Staying in Thailand without violating immigration laws

       There are many cases of foreigners wishing to enter Thailand, but how can they be sure they’re not breaking immigration laws?

       The laws specify a set of criteria for the purpose of entering the Kingdom temporarily, according to Section 34 of the Immigration Act 1979, such as tourism, doing business, study visits, or even foreigners who want to stay in Thailand long-term or want to retire here.

       The Director-General of the Immigration Department or a competent official assigned by the Director-General  will consider granting permission to stay in Thailand under certain conditions, such as participating in sporting events or traveling through the Kingdom, with permission to stay in Thailand for no more than 30 days; general tourism is allowed for no more than 90 days; and no more than 2 years is allowed in the case of investment that has been approved by the relevant ministry, sub-ministry, or department. 

       But in case the foreigner has reason to stay in Thailand for more than the specified period, they must request permission to continue to temporarily stay in Thailand; the Director-General shall consider granting an extension of stay. In this case, applicants must submit an application form and pay fees as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations. While waiting for the order, the foreigner is allowed to stay in Thailand for the time being. Importantly, foreigners are allowed to stay in Thailand temporarily.  If there are circumstances that warrant revocation of the permission to stay in Thailand, the Director-General or the committee has the power to revoke the permission granted. 

       Foreigners who are permitted to stay in Thailand more than 90 days must report their residence to the Immigration Office staff every 90 days. And foreigners over 50 years old who want to stay in Thailand for a long time must apply for a retirement visa, in accordance with the specified regulations.

Source : Department of Consular Affairs
Tel : +66 2575 1034