Volunteer, ED, Medical under Embassy Letter Extension

[JDJD]

Wondering if I get my USA Embassy Letter extension in the next week, will I be able to go the agent rout to get a Volunteer, ED, Medical visa during the period from September 26 until October 26th? That would mean a springboard from the ELE to a longer term visa. Should I just assume that at a price the longer term visa will be always be available. At a price, there will always be a way to stay. Thank you. 

[lovesthespicy]

Good question I'm interested to see the replies. I've seen people say if you get that they were told they couldnt switch to a visa but maybe a agent can still get one. One thing I would be concerned with is agents raising the prices on the visas again. They raised them after last amnesty and will likely do it again knowing people are very desperate to stay with no other option.

[2530Ubon]

how much are these visas?

[jackdd]

ED or volunteer visa is probably not possible, the problem is that when applying with an embassy letter you will be 20 days "under consideration", and then will get the final 10 days, thus you never have the minimum 15 days of actual "permission of stay" required to apply for a non-immigrant visa.

If you can get a medical extension it should allow you to then apply for an ED or volunteer visa, because this gives you these 15 days.

[DrJack54]

49 minutes ago, JDJD said:

That would mean a springboard from the ELE to a longer term visa

Maybe maybe not. You join thaivisa 8 hours ago to post about agent options that have had many threads especially last several weeks. Guessed you banked on amnesty extension. Don't understand as the path your hoping to achieve would give you 12+ month stay and easily achieved.

In any event I really hope your plan works.

Clearly a risk taker

[DrJack54]

33 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

how much are these visas?

My good friend did non o with annual extension (based on volunteering) few weeks back. Depends what you entered Thailand on. He entered on METV hence process more expensive.  He paid 49k. 

 

[2530Ubon]

49k isn't bad at all! Does he have to go to IO to 90 day report? I don't want to go into the office with a 'dodgy' visa, so ideally i'd need an 'address' and online reporting. I also have a tourist visa

[jackdd]

3 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

49k isn't bad at all! Does he have to go to IO to 90 day report? I don't want to go into the office with a 'dodgy' visa, so ideally i'd need an 'address' and online reporting. I also have a tourist visa

Especially with a visa (or extension) obtained through an agent i would want to do the 90 day report by myself, so that i can be sure the visa which i got is legit and that the agent didn't just stamp it himself.

[2530Ubon]

Oh, and to the OP; there are several examples on this forum of people successfully springboarding from an embassy letter, and also getting the full 30 days stamp. I think the original 'under consideration' stamp was whilst IO were waiting to see what would happen. People were being turned away at some IO's and told to come back at the end of the month.

have a look at this topic;

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1182446-30-day-extension-with-embassy-letter/?tab=comments#comment-15815193

[DrJack54]

I will contact him regarding 90 day report and PM you next couple of days or hopefully someone can answer your question.

Yes 49k sounds good. Read posts of Thai Visa Centre in Bangkok etc costing more. 

However costs may change. I have never used an agent. 

[JDJD]

Actually, I was formally informed on Saturday that I was unable to get my ED visa from a reputable and accredited language school without leaving the country. Some time Friday there was a conference call with school reps, the MOE, and Immigration. I paid my dues in February and have had the paperwork accepted from the MOE since April. The school kept telling me to hold out. On Saturday school simultaneously recommended I apply for the ELE or the possibility of an agent. Saturday was past the quoted 11th, allowing 14 days processing. Schools fault? My fault? Not sure, but I sure do have funds tied up at a school to which it seems I will not be able to attend. 

[2530Ubon]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

My good friend did non o with annual extension (based on volunteering) few weeks back. Depends what you entered Thailand on. He entered on METV hence process more expensive.  He paid 49k. 

 

Would you mind sending me the agents details, if possible?

 

I posted this, and then saw your reply. Thank you very much!

[JDJD]

3 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

Would you mind sending me the agents details, if possible?

 

I posted this, and then saw your reply. Thank you very much!

I would be interested also. Thank you. 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

Would you mind sending me the agents details, if possible?

 

I posted this, and then saw your reply. Thank you very much!

The agency is Key Visa Pattaya. You can Google has full web site with map etc.

The friend lives in Bkk but has a solicitor (unrelated matter) who recommended this agency. 

From what I read most agencies provide good service just with varying price. 

[2530Ubon]

Thanks very much for your help.

[JackThompson]

23 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

49k isn't bad at all! Does he have to go to IO to 90 day report? ...

Agents handle the 90-day reports, also.  May even be part of the package.

[DrJack54]

Just now, 2530Ubon said:

Thanks very much for your help.

This is more to all the folk out there in OP situation and yours also. 

Personally I would contact an agency tomorrow and discuss your options. 

Esp those in OP situation applying for 30 day with embassy letter. 

To me it seems extension of amnesty is not going to happen. Next cabinet meeting is 22nd. 

