New from US Embassy: "Official extension stamp" to change to long-term visa

[greggraham]

[greggraham]

"The Thai government has indicated to us that the above procedures are already in place" - Has anyone got one of these free "official extension stamps" yet? Or is this new news.

 

And it remains to be seen is whether people who used the COVID extension can get this too or not. 

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, greggraham said:

Has anyone got one of these free "official extension stamps" yet? Or is this new news.

The are no free extensions and do not see anything in the info posted about one.

The only thing that is free is a permit to stay until September 26 under the ministerial notice that has been extended to that day.

That info from the embassy is very confusing and appears to not to be correct,

 

[greggraham]

7 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The are no free extensions and do not see anything in the info posted about one.

The only thing that is free is a permit to stay until September 26 under the ministerial notice that has been extended to that day.

That info from the embassy is very confusing and appears to not to be correct,

 

"You must go to any immigration office before September 11 and get a stamp in your passport that officially extend your Visa until the September 26 deadline. The stamp can be obtained at no cost. You must have this stamp, as the general Visa amnesty announcement will not replace this requirement".

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, greggraham said:

"This stamp can be obtained at no cost"

That is the free extension to September 26th and as far as I know immigration will not do such stamp.

[greggraham]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is the free extension of September 26th and as far as I know immigration will not do such stamp.

It doesn't say "free extension" / amnesty in that sentence though does it,  it says a stamp that allows you to apply for a long-term visa. That's why I wonder if this is new policy. The suggestion that you have to get this "official extension stamp" before Sept 11 is in line with applying for a non-O with 15 days left on your permission of stay. 

 

The information was "supplied verbally to the the U.S. Embassy on Aug 25th by Thai immigration authorities"

[lopburi3]

My reading is there is a new policy until Septermber 11 to provide access to obtaining official extension status for those currently on amnesty exemption which in turn will then allow an official extension of stay to be applied for.  For those not going that route but needing to stay past September 26 immigration will consider providing 30 extensions with embassy letter.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, lopburi3 said:

My reading is there is a new policy until Septermber 11 to provide access to obtaining official extension status for those currently on amnesty exemption which in turn will then allow an official extension of stay to be applied for.  For those not going that route but needing to stay past September 26 immigration will consider providing 30 extensions with embassy letter.

That appears to be the standard requirement of 15 days remaining on a visa exempt or tourist visa entry to apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa entry at immigration.

Immigration has no rule requiring that stamp that I am aware of for anything done at immigration.

[greggraham]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

That appears to be the standard requirement of 15 days remaining on a visa exempt or tourist visa entry to apply for a 90 day non immigrant visa entry at immigration.

Immigration has no rule requiring that stamp that I am aware of for anything done at immigration.

Well it's a fact that many people, myself included, have not been allowed to change visa because are on amnesty and do not have a valid permission of stay. This info, given to the embassy 2 days ago, suggests maybe this would allow people to do so.

 

To be honest it's kind of disheartening sharing this new info with the community, info from the U.S embassy that they were supplied on Tuesday by Thai immigration, and it to be immediately shot down as "not correct". 

[lopburi3]

I believe they have determined amnesty is not legal stay status so status must be changed to allow using previous entry for extension.  Just as they seem to now have to put a stamp in passports for 90 day non reporting (even with amnesty we are considered late).  So this stamp would then allow normal extensions of stay to be obtained.

Yes it is a guess but seems to be new news.  ????

 

Edit:  How was this OP information obtained?  I have not received any such email.

[Mike Teavee]

5 minutes ago, greggraham said:

Well it's a fact that many people, myself included, have not been allowed to change visa because are on amnesty and do not have a valid permission of stay. This info, given to the embassy 2 days ago, suggests maybe this would allow people to do so.

 

To be honest it's kind of disheartening sharing this new info with the community, info from the U.S embassy that they were supplied on Tuesday by Thai immigration, and it to be immediately shot down as "not correct". 

Thanks for posting, I for one think it sounds very encouraging that Thai Immigration & the US Embassy are at least speaking with each other about how best to move forward (and I'm British + just extended my permission to stay until 26th September 2021 so have no skin in this particular game) and have posted a link to this thread in the thread about options after 26th September so am sure there will be a lot of other people who will be encouraged by it as well. 

 

Could you please post the link to request the 30 day extension letter for others who may be interested.

 

Thanks Again ???? 

 

[greggraham]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Could you please post the link to request the 30 day extension letter for others who may be interested.

 

Thanks Again ???? 

 

click here - hopefully that works. That part probably deserves its own topic too, a lot of people thought it was impossible that they would write those letters again. 

[FarFlungFalang]

18 minutes ago, greggraham said:

click here - hopefully that works. That part probably deserves its own topic too, a lot of people thought it was impossible that they would write those letters again. 

I got a letter from the Australian embassy but it didn't make any difference and was still refused to even be able to apply for an extension.

[ndreamer]

19 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I got a letter from the Australian embassy but it didn't make any difference and was still refused to even be able to apply for an extension.

