The U S Embassy will no longer provide extension letters

[anchadian]

ACS Bangkok

 

@ACSBKK

 

The U.S. Embassy will no longer provide extension letters. U.S. Citizens have until July 31, to either return to the U.S., other permanent residence, or obtain appropriate long-term visa. Refer specific visa questions to Thai Immigration. More info here:

 

 

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immigration.go.th

[jackdd]

This is what they say today. In case the Thai government doesn't extend to amnesty or provide another alternative, they might say something different at the end of this month.

[DrJack54]

USA and AU announced that some time ago.

[ubonjoe]

If immigration announce the letter is needed again and informs the embassy they will start again.

Even the link for immigration is out of date sincey the changed their website. Link defaults to the new home page.

[AndyPa]

Something tells me the US Embassy has advance notice of what's about to happen ..

[vermin on arrival]

Before when the amnesty was announced by the cabinet in April, I still had CW IOs telling me that I needed an embassy letter to to stay beyond April even though I had requisite stamps and an under consideration stamp from an emergency covid extension that was in fact unnecessary. We won't know what's really happening until the cabinet makes an announcement. I suspect even after that some IOs will get it wrong. The immigration spokesman whose interview is circulating didn't even give a definite answer, but said most likely, so they still haven't decided and there is only two weeks left in July. If there is no extension of any kind, it will be absolute chaos.

 

I see Indonesia has told people under amnesty to leave, but even there they gave people one month notice to organize things and leave. I suspect (but don't know) if we are told to clear out we will be given 1 month to get things in order or clear out as well.

 

I really want to get to Taiwan (or maybe Laos since I have connections there) if I have to leave, but maybe they won't be open this year. I had been waiting for a travel bubble of some sort which were just totally scrapped ,which is why I am now forced to deal with waiting on amnesty news.

 

If one wants to switch to a long stay visa in country from visa exempt using an agent, since I think that is the only way to do so now, how long will it take to do so? I think the only one that would make sense for me is an edu visa. Any advice on that? Would agents have lists of thai language schools as well?

 

Maybe this post belongs elsewhere.

[vermin on arrival]

19 minutes ago, AndyPa said:

Something tells me the US Embassy has advance notice of what's about to happen ..

Maybe, but they also like to do as little as possible. Last time they were refusing to write letters until the last moment even though immigration was in chaos and the US was clearly going to have a horrible epidemic. Then they initially just gave standard letters and only gave personal letters after many people went to immigration and were refused. Shocking they are currently refusing when the US has around 70k cases in 1 day.

[SEtonal]

I personally think that Thailand will let foreigners stay after July 31, no embassy letter needed, just pay 1900 for a 30 day extension - as an example, similar to what Laos and Vietnam are now doing.  

 

https://twitter.com/ACSBKK/status/1281081922437988353?s=20

Edited July 14, 2020 by SEtonal

[vermin on arrival]

2 minutes ago, SEtonal said:

I personally think that Thailand will let foreigners stay after July 31, no embassy letter needed, just pay 1900 for a 30 day extension - as an example, similar to what Laos and Vietnam are now doing.  

 

https://twitter.com/ACSBKK/status/1281081922437988353?s=20

I know Vietnam has pay system for 2 or so months at a time, does it have an amnesty as well? Laos is just having people pay overstay $2 a day indefinitely, right? 60 a month is the rouighly the same as 1900 baht extensions.

[theWTD]

Thanks for the help US Embassy.  Would it be so hard to issue some letters and keep us from having a crazy mass exodus back home?

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

USA Embassy is worthless.  Quit telling us to come back home.  No American in thier right mind would want to be in the USA right now unless it was absolutely necessary.  I'm American and I'm avoiding the US at all costs.  If I have to leave Thailand, then I'll go to Croatia or Turkey or anywhere else I can. 

[Jajazazajaja]

6 minutes ago, theWTD said:

Thanks for the help US Embassy.  Would it be so hard to issue some letters and keep us from having a crazy mass exodus back home?

Much more likely that there is no need for letters at this time 

 

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

Hopefully there is no need for a letter.  This is all getting out of hand with the waiting game.  

[CorpusChristie]

2 hours ago, vermin on arrival said:

If one wants to switch to a long stay visa in country from visa exempt using an agent, since I think that is the only way to do so now, how long will it take to do so? I think the only one that would make sense for me is an edu visa. Any advice on that? Would agents have lists of thai language schools as well?

Think its too late for an Ed visa, as they take 3-4 weeks to process

[vermin on arrival]

1 minute ago, CorpusChristie said:

Think its too late for an Ed visa, as they take 3-4 weeks to process

OK so could only consider it if some additional extension is allowed. Thanks. Will just have to wait and see now.

