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Can I enter Thailand on a 30-day visa exemption and extend for 60 days to visit my Thai wife?

Visa Exemption60 Day ExtensionThai Marriage CertificateSETVImmigration ProcessProof of Onward Travel
Apr 22, 2018
7 years ago
Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
If your married to a Thai and come to Thailand to see her for 3 months on a SETV and extend that for 30 days.

Could you come in on a 30 day visa exempt and extend that for 60 as your visiting your wife.

You have to get a extension and visit immigration anyway.

But whould save you going to a embassy in your own country and time and money
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Yes, you can enter Thailand on a 30-day visa exemption and subsequently apply for a 60-day extension based on visiting your Thai wife. However, when applying for the extension, you may need to provide a Thai marriage certificate or a marriage certificate in Thai script stamped by a consulate if you do not have one from Thailand. Always ensure you have proof of onward travel when flying into Thailand on a visa exemption to avoid any issues at check-in.
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Tony ********
The sisaket immigration wants to see a marriage certificate in thai script , stamped by the consulate in your home country if you dont have a thai marriage certificate if you want a 60 day extension
7 years ago
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Tony ********
@Tod ********
 no, the consulate requires the notarized english certificate in order to provide a translation but the same consulate doesnt require a notarized certificate to grant the visa itself
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Tony *******
 you are confusing the requirements for a visa that you get from a thai consulate in another country and an extension you get from the immigration office inside the country.

Two completely different set of rules and criteria and two completely different government agencies :/
7 years ago
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Tony ********
@Steve ******
 the hilarioius part is the local consulate requires me to get it notarized in english first before the thai translation is done but if i am using it to get a Non-O multi, they dont need it notarized! they will accept it un-notarized for a 1 year visa but not to allow a translation for a 2 month extension!! 😂😂😂😂😂
7 years ago
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Steve *******
@Tony *******
 Yes, if you were'nt married in Thailand then you'll need your marriage cert translated and verified
7 years ago
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Steve *******
The Thai marriage cert should be in Thai script! Or translated
7 years ago
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Tony ********
@Tony ********
 we were married in Canada and they wont accept our certificate in
@Eng****
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
And if you have one your ok
7 years ago
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Tony *********
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David *******
LHR yea but emorates at Gatwick dont care, well did not before not sure if do now.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Biff ******
 a girl on here did that.

Then she was told by the post office it was lost.

She got a new passport which canceled here SETV.

Then the passport with the visa in turned up but was of no use .

Cos she had a new passport which canceled here SETV.

I'm not send my passport in the post.
7 years ago
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Biff *******
Or do the visa by post.
7 years ago
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Sam *****
Just buy a 24hr refundable ticket on a different carrier, print a copy, and cancel it immediately after purchase. Your outbound carrier is unlikely to call and verify ticket validity when being shown a printed ticket.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Biff ******
 I've had 4 SETV just feed up going up to london.

Bin the ticket i think is the answer
7 years ago
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Biff *******
That could end up more expensive than getting a visa. Certainly more expensive than buying a ticket to, say KL with Air Asia or another similar airline.

If I was faced with a more than £40 expense of getting a visa from the Thai embassy in London I'd buy a throw away ticket. Currently it only costs me the visa fee of £25 so I usually go with that option.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I could come in with a 30 day return ticket on the visa exempt entry stamp on arrival.

And change the date of the return ticket.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
So its best to get a cheap flight out so you can show proof of onward travel and bin the ticket.
7 years ago
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David *******
@Tod ********
 in LHR they get fined £10 000 if caught letting somone fly with no out ticket.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I could come in with a 30 day return ticket on the visa exempt entry stamp on arrival.

And change the date of the return ticket.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@To**
, BUT a visa exempt entry is NOT a visa :/ and without proof of onward travel the airline can deny you boarding. It's their call.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
 and as we know a visa is not a Guarantee to enter Thailand. But I've never had a problem.
7 years ago
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Biff *******
Cheap flight out is certainly another option.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
Many airlines will now let you sign a waiver stating IF you are denied entry on a 30 day visa exempt stamp you will pay your own way out of the country. That solves the airline liability and they're good with it.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
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Tod *********
You can get the 60 day visit family (wife, kidz) extension on ANY entry. It doesn't matter if it's a 30 day visa exempt, a 60 day tourist visa, or a 90 day Non-Immigrant visa.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
As
@Biff ******
, correctly pointed out it's NOT the passport control officer who stamps you into the country that cares about onward travel it's the airline when you check in.

Flying in visa exempt they can make you have proof of onward travel within 30 day (seeing as that's all you get stamped in for to begin with). They don't care that you might extend or might leave by a land border. They can deny you boarding if you don't have proof of onward travel within 30 days flyin' in here on a visa exempt entry.

Coming here with a valid visa exempts them from that liability.
7 years ago
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Biff *******
The issue I can see would be boarding the flight in the first place. If the return flight is more than 30 days after departure, check in staff would want to see either a visa, or a ticket out of Thailand before 30 days.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
So i think the best thing to do is go on a SETV.

extend that for 60 day's so the next time you went with out a SETV you can show them the 60 day extension.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Stephen *********
 when you have done it once.

You can show them the 60 day extension in your passport.

And explain why you do it that way.
7 years ago
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Stephen **********
I used to get queries from check in staff at Heathrow if my return was after more than 30 days and I did not have a setv or a pre-booked flight from Thailand within the 30 days, but it never gets queried now. Been making the trip 2 or 3 times a year.
7 years ago
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Biff *******
I've had at least four Tourist Visas from London. The check in staff at LHR have checked for a visa in my passport every time.

The Thai embassy in London will accept applications by post.

***************************************************************************************
*****
**********
-How-to-apply-visa-by-post.html

If you want to risk being refused boarding at the airport, then that's your decision. Personally, I wouldn't risk it.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Samuel Fila I've never seen this asked on here before but if its possible i can save 2 days of work 2 trips to london and save money coming in on visa exempt is free as we know.

And i get 60 days instead of 30 for 1900 bt
7 years ago
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Steve *******
Samuel Fila wife/child etc.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Steve ******
 nice one so it is possible to come in on a visa exempt and extend that for 60 day based on visiting your wife.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Samuel Fila you can get a 60 day extension based on visiting your wife.

But I'm not sure if you have to have the Non 0 based on marriage in the first place.
7 years ago
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Steve *******
Samuel Fila there is a 60 day extention on 30 day visa exempt if you have thai dependent relatives.
7 years ago
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Biff *******
Yes, it's entirely possible that you could be going elsewhere. However, the airline will look for either a visa, or a ticket out of Thailand within 30 days because if you are refused entry at the Thai border they are responsible for flying you home. If you have a visa, they aren't. So that's why it's a problem.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Biff ******
 you could be going on to Vietnam of anywhere in Asia so i can't see that being a problem
7 years ago
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Biff *******
With no visa, they would look for a ticket within 30 days.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Always have a return ticket for 89 days
7 years ago
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Tony *********
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