sallecc Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 55 minutes ago, KhaoYai said: Have you not seen the news from Emirates? They are stopping ALL flights on 25 March. I can see the others following very soon. It seems they retracted the news shortly (reminds me of some government we know, ehm ???? ) and then announced that they will stop "most" of the flights and still keep some destinations, at the moment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treetops Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 2 minutes ago, sallecc said: It seems they retracted the news shortly (reminds me of some government we know, ehm ???? ) and then announced that they will stop "most" of the flights and still keep some destinations, at the moment... I was about to say the same, but while I looked for the source to quote I found out that the UAE government has now banned all passengers, including transit ones, so Emirates flights appear to be off again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 1 hour ago, theVenerable said: Just returned from a huge queue at Immigration Office in Jomtien. When I eventually got to talk to someone at a desk, they told me they are offering SEVEN DAY EXTENSIONS ONLY - at cost of 1900 Baht. I did not even qualify for that, due to not having any cancelled flights, and being able to travel to UK. I tried to argue my case of having nowhere to stay when I arrive in UK, but no avail. Waited and talked briefly to another guy at a desk.. just a flat out 'No' was the answer. So if you are from UK and your have no proof of a cancelled flight, I'd say you will not get an extension. If you do have a cancelled flight, you might get a 7 day extension for 1900Baht. That's my story.. I hope others' experiences at least don't conflict with mine then we at least know the situation. What use is 7 days to anyone @ubonjoe i thought 30 day extensions were available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 16 hours ago, scubascuba3 said: What use is 7 days to anyone @ubonjoe i thought 30 day extensions were available? The 30 day extension are possible but what is required to get one depends upon the type of visa you have. See the topic about the 30 day extensions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhaoYai Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 1 hour ago, treetops said: I was about to say the same, but while I looked for the source to quote I found out that the UAE government has now banned all passengers, including transit ones, so Emirates flights appear to be off again! I've not heard anything from Etihad as yet but if the UAE have banned all flights - that would include them too. Bad news for anyone trying to get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theVenerable Posted March 23, 2020 Author Share Posted March 23, 2020 (edited) 9 hours ago, ubonjoe said: The 30 day extension are possible but what is required to get one depends upon the type of visa you have. Se the topic about the 30 day extensions. I'm not sure what my visa is called. I just got 30 day visa on arrival at the airport. Then extended once at the local immigration office. Whatever category that is, they are only issuing 7 day extensions at a time - for the usual monthly fee! (IF your flight has been cancelled). Edited March 23, 2020 by theVenerable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck1966 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Etihad flights cancelled https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8143977/Coronavirus-British-tourists-travellers-abroad-told-return-UK-NOW.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailUK Looking grim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck1966 Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Looks like I'm stuck here for the foreseeable future,F&%K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritTim Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 4 hours ago, theVenerable said: I'm not sure what my visa is called. I just got 30 day visa on arrival at the airport. Then extended once at the local immigration office. Whatever category that is, they are only issuing 7 day extensions at a time - for the usual monthly fee! (IF your flight has been cancelled). You did not have a visa. You were allowed into Thailand as a tourist without a visa. This is called "visa exemption" or "visa exempt entry". When they deny an extension, and only give you seven days to leave the country, this is a one time process. Talk to your immigration office again and ask them what they need to give you a 30-day extension based on your inability to travel due to Covid-19. Do it early today. You have the potential to end up in a world of hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theVenerable Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 On 3/24/2020 at 5:16 AM, BritTim said: You did not have a visa. You were allowed into Thailand as a tourist without a visa. This is called "visa exemption" or "visa exempt entry". When they deny an extension, and only give you seven days to leave the country, this is a one time process. Talk to your immigration office again and ask them what they need to give you a 30-day extension based on your inability to travel due to Covid-19. Do it early today. You have the potential to end up in a world of hurt. The British embassy were unhelpful last time I emailed them. I gave them a list of issues, they just gave me a copied and pasted canned response, only addressing 'If your flights are not cancelled, you must leave' I have a flight booked back to the UK for the 28th. Lets see if It's cancelled. Maybe I'll be quarantined, maybe I won't even be allowed to travel to the BKK airport from Pattaya now due to Thailand possibly locking down too. I've nowhere to go if I get back to the UK anyway.. Will see if my credit card can stretch to renting somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJack54 Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 UK have updated their letter. Reposts today (25th) of success and not showing cancelled flight. Info available in couple of threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treetops Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 24 minutes ago, theVenerable said: I have a flight booked back to the UK for the 28th. Lets see if It's cancelled. Who is it with? 24 minutes ago, theVenerable said: I've nowhere to go if I get back to the UK anyway.. Where were you planning to live when you left Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 (edited) Last night I applied for a evisa for cambodia, and received it this morning. I have a flight with Thai tonight which is (fingers crossed) still not cancelled according to their website, where it is being regularly updated with other flights being cancelled, including the same flight on Saturday. I see there is still one on Friday which you could try. This would give you enough time to get the visa. I was willing to try the VOA too, as it doesnt appear to have been suspended for us, but- 24 hours is a long time right now. If Thai doesnt work for you, Cambodia Airways operates a flight tomorrow night at about 9pm which is still operational. You dont want to be in England right now! Edited March 25, 2020 by OxfordWill clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theVenerable Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 10 hours ago, treetops said: Who is it with? Where were you planning to live when you left Thailand? Please skip to the section marked ** anyone who doesn't want to hear my life story. 