Anybody got a uk embassy letter this month?

[Jackcwba]

Anybody from the uk managed to get a embassy letter this month to stay longer than 26th September ?

 

was on 60 day tourist > extended > now on amnesty. 
 

What did you write in the email when asking for an extension letter ? I obviously wanna make sure this gets sorted right away avoiding a back and forth on emails so I’m interested in knowing..

 

what you put ( preferably word for word and I’ll tweak it where needs be )
 

what you need to send again ( last time it was a pic of passport page with my details and latest visa stamp.

 

from what I’ve heard the uk embassy are terrible.

 

I’m planning to stay here as long as I can ain’t gonna lie fellas, pretty sure a lot of others want to aswell, don’t mind paying the fee to extend every 30 days while everywhere is shut down so hopefully this can get me to end of 2020 and go from there.

 

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

Info for getting the letter is here. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand#covid-19-visa-extension-applications--support-letter

[Jackcwba]

Hi joe, so by the looks of it they aren’t gonna give it to people who don’t need non immigrant visas?

 

so the tourists have to just pack up before 26th? I read somewhere yesterday’s that their was an update regarding tourist visas paying their way to stay again but according to that link you sent it seems they are only prepared to help people who ‘are not’ tourists 

[darrendsd]

Emailed them on Thursday - the link that Joe has provided says people would receive a auto reply but nothing

 

Interesting that the link says The British Embassy will not be issuing a visa extension letter to British Nationals here on short-term visas who can travel to their country of residence.

 

I wrote in the email that I have not lived in the UK for nearly 15 years and would have no where to live if I had to go back - also stated that I had concerns about my health if I did have to return

 

Here at the mo on a ED Visa (now expired) 

 

Be interesting to see if they issue me a letter

 

 

[Jackcwba]

54 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

Emailed them on Thursday - the link that Joe has provided says people would receive a auto reply but nothing

 

Interesting that the link says The British Embassy will not be issuing a visa extension letter to British Nationals here on short-term visas who can travel to their country of residence.

 

I wrote in the email that I have not lived in the UK for nearly 15 years and would have no where to live if I had to go back - also stated that I had concerns about my health if I did have to return

 

Here at the mo on a ED Visa (now expired) 

 

Be interesting to see if they issue me a letter

 

 

Hi darren,

 

yes I agree, some people might have no where to go or have family etc so it’s just close minded to assume people can just ‘ go back to their passport country ‘

 

ill be interested to know if they issue you one,

 

let us know on this post what they say

 

all the best.

[darrendsd]

1 minute ago, Jackcwba said:

Hi darren,

 

yes I agree, some people might have no where to go or have family etc so it’s just close minded to assume people can just ‘ go back to their passport country ‘

 

ill be interested to know if they issue you one,

 

let us know on this post what they say

 

all the best.

Just to point out that it's been the same page on the British Embassy site for a while - now that Immigration have said tourists can stay ( with the provision of a Embassy letter) let's see if they change their stance

[Peterw42]

15 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

Just to point out that it's been the same page on the British Embassy site for a while - now that Immigration have said tourists can stay ( with the provision of a Embassy letter) let's see if they change their stance

Isnt it the case that tourists can stay "only" if they cant get home, and the embassy letter would need to confirm that ? Given that the UK isnt shut to its citizens returning, as the site says, no letters if you "can" travel home.

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, darrendsd said:

Emailed them on Thursday - the link that Joe has provided says people would receive a auto reply but nothing

 

Interesting that the link says The British Embassy will not be issuing a visa extension letter to British Nationals here on short-term visas who can travel to their country of residence.

 

I wrote in the email that I have not lived in the UK for nearly 15 years and would have no where to live if I had to go back - also stated that I had concerns about my health if I did have to return

 

Here at the mo on a ED Visa (now expired) 

 

Be interesting to see if they issue me a letter

 

 

15 years? Have you been staying in Thailand all that time? In that case on what visa?

[darrendsd]

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

15 years? Have you been staying in Thailand all that time? In that case on what visa?

