Entry stamp, Visa, Tourist Visa 90 report - all explained: A visa is fundamentally a document (affixed into the passport) issued to a foreigner by the Thai government allowing the foreigner to travel to the Kingdom and normally be granted permission to stay for a pre-defined period. Visas can only be obtained outside of the Kingdom from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate (usually). A visa has a validity period which set out the period within which the visa may be used to apply for entry. The validity period is NOT the length of time you will be permitted to stay in Kingdom using it. There is an exception which can be activated when an applicant meets the requirements for an annual extension of stay – they may change from tourist visa or visa-exempt status to a non-immigrant visa, and to a Retirement Visa at an immigration office in Thailand.
A ‘permission to stay’ stamp is entered into your passport upon arrival into the Kingdom. Whatever visa you hold, you will always receive this stamp. It will include the date of entry and date when you MUST leave the Kingdom or make alternative arrangements. The ‘length of stay’ will be dependent on what type of VISA one holds. Once inside the Kingdom, this stamp is sacrosanct, your visa now effectively irrelevant until you re-enter the country.
30 day entry stamp: For the majority of passport holders, this is a ‘permission to stay 30 days’ stamp only obtained (free of charge) at a port of entry into the Kingdom and is issued without the need for a visa. At the discretion of the immigration officer this may be extended for up to 7-15 days at an immigration office after which time the holder must leave the Kingdom. This is NOT a visa.
3 month validity, single entry tourist visa: Is pre-obtained at a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate outside Thailand and will result in the holder obtaining a 60 days ‘permission to stay’ stamp upon entry. If required, this type of visa may be extended by 30 days at an immigration office, but after that time the holder must leave the country. After one entry, the visa is ‘‘used’’.
6 month validity, 2 to 4 entry tourist visa: Is pre- obtained at a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate outside of Thailand and will result in the holder obtaining a 60 day permission to stay stamp upon entry if from a 30 day visa exempt entry country (listed below) or 30 days if not. If required, this type of visa may normally be extended by 30 days at an immigration office, but after that time the holder must leave the country. The holder may then return to the Kingdom and will obtain a second 60 days permission to stay stamp which can also be extended as previous. Then the holder must leave: the stipulated number of visa entries is ‘‘used’’.
3 month validity, multi entry non-immigrant visa: pre-obtained at Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate outside of Thailand and will result in holder obtaining a 90 days ‘permission to stay’ stamp. This visa can be extended up to one year for specific reasons and with the required documentation (see 12 month extension).
12 month validity, multi entry non-immigrant visa: Pre-obtained at a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate (usually) in your home country and will result in the holder obtaining a 90 days ‘permission to stay’ stamp upon entry. Each time the holder enters the Kingdom whilst the visa valid, he/she will obtain a further 90 days ‘permission to stay stamp’. Such visas can be issued for students/work/family etc. but normally require supporting documentation. This visa can also be extended up to one year for specific reasons and with the required documentation (see 12 month extension).
Note: a 12 month validity, multi entry non-immigrant visa may also be obtained from some Royal Thai embassies outside your home country if you can provide evidence of your marriage to Thai citizen (marriage certificate).
12 month extension to a non-immigrant visa: If you are holding a non-immigrant visa you have the option of extending this by 12 months based on either retirement (50 years old or over) or support to Thai citizen, work, education and such. This may only be accomplished at an immigration office inside the Kingdom and certain criteria have to be met. Such extensions consist of a stamp in your passport detailing ‘‘issue date’’ and ‘‘permitted to stay until’’ date.
Retirement Visa: The requirements for this visa change constantly. Check with the Pattaya Immigration for any changes. In order to get a one year Retirement Visa, you must first start with a 90 day NON-IMMIGRANT Type O visa with single or multiple entry allowance. This type of visa can then be extended to a one year visa without ever having to leave the country. Some of the requirements for the one year visa are the following:
- Age must be at least 50
- Monthly Income must be from out of country and total 65,000 baht (appx $1700 U.S.D.). A U.S. Embassy income statement must be obtained and notarized by the Embassy...or 800,000 baht in a Thai bank for the past 3 consecutive months
- A bank certificate showing your bank balance – not more than one day old. A combination of Income and Bank Balance can be used.
TIP 1: The Immigration Officer sometimes asks for proof of income, something that the Embassy doesn’t ask for.
TIP 2: Late Reporting: If you have a Visa valid for more than 90 days (non-immigrant O/B Etc) you must report your current address every 90 days. Late reporting gets you a fine of 2000b up. The minimum fine is actually 200b, however, the Immigration is charging 2000b.
TIP 3. Overstay: If your Visa has expired, you must pay “overstay charges” starting from the date after the expiration date until you leave or get an extension. Overstay gets you a fine of 500b per day with a maximum of 5000b.
Note 1: If you are residing in the kingdom under an extension to a non-immigrant visa and wish to leave the Kingdom at any time, then you will need to obtain a ‘‘re- entry permit’’ to avoid losing the extension and requirement to re-apply for a new non-immigrant visa and then extension of stay.
Note 2: If you are residing in the Kingdom under an extension to non-immigrant visa it is a legal requirement that the holder reports their current address to an immigration office using FORM TM.47 (in person or by registered mail) every 90 days. Leaving the Kingdom and returning is the equivalent of a 90 days report – the next report date is 90 days from the date you re-enter the Kingdom.
Note 3: If you are in possession of a valid tourist visa or a 30 days visa exempt entry stamp and qualify for extension of stay and plan on doing so, you may be permitted to change to a non-immigrant visa at an immigration office inside Thailand. This change of ‘status’ has certain restrictions relating to your age, income or amount of money in a Thai Bank – if you are thinking of doing this you should check with an immigration officer first.