Should I extend my visa free by 30 days or is it worth not risking it?

[arasang]

Hi, this is my first trip to Thailand. I got the visa free which expires in two weeks. I plan to return again in October/Nov. No prior stays in thailand.

If I extend my stay by 30 day additional this time, will it hurt my re-entry in november? (I plan to use that using visa free as this time).

Please do advice from your pov. Thank you. 

[ricktoronto]

If you are unable to leave before your visa exempt entry expires then extend it.

You face more woes overstaying than extending it now and later on, you come back on the same basis.

It's a bit hard to follow, is this a case of you have been here 45 days and want to add more days than you have left? Or would you be overstaying based on your original itinerary? In any event stay off the radar of the authorities and don't overstay even an hour.

[arasang]

4 minutes ago, ricktoronto said:

If you are unable to leave before your visa exempt entry expires then extend it.

You face more woes overstaying than extending it now and later on, you come back on the same basis.

It's a bit hard to follow, is this a case of you have been here 45 days and want to add more days than you have left? Or would you be overstaying based on your original itinerary? In any event stay off the radar of the authorities and don't overstay even an hour.

 Sorry, what I mean is this - 

I loved my stay (holiday) in thailand so far so I am thinking that I want to stay a few weeks more. But since my sixty days is over in two weeks, I have to extend it by 30 days. 

I plan to come back again for holidays in winter. 

Will this extension act as a red flag for the immigration officers? 

This is the question. 

 

[ricktoronto]

No, it won't though it might be back to 30 days again in November.

[JakeG]

Things have become a lot stricter recently. You "should" be fine as long as you don't stay more than 150 days in a single year on a tourist visa though. That seems to be the unofficial cut off time at the moment for maximum tourist visa usage. Once you go over that it can trigger a verbal warning from immigration and it will ultimately be at their discretion whether or not they let you in. If they do let you in, because they have talked to you, you will now be flagged in the system. You WILL now need to get some sort of a proper visa (ED, DTV, Retirement etc) if you want to return again before everything resets in the next year.

So if you plan on visiting Thailand for up to 3-4 months of the year, tourist visa "should" be absolutely fine. Once you get to 5+ months in a year then things start getting riskier each additional month you stay without a proper visa and you could be turned away.

[arasang]

1 hour ago, ricktoronto said:

No, it won't though it might be back to 30 days again in November.

This I have been hearing too. It will be sad tho. Maybe they should give 30 days and additional extensions of 30 +30 days should be given with a fee like the 1900 baht they have now. 

[arasang]

30 minutes ago, JakeG said:

Things have become a lot stricter recently. You "should" be fine as long as you don't stay more than 150 days in a single year on a tourist visa though. That seems to be the unofficial cut off time at the moment for maximum tourist visa usage. Once you go over that it can trigger a verbal warning from immigration and it will ultimately be at their discretion whether or not they let you in. If they do let you in, because they have talked to you, you will now be flagged in the system. You WILL now need to get some sort of a proper visa (ED, DTV, Retirement etc) if you want to return again before everything resets in the next year.

So if you plan on visiting Thailand for up to 3-4 months of the year, tourist visa "should" be absolutely fine. Once you get to 5+ months in a year then things start getting riskier each additional month you stay without a proper visa and you could be turned away.

This was so helpful. Thank you! 

 

So if I do 60+ 30 this time and my second is a bit short of 60 days, that's less than 150 days and I should be fine, right?

[Joeleg]

Extend. Flights resumed. You do not want that record on your ID. 

[JakeG]

8 minutes ago, arasang said:

This was so helpful. Thank you! 

 

So if I do 60+ 30 this time and my second is a bit short of 60 days, that's less than 150 days and I should be fine, right?

Yes, 60 + 30, then 60, you should be fine. The problem will be after that if you want to come back again.

But it's also luck. It really depends on how shit of a day the immigration officer is having.

[Fire Bar Matt]

2 hours ago, arasang said:

Hi, this is my first trip to Thailand. I got the visa free which expires in two weeks. I plan to return again in October/Nov. No prior stays in thailand.

If I extend my stay by 30 day additional this time, will it hurt my re-entry in november? (I plan to use that using visa free as this time).

Please do advice from your pov. Thank you. 

100% extend it, it will not effect your next entry in October. Not extending it and overstaying will 

[momo5]

1 hour ago, JakeG said:

Things have become a lot stricter recently. You "should" be fine as long as you don't stay more than 150 days in a single year on a tourist visa though. That seems to be the unofficial cut off time at the moment for maximum tourist visa usage. Once you go over that it can trigger a verbal warning from immigration and it will ultimately be at their discretion whether or not they let you in. If they do let you in, because they have talked to you, you will now be flagged in the system. You WILL now need to get some sort of a proper visa (ED, DTV, Retirement etc) if you want to return again before everything resets in the next year.

So if you plan on visiting Thailand for up to 3-4 months of the year, tourist visa "should" be absolutely fine. Once you get to 5+ months in a year then things start getting riskier each additional month you stay without a proper visa and you could be turned away.

