Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.
Last updated on September 5, 2026
An extension of stay (การขออยู่ต่อในราชอาณาจักร, commonly called a visa extension or extension of temporary stay) is permission granted by the Immigration Bureau inside Thailand to remain beyond the date stamped on entry, applied for on form TM7 with a fee of 1,900 baht. The Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979) allows the competent official to extend a temporary stay, and police orders set the conditions for each purpose. It is the mechanism behind every long stay in Thailand: the visa gets the foreigner through the border, the extension keeps them there.
Table of Contents
What the extension is and where its rules sit
A visa is not a period of stay. The embassy’s sticker allows the holder to present themselves at the border; the officer then stamps a permitted stay (30 or 60 days on an exemption, 90 days on a single-entry non-immigrant visa). The extension of stay lengthens that stamp. The Act gives the discretion; police orders list the categories, documents and money required, which is why the 800,000 baht and 400,000 baht figures change by order rather than by statute.
Two families exist. Short extensions of 30 days are granted once on a visa exemption or tourist visa, and shorter ones on medical, humanitarian or departure grounds. One-year extensions are granted to holders of a non-immigrant visa for retirement (800,000 baht or 65,000 baht a month, age 50), marriage to a Thai (400,000 baht or 40,000 baht a month), employment with a work permit, study, or support of a Thai child, and are renewed each year on the same basis.
Applying at the immigration office
The application goes to the office for the province where the applicant lives, up to 30 days before the current stay expires (45 days at Chaeng Watthana in Bangkok), and filing early loses nothing because the new year runs from the old expiry date. The file is the TM7, one 4 x 6 cm photograph, the passport and signed copies, the TM30 receipt, proof of address, and the category evidence: bank letter and passbook, marriage certificate, work permit and company papers, or school letter.
Marriage and some employment applications are stamped under consideration for about 30 days before the year is granted. The extension is then followed by the 90-day report and, for any trip abroad, a re-entry permit of 1,000 or 3,800 baht, without which the extension is cancelled at departure. The common mistake is letting the stamp lapse by a day: an application filed after expiry is treated as an overstay, fined at 500 baht a day, and the yearly chain that permanent residency depends on is broken.
Extension, visa and change of status compared
| Step | Who grants it | Form and fee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | Thai embassy or e-Visa | Embassy fee | Right to seek entry |
| Change of visa status | Immigration Bureau | TM86 or TM87, 2,000 baht | New category, 90 days |
| Extension of stay | Immigration Bureau | TM7, 1,900 baht | Longer stay, up to one year |
| Re-entry permit | Immigration Bureau | TM8, 1,000 or 3,800 baht | Stay survives travel |
A change of status converts an exemption or tourist entry into a non-immigrant category inside Thailand, provided at least 15 days remain; it is not an extension, and the extension is applied for afterwards. Refusals are discretionary and recorded, and an applicant refused a one-year extension normally receives 7 days to leave. The practical remedy is a fresh application with a corrected file or a different category.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a visa extension cost in Thailand?
The fee for an extension of stay is 1,900 baht whatever the length, from the 30-day tourist extension to the one-year extension for retirement or marriage. A change of visa status, which is a different application, costs 2,000 baht, and a re-entry permit to protect the extension when travelling costs 1,000 baht for a single trip or 3,800 baht for multiple trips.
When should I apply for my extension of stay?
Within the 30 days before the current permitted stay expires, or 45 days at the Bangkok office on Chaeng Watthana Road. Applying early does not shorten anything, because the new period runs from the old expiry date. Applying after the expiry date is an overstay, fined at 500 baht a day, and the application may be refused.
What is the difference between a visa and an extension of stay in Thailand?
A visa is issued abroad by an embassy and only allows the holder to seek entry; the stay is set by the stamp at the border. An extension of stay is granted inside Thailand by the Immigration Bureau and lengthens that stamp, for 30 days on a tourist entry or one year at a time on a non-immigrant basis such as retirement, marriage or work.
See also: retirement visa, marriage visa, re-entry permit, financial requirement, the guide to the extension based on retirement and the Thai visa finder.
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