COVID-19: Immigration proposes extending visas for people stranded in Thailand to 30 June 2020

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, treetops said:

Last minute flights are always expensive, but unless you've been somewhere devoid of any news you've been able to see this coming.

Not entirely true, my flights to Siem Reap (CNX-DMK-REP and back) last week were 3,200bht return, less than normal the usual cost, booked 2 days before I flew.

[smedly]

56 minutes ago, brucec64 said:

How would a marriage or retirement visa

how about calling it by its proper name ..........................12 month extension of stay

 

Not a visa

[racket]

This is good news. I’m on a METV and don’t have much options as things start to deteriorate for my departure travel plans. If Thailand can with martial law in effect make temporary changes with respect to extensions until June 30th - that would make my situation here much more manageable. 

[racket]

How about they also start discounting the Elite Visas, by at least 40%. That could be a buying opportunity for many who are stranded here. 

[racket]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Allowing immigration to extend ......... assume a visit and a payment to an immigration office.

Why not propose an automatic extension for everyone, no forms, no trips to immigration, no queue?

 

Like many other countries have done.

Agree, but who’s going to stamp the passports? 

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, racket said:

Agree, but who’s going to stamp the passports? 

Why would anyone need to stamp a passport?

[BritTim]

24 minutes ago, racket said:

How about they also start discounting the Elite Visas, by at least 40%. That could be a buying opportunity for many who are stranded here. 

Given the prices airlines are charging right now, a regular price Thailand Elite visa is looking attractive. The problem is that it is not just a matter of applying and a week later you have your TE visa. The process takes months, and people need an extension of their permission to stay within days.

Edited March 30, 2020 by BritTim

[SpanishExpat]

If they are intelligent, they will approve it. Just focusing on the tourists now, but those who decided to stay here until things calm down. They HAVE MONEY. Better for them to spend the money within Thailand throughout the next weeks than spending it on super-overpriced one way tickets-home.

Plus they stop those ridiculous gatherings in the immigration offices. So it would be a win-win situation for everyone. 

Edited March 30, 2020 by SpanishExpat

[finy]

6 minutes ago, SpanishExpat said:

If they are intelligent, they will approve it. Just focusing on the tourists now, but those who decided to stay here until things calm down. They HAVE MONEY. Better for them to spend the money within Thailand throughout the next weeks than spending it on super-overpriced one way tickets-home.

Plus they stop those ridiculous gatherings in the immigration offices. So it would be a win-win situation for everyone. 

And the tourists will come back instead of spending their money in Da Nang or Bali next year.

 

It's good PR.

[Zikomat]

 I am afraid this Is just another meaningless declaration. I don’t believe they will ever do any kind of amnesty or even stamp (without any preconditions) everybody stuck currently in Thailand. Last week I have visited the Immigration 3 times. All three times I was presented with the new requirements again and again. It is hard to imagine that this negative attitude will suddenly turn 180 degrees in one day. It all looks like a well defined policy of somebody high above. Hope I am just a pessimist.

[dayward1]

2 minutes ago, Zikomat said:

 I am afraid this Is just another meaningless declaration. I don’t believe they will ever do any kind of amnesty or even stamp (without any preconditions) everybody stuck currently in Thailand. Last week I have visited the Immigration 3 times. All three times I was presented with the new requirements again and again. It is hard to imagine that this negative attitude will suddenly turn 180 degrees in one day. It all looks like a well defined policy of somebody high above. Hope I am just a pessimist.

Don't give up hope Zikomat. I think they are trying. I was in and out of Changwattana faster than ever this morning, albeit with 28 days.

[damascase]

4 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

Some embassies charge 30 euro for the letter.

50 euro right now for a letter from the Dutch Embassy. Some Embassies refuse to issue those letters and that is even worse......

[dayward1]

Just now, damascase said:

50 euro right now for a letter from the Dutch Embassy. Some Embassies refuse to issue those letters and that is even worse......

That's insane. Is it an e-mailed letter, or in person?

[TheFishman1]

Very confusing you would think that with this Virus outbreak that they would have some lean way for people that are stranded here through no fault of their own TIT

[Bantex]

6 hours ago, superal said:

Is a decision imminent ? I am still waiting for my letter from the UK embassy for a 30 day extension and my border run is due today . Thinking I will wait for 2 days and pay the 1000 baht fine in the hope that a positive decision is made by the Thai Immigration Bureau or my letter arrives soon . 

You don’t need a letter from an embassy just form TM7 with photo attached & copies of your passport & TM6.

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, Colabamumbai said:

3 weeks behind Indonesia. 

... and counting. Still merely a proposal.

[Jim m]

I am due to get an extension on my 30 day tourist visa as I am in between Cat B visas. Will I require a letter from the UK embassy or can I simply get an automatic extension? Also is there any more news on how long the extension would be? Thanking in advance 

[stephen tracy]

I need to get the extra extension on 2 April but the new facility looks like a sure fire way to get ill. How many people are passing through there every day? Not to mention anyone unfortunate enough to have to work there.

[Kalasin Jo]

Been saying this for some time, sods law though that today I felt I shouldn't put things off any longer with my current 90 day permission to stay expiring on 10 April. So went along to local Immigration Office in Kalasin and paid the 1,900 baht for a 60 day extension. I came in on a now expired non O multiple entry visa based on marriage back in January.

 

Had intended no go to Savanakhet to get a new one, but of course can't do that. 

 

The office was busy but staff still pleasant and efficient enough and my " order" was fulfilled in just over an hour, against a displayed target time of 50 minutes. There is sometimes an advantage to living in the sticks! Only 3 other Europeans there at the same time, the rest were all of Asian appearance

 

Extraordinary times!

