Covid-Exempt for „longstayers“

[Jellybelly]

Hello,

I heard some stories about people who had a tourist status (e.g. visa exempt) and are on a “covid extention” since 2020 and got rejected at the immigration even though the official statement is that they can apply for another 60 Days until March 25th. They had no other visa in between, they are just “longstayers”. E.g. in Koh Phangan they say, that only new tourists can get the 60 days. Others have to leave the country in 7 days.

 

When we went for our latest “covid extention” to the immigration in Chiang Mai, one officer told us we cannot apply for another one. We then asked another officer and he told us we have tourist status, so it is possible, BUT he gave us the advice to come a few days earlier before expiring date and ask again, because it can change.

 

I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience and is a “longstayer” too?

Edited February 24, 2022 by Jellybelly

[DrJack54]

The immigration offices are not following the rules and are living up to form. 

They want to have some status in life above being a clerk with a stamp. 

Watch too much Judge Judy. 

[lolalol]

23 minutes ago, Jellybelly said:

Hello,

I heard some stories about people who had a tourist status (e.g. visa exempt) and are on a “covid extention” since 2020 and got rejected at the immigration even though the official statement is that they can apply for another 60 Days until March 25th. They had no other visa in between, they are just “longstayers”. E.g. in Koh Phangan they say, that only new tourists can get the 60 days. Others have to leave the country in 7 days.

 

When we went for our latest “covid extention” to the immigration in Chiang Mai, one officer told us we cannot apply for another one. We then asked another officer and he told us we have tourist status, so it is possible, BUT he gave us the advice to come a few days earlier before expiring date and ask again, because it can change.

 

I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience and is a “longstayer” too?

Edited 18 minutes ago by Jellybelly

Can I ask when your current permit of stay end?

[lolalol]

23 minutes ago, Jellybelly said:

We then asked another officer and he told us we have tourist status, so it is possible, BUT he gave us the advice to come a few days earlier before expiring date and ask again, because it can change.

I don't really understand this part.  The IO could've just given the stamp, instead of saying that things will change. 

[Ohyesuare]

25 minutes ago, lolalol said:

I don't really understand this part.  The IO could've just given the stamp, instead of saying that things will change. 

If he gives the stamp when the other officer already refused, he'd make him lose face. Seemed like he was one of the good ones and would given it otherwise but face is everything in Thailand. Hopefully when they com back they get the more reasonable officer.

[Jellybelly]

2 hours ago, lolalol said:

I don't really understand this part.  The IO could've just given the stamp, instead of saying that things will change. 

Hi, that is a misunderstanding. We got our stamp in Chiang Mai.

 

Days after we got it, we went there again and asked 2 different officers if we can get another one in 2 months, because at that time the "covid extention scheme" was already announced to be extended until March 25th.

 

So we asked if we are eligable to apply for one more "extention" in the future. 

[Jellybelly]

2 hours ago, Ohyesuare said:

If he gives the stamp when the other officer already refused, he'd make him lose face. Seemed like he was one of the good ones and would given it otherwise but face is everything in Thailand. Hopefully when they com back they get the more reasonable officer.

Hi, that is a misunderstanding. We got the stamp in Chiang Mai.

 

Days after we got it, we went to the immigration again and asked 2 different officers if we can get another one in 2 months, because at that time the "covid extention scheme" was already announced to be extended until March 25th.

 

So we asked if we are eligable to apply for one more "extention" in the future. The first officer said no and the second officer said yes, but maybe not ???? And then we heard the stories of people in the same situation who already got rejected...

 

So I'm asking if anyone was able to get another extention as a "longstayer" with a tourist status?  ????????

[DrJack54]

32 minutes ago, Jellybelly said:

 

So I'm asking if anyone was able to get another extention as a "longstayer" with a tourist status? 

Yes.

Some have had several covid extensions and can still obtain them up till March 25. 

Your op was confusing.

Note some offices are throwing curve balls and making things difficult. 

[WEBBYB808]

They all, individual  office's of interpretation is different.   I arrived Feb 08, 2020 on a 30 day.  I got the amnesty  first, and then have gotten a 60 day covid Visa extension repeatedly  for the last two years, and never have once been told last one.  I in fact just got another one expires end of March and will start another request  in two weeks.  If you can apply in another province you may get better service.  

