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Tourist Visa problems


SLBT

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Thought I'd start a wee topic here about tourist visa dramas.

I know we are not all on the same holiday duration, but there are, I see, a fair number of us that decide to stay here longer than the 30 day tourist visa duration...

I fall into that category on occasion. I work 8 weeks on and 1 month off - which primarily is spent in Thailand.

This time however, with policy / visa changes within my work location means I am unable to get an entry visa for the time being and have to extend my stay here.

This invariably goes beyond the 30 day limit and as I don't have a definitive departure date I cannot be sure as to the actual duration I'll be here.. Possible end of Feb.

I therefore had to get myself an extension somehow. The immigration office in Jomtien would only give me an extension of 7 days costing 1,900 baht then I would have to leave. I could do two visa runs, 15 days extension each time at a cost of around 5,000 baht or use a visa company to do the application for me at 7,000 baht.

I ended up doing the visa company method as I wasn't sure of the actual duration of stay.

I wondered if anyone else has been through a similar experience.

Cheers fella's

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When you mention tourist visa, you really mean the 30 stamp. An actual Tourist visa is good for 60 days, and has to be bought before you arrive. It can be extended for 30 days when in Los. I see them advertised here in Phnom Penh, travel agents will get you one for about 45 to 60 dollars, depending how fast you want it. Worth thinking about like Snick says, have a few days out of Los and arrive back with a potential 90 day visa, worries sorted.

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As others have said above I think a 60 day tourist visa can be extended for an additional 30 days and a 30 day tourist stamp can be extended for an additional 7 days.

Think one cheap flight is better than two visa runs via vans driving at breakneck speed.

My reco is to fly to Phnom Penh and spend a few days there, a vacation from your vacation! :D 8)

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Man, what a hassle!

sorry for your problems, the Thai's make it harder and harder for us to stay in their lovely country for long periods....if they didn't enforce some kind of rules imagine all the trash who would be living here forever? More than the usual amounts, I guarantee that :)

*For future reference on later trips, consider getting a Type 'O' visa....good for 90 days at a stretch.

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  • 3 weeks later...

A friend of mine just extended his tourist stamp for 30 additional days by means of a "special case medical extension" for 7500 baht through SS Travel on Soi Buakaou, FB's recommendation.

We found a place for 6500 baht but didn't like the guy so my suggestion is to pop into a few travel agencies and check it out.

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A friend of mine just extended his tourist stamp for 30 additional days by means of a "special case medical extension" for 7500 baht through SS Travel on Soi Buakaou, FB's recommendation.

Cool. I'm glad it worked out for him.

If you want the 90-day version, it costs about 13, 200bt. But you can't renew this visa back-to-back, as I just found out, and have to go once to the border for a 15-dayer, and then -- magically -- it's OK to get another 90-day special case medical visa.

One cool thing about these visas, for lazy fuckers like me, you don't even have to leave Soi Buakhao! Not even to Jomtien...

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Just curious. What constitutes a "special case medical extension"? Does one need something from a doctor to prove the need to stay due to come medical condition or ongoing treatment?

In my buddy's case the travel agent handled everything and he was not asked the nature of his medical problem.

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You don't need shit to get it. They just payoff the guys in Jomtien.

But I was kinda sweating it when I went to the border -- this was the first time it was to be tested after sitting on it for three months (can you imagine the over-stay bill on that?), after some random travel agent had taken my passport and returned it with some unverified stamp in it -- if I would be questioned.

They never said a word...

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