Visa amnesty expected to be extended to 31 October

[webfact]

Visa amnesty expected to be extended to 31 October

 

File photo

 

The Thai government is expected to announce a last minute extension to the visa amnesty for foreigners. 

 

The amnesty, which expired on 26 September, will be extended to 31 October, according to a leaked, unsigned document from the Ministry of Interior and shared by Richard Barrow on Saturday.

 

At 12pm on Monday, Thailand’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) will hold an English language media briefing where extension may be announced.

 

In addition, a Cabinet meeting due to be held on Tuesday could approve the extension before it is published in the Royal Gazette, confirming it to law.

 

IMPORTANT: According to this unsigned document from the Ministry of Interior, Immigration is expected to extend the visa amnesty from 27 September to 31 October. This should be signed by the PM and published in the Royal Gazette soon #Thailand pic.twitter.com/gD1NpTzFa8

— Richard Barrow in Thailand ???????????????? (@RichardBarrow) September 27, 2020

 

 

 

The last minute extension comes after Thaivisa received reports from foreigners in Bangkok and Pattaya that immigration offices were overwhelmed with people trying to extend their visas on Friday (26 Sept). Many immigration offices were even forced to open on Saturday (27 Sept) in order to process deluge of extension applications.

 

However, news of the expected visa amnesty extension will come too late for some as many foreigners who had been staying in Thailand under the amnesty have already gone to the trouble of extending their visa and paying the 1,900 baht fee. Many more will have already left Thailand.. 

 

Last week, immigration said 150,000 foreigners were staying in Thailand under the visa amnesty. 

 

Officials had warned that overstay penalties would be applied to anyone who did not extend their visa or leave the country by 26 September. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-09-28

 

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[Somtamnication]

Why not extend it until Dec 31? Ridiculous.

[Swimfan]

Oh lord what a mess. This will be a massive kick in the face to all scrambling for embassy letters for extensions. 

[Fat George]

If it's true, then the Thai immigration dept. have really shot themselves in the foot with this latest U turn. From now on, you can be sure that many people on the visa amnesty will choose to just ignore their empty threats of overstay fines etc. and stay here anyway. 

 

When you set a deadline ( as they did on 26th Sep, for either extensions or exit ) then you have to enforce it. Or you lose face and are in a much weaker position. For those who left ( prematurely it seems ) this situation must be even more frustrating. 

[Grumpy John]

Silly lot of rot they go on with.  Why the he11 didn't they extends it a week ago.  These clowns in government are annoying so many people with their silliness. 

[colinneil]

What do people expect from the bunch of clowns in government here?

Everything they do is last minute knee jerk reactions every time, they could not run a p++s up in a brewery.

[Airbagwill]

4 minutes ago, Swimfan said:

Oh lord what a mess. This will be a massive kick in the face to all scrambling for embassy letters for extensions. 

Presumably because they realise that this can't be achieved on time?

[mikebike]

Must be nice to hear for those unable, or unwilling, to get their... uhm, stuff together.

[scubascuba3]

They didn't think it through I. e. the foreigners here are helping to support businesses so kicking them out is stupid

[Blumpie]

Bozos.

[Airbagwill]

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

They didn't think it through I. e. the foreigners here are helping to support businesses so kicking them out is stupid

It isn't the "help" from foreigners that has caused this....tey simply realise it can't happen on time.....so many decisions in Thailand are by "dictum' with no regard for reasoning or implementation.

 

The foreigners in Thailand present little income to the government but also little threat - they certainly don't present a covid threat.......if they start needing healthcare, then they are a threat.....but 150 as a percentage of 70 million is pretty small.

[baansgr]

If they charge 1,900 Baht, I don't see how anyone has lost out. For those whingers, what about all of us that did our extensions in March and have religiously done 90 day reports...I don't feel I am worse or better off as it's what is required normally.

[Jack Mountain]

Can I stop digging a hole in the ground now?

[FarFlungFalang]

A new day a new rule.These prehistoric obscurantists and their amazing hoop jumping flip flops.

[SoilSpoil]

Si, the chaos we saw last week, will take place again end of October. Plan your 90 days reporting accordingly.