'Where were you planning to live when you left Thailand?' My father, but he has bad lungs, no way I'm staying with him after travelling. My Brother, but his wife and kids are self isolating. I like to spend time in Asia, go back to UK sometimes, make money and then repeat. I stay at my fathers a few weeks, then maybe my brothers and work with him.. or then get a place to rent when I have enough cash to. Borders are usually open globally, so can hop around when I'm not in UK. Now all of those options are out the window. Can't do visa runs. Can't stay in UK and make money living with family first before I then rent my own place (or travel again) - I'd need to quarantine myself first. Sorry to bore people with all that.. but I'm getting too many questions and even accusations about why I'm not already back in UK. ** The flight is with Hong Kong Airlines (BKK to HK) then British airways (HK to LHR). I ordered through ebookers. But I've now discovered that Hong Kong is not allowing transfer flights through there. So, my flight is not cancelled.. BUT I can't use it anyway. Tried to call Ebookers but they aren't answering. Why the hell are Ebookers advertising this flight... So I can't get any cancellation proof, I've nowhere to go, and I've just wasted another 560 pounds that I can't get my hands on in times of need. How can I book another flight (they are about a thousand pounds now) when I can't get my hands on the money I've spent on wasted flights already. I doubt the British embassy will listen to me, they didn't last time I tried - just sent me a canned response about proof of cancellations. Thai Immigration certainly don't give you enough time to explain yourself before they just send you on your way. I tried to do it legit.. but it didn't get me anywhere. Just what the heck and I supposed to do now? Can anybody give me some good news that is actually true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theVenerable Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 I contacted British Airways directly... Apparently I should get an email within 24 hours confirming the cancelled flight. Then at least I can get a 7 day extension on my visa exempt or whatever it's called. Can anyone link that guide I'm sure I'm saw earlier with the steps on how to apply and show proof of cancelled flight? Thanks Hopefully Thai Immigration will start giving 30 days to everyone. 7 days is silly, and expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 3 hours ago, theVenerable said: I contacted British Airways directly... Apparently I should get an email within 24 hours confirming the cancelled flight. Then at least I can get a 7 day extension on my visa exempt or whatever it's called. Can anyone link that guide I'm sure I'm saw earlier with the steps on how to apply and show proof of cancelled flight? Thanks Hopefully Thai Immigration will start giving 30 days to everyone. 7 days is silly, and expensive. If you run out of options then overstay less than a year pay 20k baht when you leave, you will be banned for a year but spend time in other countries instead. Not ideal but we are in the middle of a disaster movie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob29 Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 On 3/23/2020 at 1:21 PM, theVenerable said: Is it still possible to enter Cambodia by land or air? Stay in Cambodia for a month or two is fine with me I think Cambodia is open, just not sure I'd want to get stuck there if things go downhill significantly. I'm thinking about the potential for lawlessness more than anything, for those impacted by job losses. What about Japan? As far as I can tell they're still accepting arrivals (which kind of surprises me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theVenerable Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share Posted March 26, 2020 4 hours ago, scubascuba3 said: If you run out of options then overstay less than a year pay 20k baht when you leave, you will be banned for a year but spend time in other countries instead. Not ideal but we are in the middle of a disaster movie I was told that if the cops stop and check me while I'm overstaying I can get jailed. Doesn't sound very legal to me. If have they changed policy due to the virus? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubascuba3 Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 4 minutes ago, theVenerable said: I was told that if the cops stop and check me while I'm overstaying I can get jailed. Doesn't sound very legal to me. If have they changed policy due to the virus? I've not seen any change to the rules, if they get you before you leave the country then it's a 5 year ban if less than a year overstay. Try your best to get the 30 day visa. The embassy are issuing letters now, taking a few days, another thread currently running has the email Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billthekiwi Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 The Venerable. I understand your position. But I have to say that doing a border run at all from even 14 days ago was very foolish and is now in fact dangerous to the entire community here in Thailand. What if you become infected and share it? Even one death is too many. It is not worth it. Please don't even consider it. I have a wife and child who are not Thais but also not from NZ. I will not desert them at a time like this. Ever. So I am forced to stay here even when it's the last place that I want to be. When we do escape I don't expect to ever return, not even for a holiday. The famous Minister of Health did it for me. I'll keep my dirty self out of Thailand. I need a 90 day tourist visa for my wife and daughter in NZ without the need to have a return or onward flight but can I get an answer? Not a chance from the lacklustre government officials who seem to have abandoned me. In another 3 months no one may be flying anywhere. We could worry about what next in 3 months. Last year in August we applied for a