Thailand to offer grace period for foreigners’ visa extensions

[Keyser Soze666]

15 minutes ago, overherebc said:

I you are retired and on a yearly extension at the moment you just carry on as normal with 90 day reports, however you do them, email post or in person. When due you renew as you usually do.

Amnesty and grace period really don't have any effect on you.

I know that! You totally missed my point, go back and read the post I was responding to!

[moe666]

Geez people love to make things complicated. Just go to immigration and ask them what you can do to extend. 

[Keyser Soze666]

17 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

So anyone who has to go out and come right back in is in big doo doo still as will probably will have to get insurance and CV19 certs and quite possibly quarantine at that outrageous cost. So essentially anyone who does go out is going to be stuck out as you have to make those arrangements and get approvals. 

Right, so it's looking like an extension or nothing (if you want to stay)

 

I have always been on a 1 yr non O, so this has effected me directly now. I qualify for both marriage and retirement ext..which one is less hassle??

[NanLaew]

26 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Also, if it is an ext or nothing, I qualify for both marriage and retirement ext, funds aside is it less hassle to get one over the other?? I may go through an agent anyway. Currently on a 1 yr non O.

Retirement ext, although double the financials, easily trumps marriage extension as it is a DIY task whereas the marriage ext needs the better half and a sip-lohr full of paperwork plus the best part of a day.

 

An agent makes them equally effortless.

[overherebc]

2 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Right, so it's looking like an extension or nothing (if you want to stay)

 

I have always been on a 1 yr non O, so this has effected me directly now. I qualify for both marriage and retirement ext..which one is less hassle??

Retirement by a long way. Less paperwork etc and issued locally.

[ArickChaiyaphum]

20 hours ago, Ranshoko said:

Well it all had to end sooner or later. Many taking advantage of the situation will be disappointed. 

Taking advantage of what! They are all stuck in a run down country in hell holes  x tourist areas with limited funds..... Have you been to Chiang mai Last month... Have you been to Hua Hin this month have you been to bkk. They are all dead and nobody except a half a dozen tourist in amensty! But yet in these tourist holes they are still trying to charge a couple hundred baht more  for basic things 

 

[david555]

6 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Right, so it's looking like an extension or nothing (if you want to stay)

 

I have always been on a 1 yr non O, so this has effected me directly now. I qualify for both marriage and retirement ext..which one is less hassle??

The 800 k is like a flash if doc. are o.k. and the favorite for the I.O. 

Edited July 18, 2020 by david555

[Kalasin Jo]

Good news or bad news? Honestly not sure. Hope the Cabinet Order and follow on Immigration orders are models of clarity for once on what you can and cannot get in country: visas? Which? Permissions to stay from them? Extensions to permissions to stay if you are already sitting it out on a long expired visa but wasn't when you entered, have used up both the initial permission from the visa and the single permitted extension to that, now expired over a month ago.

 

Meanwhile have things really improved so much? Another article on this feed that I'm about to read headlines that Covid free certificates needed to buy an air ticket.

 

Honestly I didn't ask for any of this!  Of course, nobody did. Nor was I "bending the rules" as some on here imply with my Savanakhet multi non O based on marriage as I don't live here full time. I only border hop to get it, which now can't, so I can spend half the year here half the year in France.

[ArickChaiyaphum]

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

Retirement by a long way. Less paperwork etc and issued locally.

All you need is to be a citizen of a half decent country and  get a letter of income and get a year extension in minutes. 

[Keyser Soze666]

3 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Retirement ext, although double the financials, easily trumps marriage extension as it is a DIY task whereas the marriage ext needs the better half and a sip-lohr full of paperwork plus the best part of a day.

 

An agent makes them equally effortless.

Yes, as I thought, I have heard some shocking tales of people going for the marriage ext.

 

And yes, will use an agent for retirement I think.

[Eibot]

11 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

If Immigration have "called it a "grace period" to avoid confusion", then why are both you and @Eibot calling it an extension of the amnesty?

