Automatic visa extensions for tourists in Thailand “just a matter of time” - details being ironed out: govt spokesman

[plwch]

Can you really not find fluent English speaking people. 90% of the bar and hotel workers speak perfect English.

 

What can't your journalists? 

 

It's embarrassing.

[CLS]

Automatic visa extension will be granted from April 30th on, for those who arrived after March 1st on visa exemption. TIT.

[vermin on arrival]

When people have already gotten the under consideration stamp for their emergency covid extension will they need to get new embassy leaders for additional emergency extensions. Will we need to continue to go twice a month to get our full 30 days?

[theVenerable]

Just now, vermin on arrival said:

When people have already gotten the under consideration stamp for their emergency covid extension will they need to get new embassy leaders for additional emergency extensions. Will we need to continue to go twice a month to get our full 30 days?

Yes
I wan't to know whats going on with this issue too.

Everyone focusing on the news for  people who arrived after 1st March. They seem to have it easier.

What's the protocol for the majority, the rest of us ?

[Maestro]

2 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

When people have already gotten the under consideration stamp for their emergency covid extension will they need to get new embassy leaders for additional emergency extensions. Will we need to continue to go twice a month to get our full 30 days?

 

At the present moment in time, the answer is YES.

[McArie]

1 hour ago, lensta said:

" you have to ask why it is such a complicated and time consuming problem here?"

National security lol

The problem of national security is important for any country. However, what the local policymakers here did not understand was that the current immigration procedures directly undermine national security. The virus spreading in the population is a national security threat. When a country's medical system is shattered and economy stops, when people die, the state institutions disintegrate and no army or police can function...The soldiers also have mothers, fathers, grandparents, relatives who will be adversely affected, even dying from diseases (directly or collateral to C-19)...Allowing any gathering under present circumstances creates an enormous risk as well as any non-life essential contact activity! Remember, this virus is not dangerous for its mortality, but for the unseen speed of spread, an effortless exponential proliferation...the pulmonary complications associated with the almost 50% fatality are secondary to the spread. Plus we still have no idea about its mutation effects (mutation is almost universal for viruses) in future...This is why the world is in locking-down. This is why responsible and intelligent governments don't bother with the immigration bureaucratic trivialities at this time...For them, a three-month blanket policy on visa extension poses no (or far less than C-19) security issue. So let us all be human, patriot and/or intelligent people, let's work together. Your move, Thai government.

Edited April 4, 2020 by McArie
spelling

[allencraig]

1 hour ago, Viezeman said:

I entered the country on 10 march. Guess its going to be overstay untill they officially announce it.

If they don't announce anything clear, you could just go to immigration on April 9 and pay 1,900 for an extension, couldn't you?

[vermin on arrival]

18 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

At the present moment in time, the answer is YES.

So new embassy letters? and go twice a month?

[Maestro]

29 minutes ago, theVenerable said:

...Everyone focusing on the news for  people who arrived after 1st March. They seem to have it easier.

What's the protocol for the majority, the rest of us ?...

 

The general assumption in government circles seems to be that the "rest of us", the foreign tourists who arrived before 1 March 2020, saw the writing on the wall and, heeding the travel alerts issues by our governments, have scarpered by now, and that the non-tourists are taken care of by immigration with one-year extensions of stay.

 

The same can, of course, be said also of those who arrived since 1 March, or it could be said that they should not even have travelled to Thailand because of the ongoing Covid-19 situation but it seems that something has to be done because immigration has difficulty coping with the unexpected demand for extensions of stay for the reason of "necessity" that has been promoted by the Memorandum 0029.161/W 916

[wensiensheng]

3 hours ago, allencraig said:

I entered on a VOA stamp before March 1, and had already received an extension. I extended again yesterday. Here's what I learned:

 

1. Anyone who ENTERED Thailand on or after March 1 gets an automatic extension. NO NEED to go to immigration or do anything.
2. Anyone who ENTERED before March 1, can get a 30-day "Covid extension", EVEN IF they've already received an extension. Just need to go to the temporary immigration area in Muang Thong Thani, with the regular paperwork PLUS the letter from their embassy. A B/W copy is fine. No other forms out of the ordinary are needed. (Or weren't needed in my case.) Cost is 1.900thb.
3. The temporary immigration processing area is in the new Central Intelligence Bureau parking facility. A bit of a pain in the ass to get to, but I found minivans there and back for 35thb each way. The wait should be about 4 to 5 hours. It's very organized but it just takes a while because there's a lot of people. There are food and drink stands set up, too. There are 8 or 10 people doing the actual processing.