When did you get this letter ? Last i heard they were not giving them out.

[FarFlungFalang]

3 minutes ago, ndreamer said:

When did you get this letter ? Last i heard they were not giving them out.

I got it on the 31/07/2020.The weren't giving them out but gave me one because of extenuating circumstances.It was exactly the same as the first letter.It still didn't help as I've used my 60 extension and my office says they can only give one extension and to wait until 26th Sept to see what happens.

[Caldera]

Thanks for sharing, @greggraham. I read this as @lopburi3wrote, a new internal immigration procedure to formally facilitate transitioning from "amnesty" (automatic extension) to a long-term extension.

 

As many people have reported problems due to not having any stamp in their passport that covers the automatic extension, this would make perfect sense.

[fondue zoo]

What/Where is the source of this update? an email?

 

Would immigration offices actually do this.....  they've remained steadfast in interpreting the Cabinet order as an Amnesty instead of an extension of your last "stamp". 

[Mike Teavee]

12 minutes ago, fondue zoo said:

What/Where is the source of this update? an email?

 

Would immigration offices actually do this.....  they've remained steadfast in interpreting the Cabinet order as an Amnesty instead of an extension of your last "stamp". 

I read the email as supporting Immigration's stance that it's an Amnesty not an Extension hence the need to get an additional stamp to "Formalise" an extension before applying for a long term Visa. 

[pontious]

Nothing on the Embassy website.

[vermin on arrival]

3 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

My reading is there is a new policy until Septermber 11 to provide access to obtaining official extension status for those currently on amnesty exemption which in turn will then allow an official extension of stay to be applied for.  For those not going that route but needing to stay past September 26 immigration will consider providing 30 extensions with embassy letter.

So they will provide letters for 30 day extensions now. great!

[lopburi3]

1 minute ago, vermin on arrival said:

So they will provide letters for 39 day extensions now. great!

Assume 39 is a typo but did not say they would provide any extension - only that they would consider it.  Expect there must be a reason for such requests that immigration agrees with.

 

But as no source for this notice has been provided it appears may not be as firm as even that and may still be under review as US Embassy has still not sent out any such notice that I have seen or see listed on their website.

[Phillip9]

I would be very careful with this.  It looks like a fake announcement to me.  The wording does not sound anything like a typical US embassy announcement.  It is barely coherent and probably not even written by a native english speaker.  
 

I would not put any personal info into that link provided.  The whole thing is probably a scam to collect personal info.

 

 

[vermin on arrival]

3 hours ago, greggraham said:

click here - hopefully that works. That part probably deserves its own topic too, a lot of people thought it was impossible that they would write those letters again. 

Form submitted. Thanks so much Greg!

[vermin on arrival]

3 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

I would be very careful with this.  It looks like a fake announcement to me.  The wording does not sound anything like a typical US embassy announcement.  It is barely coherent and probably not even written by a native english speaker.  
 

I would not put any personal info into that link provided.  The whole thing is probably a scam to collect personal info.

 

 

I don't know I got an e-mail response that look clearly like an e-mail from the US Embassy in BKK

[Maestro]

3 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I got a letter from the Australian embassy but it didn't make any difference and was still refused to even be able to apply for an extension.

 

At what immigration office was this?

[vermin on arrival]

4 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

I would be very careful with this.  It looks like a fake announcement to me.  The wording does not sound anything like a typical US embassy announcement.  It is barely coherent and probably not even written by a native english speaker.  
 

I would not put any personal info into that link provided.  The whole thing is probably a scam to collect personal info.

 

 

[email protected]

[audaciousnomad]

7 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

I would be very careful with this.  It looks like a fake announcement to me.  The wording does not sound anything like a typical US embassy announcement.  It is barely coherent and probably not even written by a native english speaker.  
 

I would not put any personal info into that link provided.  The whole thing is probably a scam to collect personal info.

 

 

It is authentic. I received a letter back within minutes from the official email address of the U.S. Embassy.

[greggraham]

6 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

I would be very careful with this.  It looks like a fake announcement to me.  The wording does not sound anything like a typical US embassy announcement.  It is barely coherent and probably not even written by a native english speaker.  
 

I would not put any personal info into that link provided.  The whole thing is probably a scam to collect personal info.

It's real, my housemate received it by email this morning, and others have posted about it on Facebook. @WhateverDude also got it. No need to scaremonger. 

  

1 hour ago, WhateverDude said:

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. "

 

[vermin on arrival]

10 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Assume 39 is a typo but did not say they would provide any extension - only that they would consider it.  Expect there must be a reason for such requests that immigration agrees with.

 

But as no source for this notice has been provided it appears may not be as firm as even that and may still be under review as US Embassy has still not sent out any such notice that I have seen or see listed on their website.

Yes typo and edited but one member just confirmed that he has received the letter from the embassy. issuing it is a formality I believe

[vermin on arrival]

2 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

It is authentic. I received a letter back within minutes from the official email address of the U.S. Embassy.

I just got it. it took 3 minutes lol. Go get em guys!