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

[Airbagwill]

53 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Why does anyone working legally for decades with a WP need to leave the country...yearly extensions is how its done...

_{My contract finishes end of May - there is no leeway after the end of contract - I can pay 1900 for a one week} extension. If not starting a job straight way I  get a tourist visa from Laos to tide me over until the next job starts, but this time of course, there is no job.

This time I an't leave the country to cross to Laos and I can't get a flight home - or at least my current flight is cancelled.

[Airbagwill]

2 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

Phuket immigration sign

Certificate of WHAT?

So anyone living in Southern Thailand or the North will have to do at least one maybe two nights in BKK - how are the embassies coping?

Edited March 24, 2020 by Airbagwill

[BestB]

From OP

“As I am on a Non-immigrant, multiple-entry business visa. I am able to travel to and work in Thailand for a maximum of 90 days at a time. This is not usually a problem as I return home regularly every six to eight weeks.

 

Any reason why he does not apply for extension of stay based on employment ? Why do the visa runs? 

[BestB]

10 minutes ago, Airbagwill said:

_{My contract finishes end of May - there is no leeway after the end of contract - I can pay 1900 for a one week} extension. If not starting a job straight way I  get a tourist visa from Laos to tide me over until the next job starts, but this time of course, there is no job.

This time I an't leave the country to cross to Laos and I can't get a flight home - or at least my current flight is cancelled.

Your case is different to the one in OP, in OP guy claims to be working in Thailand for years and has thai staff, so why not get yearly extension instead of visa runs 

[bangkok12345]

what about foreigners on Non-B staying in Bangkok - do they also have to leave the country, and if so for how long?

[happy chappie]

I've put in a request to the uk embassy for a plane to repatriat me before my 30 days are up.the same as they've done for all these people on the cruise liners,you know,the ones sat on 4 star ships with room service and international medical teams on board.hopefully there's a plane on its way soon.

[tifino]

7 hours ago, happy chappie said:

I've put in a request to the uk embassy for a plane to repatriat me before my 30 days are up.the same as they've done for all these people on the cruise liners,you know,the ones sat on 4 star ships with room service and international medical teams on board.hopefully there's a plane on its way soon.

 One Way 1st Class home, on R.A.F. C130  

The Final Solution 

[lust]

22 hours ago, tifino said:

that ex US falang, that recently got his LOS Citizenship;

 - must have been on to something!

 

 

who is laughing at him now? 

Pretty much everyone still.

[tifino]

2 minutes ago, lust said:

22 hours ago, tifino said:

that ex US falang, that recently got his LOS Citizenship;

 - must have been on to something!

 

 

who is laughing at him now? 

Pretty much everyone still.

 

but he would be still feeling 'relieved' he doesn't have to suffer standing with all those other laughing coughers - that are many standing in those congested conga lines, like sardines, at immigration offices...

[mngmn]

On 3/23/2020 at 9:01 PM, Russell17au said:

You chose that visa instead of choosing a 90 day Non-Imm O visa and then getting your 1 year extension based on your marriage which would have required you to have 400,000 baht in the bank for 2 months before your extension application and then you could have drawn it all out until 2 months before your next extension application or have a minimum of 40,000 baht per month in a Thai bank account transferred from overseas and you would not have to do border runs every 90 days because you would do 90 day reports instead which many can do online. But by the sounds of things you do not have the money so you chose to get a 1 year Multi-Entry Non-Imm O visa based on your marriage and that does not have any financial requirements at all but you must do a border run every 90 days so it was your choice of visas. The thing that you have not checked on or know about by the sounds of your little rant is that when the 90 day border run is due you can go to your local IO and apply for a 60 day extension to stay with your wife which will cost you 1,900 baht then at the end of that extension you have to do your border run. You have not done your research very well because with the visa that you have you can do a border run 2 days before the visa expires and you will get another 90 day stamp and then 2 days before that stamp expires you apply for a 60 day extension and that will give you 17 months for a 12 month visa.

When I was in Thailand I DELIBERATELY chose Non Immigrant O because I traveled multiple times every month. I had a sh*t ton of money in the bank when I was refused a renewal of my Non O.

