BREAKING NEWS Tourists get automatic visa extensions

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Tourists get automatic visa extensions

 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is concerned that foreigners seeking visa extensions are gathering in their hundreds at Immigration offices each day, said the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Wednesday (April 1).

 

Deputy ministry spokesman Natapanu Nopakun said the cabinet has responded with a move to grant automatic renewal of tourist visas for visitors who arrived in Thailand after March 1.

 

The proposal was approved by the cabinet on Tuesday (March 31) and is set to be officially announced.

 

People who hold other types of visa still need to go visit the Immigration office for extensions.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385187

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-04-01

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[jackdd]

People who arrived on a tourist visa after 1st March can just apply for the regular 30 day tourist extension, these are not the people who currently have problems staying legal.

Thanks for the "help" Thai government.

[Peter Denis]

It's NOT those that arrived after March 1 that are in real trouble, as they can still apply for the 30-day 'normal' extension with relatively little paperwork.

But it's those that arrived before March 1, and already 'used up' the normal 30-day extension they were provided.  The requirements to apply for the 'emergency covid-19' 30-day extension are preposterous and for many even impossible to meet (e.g. the owner of the place where you are staying, has to be with you when applying for that emergency extension).

It would be funny, if the consequences were not so devastating for those confronted with this bureaucratic madness.

[Filipplenoir]

I hope to boost tourism in post covid 19 world thld will follow Malaysia and have automatic 90 day tourist visa on ativalFREE

[fforest1]

This is not helping anybody that needs help......This is just a kick in the face to those who are already down, and lending a helping hand to those who least need it....

[Peter Denis]

1 minute ago, Filipplenoir said:

I hope to boost tourism in post covid 19 world thld will follow Malaysia and have automatic 90 day tourist visa on ativalFREE

For sure those who have experienced the flexible and friendly welcoming attitude of IO when dealing with their applications for extension of stay, will be lining up to make use of such free offer.

[Walter Travolta]

Because no-one knows how long this is going to go on (for quite a while by the looks) consider an ED visa if you are applicable. 1900 each month and the hassle and risk of doing this every 30 days in such heat is torture ????

 

[SpanishExpat]

Even if the PM said that. Who guarantees every single IO in different immigration offices to follow it? And what is after those 30 day? The embassy s*** along with all requirements is still needed. 

This virus crisis WON`T BE OVER IN 30 DAYS! They even reconsider to prolong the state of emergency until June. Seriously <deleted>??!! They had the chance to think thoroughly over one week now. They saw how other countries dealt with it. And the result is what? Yeah..NOTHING! 

[lovesthespicy]

March 1st which means everybody who's already eligible for a 30 day extension gets a extension. Very good troll job Thai immigration! 

[BritTim]

Immigration officials will likely begin to get sick within a few days. This will, of course, be blamed on the "dirty foreigners", and not the absurd mandate to abandon social distancing, spending hours in large crowds to get a stamp in your passport. However, although misidentifying the cause, they will have to finally come up with a rational solution.

[csmith]

26 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

And Non O Marriage? Who cares right? Pricks going to force me with an underlying condition to leave my family to travel to a hotspot be quarantined and go through hoops to return to see my family which is the only family i know (wife and children) thanks Thailand!! After all the lies ive told people in the past about how good this place is.....argh

Im told i can extend for 30days. For <deleted> i have decades of my life here. Built my own dam house with my own bare hands which is stupid i know now but come on... 

No way im getting a taxi so i guess i will leave my nice new car at the airport for how many months if not for ever.

Come on Prayut, stop being an idiot. Tourists are more important than those of us that have been living here. Doesnt make a lot of sense does it. If we had the noney my family wants out but thanks to living here and being scammed we cant do it so here we are...

What's the problem .… I extended my NON-IMM 'O' (spouse) VISA two weeks ago at Chiangmai Immigration … arrived early in the morning … second in that queue … all done and out by 10:30a.m.

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by csmith

[jacko45k]

26 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

And Non O Marriage?

Can you not go for a one year Marriage Extension?

[FarFlungFalang]

36 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

move to grant automatic renewal of tourist visas for visitors who arrived in Thailand after March 1.

That should cover about 10 people.That'll reduce the numbers.

