Amnesty 80% likely to be extended - Immigration Officer Phuket Today

[Jenkins9039]

As i mentioned briefly in here and i believe this will likely alleviate some peoples concerns, I was at immigration Phuket today where the 2nd in command for the upstairs division (i consider it to be the expat area, not tourists), that the immigration officer advised me to hold off till the end of the month (i did not) as they expect that Amnesty will be continued due to the sheer numbers of tourists/expats stuck in Thailand, his advice was based around cost, he said it would be pointless to pay for something that likely will be free in a few weeks, regardless of the Governments 'endless extensions' due to the sheer volume of people they'd have to handle monthly.

 

Now this is currently rumour (by him, to me, and me to here), but was spoken about to a Thai (wife) and a foreigner (me), and not strictly ideal for me (moving to elite and can not have overstay, amnesty being considered overstay by immigration), but i imagine there are (from what i see today) many people concerned or stressed.

If someone in immigration or related to immigration (ubonjoe?) can determine what that means then its some good news for those currently stuck.

[darrendsd]

It's just another are they going to extend the amnesty thread

 

Rumours help no one i'm afraid - let's wait for (any) official announcement

[Jack Hna]

Extensive reports over the last months add a lot of fuel to that rumour. I think if your still here by now then you are confident some form of option will appear.

 

 

[2 is 1]

Hearsay! Bla, bla ,bla

[FizziBublech]

Unless this IO is a member of the cabinet he knows as much as we do. ????

 

[Jenkins9039]

7 minutes ago, FizziBublech said:

Unless this IO is a member of the cabinet he knows as much as we do. ????

 

True, though a IO telling you directly that you are wasting money as he is pretty certain that 80% at this time, it will be extended till a longterm solution can be found, is very direct. 

Hence sharing.

[jackdd]

In July Immigration advised the Cabinet to not extend the amnesty. Immigration will probably do the same this time (if the government should discuss a further extension)

If immigration would make the decision there would be no amnesty, but it's the Cabinet who decides and not immigration.

I wonder where he gets the 80% from.

[trucking]

14 hours ago, darrendsd said:

Rumours help no one i'm afraid - let's wait for (any) official announcement

 

Oh, its as official as possible. They were just waiting for me to complete my 60 day extension , which I did today , before making the announcement. They really wanted my 1900 baht so now they have that its full speed ahead.

[GeorgeCross]

"i felt a great disturbance in the force.. as if 1000s of tourists who'd paid off an agent suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced"

 

 

[OneeyedJohn]

15 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

(moving to elite and can not have overstay, amnesty being considered overstay by immigration)

What kind of nonsense is that, in both phrases.

[Jack Hna]

In July immigration asked.

 

Not demanded, not ordered. Asked.

 

Sounds like our man in Phuket knows the score. 

 

I'm backing this Phuket IO over all at this point.

 

 

[JeffersLos]

I don't see it not being extended.

 

No borders are open.

Limited flights. People cannot just jump on a plane and fly home easily.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jenkins9039]

5 hours ago, OneeyedJohn said:

What kind of nonsense is that, in both phrases.

Duh, i take it you haven't spoken to Immigration, 'amnesty' IS treated as 'overstay'. 

 

Minus the fines.

Minus the blacklisting.

But if you need a 12 month extension and the IO wants to follow the rules, your <deleted> out of luck, if you want to move to elite and you have more than two overstays in two years, you are <deleted> out of luck.

[2530Ubon]

Amnesty is not treated as overstay - we still require a valid visa to qualify for amnesty. Any overstayers will still be fined and deported/blacklisted. I phoned the hotline to check and asked my local IO (Ubon) when I tried to do a 90 day report (which wasn’t needed as I was on a tourist visa) 

[RichardColeman]

Amnesty today, state of emergency extension tomorrow, repeat

[scoupeo]

Clearly it will be extended, how can people not understand something so easy ?!

 

[FritsSikkink]

18 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

True, though a IO telling you directly that you are wasting money as he is pretty certain that 80% at this time, it will be extended till a longterm solution can be found, is very direct. 

Hence sharing.

Pretty certain, 80% is a rumor and nothing more.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

Could be for just expats and those on long term visas and not tourists.  There have been a few reports immigration would help expats. 

[lovesthespicy]

30 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Pretty certain, 80% is a rumor and nothing more.

 

I'm 73.2% sure hes guessing! 

