Covid extension details

[MaiDong]

This is one problem of using an agent - they seem to have you by the short and curlies when it's time to do it yourself...unless this was a one-off, and other people have had no issues getting the extension at CW having done previous reports/extensions at other immigration offices, any other experiences?

[jackdd]

17 hours ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

They suggested to contact his visa agent.

How did they know he used a visa agent?

[BKKTRAVELER]

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

How did they know he used a visa agent?

He said when they saw the volunteer visa they passed the passport to a manager and they came back to say because it was in another province it couldn't be done. They said because of this foundation where he was "volunteer" for. They said to contact his agent.

 

He didn't mention anything prior. They just knew. Most likely, this province is known for issuing these visas for agencies. So, they must have guessed (and guessed right).

 

He said ok and contacted his agent. 

 

That's all I know. Basically, he'll have to keep using the agent (me as well I guess) until he leaves the country and come back with a clean(er) state I guess.

[Big Bert]

Sorry to butt in on your post, when does the Covid extensions finish?

[jackdd]

13 minutes ago, Big Bert said:

Sorry to butt in on your post, when does the Covid extensions finish?

26th November is currently the last day to apply.

Edited November 18, 2021 by jackdd

[Big Bert]

35 minutes ago, jackdd said:

26th November is currently the last day to apply.

Great, Thanks.

[novacova]

On 11/18/2021 at 2:17 PM, jackdd said:

26th November is currently the last day to apply.

I was curious if anyone here knows if there’s going to be another extension after 26th of November. My friends second 60 day expires on 15 of December  

[jackdd]

14 minutes ago, novacova said:

I was curious if anyone here knows if there’s going to be another extension after 26th of November. My friends second 60 day expires on 15 of December  

But still not published in the Royal Gazette yet.

[sallecc]

On 11/18/2021 at 11:01 AM, BKKTRAVELER said:

He said when they saw the volunteer visa they passed the passport to a manager and they came back to say because it was in another province it couldn't be done. They said because of this foundation where he was "volunteer" for. They said to contact his agent.

 

He didn't mention anything prior. They just knew. Most likely, this province is known for issuing these visas for agencies. So, they must have guessed (and guessed right).

 

He said ok and contacted his agent. 

 

That's all I know. Basically, he'll have to keep using the agent (me as well I guess) until he leaves the country and come back with a clean(er) state I guess.

Any info on your friend's agent reply? I guess many of us here who are on Volunteer visas will do 1st Covid extension this or next month... successfully, I hope ????

 

(as it seems the agents are not doing Volunteer visas anymore, this is the reply I got from 3 big agents, one of them did my Volunteer visa last year)

[merijn]

19 hours ago, novacova said:

I was curious if anyone here knows if there’s going to be another extension after 26th of November. My friends second 60 day expires on 15 of December  

Phuket immigration thinks that the Covid extension program will be only extended for people who can get a embassy letter confirming that they can't fly back to their country due to Covid.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, merijn said:

Phuket immigration thinks that the Covid extension program will be only extended for people who can get a embassy letter confirming that they can't fly back to their country due to Covid.

What's the source of this info.

How can you speak for "Phuket immigration".

If it's a comment from random io then means zilch.

[merijn]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

What's the source of this info.

How can you speak for "Phuket immigration".

If it's a comment from random io then means zilch.

From the immigration inspector.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, merijn said:

From the immigration inspector.

Yep....as I posted. Means nothing.

 

[jackdd]

14 minutes ago, merijn said:

Phuket immigration thinks that the Covid extension program will be only extended for people who can get a embassy letter confirming that they can't fly back to their country due to Covid.

What you say doesn't make any sense, because if somebody has a letter requesting an extension by his embassy, then he could get an extension based solely on this (as stipulated in immigration order 327/2557, from 7 years ago), this would then not be a "Covid extension".

Maybe you were really told so by an IO, but just shows that they often don't know what they are talking about.

[merijn]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Yep....as I posted. Means nothing.

 

I will tell her when I see her tomorrow ????

 

[merijn]

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

What you say doesn't make any sense, because if somebody has a letter requesting an extension by his embassy, then he could get an extension based solely on this (as stipulated in immigration order 327/2557, from 7 years ago), this would then not be a "Covid extension".

Maybe you were really told so by an IO, but just shows that they often don't know what they are talking about.

The letter was required in the early days of the Covid extensions, I know her well enough to know what her position is ????

Maybe she does know or doesn't know but it is the opinion they have.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, merijn said:

I will tell her when I see her tomorrow ????

 

Ask for next lotto numbers also.

Can't hurt. My gf is tipping 90.

[jackdd]

3 minutes ago, merijn said:

The letter was required in the early days of the Covid extensions, I know her well enough to know what her position is ????

Maybe she does know or doesn't know but it is the opinion they have.

No, the letters were used before they had introduced Covid extensions.

The Covid extensions were introduced because relying on the embassy letters was too troublesome for everybody involved.

Edited November 23, 2021 by jackdd

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, jackdd said:

.......the embassy letters was too troublesome for everybody involved.....

