Thailand extends foreigners' visas for a second time as coronavirus cases slow

[sometimewoodworker]

23 minutes ago, Marcous said:

I'm on an ed visa and the last extension of stay expires in June. So if I understand correctly, I am eligible to stay until July 31st now. If however I had another 90 extension of stay due, I would have to go to immigration and process it normally.

You are either on an Ed visa permission to stay or an extension of stay from an Ed visa. They are not the same.

 

my reading is that to get a 90 day extension you must go to immigration. Also that you MAY NOT be covered by the automatic extensions of permissions to stay if you are currently on a 90 day extension.

[Olmate]

15 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

Visas grant the holder a specific period of stay irrespective of the visa holder intentions.

The amnesty states temporary stay according to visa type...

Whose specified period of stay expires 26march.

To me this reads as the admitted until date granted at the border.

 

A visa does not grant an extension thus extensions do not qualify under the amnesty.

The amnesty is the extension.

[sometimewoodworker]

42 minutes ago, Mamasun said:

Just a fact...I phone my Immigration this morning, as i need to go for my 90 days base on retirement O extension......the ANSWER was clear...: You have to come make your 90 days ..our office is open everyday, if you don't do then you will have to pay 2000 bahts !!! when I spoke about the new 3 months until July...they said they don't know about it...and if, it is only for people on tourist visa ect. SO like usually every office do what they want !

I would guess that English is not your first language.

 

you are not clear about why you called your IO quite possibly your immigration office is having as much difficulty understanding your question as you are having putting your report into English.

 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by sometimewoodworker

[racket]

24 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

Visas are issued by consulates and embassies of which there are none in country so not likely you will get your wish. I wish Lumyai would do a private dance for me. At least my wish has a chance. 

Right, but an idea popped into mind for those who already have an expiring METV in 2019/2020. They could extend the validity of the visa by waiving the dates. That way, thailand could utilize those tourists to continue their stay. I mean there're certainly a few thousands of them right now, and all of them are paying rents, buying food and supporting the local economy somehow. To me it's a waste of resources to have them leave in the not so distant future, one could make the argument for the SETV-holders as well. 

Edited April 22, 2020 by racket

[accel]

How about Non-B visas extended past the initial 90 days?  (I extended for one year, twice).  Covered right?

[smilemaker]

Sweet!  I'd rather be here than in the crazy USA. 

Thanks Thailand. Its about time you gave something back. 

[sometimewoodworker]

5 minutes ago, accel said:

How about Non-B visas extended past the initial 90 days?  (I extended for one year, twice).  Covered right?

You do not have a visa.

you have an extension of stay

you are probably not covered

contact you IO for definite information.

if you want a 3rd 1 year extension you must go to immigration for that.

Edited April 22, 2020 by sometimewoodworker

[JackThompson]

Everyone on a 1-year extension-of-stay obtained a "real visa" at some point - either from a Thai-consulate abroad, or from immigration (a 90-day "conversion" / "change of visa-type" - immediately marked 'used').   

One of the following is true:
 - Everyone on any "extension of stay" are covered by this, whether on visa-exempt, tourist-visa entries, etc
 - Or they aren't,
 - Or only certain lengths of extensions of stay are covered (60-day-wife/family, vs 30-day-tourist, vs covid-30, vs 1-year, etc)
 - Or only certain types of "starting visas" pre-extension are covered.

Edited April 22, 2020 by JackThompson

[sometimewoodworker]

7 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

One of the following is true:
 - Everyone on any "extension of stay" are covered by this, whether on visa-exempt, tourist-visa entries, etc
 - Or they aren't,
 - Or only certain lengths of extensions of stay are covered (60-day-wife/family, vs 30-day-tourist, vs covid-30, vs 1-year, etc)

 - Or only certain types of "starting visas" pre-extension are covered.

Very nicely put

 

so it is a definitive, maybe, perhaps, yes or a possible maybe perhaps no, but it’s all, both or neither for some or all  extensions of stay.

Edited April 22, 2020 by sometimewoodworker

[jackdd]

14 minutes ago, accel said:

How about Non-B visas extended past the initial 90 days?  (I extended for one year, twice).  Covered right?

Immigration Bureau says yes: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1160811-thai-govt-and-immigration-confirm-second-visa-amnesty-no-need-to-do-90-day-reports-or-extend-visas/

Some people here say no, based on nothing but their opinion.

Your choice who to believe ????

Edited April 22, 2020 by jackdd

[Wongkitlo]

2 hours ago, unamazedloso said:

Ok so i just called my local immigration and was told to fill out a tm47 online. My 90day border crossing (nonOmarriage) should have fallen on the 24th April but clearly thats not a possabilty so was told to do the online report instead. What a joke that is!!!! Cant do anything, slow, loop back to menu, downloaded app and cant register with errors showing up... argh! Called back and they said dont do anything until the 30th because this july 31st thing they dont know anything about...Oh dear......

