New Amnesty - apply for 1 year non O

[DogNo1]

I believe that, if you ask around at CW, you will find an IO willing to grant you a 90-day Non-O Visa for the purpose of getting a one-year extension based on marriage.  You can probably find out what financial consideration will be required, if any.  Be aware that the paperwork for an extension of stay based on marriage is considerable.  Have your money. In the bank or a record of several months of 40,000 transfers to a Thai bank clearly marked FTT.  The money can't come from an in-country source.  

[ndreamer]

6 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Immigration only issues 90 day non immigrant visas.

They will issue one year extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon marriage if you qualify for it.

Is it possible off an embassy letter? Can that be done while on amnesty. 

 

[ubonjoe]

20 minutes ago, ndreamer said:

Is it possible off an embassy letter? Can that be done while on amnesty. 

 

The immigration announcement states that a embassy letter will be accepted for a special 30 day extension. But it was only referring to those that need to stay longer than September 26th and that it would not start until the 27th and it would not matter when it was applied for.

I assume you are wanting one to apply for the 90 day non immigrant visa at immigration. You would need to check with you local office about ti.

[ndreamer]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

I assume you are wanting one to apply for the 90 day non immigrant visa at immigration. You would need to check with you local office about ti.

Thanks, ill follow it up with them

[PaceArrow]

Good for you KFC for not paying the tea money, I wouldn't either. In fact, last year I encountered my first request for tea money (20K) which I refused. Went to Bangkok next day HQ's Immigration and explained what happened, they called IO Korat and informed the Colonel in charge, and he ensured I was taken care upon my Return. They were very humble and congenial the next day, nothing said about Tea Money, processed me right away. I did get a visit from Div 4 Supervisor to detailed explanation for his records, I suspect to submit back to BKK IO HQ's. It pays to fight it and report it, they know it's wrong to do so, but there are those that are willing to pay and of course these officers think you can continue doing it with everyone until they meet somebody that's not willing to go along.  My two cents worth. Good Luck!!

[Maestro]

11 hours ago, Disparate Dan said:

Patience of a saint, Joe, thanks again. Of course my Thai wife and son translated the IO's words as "visa", which never helps clarification!

Plus the local IO office website says - in English: [at present] "there is no need to apply for a visa extension at Immigration Office for this period and will not be fined THB 500 per day for this case."

 

Apparently quite a lot of immigration officials say visa (วีซ่า) when they mean permission to stay and it is the same even on some pages of the website and other written communication of the Immigration Bureau. When they really mean visa, they usually use the correct Thai expression การตรวจลงตรา (kan trùat long tra)

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, MrKFC said:

he said that the wording of the new amnesty makes it sound as if Immigration will be deciding case by case whether to extend anything beyond Sept 26, thinking it's prudent to assume they're gonna be doing what they can to

Something I read today suggested that people had better get looking for extensions pre Sept 26th or make plans to leave. Extensions will be delat with on a case by case basis and must be supported. Reasons like medical and no flights available or high infection rates at your home country were mentioned. It also suggested for the latter, Embassy supporting letters might be brought back.

There might also be scare mongering by agents to beware of.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Edited July 24, 2020 by jacko45k

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

Apparently quite a lot of immigration officials say visa (วีซ่า) when they mean permission to stay and it is the same even on some pages of the website and other written communication of the Immigration Bureau. When they really mean visa, they usually use the correct Thai expression การตรวจลงตรา (kan trùat long tra)

I wonder why the don't use "อนุญาตให้อยู่ต่อได้ ( Xnuỵāt h̄ı̂ xyū̀ t̀x dị̂) that equals permit or allowed to stay.

[MrKFC]

 

16 hours ago, PaceArrow said:

 Went to Bangkok next day HQ's Immigration and explained what happened

Hey, I appreciate you telling your tale - good on you for following up that way.

 

I've considered doing something similar, I have the incident written out clearly. I don't really want to go to BKK but neither do I want to get my pocket picked. I'm not 100% comfortable just walking away but don't need to have the crew at the local IO looking for a reason to fk with me. 

