Business Visa options.

[Nickkbh]

Hi All.

 

Ok, so my visa ran out on June 8. My stamp on June 2nd.

 

I was hoping to go to Penang and get a new multiple entry visa this month as I have the past 6 years, but that seems difficult.

 

I was under the impression that I have until July 31st to get it done.

But now I am not so sure.

 

I have a valid work permit, but have never been to CW.

 

Always preferred to get Multiple entry visas, and leave the country every 3 months.

 

What are my options.

 

I am married with twin babies, so marriage visa is an option as well.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

 

Edit. I have a ticket to Penang on August 2nd, but that seem problematic as well.

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Nickkbh
added stuff

[ubonjoe]

You could apply for a one year extension of stay based upon marriage if you have 400k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 40k baht income.

You could also apply for a 60 day extension to visit your wife and children near to July 31st instead of having to leave the country then.

I cannot predict when Malaysia will open for foreign arrivals so that you could get a new non-b visa.

You can also get a multiple entry non-o visa at the consulate in Savannakhet Laos or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with no financial proof. For entry though it is the same as all nearby countries at this time.

You can have a work permit and work with non-o visa or extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai.

[SEtonal]

2 hours ago, Nickkbh said:

Edit. I have a ticket to Penang on August 2nd, but that seem problematic as well.

 

Under travel restrictions announced on March 16 and extended several times, all foreign nationals, with very limited exceptions, are restricted from entry to Malaysia until August 31, though this end date may be further extended at the discretion of the Malaysian government. Any travelers permitted to enter Malaysia during the MCO will be subject to COVID-19 testing and a mandatory fourteen-day self-quarantine.  Please see the section on Quarantine Information below for further details.

 

https://my.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information

[drbeach]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You could apply for a one year extension of stay based upon marriage if you have 400k baht in a Thai bank or proof of 40k baht income.

You could also apply for a 60 day extension to visit your wife and children near to July 31st instead of having to leave the country then.

I cannot predict when Malaysia will open for foreign arrivals so that you could get a new non-b visa.

You can also get a multiple entry non-o visa at the consulate in Savannakhet Laos or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam with no financial proof. For entry though it is the same as all nearby countries at this time.

You can have a work permit and work with non-o visa or extension of stay based upon marriage to a Thai.

I believe with the extension of a more limited lockdown in Malaysia until August 31, borders are unlikely to re-open to foreign nationals until Sep 1 at the earliest.

 

For Laos and Vietnam, no option to visit for a new visa exists for the time being either.

 

What do you think the chances are Thailand and Myanmar may agree to open the Phu Nam Ron border for border runners like those on Non-Os say by next month? This would be a welcome relief and regularize the status of many for another 90 days.

Phu Nam Ron is unique in that border runners don't even need to cross to the Myanmar side. An agent does everything for you, while you wait on the Thai side. Therefore, covid testing and quarantines shouldn't be necessary. It should be like normal times. You pay the fee and wait for the agent to complete the formalities for you. Oh and the Thai immigration will be moved to a new building right on the border within the next few weeks. The building was finished last year, but they have been waiting for computers and permission from the government to declare the new building as being a permanent checkpoint first before operating from there.

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, drbeach said:

I believe with the extension of a more limited lockdown in Malaysia until August 31, borders are unlikely to re-open to foreign nationals until Sep 1 at the earliest.

For Laos and Vietnam, no option to visit for a new visa exists for the time being either.

I did not mention when any border might open since it would on be speculation at this time.

9 minutes ago, drbeach said:

What do you think the chances are Thailand and Myanmar may agree to open the Phu Nam Ron border for border runners like those on Non-Os say by next month? This would be a welcome relief and regularize the status of many for another 90 days.

I would not even venture a guess. It might also require getting a Myanmar visa to do it. From the IATA site.

"Myanmar

Published 12.06.2020
1. Visa issuance is suspended.
2. Flights to Myanmar are suspended.
- This does not apply to relief flights.
- This does not apply to medical evacuation flights.
- This does not apply to special flights approved by the Department of Civil Aviation.
3. Airline crew are subject to quarantine until their next departure flight."

