End of visa amnesty may spell uncertainty for some expats in Thailand

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Some off topic posts meant to deflect the topic have been removed. No further notice will be given when posts have been removed.

And now several more.

[JeffersLos]

25 minutes ago, easydoor said:

I always wonder: someone what doesn't have an income of 40.000THB/m how he is living and supporting his family the way you expect from a farang.

Perhaps They have double or triple that, but it can't be used due to an embassy letter issue, or other IO issue (must be a pension, etc.) ???? 

[herfiehandbag]

44 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

The 10-20k Non-Imm O Multi's hanging around are propping up 65M Thais and their economy? If you say so.

No, but they are providing for 10 - 20k families, with children to be brought up and very often elderly relatives to be supported. 

 

For want of a simple pragmatic temporary solution to this problem, that 10 - 20k families are going to be severely impoverished if not left destitute.

 

In my case with a teenage daughter, abandoned by her mother, suffering from depression and undergoing psychiatric treatment, with no real alternative parent available, the result would be calamitous.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I thought being married would be considered a reasonable necessity and any person married to a Thai national would be automatically considered under this stipulation. 

Immigration don't care if you're married or not.
It's up to you which visa you apply for, and jump the hurdles for said choice.

Edited August 16, 2020 by hotchilli

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, sundaram444 said:

Thanks for the Information Update. My Non-Imm O visa is due for renewal on October 02 , 2020. I have been renewing the Visa every year with the Income Affidavit Document from the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok, for the past 10 years. I am thinking of visiting the Immigration Office in Korat next week to update my 90 Day report and ask about my Non-Imm O Visa renewal. 

Reading your post carefully, I think your current permission to stay is based on a one-year extension from an immigration office in Thailand, not a 90-day entry from a Non O visa. If this is wrong, please post a clarification.

 

Assuming I am correct, you just extend your permission to stay normally as in previous years.

[Millcx]

2 hours ago, Lizard2010 said:

That is if they can find a flight and country to go too

Never use last minute.com who have a company connection www.kiwi.com .. They will take your money then notify you of your cancelled connections then charge you double for alternate flights .... Try and get your money back at your peril ... Scum they are

[0815]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Could you highlight the 'Non-O' mentions in your quoted texts for me.

I appear to be too old to find them (probably a senior moment on my part).

Why don't you contact some visa agencies and ask them? Asking is for free and they will know a solution for you.
In here you will probably get just more confused...

[taxin]

1 hour ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I've committed to the money in the bank method but due to my procrastinating nature I miss out by about ten days for the seasoning which is why I'm trying for the special dispensation.

 

 

Me too, dropped below the 400K so I’m all over this “special dispensation”.
 

I would like to know what they will likely consider under this special dispensation ? Will they relax on the 400K requirement and grant the one year extension, or will they grant a rolling 60 day extension ?

[crazykopite]

I have an elderly neighbour who spends between 6 and 9 months in Thailand his one year O visa expires 17 September 2020 if the border was open he could go over and get another 90 day meaning his 1 year can be 15 months . His plan is to go to the local IO a couple of days before it expires does anybody know if they would give him the additional 90 days due to the borders being closed he’s from the U.K. but his BA flight has been cancelled several times . When I did my yearly extension in June I took his passport to do his 90 day report I have done this for him on at least 4 previous occasions this time they refused telling me I needed to get him to provide a medical certificate in order that I could do it on his behalf this had never been a problem before . Any advice would be helpful so I can explain his alternatives . I know I could get a doctors medical certificate as he is on an mobile oxygen machine and medication.

[SEtonal]

55 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Turkey though, you can only stay 90 days out of 180 days

 

Another poster explained how to stay in Turkey for a year:

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1177052-extend-amnesty-into-2021/page/9/?tab=comments#comment-15705117

 

[FarFlungFalang]

2 minutes ago, taxin said:

Me too, dropped below the 400K so I’m all over this “special dispensation”.
 

I would like to know what they will likely consider under this special dispensation ? Will they relax on the 400K requirement and grant the one year extension, or will they grant a rolling 60 day extension ?

I think it's entirely discretionary and on a case by case basis as well is the usual officer by officer basis and office by office basis one can only try one's luck.I think it likely they will extend at lest once more on the basis it would look to bad in the media if they start forcefully deporting people. 

