Foreigners in Thailand eagerly await clarification regarding visa amnesty

[0815]

2 hours ago, CNXexpat said:

Why do you need border runs if you have a valid visa? 

 

Why do you need to exit?

1 year Non-B visa holders for example have to do border runs.

[leeedwards]

2 hours ago, CNXexpat said:

Why do you need border runs if you have a valid visa? 

 

Why do you need to exit?

Like myself, he’s on a multiple entry non o marriage visa, a legitimate 1 year visa that requires the holder to leave the country every 90 days, negating the need for 400,000 in an account. Is that plain enough for you? Do you need any help getting off that horse? 

[Myran]

24 minutes ago, todlad said:

I have been here for a few years, on an annual non immigration O multiple entry visa. Renewed every year in Laos. Nice trip, family always went.

 

Now, though, I would like to extend my visa rather than leave Thailand and come back in again. I have been here since February, non stop.

 

Can I simply extend my visa for a year at the immigration office in Khap Cheong, my nearest office?

I wouldn't call it "simply", but yes, you can extend it at the immigration office for the location your staying in (or should be able to, if your current extension of stay hasn't expired yet. Otherwise, you'll have to check with your immigration office).

 

You need to have 400k baht in the bank for at least two months or an income of 40k per month. You'll also need a bunch of documents, like the original marriage certificate, an up-to-date kor ror 2 (varies from office to office), copies of your wife's tabian baan, etc., as well as pictures of yourself and your wife at home. Make sure to look up the requirements for your specific office.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Myran

[CNXexpat]

3 minutes ago, leeedwards said:

Like myself, he’s on a multiple entry non o marriage visa, a legitimate 1 year visa that requires the holder to leave the country every 90 days, negating the need for 400,000 in an account. Is that plain enough for you? Do you need any help getting off that horse? 

No, I don´t need help. I have a spouse visa and no experience with visa runs or the reasons for them. So I asked. Your first sentence is an explanation, the 2 last sentences are absolutely needless. 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

2 hours ago, Zikomat said:

Nothing is ridiculous about it. Things have not changed a lot since the last amnesty.

Indeed. I still can't get my Non-B. They still won't convert the amnesty to one, I can't get a new tourist visa, and I can't do a border run. They're going to have to give on one of those things.

 

I've been in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the last of my Non-B paperwork, and they say there are many in my boat. We're not irresponsible freeloaders, sexpats, or whatever else the brave TV keyboard warriors have to say from the comfort of their sagging computer chairs. We are professionals here to work.

[rosst]

3 hours ago, keith101 said:

What about those like myself who need to exit and re enter to do the 90 day report if they haven't opened up the borders ?

 

I already did a 60 day extension before the amnesty .

I feel it is all about the money, I suspect a lot of exceptions will be made but at a price. 

[BernieOnTour]

1 hour ago, steve2112 said:

is anyone even booking flights out of here? my friend booked 2 times and both times the flights got cancelled. are airlines going to start running flights to get expired visa holders out of thailand and then have to return the planes empty? i doubt it.

 

depending on the country ...

However, getting out is normally not a problem.

 

eg.

Lufthansa BKK-FRA 3 flights per week (works, a friend did that 2 weeks ago)

Qatar, going via DOH, offering daily flights.

 

Edited July 14, 2020 by BernieOnTour

[Snig27]

3 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

We are professionals here to work.

Indeed - some of us are here on specific business visas (mine is APEC) and we simply have no idea what is going on. We have ongoing business which will fall over and hurt our home countries and Thailand if we are forced out but nobody seems to know what is going on, least of all Immigration. 

[wcoast]

1 hour ago, robsamui said:

A first world nation is one which has reduced, simplified and streamlined bureaucracy and red tape to a minimum. An emerging nation is one which sees a mass of red tape and complexities as a sign of of their own status and self-importance.

