Finding solutions for those with family ties here.

[KhaoYai]

You're not a newbie, you should know the rules. Although many have got away with it for years, if you work away and visit your wife you should be on a Multi Entry Non Immigrant O Visa.  If you'd had one of them already you'd be fine now and able to convert it to a 12 month extension.

 

As so may others have - you've played the game, sh&t happened and you got caught out.

 

However, I'm not sure on this but I seem to remember reading posts where people have converted a 30 day non visa entry to a 90 day Non O within Thailand and then applied for a 12 month annual extension - you should check out if that is possible.

[bkkexplorer]

2 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

You're not a newbie, you should know the rules. Although many have got away with it for years, if you work away and visit your wife you should be on a Multi Entry Non Immigrant O Visa.  If you'd had one of them already you'd be fine now and able to convert it to a 12 month extension.

 

As so may others have - you've played the game, sh&t happened and you got caught out.

 

However, I'm not sure on this but I seem to remember reading posts where people have converted a 30 day non visa entry to a 90 day Non O within Thailand and then applied for a 12 month annual extension - you should check out if that is possible.

I'm not a newbie correct. What did I get away with for years? I've lived here over 20 years and all that time with work permit non O and spouse O visa. I have a yellow book and pink ID card. What games, taking the same pictures of me and my family, drawing maps to the same house I've been living in, supplying the same set of documents etc. year after year? 

 

Immigration didn't have a solution for me the last time I went to renew my Spouse O extension. Their rules stated that I had to be in the country when extending that, which I couldn't as it meant losing a  work project which I tired so hard to get. The immigration officer even told me to let it lapse and apply again when my overseas contract finished. Seem like the only choice at the time.

 

Your choice of words is unwarranted, if the lockdown didn't happen I wouldn't be in this situation.

[Maestro]

3 hours ago, bkkexplorer said:

...Immigration didn't have a solution for me the last time I went to renew my Spouse O extension. Their rules stated that I had to be in the country when extending that, which I couldn't as it meant losing a  work project which I tired so hard to get. The immigration officer even told me to let it lapse and apply again when my overseas contract finished. Seem like the only choice at the time...

 

That seems to have been correct advice from the immigration official. Did you follow it, ie after your overseas contract ended, did you travel to Thailand with a non-O visa and then apply at your local immigration office for a one-year extension of stay for the reason of living with your Thai wife?

[bkkexplorer]

6 hours ago, Maestro said:

 

That seems to have been correct advice from the immigration official. Did you follow it, ie after your overseas contract ended, did you travel to Thailand with a non-O visa and then apply at your local immigration office for a one-year extension of stay for the reason of living with your Thai wife?

I was scheduled to go back one more time to country of work (around March/April as contract ended in May) and that is when I had planned to start the non O application process. That was also around the same time Covid/ lockdown happened and I have been here since. The work is now off, I have no need to leave the country.

 

This situation wouldn't be frustrating under normal circumstances. I could just do a border run/ country hop and come back to start the application. Covid has made this a lot more complicated by having to go to quarantine (separating the family for a longer time), getting other documents, taking tests and put myself at risk by traveling. All this is unnecessary. And the costs involved with this, it's like throwing money away, especially with no current work. Even if I had work, why should my hard earned money be spent like this?

 

I've met a lot of immigration officers over the years that are genuine and would understand the situation I'm in, and at their discretion I think would allow me to start the visa application. I also feel that there is a directive from above to blanket wash all visitors without flexibility to force them to seek 'other' channels. So if this is true and there are exceptions, I believe my case would be approved after my explanation. And if no exceptions maybe the government should consider putting one in place as there are many with family here and do not deserve to be treated this way.  That is why I've posted my story here. I wanted to gather others in a similar situation, and get opinions/ ideas on this matter. And appreciate the responses coming in.

[bkkexplorer]

On 7/30/2020 at 5:55 PM, jackdd said:

They will not handle your extension on the phone, you would still have to confront an IO at CW.

