Zikomat

 So, it is already about 3 weeks since the escalation of the situation with Covid 19 virus in Thailand (since 15 of March, approximately). A lot of time. All we got until now, apart from several rumors, declarations and promises - the temporary "under consideration" stamps for 10-20 days each. I would not expect something to change drastically any time soon. If they really wanted to help us - they would do it long time ago. What looks most likely is that we will continue visiting the Immirgration offices once or twice a month, paying 1900 thb for each month and bringing new loads of papers with us on each visit.

7 minutes ago, richy2201 said:

If one is staying at a hotel, would it be  suffice for a receipt from Hotel for proof of address, as I guess bringing the hotel manager is a bit much.

 

Incidentally has anyone been to Buriram IO in the last few days to extend visa, specifically 30-day exempt (2nd extension)?

 

I have letter from Embassy, passport and money and will get letter / receipt from hotel I’ve been at for last few weeks. Anything else anyone would advise bringing?

 

Thank you

In Pattaya they will ask you to bring the letter from the hotel boss/manager in which he will guarantee your stay till the end of the extension period. It is quite possible you will not be asked for smth similar in Buriram.

Just now, DrJack54 said:

They make many exceptions. Example travelling to airport. That happened when the junta occurred. I was stopped after midnight. Just had to show pp and plane ticket.

They can do same for immigration matters

Yes, this scenario is quite possible. Much more likely than any kind of visa amnesty.

50 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Before all the covid-19. The 7 day stamp was not an extension. It was 7 days to leave. Some folk being given under consideration stamp with various number of days. You won't need pay another 1900 when you return. Thinking another 10 will be added when you return to imm.

Ridiculous rules for difficult times. People just shaking their heads. 

Currently in AU social gatherings have max TWO (yes 2) people. Then you have Thailand insisting people attend immigration not only once for an extension but twice. 

Can't make this stuff up.

I wonder what will happen when they impose 24 hour curfew? 
 

24 minutes ago, theVenerable said:

How convenient.. So they will have to charge me for a another 'consideration' after just 20 days.

I got exactly the same 20 days as you. Hope they will not make us pay again next time.

3 minutes ago, theVenerable said:

Got my visa extended today, but only by 20 days.
Embassy letter and all the other stuff included, so why only 20 days?

Thailand does not want us here. Lets oblige them and never come back

You probably got that ‘under consideration’ stamp. Same as many others here. Looks like they are still uncertain about how to treat us (those whose visas expired recently).

So at the end you got that 30 days extension. But to make things more complicated and the immigration office more crowded they made you visit twice. Great!

22 minutes ago, William Osborne said:

Surely the Embassies can step in and highlight this lunacy......I was down in Jomtien the other day and it was a mess..... queued for over an hour and then was turned away and told come next week.......it'll be a miracle if there is not a mass outbreak of Covid from one of the IO offices.....and then they'll blame the foreigners..

 

If I was a tourist with no ties here, i would just overstay, pay the fine at the airport and never come back.....

If the overstay is less than 90 days - nothing prevents you legally from coming back.

35 minutes ago, geisha said:

But  , those tourists should have left Thailand surely ? Before having problems with immigration. There were plenty of flights out of the country up to 2 weeks ago. ( I’m not criticizing just stating the obvious).

Nothing was obvious. Those are your personal speculations.

26 minutes ago, MagnumForce said:

Just to be 100% sure, are you talking about:

(a) a first 30 day extension to a 30-day visa exempt stamp;

or

(b) a second special Covid-19 30 day extension to a 30-day visa exempt stamp;

or

(c) a 30 day extension to a 60-day tourist visa which you obtained at a Thai Embassy or Consulate outside of Thailand?

(D) a second extension to a 60 day tourist visa and the first 30 day extension

most probably it is ‘b’ or ‘d’.
 

22 minutes ago, golfingjojo said:

thanks a lot for your kind reply.we have letter from embassy and we went again today.she said the owner of the house must accompany us at immigration.the owner is 74 bit disabled and are 3 hours from immigration.