spouse visa but we are still waiting on that too. If you can leave perhaps you should take the chance because at least your healthcare will be free should you need it. Me I will need to pay 5700 baht per month for the privilege of staying when I'm not wanted. At least I have a cancelled air ticket to China that I can use. Best of luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ventenio Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 it's pretty clear. this guy wants to stay in LOS for as long as possible, and doesn't want to go home for whatever reason. maybe there is no home there......or not that much cash. who cares. not my business. so you try to get a letter from embassy. no, ok. then you go immigration. nothing. ok. then you wait for borders to open and you leave, pay whatever, and come back in when it's possible. expect maybe 20,000 baht in fines and no ban. stress, of course, we all have it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4evermaat Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 @theVenerable you can now get the letter from British embassy. They have specific emails setup for you to apply. I would advise to do so and then head to your local immigration office and request 30 day extension of stay for covid-19. BTW, not sure if you mentioned what type of entry you were on now. What type of visa did you last enter on? when does the permission to stay expire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theVenerable Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share Posted March 26, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, 4evermaat said: @theVenerable you can now get the letter from British embassy. They have specific emails setup for you to apply. I would advise to do so and then head to your local immigration office and request 30 day extension of stay for covid-19. BTW, not sure if you mentioned what type of entry you were on now. What type of visa did you last enter on? when does the permission to stay expire? Visa exempt tourist entry thing. Expires on 28th. I emailed and applied for the support letter for 30 day extension. Haven't received a reply yet. So I will have to wait, and go to immigration in Monday. My visa will already be expired by that time. Edited March 26, 2020 by theVenerable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmjam Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 Im in the same boat, my exempt is up on april 3rd, but i have kids here so hopefully i can apply for 60 days extention. Then after that get the embassy letter if there is one and get another 30 days. Im hoping at least a couple borders will open in a few months,if i not i will try another embassy letter then. Or do something i dont want to really do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chivas Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 I'm lost here (it does happen) Why would anyone do a border run because you cant now come back into Thailand lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theVenerable Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share Posted March 26, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Ventenio said: it's pretty clear. this guy wants to stay in LOS for as long as possible, and doesn't want to go home for whatever reason. maybe there is no home there......or not that much cash. who cares. not my business. so you try to get a letter from embassy. no, ok. then you go immigration. nothing. ok. then you wait for borders to open and you leave, pay whatever, and come back in when it's possible. expect maybe 20,000 baht in fines and no ban. stress, of course, we all have it. I explained before, I'm not going to bore people again with my life story. I have actually booked a flight anyway. The agency screwed up though. Flight goes from BKK to Hong Kong. then Hong Kong to London. Hong Kong are not accepting any transfer flights though. So for me it's useless. Cant seem to get any money back from agency either can't even speak to them. I could just cancel the flight and use the credit later with the same airline. Can't fork out another grand on another flight that's for sure. Can't even show Immigration proof of cancellation because it;s not cancelled ! Best I can do is wait for the Embassy support letter and try to get 30 days extension .. By that time I will already have overstayed my visa, so maybe they wont even give me an extension. Would trying to extend my visa after overstaying a few days prove fruitless? even dangerous for me ? So yes, maybe best to just overstay and don't bother doing anything.. Pay the fine wen I leave and hopefully not get arrested.. Happy days. Edited March 26, 2020 by theVenerable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maestro Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 Apply for your extension despite your short overstay. The immigration official usually allows it, but you pay the overstay fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theVenerable Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share Posted March 26, 2020 2 minutes ago, Maestro said: Apply for your extension despite your short overstay. The immigration official usually allows it, but you pay the overstay fine. As long at that doesn't mess me up.. So that I cant then over stay longer if I have too.. Wiss wondering if it was better to just not see them anymore and overstay. In case turning up at the IO after a few days overstay buggers me up in anyway. No guarantees I guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artiz Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 29 minutes ago, theVenerable said: As long at that doesn't mess me up.. So that I cant then over stay longer if I have too.. Wiss wondering if it was better to just not see them anymore and overstay. In case turning up at the IO after a few days overstay buggers me up in anyway. No guarantees I guess I was under the impression that the 7 day visa is there for emergencies like yours. The assumption being that they can actually issue more than just one... dont quote me on it though! I would go back to immigration tomorrow and tell them you are still waiting for the letter from the British Embassy and your current visa runs out on Saturday. Try and avoid overstay at all costs... if you can possibly help it. Good luck mate! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoseThailand Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, theVenerable said: So I will have to wait, and go to immigration in Monday. My visa will already be expired by that time. I don't think it's a good idea to show up at immigration with an expired visa. Edited March 26, 2020 by JoseThailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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