PM Prayuth signs order to grant visa amnesty to foreigners in Thailand

[Matzzon]

26 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Folks married here, kids here, working/living here, etc - just abandon all that, because immigration could not do the SANE thing all other countries already did?

But why would you need to abandon anything, and what has the virus to do with visas for people married here, have kids or working and living here?

It´s still the same rules for that. You need either of following:
 

• 400k in the bank for 1 year visa extension based on marriage or kids
• 800k in the bank for 1 year visa extension for living here as retired
• WP, document of employment as well as minimum salary for 1 year extension of Non-B

What are you talking about? Are you promoting the wrong type of visa for people under those conditions? In that case they would sooner or later been forced to abandon all anyway. That has nothing to do with the virus outbreak. The only thing that can be classified as is bad planning or no planning of their own life as well as disrespect for the people that might need them and depend upon them.

[Matzzon]

@sallecc Please do tell me, what is confusing with my post. Maybe I can explain it in a better way.

[Burma Bill]

At long last, he has got his brain into gear (low or top??)

[falang1969]

Why not just follow what the UK have done, nice and easy for everyone (including Thai's in the UK).....

"Visa nationals who cannot return home due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be able to extend their visa.

The extension, announced today (24 March) by the Home Secretary Priti Patel, will apply to anyone whose leave expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation.

This will last until 31 May but will be kept under regular review in case further extensions are needed.

A dedicated COVID-19 immigration team has been set up within UKVI to make the process as straightforward as possible. Anyone in this situation just needs to contact this team, via this email address [email protected], to let them know their visa has expired and they will be issued with an extension."

[hashmodha]

90 day reporting will also be suspended.

Please could someone clarify this for me!?

Does this mean I do not have to have to go to Immigration for my 90 day reporting? Thank you kindly!????????

Edited April 9, 2020 by hashmodha
Grammar

[SupermarineS6B]

Important info...

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20200405061401/https://medium.com/@agaiziunas/covid-19-had-us-all-fooled-but-now-we-might-have-finally-found-its-secret-91182386efcb

[Steve Vincent]

 

22 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Foreign visitors whose visas expired on 26 March, 2020 or thereafter will be granted automatic visa extensions until 30 April, 2020, and extensions for notification of staying in the Kingdom for those whose expiry date of stay permit falls within the period between 26 March – 30 April, 2020. However, when the situation improves or returns to normal, they are required to proceed with their visas within the period specified by the Immigration Bureau.

I’m confused that said I am English ????????

Arrived SETV February 26th with visa ending April 25th in which you would normally apply for further 30 day extension.... taking me up to my departure being may 21st flights permitting. reading this article now suggest I don’t need to apply ? Is that correct or have i been on the sauce for too long 

[lostmebike]

4 hours ago, jackdd said:

https://immigration.go.th/content/visa_auto_extension

Let's assume your current permission to stay expires tomorrow.

Immigration says that you permission to stay is extended until 30th April. So with the current order in place you would not have to apply for your extension tomorrow, but could wait until 30th April.

Most certainly this order will be extended by at least another month, which would then allow you to apply for your extension as late as 31st May (maybe even later)

The only problem which could occur, once the Corona situation is resolved, is that then thousands of people attend immigration to get further extensions within the same day or week. So considering this it's probably not a bad idea to just get the one year extension now while the immigration offices are quite empty.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

I did wonder whether or not this does cover all visa types. And as one comment said, it does seem a little vague.

 

Cheers anyway. 

[lostmebike]

The wife went this morning and got one as last week those lovely boys in brown told us over the phone to extend the Non O as normal. 

Quote

From your post I guess you have a family (spouse) extension, if so we’re you able to get a KR2/KR22 from your amphur? 

[lostmebike]

4 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

From your post I guess you have a family (spouse) extension, if so we’re you able to get a KR2/KR22 from your amphur? 

The Mrs went and got the new KR2 this morning.

 

And last week, those lovely boys in brown told us to extend as normal. 

[NightSky]

1 hour ago, Matzzon said:

But why would you need to abandon anything, and what has the virus to do with visas for people married here, have kids or working and living here?

It´s still the same rules for that. 

 

 

I have Non O extension that expires first week in May. I will need to attend 1 or 2 weeks before to renew it.