OP is entering under the visa exempt scheme; OP doesn’t gave a tourist visa 

[momo5]

38 minutes ago, arasang said:

This was so helpful. Thank you! 

 

So if I do 60+ 30 this time and my second is a bit short of 60 days, that's less than 150 days and I should be fine, right?

You’ll be fine; but there’s no basis for the 150 days, just like there’s no basis for the 180 days often quoted as well. 
 
The point is to not appear to be using the visa exempt scheme or inappropriate visa for residing within the Kingdom.  

For your second entry, I would expect the worst they would do would be to tell you to have a proper visa for your next visit (even so, I’d be surprised if they said that much …  but remember, other than your home country, entry is never an absolute regardless of whatever paperwork you have. 

[Kandinski]

2 minutes ago, momo5 said:

For your second entry, I would expect the worst they would do would be to tell you to have a proper visa

Arnt they gonna revoke the 60 days? If so OP could save time, money (and hazzle) by applying for a 60 days tourism e-visa from home

[momo5]

7 minutes ago, Kandinski said:

Arnt they gonna revoke the 60 days? If so OP could save time, money (and hazzle) by applying for a 60 days tourism e-visa from home

Yes, that would be a good idea too … have no idea when they’ll revert the visa exempt from 60 to 30 days though as it seems they’ve been talking about it for awhile with nothing being done. 

[JakeG]

1 hour ago, momo5 said:

OP is entering under the visa exempt scheme; OP doesn’t gave a tourist visa 

Yes you are technically correct! In my head they are both filed into the same "brain drawer" because they are both 60 (+30). So all my points still stand. I can no longer edit my previous comment to reflect this, but wherever it says tourist visa, just read: "tourist visa or visa exempt" instead.

Also I have always assumed that visa exempt basically turns into a sort of tourist visa on arrival as both are treated very similarly by immigration. Also further, albeit anecdotal evidence of this is that when immigration gave me my own verbal warning for visiting to often on visa exempt, they used "tourist" a lot in their language. Obviously paraphrasing here, but they said that I had visited too much in the last year and that my pattern of behaviour did not match that of a "tourist". They said that a "tourist" would likely visit for shorter periods of time. I was clearly trying to stay for the maximum possible amount each time and that this behaviour therefore did not match the profile of a typical "tourist". Also, I actually tried to pin the lady down, I specifically asked what was the maximum amount of time I could visit Thailand in a year. She brushed this off and only said that I needed to get a proper visa if I didn't want future problems with them next time. I asked which visa, she said that she couldn't recommend any specific one and it would be up to me, but I needed one. I then had to agree that I would get one before my next visit. Then I tried again to get a specific length of time that was the maximum I was allowed to visit. She sighed and said just get a visa sir and waved me off. 

Edited May 2 by JakeG
better phrasing

[momo5]

9 minutes ago, JakeG said:

Yes you are technically correct! In my head they are both filed into the same "brain drawer" because they are both 60 (+30). So all my points still stand. I will edit my comment to reflect this better though.

Also I have always assumed that visa exempt basically turns into a sort of tourist visa on arrival as both are treated very similarly by immigration. Also further, albeit anecdotal evidence of this is that when immigration gave me my own verbal warning for visiting to often on visa exempt, they used "tourist" a lot in their language. Obviously paraphrasing here, but they said that I had visited too much in the last year and that my pattern of behaviour did not match that of a "tourist". They said that a "tourist" would likely visit for shorter periods of time. I was clearly trying to stay for the maximum possible amount each time and that this behaviour therefore did not match the profile of a typical "tourist". Also, I actually tried to pin the lady down, I specifically asked what was the maximum amount of time I could visit Thailand in a year. She brushed this off and only said that I needed to get a proper visa if I didn't want future problems with them next time. I asked which visa, she said that she couldn't recommend any specific one and it would be up to me, but I needed one. I then had to agree that I would get one before my next visit. Then I tried again to get a specific length of time that was the maximum I was allowed to visit. She sighed and said just get a visa sir and waved me off. 

Visa exempt is not a visa at all Joe does it convert into one; it’s just an entry.  I believe the entry stamps upon entering under visa exempt and tourist visa are different, reflecting a different code.  

The IO was using the term ‘tourist’ because that’s one of the purposes for using visa exempt for citizenship from those countries eligible.  I suspect you’d have the same issue with using tourist visas as well … repeated extended long stays don’t really fit the profile of a tourist.  Need to look at retirement visas, long term stay visas, the DTV or an Elite visa. 

[JakeG]

1 minute ago, momo5 said:

Visa exempt is not a visa at all Joe does it convert into one; it’s just an entry.  I believe the entry stamps upon entering under visa exempt and tourist visa are different, reflecting a different code.  

The IO was using the term ‘tourist’ because that’s one of the purposes for using visa exempt for citizenship from those countries eligible.  I suspect you’d have the same issue with using tourist visas as well … repeated extended long stays don’t really fit the profile of a tourist.  Need to look at retirement visas, long term stay visas, the DTV or an Elite visa. 