Have you tried to explain to the Immigration the situation with the old and disabled owner? Maybe you could ask the owner to write a letter for the Immigration explaining his age and disability?

26 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

This only seems to cover people on tourist visas who will need the extension at the end of April or later so it really will not address the issue they say it will. The queues will still be crazy long, and the people who need emergency extensions due to Covid will still be in a difficult situation.

Let’s wait another week or two until those above will understand that their solution did not work. Then they will come up with something else.

I seriously doubt that the majority of people who were flocking to the Immigration offices recently were those who came to Thailand after 1 of March. Why will they visit the immigration if all of them have a lot of time left before their visa expires?

1 minute ago, DualSportBiker said:

 

"There is no need to Q at the immigration office en-masse as is happening right now. We know that about 5:00 or 5:40 in the morning around 300 q is already in place. The reason is because it is already in the pipeline that we will be granting the extension of visa permission to extend stays as an automatic renewal. I say that this is in the pipeline because this issue has been proposed and it has passed the cabinet meeting of Thailand on Tuesday, yesterday, and therefore it is in the pipeline and what has to happen now the the announcement, the ministerial-level announcement and the agency-level announcement to implement the cabinet decision. This is the visa flexibility the extension of visa stays for tourist visas who arrived after March 1, which I believe will be the majority of persons currently lining up to file their documents at the immigration bureau. But of course this is for the general population of people going on the Q for specific cases certain cases such as those who have other types of visas for extension, you may have to come to the immigration office."

 

There you have it! Tourists OK if after March 1, all others go fight it out with your local office!

 

 

 

I personally came to Thailand on 27 of December on 2 month tourist visa which I extended for one more month in the end of February. Why people like me are refused an automatic extension? Because, according to the government official, we are not the part of the majority cases? This is an absurd.

7 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

If you're a tourist who arrived after Mar. 1st, you'll be granted an automatic extension. Anyone else? No change in the process.

 

What about those who arrived before 1 of March? Looks like those who stayed longer than 1 month in Thailand are considered to be criminals who should be punished. But the typical tourist visa is for 2 months! These people are incurable.

So 2 weeks has passed from the original announcement and NOTHING was CLARIFIED. 

1 minute ago, nemo38 said:

I just [this morning] extended my 30 day tourist visa exempted stay for the first time in Pattaya.

 

No embassy letter needed.

 

Original letter from hotel saying I am there + one copy

Passport photo page (2 copies)

Entry stamp passport page with TM6 (slip of paper) (2 copies)

One photo

One application form which you complete (someone gave me one the day before, no idea where you get them)

1900 baht

 

Best be there before 8am to get it all done quickly.

 

You queue up and get your temperature taken at the door. Then you queue at the information desk, where they check your paperwork, and give you a ticket for a.desk. You will come back to the information desk for the ticket after the first desk.

 

You can get photocopies outside in a commercial store on the premises. That same store can fill in your paperwork if you pay them (I don't know the price).

 

You can get photocopies (3baht) and photographs (150 baht) inside the immigration office itself.

 

I got my first ticket for desk 10, then I got a ticket for desk 1, where they stamped my passport and took the money.

 

Between desk 10 and desk 1 I had to photocopy a slip of paper that my visit to desk 10 produced.

 

That was it. It took 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Have all your docs and photos ready and get there before 8am and you can have time.

 

 

 

I suppose that was your FIRST EXTENSION. Things are much more complicated when it comes to the SECOND EXTENSION.

28 minutes ago, DualSportBiker said:

Live: Sorry - waste of time. Nothing about immigration....

5 minutes ago, malboro said:

My visa ends on 3rd of april. Was just gonna go to extend my visa at chaeng watthana immigration. But I dont know, with my luck. If I extend it today; they will have a free extension for everyone tomorrow.

I would not bet on that ‘free extension’ any time soon.