Which office?

[sometimewoodworker]

8 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Immigration Bureau says yes.

Some people here say no just because they think so.

Your choice who to believe ????

You say that “Immigration Bureau says yes.” your opinion 

 

 

few agree but most will refer you to immigration for a definitive answer.

 

edit a quotation of a Thaivisa thread does not support your claim

Edited April 22, 2020 by sometimewoodworker

[Bangkok Barry]

46 minutes ago, jackdd said:

What is so difficult to understand about "all visa types"?

Because it totally contradicts "certain classes of aliens" and "special cases." Why is that so difficult to understand?

 

On April 21, Mrs. Narumon Pinyo Sinwat A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office revealed that the Cabinet meeting has agreed in principle the draft notification of the Ministry of Interior regarding allowing certain classes of aliens to stay in the Kingdom in special cases

[What a carry on]

Could've saved a lot of people the panic attacks they may have been having (and perhaps some of the infections at immigration) had they announced this sooner. Still, better late than never. Well done, Thailand.

Edited April 22, 2020 by What a carry on

[Mamasun]

1 hour ago, Max69xl said:

The 90 days report is officially cancelled nationwide. Where do you stay? 

In NST province

[accel]

14 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

You do not have a visa.

you have an extension of stay

you are probably not covered

contact you IO for definite information.

if you want a 3rd 1 year extension you must go to immigration for that.

And how am I gonna get another one year extension with no job?

[sometimewoodworker]

4 minutes ago, jackdd said:

See my edit

And mine.

[jackdd]

Just now, Bangkok Barry said:

Because it totally contradicts "certain classes of aliens" and "special cases." Why is that so difficult to understand?

 

On April 21, Mrs. Narumon Pinyo Sinwat A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office revealed that the Cabinet meeting has agreed in principle the draft notification of the Ministry of Interior regarding allowing certain classes of aliens to stay in the Kingdom in special cases

It doesn't contradict it. The automatic extension only applies to the "certain class of aliens" consisting of foreigners who were allowed entry into Thailand based on a visa (or visa exempt), under Thai immigration act section 35.

It doesn't apply to stateless people, refugees, people who entered Thailand illegally, foreigners with permanent residency, and probably some other classes of aliens. Thus their wording "certain classes of aliens" might be slightly confusing, but it's correct.

[sometimewoodworker]

5 minutes ago, accel said:

And how am I gonna get another one year extension with no job?

Regrettably you are not.
 

If you just want to stay until the borders are open you should still check with immigration. Yours is a less than usual situation. 
 

1 person Will tell you that you are covered most others will give the better advice, go to immigration after the new order is published in the gazette and ask them

Edited April 22, 2020 by sometimewoodworker

[jackdd]

7 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

edit a quotation of a Thaivisa thread does not support your claim

But this info graphic by the Immigration Bureau (which you can find in this thread), which says foreigners don't need to extend their visa, does:

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

3 minutes ago, jackdd said:

It doesn't contradict it. The automatic extension only applies to the "certain class of aliens" consisting of foreigners who were allowed entry into Thailand based on a visa (or visa exempt), under Thai immigration act section 35.

It doesn't apply to stateless people, refugees, people who entered Thailand illegally, foreigners with permanent residency, and probably some other classes of aliens. Thus their wording "certain classes of aliens" might be slightly confusing, but it's correct.

Okay, we're used to confusion. Instead of saying certain classes and special cases, why don't they say what they are instead of us having to guess (you too, "Probably some other classes of aliens.") Or maybe they do and I haven't seen the link.

[Mamasun]

35 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

I would guess that English is not your first language.

 

you are not clear about why you called your IO quite possibly your immigration office is having as much difficulty understanding your question as you are having putting your report into English.

 

 

You are sooo kind thank you

[sometimewoodworker]

2 minutes ago, jackdd said:

But this info graphic by the Immigration Bureau (which you can find in this thread), which says foreigners don't need to extend their visa, does:

 

 

Your graphic doesn’t load

 

there is the usual confusion with extensions of stay and visa

 

i still maintain you can not ASS U ME and be safe Ask immigration 

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

Yes, they will be on overstay.

In tens of post on various threads you are stating that those on 1-year extensions are covered by the amnesty, and you are thus creating confusion all over.

You even admit that you would NOT recommend those on 1-year extensions to skip doing their 1-year extension when their permission to stay date is due to expire.

So it is just an Ego-Trip for you trying to prove that you are right.

