Now that Thailand has opened and I am able to arrive as a fully vaccinated person residing in one of the 63 countries allowed, my question is how easy will it be to extend the stay beyond 30 days?
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Now that Thailand has opened and I am able to arrive as a fully vaccinated person residing in one of the 63 countries allowed, my question is how easy will it be to extend the stay beyond 30 days?
Wander down to Jomtien Immigration after lunch and it should be done within 1~1.5 hours.
There will be some faffing around as you will need a passport photo and some photocopying, which can be done adjacent to the building.
Their process is a little backward. For instance, if you're staying at a hotel or other reputable apartment rental place, details of your accommodation will already be on their computer. Instead of the computer checking this, you have to go into a side office, where some lady checks it and then puts the results on a slip of paper, ready for the people who approve the extension to deal with.
The Thai public sector seems to have no clue how to use computers.
Alternatively, if you're in Hua Hin, wander into the immigration office in the shopping centre. Hand over all the documents & grab your queue number. Pop outside for a coffee, sitting in line of sight of their queue board. When your time is up, they have more or less done it all for you & after a few questions and stamps, you get the extension.
HOWEVER: I suggest that it may be much easier to apply for a 60 day tourist or 90 day O-visa before travelling. This is now an e-visa in the UK. My O-visa was approved in 2 working days.
Agree with goji.
Any visit to Immigration is extremely balls aching. Get a 60 day visa before you leave home...it can’t be worse!
Just read a report about this from someone in late oct having done in Phuket-staying there in the sandbox scheme.
It is for now still an extra 60 days (thanks covid) in lieu of the normal 30-as long as this lasts. There was NO request to see the costly sickness insurance-so the one you have already with world wide cover, but without that nasty written rule that it is for 50k (or what is may be) $$ is enough. But of course there is no garantee whatsoever that other offices follow same lax rules. They even described it as a faily pleasant experience (as such not that uncommon for most Thai encounters out of officialdom)
E-visa will be introduced at Thai embassy in Germany soon (22nov), so for me the decision is easy:
35 EUR for a tourist visa for 60 days online (and not taking up space in my passport) versus
1900 THB (about 45 EUR) for a extension (30 days*) of visa exempt (30 days) and having to go to an immigration office and losing space in my passport.
The visa wins in all aspects (cheaper, don't have to go anywhere, takes less space in passport), same duration of 60 days.
*Special extension of 60 days for people unable to go home due to Covid still available according to pong's post above, but I read somewhere that you have to get a normal 30 day extension first.
In order to apply for a 60-day tourist visa, the Thai Embassy web page states that the following documents are needed;
1. Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months.
2. Photograph of the applicant, taken within the past six months.
3. Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full).
4. Evidence of adequate finance (20,000 Baht ≈ 6000 NOK per person and 40,000 Baht ≈ 12000 NOK per family).
5. Health Insurance Policy Certificate covering all expenditures of medical treatments including COVID-19 worth at least 100,000 USD
When logging in to create a profile for your application, the application form asks for further documents as:
6. Proof of paid accommodation in Thailand
7. Sign a declaration form
8. Confirmation of legal residence in a country in which you are applying for the visa. (In case that you are not a national of the country in which you are applying for the visa.)
9. Copy of passport pages with all international travel within the last 12 months (no stamps are given within the Schengen area - sic)
10. Applicant must apply for e-Visa via specific Embassy/Consulate conforming with his/her consular jurisdiction and residency. Applicant is required to upload document that can verify his/her current residency.
Maybe it is easier to go to the immigration office?
I've done two 30 day extensions and two visa applications (1 x 60 day, 1 x O-visa). Other trips of over 30 days have been multi-country.Quote:
Originally Posted by Uranus
A check list for the O-visa is below. As long as you are able to satisfy #5, this is, in my opinion, far easier than going to Jomtien immigration.
The visa application is both quicker AND can be done sat at my desk with a coffee.
"Checklist for Non-Immigrant Visa(O)"
Requirement
1 . Biodata page of Passport or Travel Document
2 . Photograph (taken within the last six months. If the photograph does not reflect your current appearance you may be refused to enter the Kingdom of Thailand.)
3 . Declaration
4 . Proof of the permanent residence in the country where the application is submitted
5 . Financial evidence (A copy of pension statement or a copy of 1-month bank statement showing your income from pension, or 3-month bank statement of at least 10,000 GBP)
6 . Financial evidence
7 . Proof of insurance cover letter (minimal coverage 40,000 baht for outpatient and 400,000 baht for inpatient, during entire stay in Thailand)
8 . Applicant is required to upload his/her passport pages which contain all travel records for the past 12 months (1 year) since the last international trip.
9 . Applicant must apply for e-Visa via specific Embassy/Consulate conforming with his/her consular jurisdiction and residency. Applicant is required to upload document that can verify his/her current residency.
10 . Please upload your picture holding the photo and information page of the passport.
That's indeed quite a bunch! However, part of that is required for Thai Pass anyway. Every embassy can make up their own requirements (in your case Norway?).Quote:
Originally Posted by Uranus
3. Evidence of travel from Thailand (air ticket paid in full).
That is new (or might be specific to your embassy). Was not required when I applied in Berlin in person. Not an issue for people who come for holiday, but I want to be flexible when and where to go after Thailand. Proof of leaving was not required by embassies in the past when entering Thailand on a visa, but I was asked for it by airline once and by immigration officer once.
Maybe it is easier to go to the immigration office?
I found it easier to go to Thai embassy in Berlin (combining with visiting friends and sightseeing in Berlin) before Covid. And you have to consider that a trip to immigration office costs you holiday time, whereas applying in your homeland or online does not.
One weird thing: in Berlin, single entry (60 days in Thailand) costs 35 EUR, multiple entry 6 months validity (= up to 8 months* in Thailand) costs 175 EUR, which is 5 times the money for 4 times the duration of stay (without extension).
*Of those 8 months you lose the time between visa is granted and entry, and the time you spend on visa runs.