 

At first you would call the immigration hotline 1178, and ask them if you can do what you want to do:

They answer "yes": Back to CW, try to apply for it. In case you get denied again, call 1178 while you are at CW, ask again if it's possible, if they confirm it ask the IO at the hotline to talk with the IO at CW. Maybe the IO in CW will now accept your application.

They answer "no": Call 1111, explain that you were denied to hand in your application, but in your opinion it should be possible.

If 1111 tells you that it's possible to apply, ask them how to proceed (maybe similar to above, have them talk with the IO at CW).

In case 1111 would tell you "no" (i highly doubt this would happen), then there is not much you can do about it, besides using an agent or another immigration office.

 

As much as I like this idea I am weary as it could be a loss of face to the officer and we all know how that normally goes down. It's also a game of chance as to which officer you approach i think. How could I strategically plan this out? Does anyone know which officer to approach? I remember a guy who runs around in CW and he seemed reasonable, there are a couple of ladies that do the yearly extensions but you have no access to them unless you are in queue and are assigned to them by chance. Anyways,.. first thing is to make the first phone call to see what they say.

[OJAS]

18 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

However, I'm not sure on this but I seem to remember reading posts where people have converted a 30 day non visa entry to a 90 day Non O within Thailand and then applied for a 12 month annual extension - you should check out if that is possible.

So precisely how do you expect @bkkexplorer to be able to obtain a 30-day visa-exempt entry in current circumstances then? Strikes me as a tad rich of you to criticise him for not knowing the rules in the light of this fatuous suggestion!

[KhaoYai]

On 7/31/2020 at 3:40 PM, bkkexplorer said:

I'm not a newbie correct. What did I get away with for years? I've lived here over 20 years and all that time with work permit non O and spouse O visa. I have a yellow book and pink ID card. What games, taking the same pictures of me and my family, drawing maps to the same house I've been living in, supplying the same set of documents etc. year after year? 

 

Immigration didn't have a solution for me the last time I went to renew my Spouse O extension. Their rules stated that I had to be in the country when extending that, which I couldn't as it meant losing a  work project which I tired so hard to get. The immigration officer even told me to let it lapse and apply again when my overseas contract finished. Seem like the only choice at the time.

 

Your choice of words is unwarranted, if the lockdown didn't happen I wouldn't be in this situation.

Absolutely correct - please accept my apologies, I misread your post (speed reading) and presumed you were one of those who's 'lived' in Thailand on short term stays, extensions and vis runs.  I think it would have been a little easier for you now if you'd made your last entry on a Non O.  I'm sure I've read that you can convert an entry to a Non O and then on to an extension but as others have said, after the amount of time that's passed, you might be better going through an agent to do that.

[KhaoYai]

On 8/1/2020 at 8:00 AM, OJAS said:

So precisely how do you expect @bkkexplorer to be able to obtain a 30-day visa-exempt entry in current circumstances then? Strikes me as a tad rich of you to criticise him for not knowing the rules in the light of this fatuous suggestion!

Firstly, see my apology - I misread his post.

 

I'm not sure what the current amnesty does to the status of a visa or a 30 day entry. I've read posts in the past where 30 day entries have been converted. If the amnesty conveys an extension to his last entry, it would seem logical that such a conversion should still be possible.  However, 'logic' doesn't always work in Thailand. Although I detest the corruption that goes on with them, I think an agent with the right connections is probably his best bet.  If he goes to the authorites now and gets refused - that will make his situation worse.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

I'm not sure what the current amnesty does to the status of a visa or a 30 day entry. I've read posts in the past where 30 day entries have been converted.

There have been reports of obtaining non o from visa exempt entry and tourist visas.

All the ones I have seen including those that entered ME marriage obtained an extension to facilitate obtaining non o and subsequent annual extension. Unfortunately some people used their extension prior to amnesty.

Some people state that you do not need to have current extension due to amnesty. In any event people's own imm office would be best place to check.