Assume you mean you’re trying for the Non OA/X that requires insurance.

You can apply for a Non O visa in country providing you meet the financial requirements of 800k in a Thai bank and other stipulations (based on being over 50 rather than other reasons for a Non O). A Non O visa doesn’t require insurance, although it’s probably a good idea to have some, unless you want to self-insure.

@Thewanderingman *******

Personally I would plan as a visa exempt entry.

What is strange that 8 countries, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, Nepal, Togo, Nigeria and Uganda, could enter using a tourist visa, but could not extend that visa for 30 days unlike other countries - on application for an extension it would be denied and they’d be given 7 days to leave. This hasn’t changed.

So if you’re Indian and you’ve bought and paid for a tourist visa you can’t extend. But if you enter visa exempt you’ll still get 60 days and can extend. Go figure the logic.

Prior to July 15th Indian nationals were afforded a visa exempt entry (30 days), which was a scheme set to end on November 11th.

However India and a host of other nationalities were added to the list of countries that could avail of visa exempt over Visa on Arrival on July 15th and allowed a 60 day stamp on entry. This superseded the previous mandate of expiry on Nov 11th.

There has not been any mention of when or even if this 60 day allowance will change. For India or any other nationality on that list.

@Sadri ******

Not all immigration offices will allow this but the major ones do. It’s not an extension as such. You apply for an extension but it will be denied - with an “extension denied” stamp put in your passport. They then give you 7 days to leave the country.

Some offices would require proof of exit ticket within those 7 days.

@Sadri ******

Depends on the country’s embassy or consulate. Some are 3 days turnaround some 11 days or more.

@Bart *************

This is why we will have to wait and see what requirements would be for an extension to be obtained in Thailand. MFA created the visa and the rules how to obtain it, but it’s immigration that will control the rules about how it works when you are actually in Thailand.

If it is the case that they are pissed off with the visa (and I have no clue if that’s true) they may make life very difficult for an in country extension. I’d imagine the BOI and the Thailand Privilege company are boiling about it, but we will have to wait and see what prevails.

@Bart *************

The MFA sell visas and control their embassy policies on how to do so. Immigration handle policies for people entering Thailand and how they stay here. Left hand right hand type stuff. If you believe that they actually co-ordinate stuff then you’ve been living under a rock. You just have to see some of the information published on embassy websites about what happens in Thailand. Conversely never believe what an immigration official says about obtaining a visa overseas. It’s not in their remit.

@Kraig *****

Currently I’m not aware of anyone that knows anything (as in an immigration officer). Certainly nothings been put out there as yet. We are still a couple of months out from anyone being able to apply for an extension and Thailand isn’t known for publishing stuff way in advance.

@Kraig *****

Well we will have to wait and see how things pan out. I work at immigration and my regional commander has told me different things to what’s in the video, although I do not have full details as yet as to what will be required for extensions. Some of the info is fine but some very questionable so there is no point in promoting stuff that could well be quite inaccurate.