Covid extension for HK passport applicable?

[Schnicnac]

Hi guys, I have a question:
I found that after entry on visa exempt (30 days), Hong Kong passport holders can only get a 7 days extension of stay. Is it possible as Hong Kong passport holder to apply for a covid extension thereafter or does this only apply to holders of passports of certain countries?

What paperwork would be required for such covid extension if applicable?


Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[ubonjoe]

The 7 days is to leave the country not a extension. I think immigration is not aware that Hong Kong at this time qualifies for a normal visa exempt entry instead of it being under a bilateral agreement.

See this list for visa exemptions from the Department of Consular Affairs of the MFA in English and Thai.

List of countries for visa exempt and visas on arrival dated October 2021.

Look at the bottom of the page the note that is for double asterisk on the list of countries.

You do qualify for the the 60 day covid 19 extension as well.

 

 

[Schnicnac]

Hi Ubonjoe,
thanks for your quick reply.
Passport holder is my toddler, got visa exempt stamped after arrival. Was surprised being told that HK passport cannot extend for 30 days and was asked whether want to extend or not (as toddlers seem not to need to pay fine for overstays). However, decided to go ahead and immigration stamped 'application of extension of stay not approved, applicant must leave not later than (...)' and then 7 days were added to the original last day of the visa exempt. 

Now in that case, could this be further extended or not?

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, Schnicnac said:

However, decided to go ahead and immigration stamped 'application of extension of stay not approved, applicant must leave not later than (...)' and then 7 days were added to the original last day of the visa exempt. 

You can try to get immigration to cancel the 7 days to leave the country and possibly do the 30 day extension.

Children under the age of 15 do not pay overstay fines when leaving the country but it is always best to keep their stay in the country valid.

 

 

[Schnicnac]

Thanks Ubonjoe
Could you figure any reason why this extension was denied? They asked before if we wanted to go ahead saying they could not give 30 days extension but only 7 days (surprising me I thought HK passport holders could also get 30 days extension).

As we plan some travel around the country, can this attempt to cancel the 7 days to leave be made at any immigration office?

In case it doesn't get cancelled somehow, what alternative options are there (covid extension?) to keep the stay valid?

Edited February 23, 2022 by Schnicnac

[ubonjoe]

41 minutes ago, Schnicnac said:

Could you figure any reason why this extension was denied? They asked before if we wanted to go ahead saying they could not give 30 days extension but only 7 days (surprising me I thought HK passport holders could also get 30 days extension).

In the past the Hong Kong citizens could not apply for the 30 day extension due to their visa exempt entry being from a bilateral agreement. But now Hong Kong is also under the standard visa exempt scheme now. 

If you download the file I posted a link for you will see what I am say plus there is addition info at the page.

This the clause of the immigration order that allows for the visa exempt extensions.

 

 

(2) is probably the reason you cannot get the extension since Hong Kong was not on the basic visa exempt list before.

I suggest you try to show immigration the list of countries that are now on the standard visa exempt list.

[Schnicnac]

Thank you for this Ubonjoe, will try.
What I notice in the document you sent that it lists Hong Kong under both the tourist visa exemption scheme with ** and the bilateral agreement without the **. So could it be that upon entering and handing over the passport, the entry stamp was a 'bilateral agreement' stamp they put in and that's why it could not be extended (in case there is actually a difference in stamps)?

 

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, Schnicnac said:

What I notice in the document you sent that it lists Hong Kong under both the tourist visa exemption scheme with ** and the bilateral agreement without the **. So could it be that upon entering and handing over the passport, the entry stamp was a 'bilateral agreement' stamp they put in and that's why it could not be extended (in case there is actually a difference in stamps)?

I don't recall immigration putting anything but it being a visa free entry on the arrival stamp.

This is what is normally what is written in Thai. 

[Schnicnac]

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I don't recall immigration putting anything but it being a visa free entry on the arrival stamp.

This is what is normally what is written in Thai. 

Okay thank you for this Ubonjoe.