[audaciousnomad]

1 hour ago, WEBBYB808 said:

They all, individual  office's of interpretation is different.   I arrived Feb 08, 2020 on a 30 day.  I got the amnesty  first, and then have gotten a 60 day covid Visa extension repeatedly  for the last two years, and never have once been told last one.  I in fact just got another one expires end of March and will start another request  in two weeks.  If you can apply in another province you may get better service.  

Very nice @WEBBYB808. In Bangkok, they often hassle the longstays.  Which office have you been applying? I'm looking for options in case Bangkok hassles me.

[Terry B]

2 hours ago, WEBBYB808 said:

I arrived Feb 08, 2020 on a 30 day.  I got the amnesty  first, and then have gotten a 60 day covid Visa extension repeatedly  for the last two years, and never have once been told last one.  I in fact just got another one expires end of March and will start another request  in two weeks.

I am in the same exact situation as you, having only arrived just a week before you on a 30 day tourist exempt.

 

When I first arrived at the office today, there were signs everywhere that listed several different kinds of visas that can now only get 7 days now. And I was not sure if i fit into that group, so I talked to the commercial visa agent office that is next door to immigration, to someone I've become acquainted with there, to ask him before I went into immigration to apply for another covid visa. He looked at my passport for while, and then said that for sure I can get at least one more extension.

 

Then I applied for another covid visa inside the immigration office next door, and they were doing things differently in there today. An additional person for the covid visas was at another window not normally used. And on my turn, he was taking a loooong time to look at my passport and paperwork. Perhaps he was doing this to everyone, both before and after me that randomly had to go to his window instead of the normal one, but seemed it like forever as he shuffled through all my passport pages and application pages at least 3 times. And even took a call as he was going through my stuff. And perhaps he was doing the same to everyone else, but just seemed too long for just a normal review of things.

 

 

And the main thing that made me nervous was at the end, he put a red stamp on the edge of my photo attached to my application, and wrote a couple of numbers above that, but nothing else. And he never said anything to me the entire time, other than just requesting the 1900 THB at the end of it. And when I told him that I was planning to get a non-O based on retirement before the next visa period ends, (and the whole office seemed to take notice and heard that too), but did not say anything else at all to me, neither good or bad.

 

And normally, we are given an "under consideration stamp" on the same day, which then requires us to come back in 30 days later to get the real visa that is valid for 60 days total, (so essentially you have to go back to the IO every 30 days - to either apply for a new 60 day visa or to pick up the one you applied for 30 days earlier). But this time they kept all the passports and you have to come back the next day to get whatever they put in your passport.

 

So I am not sure if I will get an under consideration stamp tomorrow, or the full visa; and not sure if it will only be for 7 days, or 60 days. However, I think if they were only going to give me 7 days instead of 60 days he would have said something? Not sure!

 

[audaciousnomad]

41 minutes ago, Terry B said:

I am in the same exact situation as you, having only arrived just a week before you on a 30 day tourist exempt.

 

When I first arrived at the office today, there were signs everywhere that listed several different kinds of visas that can now only get 7 days now. And I was not sure if i fit into that group, so I talked to the commercial visa agent office that is next door to immigration, to someone I've become acquainted with there, to ask him before I went into immigration to apply for another covid visa. He looked at my passport for while, and then said that for sure I can get at least one more extension.

 

Then I applied for another covid visa inside the immigration office next door, and they were doing things differently in there today. An additional person for the covid visas was at another window not normally used. And on my turn, he was taking a loooong time to look at my passport and paperwork. Perhaps he was doing this to everyone, both before and after me that randomly had to go to his window instead of the normal one, but seemed it like forever as he shuffled through all my passport pages and application pages at least 3 times. And even took a call as he was going through my stuff. And perhaps he was doing the same to everyone else, but just seemed too long for just a normal review of things.