Yes and on numerous different visas

[Phillip9]

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Isnt it the case that tourists can stay "only" if they cant get home, and the embassy letter would need to confirm that ?

No that is not true.  For example, the US embassy is issuing letters to any American and people have already been using them to get extensions even though it is possible to fly to the USA.

[misterphil]

Applied on Thursday but expect a delay due to the Songkran holiday. 
 

You dont just ask for a letter. They want all the documents here. 
 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand#covid-19-visa-extension-applications--support-letter

 

[In the jungle]

I have received the letter of support from the British Embassy.  I have yet to present it to Thai immigration.

 

I am not going to go into the full details of my personal circumstances on a public forum but here are a couple of points you may wish to note:

 

1.  There was no auto-reply

 

2.  In the E mail that accompanied the letter of support the British Embassy made clear that they would provide this letter only once.

[CorpusChristie]

18 hours ago, darrendsd said:

Interesting that the link says The British Embassy will not be issuing a visa extension letter to British Nationals here on short-term visas who can travel to their country of residence.

 

I wrote in the email that I have not lived in the UK for nearly 15 years and would have no where to live if I had to go back - also stated that I had concerns about my health if I did have to return

I dont think that would be an acceptable reason as to why you cannot return to the UK 

[CorpusChristie]

36 minutes ago, misterphil said:

Applied on Thursday but expect a delay due to the Songkran holiday. 
 

You dont just ask for a letter. They want all the documents here. 
 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-thailand#covid-19-visa-extension-applications--support-letter

 

 

That has changed since the last letter requests back in March , back then you just had to send a scan of your PP and just ask for a letter and that was it 

[watso63]

11 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

I dont think that would be an acceptable reason as to why you cannot return to the UK 

Exactly, seems Thailand has been the residence for the past 15 years but no longer qualified to remain further. A bit of a pickle.

[sometimewoodworker]

22 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

I dont think that would be an acceptable reason as to why you cannot return to the UK 

Knowing the way the embassy staff reason, I think you are correct.
 

For those on short term visas, visa exempt, visa on arrival (VOA not applicable to British citizens)

 

decision tree for letter.

Do you have a right of abode in the U.K. or country that does not have closed borders? Yes

Do you have a medical reason to stay? No

Have you applied/are applying for a long term extension? No

Result no letter will be issued as you are able to travel to the U.K. or to your country of abode.

 

You may not want to travel but that’s nothing to do with the FO staff. You choose not to get a long term extension, for whatever reason. That choice has consequences. The world situation has changed. Things that worked round the rules do not at the moment.

[CorpusChristie]

2 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Knowing the way the embassy staff reason, I think you are correct.
 

For those on short term visas, visa exempt, visa on arrival (VOA not applicable to British citizens)

 

decision tree for letter.

Do you have a right of abode in the U.K. or country that does not have closed borders? Yes

Do you have a medical reason to stay? No

Have you applied/are applying for a long term extension? No

Result no letter will be issued as you are able to travel to the U.K. or to your country of abode.

 

You may not want to travel but that’s nothing to do with the FO staff. You choose not to get a long term extension, for whatever reason. That choice has consequences. The world situation has changed. Things that worked round the rules do not at the moment.

And bearing in mind, Thailand has been trying to get rid of those staying long term on short term visas 

[GeorgeCross]

7 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

And bearing in mind, Thailand has been trying to get rid of those staying long term on short term visas 

 

well i wouldn't say "get rid of" more encourage them to apply for an extension of stay

 

btw thats also why i think there will be no easy way to extend non-o multis and the like.

they want you to extend, they are telling you to extend and now they are giving you no other option but to extend. 

 

(it wouldn't surprise me to see these visa types unavailable at local consulates once borders reopen but thats just speculation on my part). i hope not though, i like the added option and safety net.

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by GeorgeCross

[sometimewoodworker]

1 minute ago, CorpusChristie said:

And bearing in mind, Thailand has been trying to get rid of those staying long term on short term visas 

I’m not completely sure that Thailand wants them out. There certainly have been moves to make things more and more difficult.

