Dear editor,
I have two questions regarding visas.
On October 5th I want to go to Thailand again for 5 to 6 months. My non-immigrant multiple entry visa is valid until October 12. So I get 90 days stay upon arrival and want to extend this by a year at immigration. Does this have to be done in the last 30 days or can it be done sooner?
What to do if, for example, I have to return to the Netherlands unexpectedly after a 30-day stay due to family circumstances or something similar, can I then apply for re-entry? My original visa has already expired and the extension has not yet taken effect.
Or do I have to apply for a whole new visa?
Yours faithfully,
Harrie
Dear Harry,
1. As for the extension.
In general, the application for renewal can be started from 30 days before the end of the 90 day stay period. Some immigration offices also sometimes accept it as from 45 days. Depends a bit on the office where you will be submitting the application.
Suppose you depart on October 5 and land on October 6, then you will have a stay period with an end date of January 3, 2016. (If I count correctly). From 3 December 2015 you can then start with the application for an extension. Depending on the immigration office, you will receive it the same day or the day after, but it may also be that they place an “under consideration” stamp and you have to come back at a later date. Depends a bit on the way the immigration office works.
Don't worry about that "under consideration" stamp. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong. Moreover, it is usually only given if the extension is requested on the basis of a marriage with and Thai. Whatever date you are going to submit the application on, and whether or not with an “under consideration” stamp, it will not affect the length of the year extension in any way. Each extension is always subsequent to the last obtained date of stay, ie the annual extension will always commence following January 3, 2016 in your case. The total duration will always be one year.
2. Regarding the “Re-entry”.
If you were to return to the Netherlands during that first 90-day period, you can indeed request a “Re-entry”. Your 90-day stay that you have then obtained (until January 3, 2016) will not expire when you leave Thailand. When you return, thanks to the “Re-entry”, you will keep your previously obtained end date. You will therefore again receive 3 January 2016 as the end date. Please note that you are back in Thailand before that date (and preferably earlier if you still need to apply for an extension).
If you return to Thailand later than January 3, 2016, everything will be cancelled.
In that case you will indeed have to purchase a new visa. And Non-immigrant “O” Single entity, however, is sufficient if you want to apply for a year extension afterwards.
Regards,
RonnyLatPhrao
Disclaimer: The advice is based on existing regulations. The editors accept no responsibility if this is deviated from in practice.