Visa amnesty 27th September

[JackThompson]

13 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

I thought you had to go to Immigration to get any form of Visa/Extension & would be very suspicious of any visa/extension (excluding ones on medical grounds) that didn't require you to take a trip there. 

The usual w/agent is about 30-seconds for a picture - is done more often than in the past, to make the agent-submitted applications look more "legit." 

 

I watched them doing it - jumping the queue ahead of me, while I waited for to submit my legit application to support my Thai family, which was denied on "newly invented rules."

[321 BOOM]

4 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

No, just when the 800K cash was being counted out , my agent asked to take my photog against a white wall and I asked what the photo was for and was told

Thats exactly how it is

[CorpusChristie]

29 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

The usual w/agent is about 30-seconds for a picture - is done more often than in the past, to make the agent-submitted applications look more "legit." 

 

I watched them doing it - jumping the queue ahead of me, while I waited for to submit my legit application to support my Thai family, which was denied on "newly invented rules."

Pay the money, instead of trying to get a yearly visa on the cheap , IO dont like the *all documents in place and 1900 Baht* mob

[finy]

3 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

What did he say?

He said foreign tourists were essential to the economy and businesses are on the verge of collapse if they're kept out any longer.

 

It doesn't make sense for him not to extend the amnesty because it can only help (not hurt).

[david555]

26 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Pay the money, instead of trying to get a yearly visa on the cheap , IO dont like the *all documents in place and 1900 Baht* mob

They where/are always polite when i ????from... *the all documents in place and 1900 Baht mob* + 800k in Th. Bank....???? pas their desk for less than 15 minutes ( i go early morning after Bank letter taken ..) 

 

And so already 8 years .....maybe because the agents clients maked them happy already ,....????

 

Thanks guy's to donate to them , saves me 8 X agents contribution ????

[Tanoshi]

5 hours ago, The33 said:

I just like to do things by myself, knowing there isnt anything that might come back to me, bite my ass later..

Appreciate that, but unfortunately in your situation your options are literal non existent, without the assistance of an agent.

 

Your were initially given poor advice in the first instance.

The IO should have processed your 30 day extension application, rather than the 60 day one.

 

The cabinet originally announced an amnesty granting an automatic extension of foreigners permission of stay until April 30th, which has been extended up to the current date of Sept 26th.

When you enter Thailand you are granted a permission of stay period in line with the method of entry, which for intent and purpose I'll describe as a 'valid' permission of stay.

Many Immigration offices are treating the automatic extensions as an 'invalid' permission of stay and as such are not following the standard rules to obtain a Non O and a further 1 year extension.

 

Had you still had the option of that 60 day extension, which would have given you a 'valid' permission of stay again, it really wouldn't have made much difference due to your circumstances.

As already explained you wouldn't fit into a category to extend for 1 year anyway.

 

If you intend to marry in the future, although it's a PITA, I'd be tempted to bite the bullet, return to your home Country to obtain whatever documents you need in order to return and obtain a freedom to marry affidavit. Getting married would then certainly give you alternative options to stay in Thailand long term in the future.

[Mike Teavee]

Edit: The point about being able to request a stamp to formally extend your current permission to stay until the 26th September so you can go on to request a long term visa might be of interest to the OP & other guys in the same situation... 

 

Edit: It also would indicate that the "Amnesty" is not the same as an automatic extension to your permission to stay as far as immigration is concerned and they want you to have a stamp in your passport that says your permission to stay is currently valid before they'll process your long term visa request.

 

 

For guys from the US, this new thread might be of interest, note the point that it seems they will give people letters to support a 30 day extension, previous reports have said they wouldn't.

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by Mike Teavee

[Daithi85]

57 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Edit: The point about being able to request a stamp to formally extend your current permission to stay until the 26th September so you can go on to request a long term visa might be of interest to the OP & other guys in the same situation... 

 

Edit: It also would indicate that the "Amnesty" is not the same as an automatic extension to your permission to stay as far as immigration is concerned and they want you to have a stamp in your passport that says your permission to stay is currently valid before they'll process your long term visa request.

 

 

For guys from the US, this new thread might be of interest, note the point that it seems they will give people letters to support a 30 day extension, previous reports have said they wouldn't.

 

Plenty of reports of Americans getting emails from there embassy saying they will give them a letter to extend there stay...will all embassies go this route???

[audaciousnomad]

15 minutes ago, Daithi85 said:

Plenty of reports of Americans getting emails from there embassy saying they will give them a letter to extend there stay...will all embassies go this route???

Where did you see those reports?

[Daithi85]

A group on Facebook called sticking it out in Thailand.

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, Mike Teavee said:

For guys from the US, this new thread might be of interest, note the point that it seems they will give people letters to support a 30 day extension, previous reports have said they wouldn't.

