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

[SupermarineS6B]

I really do hope that immigration show some consideration on this matter as a lot of people who have abided by the law for decades might need a little slack in these unsure times.....  I hope Thailand stands tall on this one and doesn't do an An-nut-in..........  

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The proposal was submitted to the Cabinet for consideration last week but it is not known if it will be approved

A good idea otherwise next month will be another example of crowded facilities around the country.

[CDTT]

I landed in Thailand on the 13th of March on a 30 day tourist visa and became a father of a thai child on the 16th. I already have a letter from my embassy saying that I cant go back home, but what are my options when I go to the immigration Office in April?

 

Edit: and the birth certifikat of course

Edited March 30, 2020 by CDTT

[david555]

Anyway a very good idea …. should make all more safe and less crowded ,..until of course expiring date …… and having anyway "some" tourist left ...

 

And could we expats in Pattaya/Jomtien office  just  a small tent on the side , as for us it is just a in & out for our 90 day slip to receive  5555

[StevieAus]

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Can't imagine anyone wanting to stay with everything closed.

Well depending where these people are from they could probably be facing tighter restrictions in their home countries

In Australia for example you are not able to return home immediately but are taken by the police/ army / border security to accommodation where you are required to remain for fourteen days.

Pubs and Clubs are closed and no more than two can gather outside.

I have friends in the UK who have notified to remain inside their homes for twelve weeks

[damascase]

2 hours ago, dayward1 said:

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

By mail only.

[ian carman]

Reading between the lines are they planning on extending the closure until the end of June ?I was hoping to get a flight back to uk in may .

I would expect some of the Asian airlines to still operate a service 

[hugh mckee]

17 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

Well depending where these people are from they could probably be facing tighter restrictions in their home countries

In Australia for example you are not able to return home immediately but are taken by the police/ army / border security to accommodation where you are required to remain for fourteen days.

Pubs and Clubs are closed and no more than two can gather outside.

I have friends in the UK who have notified to remain inside their homes for twelve weeks

it's just a suggestion for their own good, not an order or something being enforced!

[vermin on arrival]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Can't imagine anyone wanting to stay with everything closed.

Hell I want out just can't get to where I want/am supposed to go.

[Jack1988]

I live in Thailand since almost two years and my visa run will expires on 1th of May. I have already done one extension so I cannot extend one more time. Borders and airplanes companies have many restrictions so I will need a letter from my italian embassy is that right? I hope immigration will help me coz I cannot overstay..

[raccos21]

Don’t worry, soon they will come up with some super genius complicated requirements to apply the visa extension. These people are going to be more frustrated than ever!

[vermin on arrival]

5 hours ago, treetops said:

Where would they be trying to get to?  A look at BKK departures board online just now shows lots of cancellations but still several flights today to the Middle East, Europe, Japan, Taiwan and more.  It's still possible to get to most places with a bit of effort. Better be quick though.

Taiwan flight is only for residents there. I know I have a flat there and was going to go but couldn't board my flight. Non residents cannot even transit there now.

[BadSpottedDog]

Question Here: So, what happens to the expats who live here and WERE in the process of renewing visas (work permit). ie: Someone who has lived and worked here for 3 years. Currently in the process of changing the work visa to another business. Went overseas for the first round, and back into Thailand. Waited on paperwork, and now must leave the country again to get the visa, but can't. This is a US citizen who has no home or family in the US. Has a legit job and home here ... now what? 

[Cashboy]

Today I went to extend my Tourist Visa.

 

I arrived from the UK on the 29 January 2020 on a 30 day Tourist Visa.

I extended it in February and it ran out on the 28 March 2020.

 

I went to Udonthani immigration to extend it with my "Thai secretary".

Took:

Passport

Flight Ticket showing return flight on the 27 March

Printed UK letter requesting an extension.

 

Thai secretary took her ID Card.

 

I was told that she needed to bring her Blue Book.  That is a book that shows that she is the owner and resident of the house (address that I had given that I was staying at).

Immigration officer told me that if I did not do it today I would get a fine for overstay.

We did not have that on us so had to drive back the 40 kms to get it as well as 2 photos (normally they just take a picture using their web cam at the desk).

 

Charged the 1,900 bt

 

Extension was stamped in my passport for only 14 days.

They told me I have to go back on the 14th April and they will give me another 14 days; no charge.

 

Ethiad told me they will give me a new return journey flight.

However as I used a travel agent, they must do it for me.

Anyway, I checked the earliest flight by Ethiad and it is the 17 April. and the price would be more than what I payed for the return flight (19,000 bt).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Cashboy
add more

[emptypockets]

8 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

I'm normally on a Non Imm O multi, as I work abroad.

I didn't make it "home" to Thailand before the borders closed, so riding out the situation in Singapore.

However, if I was doing my normal stint at home, on a Non Imm O and was told I can't extend and had to fly back to U.K (not sure many flights still available), I would not leave my wife. I would be over staying and dealing with the fall out when and if needed... 20k fine on departure, so be it.. 

I like many people are being kept away from our families due to the situation, but I would not let anyone separate us if I was at home already...

I too have a non imm O multi entry visa because of working outside of Thailand and fortunately was in Thailand as the sh!t started to hit the fan. I would not leave my wife either. Multi still valid to June so took her with me to Australia. All good now.

Not every visa story is a tale of woe, but agree it does not make good reading unless someone is really in strife. 

[emptypockets]

7 hours ago, jacob29 said:

All fine if they had told people to leave before the borders were closed. If I had been given a notice on entry, that I would not be welcome in Thailand should the CV19 situation get worse - I could have made an informed decision. I doubt many could have predicted their response.