Only a guess but think 30 extension available almost a given. Would be great to hear any reports from folk that have approached agent recently or next days.

 

[JackThompson]

36 minutes ago, ThaiVisaCentreGrace said:

Even us agents do not know what will happen if you take the 30 day extension.

They would be the last ones to say it was a good idea - means less money for them, at least in the short-run. 

[worldfun]

2 hours ago, ThaiVisaCentreGrace said:

 

If you are trying to stay here long term, and are already on a non-immigrant visa, or yearly extension you should get another yearly extension while you can.

It makes little sense risking having to get a costly 3 month non-immigrant visa because you wanted 30 days of stay for 1,900 THB.

It could be possible to keep getting 30 day extensions (if they allow it, and depending on your embassy), but if you eventually would want to switch to a long term visa that would immediately make this plan not make sense if we are not allowed to treat the 30 day extension in the same way we were treating amnesty.

But hey... Don't trust the agent ????

 

Yes it makes sense, but which 1 year extension do you propose at this time on a non O (with amnesty on top)? Volunteer 12 months for xx,xxx baht?

[edwardandtubs]

5 hours ago, 2530Ubon said:

Thanks very much for your help.

Yes, he's been offering this "help" very frequently recently. The truth is though 49k is only for 12 months so is 4,083 baht a month. Compare that to VIP Visa just down the road in Jomtien who offer a 15 month visa for 55k which is 3,667 a month.

[JackThompson]

9 hours ago, ThaiVisaCentreGrace said:

If you are trying to stay here long term, and are already on a non-immigrant visa, or yearly extension you should get another yearly extension while you can.

Sure, if immigration doesn't demand "unofficial" or "changed" requirements, to block you - unless willing to participate in a crime.

 

Quote

It makes little sense risking having to get a costly 3 month non-immigrant visa because you wanted 30 days of stay for 1,900 THB.

The letters are being given out by embassies specifically to assist in obtaining long-term extensions.  But, of course, immigration can change up to maximize agent-envelope revenue, at any time.
 

Quote

...
But hey... Don't trust the agent ????

Where I come from, it's called "Two to Ten" - referring to the years in prison on the felony-charge for giving money to a public-servant for carrying out an official-duty.  That's per-instance, btw.  But even when busted with a collection of immigration-stamps (we saw the pictures), it is "different" here, apparently.

 

You'll have to pardon us "uptight" folks, who want to do things legally - and if that is not possible, forget it.  And, yes, we realize this attitude means immigration don't want us here, as we do not serve their purposes.  Never mind our Thai families, the businesses / employees we support here.  They Don't Matter to Immigration.

[Max69xl]

21 hours ago, 2530Ubon said:

49k isn't bad at all! Does he have to go to IO to 90 day report? I don't want to go into the office with a 'dodgy' visa, so ideally i'd need an 'address' and online reporting. I also have a tourist visa

No matter what kind of visa/extension you're going for, of course you'll need an official address. 

[2530Ubon]

2 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

No matter what kind of visa/extension you're going for, of course you'll need an official address. 

I've recently received a quote of 60k +100 baht for each 90 days report - saves me going into the office and feeling a bit shy!

[Dart12]

VIP visa was 55k.  I think thai visa center was 65k for one year volunteer visa extensions. 

 

[2530Ubon]

do VIP visa also take care of the 90 day reports?

[FlyingThai]

10 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

do VIP visa also take care of the 90 day reports?

They did offer this to us and even said it would be free.

 

However VIP Visa is in Pattaya/Jomtien and we're in BKK so not sure how she will do her reporting (I did give VIP the address in BKK to put forward on the application or whatever process is running in the background). From what I understand the first time has to be at an office and the second time forward can be done online?

 

Going down to Pattaya just to get the reporting done (free or otherwise) is a bit of a pain.

[edwardandtubs]

21 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

VIP visa was 55k.  I think thai visa center was 65k for one year volunteer visa extensions. 

 

No, they offer 25,000 for the initial 3 months then 35,000 for the yearly extensions. That's a good price if you know you're going to stay in Thailand for years because you can keep extending it for 35,000.

[Dart12]

20 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

do VIP visa also take care of the 90 day reports?

I think so.  I just asked.  Easiest way for you to find out is just go on fb and message them instead of me being middle man actually.

May was very helpful, and has very good reviews.

Thai centre above also had nearly 350 good google reviews.  but they were in Bangkok.  Bit of a drive for me.  VIP is in Pattaya/ Jomtien so close by.

 

[Dart12]

2 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

No, they offer 25,000 for the initial 3 months then 35,000 for the yearly extensions. That's a good price if you know you're going to stay in Thailand for years because you can keep extending it for 35,000.

she offered both 90 day and 15 month upfront.  

[edwardandtubs]

1 hour ago, Dart12 said:

she offered both 90 day and 15 month upfront.  

Yes you can pay the 60,000 upfront if you want but they don't offer any discount for doing it that way unlike the ones in Pattaya.