Are they still doing Covid extensions?

[pineappleglory]

I am currently on a marriage visa (1 year) extension that is due for renewal in 3 months. I might not be able to meet the renewal requirements (400k in bank) due to our newborn baby having very high medical expenses for the past few months (life threatening condition) so I was wondering if the Covid extension still exists?

Like, I could get that extension until a border run to get a new visa in Laos or Malaysia is possible?

Thank you for any help ????

[DrJack54]

Yes you can obtain covid extensions. 60 days.

IMO the covid extensions will continue most likely till borders are open. That could be some time from now. 

Which immigration office do you deal with.

Edited September 5, 2021 by DrJack54

[ubonjoe]

A 60 day covid extension is still possible at this time. Hard to predict if they will be available in 3 months.

Unless you have already done one since you last entry to the country a 60 day extension to visit you wife would be a option.

[pineappleglory]

Yes, I already did the 60 day extension to visit my wife because I was short on seasoning funds last year, so that option is out of the question.

 

My office is Udon. If borders are open, I'm fine going for a border run, but I think that will also come with strings attached. Not sure if Laos or Malaysia are even "open" at this time or if there's quarantine needed.

[ubonjoe]

At this time the borders are still closed and you would have to the quarantine when entering the country.

[pineappleglory]

Do you know if it's possible to switch back to marriage visa from the Covid extension once I meet the requirements? Or once I am on the Covid extension I would need to leave the country to re-start the marriage extension?

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, pineappleglory said:

Not sure if Laos or Malaysia are even "open" at this time or if there's quarantine needed.

Forget about border run at this time.

Thinking covid extensions your best option. Hopefully will continue untill you can exit and reenter.

Of course at some point you will need to obtain the funds for marriage extensions. 

Difficult time. Best of luck. 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, pineappleglory said:

Do you know if it's possible to switch back to marriage visa from the Covid extension once I meet the requirements? Or once I am on the Covid extension I would need to leave the country to re-start the marriage extension?

You can obtain extension marriage after the covid extensions. Just need the funds as I outlined in the PM

Edited September 5, 2021 by DrJack54

[pineappleglory]

Great, thanks guys. Really appreciate it ????

[BKKTRAVELER]

Hey, sorry to jump on this thread for my own questions.

 

A friend of mine is considering doing a Covid extension later this month. That would be his first. Does he need to have a TM30? He previously did a volunteer visa with an agency which was stamped in a small Issan province (we all know why). Any issue to try and go do it at Bkk immigration. Also, does he still need to go twice with an under consideration stamp or did they stop this practice and he can do it all at once? 

 

Thanks in advance.

[Jack1988]

You will lose a lot of money doing borders run for get a new visa and it's stressful especially in this difficult time so why don't you try to use a visa agency? Obviously you will need to pay more but at least No financial proof needed with them. I think it's much easier

[pineappleglory]

I know people are always saying be careful with visa agents ...but has there been any big issue with them? I can't remember reading anything about it or any foreigners getting into serious issues. There was one that was growing marijuana plants on the 2nd floor or something and the owner got arrested for a day ..only to be cleared up a day later as a "mistake". In Bangkok, that was a few months ago or so.

[DrJack54]

On 9/5/2021 at 1:23 PM, BKKTRAVELER said:

Any issue to try and go do it at Bkk immigration. Also, does he still need to go twice with an under consideration stamp or did they stop this practice and he can do it all at once? 

For him to use Bangkok immigration he will need to do a TM30 for where he is living in Bangkok. This can be screenshot of lodgement from the Hotel where he is staying. 

I read somewhere that Bangkok had done away with the under consideration stamp. Not 100% sure.

He can always use an agent and under consideration not required.

 

 

19 hours ago, pineappleglory said:

I know people are always saying be careful with visa agents ...but has there been any big issue with them? I can't remember reading anything about it or any foreigners getting into serious issues. There was one that was growing marijuana plants on the 2nd floor or something and the owner got arrested for a day ..only to be cleared up a day later as a "mistake". In Bangkok, that was a few months ago or so.

No issue with using an agent.

The story you refer to is G**** from TVC.

Was nothing. 

In your situation you can obtain covid extensions so agent can be your back up plan if issue in future with covid extensions.

Edited September 6, 2021 by DrJack54

[BangkokReady]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

In your situation you can obtain covid extensions so agent can be your back up plan if issue in future with covid extensions.

Could you find yourself in a situation where you have to use agents indefinitely?  Any chance that any of this could make your passport "passporta non grata"?

[DrJack54]

Just now, BangkokReady said:

Could you find yourself in a situation where you have to use agents indefinitely?  Any chance that any of this could make your passport "passporta non grata"?

Many guys do. I know a couple on extensions retirement and been using a agent for years. They have more than enough money to meet the financials, they just choose that way.

I obtain the extensions myself and use money in bank. I suggest people do it themselves however agents are an option. No issue.

[BangkokReady]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Many guys do. I know a couple on extensions retirement and been using a agent for years. They have more than enough money to meet the financials, they just choose that way.

So they couldn't go back to non-agent extensions if they wanted to?

[DrJack54]

9 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

So they couldn't go back to non-agent extensions if they wanted to?

They can. Will send pm later. 

Bit boring for the forum. 

 

Edit: PM sent

Edited September 6, 2021 by DrJack54

[BKKTRAVELER]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

For him to use Bangkok immigration he will need to do a TM30 for where he is living in Bangkok. This can be screenshot of lodgement from the Hotel where he is staying. 