 

 

[jackdd]

They deleted their Twitter post, did they change their opinion?

[Maestro]

1 hour ago, jackdd said:

They deleted their Twitter post, did they change their opinion?

 

I still see the Twitter post here:

 

[Maestro]

The image in the tweet also includes this text, as if by way of explanation why they no longer give the letter requesting the extension for the reason of "necessity":

 

Departing Thailand

 

• Commercial flights are available daily to the United States from Bangkok on multiple airlines to many major U.S. cities.

 

Korean Air, Asiana, Qatar, Ethiopian Airlines, Swiss Air, KLM, Japan Airlines, and Cathay Pacific have flights departing Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport with connecting flights onward to the United States. Please reach out directly to the airlines for updated information and to book tickets.

[jackdd]

15 minutes ago, Maestro said:

I still see the Twitter post here:

That's an older post. They made a post today which was quoted in OP:

"The U.S. Embassy will no longer provide extension letters. U.S. Citizens have until July 31, to either return to the U.S., other permanent residence, or obtain appropriate long-term visa. Refer specific visa questions to Thai Immigration. More info here:"

This post has been deleted.

[Caldera]

Their tweet from July 9th was actually quite sensible, as they pointed out that there has been no update from the Thai authorities.

 

What else could they possibly advice Americans than to prepare for the worst case scenario?

 

[Nong Khai Man]

A number of embassies in Bangkok are saying that they won’t issue any further visa extension letters for their citizens when Thailand’s overstay amnesty expires on July 31. An announcement published last week by the US embassy said American citizens residing in Thailand will have to decide whether to stay or leave, as it will no longer provide extension of stay requests for its citizens. The letter is mandatory for most foreigners who wish to extend their stay for another 30 days.

“US citizens have between now and July 31, 2020, to either return to the US or their country of permanent residence or to obtain the appropriate visa type for a long-term stay in Thailand. The US embassy is unable to give advice on individual visa issues. Please refer specific visa questions directly to immigration. “

The British Embassy in Bangkok also said on its website that requests for visa extension letters will not be possible.

According to a Facebook post concerning Canadian citizens:

“We have just checked with the immigration office in Chiang Mai and were told that foreigners who wish to stay longer in Thailand and apply for an extension (as usual) of their 30 days visa or tourist visa by end of this month will only be granted another 7 days allowance of stay with a stamp on their passports and then they have to leave the country. No further extension will be allowed and the letter from Embassy or Consulate will neither be considered for a further extension request.“

[ubonjoe]

23 minutes ago, Nong Khai Man said:

A number of embassies in Bangkok are saying that they won’t issue any further visa extension letters for their citizens when Thailand’s overstay amnesty expires on July 31

That is the same thing they were saying back in March until they got the message they were required.

If immigration wants the letters they will be done.

[drbeach]

On 7/14/2020 at 12:29 PM, vermin on arrival said:

I know Vietnam has pay system for 2 or so months at a time, does it have an amnesty as well? Laos is just having people pay overstay $2 a day indefinitely, right? 60 a month is the rouighly the same as 1900 baht extensions.

Vietnam has an amnesty running until July 31. Extended for one month from the original end date of June 30.

[BobinBKK]

On 7/14/2020 at 3:01 PM, JacksSmirkingRevenge said:

USA Embassy is worthless.  Quit telling us to come back home.  No American in thier right mind would want to be in the USA right now unless it was absolutely necessary.  I'm American and I'm avoiding the US at all costs.  If I have to leave Thailand, then I'll go to Croatia or Turkey or anywhere else I can. 

I am an American and I agree with you 110%

[BobinBKK]

On 7/14/2020 at 11:13 AM, ubonjoe said:

If immigration announce the letter is needed again and informs the embassy they will start again.

Even the link for immigration is out of date sincey the changed their website. Link defaults to the new home page.

Tried doing my 90 day report online yesterday the 16th only to find the system is down for "maintenance" and would be available today the 17th. Go back online today on the 17th only to find the system still down for "maintenance" until the 18th. No system should be down for "maintenance" for this length of time, especially at a critical time like this and before a long holiday. I worked in the IT industry for over 40 years and this is not acceptable. Extremely poor judgement on their part ????

[ubonjoe]

40 minutes ago, BobinBKK said:

Tried doing my 90 day report online yesterday the 16th only to find the system is down for "maintenance" and would be available today the 17th. Go back online today on the 17th only to find the system still down for "maintenance" until the 18th.

I just opened the online reporting site for 90 day reports and it opened. 

https://extranet.immigration.go.th/fn90online/online/tm47/TM47Action.do

The apps may never work again.