The World does not revolve around YOU  and YOUR choices.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, mngmn said:

When I was in Thailand I DELIBERATELY chose Non Immigrant O because I traveled multiple times every month. I had a sh*t ton of money in the bank when I was refused a renewal of my Non O.

The World does not revolve around YOU  and YOUR choices.

But if you want to live in Thailand you have to accept the rules. If living in the country you're supposed to do so on an extension of stay.

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, stevenl said:

If living in the country you're supposed to do so on an extension of stay.

Link to the immigration rule that suggests that?

Been here happily on non-o VISA for the first year and the past 4 years.

[stevenl]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Link to the immigration rule that suggests that?

Been here happily on non-o VISA for the first year and the past 4 years.

 The intention of the rules is clear, if you choose to ignore that that is up to you.

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

 The intention of the rules is clear, if you choose to ignore that that is up to you.

The intention of Thai immigration rules is to maximise their income, under or over the table.

There is no other intention.

[yogi100]

On 3/23/2020 at 8:36 AM, 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 .????????

At a time like this let's hope our embassies and those who are well paid to run them step up to the plate for a change and do what is expected of them.

 

They were next to useless when the tsunami hit and from what I hear have been ever since. The British one typically is.

[mngmn]

5 hours ago, stevenl said:

But if you want to live in Thailand you have to accept the rules. If living in the country you're supposed to do so on an extension of stay.

Please post the link to the official announcement that states that.

[wazzadg44]

To those Australians who are on a non-imm. o (retirement extension )yesterday I emailed the Australian Consulate in Phuket asking for the support letter. Today I received that letter-it asks Immigration to extend their help to any of us renewing extensions. Mine is not due till June but thought I would be proactive and get it now. Won't know till I renew if needed or not at my office. (Phitsanulok)

[pagallim]

1 hour ago, wazzadg44 said:

To those Australians who are on a non-imm. o (retirement extension )yesterday I emailed the Australian Consulate in Phuket asking for the support letter. Today I received that letter-it asks Immigration to extend their help to any of us renewing extensions. Mine is not due till June but thought I would be proactive and get it now. Won't know till I renew if needed or not at my office. (Phitsanulok)

Letter from Embassy/Consul not required for Non O Extensions, only required for TOURIST VISA extensions.   Am extending my Non O tomorrow, and have already confirmed this with Phuket Immigration.

[Solinvictus]

Now when you say 'jammed' are you talking in terms of staying in or staying out of the country?

[drbeach]

On 3/24/2020 at 9:02 AM, tifino said:

that ex US falang, that recently got his LOS Citizenship;

 - must have been on to something!

 

 

who is laughing at him now? 

Why would anyone laugh at someone getting Thai citizenship.

 

I laugh at the morons who could be eligible but choose not to get it, despite the fact that Thailand actually allows dual citizenship!

[drbeach]

1 hour ago, wazzadg44 said:

To those Australians who are on a non-imm. o (retirement extension )yesterday I emailed the Australian Consulate in Phuket asking for the support letter. Today I received that letter-it asks Immigration to extend their help to any of us renewing extensions. Mine is not due till June but thought I would be proactive and get it now. Won't know till I renew if needed or not at my office. (Phitsanulok)

Mine is due then too but I wouldn't get the letter too early in case Thai immigration says it has to be issued within the last so and so period of time. Also, there is a chance that by June, things will have improved enough for borders to re-open. As of today (of course, this could change by tomorrow but hear me out) there is a chance that border crossings will have re-opened by late April. Keep monitoring the situation and by this time next month, it will become clearer.

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, mngmn said:

Please post the link to the official announcement that states that.

A pity you don't seem to understand the thinking behind the Thai immigration system.

[alphason]

15 hours ago, pagallim said:

Letter from Embassy/Consul not required for Non O Extensions, only required for TOURIST VISA extensions.   Am extending my Non O tomorrow, and have already confirmed this with Phuket Immigration.

Did my annual marriage extension at Phuket Tuesday PM, same as usual.

[Tchooptip]

On 3/23/2020 at 2:06 PM, 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.

 

May I take the liberty of reminding you that the country where we are..

...and to whom you are suggesting to take human and intelligent mesure ... is Thailand ????