[Sudaca]

1. Hi,

    

   I was interested getting an Ed visa, but I was discouraged after they told me the one year applies since you have entered the country, meaning that I will be paying full (36k) for four months (entered on February) and then after, the way to renew it, is departing from Thailand. Doesn´t worth for me.

    

   They have offered me volunteer visa for 45k and when I innocently asked which kind of work do I need to do, there was no answer; all said.

    

   In case I can have a work permit (asking a friend through her company) would that allow me to stay for one year? I´ll appreciate any advise. Please be nice, Im not following forum/rules daily. Before my setting to get to Thailand worked for me. Now it´s a mess.

    

   Being naive, did somebody thought about elevating a petition to thai goverment on this platform (change.org) about extension of stay in Thailand until neighboring countries open/Covid is sorted imitating what Taiwan/Vietnam is doing, considering that we are still helping local economy and is risky to get back to our countries? It´s a win win situation proposed.

    

   Why being kicked out and government trying to figure out best way to allow tourists to enter?

    

2.  

[PEE TEE]

 A big problem for no o visas is the borders are shut i believe you also have to have the mandatory insurance and maybe have to quarantine coming in again . You can convert a non o to a extended stay retirement visa provided you are over 50 and have the funds in the bank but they have to there for over 3 months. Just hope immigration can find a way round it .   

[FarFlungFalang]

6 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I have an elderly neighbour who spends between 6 and 9 months in Thailand his one year O visa expires 17 September 2020 if the border was open he could go over and get another 90 day meaning his 1 year can be 15 months . His plan is to go to the local IO a couple of days before it expires does anybody know if they would give him the additional 90 days due to the borders being closed he’s from the U.K. but his BA flight has been cancelled several times . When I did my yearly extension in June I took his passport to do his 90 day report I have done this for him on at least 4 previous occasions this time they refused telling me I needed to get him to provide a medical certificate in order that I could do it on his behalf this had never been a problem before . Any advice would be helpful so I can explain his alternatives . I know I could get a doctors medical certificate as he is on an mobile oxygen machine and medication.

It sounds like he would be considered for an extension based on medical grounds.

[fondue zoo]

2 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

"may allow special dispensation" suggests it's discretionary and they "may" not allow special dispensation which seems to be the easier option for some to take.There is also the "competent official" syndrome as they don't want to appear "incompetent" and have to ask superiors for clarification which presents the minefield of trying to persuade the "competent official" to do just that which introduces the "difficult customer" syndrome which just seems to block any chance of a successful application.My local Imm officer is convinced I only get one extension per visit.

I intend to go in tomorrow to seek "special dispensation" armed with my "embassy letter" and associated tale of woe is me!

 We plan to go on Wednesday, hoping the market will also be open that day.

 

 

[dallen52]

3 hours ago, Lizard2010 said:

You would think that keeping Xpats in Thailand would be good

After all we put Millions into the Thai econamy

Who has been help keep the country going in the last few months  Xpats of course

And add to that all the others like myself, who were on the wrong side of the borders when they closed. 

And as you say, "contributing millions".

 

Now just waiting for the chance to get back to my home and family..

(Almost 6 months already)

[herfiehandbag]

22 minutes ago, taxin said:

Me too, dropped below the 400K so I’m all over this “special dispensation”.
 

I would like to know what they will likely consider under this special dispensation ? Will they relax on the 400K requirement and grant the one year extension, or will they grant a rolling 60 day extension ?

I would very much doubt that they would drop the ThB 400,00 requirement.

 

I think it is possible, unless they intend to cease offering the  non O multiple entry visa under the present requirements, that they may offer further 60 day extensions at ThB 1900 a time, until the borders to the adjacent countries, where these visas can be obtained, are opened.

 

That would be a simple pragmatic solution, which would benefit the visa holders, and bring in an income stream for the immigration service. Remember such people (myself included) are not trying to extend tourist visas, but are bona-fida residents, using visas happily issued by the authorities for that purpose.

Edited August 16, 2020 by herfiehandbag

[jim hayes]

1 hour ago, trucking said:

 

How could you fail ? No financials needed and with Thai wife  ?

