Complete Guide on Thailand Visa Extension

If you want to stay in Thailand for longer than the period of your visa, you must apply for a Thailand Visa Extension. If you plan to stay in Thailand for a long time, you will almost certainly need several Visa Extensions unless you are one of the few people who are granted a multiple-year visa. In some ways, Visa Extensions in Thailand function similarly to residency permits in other countries. After three years of living in Thailand on consecutive Visa Extensions, you are eligible for Thailand Permanent Residency.

Who Needs Thailand Visa Extension?

A Thailand Visa Extension is mandatory for anyone who wishes to stay in the kingdom for longer than the duration of their visa. Depending on the type of Thailand Visa you have and the reason for your visit to Thailand, you may be eligible for:

• A 30-day Thailand Visa Extension is commonly provided to Tourist Visa holders as a short-term extension.
• Depending on why you desire to live in Thailand, a long-term Thai visa extension can last anywhere from 90 days to a year. Non-Immigrant Visa holders can get long-term extensions.

A Thailand Non-Immigrant Visa is normally provided for 90 days when obtained through a Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country. The Non-Immigrant Visa, on the other hand, permits you to apply for a Visa Extension once you’ve arrived in Thailand, for whatever reason you’re visiting. After that, you can stay in Thailand lawfully for up to a year with the Visa Extension. You can reapply to extend your current Visa Extension for another year before it expires.

You can reapply to extend your current Visa Extension for another year before it expires.

For Instance:

• A Thailand Work Visa is just an extension of a Non-Immigrant “B” Visa based on employment in Thailand.
• Thailand Student Visa is an extension of a Non-Immigrant “ED” Visa based on education or higher education in Thailand.
• A Thailand Marriage Visa is an extension of a non-immigrant “O” Visa based on marriage to a Thai citizen.

Necessary Documents for Thailand Visa Extension

When applying for a Visa Extension in Thailand, you’ll need a number of documents to back up your application and persuade Immigration officers that you’re eligible for the extension. Regardless of the reason for travel, everyone must submit the following documents:

• Application Form for Extension of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom – Form TM.7.
• One picture of yourself with the following requirements:
  • 4 cm x 6 cm dimensions
  • Not older than six months
  • White background
  • Neutral facial expression
  • Without hats or headgear, except for religious purposes.
• Your original passport which is valid for at least six more months. Keep in mind that the visa extension will be issued depending on the validity of your visa, but usually no more than one year. If your visa is valid for less than a year, your Thai Visa Extension will also be issued for less than one year.
• Photocopies of the relevant pages on your passport furnishing the details like:
  • Personal information
  • Your Non-Immigrant Visa
  • Previous Thailand Visa Extensions (if applicable)
  • Latest entry stamp in Thailand
• A photocopy of your Departure Card TM.6
• Any additional documents proving the purpose of your travel:
  • For employment purposes:
    • Copy of work permit
    • Company documents, like registration certificate, list of shareholders, balance sheets etc.
    • Location map of your workplace
  • For international students:
    • Original Letter of Acceptance of Thai educational institution
    • Proof of the financial aids
  • If you have family relations to a Thai national:
    • Proof of family relationship
    • Location Map of the household
    • Proof of financial status
    • Rental contract
    • The ID of the Thai national
    • Family pictures
  • If you want to retire in Thailand:
    • Proof of the required financial means/deposit in the Thai bank
    • Monthly income proof
    • Proof of residence

Method of Application of Thailand Visa Extension

You must apply for a Thailand Visa Extension at the Thai Immigration Department office that has authority over the region in Thailand where you will be living. When you apply, you must fill out the “Application Form for Extension of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom – Form TM. 7,” which may be found online or in the Immigration Department’s offices.

Although immigration offices are open early in the morning, you will almost certainly have to wait in line for your turn to submit your application, followed by a wait for a decision. You must bring all of your supporting documentation as well as enough cash to pay the Thai Visa Extension charge.

What To Do After Thailand Visa Extension?

After receiving your Thai Visa Extension, you must obtain a Re-Entry Permit and then declare your address to the Immigration officials 90 days after entering.

Get Your Re-entry Permit

To be able to leave and re-enter Thailand without your visa becoming void, you must apply for a Re-Entry Permit. If you do not obtain a Re-Entry Permit before leaving Thailand, you will not be permitted to return until you obtain a new visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate overseas.
The Thailand Re-Entry Permit can be used for either a single or many entries.

Submit 90-day Report

Everyone who intends to stay in Thailand for an extended period of time must submit a 90-Day Report to the Thai Immigration authorities. This means that every 90 days of ongoing residency in Thailand, you must record your current address to your local Thailand Immigration Department office, even if it is the same as before.
Instead of reporting every 90 days, SMART Visa holders must report their stay once a year.

10-Year Thailand Visa Extension

Technically, there is no such thing as a ten-year Thai Visa Extension. Instead, holders of a Thailand Retirement Visa “O-X” will be issued a 5-year, multiple-entry visa when they apply for it for the first time. They can then apply for another five-year extension before the visa expires, giving them a total of ten years in Thailand.

Eligibility for Thailand Permanent Residency

You become eligible for Thai Permanent Residency once you have received at least three consecutive Thailand Visa Extensions. The other eligibility requirements are as follows:

• You must have a Non-Immigrant Visa Extension at the time you submit the Residence Permit application
• Issuance of your Non-Immigrant Visa must be on the basis of one of the following categories:
  • You have invested a minimum amount of 10 million Thai Baht in Thailand
  • Your employment in Thailand
  • You lived in Thailand on the basis of your relationship to a Thai citizen or a Thai Residence Permit holder, such as a spouse, parent, or child
  • You served as an expert or an academic in Thailand
  • Any other category that the Immigration authorities consider acceptable
• You pass a Thai language interview

The Thailand Residence Permit does not expire. After having lived in Thailand with a Residence Permit for at least 5 consecutive years, you can apply for Thai Citizenship.

If you have any queries on Thailand Visa Extension or need any support related to Permanent Residency in Thailand, email us at [email protected].