[johnny1966]

4 minutes ago, csmith said:

What's the problem .… I extended my NON-IMM 'O' (spouse) VISA two weeks ago at Chiangmai Immigration … arrived early in the morning … second in that queue … all done and out by 10:30a.m.

 

 

One year extension?

[jacob29]

So if you have two people caught out by the sudden border closures around Mar-20, the person who got the 'proper' 60 day visa gets no extension, but the latecomer on visa exempt gets a concession lol.

 

Oh well, the only positive out of this, is there will be so many people on overstay, I'll blend right in. Maybe I should camp at the airport for a few weeks.

[Sickocock]

Though this is not a solution for the most of us, the measure is probably intended to take some pressure away from the immigration office.

[johnny1966]

2 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

non-o can be extended easily for 1 year mate, no need to go anywhere just local office

 

Or a 60 day extension no funds required.

[ColtenSloan]

So how does this help anyone that has already used their first 30 day normal extension? 

LIKE ME.

I arrived back in Thailand on February 28th. 

 

Let's hope one of these neighboring countries open the borders this month and can say adios to Thailand.

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, ColtenSloan said:

So how does this help anyone that has already used their first 30 day normal extension? 

LIKE ME.

I arrived back in Thailand on February 28th. 

 

Let's hope one of these neighboring countries open the borders this month and can say adios to Thailand.

If you arrived Feb 28th and you have already obtained a single 30 day extension, when required another 30 day CoVid-19 Extension with an Embassy letter is your option.

[silent]

It's a good beginning after previous signs of improvement. 

[racket]

This is stupid. My entry was on Feb 27th! Thanks for the “help”.. Indonesia and Malaysia seem to be the only countries that cares. 

[Wongkitlo]

8 minutes ago, johnny1966 said:

Or a 60 day extension no funds required.

Yes but still involves a visit by my wife to the Amphur and then a trip to immigration. After the trip I will not feel safe going back to her family home where we stay as there are children and older relations there.  Will need to go to a hotel instead. I have already lost my job in Australia which I was meant to start in mid April.

[BritTim]

6 minutes ago, ColtenSloan said:

So how does this help anyone that has already used their first 30 day normal extension? 

LIKE ME.

I arrived back in Thailand on February 28th.

I am not trying to defend what they are doing, but let me try to explain what might be their twisted logic:

• Foreigners who arrived before March 1 and are not already sick are surely Covid-19 free. There is no way they would be infected in Thailand. Thus, our officials are not in danger in dealing with them.
• Foreigners who arrived after March 1 will often be infected, and we must keep them away from our offices.
• There is no money to be made from agent assisted extensions for those who just need a regular 30-day tourist extension of stay.
• Regular tourists should not have planned to spend more than about four weeks in Thailand. If they had (as we expect) planned to leave mid March after arriving mid February, this was generally possible.
• Anyone who planned to be in Thailand for more than about three to four weeks needs to be properly scrutinised to see what they are up to.

[cornishcarlos]

Everyone should just stop going to immigration....

Just don't bother. That will confuse the hell out of them !!

Then as soon as the restrictions are lifted, everyone on overstay turn up at the same time... 

 

Let their hoops be redundant I say.....

[Rimmer]

A troll post and replies have been removed

[steve187]

24 minutes ago, Sickocock said:

Though this is not a solution for the most of us, the measure is probably intended to take some pressure away from the immigration office.

yes it is, but if it only applies to tourist visa entries, then they will not be the ones causing the queues at immigration now, the fist of these tourist visa entries will got go until the last week in April, maybe we are missing something in the announcement.

[solomon david]

i actually arrived in thailand(into don muang,bangkok)on march 9th so how does this apply to me?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Rimmer said:

A troll post and replies have been removed

And over 20 more have been removed for various reasons.

No further notice will given when posts are removed. If your post disappears you can assume you stepped over the line.

[Chalong circle]

What about people arriving in march with a visa exemption ?

[Peter Denis]

2 minutes ago, solomon david said:

i actually arrived in thailand(into don muang,bangkok)on march 9th so how does this apply to me?

You will probably not be required to apply for a 30-day extension once your permission to stay (till april 7) is on the brink of expiry, and you are not able to leave the country with your return-flight being cancelled.

But check the official announcement that will follow this 'teaser'.