Amnesty until 31st December for extensions and 90 day reports

[BKKTRAVELER]

2 hours ago, Daithi85 said:

Covid extensions tru agents seem to be 6k in Huahin and Pattaya areas, hope your friend tried to do it himself at immigration, I hate seen anyone handing money over to these agents. 

He went and was turned away at CW unfortunately

[Caldera]

Strange that the cabinet now sees a need to get involved again, after having effectively delegated this to immigration who have been issuing Covid extensions since last year's "amnesties" ended.

 

At the height of the Delta wave 3-4 months ago, it was much riskier to attend an immigration office than it is now, yet they did nothing back then?

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, Caldera said:

Strange that the cabinet now sees a need to get involved again, after having effectively delegated this to immigration who have been issuing Covid extensions since last year's "amnesties" ended.

The cabinet approved a request done my the interior ministry at the request of immigration.

[david555]

1 hour ago, Caldera said:

Strange that the cabinet now sees a need to get involved again, after having effectively delegated this to immigration who have been issuing Covid extensions since last year's "amnesties" ended.

 

At the height of the Delta wave 3-4 months ago, it was much riskier to attend an immigration office than it is now, yet they did nothing back then?

"At the height of the Delta wave 3-4 months ago, it was much riskier to attend an immigration office than it is now, yet they did nothing back then?"

 

The closure and total disinfection from the Chonburi /Jomtien office could might have something to do with it?

Probably they had to do  also a testing from all those officers for covid 

[shackleton]

Nice money earner for  the Thai the Immigration authorities at 1900 baht a time????

Would have thought they would keep this ongoing for a while yet 

Good for the tourists already here  both sides happy 

[Skeptic7]

555 This place is incapable of making anything clear, concise or consistent. I'm with @DrJack54, just do them as usual, even if it becomes official. Don't fall into their confusion trap. This place forever dishing out faulty and inconsistent messaging while patting themselves on the back. Typically Thailand. 

[itsari]

35 minutes ago, shackleton said:

Nice money earner for  the Thai the Immigration authorities at 1900 baht a time????

Would have thought they would keep this ongoing for a while yet 

Good for the tourists already here  both sides happy 

The wording until the 31st is the confusing part for myself . What happens on the 1st of January ?

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, itsari said:

The wording until the 31st is the confusing part for myself . What happens on the 1st of January ?

That is the proposed initial period of time.

Last year when they did a similar order they extended it several times.

[jackdd]

37 minutes ago, itsari said:

The wording until the 31st is the confusing part for myself . What happens on the 1st of January ?

What is confusing? They basically(*) give an automatic extension until 31st December (If you already have an extension exceeding this, you can ignore this announcement). If you don't apply for an extension after this, but stay in the country, on 1st January you will be on overstay.

 

*I say "basically" because at least last time, Immigration didn't treat it like a regular extension, but more like an "amnesty", which is probably why it was given this name by English speakers.

If it were a regular extension, and for example, you currently have a retirement extension to 15th December, and you apply for a new retirement extension, this retirement extension should start on the 31st. But that's not how they did it the last time, and this time they will probably still not do it like that.

Edited November 19, 2021 by jackdd

[Daithi85]

22 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Ubonjoe suggested earlier that it might be concerns regarding transmission of covid 19 at the immigration offices.

I was very surprised. Most were assuming that the covid extensions would continue.

 

If you can obtain the covid extension tomorrow that would be excellent peace of mind for smallish cost.

If possible could you report back with your experience after trying for the extension. 

OK just been to immigration applied for covid extension exactly the same requirements as before,my extension was due to finish Dec 20th, so I applied 3 weeks early so I thought I would have got the 30 days underconsderation stamp added on which would take me to January 20th. I was told to still come back again December 20th and will then get 60day. 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, Daithi85 said:

OK just been to immigration applied for covid extension exactly the same requirements as before,my extension was due to finish Dec 20th, so I applied 3 weeks early so I thought I would have got the 30 days underconsderation stamp added on which would take me to January 20th. I was told to still come back again December 20th and will then get 60day. 

Excellent news.

So immigration officer mentioned/asked you nothing regards flights etc. Mind you they should not.

Did you tick second box on affidavit?

So your all good to at least late Feb. Great.

[anandra]

11 minutes ago, Daithi85 said:

OK just been to immigration applied for covid extension exactly the same requirements as before,my extension was due to finish Dec 20th, so I applied 3 weeks early so I thought I would have got the 30 days underconsderation stamp added on which would take me to January 20th. I was told to still come back again December 20th and will then get 60day. 

What immigration office did you apply at?

[Daithi85]

16 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Excellent news.

So immigration officer mentioned/asked you nothing regards flights etc. Mind you they should not.

Did you tick second box on affidavit?

So your all good to at least late Feb. Great.

Everything exactly the same as the before ,just ticked the box that says no embasy letter same as I always do,nothing about flights, everything done very quickly.  The only difference was the stamp ,I still have  to go back on the date my previous extension expires, the lady said when I come back I will get 60days added on then. 

[itsari]

42 minutes ago, Daithi85 said:

OK just been to immigration applied for covid extension exactly the same requirements as before,my extension was due to finish Dec 20th, so I applied 3 weeks early so I thought I would have got the 30 days underconsderation stamp added on which would take me to January 20th. I was told to still come back again December 20th and will then get 60day. 

At Chiang Mai immigration they will only accept a extension application 15 days before the finish date . That has been the case in the past .

 

 

[itsari]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

That is the proposed initial period of time.

Last year when they did a similar order they extended it several times.

Thank you Ubonjoe , I was more thinking of the worst scenario that the 1st of January would be the finish of the extensions . 

