Phuket Immigration confirms automatic visa extension applies to all visa types

[david555]

2 minutes ago, merijn said:

Because almost all districts are in lock down and you are not allowed to leave your district.

I understand Phuket is different as Pattaya ,as in Pattaya you can apply for a doc. from ampur for serious reason  to pass the checkpoints , also several proffesions exempt from lockdown ......

 

One Thailand ...different rulings & understandings T.I.T. ????

 

 

 

 

[merijn]

10 minutes ago, david555 said:

I understand Phuket is different as Pattaya ,as in Pattaya you can apply for a doc. from ampur for serious reason  to pass the checkpoints , also several proffesions exempt from lockdown ......

 

One Thailand ...different rulings & understandings T.I.T. ????

 

 

 

 

You know that you are in the Phuket forum right ?

[david555]

16 minutes ago, merijn said:

You know that you are in the Phuket forum right ?

By now  I know it a 24 hours   , before not as I just picked in to topic from the right hand TV menu …. 5555

 

But my remark from 1 Thailand different rules stays...., but understanding each Governor is a boss in his own area ….., so also we should not complain about different understandings by the I.O.'s in different area's about implicating national immigration rules ….

 

BTW  in Pattaya example if you can prove must take airplane  at Suvharhnaboumi you don't need even a Amphur doc. to travel outside the lockdown 

 

Seems Pattaya officials have growing common sense ….

 

Edited April 26, 2020 by david555

[LivinginKata]

2 hours ago, david555 said:

<quote>

BTW  in Pattaya example if you can prove must take airplane  at Suvharhnaboumi you don't need even a Amphur doc. to travel outside the lockdown 

 

 

Here you go again. Talk about Pattaya. Know little about Phuket. Phuket airport is shut down for passenger traffic.

 

Phuket Immigration have made concessions about visa etc overdue as they know folks cannot get to their office,

 

Best you not make posts compare Pattaya to Phuket. Thank you.

 

[david555]

3 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Here you go again. Talk about Pattaya. Know little about Phuket. Phuket airport is shut down for passenger traffic.

 

Phuket Immigration have made concessions about visa etc overdue as they know folks cannot get to their office,

 

Best you not make posts compare Pattaya to Phuket. Thank you.

 

Sorry it hurt you ....shall not do anymore  comparing...????

[stevenl]

13 minutes ago, david555 said:

Sorry it hurt you ....shall not do anymore  comparing...????

Nothing to do with hurting, but talking about Pattaya immigration rules in a Phuket immigration topic can and will be confusing.

[taxin]

On 4/22/2020 at 5:45 PM, darksidedog said:

Maybe you should read the full story where the following is stated: However, he did confirm the automatic visa extension does apply to all visa types.

Asked specifically whether the extension apply to one-year visas, he said, “Yes, the extension applies to all visa types.”

 

But only if you arrived in Thailand after the 26th March, so if you arrived with a Non O before the 26th March you do not qualify for the automatic extension, right ?

 

Please someone correct me if I’m wrong.

[Old Croc]

1 hour ago, taxin said:

But only if you arrived in Thailand after the 26th March, so if you arrived with a Non O before the 26th March you do not qualify for the automatic extension, right ?

 

Please someone correct me if I’m wrong.

You're wrong.

[taxin]

3 hours ago, Old Croc said:

You're wrong.

Maybe I am wrong. I hope I am,  but I have yet to see any articles or posts that state Non O visa entry stamps (irrespective of what date you arrived) will automatically be extended. 

 

Is the 26th March cut off date old news, and now been scrapped ?

[Peter Denis]

8 hours ago, taxin said:

But only if you arrived in Thailand after the 26th March, so if you arrived with a Non O before the 26th March you do not qualify for the automatic extension, right ?

 

Please someone correct me if I’m wrong.

 

2 hours ago, taxin said:

Maybe I am wrong. I hope I am,  but I have yet to see any articles or posts that state Non O visa entry stamps (irrespective of what date you arrived) will automatically be extended. 