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

But this is encouraging.  It was Phuket office that started the chain reaction last time.  And they were right.  For some reason, Phuket knows what will likely happen.  I would trust what a high ranking officer says.  If he says that, it's likely to be extended.  He knows more than us.  But extended for tourists too?

[Yahem]

I had contact with the Thai embassy in my country (Belgium) the consul there told me the exact same thing no need to worry as he is almost 100% sure it will be extended , and I won’t be able to go home in the following months.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

3 minutes ago, Yahem said:

I had contact with the Thai embassy in my country (Belgium) the consul there told me the exact same thing no need to worry as he is almost 100% sure it will be extended , and I won’t be able to go home in the following months.

The more people saying it'll be extended the better.  I hope so.  

[Jenkins9039]

9 hours ago, 2530Ubon said:

Amnesty is not treated as overstay - we still require a valid visa to qualify for amnesty. Any overstayers will still be fined and deported/blacklisted. I phoned the hotline to check and asked my local IO (Ubon) when I tried to do a 90 day report (which wasn’t needed as I was on a tourist visa) 

Again... go and ask your IO whether they treat amnesty as overstay without the fines and blacklisting, then report your findings here when done. Bored of repeating this one, they will tell you plainly its overstay without fines and blacklisting.

[trappedinasia]

2 hours ago, scoupeo said:

Clearly it will be extended, how can people not understand something so easy ?!

 

Either amnesty will be extended or there will be an option for a new long term tourist visa for people currently on amnesty (like the one they're talking about for new arrivals, but without quaratine/testing, of course). Maybe a short amnesty extension first, to give people time to apply for a new tourist visa without flooding immigration offices. At the very least, they will make 30-day pandemic extensions available to everyone. It makes no sense economically or diplomatically to kick people out now, it's just a fantasy some bitter people in this forum have. 

[Yahem]

8 minutes ago, trappedinasia said:

Either amnesty will be extended or there will be an option for a new long term tourist visa for people currently on amnesty (like the one they're talking about for new arrivals, but without quaratine/testing, of course). Maybe a short amnesty extension first, to give people time to apply for a new tourist visa without flooding immigration offices. At the very least, they will make 30-day pandemic extensions available to everyone. It makes no sense economically or diplomatically to kick people out now, it's just a fantasy some bitter people in this forum have. 

Yup it shows peoples true nature ,everyone making fun or trolling people in a situation no one could predict kinda sad what humanity turned into...

 

we should help and support eachoter if/when possible especially in this situation as most of us on this forum are in the same boat.

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, JacksSmirkingRevenge said:

Could be for just expats and those on long term visas and not tourists.  There have been a few reports immigration would help expats. 

What type of Expats? Those on 12 month extensions, be it retirement or marriage, it is business as usual.

[worldfun]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

What type of Expats? Those on 12 month extensions, be it retirement or marriage, it is business as usual.

example expats who have been here for years on NON IMM permits via ME visas not able or willing to do in country yearly extensions & not having any 'home' to return to or anywhere to go really such as usual projects in the region that are still suspended etc etc. If no viable options are given mass exodus will happen or dodgy schemes utilised.

[Maestro]

58 minutes ago, worldfun said:

example expats who have been here for years on NON IMM permits via ME visas not able or willing to do in country yearly extensions & not having any 'home' to return to or anywhere to go really such as usual projects in the region that are still suspended etc etc. If no viable options are given mass exodus will happen or dodgy schemes utilised.

 

I don't know if there are official or dictionary definitions for "visitor" and "expat", respectively the distinction between the two, but I believe if there were, holders of a multiple-entry non-O visa would be under "visitor".

[JeffersLos]

Perhaps with the 400k for a 12 month extension (which is to show that you have enough money to support your spouse or child for 12 months), they will add options of a 6 month extension for showing 200k and a 3 month extension for those showing 100k.

 

It seems to make sense, but they mightn't think of it. 

[Yorkshire Tea]

5 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

Perhaps with the 400k for a 12 month extension (which is to show that you have enough money to support your spouse or child for 12 months), they will add options of a 6 month extension for showing 200k and a 3 month extension for those showing 100k.

 

It seems to make sense, but they mightn't think of it. 

If they relaxed the "income" method & granted extension based on average monthly deposits over 12 months it would help some of those on non O ME.  Those using this visa probably meet the 40,000bt per month, but have irregular cash transfers, ie transfer cash as needed.