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

[apophyss]

Why thai immigration dont keep all this informations in their computer ?

 

 

You just show passport, and with this number they can read all, no ?

Why its look so hard for them to do a small thing like this ?

[Max69xl]

7 hours ago, greggraham said:

I read that as "just a matter of time" for people who arrived after March 1st.

They don't need an embassy letter and 8 more documents. 

[Max69xl]

1 minute ago, apophyss said:

Why thai immigration dont keep all this informations in their computer ?

 

 

You just show passport, and with this number they can read all, no ?

Why its look so hard for them to do a small thing like this ?

They have everything in their computers. 

[apophyss]

1 minute ago, Max69xl said:

They have everything in their computers. 

So why they ask to provide PAPER again and again ?

 

Just for pleasure ?

[jackdd]

6 minutes ago, Geeyore said:

despite the actual facts asserted by Thai officials in the article

Which facts? They are working on something which might maybe be ready at some uncertain point in the future to help a small group of foreigners.

 

8 minutes ago, Geeyore said:

All govs everywhere have ridiculous bureaucracies that do not respond ideally to anything. Go back to your home country. Is it different?

Most countries have come up with a solution by now, including most of our home countries. So yes, it's different.

 

8 minutes ago, Geeyore said:

Do any of you cranky GUESTS in Thailand seriously think that your BKK embassy has not been backchanneling our general concerns to Thai gov?? Really??

Judging by what most of our embassies did in the past: Of course we doubt that they have been talking with Thai immigration to help us.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, Zikomat said:

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. 

It is human nature to believe you can go ahead with a holiday you paid for well in advance, and have been looking forward to for six months or more. You think "it probably will not be that bad". For many tourists, a two week trip to Thailand can be one of the highlights of their lives, and foregoing it (along with much of the money you had laid aside for it) is something many just cannot bear to contemplate. Frankly, I am sympathetic. There has been a lot of wishful thinking by governments around Covid-19, and expecting better from individuals is unrealistic.

[eppic]

6 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.

 

 

If true, this would be great news for my family and me and is consistent with what was announced by the MFA spokesman a few days ago.

 

HOWEVER, without anything in writing it still qualifies as hearsay and thus exposes us (my family and anyone else entering after March 1st) to potential overstay fines and apprehension.  If it were only myself, I'd probably just go to the immigration office on Tuesday, but given that I will also need extensions for my wife and child it creates a real quandary.  I would REALLY like to avoid going to that place with my family -- several hours in heat and crowds is obviously not ideal for a small child. 

 

Maybe we risk a day or two of overstay in the hopes of clarity.  Ubonjoe (or anyone else qualified), would a couple of days overstay cause issues (other than fines of 3x500 per day) if we ultimately need to extend at immigration?

[tandor]

...these are pressing times..good to hear.

[LNER4472]

"Just a matter of time" Details to be Iron out.

This is for foreigners who entered Thailand on or after the 1st of March.

Today is the 04th of April Visa's are already running out as form the 30th of March. Are we going to have to pay overstay finds? while we wait  for "Just a matter of time" They have time, we do not. My visa runs out tomorrow. My money ran out last week. Today we are asked to contact the British Embassy in Bangkok and they would reply with some advice. I sent an email to the Embassy 10 days ago. Yes, your right!! No REPLY. Will I get one this time? its "Just a matter of time."

[jackdd]

4 minutes ago, LNER4472 said:

"Just a matter of time" Details to be Iron out.

This is for foreigners who entered Thailand on or after the 1st of March.

Today is the 04th of April Visa's are already running out as form the 30th of March. Are we going to have to pay overstay finds? while we wait  for "Just a matter of time" They have time, we do not. My visa runs out tomorrow. My money ran out last week. Today we are asked to contact the British Embassy in Bangkok and they would reply with some advice. I sent an email to the Embassy 10 days ago. Yes, your right!! No REPLY. Will I get one this time? its "Just a matter of time."

Why don't you fly back home?

You can also just apply for a 30 day tourist extension if you didn't have one yet.

Edited April 4, 2020 by jackdd

[LNER4472]

6 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Why don't you fly back home?

