Must Read British Embassy update regarding processing of visa extension letters

[Jonathan Fairfield]

British Embassy update regarding processing of visa extension letters

 

 

The British Embassy in Bangkok has contacted Thaivisa to provide an update regarding the processing of the letters needed by foreigners to extend their visas in Thailand after having their travel plans disrupted by COVID-19.

 

The staff at the Embassy are doing all they can to ensure the visa extension letters are processed as quickly as possible.

 

However, in order to improve the process, British nationals are asked to ensure they only send one email to request the visa extension letter.

 

Currently, people are resending the registration emails or requests for the visa extension letters. 

 

Some people are then following up the multiple emails with a phone call, which duplicates the workload and lengthens the overall processing time.

 

For anyone who submits a request for a visa extension letter, if you receive an automatic reply that is confirmation the British Embassy has received your request. There is no need to submit another request.

 

For anyone who is particularly vulnerable and needs assistance for matters not related to the visa support letters, Embassy staff will contact you separately.

 

Instructions on how to apply for a visa extension letter can be found below:

 

 

[daveyboy69]

Guilty me lord.sorry.

[stuhan]

This is so insane,if the virus goes on and on and people need to keep getting extensions and letters if they cannot leave its madness,just let people who are genuinely stuck here here go and have interview with immigration for extensions to see if they are legit or not,no need for letters it's a nightmare for people.

[daveyboy69]

1 minute ago, stuhan said:

This is so insane,if the virus goes on and on and people need to keep getting extensions and letters if they cannot leave its madness,just let people who are genuinely stuck here here go and have interview with immigration for extensions to see if they are legit or not,no need for letters it's a nightmare for people.

totally agree with you stun.common sense, not sure what its called in Thai

[tomth]

But when should I send the email to request the letter? My extension runs out on the 15th April. Can I send the email now or should I wait? 

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, tomth said:

But when should I send the email to request the letter? My extension runs out on the 15th April. Can I send the email now or should I wait? 

Are you sure you need the letter?

The letter is only needed if applying for a 2nd 30 day extension of a tourist visa or visa exempt entry. If it is your first one you certainly do not need the letter.

I guessing many people that are requesting one do not need it. There is a lot a of false info floating around about them.

[daveyboy69]

6 minutes ago, tomth said:

But when should I send the email to request the letter? My extension runs out on the 15th April. Can I send the email now or should I wait? 

hi tom i would definitely apply for it now.they say takes 2 days.i have been waiting 4 days and still no reply.obviously they are very busy.

[Phuketshrew]

32 minutes ago, daveyboy69 said:

totally agree with you stun.common sense, not sure what its called in Thai

There isn't any.

[spiekerjozef]

Would make sense if the embassy would email back to say they have received your email and are now processing your documents.

[rhodie]

16 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

Would make sense if the embassy would email back to say they have received your email and are now processing your documents.

From the OP:

For anyone who submits a request for a visa extension letter, if you receive an automatic reply that is confirmation the British Embassy has received your request. There is no need to submit another request.

 

I suspect you missed that.

[Welshpete]

No confirmation of received email first 2 applications denied due to protocol within 12hrs, now 5 days overstay if I receive the letter Monday,

[stephen tracy]

14 hours ago, Welshpete said:

No confirmation of received email first 2 applications denied due to protocol within 12hrs, now 5 days overstay if I receive the letter Monday,

I received mine this morning so it looks like they're still issuing over the weekend. Sit tight. To be honest, even though I now have one, I'm not even sure if I want to go and do it because looking at the crowds of people at CW, it looks like a perfect way to get infected. I also read that some people waited all day, only to be told to come back again the next day because they were so overwhelmed. And that was after the opening of the spillover place. BTW, does anyone know whether you have to print the letter or can you just show it to them on your laptop/phone etc?

[audaciousnomad]

4 minutes ago, stephen tracy said:

I received mine this morning so it looks like they're still issuing over the weekend. Sit tight. To be honest, even though I now have one, I'm not even sure if I want to go and do it because looking at the crowds of people at CW, it looks like a perfect way to get infected. I also read that some people waited all day, only to be told to come back again the next day because they were so overwhelmed. And that was after the opening of the spillover place. BTW, does anyone know whether you have to print the letter or can you just show it to them on your laptop/phone etc?

I heard it is definitely required to print it.  And in color if you want to minimize any possibility of rejection for any stupid reason. ????

[tomth]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Are you sure you need the letter?

The letter is only needed if applying for a 2nd 30 day extension of a tourist visa or visa exempt entry. If it is your first one you certainly do not need the letter.

I guessing many people that are requesting one do not need it. There is a lot a of false info floating around about them.

If will be my second extension, so is required. I'll request now to be safe. I'm sure they're very busy. I just hope that it will not (expire) by the time I need to use it. Anyone know how long before your extension expires you can go to apply for extension? The last one I went 4 days before. 

 

[ubonjoe]

41 minutes ago, tomth said:

Anyone know how long before your extension expires you can go to apply for extension?

A couple of week early at some immigration offices. Others a week early. 

I don't think the letters have a expiration date on them. I suspect the embassy may be doing them based upon urgency for needing it based upon your permit to stay day date.

 

[Walter Travolta]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

A couple of week early at some immigration offices. Others a week early. 

