RaduAlex

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

If you exit Thailand without a reentry permit that will end your non O.

You could reenter visa exempt (border bounce) and receive 45 day stamp (after Oct 1) and apply for a non O with 800k in bank on the day you apply..

Subsequently obtain a 12 month extension 2 months later.

In other words ....start over. Not difficult. 

Minimum period for the bank statement is two months so I don't see how 45 days on visa exempt would work - or can I extend that stamp for 30 days again?

Yes but I know a lot if people who had no problem with renewals with a constant balance in the bank book for one month prior. Be that as it may, I will have to solve this without leaving the country as I would not be able to apply for retirement without a non-immigrant 0. It looks like I will have to pay 15-20k for a visa service just because of a drop of 500 Baht under 800k for one day.

Overstay has been categorically denied. I live in Khorat and immigration has undergone a major shake-up here. So it is more difficult to bend the rules even when they are new (this happened to me because it used to be one month prior to application not two).

Hello, I have a nasty problem. I entered with a Non-Immigrant 0 for three months to arrange a retirement visa. I had transferred the required 800k Baht. The balance slipped below 800k for 1 day on September 4th. My three months expire October 30th so that is too soon for a new bank statement on November 5th (Before you comment how foolish this has been - I knew I could not touch the amount three months after application, I did not know that I cannot touch it two months prior either).

I was told at immigration today that I can't arrange the one-year retirement visa because of this one problem. Does this mean that I have to use a visa service after all? Because if I leave the country, I lose the Non-Immigrant 0 status and won't be able to officially apply for retirement on another visa type. Thanks for the info.

BTW I can now say for sure that LMG's plan is the cheapest because all offers for 90 days are more expensive than their 1y long-stay plan.

It IS required when applying for a 90 day non-immigration 0 abroad, check your home country's Thai embassy website (Germany: http://german.thaiembassy.de/visaarten-und-erforderliche-unterlagen)

I will probably go with LMG as their one-year coverage is more than half cheaper than what AXA offered for 90 days. It should be good for the one-year renewal provided that the conditions don't change in the interim. Given my experience here in Germany, I will renew from inside Thailand from then on, as E-Visa has turned the process much more difficult.

18 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Arriving visa exempt as suggested seems the best option

Since I stayed during CoVid on a Volunteer visa (on suggestion by immigration themselves), I'm not sure if I would be admitted on visa exempt although I technically fulfill the requirements.

On your suggestion I inquired at LNG and received a quote for 6k on a 200k deductible which is less than half of what AXA offers for a 3-month-period. I'm just not sure if I can use a Longstay insurance if I'm applying for Non-O retirement. Non-0 requires a coverage of 90 days because that is the maximum time you're allowed on a single entry. So if I purchase insurance for long-stay, the embassy might ask why I'm not applying for O-A (which has become insanely difficult on E-Visa). This is indeed for applying from abroad. I can also enter on visa exempt and arrange it via a visa service in Thailand, but that costs 20k for the first 3 months and then 16k for the year extension.

Hello, I'm applying for a Non-Immigrant O retirement visa instead of an O-A because the requirements have become impossible to meet in my home country (Germany). I've asked AXA for an insurance quote for 90 days instead of a year and got 14k Baht. That seems a bit steep to me so does anyone know companies offering a better deal with the required 400k / 40k coverage?

Lots of phone calls later: I cannot apply for a Non-I OA, that requires residency. I can not apply for Non-I family as bi-national same-sex marriages are still not recognized (METV used to be a loophole for that one). I can only apply for the Non-I pensioner since I'm 50. It is hit-and-miss, though, as it is at the embassy's discretion to ask for a certificate of residency. Which is impossible to get in Germany if you're not actually moving here.

I've talked to a visa service here. I need a certificate of residence for ALL visa types including single entry. That's incredibly hard to arrange, if not impossible.

Can I enter on visa exempt if I've stayed in Thailand throughout CoVid? I never overstayed but have assumed that one needs a visa if one has spent a long time in-country.

Hi, it would seem that long-stay non-immigrant 0 is increasingly difficult to apply for once outside the country so I'm browsing for solutions.