With the current situation that is ramping up and those practices may well have to stop 

The suggestions I’ve seen are that immigration wants people staying long term to have long term extensions not playing the system. 

[CorpusChristie]

2 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

well i wouldn't say "get rid of" more encourage them to apply for an extension of stay

 

btw thats also why i think there will be no easy way to extend non-o multis and the like.

they want you to extend, they are telling you to extend and now they are giving you no other option but to extend. 

 

(it wouldn't surprise me to see these visa types unavailable at local consulates once borders reopen but thats just speculation on my part). i hope not though, i like the added option and safety net.

 

 

 

I did mean prior to Covid , land border entries were limited , consecutive tourist visas were limited , double entry tourist visas were stopped .

   All these measure were taken to stop people living in Thailand on short term visas .

*Get the correct visa* has been the message for the last few years 

[darrendsd]

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

I dont think that would be an acceptable reason as to why you cannot return to the UK 

Maybe - maybe not however it is the truth so what is the harm in telling them?

 

I do have back up plans in case I can't get the letter - I don't expect to get it but what's the harm in trying?

[CorpusChristie]

2 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

Maybe - maybe not however it is the truth so what is the harm in telling them?

 

I do have back up plans in case I can't get the letter - I don't expect to get it but what's the harm in trying?

What is your back up plan ?

[Jackcwba]

I’m in such a tricky situation. I am waiting to start work in November/ January at the latest. I have a job offer from a BOI company and I can’t get the non B while inside Thailand - have to get it from outside - all surrounding countries have compulsory quarentine or a complete ban on foreigners entering.

 

flying to uk and back here with flights and paying for quarentine will cost me roughly 80,000 baht all in.

 

and before any Thai visa experts claim you can get it at changwattana - no you can’t. CW does not deal with boi companies at all its all done through chamchuri square and even to this day the rules haven’t changed. Get the visa from an outside embassy.

 

i need to stay here for as long as I can until I can actuslly start work or I’ll have no money left going back to uk.

 

agency couldn’t help - boi companies have no ways Around. 
 

I obviously can’t tell the uk embassy my exact situation as they will think I’m just working under the table maybe ?

 

i just litterslly can’t do anything on a tourist visa so it’s huge if I get this extension and then maybe another one next month.

 

im just hoping I can stay here until things die down a bit and I can fly out locally somewhere to Vietnam in the near future and get my non B and hopefully all this compulsory quarentine is over or atleast I don’t have to pay 50-70K baht to be in quarentine or I can just do it at my own apartment.

 

any advice what to say? I obviously don’t want to fly back to uk as I have nowhere to go. It’s not a straight forward decision to just ‘ go back to your passport country ‘ for a lot of folk.

 

 

[CorpusChristie]

12 minutes ago, Jackcwba said:

I’m in such a tricky situation. I am waiting to start work in November/ January at the latest. I have a job offer from a BOI company and I can’t get the non B while inside Thailand - have to get it from outside - all surrounding countries have compulsory quarentine or a complete ban on foreigners entering.

 

flying to uk and back here with flights and paying for quarentine will cost me roughly 80,000 baht all in.

 

and before any Thai visa experts claim you can get it at changwattana - no you can’t. CW does not deal with boi companies at all its all done through chamchuri square and even to this day the rules haven’t changed. Get the visa from an outside embassy.

 

i need to stay here for as long as I can until I can actuslly start work or I’ll have no money left going back to uk.

 

agency couldn’t help - boi companies have no ways Around. 
 

I obviously can’t tell the uk embassy my exact situation as they will think I’m just working under the table maybe ?

 

i just litterslly can’t do anything on a tourist visa so it’s huge if I get this extension and then maybe another one next month.

 

im just hoping I can stay here until things die down a bit and I can fly out locally somewhere to Vietnam in the near future and get my non B and hopefully all this compulsory quarentine is over or atleast I don’t have to pay 50-70K baht to be in quarentine or I can just do it at my own apartment.

