Does Thai immigration jargon baffle you every time you apply, extend, convert or renew your Thai Visa? Here's a simple guide to give you a better understanding of these common immigration terms.
Visa application - This simply means applying for a Thai entry permit at the Thai embassy or consulate overseas. Say, you would like to come to Thailand for work; you can normally apply for a Non B visa valid for 90 days at the Thai embassy in your home country through the employing company's documents and letter of invitation.
Visa Extension - This is the process of extending the validity of expiring entry permits. A 30-day stamp for example can be extended for 7 days while a normal tourist pass(60-day) can be extended for a month at the immigration office. A one year multiple entry visa meanwhile can be extended for 3 months thus giving the holder 15-month stay in Thailand in total. A 90-day visa can be extended into one year permit which can be either a retirement, marriage or a Non B depending on the qualifications of the applicant. Say, you eventually came to Thailand with the 90-day Non B you got from abroad; this can be extended into a one year Non B visa at the Thai immigration office as long as you have the required documents for the extension.
Visa Conversion - If we change a Tourist pass into a Non Immigrant visa, we call the process as a Visa conversion. This simply refers to the switching of visas which is normally done outside of the country. If you wish to do it inside the country, you would need a good visa agent to assist you.
Visa renewal - Some Thai visas are subject to renewal once their validity is up. Thai visas like marriage and retirement are good for one year but can be renewed as long as the applicant meets the requirements of the visa. Compared to Visa application, renewal is simpler to carry out.
Visa Validity - This refers to the entire period of time you are allowed to stay in the country. The specific validity of the visa per entry will be stamped at the immigration booth at the airport once you arrived in the country so you need to be aware of this. Exceeding the validity of your Thai travel permit results in over stay fine.
Visa Expiration - When the validity of your Thai visa is up, it means it's expired. You need to leave the country on or before the expiration of your visa to avoid overstay fines. If your visa is subject to extension make sure to extend it before it expires. Otherwise the extension will not be carried out and you would have to start the visa application process all over again.
Familiarizing yourself with the above Thai Visa jargon is a good way of guiding yourself about the Thai immigration procedures which is vital to your long term stay in the Land of Smiles. Always consult Thai immigration experts for help especially if you have a question regarding Thai entry permits applications.
Mr. Jirasak Taosiri is a licensed Thai lawyer. He currently works for G.A.M Legal Alliance, Thailand's Provider of Five Star Legal Service, as the acting Legal manager. Prior to his employment with G.A.M, he has worked for international law firms in Thailand giving him enough exposures in the fields of Thai Property Law, Thai Immigration Law, Thai Family Law and Thai Corporate Law.
G.A.M Legal Alliance is a newly established law firm specializing in Thai immigration, Thai Property Law, Marriage in Thailand, Family Law, Thai Company Set Up and Business Registration in Thailand. It has qualified and well-experienced staff ready to assist you with all your legal needs in Thailand. For more information about the firm's services visit http://www.gam-legalalliance.com/ or email info@gam-legalalliance.com
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