[spiekerjozef]

58 minutes ago, damascase said:

50 euro right now for a letter from the Dutch Embassy. Some Embassies refuse to issue those letters and that is even worse......

Still 30 euro.

 

https://www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/landen/thailand/wonen-en-werken/covid-19-visumondersteuningsbrief

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, doctormann said:

On a related matter, does anyone know if getting a 60-day extension for the purpose of being with your Thai wife is possible from an OA visa?  Can an OA visa be extended for one year on the basis of marriage to a Thai? 

The 60 day extension is available once on any entry. 2.24

 

you can never extend a visa. You can only extend a permission to stay. That said you can change your reason for your extension that originated with a Non OA from retirement to marriage. 
 

So though your term is wrong the answers are Yes and Yes. 

[spiekerjozef]

57 minutes ago, dayward1 said:

That's insane. Is it an e-mailed letter, or in person?

Both email and original sent by post.

[sometimewoodworker]

4 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

have a current 1 year non-o extension based on 400K. can i get a 60 day extension on this instead of another 1 year? i have the funds and docs for a 1 year but i do not want to take my 2 toddlers (both thai) and their thai mother to any immigration office under current circumstances.

You should not have been required to bring the children with you unless the extension is based on being their parent rather than marriage. 

[doctormann]

4 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

The 60 day extension is available once on any entry. 2.24

 

you can never extend a visa. You can only extend a permission to stay. That said you can change your reason for your extension that originated with a Non OA from retirement to marriage. 
 

So though your term is wrong the answers are Yes and Yes. 

OK, thanks.  I don't think that there is any confusion about what i meant by extension of a visa.  Technically, once a visa expires, you make extensions of stay.  I've been here for many years so I know that.  However, my query regarding extensions of an OA visa - or permissions to stay, based on that original visa - arose because extensions from O and OA are now treated differently as the OA extension for retirement requires the rip-off, useless insurance - and not everyone can get that.

 

So, can I extend my permission to stay on the basis of marriage to a Thai national, based on my original OA visa, without needing to comply with the insurance requirement?  My query applies to both the 60-day 'visit wife' extension and the one year marriage extension.

 

[w94005m]

Don't care about the cost. All I want to do at the moment is isolate.

 

The whole point of isolation is that you don't go into groups to spread the virus. The last place I want to go is to Immigration, where there is now virtually guaranteed to be at least one person with the virus. As someone with more than one chronic medical condition, none of which are related to lifestyle, I just want to survive this by trying to see no-one.

 

Hopefully, the Thai authorities will realize they're putting everyone at risk, Thais as well, by insisting on us going to immigration offices.

 

 

[time2093]

37 minutes ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Been saying this for some time, sods law though that today I felt I shouldn't put things off any longer with my current 90 day permission to stay expiring on 10 April. So went along to local Immigration Office in Kalasin and paid the 1,900 baht for a 60 day extension. I came in on a now expired non O multiple entry visa based on marriage back in January.

 

Had intended no go to Savanakhet to get a new one, but of course can't do that. 

 

The office was busy but staff still pleasant and efficient enough and my " order" was fulfilled in just over an hour, against a displayed target time of 50 minutes. There is sometimes an advantage to living in the sticks! Only 3 other Europeans there at the same time, the rest were all of Asian appearance

 

Extraordinary times!

I got to do my 60 day extension at Kalasin immigration as well by the end of April. What exact documents did you need to get the extension?.

 

Thanks,

[sometimewoodworker]

28 minutes ago, doctormann said:

So, can I extend my permission to stay on the basis of marriage to a Thai national, based on my original OA visa, without needing to comply with the insurance requirement?  My query applies to both the 60-day 'visit wife' extension and the one year marriage extension.

As I said Yes and Yes to extending.

 

you should not be asked for insurance if extending for marriage. Do not ask the immigration office about insurance just go in around 14~30 days before with all the paperwork for an extension based on marriage, don’t forget you will probably need both your wife and 1 or 2 witnesses.

 

 

you will not need insurance for a 60 day extension 

 

28 minutes ago, doctormann said:

OK, thanks.  I don't think that there is any confusion about what i meant by extension of a visa. 

There is confusion when talking about extensions of Visas as that is impossible. Also you know what you mean but we don’t.

 

28 minutes ago, doctormann said:

However, my query regarding extensions of an OA visa - or permissions to stay, based on that original visa - arose because extensions from O and OA are now treated differently as the OA extension for retirement requires the rip-off, useless insurance

The police order only specifically talks about insurance for extending based on retirement.

 

i know of at least 1 person who extended For marriage from an original OA entry, last year after the insurance requirement came in, he had been extending for retirement before that, he did not need insurance. This is Udon immigration, 

Edited March 30, 2020 by sometimewoodworker

[roger101]

A good idea but done the wrong way. What happens on the 1st of July. Hundreds will be trying to extend their visas. They should have announced that all visas, work permits etc will be extended for 3 months.

If the emergency is over by then the queue will be as per normal. If its still on they just extend it for another peril of time.

[audaciousnomad]

8 minutes ago, roger101 said:

A good idea but done the wrong way. What happens on the 1st of July. Hundreds will be trying to extend their visas. They should have announced that all visas, work permits etc will be extended for 3 months.

If the emergency is over by then the queue will be as per normal. If its still on they just extend it for another peril of time.

So it makes sense on why everyone has different date to return for "under consideration" (21-april, 22-april, 23-april) and so forth.  It is so we don't all return there all thousands of us on the same day. ????

[Jack1988]

I really hope that they will help also because is very difficult to fly back right now! At the end we all pay for this visa and they don't give it for free