70k Visa! - No Longer Issuing Volunteer Visas After Sept 11?

[Dart12]

Does anyone know if this is true?  Agents are asking near 70k to acquire a 12-15 month volunteer visa (depending upon agent).

Their big scarcity tactic  is, you have to apply to get one before today is over.

Then their is talk of 270 day tourist visas coming out next week.

Then a SMALL chance of further amnesty (yes, there is a chance still.  Not one I'm banking on though)

I can easily get another 30 day extension right now.

But of course, all I'm being told is that I will no longer qualify for a volunteer after today.

Any truth to this?  I can't see any reason why I wouldn't qualify next month either.  It just makes fiscal sense to wait and see if this other tourist visa gets enacted that is a mere 2-8000 baht if I can still get a volunteer visa next month.

Any insider peeps lurking here knowledgeable about long term volunteer visas?

[CorpusChristie]

Those volunteer  visas take 15 days to process , so today is the last day to apply .

If you can get a 30 day visa extension, that should give you enough time to apply for a volunteer visa.

The talk of a 270 day tourist visa is just talk at the moment and it would probably only be available from Embassys abroad . 

   You could wait until September 24 th and then apply for a 30 day visa extension and then apply for a volunteer visa 

[Dart12]

3 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Those volunteer  visas take 15 days to process , so today is the last day to apply .

If you can get a 30 day visa extension, that should give you enough time to apply for a volunteer visa.

The talk of a 270 day tourist visa is just talk at the moment and it would probably only be available from Embassys abroad . 

   You could wait until September 24 th and then apply for a 30 day visa extension and then apply for a volunteer visa 

Yeah. Not banking on the 270 day visa materializing either.

But taking another 30 day extension or "Covid" visa makes sense to me before applying for volunteer.  Was shocked at their price gouge during this.  All 4 are playing the card, "we don't know if they'll allow these next month" to me.

70k is some decent pocket change.

 

[FizziBublech]

Technically it is possible to travel to cambodia at the moment, right? So IF they approve the 270 tourist visa plan next week, one should be able to obtain such as visa in cambodia, correct?

[86Tiger]

Until there is official announcement it is nothing except rumor and speculation.

 

 

But then again, some of TV longest threads are nothing but rumor and speculation.  So, carry on.

[EricTh]

15 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Those volunteer  visas take 15 days to process , so today is the last day to apply .

If you can get a 30 day visa extension, that should give you enough time to apply for a volunteer visa.

The talk of a 270 day tourist visa is just talk at the moment and it would probably only be available from Embassys abroad . 

   You could wait until September 24 th and then apply for a 30 day visa extension and then apply for a volunteer visa 

 

270 days is 9 months. If one can get this, what's the point of putting in 400k or 800k in a bank?

 

[Dart12]

yes, but the border is not open.  So goodluck.  That would require 2 miracles to happen.  

 

[treetops]

7 minutes ago, FizziBublech said:

Technically it is possible to travel to cambodia at the moment, right?

No visas are being issued AFAIK.

[Dart12]

2 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

270 days is 9 months. If one can get this, what's the point of putting in 400k or 800k in a bank?

 

Ugly girls have to try harder and put out more.  Thailand was in high demand, now it's got excess supply.  It has to lure people back.  Makes total marketing sense to offer easier rules again.

[CorpusChristie]

4 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

270 days is 9 months. If one can get this, what's the point of putting in 400k or 800k in a bank?

 

Having to go abroad to get it , the problems with doing that are well known

[BritTim]

Anyone banking on using the 30-day embassy letter extension followed by applying for a Non O (conversion) visa at Immigration, beware!

 

The embassy letter extension is taken under consideration, with a report back date that does not leave you the 15 days needed to apply for the visa.

[CorpusChristie]

6 minutes ago, 86Tiger said:

Until there is official announcement it is nothing except rumor and speculation.

 

 

But then again, some of TV longest threads are nothing but rumor and speculation.  So, carry on.

Is that an official announcement ?

[FizziBublech]

Well, if they are issuing new tourist visa then they will need to open the border for the tourists to come in. Not necessarily the land border to cambodia, but there should be a way to fly back in somehow.

[Dart12]

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Anyone banking on using the 30-day embassy letter extension followed by applying for a Non O (conversion) visa at Immigration, beware!

 

The embassy letter extension is taken under consideration, with a report back date that does not leave you the 15 days needed to apply for the visa.

can you elaborate?  how does the embassy letter change valid dates to apply next month?

[CorpusChristie]

2 minutes ago, FizziBublech said:

Well, if they are issuing new tourist visa then they will need to open the border for the tourists to come in. Not necessarily the land border to cambodia, but there should be a way to fly back in somehow.

They are probably thinking about the future , next year or when everything gets back to normal (if it ever does) 

[Neeranam]

Who is asking for 70k, immigration ?

[Yellowtail]

12 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

270 days is 9 months. If one can get this, what's the point of putting in 400k or 800k in a bank?

 

 

If you live here, 270 days a year is not long enough. 

[CorpusChristie]

1 minute ago, Dart12 said:

can you elaborate?  how does the embassy letter change valid dates to apply next month?

When you apply for an extension based on an Embassy letter , you initially get 20 days for consideration and then you have to go back to get the extra 10 days .

