Time for Visa Amnesty again?

[asiacurious]

With the number of Covid cases dramatically increasing, should the Thai government reintroduce a Visa Amnesty policy like they put in place early last year when cases were far fewer than they are now?

 

It would seem to be much safer for foreigners and Immigration officials alike, if people weren't crowding at immigration offices to apply for Covid extensions every two months.

 

Thoughts?

 

Also, if anyone has gone to any of the larger Immigration offices over the past couple of weeks to apply for an extension, how busy has it been?  Is Immigration taking any extra precautions to prevent transmission?

[Caldera]

The "dramatic" increase today was due to finally including prisoners in the tally.

 

I think there won't be another amnesty, unless numbers go way up or there's an outbreak among immigration officers themselves.

[asiacurious]

10 hours ago, Caldera said:

The "dramatic" increase today was due to finally including prisoners in the tally.

 

I think there won't be another amnesty, unless numbers go way up or there's an outbreak among immigration officers themselves.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean yesterday's big one day jump because of the two prisons.  I meant the steady increase (without any subsequent decrease after a pseudo-lockdown was imposed) over the past 4-6 weeks.

 

However, since you mentioned it....  That one day jump from the two prisons raises the question: What other clusters of infected people continue to be hidden from public view?

 

Yesterday the government listed these major clusters in Bangkok....

 

 

Today there is news that 65% of workers tested positive at a construction workers camp on Chaeng Wattana Road! (196 of 300 people.)  They've said they'll test another 500 today and another 300 tomorrow.

 

Why stretch out the testing like that, if not to soften the daily numbers?

 

 

[ubonjoe]

There will certainly not be another one.

They only did the 1st amnesty in April of last year since the were not prepared for the covid 19 outbreak and there were a lot more people here that could not leave the country after the borders closed.

At first (March) they were doing 30 day extensions with a letter from a embassy before the amnesty.

In Bangkok they opened the office at Muang Thong Thani to reduce the crowding and now they have a online appointment system for all offices in Bangkok that reduces the number of people being in the offices.

 

[Wongkitlo]

2 hours ago, asiacurious said:

 

Sorry, I didn't mean yesterday's big one day jump because of the two prisons.  I meant the steady increase (without any subsequent decrease after a pseudo-lockdown was imposed) over the past 4-6 weeks.

 

However, since you mentioned it....  That one day jump from the two prisons raises the question: What other clusters of infected people continue to be hidden from public view?

 

Yesterday the government listed these major clusters in Bangkok....

 

 

Today there is news that 65% of workers tested positive at a construction workers camp on Chaeng Wattana Road! (196 of 300 people.)  They've said they'll test another 500 today and another 300 tomorrow.

 

Why stretch out the testing like that, if not to soften the daily numbers?

 

 

It seems to be mainly in Bangkok. Chonburi down to around 60 cases. Chonburi Immigration was very quiet yesterday

[ThaiVisaCentre]

It was a very different situation last year as there was a lot of active Tourism, and COVID-19 struck everyone off guard.

We expect visa amnesty to not return as they created a special 60 day extension to replace it, and they will keep extending this order as long as they have to.

[itsari]

There is a amnesty in place now . Only difference is from last year is that you need to pay 1900 baht  for the 60 days and you need to visit the immigration . I myself am pleased with the offer . But of course you need to visit the immigration office which is risky but the crowds are not there this year .

[lanng khao]

6 minutes ago, itsari said:

There is a amnesty in place now . Only difference is from last year is that you need to pay 1900 baht  for the 60 days and you need to visit the immigration . I myself am pleased with the offer . But of course you need to visit the immigration office which is risky but the crowds are not there this year .

I've just got back from korat immigration, they told me to come back in ten days as my 60 day covid extension is under consideration, don't think they believed My reason for wanting it ..

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, itsari said:

There is a amnesty in place now . Only difference is from last year is that you need to pay 1900 baht  for the 60 days and you need to visit the immigration .

The 60 day covid 19 extension is not a amnesty. It is done under a immigration order allowing them to be done under article 5 of the immigration order for extensions of stay.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, lanng khao said:

I've just got back from korat immigration, they told me to come back in ten days as my 60 day covid extension is under consideration, don't think they believed My reason for wanting it ..

The under consideration period is to give extra time for the application to be approved at the division level of immigration. For Korat that is division 4 in Khon Kaen.

[natway09]

Haven't you gone home yet ???  555

[Letseng]

Why should there be another Covid visa extension? Return to your home country where you get vaccinated. 

[HashBrownHarry]

39 minutes ago, Letseng said:

Why should there be another Covid visa extension? Return to your home country where you get vaccinated. 

It's really not as simple as that.

 

People have work / family / financial commitments and cannot return to their home country willy nilly, in most cases it would require two trips.

