht (per day since you returned)...

Danny Dickinson If you have extended you stay after you arrived, then you MUST cancel your extension. Your Visa is only relevant for initial entry. If you don’t cancel your extension (as above) then you may be fined up to 20,000 Baht, even if you return on a tourist visa !!!

Tod and or Robert will clarify anything further in case I’m wrong hahah

You can only apply for new ED visa (language school) outside the country with the appropriate documents...not inside.

Remember: if he plans to return on any new visa, he must cancel the previous extension of stay (letter from the school to give to immigration)...otherwise he may face a fine up to 20,000 Baht for overstaying his previous extension of stay, even though he’s on a new visa.

I didn’t know about this and returned on a new visa, without cancelling the previous extension of stay. I was kindly told about of this requirement in this group, so within 24 hours of returning on new visa I went to immigration and cancelled the previous extension of stay with no problems, and no fine.

1. You can show the old passport with new when leaving - Tod or others will confirm this!

2. If you don’t cancel any extension of stay associated with the ED Visa before leaving, then on return to Thailand in the future on any new visa, you could potentially be fined for overstay on the old extension of stay that was not cancelled, up to 20,000 Baht. It won’t stop you from getting new visa in the future, but when you go to extend that visa at immigration, that’s when they may notice you never cancelled you previous extension of stay, and fine you.

Are they on an extension of stay or they have never extended their ED Visa?

It’s technically and legally correct as Robert stated, but the reality is many people do volunteer without such and without any repercussions...one organisation has had volunteers for 46 years with no single issue...and some of them have been volunteering for many years. But it’s a risk that one day things will be enforced.