 

Is the 26th March cut off date old news, and now been scrapped ?

Good News for you because you are not correct.

> Thai Immigration is notorious for using ambiguous and even incorrect terminology in their official announcements.  When they write 'Visa' they don't refer to the validity date of the Visa with which you entered Thailand, but to the Permission to stay that has been stamped into your passport on the basis of that Visa.

So the Amnesty is applicable for to all those that have a Permit to Stay stamped in their passport that expires after 26 March (also those on 1-year extensions).

And so there are no consequences of being on overstay during the amnesty period when not visiting your IO when your permission to stay is due to expire.

However, what is not so sure is whether your IO will allow you to extend that permission to stay when the permission to stay date has expired.  For those on VisaExempt or TouristVisa or 90-day permissions to stay from a Non Imm O Visa, that wouldn't matter as they would normally leave the country anyway.  But for those on 1-year extensions of stay from their long-stay Visa it is not so clear whether they will be able to extend that 1-year extension once the permission to stay date has expired. 

Since this is Thailand, some IOs might provide leniency, but there are also already 2 reports of IOs that are not willing to do that, thus forcing those that did not apply for their 1-year extension during the window foreseen, to exit Thailand once the borders are open again and having to start their application from scratch again.

Hence it is recommended to visit your local IO once your present permission to stay from your 1-year extension is due to expire, unless of course it was your intention to let it expire anyway.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

 

Good News for you because you are not correct.

> Thai Immigration is notorious for using ambiguous and even incorrect terminology in their official announcements.  When they write 'Visa' they don't refer to the validity date of the Visa with which you entered Thailand, but to the Permission to stay that has been stamped into your passport on the basis of that Visa.

So the Amnesty is applicable for to all those that have a Permit to Stay stamped in their passport that expires after 26 March (also those on 1-year extensions).

And so there are no consequences of being on overstay during the amnesty period when not visiting your IO when your permission to stay is due to expire.

However, what is not so sure is whether your IO will allow you to extend that permission to stay when the permission to stay date has expired.  For those on VisaExempt or TouristVisa or 90-day permissions to stay from a Non Imm O Visa, that wouldn't matter as they would normally leave the country anyway.  But for those on 1-year extensions of stay from their long-stay Visa it is not so clear whether they will be able to extend that 1-year extension once the permission to stay date has expired. 

Since this is Thailand, some IOs might provide leniency, but there are also already 2 reports of IOs that are not willing to do that, thus forcing those that did not apply for their 1-year extension during the window foreseen, to exit Thailand once the borders are open again and having to start their application from scratch again.

Hence it is recommended to visit your local IO once your present permission to stay from your 1-year extension is due to expire, unless of course it was your intention to let it expire anyway.

I am curious about those cases, since I presume the rejection by the IO could be connected to the applicant being able to reach the immigration office but not doing so in time, or something similar? Do you have a link?

 

In any case, this is the Phuket forum, are those cases Phuket related?

[Peter Denis]

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I am curious about those cases, since I presume the rejection by the IO could be connected to the applicant being able to reach the immigration office but not doing so in time, or something similar? Do you have a link?

 

In any case, this is the Phuket forum, are those cases Phuket related?

No those 2 cases were - if I recall correctly - at the Roi-Et and Udon Thani IOs.

When it is indeed not possible to visit the Phuket IO due to road-blocks or lock-down, for sure they will be lenient when you were not able to visit IO to renew your 1-year extension of stay.

[Old Croc]

10 minutes ago, stevenl said:

1 hour ago, Peter Denis said:

Since this is Thailand, some IOs might provide leniency, but there are also already 2 reports of IOs that are not willing to do that, thus forcing those that did not apply for their 1-year extension during the window foreseen, to exit Thailand once the borders are open again and having to start their application from scratch again.