 

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, Daithi85 said:

Everything exactly the same as the before ,just ticked the box that says no embasy letter same as I always do,nothing about flights, everything done very quickly.  The only difference was the stamp ,I still have  to go back on the date my previous extension expires, the lady said when I come back I will get 60days added on then. 

The under consideration stamp is not a extension. It just allows you to stay until the extension application is approved.

You will get the 60 day extension stamp when your return on the report back date that will be from the day your current one ends.

[jackdd]

12 minutes ago, itsari said:

At Chiang Mai immigration they will only accept a extension application 15 days before the finish date . That has been the case in the past .

I applied 18 days before the finish date, this was last week (at CM), so it's not a hard cut at 15 days.

Edited November 19, 2021 by jackdd

[itsari]

Just now, jackdd said:

I applied 18 days before the finish date, this was last week (at CM), so it's not a hard cut at 15 days.

Thank you 

[BritTim]

21 hours ago, Caldera said:

At the height of the Delta wave 3-4 months ago, it was much riskier to attend an immigration office than it is now, yet they did nothing back then?

Raw official numbers would suggest that this is true. However, in Bangkok at least, back around June there was very little Covid in the farang community. Most of those infected were Thais or those from neighbouring countries (especially migrant workers). In recent days, with the relaxation of controls, I have heard of several farangs testing positive. It makes sense to me that this would translate into infections at Chaeng Wattana and Muang Thong Thani. Events in Bangkok have a strong influence on nationwide regulations. Speculation, yes, but likely correct IMHO.

[david555]

On 11/18/2021 at 10:12 AM, Mac Mickmanus said:

What is this likely to mean for those on a soon to be expiring retirement visa and who havent done the 90 day report?

i guess only a fine or excused for the not done address reporting , for ret. visa just do as usual as i did before always even when amnesty was running , ret.ext. just go on in  normal way 

Edited November 23, 2021 by david555

[jackdd]

With a considerable delay it's now published in the Royal Gazette: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2564/E/299/T_0007.PDF

[ubonjoe]

9 hours ago, jackdd said:

With a considerable delay it's now published in the Royal Gazette: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2564/E/299/T_0007.PDF

Posted in the gazette on December 7th.

This is a Google translation of the relevant sections.

 

"Clause 1 Extending the period of permission to stay in the Kingdom under section 35 of the Act

Immigration Act 1979 (including under the Petroleum Act B.E.

Investment Promotion Act, B.E. 2520 and its amendments and the Act

Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, B.E. 2522 and its amendments) or as announced

Ministry of Interior involved for the time being From the effective date of this announcement to the date

31 December 2021

Article 2 extends the period for notification of residence under section 37 (5) of the Act.

Immigration, B.E. 2522 or the relevant notification of the Ministry of Interior for foreigners

at the expiration of the residence notification period From the effective date of this announcement to the date

31 December 202

Article 3 The Immigration Office shall announce to set a period for foreigners to take action

under section 35 and section 37 (5) of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522, including other laws

related to complete Between 1 December 2021 until 31 December 2021

from the date of publication in the Government Gazette onwards"

 

I cannot see use of it since it ends on December 31st. That is only 21 days from today.

 

 

[DrJack54]

Who would introduce an Amnesty for a period of a few weeks.

You could guess that the next step would be an extension of the amnesty. Announced day prior to Dec 31.

Can't see the point. The covid extensions were working well and drawing 1900baht a pop. 

Strange. 

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Who would introduce an Amnesty for a period of a few weeks.

You could guess that the next step would be an extension of the amnesty. Announced day prior to Dec 31.

Can't see the point. The covid extensions were working well and drawing 1900baht a pop. 

Strange. 

I don't have a clue why they would even bother doing it unless they expect it will be extended.

There have been denied extension and were told there was no need for it due to amnesty. I just learned that some offices are denying them if a person was leaving on or before the 31st.

Mass confusion again.

[BKKTRAVELER]

How come this is so quietly introduced? I didn't see anything about it in the news. 

 

Such a weird thing for the government to do...

[audaciousnomad]

On 12/10/2021 at 8:45 AM, ubonjoe said:

I don't have a clue why they would even bother doing it unless they expect it will be extended.

There have been denied extension and were told there was no need for it due to amnesty. I just learned that some offices are denying them if a person was leaving on or before the 31st.

Mass confusion again.

A wild guess....but could it be pre-emptive meeting to plan for a potential surge in Omicron?  Apparently it spreads like wildfire. Maybe they want to stop foreigners coming in to the offices until they have a better idea what Omicron will do now that it is in-country.

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, audaciousnomad said:

A wild guess....but could it be pre-emptive meeting to plan for a potential surge in Omicron?

Omicron did not exist when the cabinet approved the amnesty.

[JayClay]

If immigration really wanted to limit visits to their office they could make a big start by cutting out the "awaiting approval" process, making everybody have to make 2 visits to the office for each renewal...

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, JayClay said:

If immigration really wanted to limit visits to their office they could make a big start by cutting out the "awaiting approval" process, making everybody have to make 2 visits to the office for each renewal...

Not every extension application has a under consideration period. Most are done on the day you apply.

[Takeprofit]

On 12/10/2021 at 7:22 AM, ubonjoe said:

Article 2 extends the period for notification of residence under section 37 (5) of the Act.

Immigration, B.E. 2522 or the relevant notification of the Ministry of Interior for foreigners

at the expiration of the residence notification period From the effective date of this announcement to the date

31 December 202

Thank you for the translation.

What does it mean?

I have not reported my 90-days since April 2021 when they refused to approve my report by the post and asked me to come to the office to pay 2000 thb fine.

Can I report now without paying fine? ????