 

Its unfortunate that immigration could not auto extend Visa for longer than April 30th since I will still need to goto immigration shortly with my wife who has underlying health condition which puts her at very high risk.

 

This should NOT be necessary - I have no choice but to attend immigration with her putting her and myself at risk of potential death.

 

Please also do not say get a medical note since that also requires my wife queuing up for several hours with hundreds of people to see her doctor. 

 

This order is of little use but to make it appear they are doing something and I cannot see them extending the time before 15th April which is when I should attend immigration - it isn't helping long term visa and extension holders at all.

 

Even queuing 2 meters apart is not ideal - we should not be forced to attend during a pandemic.

 

Edited April 9, 2020 by NightSky

[SunsetT]

22 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Thailand's the hub of announcements about announcements and hubs. 

All  f a r t, no  s h i t!

[sometimewoodworker]

33 minutes ago, Steve Vincent said:

 

I’m confused that said I am English ????????

Arrived SETV February 26th with visa ending April 25th in which you would normally apply for further 30 day extension.... taking me up to my departure being may 21st flights permitting. reading this article now suggest I don’t need to apply ? Is that correct or have i been on the sauce for too long 

With the current situation you are OK to April 30th but not beyond.

 

having said that I would not be rushing of to pay for an extension because there is every chance that there is going to be another Automatic extension. Wait and see

[connda]

3 hours ago, khunjeff said:

Fair enough, but the letter from Immigration to the Cabinet requesting this relief was dated March 23, so it's been more than a few days.

So they ground up two weeks of the five week "amnesty" simply waiting for the bill to be signed, and from my understanding it's still not 'law' until it's been published in the royal gazette.  So the special visa groups got a 3 week reprieve before its back to the "same old, same old" again.  Amazing Thailand.

[DavisH]

So if there are automatic extensions until April 3oth, what happens on May 1st, assuming that no other automatic extensions are given. 

[kamma]

21 hours ago, Wiggy said:

I was hoping that in a modern day announcement the word “aliens” may have been dropped. Then I remembered which draconian, backward, xenophobic country I was living in. Sigh. 

Must be so sad to live in such a place? Especially considering you probably chose to live there too? Sigh.

Edited April 9, 2020 by kamma

[connda]

44 minutes ago, lostmebike said:

The wife went this morning and got one as last week those lovely boys in brown told us over the phone to extend the Non O as normal. 

The folks need someone to torment.  Congrats.  You, I, and all the other Non-O misfits married to Thais fit the bill.  I got to sit outside in a special social distancing chair at Immigration today in the 100+ Fahrenheit heat.  That was very unpleasant.  

[connda]

21 hours ago, Wiggy said:

I was hoping that in a modern day announcement the word “aliens” may have been dropped. Then I remembered which draconian, backward, xenophobic country I was living in. Sigh. 

Better than the #S***Tourism hashtag that is now part and parcel of the Thai social media lexicon often followed by "Get out of my country with an implied "dirty, Covid-carrying ai farang" appended to the end.  I'm thinking "aliens" is simply the Thai government's PC, socially-correct vernacular for the same figure of speech that is being used on Thai social media.

[johng]

7 minutes ago, connda said:

100+ Fahrenheit heat.

Think of it in Centigrade then its only 38c ????

[TKDfella]

7 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

It IS published (finally). 

See > https://immigration.go.th/content/visa_auto_extension

 

Thank you for that link. Although I am in that range of dates I already have my next 90 day report date for June. Probably applies to others too.

[connda]

5 minutes ago, johng said:

Think of it in Centigrade then its only 38c ????

 

Sit in that 38c for 20 or 30 minutes and then when they hit you with a temperature gun, they freak, pull up their masks, throw hand sanitize in your direction and the people selling lottery tickets scatter for their lives. 

[Lacessit]

49 minutes ago, connda said:

 

Sit in that 38c for 20 or 30 minutes and then when they hit you with a temperature gun, they freak, pull up their masks, throw hand sanitize in your direction and the people selling lottery tickets scatter for their lives. 

You don't have a teerak to fan you while you are seated?

[Prince77]

My work permit will expire on May, 17th and I am currently out of Thailand. Presume it should be applicable for work permits, too in case I cannot return in time.