You can also just apply for a 30 day tourist extension if you didn't have one yet.

Thank you for your reply. I have been without work since the End of September and my money has run out. What about my Kids. (Thai) I did not register my son with the British Embassy, but he does have a Thai Passport. I have told all of this to the British Embassy. 

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, eppic said:

I would REALLY like to avoid going to that place with my family -- several hours in heat and crowds is obviously not ideal for a small child. 

If your child is under 15 years old they can skip the extension application. They are not fined for overstays or banned from entering the country until the age of 18 if caught with an overstay.

 

[eppic]

28 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If your child is under 15 years old they can skip the extension application. They are not fined for overstays or banned from entering the country until the age of 18 if caught with an overstay.

 

Unfortunately I would also need an extension for my wife and we have no one to take care of our child -- random babysitters are obviously not an option.

 

Do you know if the extension would be in jeopardy if we overstay a couple of days? or would it just be a fine?  I don't really care about the money, but I don't want to risk bigger problems.

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, eppic said:

Unfortunately I would also need an extension for my wife and we have no one to take care of our child -- random babysitters are obviously not an option.

Maybe you are your wife could hold the place in the line while the other waits away from the crowd and presents the others passport and their supporting documents to get it and then swaps with the other after they get their extension.

 

10 minutes ago, eppic said:

Do you know if the extension would be in jeopardy if we overstay a couple of days? or would it just be a fine?  I don't really care about the money, but I don't want to risk bigger problems.

A few days of overstay would not be a problem after the 500 baht a day fine was paid.

[Kalasin Jo]

Quite. We are not all tourists stuck in Thailand. I had a non O multi based on marriage. I came in in January,  a few days before it expired and got my 90 days. Intended to head over to Savanakhet for a new visa, same same,  but then the border closed on both sides. So off to get a 60 day extension to avoid overstay. Fine. I can now stay until 9 June. 

But what if the world is still in this paralysis then and I still can neither go back to Europe nor get across to Savanakhet? Or there are costly restrictions to enter Laos or re enter Thailand  such as Covid insurance, a medical clearance certificate? 

 

And heading back to Europe which I planned to do well before this 60 day extension expires, with my wife who has a Schengen visa but it's only good until end July, may not be as simple as getting a flight, whilst my wife would not be allowed to enter under current restrictions and is very unhappy at the prospect of being left here alone as well as the prospect of flying alone later.

But say I can get a flight, I then have a 3 hour train journey to get to my home there, but currently no trains. And that might still be the case.

[Maestro]

14 hours ago, allencraig said:

I entered on a VOA stamp before March 1, and had already received an extension. I extended again yesterday...

 

What travel advisory for Thailand did the government or embassy of your country issue?

[Maestro]

6 hours ago, LNER4472 said:

Thank you for your reply. I have been without work since the End of September and my money has run out. What about my Kids. (Thai) I did not register my son with the British Embassy, but he does have a Thai Passport. I have told all of this to the British Embassy. 

 

There is a specific one-year extension of stay for people in your situation but it was up to you whether to take advantage of it. Clause 2.19 of Police Order 327-2557 (2014)

[yahboo11]

9 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.

 thx for the update.  So there is no difference between people with VOA vs Visa Exemption who arrive after Mar 1 ? 

[lamyai3]

6 hours ago, plwch said:

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.

Your second paragraph (along with a missing question mark earlier) explains why you think most bar and hotel workers speak perfect English. 

[evadgib]

Can someone please point me in the right direction for the current procedure to renew a retirement extn (monthly income route) under these current restrictions? I have asked several times on my local (Samui) page since Feb but as yet no one has bothered to reply.

Thank you ????

[jackdd]

11 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Can someone please point me in the right direction for the current procedure to renew a retirement extn (monthly income route) under these current restrictions? I have asked several times on my local (Samui) page since Feb but as yet no one has bothered to reply.

Thank you ????

Everything as before, no changes.

[Scott Tracy]

Other countries have done it alrewdy, like Cambodia....

[bahtty]

Some of the replies here are hysterical. 