I was doing a border run via the Friendship Bridge at Mukdahan on March 19th and there were several reports on that day that the Thai Consulate in Savannakhet were not issuing any visas without a "health certificate" although no such certificate was required to leave Thailand or re-enter on the same day. I did have to see a "doctor" in a tiny office who asked me where I had been recently, took my temp. filled in a form with my name and passport number and only then was I allowed to pass through immigration to be stamped out of Thailand to do my border run. 

[jackdd]

20 minutes ago, taxin said:

Me too, dropped below the 400K so I’m all over this “special dispensation”.
 

I would like to know what they will likely consider under this special dispensation ? Will they relax on the 400K requirement and grant the one year extension, or will they grant a rolling 60 day extension ?

Before the "amnesty" was in place the "special consideration rules" were mentioned in a police memo as well. I've not heard of a single person who was granted any special extension, and most certainly it will be the same now.

You will not get any special treatment, unless maybe you go through an agent.

[time2093]

For those that are on Non O visas and think immigration will give you some kind of compassion are up for a reality check. I'm on a Non O visa based on marriage and my local immigration told me my choices are to extend my permission of stay or I have to leave Thailand.

 

I understand many dont have the financial requirements and are stuck in this predicament but that's the reality of the situation.

I can see an increase of guys using visa agents for help or guys trying to do whatever they can to come up with the 400k or the 40k abroad transfer requirement to stay here.

[tandor]

3 hours ago, Lizard2010 said:

That is if they can find a flight and country to go too

...stay here and let them extradite you...after all you haven't overstayed.

Edited August 16, 2020 by tandor

[PEE TEE]

Thailand should think about keeping the long stay expats here as a lot of them support Thai families and spend money here .  They  should come up with an alternative for long term no o visas . by doing the 90 day check at local immigration and maybe put a fee on the extensions  to go out to borders if open would cost anyway. i am told the insurance to come in will cost 50,000 a month if that's true ? that could be a non requirement if you have not left the kingdom since the pandemic 

.  

[taxin]

15 minutes ago, time2093 said:

 

I can see an increase of guys using visa agents for help or guys trying to do whatever they can to come up with the 400k or the 40k abroad transfer requirement to stay here.

Really ? Immigration will grant one year extension of stay based on 40K abroad transfer ? I was not aware of this, can anyone add further clarification of this ?

[chrisbangkok]

It would seem to me to be beneficial to both the local economy and visa holders to transmute 90 day border bounce to 90 day reporting until borders reopen , that way we can stay and continue to spend good money in country etc .

Once borders reopen it can revert to as before .

Maybe that's too simple ??

[PEE TEE]

7 minutes ago, nightfox said:

Unfortunately its just wishful thinking immigration will do anything to help those Non O visa people as they pretty much said it in big letters extend or leave....Using an agent to extend your permission of stay for the year will cost a lot less 50k 

You are right but it has been know they change their minds at a drop of a hat.  One can hope i suppose . Thanks for the reply. The 50k is if you come back in according to the insurance requirements. i can't see anyone paying that . cheers   

[yeahbutif]

22 minutes ago, AlfHuy said:

I'd like to see a survey of how many people still have a joker up their sleeves with the 60 day extension

i heard you can get another 30 days extention on your 60 day border run ,,, ,after 26th sept but only  if you have not used a paid 30 extention during your valid visa ?

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Some off topic posts meant to deflect the topic have been removed. No further notice will be given when posts have been removed.

 

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

And now several more.

And again plus bickering and baiting.

[phka]

For long term expats, Immigraiton also advised them to get up to date with the 90 day reporting and those who need to renew their extensions of stay based on marriage, retirement or a parent to a Thai child were advised to renew as soon as possible.

 

My retirement extension is due for renewal in January 2021 does that mean I should try and renew at an earlier date

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, phka said:

My retirement extension is due for renewal in January 2021 does that mean I should try and renew at an earlier date

No it does not. That is only for those that are here on short stay visas and extensions.

You just need to catch up on 90 day reporting if you skipped them.

[Raphus]

This letter and new stipulation looks more like a new control being put in place which gives local immigration officers less decision making power. The decision to forward every application to a higher level for review seems to be further clarification that the government want to really start counting what aliens are in the country. Moreover, this control measure will invariably weed out those living in Thailand and jumping in and out of the country without any real permanent base/home. 
I honestly think it is to clear out the nomads, as opposed to legitimate workers and residents married or otherwise.