Over the last few years Thailand has been so wrapped up in creating *very important* classes and subsclasses of Aliens and of making multiple rules about rules for 50 different shades of white so that Aliens can be firmly filed away in the right drawers . . . so much so that now that now Immigration is forced to stand up and take responsibility, they can't.

Because they've made such a complex mess of it all that the now can't remember every single visa contingency that they, themselves, have created. 

 

They are so obsessed with tourists and tourism that all the farang residents (living, working or retired here) are unimportant and a nuisance. 

 

So, tough, if you're tangled up in the red tape of extensions and 90-day exits of the the country or stuck abroad because right now you can't return or worried because with no amnesty you are forced to leave Thailand (and then get stuck outside) - this is because of what an important nation Thailand is and they need all these multiple rules and regulation to prove this.

Because they're the best nation in the world and you are only an mere Alien. So there.

 

It appears you chose the wrong type of visa for your stay in Thailand.

[herfiehandbag]

2 hours ago, julot said:

Here is a clarification from US embassy.

 

It should be pretty clear by now, that there will be no amnesty extension, and you have two weeks to apply for a new visa/extension, or get a letter from your embassy (US embassy won't do it anymore). If you can't get those, you have to leave Thailand or you will be considered on overstay starting August 1st.

 

I would personally not bet on a miracle, especially with the new cases in Rayong and the rampant xenophobia around Thailand, and instead take action today by contacting your embassy/immigration office.

 

That doesn't really clarify anything, other than that Richard Barrow (a private citizen) thinks that you may need a letter from your embassy, and that some embassies are no longer prepared to issue them. The US Embassy has confirmed they will not issue them.

[Peter Denis]

18 minutes ago, todlad said:

I have been here for a few years, on an annual non immigration O multiple entry visa. Renewed every year in Laos. Nice trip, family always went.

 

Now, though, I would like to extend my visa rather than leave Thailand and come back in again. I have been here since February, non stop.

 

Can I simply extend my visa for a year at the immigration office in Khap Cheong, my nearest office?

You would have to enquire at you Khap Cheong IO whether they would accept your application for a 1-year extension of stay based on your Non Imm O Visa for reason of marriage, with your current permission to stay expired.

Some offices will do it, others will not.

In case your Khap Cheong IO is not willing to accept your application for the 1-year extension, you could ask whether they would be willing to accept an application for a 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your wife.  That is of course, if you did not already 'use up' that 60-day extension, as you are only allowed one per entry.

In case they accept such application, your problems are over.  Because you would then be able to apply for the 1-year extension of stay, because you would then do it from a 'valid' permission to stay you got from the 60 day extension (instead of doing it from the Amnesty extension, which they might refuse).

You would need to apply when you have at least 15 days left (some IOs require 23 days) before the permission to stay from that 60-day extension expires.  It will also give you the time to meet the 2 month seasoning requirements of your funds when applying for the 1-year extension of stay.

In case Khap Cheong IO is a 'hardliner' IO and does NOT accept ANY extension of stay application, when your permission to stay has expired, you could consider temporary relocating to a province that is more accomodating.

You would then need a 'rental agreement' from the place where you are temporary relocating, as IO will not accept a 'night before Hotel booking' application.  But you would not be forced to physically relocate if you prefer staying at your current location, and only need the rental agreement to secure the 60-day extension of stay application.

Hope this helps and success!

 

 

[herwin1234]

3 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Waiting for any clarification for anything here then your in the wrong place ????

thats just the usual cynical nonsense and its not helping anyone.

[Dialemco]

The Government is desperate for money. Strongly recommend you pack your bags and go 

home with your family rather than face the risk and humiliation  of deportation. There are plenty of flights out of Thailand mostly empty bringing  back Thai's from  Middle East. Coronas will be with us for many years to come

[Winky Wilson]

If you are American you have nothing to worry about as there are bilateral treaties in place for situations like this. Your Embassy will notify you if you registered.