“A bit of apain in the ass to get to, but I found minivans there andback for 35thb each way. “

 

mini vans?! I’d rather take a cruise.

 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

3 hours ago, LNER4472 said:

I entered Thailand on the 7th of March, so those among you will work out that my 30 Days run out tomorrow.

I'm a teacher in your same boat. My job also ended in March, so I did a run to Laos, got a new tourist visa until April, now just extended it to May.

 

After that, I'm hoping my new school gets my Non-B ready. If not we can a second extension using an embassy letter, or from what I'm hearing, it could possibly be automatic. But certainly don't count on that.

 

Thing is, there's no need to overstay. Go get the extension.

 

Don't worry about your age. Good thing about us teachers, is that there will be no shortage of jobs when the schools do open. The borders are currently closed to incoming foreigners. They've only got us to choose from now. ????

Edited April 4, 2020 by CrunchWrapSupreme
Typos

[drbeach]

What is wrong with this country? Even Cambodia has managed to do it, but Thailand can't? What the hell are they waiting for? Just do it and stop bee booping all over the place. The IQ of those that manage this joint is seriously low.

[phuketrichard]

how are you going to get a non B visa?

You need obtain that OUT of Thailand, school cant do that for you>>

[drbeach]

16 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

The general assumption in government circles seems to be that the "rest of us", the foreign tourists who arrived before 1 March 2020, saw the writing on the wall and, heeding the travel alerts issues by our governments, have scarpered by now, and that the non-tourists are taken care of by immigration with one-year extensions of stay.

 

The same can, of course, be said also of those who arrived since 1 March, or it could be said that they should not even have travelled to Thailand because of the ongoing Covid-19 situation but it seems that something has to be done because immigration has difficulty coping with the unexpected demand for extensions of stay for the reason of "necessity" that has been promoted by the Memorandum 0029.161/W 916

Cambodia has allowed tourists who entered since January 1 to avail themselves of an automatic extension. Anyone on an ordinary visa can get 6 months without documentation anyway, irrespective of covid19. I just wonder what is going through the heads of the Thai authorities, that they can't seem to figure out a solution that Cambodia has already found.

[dsf9]

I would much prefer they just cap the overstay at 10,000baht for up to three months and written declaration that no detrimental effects on future re-entry for overstay occuring between 15th Feb - May/June/whenever-normality-resumes.  Win win for everyone, no more trees, no immigration visits, and a health lump of money for the country. 

 

 

[bestie]

At the moment it's so depressing to read that people here are already overstaying because they're older, don't want to risk their health or can't get the right documents. 

You can read and hear how many rethink their future in Thailand. btw I love Thailand. 

The point is it's your health, my health. Everyone of us has to decide what to do. Every situation is different. 

And yes it's not our home country, not in 5 years not in 20 years, we're guests even if you're not a tourist ,we have to play by the rules like in any other country and that is ok, but when the rules could effect my health or the health of my family and friends.... It's hard to understand. 

 

 

 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

4 hours ago, allencraig said:

Anyone who ENTERED before March 1, can get a 30-day "Covid extension", EVEN IF they've already received an extension. Just need to go to the temporary immigration area in Muang Thong Thani, with the regular paperwork PLUS the letter from their embassy.

Glad to hear your immigration office is thinking with a clear head. Samut Prakan certainly wasn't, when I tried about a week ago. They also wanted:

 

1. Rental contract (they didn't like the address on it, not specific enough)

2. Owner's ID card (who's in another part of town)

3. Owner's tabien baan

 

They certainly didn't want people leaving BKK, but that was one of the many things pushing us out. The extension was a breeze to do here upcountry.

[allencraig]

22 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

“A bit of apain in the ass to get to, but I found minivans there andback for 35thb each way. “

 

mini vans?! I’d rather take a cruise.

 

Well there's plenty of taxis available for folks who don't mind paying extra to avoid sitting next to another person.

[ChaiyaTH]

Changed from my non-o + extension to a Mae Sai border run on purpose March 14th and gonna be expiring April 12th.
Wondering if they are going to get me the automatic extension as I was planning to go late next week otherwise, seems I should wait as long as possible. 
Just too many mixed stories, disgrace for the lack of clear reporting during these times.