   Immigration may not process the volunteer visa with the 20 day consideration allowance .

If you are applying for a normal 30 day visa extension, that 20 day consideration issue shouldn't be a problem (As you would get the full 30 days )

[2530Ubon]

I'm also waiting for further news. I have a 30 days extension from my original visa exempt still to use, and then I can apply for another 30 days with an embassy letter (the UK embassy specifically notes that the extension letter is for the purpose of changing to a long term visa) so i'm not worried. The price will come down again- if you choose to go with this route. My GF is trying to persuade me to do this, but i'm still unsure.

[BritTim]

6 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

can you elaborate?  how does the embassy letter change valid dates to apply next month?

To apply for the visa, you must (i) be on a confirmed permission to stay (which you do not have when your application is under consideration); and (ii) have 15 days left on your current permission to stay when you apply for the visa.

 

You could check if any agents are able to overcome this issue, but I doubt they could do so at any reasonable cost.

[audaciousnomad]

8 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

can you elaborate?  how does the embassy letter change valid dates to apply next month?

It means that you will not immediately get a 26-Oct stamp. You will get a provisional "Under Consideration" stamp, with instructions to return for example, on 15-Oct to receive your finalized "Permitted to stay until" stamp of 26-Oct.  Effectively, this will prevent you from applying for a volunteer visa since "under consideration" is not a valid permission to stay and the passport will not be eligible to apply for a Non-O visa with it.

[edwardandtubs]

10 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Who is asking for 70k, immigration ?

There are some overpriced agents who have always charged that. Nothing has changed but if you want a volunteer visa you might have to get a 30 day extension or medical visa first. It's probably better to wait it out and see what comes of this long-term tourist visa proposal first. There will always be a way of extending your stay in Thailand through an agent if it comes to nothing.

Edited September 11, 2020 by edwardandtubs

[2530Ubon]

If anyone has already got this volunteer, could you tell me, do you also get the blue WP book with this visa? Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer ????

[CorpusChristie]

1 minute ago, edwardandtubs said:

There are some overpriced agents who have always charged that. Nothing has changed but if you want a volunteer visa you might have to get a 30 day extension or medical visa first. It's probably better to wait it out and see what comes of this long-term tourist visa proposal first. There will always be a way of extending your stay in Thailand through an agent if it comes to nothing.

How could you extend your visa next week ?

What options will be available ?

[Dart12]

14 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

When you apply for an extension based on an Embassy letter , you initially get 20 days for consideration and then you have to go back to get the extra 10 days .

   Immigration may not process the volunteer visa with the 20 day consideration allowance .

If you are applying for a normal 30 day visa extension, that 20 day consideration issue shouldn't be a problem (As you would get the full 30 days )

Well, I still have a 30 day extension from when I first arrived.  **But I have no idea if they are even honoring those after the amnesty.

 

[Dart12]

10 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

There are some overpriced agents who have always charged that. Nothing has changed but if you want a volunteer visa you might have to get a 30 day extension or medical visa first. It's probably better to wait it out and see what comes of this long-term tourist visa proposal first. There will always be a way of extending your stay in Thailand through an agent if it comes to nothing.

Being a relatively new international traveler, I hate to bank on that "always a way".  I've met SOME connections.  But no godfathers.

I've got an hour to make a decision.

 

[Dart12]

Who is charging 70K?

3 Different sources.  2 Agents.

I've been quoted 55k for 12 month, and 65k to 77k for 15 month.

Told there is no 3, 6, or 15 by first agent.  Says big boss retiring in one year and will only do 12.

1 seemed too unreliable.  I won't deal with her.  I don't do business with people I don't get along with.  

Last is "inside". 

With their money window closing, I just got an offer to do a 90 day volunteer for 25k.

Not great, but a little softer.

 

[edwardandtubs]

5 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Who is charging 70K?

3 Different sources.  2 Agents.

I've been quoted 55k for 12 month, and 65k to 77k for 15 month.

Told there is no 3, 6, or 15 by first agent.  Says big boss retiring in one year and will only do 12.

1 seemed too unreliable.  I won't deal with her.  I don't do business with people I don't get along with.  

Last is "inside". 

With their money window closing, I just got an offer to do a 90 day volunteer for 25k.

Not great, but a little softer.

 

Agents are lying to you. 60k for 15 months at Thai Visa Centre in Bangkok and 55k for 15 months at VIP Visa in Pattaya. You can get a medical visa at short notice if you don't have time to get that visa. 

 

You're currently being subjected to high pressure sales tactics by scam artists. Ignore them.

Edited September 11, 2020 by edwardandtubs

[Yellowtail]

2 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Who is charging 70K?

3 Different sources.  2 Agents.

I've been quoted 55k for 12 month, and 65k to 77k for 15 month.

Told there is no 3, 6, or 15 by first agent.  Says big boss retiring in one year and will only do 12.

1 seemed too unreliable.  I won't deal with her.  I don't do business with people I don't get along with.  

Last is "inside". 

With their money window closing, I just got an offer to do a 90 day volunteer for 25k.

Not great, but a little softer.
 

 

90 days for 25K is better than 65K for 15 months?

 

[Dart12]

3 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

90 days for 25K is better than 65K for 15 months?

 

next 12 is quoted at 25k too.  I'm sure that is subject to change.