 

I am curious about those cases, since I presume the rejection by the IO could be connected to the applicant being able to reach the immigration office but not doing so in time, or something similar? Do you have a link?

I'm also very curious about these cases.

Are you stating that some IOs have ignored the gazetted Cabinet Order on amnesties and decided that several people on long term extensions have become overstayed and must leave the country when travel restrictions are lifted?!!

[Peter Denis]

3 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

I'm also very curious about these cases.

Are you stating that some IOs have ignored the gazetted Cabinet Order on amnesties and decided that several people on long term extensions have become overstayed and must leave the country when travel restrictions are lifted?!!

It is not because of any over-stay.  Over-stay fines and bans are waived by the Amnesty.

Those 2 IOs simply stated that also during the Amnesty period those on 1-year extensions need to renew them before their permission to stay expires.  The fact that IOs stay open during the Amnesty (and are not on reduced staff) suggests IO wants those on 1-year extensions to do them 'business as usual' (and thus avoid a stampede of 1-year extensions that need to be renewed after the amnesty has ceased).

I expect that some leniency will be shown by IOs when you have a good reason for not having done it when your permission to stay was due to expire.  And for sure there would be no consequences when like in Phuket, those on long-stay extensions are not able to reach their IO.

 

[Old Croc]

2 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Since this is Thailand, some IOs might provide leniency, but there are also already 2 reports of IOs that are not willing to do that, thus forcing those that did not apply for their 1-year extension during the window foreseen, to exit Thailand once the borders are open again and having to start their application from scratch again.

 

12 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

It is not because of any over-stay.  Over-stay fines and bans are waived by the Amnesty.

Those 2 IOs simply stated that also during the Amnesty period those on 1-year extensions need to renew them before their permission to stay expires. 

To me, your two statements seem to conflict.

Are fines and bans being waived, or are people being forced to exit and apply again?

[stevenl]

43 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

 

To me, your two statements seem to conflict.

Are fines and bans being waived, or are people being forced to exit and apply again?

He said fines and bans are being waved, but people able to go to immigration for an extension but not having done so would have to exit and apply for a new visa.

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, Old Croc said:

To me, your two statements seem to conflict.

Are fines and bans being waived, or are people being forced to exit and apply again?

No conflicting statements at all.

When your permission to stay expires after 26 March you are not required to visit your IO to extend it, as everybody's permission to stay is extended till the end of the Amnesty (31 July).

So there will be NO fines and NO bans to re-enter the country, as you will be covered by the Amnesty.

HOWEVER, it is not sure that IO will be willing to extend your 1-year permission to stay when you did not apply for it before your present permission to stay expired.  There will be no fine or ban from that, but in that case you would have to start from scratch again to apply for a new Visa and subsequent extension.  It is possible your local IO will be lenient for those that did not do it (and surely when roadblocks or lock-downs prevented you from doing it), but there are 2 reports of IOs that confirmed you would have to leave the country and re-apply for a new Visa in case you did not extend your 1-year permission to stay when it was due.

So better check with your IO what would be the consequences of not doing it.

[Old Croc]

Sorry, disagree with the above 2 posters.

I think the purpose of this amnesty is to stop people visiting Immigration offices to lesson the chance of spreading the virus. Not to even the work load out to make everything easier to handle.

To insist only people with a certain class of visa still have to renew as normal, or be censured later, is not the intent of the legislation.

It specifically states that all visa holders are considered to have an automatic extension until 31/7.

For a couple of IO's to later claim some didn't actually have an extension and must leave to start again doesn't make sense!

My opinion is that those IO's didn't understand the Cabinet decision, and their thinking shouldn't be promulgated here. 

[taxin]

7 hours ago, Old Croc said:

 

To me, your two statements seem to conflict.

Are fines and bans being waived, or are people being forced to exit and apply again?

I’m just as confused about all this however, I’m pretty sure the immigration are not forcing people to exit and apply again, not if all the borders are closed.