Options in lieu of 1-year non-O extension

[USNret]

Hi.  I'm currently on my 90-day Non-O for marriage which was granted at Chaeng Wattana Feb 20.  I will have to return to CW by around May 4 to request my first 1-year extension.

I am now staying in Hua Hin where I will ride out the virus crisis.  I'm in a airbnb with my family where we can stay as long as needed. I already asked HH immigration if my paperwork can be shifted here for the 1-year extension and they quite firmly said "No" -- I MUST return to CW to do the 1-year extension.  After that, my case can be shifted here for future extensions.  UbonJoe told me the same thing, so it must be true. 

Here's the thing... there is no way in h3ll I'll be going to CW in May for anything. I will not risk my life on a paperwork drill.  So I'm looking for options.  First preference is LEGAL alternatives, and failing that I'll overstay and get banned if it must be.  In either case, I will NOT travel outside of Thailand in search of a new visa while the virus is continuing to spread.  There's no way I will ride bus or plane with disease-ridden fellow travelers, and risk trying to get back into the country which is pretty iffy right now.

Soooo... Do I have any legal options of staying past the expiration of my current 90-day non-O?  Without going to CW and without crossing the border? 

And if I don't do that, wife says my max fine is 20,000THB for a lengthy overstay.  Ok, I can pay that. Assuming I don't get scooped up by the cops first, I know I must keep a low profile, but immigration jail now would be a death sentence for just about any of us.

What is my best course of action? 

 

[DrJack54]

If you are over 50 you could obtain extension based on retirement. I have never used an agent but if you absolutely won't attend immigration then a good agent may be an option

Overstay could cause you world of pain.

Don't do that.

Edited March 25, 2020 by DrJack54

[jackdd]

If you can get an embassy letter you can get a 30 day extension.

Theoretically the immigration office could issue you a 30 day extension without embassy letter because of the Corona situation, but it looks like no immigration office has done this yet.

 

4 minutes ago, USNret said:

I already asked HH immigration if my paperwork can be shifted here for the 1-year extension and they quite firmly said "No" -- I MUST return to CW to do the 1-year extension.  After that, my case can be shifted here for future extensions.  UbonJoe told me the same thing, so it must be true. 

This is actually wrong, any immigration matters are always the responsibility of the immigration office where you are staying, which currently is obviously Hua Hin. If your immigration office refuses to service you you could probably file a police report about them for failing to do their duties, but this also won't help you in getting the extension any time soon.

So currently the best option would be the 30 day extension with an embassy letter.

[DrJack54]

His non o was granted at CW. He needs obtain his first extension there.

After that he can deal with HH.

[USNret]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

His non o was granted at CW. He needs obtain his first extension there.

After that he can deal with HH.

Yeah, I was dubious when the immigration lady told me that. I suspected maybe she didn't want to inherit all the paperwork.  But when Joe confirmed it, I figured it had to be true. 

[ubonjoe]

You could apply for a 60 day extension to visit you wife near the end of your 90 day entry. Hua Hin immigration should do that extension for you especially with the current conditions here.

[steelepulse]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You could apply for a 60 day extension to visit you wife near the end of your 90 day entry. Hua Hin immigration should do that extension for you especially with the current conditions here.

Can these 60 day extensions be done at any immigration office?  I would prefer to go to an office that isn't over run with expats in a long queue.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

Can these 60 day extensions be done at any immigration office? 

They can only be done at the designated immigration office for where you are living.

They normally want good proof of residence to do the application.

[Ventenio]

42 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Overstay could cause you world of pain.

Don't do that.

and so could getting pack like a can of sardines with everyone coughing on you.  i feel really bad for people if they get covid after going to immigration (I don't think that's happened yet).  if my father was alive and say 85 years old and had to go to immigration.  well..........i couldn't advise him to go.  

[Martyp]

I would wait to see what happens with the emergency decree. The government is as well aware of the crowds at Immigration as they are at the bus and train stations. My guess is that you will still have to go to CW but they will have much more crowd control. 

[USNret]

37 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

if my father was alive and say 85 years old and had to go to immigration.  well..........i couldn't advise him to go.  

Yes, that’s precisely the point of my predicament.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, USNret said:

What is my best course of action? 

You do not want to hear this, but your best course of action is a private car to Chaengwattana, in conjunction with an agent who can arrange VIP queuing to limit the length of time you must spend inside to get your extension. You should do this as soon as possible because every day the proportion of the population that is infected increases.

