Phuket Immigration jammed with foreigners, expats on non-immigrant visas forced to leave the country

By The Phuket News

 

A marquee was set up in front of Phuket Immigration so foreigners could sit outside while waiting for officials to even receive their request to stay in Thailand longer instead of risking contracting the disease by having to leave the country. Photo: Supplied

 

PHUKET: Expats living and working in Phuket for years, even more than a decade, are being forced to leave the country because of the Immigration Bureau’s requirement for non-tourist foreigners staying in Thailand to obtain a letter from their embassies requesting the foreigner’s permit-to-stay be extended.

 

Hundreds of foreigners arrived at the Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town this morning (Mar 23) in the hope of extending their stay in the country instead risking contracting the COVID-19 coronavirus by having to travel home or anywhere else to comply with the Thai immigration regulation issued late last week.

 

On Friday, Phuket Immigration confirmed to The Phuket News that by order from Bangkok all tourists can extend their stay by simply presenting themselves at the Immigration office, filing an application and paying B1,900.

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-immigration-jammed-with-foreigners-expats-on-non-immigrant-visas-forced-to-leave-the-country-75398.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2020-03-23

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2 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

A marquis was set up in front of Phuket Immigration

de Sade?

why not just announce whatever legal visa you have now that is not in overstay before March 01 is extended automatically to Jan 2021.

 

Cancel all 90 day reporting until Jan 2021.

 

Close the borders 100%. you can leave if you want to.

 

Reassign immigration police to border and lock down patrol.

 

21 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

A marquis was set up in front of Phuket Immigration

How kind of them to put a nobleman there to deal with problems. "marquis (plural marquises or marquis) A nobleman in England, France, and Germany, of a rank next below that of duke, but above a count. Originally, the marquis was an officer whose duty was to guard the marches or frontiers of the kingdom." 

Normally Thai Immigration only have counts working for them! ????

16 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

why not just announce whatever legal visa you have now that is not in overstay before March 01 is extended automatically to Jan 2021.

 

Cancel all 90 day reporting until Jan 2021.

 

Close the borders 100%. you can leave if you want to.

 

Reassign immigration police to border and lock down patrol.

 

That is far to sensible/logical/safe. Where do the immig. Police make thier money off the farrang?

 

*anyone*

I assume if my current non b does not expire for a while (June) then there is no need to do this?

TIA

 

A 1 month extension would expire before the original non b.

No crowds allowed.  No worries; they are all Farang together so just let them die !

18 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

Close the borders 100%. you can leave if you want to.

How ? 

13 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

How ? 

by private jet.

15 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

No crowds allowed.  No worries; they are all Farang together so just let them die !

they are not going to let you die. The hospitals are all building"farang only wards" to keep you alive and paying invoices as long as possible. 

What a country they make mountains of paperwork, now they make queues.

stop the 90s day one for a start

So BKK Immigration head office said it would be fine to extend visas immaterial of the visas nature until the situation is under control. Just fill in the form and pay the fee. But Phuket Immigration are using their own set of rules and making it up as they go along. I would of been straight on the hotline to Immigration asking who actually sets the rules, Phuket or Bangkok? Useless bunch of time wasters all of them anyway

My Non O Marriage extension is due to be renewed next month so obviously concerned at the possibility of having to leave the country on expiry.   My wife has just phoned Hat Yai Immigration (they are the approval authority for Phuket marriage extensions) and was told I will get my extension as normal.   The British Embassy letter that is now available is for tourists unable to travel home, not Thai domiciled UK expats.

1 hour ago, ThaiBunny said:

de Sade?

The maquis were busy resisting the Gestapo and the Marquee was on loan to a nighclub in Wardour street

Sorry i'm thick or totaly confused.Tell me if you are on a non-imm retirement visa that needs renewing soon,can you still obtain it in the normal way,this talk about letter from your embassy is confusing .????????

1 hour ago, ThaiBunny said:

de Sade?

Capital M, dear boy!

Instead of being compassionate and chop  exceptional circumstances Visa to those on 30 days visit ,NO ,you must pay 1900tb for the chop.what a F RIP OFF!!! I WONDER FOR HOW LONG? MAYBE WEEKLY 1900TB .NICE LITTLE SIDE EARNER to make up for those not coming in.555

I have heard Phuket immigration are notorious for their harsh attitude,a bit like my local office,which i chose not to go to this year as have many expats who live here. Go to Patts get an agent to do it takes no time at all,mine was ready the next day,they do the 90 days and everything for you

I live isolated with no threat of getting infected nor my family. We are already in lockdown on a big property and have to do a border run in april but i will be forced to have a chance of catching the disease? I have a weakened immune system from an underlying condition so its sort of a death sentence. Ive lived here for decades and my family cant survive but i cant take them to Australia because w ehaveno one to look after our property and livestock. Its not going to happen. 

