Perhaps you’d like to start a meditation retreat while in Thailand. Or you simply want to sit and drink beer while watching the waves crash on the beach. Or have an emergency to deal with. That’s when you realize you need a Thailand visa extension.

As a layman, it might be difficult for you to understand the types of Thailand visas, its extension, and the steps to follow. Here is a complete guide on how to process Thailand visa for an extension:

Thailand Visa Extension Made Simple: How to Extend Your Tourist Stay in Thailand

Thailand visa types and extensions

• If you have a standard 14-day or 30-day visa (which you obtained upon arrival in Thailand by land or air), you can extend your visa for a maximum of 7 days. It is priced at 1900 baht ($60). It is also applicable for people who have a 15-day Visa on Arrival or have entered the border with a 15 days visa waiver.
• You can extend your visa for another 30 days if you have a 60-day visa from an embassy or consulate in your home country or another country. This again costs 1900 baht ($60). This is also applied to anyone who has entered Thailand with a 6-month visa, Multiple-Entry Visa, visa-exempt stamps, or visas on arrival.
• A Thailand elite visa is a multiple-entry 5-year visa, with each entry allowing a year permit. This one-year permit can be extended for another year if you wish to stay longer.

When to Get a Thailand Visa Extension?

You must apply for a visa extension before your Thailand tourist visa expires. For the safe side, get the visa extension around 7 days before the planned date. This help to avoid delays and also these extra days will be added to your existing stamp.

Documents Required for Thailand Visa Extension

When applying for a visa extension in Thailand, you must submit the following documents:

• TM.7 application form
• Passport
• Photo
• Application fee

The process becomes easier when you apply for Thailand e-visa.

1. Visa Extension Request Form

TM.7 “APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF TEMPORARY STAY IN THE KINGDOM” is the Thai visa extension application form.

You must include the following information on the application form:

• Your title, surname, first name, and middle name
• Date of birth and age in years
• Location of birth
• Nationality
• Passport or travel document number, date and location of issue, and validity date
• The type of visa you used to enter Thailand
• The mode of transportation you used and the location from which you arrived
• Your arrival port and date of entry into Thailand
• TM.6 Arrival/Departure Card
• The number of days requested and the reasons for the extension
• Thailand address

An incomplete or incorrect application form is one of the reasons for Thailand visa rejection.

2. Passport

When applying for a Thailand visa extension, not only the original passport but also copies of specific passport pages are required. You will require the following copies:

• page BIO (photo) of a passport
• visa page in passport (if any),
• passport page containing your most recent entry stamp
• TM.6 copy of departure card

3. Photo

The required photo size when applying for a Thailand tourist visa extension is 4 x 6 cm. However, they are not usually overly strict about this requirement. Your photo should be no more than 6 months old. At the very least, photos can be taken at the Thailand Immigration Office in Bangkok.

4. Fee for Visa Extension

The Thailand visa-on-arrival extension fee is 1,900 THB. The application fee for 30-day and 7-day extensions is the same. The fee for extending a visa must be paid in cash, and only Thai Baht is accepted.

The Procedure for Obtaining a Thailand visit visa Extension

The application process for a Thai visa extension in Bangkok usually takes about 2-3 hours or less.

Thailand Immigration Office in Bangkok is open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 13:00 a.m. to 16:30 p.m. It is best to arrive early in the morning so that you can complete the procedure before the lunch break.

The procedures for extending your visa at the Thailand Immigration Office in Bangkok are outlined below.

Step 1

When you arrive at the immigration office, go to the counter and tell them you want to extend your tourist visa. They will check your passport and provide you with the necessary application form.

Step 2

Fill out the application form on both sides, sign it, and attach your photo to the designated area of the form. Make all of the necessary copies of your passport (if not prepared in advance).

Return to the counter, present your documents, and you will be allowed to proceed to the next room.

Step 3

In the following room, you must obtain a waiting number and wait for your number to be called.

Step 4

When your number is called, proceed to the counter and present the immigration officer with your application form and all supporting documents. The officer will go over your application and ask you a few questions. Pay the 1,900 THB visa extension application fee (cash only).

Step 5

Return to the waiting area and wait for your number to be called once more. When your number is called again, proceed to the officer and retrieve your passport. Your Thai visa will be stamped in your passport.

Important: Obey the Law

Some readers may be thinking, “Wow! 1900 baht, I only have two or three days before my flight. What if I don’t spend the time and money to get an extension?”

There is a penalty for overstaying. Every day that you stay beyond your permission to stay will result in a 500 fine. This is usually discovered just before departure. People get distracted, forget, change flights, and so on. You will receive a passport stamp indicating that you overstayed and how much you paid.

In the past, if you overstayed for a few hours to less than a day and it was an honest mistake, immigration officials at the airport may have waived the fine. What causes this? Perhaps you have a late-night or early-morning “red-eye” flight.

You arrive at the airport at 23:00 in preparation for your 1:30 flight. It may be after midnight by the time you check in and are processed by immigration. In this case, they are very likely to waive the fine.

If you just call it an overstay fine, it might not sound so bad. The truth is that you broke the law. You are staying in Thailand illegally. This is no laughing matter.

Conclusion

Right from Thailand visa processing to extension, everything requires strict vigilance and guidance. Our Thailand visa experts can help you understand the terms, documentation, and other requirements to submit error-free applications. Contact us today.

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