 

That's why I clearly labeled the amnesty as the "do nothing" period versus the grace period as the "do something" period. They are NOT the same thing.

 

You will be hard pressed to provide any pending statement or future cabinet approved and Royal Gazetted edict that says the "amnesty" ends on 26th September. The amnesty ends as planned at the end of THIS month.

Why are you so hard on which wording on this period fits best. I said "basically".

 

Just enjoy your day mate.

[davideastpatts]

Thats great news

[NoshowJones]

57 minutes ago, elektrified said:

12 agonizing pages of speculation and bickering and not a word from ubonjoe. What does that tell you? That he will comment and clarify the situation when there is an official word and he has had time to digest the wording of the order.

I think that tells you that UbonJoe is probably out with his wife as a lot of expats do on a Saturday, surely he is entitled to time away from Thaivisa as he spends a lot of his own time helping people with their visa problems.

[teatime101]

19 hours ago, E020 said:

i get sick of it.. 

Yet you comment?

[Pancho]

Don’t abuse the time. Get yourself sorted ASAP, done.

[NanLaew]

9 minutes ago, greggraham said:

Deputy Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Natapanu, has tweeted the news and tagged a bunch of embassy's. Seems almost certain now.

 

"As mentioned earlier in CCSA briefings, that it was in the pipeline and Immigration would be proposing it"

 

 

As I previously commented, the steps taken by this government have inexorably followed the same route since the Covid-19 get-go.

 

1 ) A government department chief makes a press announcement of the pending change saying it will be proposed at the next cabinet meeting.

 

2 ) The government announces that it will be reviewing the recommendations from above mentioned government department chief at their next cabinet meeting.

 

3 ) The CCSA, in their daily briefing, mentions the above stuff to be raised at the cabinet meeting.

 

4 ) The cabinet spokesperson confirms what has been agreed at the meeting and says it will be effective once published in the Royal Gazette.

 

5 ) The CCSA parrots this in their daily briefing.

 

6 ) The new rule is published in the Royal Gazette and thus becomes law.

 

At this point, several TV members will get into a panic and feverishly ask if the amnesty has been extended, where they can get a new visa, how can they can get back into Thailand and other hopelessly irrelevant questions.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

So what does this grace period even mean?  I have to extend my visa before September 26?  Or leave before the 26?  Because it's basically an extension of the amnesty if can stay until September 26.  

[DerekJ]

20 hours ago, lee b said:

Emm, I dont clearly understand by the wording of this.....

Me either what and who are they even talking about in this article? I just asked immigration this does not effect long term visas, everything is the same as last year they said. 

Edited July 18, 2020 by DerekJ

[Jack Cook]

Oh goody, some more meaningless Goobyldegook. What a big surprise that is. Easiest way don’t even bother until December but by then the entire economy will have likely swirled down the drain. ????????????????????????????

[NanLaew]

10 minutes ago, Eibot said:

Why are you so hard on which wording on this period fits best. I said "basically".

 

Just enjoy your day mate.

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Thai immigration rules and nomenclature for foreigners are historically fraught with home-grown misunderstandings such as some people not knowing of they are on a visa or an extension and not knowing the importance of the difference. Hence some degree of accuracy should be countenanced considering that most of the several thousand that found themselves stranded here for more than 4 months and have signed up here for information may have gotten to know the Thailand more than a zip line on Samui, a full moon on Koh Phangan or a spliff in Pai and may want to pitch a tent here rather than face quarantine and second-waves in their home countries.

[DerekJ]

I’ve been here on a marriage extension for years and I just called my local immigration Office about this and they said everything will be normal and exactly the same as last year. He said this is referring to tourists but the wording of this article is very vague but extensions are normal for long term visas I just asked my local office. 

[holy cow cm]

22 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Right, so it's looking like an extension or nothing (if you want to stay)

 

I have always been on a 1 yr non O, so this has effected me directly now. I qualify for both marriage and retirement ext..which one is less hassle??