 

There's an agency directly across the street from CM Immigration - called The Colonel - that charges 25,000 baht to get the non O visa. Rumor has it that it's owned by a guy who did or does run the local office. Someone else who's familiar with the scene here suggested that the woman who made the offer to me probably works there, she was definitely conferring with the uniformed officers. There's several agencies in Chiang Mai that charge about the same amount, 20 to 25K baht - but I know one guy who said he got nicked for 50K. 

 

I've been in contact with another agency here, the owner knows I'm trying to do this on my own to conserve limited resources, and said under 'normal circumstances' it would probably have been a done deal already. 

 

Good news is that it's not an emergency (yet) and they're closed till Wednesday - have some time to think about it. I've seen a couple things that said that extensions will be dealt with on a case by case basis and that high Covid infection rates will be taken into consideration - the US is a mess.  

 

DS

 

[MrKFC]

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Something I read today suggested that people had better get looking for extensions pre Sept 26th or make plans to leave. Extensions will be dealt with on a case by case basis and must be supported. Reasons like medical and no flights available or high infection rates at your home country were mentioned. It also suggested for the latter, Embassy supporting letters might be brought back.

There might also be scare mongering by agents to beware of.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thanks! I'm gonna try to get it done next week - they're closed till Wednesday.

 

Thanks for mentioning the 'infection rate' thing - I saw it somewhere else too, seems to be a real deal The US is a Covid petri dish, wotta frikkin mess, so I'll include that. 

 

I know they don't require health insurance for this visa and I don't have it, but I do have good accident insurance and receipts to show that I've paid for dental work, full physical checkups etc. Would you recommend that I include that info -  or let it go until they ask? 

 

DS

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, MrKFC said:

Thanks! I'm gonna try to get it done next week - they're closed till Wednesday.

 

Thanks for mentioning the 'infection rate' thing - I saw it somewhere else too, seems to be a real deal The US is a Covid petri dish, wotta frikkin mess, so I'll include that. 

 

I know they don't require health insurance for this visa and I don't have it, but I do have good accident insurance and receipts to show that I've paid for dental work, full physical checkups etc. Would you recommend that I include that info -  or let it go until they ask? 

 

DS

 

For sake of clarity I attach yesterday's Immigration announcement at the bottom of this response.

The worrying thing is that while BEFORE this announcement, it was possible when you were on a Tourist Visa and you did not already used the 30-days extension of stay that Tourist Visa (or Visa Exempt) entry entitled you to, that you could apply for it and it would simply be granted at most IOs.

When doing so you, you would then be able to use the 'change of Visa' procedure, and apply at your local IO for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa (financial requirements only to be proven on day of application).  And in the last month of those 90-days you could then apply at that same local for a 1-year extension of stay based on that Non Imm O Visa.

>> A report of a TVF-member that successfully did the above was posted in this thread (post #4).

Note, that that preliminary 30-day extension of stay application was necessary for two reasons:

1 - It allowed you to apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa from a 'valid' permission to stay, instead of from the Amnesty extension (which is not accepted by several IOs);

2 - You need to apply with at least 15 days (some IOs require 23 days) left on your permission to stay, so that granted 30-day permission to stay, made that possible. 

NOTE: When married to a Thai national or with a thai dependant child, you could do the same, but instead of playing your unused 30-day Joker, you could also do it by applying for the 60-day extension of stay for reason of visiting your wife/dependant child (if you did not already use that one).

 

The worrying thing now is that in yesterday's Immigration announcement (see below) they do not mention the option described above, but state that for short-term Visa holders (like those on Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa) there are only 3 options left to get a - short - extension (if they meet the specific requirements for that option).

And so the main question now for those wanting to apply for a long-stay in Thailand from their current Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa entry is:

>> WHEN will this 'new' announcement take effect? 

If it takes immediate effect, unfortunately there is no long-stay option left for those on a VE or TV entry,

If it only takes effect after the current 31 July Amnesty, that will leave those on a VE or TV entry with a narrow escape-route with ONLY 3 days left (29-30-31 July) to apply for that 30-day or 60-day extension of stay (which would be their 'lifeline' to apply for the subsequent 90-day Non Imm O Visa).

 

 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Peter Denis

[Snackbar]

Never paid a bribe, it will come back and bite you in the <deleted>.

