10

Their website says it's possible, I'm just wondering how likely it is to happen:

After arrival in Thailand, a tourist visa may be extended at the discretion of an immigration officer once for an additional 30 days with the total period of stay no longer than 90 days.

https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/thai-visas-americans/

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    What's your concern here? We can't predict the future.
    – Burhan Khalid
    Commented Mar 21, 2018 at 18:00
  • 1
    If they eg only approve half of requests, I wouldn't buy a round-trip flight with a return 90 days after arrival.
    – Loren
    Commented Mar 21, 2018 at 18:33
  • 11
    If you want to stay for 90 days, just apply for a visa? Seems simpler than gambling.
    – Burhan Khalid
    Commented Mar 21, 2018 at 19:06
  • 4
    Note : for VoA (Visa on Arrival) you will not get any extensions, its better to apply from a Embassy.
    – Rafee
    Commented Mar 22, 2018 at 1:40

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
30

Yes.

I went through the extension process in January. (As an aside, the new Bangkok Immigration office is fairly inconvenient to get to; plan accordingly.)

While I was being interviewed the Canadian at the desk next to me did not have a valid address on his extension form; he argued with the immigration officer that it was not important. He did not get his extension.

So in answer to your question if the visa extensions are ever denied, yes it has happened at least once.

Improve this answer
2
  • 19
    "he argued with the immigration officer" That usually works well with police around the world, and Thai immigration especially...
    – user67108
    Commented Mar 22, 2018 at 2:57
  • 5
    @dda Yeah, and the fact that he was wearing flip flops, shorts and a wife beater probably didn't score any points either.
    – user1008090
    Commented Mar 22, 2018 at 15:53
3

Note that the extension is available for people with a visa applied in advance: ie not VoA and not people getting a visa exemption (a stamp in the passport at arrival). So if you're planning to stay 90 days in Thailand, you have two solutions:

  • Apply for a 2-entry visa, and do a border run, plus either apply for an extension, or do a second border run if you can get a 30-day visa exemption.

  • Enter on a 30-day visa exemption (again, assuming you are elligible), and do two border runs. Note land/sea border runs are limited to 2 per year. But if your goal is 90 days, you should be good to go.

Improve this answer
4
  • 2
    Just note that getting to the full 90 days, you will have to do the border run on the very last possible day. That leaves no margin for error. Personally, I would plan to stay for 85 days (or even 80 days), and leave myself some wiggle room.
    – Martin Bonner supports Monica
    Commented Mar 22, 2018 at 13:16
  • @MartinBonner very few countries get 90 days. Most get 30 days, so the issue is more about doing a visa run on the 28th, 29th or 30th day.
    – user67108
    Commented Mar 23, 2018 at 2:59
  • Correction: since about 2016, the 30-day exemption stamp can be extended once by 30 days (same as the 60-day tourist visa stamp).
    – dbkk
    Commented Apr 8, 2018 at 18:41
  • Correction #2: double-entry visas are no longer available. This answer is outdated by several years (although written in 2018).
    – dbkk
    Commented Aug 18, 2018 at 14:23
3

It is unlikely Thai immigration would deny the 30-day tourist visa extension if you comply with the requirements.

If you haven't stayed in Thailand for too long on tourist visas, fill out all the paperwork correctly, look presentable and act patient and polite with the officers, it's highly unlikely you'd be refused. In rare cases, some immigration offices might ask you for additional documents, such as proof of address or TM.30 form, but will still issue you the extension on another visit to the immigration office.

Thai immigration doing 30-day tourist visa extensions are NOT tasked with actively using their judgement to sort applicants into accept/reject groups, but simply checking the documents and performing a routine bureaucratic procedure.

Of course, they still have the authority to deny you the extension for any reason whatsoever, so if you annoy them, they're having a bad day, you're impolite or not presentable, they could do it.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .