BASIC DOCUMENTS NEEDED WHEN APPLYING FOR AN EXTENSION OF STAY

The following documents are the usual ones required for obtaining any extension of any category of a Non-Immigrant Visa. If you have them completed and readily available, the process should go smoothly. If you do not have them already, there is a photo and copy shop next door to Pattaya Immigration that opens about 8am – Immigration Office opens at 8:30am. Application for Extension of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom, TM.7 (original) completed and signed in the appropriate spaces on the front and back.

1. Application for Extension of Temporary Stay in the Kingdom, TM.7
2. One photograph – 4cm x 6 cm
3. Passport (original) with at least 6 months remaining validity
4. Photocopy of passport pages
1. Identity page(s) showing picture, name, date issued, etc.
2. Page showing the original Non-Immigrant Visa “O-A” or “O”
3. Page(s) showing each subsequent one year extension, if applicable
4. Page showing the last entry stamp into Thailand
5. Photocopy of Departure Card, TM.6 (stapled in your passport).

REMEMBER to sign each photocopied page (this is your certification that the photocopy is a true copy of the original). The information on this page about required documents is based on the latest reports from Expats of their experience and the Honorary UK Consul in Pattaya. Immigration Offices other than Pattaya may require more than one copy.

Example of completed TM.7 Front and TM.7 Back

TM.7 Application (blank form) from Thai Immigration Web site here.

CAUTION: The TM.7 form available here was obtained from the Thai Immigration web site. However, it has been reported that some Immigration Offices will not accept these downloaded forms and require you to use the application forms they provide. Expats report that Pattaya Immigration will accept the downloaded forms - either print front and back or staple the back page to the front page.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

Immigration Officials will require additional documents depending on the purpose of the extension. We list the documents most likely to be required with information on qualification requirements for the most common categories (retirement, married or related to a Thai, education, or business). Thai officials may, at their discretion, ask for other documents than those listed - this appears to be on a case by case basis and can vary from Immigration Office to Immigration Office and sometimes from Official to Official within an Immigration Office.

TIP: Most expats report that their dealing with Thai Immigration Officials, especially in the Pattaya Immigration Office, go smoothly if you: (1) dress appropriately (no beach wear); (2) be polite at all times, even if the situation gets a bit frustrating; and (3) try to have all required documents available -including originals of photocopied documents as sometimes the Immigration Official may want to see the original.