Visa Thailand question & answer: While extending my Non-O visa, I want to go to the Netherlands

Dear readers,

While extending my Non-O visa, based on marriage, I want to go to the Netherlands for two weeks. My extension will expire on May 15. On May 14 I have an appointment with Immigration in Chiang Mai.

As every year, I will receive a note to come back a month later to get the much-coveted stamp in my passport for another one-year extension. Now I want to go to NL for 1 weeks in that intermediate period (2 month). Obviously I will buy a re-entry.

Here it comes: Perhaps already at Schiphol, but upon returning to BKK, officials will see an expired visa in my passport, but also the note from immigration CNX. Plus my re-entry.

Can I expect problems when I return to BKK, or even at Schiphol?
Yours faithfully,
Laas

Dear Las,

If your visa expires on May 15, you can already go to immigration. You don't have to wait until the day before. An extension is always following the last permitted period of stay. So it makes no sense to wait until the last day because you don't lose anything with it.

You could already apply for your extension from the beginning of April. This is possible in most immigration offices from 45 days before the end (some immigration offices 30 days). Then you would have already received your extension, even if they had a waiting period of one month.

Otherwise, you know how to choose your period to go to the Netherlands. But hey, maybe you don't have a choice and you just have to do it now. Whether you can go abroad during a waiting period and whether it will affect your extension, I don't know. You can go to immigration and ask there. You may receive that extension immediately, within a few days or even before you leave for the Netherlands. As far as I know, that one month waiting period is only imposed on the first renewal. Subsequent extensions are usually given immediately or the day after because no additional examinations are necessary as with the first application, but that again depends on the rules that your immigration office applies. It is of course also possible that they impose that waiting period every year as standard.

By the way, I doubt whether you can get a re-entry during a waiting period. Immigration can certainly answer that.

Perhaps a reader has experience with this.

By all means, let us know as this could be helpful in case someone finds themselves in that situation too.

Regards,

RonnyLatPhrao

Disclaimer: The advice is based on existing regulations. The editors accept no responsibility if this is deviated from in practice.