 

 

[ThaiVisaCentre]

44 minutes ago, Letseng said:

Why should there be another Covid visa extension? Return to your home country where you get vaccinated. 

If they were going to cancel it they would have done it last time.

We highly doubt they will cancel the order in the middle of a spike of cases.

Out of the all the times they extended it we are the least concerned this time around, but anything can happen ????.

[lanng khao]

24 minutes ago, HashBrownHarry said:

It's really not as simple as that.

 

People have work / family / financial commitments and cannot return to their home country willy nilly, in most cases it would require two trips.

 

 

True, who wants to spend a few days sorting a covid test out In Bangkok before you fly. Then 10days quarantine when you get back to your country.nightmare.

[HashBrownHarry]

4 minutes ago, lanng khao said:

True, who wants to spend a few days sorting a covid test out In Bangkok before you fly. Then 10days quarantine when you get back to your country.nightmare.

and then the return to thailand and then the whole trip over again for 2nd dose....

[digbeth]

Which countries genuinely has a valid reason that you can't go back? Australia? India? that can be dealt with on a case-by case basis with embassy letter maybe.

 

Can't afford flight tickets + quarantine cost? how will you even support yourself in Thailand, there's more reason to not renew your visa right there

[lanng khao]

6 hours ago, digbeth said:

Which countries genuinely has a valid reason that you can't go back? Australia? India? that can be dealt with on a case-by case basis with embassy letter maybe.

 

Can't afford flight tickets + quarantine cost? how will you even support yourself in Thailand, there's more reason to not renew your visa right there

The reason I want to stay here longer is because I've got the money to stay here,  not because i haven't,I'd rather wait it out here until restrictions have eased.

[FritsSikkink]

22 hours ago, asiacurious said:

 

Sorry, I didn't mean yesterday's big one day jump because of the two prisons.  I meant the steady increase (without any subsequent decrease after a pseudo-lockdown was imposed) over the past 4-6 weeks.

 

However, since you mentioned it....  That one day jump from the two prisons raises the question: What other clusters of infected people continue to be hidden from public view?

 

Yesterday the government listed these major clusters in Bangkok....

 

 

Today there is news that 65% of workers tested positive at a construction workers camp on Chaeng Wattana Road! (196 of 300 people.)  They've said they'll test another 500 today and another 300 tomorrow.

 

Why stretch out the testing like that, if not to soften the daily numbers?

 

 

Because of the increase you would be much safer at home.

[thto]

17 hours ago, Letseng said:

Why should there be another Covid visa extension? Return to your home country where you get vaccinated. 

 

I really with is to you ! go back home !

[DrJack54]

17 hours ago, Letseng said:

Why should there be another Covid visa extension? Return to your home country where you get vaccinated. 

Why shouldn't there be continued covid extensions? 

Just a few reasons will suffice.

 

[Ebbsy]

It all depends if you have something to return home to.

[fondue zoo]

What's the current cut off date for new covid extension applications?

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, fondue zoo said:

What's the current cut off date for new covid extension applications?

The 29th of this month.

[AlfHuy]

On 5/15/2021 at 5:13 AM, lanng khao said:

The reason I want to stay here longer is because I've got the money to stay here,  not because i haven't,I'd rather wait it out here until restrictions have eased.

Then fly home, apply for a proper visa  (1 year or the Elite visa)and come back.

[OJAS]

9 minutes ago, AlfHuy said:

Then fly home, apply for a proper visa  (1 year or the Elite visa)and come back.

That might well prove easier said than done for him in practice at the present time in view of all the cumbersomely bureaucratically onerous COVID-19-related hoops he would need to jump through at both home country and, subsequently, Thai ends.

Edited May 17, 2021 by OJAS

[stretch5163]

7 minutes ago, AlfHuy said:

Then fly home, apply for a proper visa  (1 year or the Elite visa)and come back.

If only it were that simple. You should be a politician lol......

 

Not many countries offering 1 year visa's for thailand especially the UK down to 3 month single entry for Non - O on strength of marriage.

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, AlfHuy said:

Then fly home, apply for a proper visa  (1 year or the Elite visa)and come back.

There is no need to leave the country to apply for a Thai Elite visa. It can be applied for here and the sticker put into your passport at immigration.

[orchis]

On 5/14/2021 at 8:10 AM, ubonjoe said:

There will certainly not be another one.

why?

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, orchis said:

why?

You quoted my post out of context. The answer to your post is in my original post.

 

On 5/14/2021 at 8:10 AM, ubonjoe said:

There will certainly not be another one.

They only did the 1st amnesty in April of last year since the were not prepared for the covid 19 outbreak and there were a lot more people here that could not leave the country after the borders closed.

At first (March) they were doing 30 day extensions with a letter from a embassy before the amnesty.

In Bangkok they opened the office at Muang Thong Thani to reduce the crowding and now they have a online appointment system for all offices in Bangkok that reduces the number of people being in the offices.