Possible to extend stay on APEC card without leaving?

[Stuck01]

Currently in Thailand with an APEC card issued from Hong Kong (British Passport). The stamp in my passport says April 20th. With current situation unfolding I don't particularly want to leave Thailand.

 

Is it possible to extend by 30 or 60 days like you might with a tourist visa?

 

If not possible and I have to leave is there any suggestions on where I could bounce in and out using the APEC card?

[jasonsamui55]

I'm in the same boat, also on HK APEC card with Irish passport. My stamp says April 27th.  I posted and asked about this a few days ago and someone responded and said you must get a letter from your embassy and then you can take that to local immigration and get a 30 day extension, but I have heard from someone else that the embassies will only provide such a letter if and after you have obtained a normal 30 day extension added on to your 90 days, which I still don't yet know if it is possible to have such a 30 day extension added to a 90 daye special APEC non exempt entry.  If someone knows, that would be super helpful, otherwise one will have to go to the local immigration office and ask, but be sure to allow for enough time.  I think you should request the letter from your embassy about 20 days before your entry stamp date.

[Maestro]

You must leave Thailand not later than 27 April. Then you can travel to Thailand again if and when you need to and get a new permission to stay for 90 days if your APEC visa is still valid.

[Stuck01]

On 3/18/2020 at 11:25 AM, jasonsamui55 said:

I'm in the same boat, also on HK APEC card with Irish passport. My stamp says April 27th.  I posted and asked about this a few days ago and someone responded and said you must get a letter from your embassy and then you can take that to local immigration and get a 30 day extension, but I have heard from someone else that the embassies will only provide such a letter if and after you have obtained a normal 30 day extension added on to your 90 days, which I still don't yet know if it is possible to have such a 30 day extension added to a 90 daye special APEC non exempt entry.  If someone knows, that would be super helpful, otherwise one will have to go to the local immigration office and ask, but be sure to allow for enough time.  I think you should request the letter from your embassy about 20 days before your entry stamp date.

I ended up just going out and in yesterday (Cambodia), didn't want to risk getting stuck. There was no issues at airport returning but make sure and grab that app before you fly and do the T8 form and then it's a breeze.

Edited March 19, 2020 by Stuck01

[jasonsamui55]

Thanks. I’m glad it all worked out for you. I don’t want to have to leave if I don’t have to. I think the recycled air on the planes is probably the worst thing I want to experience at the moment. I have confirmed with the Irish Consulate that I first need to get a normal 30 day extension, and after that if I need to stay longer I can request the letter from the Irish Consulate if I give them about 20 days notice for them to post it to my house and then I can get an additional 30 days beyond that, so that will take me until approximately June 27. Hopefully by then things will have smoothed over around the world. Are usually commute weekly between Hong Kong Vietnam and Thailand but now seem to be stuck.

[Stuck01]

16 minutes ago, jasonsamui55 said:

Thanks. I’m glad it all worked out for you. I don’t want to have to leave if I don’t have to. I think the recycled air on the planes is probably the worst thing I want to experience at the moment. I have confirmed with the Irish Consulate that I first need to get a normal 30 day extension, and after that if I need to stay longer I can request the letter from the Irish Consulate if I give them about 20 days notice for them to post it to my house and then I can get an additional 30 days beyond that, so that will take me until approximately June 27. Hopefully by then things will have smoothed over around the world. Are usually commute weekly between Hong Kong Vietnam and Thailand but now seem to be stuck.

Good luck! Hope it all works out.

[Stuck01]

It would seem embassies are giving out letters to get 30 day extensions now.

Does anyone know which desk at CW you would go to with the letter to get the extension on an APEC card?

A for 90 days, B for residing aliens and K for Tourist visa - which one applicable for APEC?

I did go out and in and have until June now, but rather than new posts get created we can keep it in one post for APEC.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Stuck01

[Fromas]

Bump. Same question in this "new normal."

[ThaiApec]

On 3/19/2020 at 12:05 PM, jasonsamui55 said:

Thanks. I’m glad it all worked out for you. I don’t want to have to leave if I don’t have to. I think the recycled air on the planes is probably the worst thing I want to experience at the moment. I have confirmed with the Irish Consulate that I first need to get a normal 30 day extension, and after that if I need to stay longer I can request the letter from the Irish Consulate if I give them about 20 days notice for them to post it to my house and then I can get an additional 30 days beyond that, so that will take me until approximately June 27. Hopefully by then things will have smoothed over around the world. Are usually commute weekly between Hong Kong Vietnam and Thailand but now seem to be stuck.

Hi T, I got the same problem as you guys now (in 2022) ... are you saying that the Immigration could give you first a 30 days extension without any letter from your Embassy (after your 90 days APEC visa entry) ... and the letter of your Embassy is needed only if you want to stay longer than 30 days ? In that case; what kind of letter (letter content) should the Embassy issue for you ? Thanks for your clarification.

 

[jasonsamui55]

On 2/19/2022 at 11:17 AM, ThaiApec said:

Hi T, I got the same problem as you guys now (in 2022) ... are you saying that the Immigration could give you first a 30 days extension without any letter from your Embassy (after your 90 days APEC visa entry) ... and the letter of your Embassy is needed only if you want to stay longer than 30 days ? In that case; what kind of letter (letter content) should the Embassy issue for you ? Thanks for your clarification.

 

Sorry, I left Thailand and Asia in general almost 2 years ago. I really have no idea now. Good luck.

[BritTim]

On 2/19/2022 at 5:17 PM, ThaiApec said:

Hi T, I got the same problem as you guys now (in 2022) ... are you saying that the Immigration could give you first a 30 days extension without any letter from your Embassy (after your 90 days APEC visa entry) ... and the letter of your Embassy is needed only if you want to stay longer than 30 days ? In that case; what kind of letter (letter content) should the Embassy issue for you ? Thanks for your clarification.

 

While I cannot state this as definitive, all sources state that an entry using an ABTC is a business entry. It is not a visa exempt tourist entry. I do not believe that it would be eligible for a tourist extension. However, if you qualify for Non Immigrant extensions, these might be possible.

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, BritTim said:

While I cannot state this as definitive, all sources state that an entry using an ABTC is a business entry. It is not a visa exempt tourist entry. I do not believe that it would be eligible for a tourist extension. However, if you qualify for Non Immigrant extensions, these might be possible.

This popup for Muang Thong Thani that comes up when opening the Immigration Division 1 website does show the APEC card for extensions at Counter K. He may be able to apply for a 60 day covid 19 extension.

 

Source: https://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/home_en/