 

What I propose is not completely risk free. I am not pretending that it is, but life involves a balance of risks. If you overstay, immigration is not going to accept your argument that visiting an immigration office (that they deemed safe enough to remain open) as too dangerous, and you overstayed deliberately as a consequence. The overall quality of your life, and that of your family, very l;likely rests on remaining legal now.

[Martyp]

6 minutes ago, USNret said:

Yes, that’s precisely the point of my predicament.

How old are you? Or where do you fall in the spectrum of risk relative to the Coronavirus?

Edited March 25, 2020 by Martyp

[USNret]

62, and not at the peak of fitness. I would consider myself moderate or high risk.

[Martyp]

2 minutes ago, USNret said:

62, and not at the peak of fitness. I would consider myself moderate or high risk.

Yeah. I would keep an eye on any new procedures that come with the emergency decree. I would definitely take the suggestion to go in a private car. I don’t know anything about agents. Traveling anywhere in the world is going to be incredibly difficult long past May so I would make every effort to get the year extension but that is just me. If you are forced to leave when your permission to stay expires you will be traveling at high risk anyway. 

[USNret]

16 hours ago, BritTim said:

You do not want to hear this, but your best course of action is a private car to Chaengwattana, in conjunction with an agent who can arrange VIP queuing to limit the length of time you must spend inside to get your extension. You should do this as soon as possible because every day the proportion of the population that is infected increases.

 

What I propose is not completely risk free. I am not pretending that it is, but life involves a balance of risks. If you overstay, immigration is not going to accept your argument that visiting an immigration office (that they deemed safe enough to remain open) as too dangerous, and you overstayed deliberately as a consequence. The overall quality of your life, and that of your family, very l;likely rests on remaining legal now.

Thanks Tim.  Yes, this is probably the best advise. We have a car so that part is no problem.

Does anyone know a good agent in Bangkok we can work with even while we are in HH?  I would prefer a BKK agent as they will have the best connections at CW to get us through any VIP queuing. 

We previously expected this would be a 2-day visit for us... On Day 1, we have to stop at the Amphur to get that letter Kor Ror 2 or whatever they call it, to prove we are still married.  Day 2: Head to CW.  But if an agent can get the amphur letter for us in advance, we might drive into town, meet him at immigration, take care of business, then be back in our beds at HH by nightfall... no overnight in BKK.  This would be the best of situations. 
 

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, USNret said:

Does anyone know a good agent in Bangkok we can work with even while we are in HH?  I would prefer a BKK agent as they will have the best connections at CW to get us through any VIP queuing. 

If you find one who will do marriage-based, please let me know.  I have a bit more time, but definitely want to do things the way the IOs "prefer" - so no runaround bull, separate interrogations, etc .

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, USNret said:

We previously expected this would be a 2-day visit for us... On Day 1, we have to stop at the Amphur to get that letter Kor Ror 2 or whatever they call it, to prove we are still married.  

A printout of the Kor Ror 2 can be requested at any Amphoe. Your wife can easily get one in Hua HIn by showing her ID card, completing a form and paying 20 baht.

Travel to Bangkok spend the night and be at Chaeng Wattana immigration at about 6:30.

Have the completed TM7 form with with a 4 X 6 photo attached. Download, complete and print 2 sided this Fillable TM7 form.pdf

Have all the copies and photos for the application with you when arrive.

[USNret]

@BritTim sent you a pm

[USNret]

On a related question (I'm the OP)... When I got the original 90-day non-O, we claimed my wife's parents home as our residence in Onnut.  In reality we were living at an airbnb down the road but that got too complicated (no housebook, no owners ID card, etc.) so claiming the in-laws house simplified it for us.

The police came, did their inspection, and we got approved.

Now we are in Hua Hin.  We'll probably stay here until the virus emergency is over.  For our condo, we paid the first month via airbnb, but for subsequent months we deal directly with the owner and getting a much reduced rate. We have no lease; just paying month by month. I imagine we could get a copy of his ID and housebook if we ask.

When we go to CW for the 1-year extension, we would like to tell them we have moved to HH. Otherwise, we'd have to stay in BKK for a new house inspection, and we don't want to stay there.  If they want to do a new house inspection, we'd rather they come see us in HH.  

So this longish question... although we are "forced" to return to CW for our 1st annual extension, it is ok to report that we have moved away from BKK?  Or do we have to "pretend" that are still living at our parent's house in Onnut? (this is easily done; a lot of our belongings are there)  Surely we are not the first family to move during our initial months in Thailand and there must be a way they can deal with our new address. 

Thank you.