[Tounge Thaied]

I would just like to say you CLOWNS that are denigrating the immigration folks who have generously extended the visa situation should really be ashamed of yourselves... enough. Your arrogance is over the top seriously.

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, Fat George said:

When you set a deadline ( as they did on 26th Sep, for either extensions or exit ) then you have to enforce it. Or you lose face and are in a much weaker position. For those who left ( prematurely it seems ) this situation must be even more frustrating.

Oh, so you say they are in a weaker position. Right, why don´t you just try that out and let them catch you on overstay. I would say that they will discipline you as before and to the extent of the law. The trust index might fall, but history is telling a clear answer to that. They just do not care.

[checkered flag]

59 minutes ago, mikebike said:

Must be nice to hear for those unable, or unwilling, to get their... uhm, stuff together.

Yea, they get rewarded for their incompetence, and lack of will to do it right. They are the ones that should be lead out the door first, but will likely get rewarded. 

[ThailandRyan]

7 months of Amesty for folks who were on short term visas or VOA is just a drop in the bucket, and most of those were not true tourists.  The real issue as I found out yesterday from my GF is the 100's of thousands probably closer to a million or so of migrant workers from the 4 surrounding border countries.  They have been lining up in droves to get there visas sorted and many were in the Extension of stay process when Covid hit and stopped this process.  My GF Indictates she believes this extension is more for them than it is for foreign visitors. 

[FarFlungFalang]

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

Why not extend it until Dec 31? Ridiculous.

Why not just extend it until the open the all or most of the borders and nearby consulates? 

[asean]

Of course they announce it last minute after thousands of foreigners have parted with up to 65,000 cash and more for "other" types of visas. Expect the same next time.

[happyaussie]

Does this mean by following the rules and paying my 1900 baht extension was a waste of time. Or will that paid extension roll over, commencing 01 November? 

 

[asean]

53 minutes ago, Tounge Thaied said:

I would just like to say you CLOWNS that are denigrating the immigration folks who have generously extended the visa situation should really be ashamed of yourselves... enough. Your arrogance is over the top seriously.

and all those foreigners sit under a tree all day and night not eating, drinking nor sleeping with money being sent from overseas.

[checkered flag]

23 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Why not just extend it until the open the all or most of the borders and nearby consulates? 

Sure that's what the border bumping crowd wants, but I don't think it will happen. Hopefully, the government will require registration with an exit plan for all those on amnesty. Like 1) you can stay for now; 2) give us a verifiable address;3) tell us when and how you plan to leave. I'd also schedule people by last names a queue to report to any TI. Failure to report would be overstay. 

[spiekerjozef]

It will help the stranded...

[vandeventer]

If the Government not the IO came out and said on say the 1st of September in big headlines THERE WILL BE NO MORE AMNESSY AFTER 26SEPT. than none of this would have happen. Now give the tourist back their 1900 baht which is not yours as you can't have it both ways.

[rott]

20 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

It will help the stranded...

You say that as though it's a good thing. 

 

The portly chap sitting next to me at the bar last night convincingly argued that they should all be taken to the airport in shackles and put on the next available flight to anywhere. 

[JeffersLos]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The Thai government is expected to announce a last minute extension to the visa amnesty for foreigners. 

Wouldn't 'last minute' entail extending it just before is expired, not 2 days afterwards? 

[mtls2005]

Note that the new article in the Bangkok Herald mentions some potential caveats. Specifically regarding non-imm and TR/VE/VoA.

 

 

[checkered flag]

23 minutes ago, rott said:

You say that as though it's a good thing. 

 

The portly chap sitting next to me at the bar last night convincingly argued that they should all be taken to the airport in shackles and put on the next available flight to anywhere. 

 

23 minutes ago, rott said:

You say that as though it's a good thing. 

 

The portly chap sitting next to me at the bar last night convincingly argued that they should all be taken to the airport in shackles and put on the next available flight to anywhere. 

They have to pay the overstay fine first.

 

Hopefully those sitting in crowded immigration halls will realise that if extended this will not end anything and its time to go home.