Phuket Immigration extends permits to stay for foreigners stuck in Thailand

[Matzzon]

40 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

Good idea. Please just wait then. 

It will certainly be a relief to many of us here. 

Your unfailing support of IO policies is duly noted and your gold stars should arrive soon by direct courier. 

I have no support for the Immigration rules and policies. There are much that could be changed to the better. However, I´ve chosen to live in this particular foreign country, and then I suppose I just have to take what´s coming to me and deal with it like a man. Not like a wining little baby.

 

I am also sorry to say, but if somebody would deliver anything I do not need at the moment. I have taken preventive measures to not accept anything more than absolutely necessary in regard to preventing spreading the virus.

[Matzzon]

56 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

Help is a relative tetm

Throwing out a length of razor wire to help a drowning man is a mixed blessing to him. 

 

It takes two weeks or more to get an appointment at the US embassy, a trip to Bangkok for at least two days, and $160 fee. And no guarantee at all that you'll get what you need. They won't talk to you on the phone. 

 

They would probably say I'm free to return home now, but we know how that will turn out and how long it could be before I can return. So they won't give me a letter. 

 

The Thai IO could simply grant a 30 day extension to all comers who have a visa now. There is no downside for them. 

 

That would be truly helpful. 

 

The current offer of help now is total nonsense even if not made cynically. 

 

Countries around the world are cutting down on ridiculous regulations and delays that never should have existed to begin with.

 

Thailand is doing the opposite. 

Throwing a razor wire to a drowning man, was a little bit too much, but I understand your point. Sure, things could have been made much more easy but now they are now. What is a person going to do? Complain or take care of business? I am also pretty sure that immigration soon will realize it´s not easy to get the letter, and loosen up on that restriction. They do not want people to overstay either.

Regarding your embassy, and that they would tell you that you are free to return home at present time. Then they mean now and not wait until it becomes impossible. An idiot can understand that. What is the problem then? Isn´t it just to put yourself on a plane and go home?

[allencraig]

35 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Throwing a razor wire to a drowning man, was a little bit too much, but I understand your point. Sure, things could have been made much more easy but now they are now. What is a person going to do? Complain or take care of business? I am also pretty sure that immigration soon will realize it´s not easy to get the letter, and loosen up on that restriction. They do not want people to overstay either.

Regarding your embassy, and that they would tell you that you are free to return home at present time. Then they mean now and not wait until it becomes impossible. An idiot can understand that. What is the problem then? Isn´t it just to put yourself on a plane and go home?

My only interjection here is that some people (I think it's not just me) don't consider our country of origin our "home". All my stuff is here (what little I have). I have no place to go if I were to spend the money on a flight back to the U.S. And for what? To sit in social isolation in some overpriced hotel somewhere while thinking about the money lost just to come here? Just saying that for some of us it's a bit of a catch-22.

[Psimbo]

Make that TEN pages of drivel and handbags. If you are in PHUKET and affected by this PLEASE raise your hand.

 

Anyone, anyone, Bueller, Bueller, anyone? Nope, didn't think so.

[Matzzon]

33 minutes ago, allencraig said:

My only interjection here is that some people (I think it's not just me) don't consider our country of origin our "home". All my stuff is here (what little I have). I have no place to go if I were to spend the money on a flight back to the U.S. And for what? To sit in social isolation in some overpriced hotel somewhere while thinking about the money lost just to come here? Just saying that for some of us it's a bit of a catch-22.

Right, sure it´s a problem. But for a person to consider Thailand as home, and for it to possibly be considered as a home a person need a visa that works for the situation. In that case it is not a problem. A person like that do not have to leave. They can just go to immigration and extend their stay.

The only time that can be a catch-22, is when people are trying to make Thailand their home on tourist visas. They are not designed for people who want to make Thailand their home. It´s just sad that we needed a virus outbreak for people to realize that long time standing fact.

Can sound very hard and evil, but this is nothing new. It has been known for years now. As well as, many people do not believe this, I feel sympathy with person in that terrible situation it´s just not the way it´s supposed to be. Maybe they have GF and even children. That´s is horrible, but then it´s just must to get the visa designed for that. Then all the problems with your mentioned catch-22 disappears.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Matzzon

[Matzzon]

30 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Make that TEN pages of drivel and handbags. If you are in PHUKET and affected by this PLEASE raise your hand.

 

Anyone, anyone, Bueller, Bueller, anyone? Nope, didn't think so.