Conflicting information on their website;

 

 We will not issue visa extension letters for U.S. citizens who wish to stay in Thailand beyond September 26.  After that date, normal thirty-day extensions may be available for individuals who can demonstrate compelling reasons for not being able to depart Thailand.  Those decisions will be made by Royal Thai Immigration officers on a case-by-case basis.

https://th.usembassy.gov/covid-19-faq/

[WhateverDude]

33 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Conflicting information on their website;

 

 We will not issue visa extension letters for U.S. citizens who wish to stay in Thailand beyond September 26.  After that date, normal thirty-day extensions may be available for individuals who can demonstrate compelling reasons for not being able to depart Thailand.  Those decisions will be made by Royal Thai Immigration officers on a case-by-case basis.

https://th.usembassy.gov/covid-19-faq/

They clearly have not updated their website. I too received the email from the embassy, and this is what it says regarding obtaining an embassy letter for the purpose of a 30-day extension:

"If You Do Not Wish to Change to a Long-Term Visa Type from a Short-Term Visa and You Have No Extenuating Health Concerns – You should make plans to leave Thailand before the September 26 deadline or risk being in violation of Thai immigration law.  If you wish you request a letter from the U.S. Embassy to accompany your application for a 30-day extension past the September 26 deadline, please click on this link to complete this form to request a letter.  Please note the Royal Thai government is under no obligation to extend short-term visas and may end the practice at any time.  If your request is denied or you do not wish to change to an appropriate long-term visa category, you should begin making plans to depart Thailand as soon as possible.  Please contact the U.S. Embassy if you need financial assistance to depart Thailand. "

[Mike Teavee]

34 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

Conflicting information on their website;

 

 We will not issue visa extension letters for U.S. citizens who wish to stay in Thailand beyond September 26.  After that date, normal thirty-day extensions may be available for individuals who can demonstrate compelling reasons for not being able to depart Thailand.  Those decisions will be made by Royal Thai Immigration officers on a case-by-case basis.

https://th.usembassy.gov/covid-19-faq/

It seems the link I posted came about as a result of conversations between US Embassy & Thai Immigration on 25th August (Tuesday) so (fingers crossed) it might just be a case of taking some time for all the online info to be updated. 

 

Positive news I thought, though it does point to Immigration sticking to their guns about the 26th September date. 

 

 

[EricTh]

6 hours ago, 321 BOOM said:

Good idea.. would like to change mine for a Russian citizenship if possible

Keep dreaming. Many people want to change citizenship but they can't.

[audaciousnomad]

2 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

Conflicting information on their website;

 

 We will not issue visa extension letters for U.S. citizens who wish to stay in Thailand beyond September 26.  After that date, normal thirty-day extensions may be available for individuals who can demonstrate compelling reasons for not being able to depart Thailand.  Those decisions will be made by Royal Thai Immigration officers on a case-by-case basis.

https://th.usembassy.gov/covid-19-faq/

Reading between the lines, this essentially can b e interpreted to mean that you can get a letter from the Embassy, but you will still need to convince the immigration officer on why they should extend your stay. The Embassy will not be assisting in pleading your case to stay.

[lovesthespicy]

57 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

Reading between the lines, this essentially can b e interpreted to mean that you can get a letter from the Embassy, but you will still need to convince the immigration officer on why they should extend your stay. The Embassy will not be assisting in pleading your case to stay.

I imagine we'll know tomorrow(maybe today) if the letter is going to help as many will run down to immigration and check. 

[Mike Teavee]

1 hour ago, audaciousnomad said:

Reading between the lines, this essentially can b e interpreted to mean that you can get a letter from the Embassy, but you will still need to convince the immigration officer on why they should extend your stay. The Embassy will not be assisting in pleading your case to stay.

Would be a good "Middle Ground" / "Face Saving" solution for Thai Immigration & the US Embassy (UK may be offering them as well) if they offered extensions to everybody who'd gone to the trouble to get the letter from their Embassy. 

 

It seems pretty automatic to get as well so got to be worth a shot...  

[asiacurious]

Hope someone posts content from the letter once they receive it so we can all see how Embassy phrases things.

 

There would be a big difference between a letter that says...

 

"John Doe wants to stay in Thailand longer and we don't have any issue with that."

 

and a letter that says...

 

"Given the present COVID-19 situation in the United States and the difficulty in arranging return flights to the United States, we formally request that Thailand consider extending permission to stay for John Doe, a Citizen of the United States of good moral character."

 

 

[Phillip9]

10 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

Hope someone posts content from the letter once they receive it so we can all see how Embassy phrases things.

[FarFlungFalang]

14 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

Would be a good "Middle Ground" / "Face Saving" solution for Thai Immigration & the US Embassy (UK may be offering them as well) if they offered extensions to everybody who'd gone to the trouble to get the letter from their Embassy. 

 

It seems pretty automatic to get as well so got to be worth a shot...  

Funny that you mention "middle ground" as yesterday another option occurred to me if the embassy letter (Oz) fails when I go in today and that is what I've dubbed "the no man's land option" if the 26th of Sept arrives without a further amnesty is simply go to a border,for me it's Mukdahan or Chong Mek and leave Thailand as requested by the authorities.This means I will not be able to enter either Laos or Thailand.Chong Mek would the preferred option with the market close by as well as the tunnel to shelter in from the weather.