 

 

And the main thing that made me nervous was at the end, he put a red stamp on the edge of my photo attached to my application, and wrote a couple of numbers above that, but nothing else. And he never said anything to me the entire time, other than just requesting the 1900 THB at the end of it. And when I told him that I was planning to get a non-O based on retirement before the next visa period ends, (and the whole office seemed to take notice and heard that too), but did not say anything else at all to me, neither good or bad.

 

And normally, we are given an "under consideration stamp" on the same day, which then requires us to come back in 30 days later to get the real visa that is valid for 60 days total, (so essentially you have to go back to the IO every 30 days - to either apply for a new 60 day visa or to pick up the one you applied for 30 days earlier). But this time they kept all the passports and you have to come back the next day to get whatever they put in your passport.

 

So I am not sure if I will get an under consideration stamp tomorrow, or the full visa; and not sure if it will only be for 7 days, or 60 days. However, I think if they were only going to give me 7 days instead of 60 days he would have said something? Not sure!

 

Wow...very unusual.  Which office?

[Jellybelly]

44 minutes ago, Terry B said:

I am in the same exact situation as you, having only arrived just a week before you on a 30 day tourist exempt.

 

When I first arrived at the office today, there were signs everywhere that listed several different kinds of visas that can now only get 7 days now. And I was not sure if i fit into that group, so I talked to the commercial visa agent office that is next door to immigration, to someone I've become acquainted with there, to ask him before I went into immigration to apply for another covid visa. He looked at my passport for while, and then said that for sure I can get at least one more extension.

 

Then I applied for another covid visa inside the immigration office next door, and they were doing things differently in there today. An additional person for the covid visas was at another window not normally used. And on my turn, he was taking a loooong time to look at my passport and paperwork. Perhaps he was doing this to everyone, both before and after me that randomly had to go to his window instead of the normal one, but seemed it like forever as he shuffled through all my passport pages and application pages at least 3 times. And even took a call as he was going through my stuff. And perhaps he was doing the same to everyone else, but just seemed too long for just a normal review of things.

 

 

And the main thing that made me nervous was at the end, he put a red stamp on the edge of my photo attached to my application, and wrote a couple of numbers above that, but nothing else. And he never said anything to me the entire time, other than just requesting the 1900 THB at the end of it. And when I told him that I was planning to get a non-O based on retirement before the next visa period ends, (and the whole office seemed to take notice and heard that too), but did not say anything else at all to me, neither good or bad.

 

And normally, we are given an "under consideration stamp" on the same day, which then requires us to come back in 30 days later to get the real visa that is valid for 60 days total, (so essentially you have to go back to the IO every 30 days - to either apply for a new 60 day visa or to pick up the one you applied for 30 days earlier). But this time they kept all the passports and you have to come back the next day to get whatever they put in your passport.

 

So I am not sure if I will get an under consideration stamp tomorrow, or the full visa; and not sure if it will only be for 7 days, or 60 days. However, I think if they were only going to give me 7 days instead of 60 days he would have said something? Not sure!

 

Yep, thats kind of strange. In Chiang Mai we also got a under consideration stamp amd had to come back two weeks later.

 

Please keep us updated what kind of stamp you'll get tomorrow. 

 

Now feeling kind of nervous for you too ????

[Jellybelly]

3 hours ago, WEBBYB808 said:

They all, individual  office's of interpretation is different.   I arrived Feb 08, 2020 on a 30 day.  I got the amnesty  first, and then have gotten a 60 day covid Visa extension repeatedly  for the last two years, and never have once been told last one.  I in fact just got another one expires end of March and will start another request  in two weeks.  If you can apply in another province you may get better service.  

We have to apply for it around the same time. We are in Phuket now and heard from someone who had exactly the same conditions like us and got rejected here.

 

In fact we should be get another one by law... But if the immigration officer thinks you already got enough stamps  you have no other chance then leaving the coutry once you got the 7 day stamp ????

 

That makes me kind of nervous... ???????? 

[leba]

Some immigration keep giving the covid extension even to non O...

 

 

[DrJack54]

6 minutes ago, leba said:

Some immigration keep giving the covid extension even to non O...

 

 

Have you seen a report of covid extension given since Jan 25 to someone that entered on a non-O

Which immigration offices?

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by DrJack54

[Terry B]

22 hours ago, Jellybelly said:

Please keep us updated what kind of stamp you'll get tomorrow. 