And even IF it turns out that you are right and that it is not necessary to do your 1-year extension of stay and that you can wait till after the amnesty, those that followed your 'advice' would have to do it then anyway (in crowded immigration offices).

But if you are NOT correct and the long-stay Non Imm O or O-A Visa holders refrained from doing their 1-year extension when it was due, they will be in a lot of trouble and have to rely on leniency from their IO.

You must be absolutely convinced of being right against all those that state otherwise, when it could result in people getting in big trouble if it turns out that their local IO is of a different opinion. 

 

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

I recommended to do the extension now because the immigration offices are empty (if they are not belonging to the risk group), not because they might be on overstay.

I think you don't realize what you are doing. You (meaning everybody who tells people that they are not covered) are probably causing thousands of people all over Thailand to expose themself to other people at the immigration office while we have an ongoing health pandemic, where everybody should stay as isolated as possible.

Some people, who might not be able to extend and think they will be on overstay because of what you say, will decide to fly back home instead of staying put, thus greatly increasing their chance to infect themself as well as spread a potentially deadly virus over the world.

Based on only your opinion, without having any evidence, you are scaring people into doing something which contributes to the spread of the virus, and in the worst case might even kill people.

Cool!  So according to you @ubonjoe @Tanoshi @rumak @DrJack54 and many others are Guilty of Potential Homicide because we state that those who are on 1-year extensions of stay of their Non Imm O or O-A Visa still need to do their extension at their local IO, since the amnesty does NOT apply for that particular category (1-year extensions of stay).

Obviously then also the officers at the Roi-Et and UdonThani offices are guilty of this hideous disinformation crime to confirm that those on 1-year extensions of stay need to extend their permission to stay when its expiry is due.

Strangely I have not come across any report yet of somebody extending his 1-year permission to stay (and there are quite a lot of them), that was told by his IO that it was not necessary due to the amnesty.

And it also makes me wonder why they keep the Immigration Offices open if ALL permissions to stay independent of Visa-type are eligible for the automatic extension.

Could it be that they want to avoid a stampede of the IOs when the amnesty period is over?

Handling the regular 1-year extensions of long-stay retirees on original Non Imm O or OA Visa, which they are doing now, would avoid such a situation.  And there would hardly be any disruption of regular IO-business once the amnesty is over, because those for who it is applicable - and that created the huge crowds at IO before the amnesty - will then exit Thailand, which they are now unable to do.

 

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, accel said:

And how am I gonna get another one year extension with no job?

You fall under the rules since the only way to stay longer is to leave the country. You can stay until the 31st.

[jackdd]

3 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Okay, we're used to confusion. Instead of saying certain classes and special cases, why don't they say what they are instead of us having to guess (you too, "Probably some other classes of aliens.") Or maybe they do and I haven't seen the link.

Because they only list classes of aliens to which they refer.

The title of the document is something like: Special permission for certain classes of aliens due to Covid19.

Then in the document they are talking about three classes of aliens:

1. Permanent residents

2. People who were granted permission to stay until at least 26th March, and who got their permission to stay based on a visa or visa exempt.

3. People from neighbouring countries with a border pass

As we can see the order is about these three "certain classes of aliens", thus the title is correct.

 

Some people here are quite paranoid (which i can definitely understand to a certain degree, due to past actions of immigration), and are now interpreting this order wrong. They are for example interpreting "certain classes" as "doesn't apply to all types of visa entries", but this is not what it means.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Russell17au said:

Ubonjoe: Could you please answer my question 

I am on a Multi Entry Non-Imm "O" marriage visa which expires in November and I am required to do a border run every 90 days and my next border run is due 19th May. Am I covered by this extended amnesty.

Thanks Ubonjoe

You can stay until July 31st if needed.

If the borders open you could leave and re-enter to get a new 90 day entry.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

They are for example interpreting "certain classes" as "doesn't apply to all types of visa entries", but this is not what it means.

A very natural interpretation, don't you think, because that is exactly what it says? Thanks for the clarification.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

1 hour ago, Russell17au said:

Ubonjoe: Could you please answer my question 

I am on a Multi Entry Non-Imm "O" marriage visa which expires in November and I am required to do a border run every 90 days and my next border run is due 19th May. Am I covered by this extended amnesty.

Thanks Ubonjoe

You can stay until July 31st if needed.

If the borders open you could leave and re-enter to get a new 90 day entry.

I'm in the same position, due out by 26th May, so this is a money-saver. Silver linings..... 

[ubonjoe]

45 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Some people here say no, based on nothing but their opinion.

You are doing the same thing. You have nothing to support your opinion and advising people to skip their one year extensions.

I would not do that if I did agree with you. I have stated they should do their extensions since there is big uncertainty about being able to apply for another one without starting all over again.