60 day COVID extension for an Elite Visa??

[markus1971]

Has anyone with an Elite visa tried to get a 60 day COVID extension?

 

To explain my situation: my Thailand Elite visa and membership expires on 13th September this year and seeing as though I don't want to leave Thailand and have to go through the hassle of coming back via the ASQ/sandbox routes, I am trying to find out if I can get a COVID extension.

 

One very popular agency has told me that because I've got an Elite Visa, they can't help, and another agency has quoted me 10,000 baht to sort it out! Maybe immigration will grant me one if I go alone, maybe they won't.... I don't want to take the risk as I understand that you now have to go and apply a matter of days before your current visa expires. If anyone has had experience of this in the past few months, please can you share your experience. Thanks!

 

PS: Please don't bother replying if you just want to berate me for having an Elite Visa, lol!

[ubonjoe]

Your visas expiration date is not important now that you are in the country.

What is the permit to stay date you have now?

[Caldera]

23 minutes ago, markus1971 said:

PS: Please don't bother replying if you just want to berate me for having an Elite Visa, lol!

The more relevant question is why you don't want to renew your membership, considering that you don't want to leave Thailand. Depending on your long-term plans, people might be able to give better advice.

[jackdd]

Just apply for one, then you know it for certain. The worst case scenario would be that they turn you away.

[markus1971]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Your visas expiration date is not important now that you are in the country.

What is the permit to stay date you have now?

I am permitted to stay until 13th September.

[markus1971]

2 hours ago, Caldera said:

The more relevant question is why you don't want to renew your membership, considering that you don't want to leave Thailand. Depending on your long-term plans, people might be able to give better advice.

I don't want to renew my membership because I am now 50 and so I can apply for a non imm 'O' and extension based on retirement. And just so you know.... I cannot get that visa without leaving the country and returning on a tourist visa or a 30 (currently 45) day stamp. I only bought the Thai Elite visa to see me through to 50 years old and so I'm not going to pay 600,000 baht when I can now just pay for the non imm O visa. My long term plan is to stay here and now 'retire'. Thanks!

[markus1971]

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

Just apply for one, then you know it for certain. The worst case scenario would be that they turn you away.

Yes, then maybe they turn me away a few days before my permission to stay expires..... maybe I can't leave the country in time and then I'm on overstay.... hence my question. Thanks for your help.

[warburtonjt]

4 hours ago, markus1971 said:

I don't want to take the risk as I understand that you now have to go and apply a matter of days before your current visa expires.

Can you help me understand the need to 'go and apply a matter of days before your current visa expires'.

 

I ask this because my 'Permission to Stay' expires next week, 25 August 2021 and I was imagining its permissible to arrive at Thai Immigration on this day? If needed I would obviously arrive earlier.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, warburtonjt said:

Can you help me understand the need to 'go and apply a matter of days before your current visa expires'.

You can do it on the last day if you want to. But if you had any problem getting it you would be on a overstay after that day.

[markus1971]

1 minute ago, warburtonjt said:

Can you help me understand the need to 'go and apply a matter of days before your current visa expires'.

 

I ask this because my 'Permission to Stay' expires next week, 25 August 2021 and I was imagining its permissible to arrive at Thai Immigration on this day? If needed I would obviously arrive earlier.

You can arrive on that day.... just make sure you bring all of the necessary paperwork with you because if they refuse you your extension on that day then you are on overstay. I was saying 'only a matter of days' because before you could arrive at immigration about a month before your visa expires to extend it giving you plenty of time to provide extra paperwork, or worst case scenario, arrange a flight out of the country. You can of course arrive on the day it expires.... I wouldn't take the risk personally!

[BritTim]

I can see no reason why you would not be granted a Covid extension. You are in Thailand, and will be signing a declaration that Covid makes it impractical to leave. You have as much right to the extension as anyone else in that position.

[Jorgendk]

19 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can do it on the last day if you want to. But if you had any problem getting it you would be on a overstay after that day.

Do they not, as a rule, give you 7 days to leeve, if they will not give extention??

(Not that it would bee a lot of help, but still...)

Edited August 20, 2021 by Jorgendk

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Jorgendk said:

Do they not, as a rule, give you 7 days to leeve, if they will not give extention??

They will give 7 days to leave the country if you paid the 1900 baht before they denied the extension for some reason.

Extensions are seldom denied after you pay the 1900 baht fee unless do not qualify for any extension.

[DUS]

On 8/19/2021 at 2:04 PM, markus1971 said:

 I only bought the Thai Elite visa to see me through to 50 years old and so I'm not going to pay 600,000 baht when I can now just pay for the non imm O visa. My long term plan is to stay here and now 'retire'. Thanks!

Fair point! My membership expires early next year and, depending on the Covid situation etc, I might be in a very similar position to yours now. But just to add to your 600k comment: You would/could pay not 600k but "just" 500k for a 15 years TE extension. I doubt that piece of information will change anything for you personally, but I thought I´d mention it.

[aledale]

Can you please tell me more about it?

Thanks

[aledale]

4 hours ago, DUS said:

Fair point! My membership expires early next year and, depending on the Covid situation etc, I might be in a very similar position to yours now. But just to add to your 600k comment: You would/could pay not 600k but "just" 500k for a 15 years TE extension. I doubt that piece of information will change anything for you personally, but I thought I´d mention it.

Can you please tell me more about it? Because i paid for 5 years. 

Cqn i really pay other 500,000 to get 15 years when my elite visa expires?

Thanks

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, aledale said:

Can you please tell me more about it? Because i paid for 5 years. 

Cqn i really pay other 500,000 to get 15 years when my elite visa expires?

Thanks

It has been confirmed more than once that, as long as you apply for the upgrade prior to expiry of your current membership, it is allowed. No one has reported that this option has been withdrawn. Obviously, the best source of information on this is Thailand Elite themselves.

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, aledale said:

Can you please tell me more about it? Because i paid for 5 years. 

Cqn i really pay other 500,000 to get 15 years when my elite visa expires?

Thanks

Since you are a member you could try logging in here to find info. Or send them a email.

https://www.thailandelite.com/login

[BKKTRAVELER]

On 8/19/2021 at 2:04 PM, markus1971 said:

I don't want to renew my membership because I am now 50 and so I can apply for a non imm 'O' and extension based on retirement. And just so you know.... I cannot get that visa without leaving the country and returning on a tourist visa or a 30 (currently 45) day stamp. I only bought the Thai Elite visa to see me through to 50 years old and so I'm not going to pay 600,000 baht when I can now just pay for the non imm O visa. My long term plan is to stay here and now 'retire'. Thanks!

I didn't know you couldn't apply for non O retirement visa from within Thailand if you are currently on Elite. Doesn't make sense...

[markus1971]

1 hour ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

I didn't know you couldn't apply for non O retirement visa from within Thailand if you are currently on Elite. Doesn't make sense...

Yes.... it's crazy! You can convert a 45 day visa exempt entry stamp or a tourist visa into almost any other type of visa but with an Elite you cannot. Not even agents are interested in helping anyone with an Elite visa.... it's very frustrating!