 

any advice what to say? I obviously don’t want to fly back to uk as I have nowhere to go. It’s not a straight forward decision to just ‘ go back to your passport country ‘ for a lot of folk.

 

 

Could have gotton a 3 month volunteer visa for 3 months for 18 K

[Jajazazajaja]

32 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Could have gotton a 3 month volunteer visa for 3 months for 18 K

what agency is offering this at the moment?

[CorpusChristie]

1 minute ago, Jajazazajaja said:

what agency is offering this at the moment?

Not sure if any now , plenty offering that last week , but it takes three weeks to process and so many agencies have stopped taking applications , although there may some still being able to do it .

[Hi Tea]

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

And bearing in mind, Thailand has been trying to get rid of those staying long term on short term visas 

And, bear in mind, Thailand has been trying to get rid of only those abusing the system by staying long term on short term visas 

Edited September 6, 2020 by Hi Tea

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, Jackcwba said:

I’m in such a tricky situation. I am waiting to start work in November/ January at the latest. I have a job offer from a BOI company and I can’t get the non B while inside Thailand - have to get it from outside - all surrounding countries have compulsory quarentine or a complete ban on foreigners entering.

See if you can get your BOI company to do the process through the "regular" (non-BOI) labor-office and regular Immigration.  If they have more than 4 Thais per-foreigner, it should be possible. 

You would get a "work permit acceptance letter" from labor, as the starting point. 

 

Quote

flying to uk and back here with flights and paying for quarentine will cost me roughly 80,000 baht all in.

Normally, Immigration want a PILE of Payoff-Money to do a Non-B 90-day in-country, to spite it being 100% legal.  Usually, you would "go out for a Non-B Visa" to avoid this payoff, but that is obviously not practical, now. 

 

Unless they have made things easier via Covid (I haven't seen reports of this), you are likely to need one of Immigration's "law firm" partners to launder the payoff.

 

Quote

and before any Thai visa experts claim you can get it at changwattana - no you can’t. CW does not deal with boi companies at all its all done through chamchuri square and even to this day the rules haven’t changed. Get the visa from an outside embassy.

Others have done it.  I got my WP through the regular labor-office for a BOI company.  The only catch is, your company has to qualify under the "normal" rules - not just the BOI rules.  If they don't hire enough Thais per-capita, then you can't use CW or the "normal" Labor Office. 

 

I would also check if the "law firms" can do the same thing with BOI, that they do with CW.  It is true they won't do the initial Non-B "normally" (i.e. w/o a big payoff).  Keep in mind, this "rule" is not a "law" - just invented to force payoffs.

 

DO Expect them to demand a TON of paperwork about your company at CW, though - so best if they get 2 copies of everything, with receipts for each, that they use for the Work-Permit.  BOI requires less paperwork.

 

Quote

...

im just hoping I can stay here until things die down a bit and I can fly out locally somewhere to Vietnam in the near future and get my non B and hopefully all this compulsory quarentine is over or atleast I don’t have to pay 50-70K baht to be in quarentine or I can just do it at my own apartment.

If you can get an embassy-letter, that buys you until late November - maybe longer, if you can get a 2nd one. 

Edited September 6, 2020 by JackThompson

[Letseng]

On 9/5/2020 at 11:30 AM, darrendsd said:

Emailed them on Thursday - the link that Joe has provided says people would receive a auto reply but nothing

 

Interesting that the link says The British Embassy will not be issuing a visa extension letter to British Nationals here on short-term visas who can travel to their country of residence.

 

I wrote in the email that I have not lived in the UK for nearly 15 years and would have no where to live if I had to go back - also stated that I had concerns about my health if I did have to return

 

Here at the mo on a ED Visa (now expired) 

 

Be interesting to see if they issue me a letter

 

 

You were for 15 yrs on ED visa? 

[Letseng]

7 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

Could have gotton a 3 month volunteer visa for 3 months for 18 K

You can for now still go to any EU country. Some require quarantine, some don't. But you need medical insurance.