This is because of the stupid 90day rubbish. Cancel it. I have a 12month visa basically non o marriage. This is a good example as to why this stupid 90day border running should be stopped. 

5 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

I have heard Phuket immigration are notorious for their harsh attitude,a bit like my local office,which i chose not to go to this year as have many expats who live here. Go to Patts get an agent to do it takes no time at all,mine was ready the next day,they do the 90 days and everything for you

In 13 years here, never had any issue with Phuket Immigration, in fact they are notorious for being consistent with what are the national criteria, and that which is published on the PIV website.   http://piv-phuket.com/

I have had a B visa for nearly 20 years - no leeway after it expires and my flights are cancelled - I can't do a border run....can't even cross a border.... an't see wha thy expect us to do......this is yet another ill-thought-out dictum from a non-thinking nabob

32 minutes ago, stuhan said:

Sorry i'm thick or totaly confused.Tell me if you are on a non-imm retirement visa that needs renewing soon,can you still obtain it in the normal way,this talk about letter from your embassy is confusing .????????

 

If it's a one year extension then no change to the the procedure. 

10 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

I live isolated with no threat of getting infected nor my family. We are already in lockdown on a big property and have to do a border run in april but i will be forced to have a chance of catching the disease? I have a weakened immune system from an underlying condition so its sort of a death sentence. Ive lived here for decades and my family cant survive but i cant take them to Australia because w ehaveno one to look after our property and livestock. Its not going to happen. 

This is because of the stupid 90day rubbish. Cancel it. I have a 12month visa basically non o marriage. This is a good example as to why this stupid 90day border running should be stopped. 

For staying that long you should be on extension of stay, so no borderruns necessary.

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

How ? 

Walking, Bicycle, Motorbike or car.

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

For staying that long you should be on extension of stay, so no borderruns necessary.

I think he might be doing marriage extensions from either Laos or Vietnam, where you can get 12 month multi entry extensions for family/marriage without having to provide proof of funds/income.   I believe the cost is 5000 baht (or equivalent in US dollars in Vietnam).   The criteria though is you have to do a border hop every 90 days.   Given the new requirement of Covid-19 free certification plus $100,000 insurance, that must be a nightmare for those who have this type of visa.

7 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

If it's a one year extension then no change to the the procedure. 

yea whoever put this headline on this site should be forced to leave the country..

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

why not just announce whatever legal visa you have now that is not in overstay before March 01 is extended automatically to Jan 2021.

 

Cancel all 90 day reporting until Jan 2021.

 

Close the borders 100%. you can leave if you want to.

 

Reassign immigration police to border and lock down patrol.

 

Exactly what I have been saying after being forced to go to both CW and Samutprakan Immigration last week and dealing with the crowds. What is the problem with these immigration officials? All of the Thai people that are my friends and family have an excess of caring and compassion for others. Immigration officials seem to get a thrill from making people's lives difficult and in our current situation, even dangerous.

2 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

why not just announce whatever legal visa you have now that is not in overstay before March 01 is extended automatically to Jan 2021.

 

Cancel all 90 day reporting until Jan 2021.

 

Close the borders 100%. you can leave if you want to.

 

Reassign immigration police to border and lock down patrol.

 

Why make it simple when you can make it complicated ?

1 minute ago, Assurancetourix said:

Why make it simple when you can make it complicated ?

Thai decision-making is usually done from the top down by oe ill-informed man without consultation - this is the result.

1 hour ago, chowny77 said:

So BKK Immigration head office said it would be fine to extend visas immaterial of the visas nature until the situation is under control. Just fill in the form and pay the fee. But Phuket Immigration are using their own set of rules and making it up as they go along. I would of been straight on the hotline to Immigration asking who actually sets the rules, Phuket or Bangkok? Useless bunch of time wasters all of them anyway

If you've read enough of these posts on Thai Visa you would know that rules are based upon different offices doing things the way they like. I'm not defending them and I don't think it's right but that's how it's been and that's how it's always going to be