 

Has anybody knowledge about that?

 

Many thanks

[SEtonal]

31 minutes ago, Prince77 said:

My work permit will expire on May, 17th and I am currently out of Thailand. Presume it should be applicable for work permits, too in case I cannot return in time.

 

Has anybody knowledge about that?

 

Many thanks

 

[Matzzon]

3 hours ago, NightSky said:

 

 

I have Non O extension that expires first week in May. I will need to attend 1 or 2 weeks before to renew it.

 

Its unfortunate that immigration could not auto extend Visa for longer than April 30th since I will still need to goto immigration shortly with my wife who has underlying health condition which puts her at very high risk.

 

This should NOT be necessary - I have no choice but to attend immigration with her putting her and myself at risk of potential death.

 

Please also do not say get a medical note since that also requires my wife queuing up for several hours with hundreds of people to see her doctor. 

 

This order is of little use but to make it appear they are doing something and I cannot see them extending the time before 15th April which is when I should attend immigration - it isn't helping long term visa and extension holders at all.

 

Even queuing 2 meters apart is not ideal - we should not be forced to attend during a pandemic.

 

Regarding your medical note mentioned. Why would she need queing for several hours with hundreds of people. If you care about your wife you let her do that a the clinic of a doctor that also works at a government hospital. 

 

Also all the queing at immigration and check of documents before you get to se an officer and need your wife to attend, she could stay and wait in the car. When it´s time to meet an officer, they mostly do that in separate rooms where only you and your wife will sit with one IO. There is no need to make the problem bigger than it need to be.

[sambum]

On 4/8/2020 at 5:51 PM, scorecard said:

Dirty farangs????

Refer your question to the MInister of Health - Anutin Charnvirakul

Edited April 9, 2020 by sambum

[Postmaster]

Lovinglife.  Have I missed something here ?  Why did you re-etnter on March 19th.  Seems lunacy.  Where did you come from ?

[audaciousnomad]

15 minutes ago, Postmaster said:

Lovinglife.  Have I missed something here ?  Why did you re-etnter on March 19th.  Seems lunacy.  Where did you come from ?

A lucky few barely made it in on quick border bounces that week. (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar). He could be one of them. ????

Edited April 9, 2020 by audaciousnomad

[aboctok]

On 4/8/2020 at 6:20 PM, Condog97 said:

I dont understand why everyone gets so worked up about the whole thai visa procedures... I personally think it's very genourous (coming from the UK anyway). 30 days for absolutely nothing and another 30 for about £20! Imagine being a thai and wanting to visit the uk... that would be a massive deal of paperwork and loopholes to have to jump through! The post clearly states (for all tourists who's visa's expired on or after march 26th) if you dont fall into that category then you've already overstayed your visa atleast 14 days... so I'm assuming 99% of people will fall into that category. If not, then what the hell were you thinking... ''oh, I'll just wait and hope the government allows visa excemptions for everyone'' that's insane in my opinion.

The reason you don't understand why people are "worked up" is that you have no understanding of those people's circumstances. It's not due to their "insanity." Why would you assume that people whose visas expired before 26 March have just drifted stupidly into overstay while they hoped the THAI government would come to their rescue? I'm not claiming you won't be able to find someone like that, but it doesn't describe normal people, plenty of whom were due to leave by 26 March.

[DogNo1]

It seems that this amnesty only runs until April 30th for those of us who are already in the country.  Today I have seen Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Dr. Anthony Fauci emphasize the we can not assume that virus is beaten simply when the number of infections goes down.   When physical distancing is abandoned, the virus is ready to come roaring back.  It takes longer than a month or two to suppress it.  The amnesty should have been for three months and should be extensible beyond that.   Wuhan is now experiencing a second wave.  That's how pandemics usually work.  They come through in waves. 

 

What testing is being done in Thailand?  How do we know who is sick and who is not?  A temperature check is not sufficient!  Everyone should be tested with the rapid swab test before being allowed into a crowded public gathering

 

I can imagine myself out at immigration in early May with a large group of people in which a few may be sick.  They could spread the disease to many of us there.  I think that we should petition for our visa amnesty to last until July.  Which is more dear to us: living in Thailand for another year or our very life?