Would be brilliant if I get a free extension until the end of June though, saves me 1 visa trip abroad this year OR 12-15K baht.

Edited April 4, 2020 by ChaiyaTH

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

10 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

how are you going to get a non B visa?

You need obtain that OUT of Thailand, school cant do that for you>>

Find a good school, which I believe he'll have no trouble with given his experience.

 

Do find: Direct hire, at preferably a private, international, or big govt school.

DO NOT FIND: Hire through an agency, who's got no clue or concern other than their kickbacks, and takes any backpacker fresh off the plane for 30k.

 

The former can arrange your Non-B at local immigration. The latter will have you do a border run.

[Zikomat]

38 minutes ago, Maestro said:

 

The general assumption in government circles seems to be that the "rest of us", the foreign tourists who arrived before 1 March 2020, saw the writing on the wall and, heeding the travel alerts issues by our governments, have scarpered by now, and that the non-tourists are taken care of by immigration with one-year extensions of stay.

 

The same can, of course, be said also of those who arrived since 1 March, or it could be said that they should not even have travelled to Thailand because of the ongoing Covid-19 situation but it seems that something has to be done because immigration has difficulty coping with the unexpected demand for extensions of stay for the reason of "necessity" that has been promoted by the Memorandum 0029.161/W 916

What about those who arrived after 1.03? Haven’t they seen the writing on the wall before taking 10-15 hours trip to the other side of the planet?

An unexpected demand should have been more that expected with the multiple flights cancelled, borders closed and covid on the rage. 

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Zikomat

[Tonybeerd]

What's to iron out simply declare an amnesty until the crisis is over ! Or is that too easy for a leader ?

[audaciousnomad]

2 minutes ago, Zikomat said:

What about those who arrived after 1.03? Haven’t they seen the writing on the wall before taking 10-15 trip to the other side of the planet?

Everyone is judging this from the wrong logic.  This date was selected PURELY to maximize revenue, while appearing to "help" Thailand's beleaguered visitors. Arrivals dropped a lot more after 1-Mar...so it stands to reason that Immi would lose the least amount of app fees from that group. MANY MANY more(thousands) were here before 1-Mar, and are still here trying to figure out what to do.  The will continue to earn renewal fees on that group as long as those visitors remain here.

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

After that, I'm hoping my new school gets my Non-B ready. If not we can a second extension using an embassy letter, or from what I'm hearing, it could possibly be automatic. But certainly don't count on that.

 

22 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

how are you going to get a non B visa?

You need obtain that OUT of Thailand, school cant do that for you>>

It can also be applied for a immigration.

See: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_73  See the top right of the page to change to English.

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

This topic just got shorter after I removed several off topic, Thai bashing and those about other countries posts. 

No further notice will given when post are removed.

A reminder. If your post disappears you can assume you stepped over the line.

[newnative]

What about expats living here?  Nobody should have to risk virus exposure at an Immigration office. The offices should all be closed for safety and everyone given automatic extensions.  

[w94005m]

26 minutes ago, newnative said:

What about expats living here?  Nobody should have to risk virus exposure at an Immigration office. The offices should all be closed for safety and everyone given automatic extensions.  

Should be for everyone. There must be 99% in agreement with you and I suspect most would happily pay retrospectively for that privilege.

 

I would be very happy to pay an inordinate sum for that.

[rech]

6 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Given countries around the world have recognised the problem and found solutions very quickly, you have to ask why it is such a complicated and time consuming problem here? The current calls for stupid amount of documents and forcing many people to form a crowd at immigration when they should be social distancing is plain crazy.

This should be resolved immediately even if Prayut has to bring out and dust off article 44.

 

I ❤️ you

 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Popular Thailand based blogger Richard Barrow recently tweeted that a total of nine separate documents were requested at one immigration office, as well as the “interrogation” of the visa holder’s landlord.

 

7 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

While other countries had waived visa requirements for foreigners left stranded due to COVID-19,

Speaks volumes!

[Totte86]

Im honestly pretty scared of the situation. Not the virus itself, Im still relatively young and relatively healthy but I dont want to infect others and Im freaking out about these visa problems. Impossible to get to an embassy so we really are at the mercy of local immigration. I feel like they are happy to let us suffer, expose ourself and therefore others, while cashing in as much as they can in the process. I feel it truly is shameless, but Im not suprised. Seing how they have been tightening the screws for years making it harder and harder to stay here. Only quick in and out tourists are welcome but they treat them like dirt now as well.