Thai Immigration Bureau launches online visa extension, starting in Bangkok

Thailand –

  The Thailand Immigration Bureau has officially launched an online visa extension for foreigners which they say will only take about three minutes.

The Immigration Bureau reported yesterday (November 8th) that General Dumrongsak Kittiprapas, Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police has officially launched the ‘e-Extension’ or the Electronics Extension of Temporary Stay in The Kingdom for the first time in Thailand.

General Dumrongsak explained, “There are more than 200,000 foreigners extending their visas each year. They took up to two hours in the normal process at an Immigration center.”

“The ‘e-Extension’ is an upgraded process in which foreigners apply their request and pay for the extension online before meeting with immigration officers to verify identity. After that they will get visa stickers within three minutes,” General Dumrongsak added.

“We have first tested the online system from October 10th this year for foreigners who live in Bangkok based on 12 categories which are:

  1. Tourism
  2. Public school teachers
  3. Attending a public school
  4. Serving in a government agency
  5. Back to a country for Thai nationals
  6. Resident’s families
  7. Press
  8. Trainer and researcher for a government agency
  9. Machine installation and repairs
  10. Medical Specialists
  11. Stationed vehicle operator
  12. Embassy-certified and requested

Mr. Kaushik Ghosh, regional head of Australia-Asia of VFS Global said, “This is a convenient platform that enhances the experience of visitors who need to extend their stay in Thailand.”

Foreigners can apply for an extension of stay online at Thaiextension.vfsevisa.com.

In the first phase, foreigners can get a visa sticker from Immigration Division 1, at the Government Complex Chaeng Wattana, Building B, Lak Si District in Bangkok. The Immigration Bureau is expecting to expand the service to cover every area in the country but did not release a timeframe.

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Goongnang Suksawat
Goong Nang is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for five years. Specializes primarily in local news for Phuket, Pattaya, and also some national news, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English-speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket and Krabi except when commuting between the three.