[Kaopad999]

3 minutes ago, Dialemco said:

The Government is desperate for money. Strongly recommend you pack your bags and go 

home with your family rather than face the risk and humiliation  of deportation. There are plenty of flights out of Thailand mostly empty bringing  back Thai's from  Middle East. Coronas will be with us for many years to come

I think that really is the most sensible thing for some people right now. 

[ukrules]

2 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

The chances of getting caught are minimal.

Those days are gone.

 

I'll bet that every morning the local immigration captain prints out a list of new overstayers who should have left the country by midnight the day before but for whatever reason did not.

 

They already know where you live so they will work their way down the list arresting them all one by one.

 

Maybe there's a bit of a grace period due to the large number of new overstayers in your area, but I wouldn't count on that.

[herfiehandbag]

8 minutes ago, rosst said:

I feel it is all about the money, I suspect a lot of exceptions will be made but at a price. 

In my personal opinion, and it is just that, those on tourist visas will have to leave, but there will possibly/probably be a period of grace to allow them to do so (mass departures at them end of July are not really practical); those of us on Non Immigrant O Multiple Entry Visas will be allowed further extensions, until such times as the land borders reopen, but we will of course have to pay. That seems a sensible arrangement, which will solve many problems on both sides of the Immigration Office counter.

 

Of course it won't satisfy those on here who are slavering at the chops at the thought of those deemed less worthy being banged up and deported; but never mind, they can continue to posture on the moral high ground...

[marvin1950]

Why do 90 day reports before July 31?

Immigration did it for you during the amnesty period.

Then you have to do the next 90 day report when it becomes due.

 

Edited July 14, 2020 by marvin1950
additional

[overherebc]

31 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

No, I don´t need help. I have a spouse visa and no experience with visa runs or the reasons for them. So I asked. Your first sentence is an explanation, the 2 last sentences are absolutely needless. 

Where did you get a 'spouse visa'?

[Yorkshire Tea]

2 hours ago, julot said:

Here is a clarification from US embassy.

 

It should be pretty clear by now, that there will be no amnesty extension, and you have two weeks to apply for a new visa/extension, or get a letter from your embassy (US embassy won't do it anymore). If you can't get those, you have to leave Thailand or you will be considered on overstay starting August 1st.

 

I would personally not bet on a miracle, especially with the new cases in Rayong and the rampant xenophobia around Thailand, and instead take action today by contacting your embassy/immigration office.

 

100% garbage.  Immigration offices are saying they won't give 60 day extensions for married people & report back on 31st July.  Why?  Because, they know that the amnesty will be extended & you'll be wasting your one & only chance to get the 60 day extension.

[ukrules]

14 minutes ago, marvin1950 said:

Why do 90 day reports before July 31?

Immigration did it for you during the amnesty period.

Then you have to do the next 90 day report when it becomes due.

 

Ahahah, that's not what they've done. They did nothing during the amnesty period.

 

I know because I went there today.

 

I was going to leave my next 90 day report until August (it was due in May) to keep it on schedule with my extension in November but I woke up early today and I was going into town anyway so I did a 90 day report today, the next one is due in 90 days time, in  October.

 

I believe they will be fining anyone (it's only 2000 Baht anyway) who doesn't do it before the end of July unless they announce some sort of extension.

 

They definitely haven't 'automatically 90 day reported' anyone because if they had done that then my next report would be on schedule - in August, but it's not - it's 90 days from today - in October!

 

Edited July 14, 2020 by ukrules

[CNXexpat]

7 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Where did you get a 'spouse visa'?

A Non Immigrant O on Thai wife base exactly - and I got it in Germany. At immigration offices they call it "spouse visa". 

[Bangkok Barry]

Listen. The government is not going to leave it until the very last minute to announce their plan as that would benefit no-one, including them being overwhelmed with thousands of expats needing to do whatever.  If travel to neighbouring countries and re-entry still isn't possible after the 31st because the borders are closed (ie the same conditions apply as applied when the amnesty was announced) can you imagine the publicity Thailand will get all over the world for fining or arresting tens of thousands of foreigners? Embassies have made it perfectly clear that they better things to do than bow to Thailand's last century bureaucracy and issue letters.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Bangkok Barry

[david555]

4 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Ahahah, that's not what they've done. They did nothing during the amnesty period.