I read somewhere that Bangkok had done away with the under consideration stamp. Not 100% sure.

He can always use an agent and under consideration not required.

Thank you, do you think that he could have any issues regarding the fact that he is changing from Volunteer to Covid extensions? Could he be asked questions?

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

Thank you, do you think that he could have any issues regarding the fact that he is changing from Volunteer to Covid extensions? Could he be asked questions?

No. He has valid stamp in passport giving permission of stay. He can apply for covid extension prior to expiry of current permit. 

[pineappleglory]

What if you use an agent this year and want to use your own 400k next year. Wouldn't immigration ask why you didn't keep 400k in your bank account the year before? And how you got that visa?

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, pineappleglory said:

What if you use an agent this year and want to use your own 400k next year. Wouldn't immigration ask why you didn't keep 400k in your bank account the year before? And how you got that visa?

It will likely be no problem. It can happen, though, that the officials want to push you back into the clutches of the agents in order to get their own "commissions". That is the worst case.

[fangless]

9 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

So they couldn't go back to non-agent extensions if they wanted to?

If you are only using the agent to do the hand holding and not circumvent the requirements you can chop and change as you wish

It is of course a different matter with "under the counter" agents where once in their clutches- who knows.

[fangless]

7 hours ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

Thank you, do you think that he could have any issues regarding the fact that he is changing from Volunteer to Covid extensions? Could he be asked questions?

Of course he could be asked questions like "who did you volunteer with", "where did they operate" "why have you stopped" etc.

[NoshowJones]

On 9/6/2021 at 12:41 AM, pineappleglory said:

I know people are always saying be careful with visa agents ...but has there been any big issue with them? I can't remember reading anything about it or any foreigners getting into serious issues. There was one that was growing marijuana plants on the 2nd floor or something and the owner got arrested for a day ..only to be cleared up a day later as a "mistake". In Bangkok, that was a few months ago or so.

In my 15 years here and using various visa agents, only one has given me any issues, he is one of the best known in Pattaya and charged me double the rate to restart my retirement extensions. He charged me about 30.000Bt when I was forced to re enter Thailand on visa exempt because of passport issues in the UK, and yes, I had a copy of my re entry permit in my phone. He said the IO would not accept it.

I cannot name him due to Thailands defamation laws, and if I can find my way around them, TV/AN will be the first to know.

Edited September 7, 2021 by possum1931

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

In my 15 years here and using various visa agents, only one has given me any issues, he is one of the best known in Pattaya and charged me double the rate to restart my retirement extensions. He charged me about 30.000Bt when I was forced to re enter Thailand on visa exempt because of passport issues in the UK, and yes, I had a copy of my re entry permit in my phone. He said the IO would not accept it.

I cannot name him due to Thailands defamation laws, and if I can find my way around them, TV/AN will be the first to know.

Fangless. Would you like to tell me why you are confused? This did happen.

[BKKTRAVELER]

6 hours ago, fangless said:

Of course he could be asked questions like "who did you volunteer with", "where did they operate" "why have you stopped" etc.

That is obviously what he would like to avoid. I guess he should go back to his visa agency and let them handle the Covid extension for him even if it'll cost him a bit more.

 

Thank you all for your recommendations!

[fangless]

3 hours ago, possum1931 said:

Fangless. Would you like to tell me why you are confused? This did happen.

I am not saying that something did not happen.  I am confused about what you have not said happened.  You have not told a whole story. 

How can anyone be "forced to enter Thailand"? 

You do not say why you used  an agent. 

Are you complaining about an agent ripping you off for ripping off the system?

How do you "restart" a retirement extension?  It is a same day function unlike a marriage extension which goes "under consideration",

Edited September 7, 2021 by fangless

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, fangless said:

I am not saying that something did not happen.  I am confused about what you have not said happened.  You have not told a whole story. 

How can anyone be "forced to enter Thailand"? 

You do not say why you used  an agent. 

Are you complaining about an agent ripping you off for ripping off the system?

How do you "restart" a retirement extension?  It is a same day function unlike a marriage extension which goes "under consideration",

I cannot tell the whole story, I have to watch defamation rules. I had the retirement extensions, got a re entry permit. In the UK I got a new passport, they never gave me back the old one which had the re entry permit in it, so I had to fly into Bangkok and enter Thailand visa exempt and start my retirement exts all over again.

 

[BritTim]

6 hours ago, possum1931 said:

In my 15 years here and using various visa agents, only one has given me any issues, he is one of the best known in Pattaya and charged me double the rate to restart my retirement extensions. He charged me about 30.000Bt when I was forced to re enter Thailand on visa exempt because of passport issues in the UK, and yes, I had a copy of my re entry permit in my phone. He said the IO would not accept it.

I cannot name him due to Thailands defamation laws, and if I can find my way around them, TV/AN will be the first to know.

If you cannot show immigration your re-entry permit in either your old or current passport, as far as immigration is concerned, you have no re-entry permit. It does not matter what kind of evidence you try to show that you once really had one. It is the same with a visa in your old passport. If you can show the visa, all well and good. Assuring immigration that you once had one does not cut it.

 

Starting from scratch, with the conversion from visa exempt to Non O, and subsequently to a regular retirement extension does involve extra cost. That said, 30,000 baht is too high for Pattaya. Around 23,000-25,000 baht is normal.

[BangkokReady]

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

It does not matter what kind of evidence you try to show that you once really had one. It is the same with a visa in your old passport.

Do they not have all the visas and extensions issued to each individual electronically stored?