 

To be clear, it is a serious criminal offence. 
 

There is no leeway in law, apart from acting under duress, that will justifies it.

You never know until you are front and centre of the latest ‘crackdown’.

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

The worrying thing now is that in yesterday's Immigration announcement (see below) they do not mention the option described above, but state that for short-term Visa holders (like those on Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa) there are only 3 options left to get a - short - extension (if they meet the specific requirements for that option).

I think that is meant to be options if a person does not have another one. It does not mean you cannot use another one.

I am sure if you have not used the 30 day extension allowed they will do it.

[Peter Denis]

Just now, ubonjoe said:

I think that is meant to be options if a person does not have another one. It does not mean you cannot use another one.

I am sure if you have not used the 30 day extension allowed they will do it.

Thanks UJ, and I do hope and trust that your are correct on this one.

[MrKFC]

27 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I am sure if you have not used the 30 day extension allowed they will do it.

Thanks Mr UJ,

 

I'm counting on this, and it seems unlikely they'll reject it. 

 

What I'm wondering is whether I should take my completed TM-86, residence docs and the rest of it along and immediately apply for the non-O. 

 

A couple sources said they're taking Covid infections into consideration and the US is leading the pack there. I can show proof of accident insurance too, I don't have health ins but understand that isn't required. 

Edited July 25, 2020 by MrKFC

[MrKFC]

47 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

And so the main question now for those wanting to apply for a long-stay in Thailand from their current Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa entry is:

>> WHEN will this 'new' announcement take effect? 

If it takes immediate effect, unfortunately there is no long-stay option left for those on a VE or TV entry,

If it only takes effect after the current 31 July Amnesty, that will leave those on a VE or TV entry with a narrow escape-route with ONLY 3 days left (29-30-31 July) to apply for that 30-day.

 

 

 

Hi PD,

 

I went to IO here in Chiang Mai yesterday afternoon, talked to a Thai Volunteer who's been there for a couple years, he said they'd have the 'new system' in place by Wednesday - closed Monday and Tuesday. 

 

My plan is to go Wed or Thurs. 

DS

[Peter Denis]

10 minutes ago, MrKFC said:

..

I went to IO here in Chiang Mai yesterday afternoon, talked to a Thai Volunteer who's been there for a couple years, he said they'd have the 'new system' in place by Wednesday - closed Monday and Tuesday. 

My plan is to go Wed or Thurs.

...

I think he is referring to the new Appointment system that they are rolling out in CW and CM, so that you get a ticket and time-slot for your application.

If so that has nothing to do with the Immigration announcement, issued yesterday.

 

When applying for the 30-day extension of stay which your ME Tourist Visa entitles you to, you only need your passport and 1.900 THB Extension-fee to get it.

But as mentioned in previous post, you would then need to apply for the Non Imm O Visa when there are still at lest 15 days (some IOs require 23 days) left on that 30-day permission.  

So would be important for you to enquire whether you can postpone the application for the 30-day extension of stay till end of the Amnesty and subsequently do your Non Imm O Visa application from it.  Or whether - as they announced - they would have the 30-days extension start from 27 September (and in that case, no need to postpone applying)

[ubonjoe]

44 minutes ago, MrKFC said:

What I'm wondering is whether I should take my completed TM-86, residence docs and the rest of it along and immediately apply for the non-O. 

If they do the 30 day extension you could apply for the extension on the same day.

A TM86 is used if you had a tourist visa and a TM87 if visa exempt.

[MrKFC]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

If they do the 30 day extension you could apply for the extension on the same day.

A TM86 is used if you had a tourist visa and a TM87 if visa exempt.

OK - just to be sure I'm clear on this - I came to Thailand on a US METV, issued Sept 11, 2019 - assuming that's not an issue at this point.

 

The relevant 'tourist visa' would be the stamp I got on Feb 26, 2020 land entry at Raynong - expired Apr 25, which is what I now want to extend. 

 

When I apply for the 30 day extension, if approved, that will be 'visa exempt' - then I'll use TM 87 for non-O. 

 

Much appreciated Mr. UJ!