First, this is a forum made for discussions. Second, it´s a news article that comes in the news section and also being moved to Phuket news section. Third, a lot that regards Phuket immigration also has to do with the rest of us.

 

So, now you can go on and read the next 10 pages of drivel and see if you find something interesting that catches you interest. Have a nice day, Sir! ???? 

[allencraig]

3 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Right, sure it´s a problem. But for a person to consider Thailand as home, and for it to possibly be considered as a home a person need a visa that works for the situation. In that case it is not a problem. A person like that do not have to leave. They can just go to immigration and extend their stay.

The only time that can be a catch-22, is when people are trying to make Thailand their home on tourist visas. They are not designed for people who want to make Thailand their home. It´s just sad that we needed a virus outbreak for people to realize that long time standing fact.

Can sound very hard and evil, but this is nothing new. It has been known for years now. As well as, many people do not believe this, I feel sympathy with person in that terrible situation it´s just not the way it´s supposed to be. Maybe they have GF and even children. That´s is horrible, but then it´s just must to get the visa designed for that. Then all the problems with your mentioned catch-22 disappears.

All true. But you're making a bit of an assumption in my case. I had been employed here by a Thai company. But I recently left that position and while looking for a new one I'm forced to be on tourist visas. So at the moment I can't simply just "get the right visa".

[gk10002000]

23 hours ago, Canuck1966 said:

 

any foreigners seeking to extend their stay must have

“The letter must be from the embassy or consulate requesting that the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau allow the foreigner to stay in the country longer. It must name the foreigner and it must have the sentence that the foreigner is unable to travel due to the COVID-19 coronvirus situation,” Lt Col Udom said.

"It must be an actual letter, to be hand over with a copy of their passport at the Phuket Immigration Office during office hours,” he said.

so a person would have to travel to Bangkok to their embassy, which flies in the face of shelter in place.  Then what guarantees that anybody's embassy would actually issue such a letter?  My USA embassy does not work for me nor do what I say

[allencraig]

1 minute ago, gk10002000 said:

so a person would have to travel to Bangkok to their embassy, which flies in the face of shelter in place.  Then what guarantees that anybody's embassy would actually issue such a letter?  My USA embassy does not work for me nor do what I say

There IS a guarantee of sorts: that the embassy will NOT issue you a letter. I've been in recent contact with the US embassy here in BKK, and they don't even take appointments anymore.

[Matzzon]

3 minutes ago, allencraig said:

All true. But you're making a bit of an assumption in my case. I had been employed here by a Thai company. But I recently left that position and while looking for a new one I'm forced to be on tourist visas. So at the moment I can't simply just "get the right visa".

Sorry, not my meaning at all. i didn´t mean to touch anything that made me look like assuming something in your particular case. I was only speaking generally for the whole situation.

Your case can look hard at the moment. Did you leave, or did your work end? If you left by yourself, you had the option to find a work before leaving. That would have solved your problem. Anyway, you stand without work and need to live on tourist visas. How long do you expect it to take before you find new work?

Your best option would have been to take a trip home when you left your work, and got a METV then you would have been ok. Now I assume you live on SETV? That´s hard right now, but I am pretty sure, or at least believe, that they will make an opportunity for all foreigner that are truly stuck in Thailand to extend. Otherwise your only option is to go home. Probably sucks, and I understand it. I sincerely hope it works out for you. ???? 

[Max69xl]

14 hours ago, sambum said:

To roll out the old chestnut - what applies at PHUKET Immigration Office should apply to every Immigration Office!

Try to understand that the reason Phuket immigration went out with this is the amount of tourists there. It's not the same everywhere. Almost every tourist can get a 30 days extension without any embassy letter. Cost: ฿1900

[Max69xl]

7 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

so a person would have to travel to Bangkok to their embassy, which flies in the face of shelter in place.  Then what guarantees that anybody's embassy would actually issue such a letter?  My USA embassy does not work for me nor do what I say

You can get a 30 days extension at every local immigration office without any embassy letter if you're on a 30 days Visa exempt or a tourist visa. Unless you've already used that option.

[allencraig]

7 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Sorry, not my meaning at all. i didn´t mean to touch anything that made me look like assuming something in your particular case. I was only speaking generally for the whole situation.

Your case can look hard at the moment. Did you leave, or did your work end? If you left by yourself, you had the option to find a work before leaving. That would have solved your problem. Anyway, you stand without work and need to live on tourist visas. How long do you expect it to take before you find new work?