First, the health certificate lists 5 rare conditions that ordinary doctors can hardly detect - Tuberculosis makes sense, but Lepra, Elephantiasis, tertiary Syphilis and Drug Addiction are all rather special or complex. I've been turned away by regular doctors and I've been turned away by health offices, so how does one get this done?

Second, the embassy asked verbally for a record of domicile, which I don't have because I stayed in Thailand throughout Covid. This is not under the official requirements but very difficult to solve (at least for German citizens like me). Because you can no longer register at a relative's address without actually living there since you need a "certificate of domicile" to register at local immigration. Anyone familiar with this problem who has found a solution?

Third, the declaration form. I'm almost resigned to apply for a tourist visa and go through a visa service back in Thailand because the process has become so difficult with Evisa. However, the wording is such that I could easily be refused simply because I stayed throughout Covid, although I have no red stamps and never overstayed ("Any false or misleading information maybe result in
the permanent visa refusal or the denial of entry into the Kingdom of Thailand"). My situation being that I'm partnered with a Thai citizen under German law, but cannot apply for a family visit non-0 because gay marriage is still not recognized.

Any tips would be appreciated, including hints to other threads which might provide that information.
 

While I'm happy for the slackers who were hoping for this development until the last second and got their prayers answered, I wonder how many others who used the ample time provided since July to get a proper visa feel cheated.

Bangkok Post reports extension will be confirmed tomorrow (I'm not allowed to post the link). This sucks though. Like most people I've worked things out in the ample time we had at our disposal. If they extend once more many people will just assume it'll happen again and again.

You should tell your neighbor to go to immigration ASAP and inquire about options... I picked up my visa today and another farang was told his only option was medical by now. Depending on another amnesty is really pushing it this time.

I picked up mine today. The processing time is 15 days indeed which means it's now too late. There was a farang who wanted to apply and from the looks of it he was turned down and advised to go for medical. As for the cost, I got mine from immigration DIRECTLY. I would advise to ask how to arrange this at immigration first BEFORE turning to an agent. It does make a difference.

I think this news confirms that a further amnesty extension is extremely unlikely: https://www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-to-resume-flights-to-bangkok-from-1-september/. They would not do this if they were not expecting return traffic from Bangkok, as there will be no tourism resumption even in October. Whatever may come then will be limited to Phuket.

On 7/29/2020 at 12:19 PM, Max69xl said:

"You also need a valid visa or a slip of paper from immigration in order to open a bank account."

This is not entirely correct. Several bank branches are ok with a tourist visa, some prefers the customer to be retired being on an extension. Everything depends on which bank or branch you go to. There's no "slip" from immigration. I guess you're thinking about a "Resident Certificate".  With a RC + passport you can open an account very easily at Bangkok Bank. That is one of their official requirements. 

I was told that in order to open a bank account ON AMNESTY, that is to say - no valid visa, as I wrote - , you need a confirmation from immigration that the account is for an application process. That's my province, though - I can only report what I am told at the place where I live.

To cheddarburger: I am in a similar situation to yours and asked immigration directly today if an early long-stay application is possible. They were very clear: No. You have to be 50+ a day in order to apply. You also need a valid visa or a slip of paper from immigration in order to open a bank account. That means if you're on amnesty, you need to be 50 plus 2 months in order to park the required 800k, unless the option with an international branch of Bangkok Bank works.

I was worried about a fall from the cliff until last weekend, but not anymore. They extended the emergency degree until end of July. The number of foreign workers from neighboring countries stuck in Thailand is in the 100,000s. There has been zero preparation for extraditing foreigners on overstay following July 31st. There is no plan for a reopening of land borders. So it really isn't a question IF they are going to extend the amnesty, but by how long. If several 10,000s of people are affected, it is much more likely that they'll keep the situation hanging in the air rather than play hardball.

From the phrasing of the TAT governor, it seems very unlikely that it will be possible to enter on a tourist visa before October. And even then, it sounds these will be for pre-booked packages in certain locations to avoid putting people through quarantine. So once out, it will almost certainly be very hard to get back in. And even if you find a job or register for a language course, there are multiple reports that a new visa from within the country can't be done. So the question is, will everyone on an expired visa be forced out within a grace period, risking a significant rise in overstayers, or will the amnesty be extended until borders reopen.