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, MrKFC said:

Would you recommend that I include that info -  or let it go until they ask? 

I would not expect that stuff to be any help... supply only what is required and asked for.... it does sometimes vary office to office.

[MrKFC]

39 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

But as mentioned in previous post, you would then need to apply for the Non Imm O Visa when there are still at lest 15 days (some IOs require 23 days) left on that 30-day permission.  

And last week the officer at Chiang Mai said 21 days. ???? 

I'm just gonna try to do it ASAP, maybe the same day.

 

I don't know whether you remember but you sent me a really informative detailed PDF about this process a few weeks ago and I've referred to it more than once, shared it with another guy who had similar questions - much appreciated!

 

In it you said  - When applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa you start the process from scratch, so you actually ONLY need 1 monthly income transfer of at least 65.000 THB (with foreign origins proven) for that application.

 

Is that still the case?

 

Thanks again,

 

DS

 

[MrKFC]

4 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I would not expect that stuff to be any help... supply only what is required and asked for.... it does sometimes vary office to office.

That's kinda what I thought - I'll have it in my pouch and if they ask I'll hand it over.

Thanks!

DS

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, MrKFC said:

The relevant 'tourist visa' would be the stamp I got on Feb 26, 2020 land entry at Raynong - expired Apr 25, which is what I now want to extend. 

You will use a TM86 form since your 30 day extension will be for the entry you got from a tourist visa.

The 30 day extension is not a visa exempt entry.

[MrKFC]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

You will use a TM86 form since your 30 day extension will be for the entry you got from a tourist visa.

The 30 day extension is not a visa exempt entry.

Got it! Thank you! 

That's what I gave them when they tried to soak me for 25,000 so I guess I should have assumed it's the right one. 

Onward!

DS

[Peter Denis]

1 hour ago, MrKFC said:

And last week the officer at Chiang Mai said 21 days. ???? 

I'm just gonna try to do it ASAP, maybe the same day.

 

I don't know whether you remember but you sent me a really informative detailed PDF about this process a few weeks ago and I've referred to it more than once, shared it with another guy who had similar questions - much appreciated!

 

In it you said  - When applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa you start the process from scratch, so you actually ONLY need 1 monthly income transfer of at least 65.000 THB (with foreign origins proven) for that application.

 

Is that still the case?

...

Hi MrKFC,

Yes when applying from a Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa entry for an in-country 90-day Non Imm O Visa for reason of retirement, using the monthly income-transfer method only 1 transfer to your personal thai bank-account of at least 65.000 THB (with foreign origins proven) is needed to meet the financial requirements for such application.

>> I will PM you an updated version of the Guideline Document you are referring to.

[Jenkins9039]

On 7/24/2020 at 9:38 AM, ubonjoe said:

The problem you have is that immigration does not recognize the "automatic extension" under the amnesty as a real extension of stay that would allow you to apply for a non immigrant visa (category O).

I just depends upon the office where you apply at. Some have a allowed the visa application while on the "automatic extension".

No changes to the actual rules since it is a extension of the original ministerial notice.

@ubonjoe

 

Addressed such with you previously, my current 60 day family is active (13 or so days used), am i right in thinking that is now convertible to extension of stay based on family -- 12 month non im o?

Edited July 25, 2020 by Jenkins9039

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Addressed such with you previously, my current 60 day family is active (13 or so days used), am i right in thinking that is now convertible to extension of stay based on family -- 12 month non im o?

Yes if you can meet the financial requirements for the one year extension of stay.

[samtab]

Is it true that they will then extend until December end ?

 

[Caldera]

12 hours ago, samtab said:

Is it true that they will then extend until December end ?

 

While nobody can say this with any certainty at this time, it seems likely that the extension to September 26 will be the final automatic one. I think it would be prudent to plan accordingly.

 

[BritManToo]

Just now, Caldera said:

While nobody can say this with any certainty at this time, it seems likely that the extension to September 26 will be the final automatic one. I think it would be prudent to plan accordingly.

 

Some people said that about 1st August, yet here we are, and the early panic brigade all wasted their 60 day option. Wait until September 23rd ........ then decide what options there are.

Edited July 26, 2020 by BritManToo