Invoking second year of O-A visa and expiring British passport in the time of Corona

[bilbo52]

As for many of us the Corona virus has mucked things up a bit.

 

I applied for and received an OA visa at the Royal Thai embassy in London with validity 16 Sept 2019 to 15th Sept 2020. (I arrived in Thailand on 09th Oct 2019). I was planning to go out of Thailand in early September of this year for a few days (and with suitable medical insurance for this type of visa) and return before valid until date (15th Sept 2020) to invoke another year of extension.

My problem is that, apart from maybe not being able to travel in and out of Thailand in September due to Corona virus induced travel restrictions , my British passport expires on 10th December 2020. Therefore after 09th June it will have less than 6 months on it, so I believe that I will not be able to travel out of Thailand and back in again using this passport.

 

I have enquired about getting a new passport through the official channels in Bkk, but they are not issuing renewal (or any other) passports at the moment.

 

I am thinking my only two options are:

 

1. Hope the Passport office starts issuing passports soon, ie I am hoping no later than end of June or,

2. Travel out of Thailand before I run into the last 6 months of validity on my current passport (go and return before 09th June 2020) to get a stamp until passport expiry  

, but

 

Where can I travel to cheaply in the next month? I think all land borders are still closed and air travel in and out is nigh on impossible.

 

Your considered thoughts please.

 

   

[Captain Monday]

Your problem is not your passport. It is when will they ever let Foreigners back in the country without unicorns such as non existent no risk of covid 19 "certificates" and $100,000 USD covid -19 insurance policiesI think September is Optimistic, and November 1 is realistic. You probably have to go back to 

UK and get a new visa and start again. The virus will be over in a few months.

[Tanoshi]

I think it's very possible some borders will reopen before September, however what restrictions will be imposed may vary Country by Country.

 

You really need to get your Passport renewed before you exit.

You do not require 6 month validity on your passport to enter Thailand.

However you will only be granted permission of stay up to the expiry date of the Passport.

[BritTim]

OP, you seem to have at least as good an understanding of the situation as those responding to you. There is just one other option that you could take advantage of (too early to say if it will be necessary and/or possible). You could apply for an emergency passport in September (validity one year) and use that to make a round trip to whatever country is open. The O-A visa in your regular passport would still be valid and usable for entering Thailand. 

[bilbo52]

Thanks for your considered replies. I will just have to play a waiting game and hope that things change for the better sooner rather than later.

[fourpack]

The post saying the virus will be over in a few months is a tad optimistic.

If you have the money in bank (or use an agent) there is always the extension route however as your passport expires before the year on extension that when the extension would expire.

I believe the UK passport trendy offices will open sooner rather than later. 

[travelerjim]

2 hours ago, bilbo52 said:

Thanks for your considered replies. I will just have to play a waiting game and hope that things change for the better sooner rather than later.

Wrong decision...get a new passport asap. Then hope a border reopens to do a border bounce.

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, fourpack said:

The post saying the virus will be over in a few months is a tad optimistic.

If you have the money in bank (or use an agent) there is always the extension route however as your passport expires before the year on extension that when the extension would expire.

I believe the UK passport trendy offices will open sooner rather than later. 

Your comment about the UK passport offices opening sooner rather than later could also prove a tad optimistic, I fear!

 

40 minutes ago, travelerjim said:

Wrong decision...get a new passport asap.

Easier said than done for the foreseeable future, unfortunately!

[Jaxxper]

Keep an eye on the British embassy website. They know passports expiring are a problem and have apparently engaged Thai immigration on the subject. VFS ( the agent the British embassy used) is currently closed down.

not much help I know. Hope you get your issue fixed.

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, Jaxxper said:

Keep an eye on the British embassy website. They know passports expiring are a problem and have apparently engaged Thai immigration on the subject. VFS ( the agent the British embassy used) is currently closed down.

not much help I know. Hope you get your issue fixed.

The British passing the buck is just aggravating. They could easily solve the problem by simply allowing UK nationals to send their applications by courier direct to the UK. This would be better for all concerned than forcing people into crowded lifts at Trendy to apply for a new passport.

[Greenpeiper]

This is a worrying situation. I have lived in Thailand the last six years on a retirement visa. I came to the Philippines in February and I am now stranded here. My Thai retirement visa expires in November. Does anyone know if the Thai authorities are granting extensions for this type of situation should the need arise?

Going back to the UK is not really an option I have nothing there, no home, no money nothing........

[Tanoshi]

53 minutes ago, BritTim said:

They could easily solve the problem by simply allowing UK nationals to send their applications by courier direct to the UK.

Except post to the UK is also suspended other than by sea.

[pontious]

19 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Except post to the UK is also suspended other than by sea.

DHL -who VFS /HMPO use still provide a service to / from Thailand.

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, pontious said:

DHL -who VFS /HMPO use still provide a service to / from Thailand.

If you can get to one of their offices and are prepared to pay their prices.

VFS are closed so not using anybody.

[Andycoops]

15 hours ago, bilbo52 said:

Thanks for your considered replies. I will just have to play a waiting game and hope that things change for the better sooner rather than later.

According to HM govt website (renewing your passport overseas, Thailand section) VFS in Bangkok are open again for passport renewals. 

And you are asked to email them for an appointment. 

Last week this service was unavailable. 

[pontious]

2 hours ago, Andycoops said:

According to HM govt website (renewing your passport overseas, Thailand section) VFS in Bangkok are open again for passport renewals. 

And you are asked to email them for an appointment. 

Last week this service was unavailable. 

I looked one minute ago- still says closed.

[ubonjoe]

Still closed.

"We are currently unable to accept applications from this country. Due to coronavirus (COVID-19), UK visa application centres are closed. We will update this page when the service becomes available."

Source: https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/overseas/information/thailand/renew/adult

[sometimewoodworker]

On 5/6/2020 at 9:48 PM, Greenpeiper said:

This is a worrying situation. I have lived in Thailand the last six years on a retirement visa. I came to the Philippines in February and I am now stranded here. My Thai retirement visa expires in November. Does anyone know if the Thai authorities are granting extensions for this type of situation should the need arise?

Going back to the UK is not really an option I have nothing there, no home, no money nothing........

You do not have a visa but an extension of stay. The consensus is that if you can not enter before your extension finishes you will have to start the process again from square one.

 

if you meet the entry requirements (no information as what they will be) you may be able to get a visa in Manila. Visa exempt entry was suspended, no information as to its reinstatement. 
 

the Philippines is not a low risk country, so is not very likely to be in the first countries from which people will be allowed to travel.