 

Surely a thread about tourist visa extensions should be about exactly that? Not about different types of visa, well thats what I would assume anyway.

 

Sure bureaucracy is a bitch, but it is what it is. People complaining that other people came to Thailand, Jesus Christ, it was their choice, no one but them knows why they came, or why they are still here.

 

I landed on the 11th of March, if they sort this out before the 9th of April, it will obviously be a great help to me. If they don't, them immigration office it is.

[timoti]

I managed to extend my visa in pattaya imm in jomtien but there were so many crazy things it's beyond awful.

 

1. On the second day, the people in the first counter checked everything, told me to come at 1:00 pm.

2. Close to 1.00 pm, another walking officer told me why me and a few others don't have yellow queue numbers, but only white one. We said we got it from the first counter.

He said we needed to get yellow queue first before the white one, and now it's gonna be hard to see us. I said yesterday no such thing, and he said, yesterday is different, we change rules every day.

Also he said, don't trust the people working in the first counter. They are volunteers.

3. Anyway we waited and the queue number showed, but upon checking the docs, the officer woman complained i don't have paper from the condo itself that shows I stay there, from their management.

4. I got a print out from them yesterday. But guess what? This was only the paper that says I paid for the print out that will be given apparently next day. No one told me this, so I assumed what I got was what was needed. So she said get that paper, and come back on Tuesday (This was Friday), that would mean 2000 overstay fine.

5. So I go back to condo, get that paper that was waiting for me, bring that back.

6. The issue is why I am this unlucky, is that it was very close to 3, so I asked the front counter if I need a new queue number they said no. Then I go back to the other counter 6, and she said I can't see you again you need to get a new number or come back another day. She said I didn't take your queue number so she was lying. A younger girl wanted to see my stuff, and older officer stopped her saying I need to take new number, etc.

7. Then I go ask front counter again, they won't give any more numbers, though it was still a few minutes before 3:00 which is the last queue time.

8. One of the girls there said just wait in the back, they will see you, etc.

9. Between back and forth I saw the guy in the front issue tickets way after 3 to 2 other people, possibly Thai people. When I ask why you do selective treatment, he didn't say anything but left. He still didn't give me.

10. Meanwhile the officers in the back try to push people outside, some officers were throwing chairs around, shouting, screaming.

11. Some people had missing documents so left, some people were discouraged and left, and some people like me stayed very long and then one of the officer who is trying to reduce the number of people, said what's my number, etc, so I said she took my number, I just copied a document she said another girl will see me, etc, and finally someone saw me.

12. Then she ask me to fill 2 more forms.

13. Then she gives me a paper, ask to copy 2 times.

14. Then she asks me to go to overstay counter, pay it, then bring the bill.

15. Wait at overstay counter, they fill the forms you sign, pay get the bill.

16. I bring the bill back, go make 2 copies.

17. Then another officer check everything, after I pay 1900 thb, and they take another photo.

18. She gives 2 more papers, ask to copy 2 copies each.

19. After some time give visa back, with 21 days extension.

20. Another officer say come on 24 April, and if BKK process is ok which apparently takes 20 days for them to process, they will give 10 more days.

 

The End

[audaciousnomad]

34 minutes ago, timoti said:

I managed to extend my visa in pattaya imm in jomtien but there were so many crazy things it's beyond awful.

 

1. On the second day, the people in the first counter checked everything, told me to come at 1:00 pm.

2. Close to 1.00 pm, another walking officer told me why me and a few others don't have yellow queue numbers, but only white one. We said we got it from the first counter.

He said we needed to get yellow queue first before the white one, and now it's gonna be hard to see us. I said yesterday no such thing, and he said, yesterday is different, we change rules every day.

Also he said, don't trust the people working in the first counter. They are volunteers.

3. Anyway we waited and the queue number showed, but upon checking the docs, the officer woman complained i don't have paper from the condo itself that shows I stay there, from their management.

4. I got a print out from them yesterday. But guess what? This was only the paper that says I paid for the print out that will be given apparently next day. No one told me this, so I assumed what I got was what was needed. So she said get that paper, and come back on Tuesday (This was Friday), that would mean 2000 overstay fine.