[Mike Teavee]

14 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Funny that you mention "middle ground" as yesterday another option occurred to me if the embassy letter (Oz) fails when I go in today and that is what I've dubbed "the no man's land option" if the 26th of Sept arrives without a further amnesty is simply go to a border,for me it's Mukdahan or Chong Mek and leave Thailand as requested by the authorities.This means I will not be able to enter either Laos or Thailand.Chong Mek would the preferred option with the market close by as well as the tunnel to shelter in from the weather.

I know you're joking, but being serious for 1 minute, all's that would happen is you would be returned to Thailand, Exit stamp cancelled & thrown into IDC awaiting deportation because you'd be on overstay so probably not the best plan ????

 

[blanes2007]

On 8/25/2020 at 1:44 PM, ubonjoe said:

to apply for a 30 day extension

I came to Thailand on Tourist Visa in March, 2 months+ amnesty

Didn't apply for 1 month TV extention.

Can I do it now?

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, blanes2007 said:

Can I do it now?

Yes you can but some offices might say no.

[FarFlungFalang]

23 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

I know you're joking, but being serious for 1 minute, all's that would happen is you would be returned to Thailand, Exit stamp cancelled & thrown into IDC awaiting deportation because you'd be on overstay so probably not the best plan ????

 

I would be outside of their jurisdiction as I would have legally left Thailand and on my way to Laos.If they were to abduct me and incarcerate me I'm sure that will look bad on their resume.I would view that as kidnapping.Not really joking it's the way I feel.I don't feel I should be forced to go where I don't want.I think they would probably refuse the exit stamp in the first place.

Edited August 28, 2020 by FarFlungFalang

[BritTim]

24 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I would be outside of their jurisdiction as I would have legally left Thailand and on my way to Laos.If they were to abduct me and incarcerate me I'm sure that will look bad on their resume.I would view that as kidnapping.Not really joking it's the way I feel.I don't feel I should be forced to go where I don't want.I think they would probably refuse the exit stamp in the first place.

You would have no exit stamps from Thailand. If such a plan was ever feasible, people on long overstays would be able to leave Thailand without passing Thai immigration, and avoid overstay fines.

[FarFlungFalang]

19 minutes ago, BritTim said:

You would have no exit stamps from Thailand. If such a plan was ever feasible, people on long overstays would be able to leave Thailand without passing Thai immigration, and avoid overstay fines.

The plan was to get an exit stamp first which is where it gets a bit tricky as I'm not clear on the law in regards to Thai official's ability to refuse exit.There's also the question of seeking asylum.I wish I paid more attention in preschool when this subject came up.Immigration won't extend my visa because my visa has expired yet I'm not on overstay just in a state of limbo land and come 26th of Sept my ability to reside at my home with my wife will be terminated without any means to address the situation.

Edited August 28, 2020 by FarFlungFalang

[BritTim]

9 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

The plan was to get an exit stamp first which is where it gets a bit tricky as I'm not clear on the law in regards to Thai official's ability to refuse exit.There's also the question of seeking asylum.I wish I paid more attention in preschool when this subject came up.Immigration won't extend my visa because my visa has expired yet I'm not on overstay just in a state of limbo land and come 26th of Sept my ability to reside at my home with my wife will be terminated without any means to address the situation.

If Thai immigration knows you are unable to enter Laos, they will not stamp you out of Thailand. That is a long standing policy. For instance, those who do not qualify for a Laos visa on arrival have never been able to use a land crossing to Laos unless they already had a Laos visa in their passports.

[Mike Teavee]

1 hour ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I would be outside of their jurisdiction as I would have legally left Thailand and on my way to Laos.If they were to abduct me and incarcerate me I'm sure that will look bad on their resume.I would view that as kidnapping.Not really joking it's the way I feel.I don't feel I should be forced to go where I don't want.I think they would probably refuse the exit stamp in the first place.

I can see the new movie now... Lost in Thai-Laos ???? 

 

 

[Mike Teavee]

27 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

The plan was to get an exit stamp first which is where it gets a bit tricky as I'm not clear on the law in regards to Thai official's ability to refuse exit.There's also the question of seeking asylum.I wish I paid more attention in preschool when this subject came up.Immigration won't extend my visa because my visa has expired yet I'm not on overstay just in a state of limbo land and come 26th of Sept my ability to reside at my home with my wife will be terminated without any means to address the situation.

Thailand can refuse you exit if you've broken any laws (including Overstay) which you haven't  OR are ineligible to enter the country you're going to (Which you would be). 

 

So yes, they can & would refuse your exit... 

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by Mike Teavee

[nemo38]

I am waiting to get to another country which is still closed. I doubt it will be open again by 26th September.

 

I expect Thailand won't extend the amnesty beyond 26th September. Getting an alternative Thai visa sound a like it will be expensive and a lot of trouble, so I am anticipating having to go to my home country and wait there.

 

The Thai government should probably reiterate it's statement that there won't be an extension of the amnesty. It will save people scrambling for flights in the last few days of the amnesty.