Your best option would have been to take a trip home when you left your work, and got a METV then you would have been ok. Now I assume you live on SETV? That´s hard right now, but I am pretty sure, or at least believe, that they will make an opportunity for all foreigner that are truly stuck in Thailand to extend. Otherwise your only option is to go home. Probably sucks, and I understand it. I sincerely hope it works out for you. ???? 

This is what I keep saying: Although I'm a citizen by birth, the US is not my "home". I'd have nowhere to go, I've been living abroad for over 10 years (with only the last eight months in Thailand.)

I had the ME work visa up until end of March. I have no idea how long it will take to land a new job, but I'm sending out CVs like crazy and have interviewed here and there. So I'm playing the timing game between work and visa. I simply don't have the thousands of dollars it would require to pack up and fly off to the US and wait things out in a hotel room. 

 

Ok, anyway. Thanks for the well-wishes. Things are screwe up here for a lot of folks in every country. In the end, everything does work out, one way or another.

[allencraig]

10 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

You can get a 30 days extension at every local immigration office without any embassy letter if you're on a 30 days Visa exempt or a tourist visa. Unless you've already used that option.

This has always been the case, virus or no. The problems begin after you've already received that one extension.

[phuketrichard]

18 hours ago, flexomike said:

How many embassies are issuing letters, I know the American Embassy has shut down there appointment system as of today, so how are you going to get a letter to satisfy immigration

plus would entail getting a flight up and back to bangkok to be told, "sorry, we are unable to issue this letter?

 

[vermin on arrival]

21 hours ago, allencraig said:

What's interesting is that just yesterday the US embassy replied to my inquiry about this letter and was rebuffed and told:

"On March 18, 2020, the Royal Thai Government's (RTG) Bureau of Immigration issued a directive which authorizes immigration officials to approve extensions of stay not exceeding 30 days for certain foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens. The extension of stay, granted at the discretion of the immigration officer, may be granted if the applicant is deemed a person affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The U.S Embassy has formally requested that flexibility be shown by Royal Thai immigration officers to U.S. citizens in Thailand who are affected by travel restrictions. "

So do you think when Americans go to CW we will be treated with lenience and compassion as a group?

[allencraig]

4 hours ago, vermin on arrival said:

So do you think when Americans go to CW we will be treated with lenience and compassion as a group?

That's what the person from the embassy tells me. They supposedly have an official agreement with the government that allows immigration officers to give extensions—but it's up to each officers' discretion. That's the part that makes me nervous. But there's really no choice. We're not getting letters.

[vermin on arrival]

10 minutes ago, allencraig said:

That's what the person from the embassy tells me. They supposedly have an official agreement with the government that allows immigration officers to give extensions—but it's up to each officers' discretion. That's the part that makes me nervous. But there's really no choice. We're not getting letters.

I sure hope so. I am going to CW on Tuesday.

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post (incomprehensible post) and the reply to it.

[Monkeyrobot]

You would think with no Tourists coming here they would want you to stay and help support the economy by spending money , staying in hotels that are now empty. But then again this is Thai Way of thinking, make more money on overstay fines. 

[stevenl]

On 3/20/2020 at 12:02 PM, stevenl said:

It would be even better if immigration issued a directive on how to handle this, in stead of letting local offices doing their own thing.

Glad to see my wish fulfilled,

 

[vermin on arrival]

56 minutes ago, bangkokboy888 said:

I will go to chang Wattana on Monday and report back what they tell me. 

 

BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TOPIC: Has this successfully worked for anyone? Can anyone share their successful experience? 

Yes thank you. I will go Tuesday, and will also report. I think it will be crazy when you go there.

[Maestro]

On 3/22/2020 at 8:02 AM, vermin on arrival said:

Yes thank you. I will go Tuesday, and will also report. I think it will be crazy when you go there.

 

If you are a US national, be sure to bring along the embassy letter. I see that are issuing now:

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1155116-immigration-is-allowing-30-day-extensions-of-entries-memorandum-dated-1803/?do=findComment&comment=15196136

[allencraig]

2 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

If you are a US national, be sure to bring along the embassy letter. I see that are issuing now:

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1155116-immigration-is-allowing-30-day-extensions-of-entries-memorandum-dated-1803/?do=findComment&comment=15196136

That's not a letter provide to US citizens. It's an announcement letter intended for Thai officials. I was told directly via email that the embassy is not giving letters to US citizens to extend their visa because of the pandemic. (Even if they did, they aren't taking any appointments now anyway.)

[bloodyholly]

Phuket Immigration confirms B500 a day overstay fines are being levied

By snoop1130,  15 hours ago in Phuket News