As far as I know Thailand borders are not closed for those wishing to leave. If you can find a flight you are fee to go. Thailand is under no obligation to give you travel advice. Your home country possibly is. Did you read their advice before and whilst travelling? 

A lot of what I read in the last few weeks was governments consistently telling their citizens to get home as soon as they can, or be prepared to not be able to. Not sure where you are from.

[emptypockets]

Just now, BangkokReady said:

Are you suggesting that foreigners have to stop being horrible to each other just because there is a global crisis?  That's a level of sacrifice I did not anticipate.  ????

never happen.

[natway09]

I would sit tight for a week & see what develops

[emptypockets]

6 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

you do not invest in PR, you have to meet certain criteria to be considered for it after you apply, such as having held a job in Thailand, paying taxes, and some other sundry things.  Not available to the normal expat who is here on Non Imm "O" Visas, or extensions, or here on a O-A Visa, or its extension.  Certainly PR does not give you any rights under the emergency decree, it is not Thai Citizenship.

 

However, it does save you from ever having to do a 90 day report and obtain a Visa.  You do not get a Thai passport, but after many years of having PR you can try and be one of those that gets his/her citizenship.  Look how long it took the US Citizen who was raised here and pretty much lived his entire life in Thailand.....then he threw away his US Citizenship....yes threw it away, paid a tidy sum to the US to have his US Citizenship taken away...

Nonsense. It is quicker and cheaper to get citizenship than PR if you qualify. Read some of the lengthy posts on this forum about it form people who have actually done it, not listened to a friend of a friend of a friend who has never done it.

[emptypockets]

30 minutes ago, Cashboy said:

Today I went to extend my Tourist Visa.

 

I arrived from the UK on the 29 January 2020 on a 30 day Tourist Visa.

I extended it in February and it ran out on the 28 March 2020.

 

I went to Udonthani immigration to extend it with my "Thai secretary".

Took:

Passport

Flight Ticket showing return flight on the 27 March

Printed UK letter requesting an extension.

 

Thai secretary took her ID Card.

 

I was told that she needed to bring her Blue Book.  That is a book that shows that she is the owner and resident of the house (address that I had given that I was staying at).

Immigration officer told me that if I did not do it today I would get a fine for overstay.

We did not have that on us so had to drive back the 40 kms to get it as well as 2 photos (normally they just take a picture using their web cam at the desk).

 

Charged the 1,900 bt

 

Extension was stamped in my passport for only 14 days.

They told me I have to go back on the 14th April and they will give me another 14 days; no charge.

 

Ethiad told me they will give me a new return journey flight.

However as I used a travel agent, they must do it for me.

Anyway, I checked the earliest flight by Ethiad and it is the 17 April. and the price would be more than what I payed for the return flight (19,000 bt).

 

 

 

 

 

 

And...…..?

[audaciousnomad]

Someone claims they got automatic 60 days extended to their tourist stamp today at Jomtien. They therefore are under the impression that Automatic 60 days has started.

 

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, CDTT said:

I landed in Thailand on the 13th of March on a 30 day tourist visa and became a father of a thai child on the 16th. I already have a letter from my embassy saying that I cant go back home, but what are my options when I go to the immigration Office in April?

 

Edit: and the birth certifikat of course

You can apply for a 60 day extension to visit your child.

Several topics discussing them on this forum.

[jacob29]

21 minutes ago, emptypockets said:

A lot of what I read in the last few weeks was governments consistently telling their citizens to get home as soon as they can, or be prepared to not be able to. Not sure where you are from.

I had a visa approved for Vietnam, I wanted to hunker down in Vietnam. Vietnam closed their border a few days before I was scheduled to leave without notice. The rest of the borders closed rapidly afterwards. I've never experienced a pandemic before, so yes I was caught off guard with how coordinated the border closures were. Had they started closing down gradually, giving a little time in between, I would have had time to draft a backup plan.

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, Jack1988 said:

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

Depending on your destination the flight is neither difficult nor outrageously expensive, as long as you book a bit ahead.

 

Entering your destination country could be a little more difficult.

[CDTT]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a 60 day extension to visit your child.

Several topics discussing them on this forum.

Thanks I will do that.. I was just afraid that I could only get 30 days because I came in on a 30 day arrival visa.

[sometimewoodworker]

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a 60 day extension to visit your child.

Several topics discussing them on this forum.

I thought that you had to be the legal father for that am I wrong?

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Unless you were married to your child’s mother or have since married her then legally you are not the child’s father. Your name on the birth certificate is not relevant. 
 

Unless married, you are just another tourist and you can get a 30 day extension, you have no special status. If married you can get a 60 day extension.

Not correct.

Applying for a 60 day extension to visit a Thai child does not require the father to be the legal parent of them.

That is only required for a one year extension of stay.

[CDTT]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not correct.

Applying for a 60 day extension to visit a Thai child does not require the father to be the legal parent of them.

That is only required for a one year extension of stay.

So if I want a one year extension in the future a judge needs to confirm it first? It’s not enough that the child has my last name on the birth certificate

[bkkexplorer]

12 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not correct.

Applying for a 60 day extension to visit a Thai child does not require the father to be the legal parent of them.

That is only required for a one year extension of stay.

Hi UbonJoe,

 

Can I apply for the one year extension of stay without leaving the Kingdom?

[SpanishExpat]

According to Richard Barrow 3 IO‘s got infected at CW. Good that happened rather sooner than later. The government may not care at all about farangs, but when it comes to IO‘s it’s a different thing. Won’t take more than 3-4days and they will present a solution. Pretty sure now???? Wonder how long they already had that information and if it correlates with the recent proposal.

Edited March 30, 2020 by SpanishExpat