Unless they lighten up the in and out requirements and having to get approval from an embassy then the way I see it it still creates a huge problem for people on multiples or people needing to get a new visa. Doesn't really effect me except needed travel, but with the world the way it is I am not going anywhere leaving this country any time soon, and honestly those requirements are too much for me to want to meet to get back in here. So for me just another 1 yr extension and not go anywhere. 

 

You are on an O, so up to you. You are married and have an attachment to a Thai person so not the biggest deal of being locked out if you really had to leave and hoop jump to get back in. I feel sorry for the people who are not married to a Thai or have a kid here as they not allowed to come back yet. 

[dgwooster]

So what are the odds that the boarders will be open by September 26?

(a) 0%

(b) when hell freezes over

(c) how good are you at swimming?

(d) fill in the _____

[Pravda]

35 minutes ago, Pancho said:

Don’t abuse the time. Get yourself sorted ASAP, done.

 

Why? I think I'll wait until the last day to get my 60 day extension. 

[Keyser Soze666]

8 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Unless they lighten up the in and out requirements and having to get approval from an embassy then the way I see it it still creates a huge problem for people on multiples or people needing to get a new visa. Doesn't really effect me except needed travel, but with the world the way it is I am not going anywhere leaving this country any time soon, and honestly those requirements are too much for me to want to meet to get back in here. So for me just another 1 yr extension and not go anywhere. 

 

You are on an O, so up to you. You are married and have an attachment to a Thai person so not the biggest deal of being locked out if you really had to leave and hoop jump to get back in. I feel sorry for the people who are not married to a Thai or have a kid here as they not allowed to come back yet. 

Well the situation is pretty clear (or so it seems) the only way of staying for the forseeable is on ext or work permit, or as a resident or on the elite thingy?

[holy cow cm]

2 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Well the situation is pretty clear (or so it seems) the only way of staying for the forseeable is on ext or work permit, or as a resident or on the elite thingy?

Yeah, that is how it looks. I really do not see them lowering the requirement to get back in, and for me being American is hard since the USA has not even reached second wave yet and their winter end of the year will start that next stage. So no way i am even going back there even though I have some business to take care of. So not that it effects me but I am just wondering when they will finally open up and let the retired people back in here who have a rented or a bought home. Not sure the elite lets you in at this point. You need to have a connection to a Thai or work permit or be a resident etc.

[Burma Bill]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

it would give foreigners a grace period until September to apply for visa extensions

[overherebc]

36 minutes ago, DerekJ said:

I’ve been here on a marriage extension for years and I just called my local immigration Office about this and they said everything will be normal and exactly the same as last year. He said this is referring to tourists but the wording of this article is very vague but extensions are normal for long term visas I just asked my local office. 

Worst position to be in at the moment is on amnesty on a 30 day VE entry. It appears that if you don't have the necessary status/finances to apply for some kind of long term extension 26th Sept' is your leave by date or you will be on overstay. That point also makes me think that another 30 days from 26 Sept is also looking unlikely. Imm' can tell you that you have had 60ish days to sort things. Maybe 7 days to leave is all you will get.

[holy cow cm]

41 minutes ago, DerekJ said:

I’ve been here on a marriage extension for years and I just called my local immigration Office about this and they said everything will be normal and exactly the same as last year. He said this is referring to tourists but the wording of this article is very vague but extensions are normal for long term visas I just asked my local office. 

Yearly extensions will be the same as usual but you just hope they approve the extension and it doesn't get refused.

[holy cow cm]

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

Worst position to be in at the moment is on amnesty on a 30 day VE entry. It appears that if you don't have the necessary status/finances to apply for some kind of long term extension 26th Sept' is your leave by date or you will be on overstay. That point also makes me think that another 30 days from 26 Sept is also looking unlikely. Imm' can tell you that you have had 60ish days to sort things. Maybe 7 days to leave is all you will get.

Yeah you would gather that there is a hatchet going to come down one time or the other and there will be many of people locked out.