Clearly they were too much for Oz embassy. As per usual they provided nothing (normal practice for them) 

Think the USA was up to the task? 

Along with few others. 

[BKKTRAVELER]

13 hours ago, sallecc said:

Any info on your friend's agent reply? I guess many of us here who are on Volunteer visas will do 1st Covid extension this or next month... successfully, I hope ????

 

(as it seems the agents are not doing Volunteer visas anymore, this is the reply I got from 3 big agents, one of them did my Volunteer visa last year)

He sent his passport and paid the fee, pretty straightforward. Don't know if he got it back yet but seems that it went as expected.

[DrJack54]

45 minutes ago, BKKTRAVELER said:

He sent his passport and paid the fee, pretty straightforward. Don't know if he got it back yet but seems that it went as expected.

I have spoken with two agents recently re volunteering extensions.

One agent said not possible at this time. The other said it is. 

The one saying not possible also pointed out some agents may accept payment then have issue about outcome. 

Don't shoot the messenger. Just relating what was stated. 

[merijn]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I have spoken with two agents recently re volunteering extensions.

One agent said not possible at this time. The other said it is. 

The one saying not possible also pointed out some agents may accept payment then have issue about outcome. 

Don't shoot the messenger. Just relating what was stated. 

They are clamping down on the "dodgy" volunteer visas.

Phuket immigration does not grant Covid extensions anymore if they have a volunteer visa unless it is from a recognised organisation in Phuket.

[BKKTRAVELER]

7 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I have spoken with two agents recently re volunteering extensions.

One agent said not possible at this time. The other said it is. 

The one saying not possible also pointed out some agents may accept payment then have issue about outcome. 

Don't shoot the messenger. Just relating what was stated. 

Just so it was clear, he went to his agent for a Covid extension, not volunteer visa. I don't know either if his agent can do volunteer visas currently.

[DrJack54]

On 11/22/2021 at 12:48 PM, novacova said:

I was curious if anyone here knows if there’s going to be another extension after 26th of November. My friends second 60 day expires on 15 of December  

Just using novacova post to bump/remind anyone currently with covid extension to obtain another over next few days if possible.

A report in another thread chap had his covid extension expiring Dec 23 and was able to obtain another. 

Just one person's advice...I would obtain a covid extension and not be concerned even interested in possible amnesty. 

A bird in the hand is worth.....

This pretty much was summed up by earlier post from @Caldera

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by DrJack54

[sallecc]

On 11/23/2021 at 10:51 AM, merijn said:

They are clamping down on the "dodgy" volunteer visas.

Phuket immigration does not grant Covid extensions anymore if they have a volunteer visa unless it is from a recognised organisation in Phuket.

Could it be that's because those V. visas are issued in Isaan I/O's and has to be cancelled there first, prior to Covid extension? Just a thought (or a hope lol).

 

Talked to my Phuket agent who did V. visa last year (not possible anymore): they can do Covid extension for 7.5k (same price as other agents), and that includes cancelling V. visa in Khon Kaen I/O ("because it's issued there"), and issuing Covid extension there as well.

 

I asked if they could do Covid extension here in Phuket, they said no, because "it must be done at the same time as V.V. is cancelled".

 

Here's hope that I'll be able to do my 2nd Covid extension here in Phuket for 1900b, guess I'll find it out in February ????

[merijn]

1 minute ago, sallecc said:

Could it be that's because those V. visas are issued in Isaan I/O's and has to be cancelled there first, prior to Covid extension? Just a thought (or a hope lol).

 

Talked to my Phuket agent who did V. visa last year (not possible anymore): they can do Covid extension for 7.5k (same price as other agents), and that includes cancelling V. visa in Khon Kaen I/O ("because it's issued there"), and issuing Covid extension there as well.

 

I asked if they could do Covid extension here in Phuket, they said no, because "it must be done at the same time as V.V. is cancelled".

 

Here's hope that I'll be able to do my 2nd Covid extension here in Phuket for 1900b, guess I'll find it out in February ????

Phuket immigration doesn't want to touch those agent volunteer visas which are issued far away anymore.

Therefore you have to do the cancellation and Covid extension (via the agent) with the same immigration office or IO who issued the visa.

[sallecc]

On 12/5/2021 at 12:32 PM, sallecc said:

Could it be that's because those V. visas are issued in Isaan I/O's and has to be cancelled there first, prior to Covid extension? Just a thought (or a hope lol).

 

Talked to my Phuket agent who did V. visa last year (not possible anymore): they can do Covid extension for 7.5k (same price as other agents), and that includes cancelling V. visa in Khon Kaen I/O ("because it's issued there"), and issuing Covid extension there as well.

 

I asked if they could do Covid extension here in Phuket, they said no, because "it must be done at the same time as V.V. is cancelled".

 

Here's hope that I'll be able to do my 2nd Covid extension here in Phuket for 1900b, guess I'll find it out in February ????

Little update: Covid extension for Volunteer Visa is not 7.5k anymore, but 9.5k (Phuket agent) up to 14k (BKK agent), no reply from Pattaya agent... Christmas came early for I/O's ????