 

I know because I went there today.

 

I was going to leave my next 90 day report until August (it was due in May) to keep it on schedule with my extension in November but I woke up early today and I was going into town anyway so I did a 90 day report today, the next one is due in 90 days time, in  October.

 

I believe they will be fining anyone (it's only 2000 Baht anyway) who doesn't do it before the end of July unless they announce some sort of extension.

 

They definitely haven't 'automatically 90 day reported' anyone because if they had done that then my next report would be on schedule - in August but it's not - it's 90 days from today - in October!

 

I did mine in person  normal way in may 24 at Jomtien …. it was almost empty, I think it was not really for so they gave amnesty , as those who could do should have done it ...to co-operate in this difficult situation , as now the risk for overcrowding is here again because those used this amnesty just to take it easy...

[Okis]

13 minutes ago, Yorkshire Tea said:

100% garbage.  Immigration offices are saying they won't give 60 day extensions for married people & report back on 31st July.  Why?  Because, they know that the amnesty will be extended & you'll be wasting your one & only chance to get the 60 day extension.

There's several people on this forum who recently did their 60 day extension so they would be able to season their funds for a 1year extension. 

 

I've already been down to my local office to confirm with them and are about to do mine on friday. 

 

They told me i could come back 31st to buy time but i said that i want this over with as soon as possible and they said i could do it whenever i want as long it's before the amnesty ends.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Okis

[ukrules]

7 minutes ago, david555 said:

I did mine in person  normal way in may 24 at Jomtien …. it was almost empty, I think it was not really for so they gave amnesty , as those who could do should have done it ...to co-operate in this difficult situation , as now the risk for overcrowding is here again because those used this amnesty just to take it easy...

Yes, there was nobody in the Hua Hin office today either, not even one person.

 

Another reason which motivated me to go today is that I won't need to go there at all until October now but I will now need to do a 90 day report in October and then go back to extend in November, I wonder if they will reset the 90 days when I extend, only time will tell on that I guess.

[Zikomat]

38 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

In my personal opinion, and it is just that, those on tourist visas will have to leave, but there will possibly/probably be a period of grace to allow them to do so (mass departures at them end of July are not really practical); those of us on Non Immigrant O Multiple Entry Visas will be allowed further extensions, until such times as the land borders reopen, but we will of course have to pay. That seems a sensible arrangement, which will solve many problems on both sides of the Immigration Office counter.

 

Of course it won't satisfy those on here who are slavering at the chops at the thought of those deemed less worthy being banged up and deported; but never mind, they can continue to posture on the moral high ground...

Are you on Non Immigrant O Multiple Entry Visa? Don’t ask me how I know this.

[vermin on arrival]

43 minutes ago, Winky Wilson said:

If you are American you have nothing to worry about as there are bilateral treaties in place for situations like this. Your Embassy will notify you if you registered.

I dunno the current post on the website is no extension letters,and get a long term visa by July 31 or get out. Or do you mean we have nothing to worry about being notified about the final policy decision? Coz the current message is very worrying. :  P  

[overherebc]

20 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

A Non Immigrant O on Thai wife base exactly - and I got it in Germany. At immigration offices they call it "spouse visa". 

Valid for 90 days or 12 months?

[david555]

2 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Yes, there was nobody in the Hua Hin office today either, not even one person.

 

Another reason which motivated me to go today is that I won't need to go there at all until October now but I will now need to do a 90 day report in October and then go back to extend in November, I wonder if they will reset the 90 days when I extend, only time will tell on that I guess.

I think they just keep the clock as on your paper slip, as I do not believe Immigration changed all foreigners dates for 90 day rapport by this amnesty . just instructing their I.O.'s to act conform the amnesty if needed by earliest new appearance from foreigner .