 

[BritTim]

10 minutes ago, drbeach said:

What do you think the chances are Thailand and Myanmar may agree to open the Phu Nam Ron border for border runners like those on Non-Os say by next month? This would be a welcome relief and regularize the status of many for another 90 days.

In my opinion, the chances of the Phu Nam Ron crossing opening before the end of July are slim. I understand your logic that using that crossing does not really mean leaving and reentering Thailand. If helping those who wanted to do that was a Thai government priority, it would make much more sense to provide a means to do that at an immigration office, rather than trying to stop (quite likely) attempts by those in Myanmar to sneak into Thailand once, in principle, the border is open. By the middle of July, your options may become clear.

[Caldera]

If the Thai government wanted to facilitate border runs, they could simply instruct immigration not to check for stamps from the neighboring country and let the border runners go straight from departures to arrivals. No cooperation from any other country required.

 

Not going to happen, in my opinion. Border runs are being tolerated at best, that's certainly not really something the Thai government encourages foreigners to do.

 

[drbeach]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

If the Thai government wanted to facilitate border runs, they could simply instruct immigration not to check for stamps from the neighboring country and let the border runners go straight from departures to arrivals. No cooperation from any other country required.

 

Not going to happen, in my opinion. Border runs are being tolerated at best, that's certainly not really something the Thai government encourages foreigners to do.

 

The Thai immigration system works partially on border runs. I think a new immigration policy may be in order, revamping visa types and thus discouraging, or eliminating the need for border runs, in light of the likely new reality of limited international travel in the future.

Edited June 19, 2020 by drbeach

[drbeach]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

In my opinion, the chances of the Phu Nam Ron crossing opening before the end of July are slim. I understand your logic that using that crossing does not really mean leaving and reentering Thailand. If helping those who wanted to do that was a Thai government priority, it would make much more sense to provide a means to do that at an immigration office, rather than trying to stop (quite likely) attempts by those in Myanmar to sneak into Thailand once, in principle, the border is open. By the middle of July, your options may become clear.

I agree, although such an opening would probably have to be agreed upon more on a local than national level. My point was that the Burmese government could help solve a pesky problem for some foreigners in Thailand, but on the other hand, Thailand could simply extend the amnesty or revamp it's own policies such as that 30-90 day border runs are no longer necessary. Eliminate multi entry visas with a 90-day stay limitation or make stays valid for 180 days or 6 months, for example. Allow in-country extensions.

Edited June 19, 2020 by drbeach

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, drbeach said:

I agree, although such an opening would probably have to be agreed upon more on a local than national level. My point was that the Burmese government could help solve a pesky problem for some foreigners in Thailand, but on the other hand, Thailand could simply extend the amnesty or revamp it's own policies such as that 30-90 day border runs are no longer necessary. Eliminate multi entry visas with a 90-day stay limitation or make stays valid for 180 days or 6 months, for example. Allow in-country extensions.

I have a horrible feeling that Immigration is going to decide that in-country extensions are already available, albeit not under the conditions some current users of multiple entry visas want. They may eliminate multiple entry visas, and force people either to apply for serial single entry visas or to apply for extensions under the current conditions.

[drbeach]

21 hours ago, BritTim said:

I have a horrible feeling that Immigration is going to decide that in-country extensions are already available, albeit not under the conditions some current users of multiple entry visas want. They may eliminate multiple entry visas, and force people either to apply for serial single entry visas or to apply for extensions under the current conditions.

Possibly, but hard to say. I think the government does realize that the current circumstances are unprecedented, and is not trying to make life extra difficult given the reality the world is facing. During normal times, they could do whatever they wanted to, you could just slip across a border if they didn't let you stay longer, but that's not an option right now.

I think once things become a bit clearer in terms of where the world is heading, a revamp of the immigration system may be coming our way, which will emphasize in-country extensions, possibly documents would be submitted online and less face-to-face interaction with immigration. Also, less emphasis on going out of country to apply for new visas. The world we're heading into simply may not allow it. Although domestic travel is pretty open, it doesn't look like we're going to see free international travel like we were used to, for some time to come and possibly never. Remains to be seen.