Yeah exactly, I believe that the same (or very similar) RULES apply to visa exempt and tourist visa in terms of maximum time in the country each year. But who knows, because they purposefully keep some things a bit vague...

Yes, I now have a DTV and have had no further issues entering the country.

[arasang]

1 hour ago, momo5 said:

OP is entering under the visa exempt scheme; OP doesn’t gave a tourist visa 

Visa exempt scheme can be extended by 30 days, right?

[JakeG]

7 minutes ago, arasang said:

Visa exempt scheme can be extended by 30 days, right?

Yes, if it's one of these countries:

 

[momo5]

10 minutes ago, arasang said:

Visa exempt scheme can be extended by 30 days, right?

Yes

[ricktoronto]

5 hours ago, arasang said:

This was so helpful. Thank you! 

 

So if I do 60+ 30 this time and my second is a bit short of 60 days, that's less than 150 days and I should be fine, right?

They have your entire history for years and if they don't see you doing 180+ days every years with multiple visa free and multiple extensions then once (60 + 30 later) will not be a pattern worthy of a lecture.

[arasang]

19 minutes ago, ricktoronto said:

They have your entire history for years and if they don't see you doing 180+ days every years with multiple visa free and multiple extensions then once (60 + 30 later) will not be a pattern worthy of a lecture.

Hi, can you tell me one thing? When I first entered the country, i had my return ticket + my stay here. That is usually what is expected even if not checked. Now that I am trying to extend it, should I book another ticket for those extra days- my visa now ends on 15 May, but I want a month extension. So should I book another ticket for like 1 June. Is that expected of me? Same with hotel booking. Do I need to show any booking of hotels for those extra days that I am asking?

[arasang]

4 hours ago, JakeG said:

Yes you are technically correct! In my head they are both filed into the same "brain drawer" because they are both 60 (+30). So all my points still stand. I can no longer edit my previous comment to reflect this, but wherever it says tourist visa, just read: "tourist visa or visa exempt" instead.

Also I have always assumed that visa exempt basically turns into a sort of tourist visa on arrival as both are treated very similarly by immigration. Also further, albeit anecdotal evidence of this is that when immigration gave me my own verbal warning for visiting to often on visa exempt, they used "tourist" a lot in their language. Obviously paraphrasing here, but they said that I had visited too much in the last year and that my pattern of behaviour did not match that of a "tourist". They said that a "tourist" would likely visit for shorter periods of time. I was clearly trying to stay for the maximum possible amount each time and that this behaviour therefore did not match the profile of a typical "tourist". Also, I actually tried to pin the lady down, I specifically asked what was the maximum amount of time I could visit Thailand in a year. She brushed this off and only said that I needed to get a proper visa if I didn't want future problems with them next time. I asked which visa, she said that she couldn't recommend any specific one and it would be up to me, but I needed one. I then had to agree that I would get one before my next visit. Then I tried again to get a specific length of time that was the maximum I was allowed to visit. She sighed and said just get a visa sir and waved me off. 

Hi, can you tell me one thing? When I first entered the country, i had my return ticket + my hotel bookings details with me to show at immigration. That is usually what is expected even if not checked.

 

Now that I am trying to extend it, should I book another return ticket preemtively for those extra days to show at the office? My visa now ends on 15 May, but I want a month extension. So should I book another ticket for like 1 June. Is that expected of me? Same with hotel booking. Do I need to show any booking of hotels for those extra days that I am asking?

[JakeG]

It's up to you. It is technically a requirement, but they don't always check. Even when you are entering the country and don't have an outbound flight and they check for one, they usually just send you away, tell you to book a flight and then rejoin the immigration queue again. This has happened to me before and I see it happening to many others in front of me in the queue too.

You are already in the country at this point so there is no real risk. If you go to the immigration office to extend and they do check your new outbound flight, then just apologise, be courteous and book one right there in the office or come back a few days later if you need some extra time etc. You won't get in trouble for not having booked it. If it is a requirement and you are able to fulfil it, then they will generally let you fulfil it. They are usually quite fair about this sort of stuff. They are not trying to screw you over or catch you out. They are just absolute sticklers for protocol, procedures and paperwork here.

[ricktoronto]

15 hours ago, arasang said:

Hi, can you tell me one thing? When I first entered the country, i had my return ticket + my stay here. That is usually what is expected even if not checked. Now that I am trying to extend it, should I book another ticket for those extra days- my visa now ends on 15 May, but I want a month extension. So should I book another ticket for like 1 June. Is that expected of me? Same with hotel booking. Do I need to show any booking of hotels for those extra days that I am asking?

I believe if you know you want an extension, you need to show up with where you are staying and more importantly that you do have a ticket and you will leave before the expiry of the extension. And I assume since they have a right to ask when you arrive where you are staying, have that ready for a jobsworth immigration agent.

I don't understand why you would think these are unusual requirements. 

How is a extension from May 15 to June 1 not 16 days while you say it is a month? A 30 day extension would go to June 14th.