5. So I go back to condo, get that paper that was waiting for me, bring that back.

6. The issue is why I am this unlucky, is that it was very close to 3, so I asked the front counter if I need a new queue number they said no. Then I go back to the other counter 6, and she said I can't see you again you need to get a new number or come back another day. She said I didn't take your queue number so she was lying. A younger girl wanted to see my stuff, and older officer stopped her saying I need to take new number, etc.

7. Then I go ask front counter again, they won't give any more numbers, though it was still a few minutes before 3:00 which is the last queue time.

8. One of the girls there said just wait in the back, they will see you, etc.

9. Between back and forth I saw the guy in the front issue tickets way after 3 to 2 other people, possibly Thai people. When I ask why you do selective treatment, he didn't say anything but left. He still didn't give me.

10. Meanwhile the officers in the back try to push people outside, some officers were throwing chairs around, shouting, screaming.

11. Some people had missing documents so left, some people were discouraged and left, and some people like me stayed very long and then one of the officer who is trying to reduce the number of people, said what's my number, etc, so I said she took my number, I just copied a document she said another girl will see me, etc, and finally someone saw me.

12. Then she ask me to fill 2 more forms.

13. Then she gives me a paper, ask to copy 2 times.

14. Then she asks me to go to overstay counter, pay it, then bring the bill.

15. Wait at overstay counter, they fill the forms you sign, pay get the bill.

16. I bring the bill back, go make 2 copies.

17. Then another officer check everything, after I pay 1900 thb, and they take another photo.

18. She gives 2 more papers, ask to copy 2 copies each.

19. After some time give visa back, with 21 days extension.

20. Another officer say come on 24 April, and if BKK process is ok which apparently takes 20 days for them to process, they will give 10 more days.

 

The End

Wow...feels like they want intentionally to discourage people to make them just give up and leave.  That's ridiculous.

[timoti]

1 minute ago, audaciousnomad said:

Wow...feels like they want intentionally to discourage people to make them just give up and leave.  That's ridiculous.

Very much so, I saw 3 separate girls crying coz they didnt have some paper or the officers didnt want to see them and said dont worry overstay is only 500 baht a day.

[KiteAddict]

We all know what they're up to at Jomtien Immigration. I went on Thursday for my emergency 30 day extension. Had my letter from the Embassy but heard romour that you need more stuff so got in the first queue to see what I was missing. Photos of condo and a map. 

 

So thus was in the morning and I went off and got the missing items. Came back and joined the queue for tickets at 12.30 and got to the counter at 13.30 thought great finally made it. Girl checked papers and said all OK. She then said You come back Tuesday visa run out Monday 6th. Well as you can imagine I didn't want to leave but they were having none of it. 

 

So all they want to do is put you at the back of a never ending queue unless you want to oil the wheels as it were. 

 

I heard quite a few others being told to come back Tuesday so along with the 3 day weekend it's going to be busy.. I would suggest everyone refuses to leave who is not seen on the day. Its obvious what they are doing. 

Edited April 5, 2020 by KiteAddict

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, KiteAddict said:

I heard quite a few others being told to come back Tuesday so along with the 3 day weekend it's going to be busy.. I would suggest everyone refuses to leave who is not seen on the day. Its obvious what they are doing. 

Go early on Tuesday. No overstay fine since your current permit to stay ends when they are closed.

If you do not it on Tuesday you will be fined for 500 baht for everyday of overstay.

[ubonjoe]

22 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.

 

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

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

And again.

[dsf9]

Is there been any reports (even prior to Corona) of immigration turning up at your registered hotel a week after overstay? I think Im tempted to just pay 3500baht and overstay 7 days as extension fee, taxis and the stress, inconsistency and lengthyness of the process just isnt worth the hassle imo, and based on timioti report a few posts earlier immigration themselves even seem to be encouraging it . oh well if they prejudice on future entry..   no big loss

 

 

 

 

 

come on someone say it "you make it difficult for the rest of us"... 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by dsf9