I don't think the letters have a expiration date on them. I suspect the embassy may be doing them based upon urgency for needing it based upon your permit to stay day date.

 

Hi Ubonjoe

Im already on my extension (I was due to fly out to Vietnam at the end of my 30 day visa exempt on 20th March). What are your thoughts on how many times we can keep extending month to month? Also, presently, is the 2nd extension still 1900 as I have been hearing different stories that immigration were charging 20.000 for a month and 30.000 for 2 months?

 

Because of the length of time I believe this will continue, I am considering an ED visa which my visa agent says is for 15 months and dont have to deal with immigration every 30 days and over a 15 month period, there isnt a huge difference in cost going the ED route. I have 3 weeks left on my extension so my plight is not yet as desperate as others. Cheers

[fourpack]

Yes you need to print it. Guy got very distraught the other day at immigration as he was trying to show it on his phone. Clearly stated there (Khon Kaen) must be printed.

[ubonjoe]

38 minutes ago, Walter Travolta said:

Im already on my extension (I was due to fly out to Vietnam at the end of my 30 day visa exempt on 20th March). What are your thoughts on how many times we can keep extending month to month? Also, presently, is the 2nd extension still 1900 as I have been hearing different stories that immigration were charging 20.000 for a month and 30.000 for 2 months?

They will keep doing for as long as the borders are closed and flights are still restricted.

Still 1900 baht. The  expensive ones would be arranged ones done through an agents.

 

38 minutes ago, Walter Travolta said:

Because of the length of time I believe this will continue, I am considering an ED visa which my visa agent says is for 15 months and dont have to deal with immigration every 30 days and over a 15 month period, there isnt a huge difference in cost going the ED route. I have 3 weeks left on my extension so my plight is not yet as desperate as others. Cheers

Not sure where you would get the non-ed visa unless it is done under the table at immigration like the extensions will be done.

[Walter Travolta]

29 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure where you would get the non-ed visa unless it is done under the table at immigration like the extensions will be done.

I got the info from my visa agent who is normally more than fair with me, but on this occasion I think it is because she doesnt want to have to keep extending each month until this pandemic is over

Thanks for the heads up on the other point about immigration extending indefinitely, that is positive news

[retayl]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Are you sure you need the letter?

The letter is only needed if applying for a 2nd 30 day extension of a tourist visa or visa exempt entry. If it is your first one you certainly do not need the letter.

I guessing many people that are requesting one do not need it. There is a lot a of false info floating around about them.

If you are here on a 90 day non Immigration O visa you do need a letter. After initially being somewhat diffident, requiring proof of flight cancellation, the Embassy did a volte-face and emailed my & my wife’s letters within a couple of days. The communication was excellent so they have got their act in gear. I’m not sure if we’ll need a second letter if still here at the beginning of May? In any event we could always print the original letter again as I see no reason in an unchanged situation, why that wouldn’t be acceptable to IO. But heyho, who knows?

[Daveyh]

If the British Embassy was properly staffed there would be never any problems for UK citizens when situations such as this arise! They are posted to these embassies to serve! It's a known fact by expats that over the years this embassy has performed below par & continues to provide very little support to UK citizens in need ....... fact. It must be so distressing now they do not have "wireless road" ........ it's the end of an era where garden parties for the elite & the continued waste of taxpayers money on lavish spending ceased. It's "dad's army" ............. remember when they use to use expats as "honorable counsels" .............. what a joke these embassies are.

[deevo666]

very simple process. i submitted my email on wednesday afternoon via email and got a letter today.  they will be proiritising all those applicants that are coming up to 15 days left on their visa as they need it first. my expiration is april 23rd but still got a letter in 2 working days. these are mad times but people just need to calm down and show some patience. this is far from an everyday occurence and ultimately given new covid cases amd deaths everyday i would say a 2 day turnaround is excellent

[darrendsd]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

15 months and dont have to deal with immigration every 30 days

With a ED Visa you only have to deal with Immi every 90 days not 30

[darrendsd]

No surprise that the I sent them a email 3 hours ago and haven't received a reply yet so I better do it again idiots are slowing things down

[anchadian]

Richard Barrow in Thailand 

 

@RichardBarrow

 

Many governments around the world have offered free extension of stays to foreigners trapped in their country to no fault of their own. Indonesia is just one of those countries. Thailand has made a lot of money from tourism. Isn’t it time that they paid some of that back? Please?

 

 

[anchadian]

Bangkok Post opinion today. worth a read.

[anchadian]

Paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork.

 

 

[Destiny1990]

Why the land-offices are closing up and not immigration offices ?

[jacob29]

I received an automated reply from the Australian embassy, but it's unclear whether it means they plan to respond further, or if that's it. It had this nugget in it, which makes me think I won't hear any more from them

 

"We are unable to respond to any queries relating to a visa for Thailand, please contact Thai Immigration Bureau on (02) 141 98 89"

 

 

Can someone who has received the automated reply from the British Embassy, let me know if the automated reply is similarly vague (leaves you unsure of whether they're following up on your request)?

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, Walter Travolta said:

I am considering an ED visa which my visa agent says is for 15 months and dont have to deal with immigration every 30 days and over a 15 month period, there isnt a huge difference in cost going the ED route.

Won't an ED Visa require you to leave the country and return?