YES! Got it!

 

And by, "it", I mean more specifically the standard "under consideration stamp", requiring to return in 4 weeks to get the full, real visa stamp; which then leaves about an additional 4 weeks of time before it expires and you require a new visa of some kind.

 

That is how they do it there always: it works out that every 30 days you have to report to immigration to either: apply for a new sixty-day covid visa again, or to pick up the visa they have been processing for you after the 30 days since that you orginally applied for it. And the first time you do it there, you have to get some serious paperwork from your landlord to prove you really live in the area. It is a separate office in the building, that you don't have to go to anymore after the first time.

 

Also, when I got there, they were handing out the passports outside, in front. I never saw soooo many concerned looking people, of all different types that did not know each other, all looking so seriously at their passports to see what they got. They are really scaring lots of people now, instead of thinking it was just me. lol...

 

Also, both days I went over to the commercial visa office next door, and a steady stream of people coming in and talking to the assistant agent there to find alternative ways to stay in the  country. That sign I mentioned that was posted all over the immgration office, the one that listed several different kinds of visas and that they would only issue 7 days for them, must have been what they were dealing with. Not sure....

 

All I know is that when I got my passport back in-hand, I did not stand outside in-front to see what I got. Instead, I went straight to the visa agent office, sat dawn next to my sorta-friend there, and THEN opened it to see what I got in case I needed his help asap. And thank God, it was the normal 30-day under consideration stamp! Otherwise, I was pumped up mentally and prepared to return back to "hell" going on in my home country if I would have only got the 7 days warning too, even found a job I would have been able to get right away if I would have had to do that! lol

[Jellybelly]

2 hours ago, Terry B said:

YES! Got it!

 

And by, "it", I mean more specifically the standard "under consideration stamp", requiring to return in 4 weeks to get the full, real visa stamp; which then leaves about an additional 4 weeks of time before it expires and you require a new visa of some kind.

 

That is how they do it there always: it works out that every 30 days you have to report to immigration to either: apply for a new sixty-day covid visa again, or to pick up the visa they have been processing for you after the 30 days since that you orginally applied for it. And the first time you do it there, you have to get some serious paperwork from your landlord to prove you really live in the area. It is a separate office in the building, that you don't have to go to anymore after the first time.

 

Also, when I got there, they were handing out the passports outside, in front. I never saw soooo many concerned looking people, of all different types that did not know each other, all looking so seriously at their passports to see what they got. They are really scaring lots of people now, instead of thinking it was just me. lol...

 

Also, both days I went over to the commercial visa office next door, and a steady stream of people coming in and talking to the assistant agent there to find alternative ways to stay in the  country. That sign I mentioned that was posted all over the immgration office, the one that listed several different kinds of visas and that they would only issue 7 days for them, must have been what they were dealing with. Not sure....

 

All I know is that when I got my passport back in-hand, I did not stand outside in-front to see what I got. Instead, I went straight to the visa agent office, sat dawn next to my sorta-friend there, and THEN opened it to see what I got in case I needed his help asap. And thank God, it was the normal 30-day under consideration stamp! Otherwise, I was pumped up mentally and prepared to return back to "hell" going on in my home country if I would have only got the 7 days warning too, even found a job I would have been able to get right away if I would have had to do that! lol

Thats fantastic, happy for you ???????? 

 

To which immigration office did you go?

 

Seems like some immigration offices are giving the stamps and some dont. We just need to find out where are the "good guy's" ????

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, Terry B said:

YES! Got it!

Great.

BTW..,I support folk in your situation being jerked around by some immigration offices. 

Not all offices but still enough to make it a guessing game.

Poor behavior from Thai immigration for no good reason. 

[audaciousnomad]

3 hours ago, Terry B said:

YES! Got it!

 

All I know is that when I got my passport back in-hand, I did not stand outside in-front to see what I got. Instead, I went straight to the visa agent office, sat dawn next to my sorta-friend there, and THEN opened it to see what I got in case I needed his help asap. And thank God, it was the normal 30-day under consideration stamp! Otherwise, I was pumped up mentally and prepared to return back to "hell" going on in my home country if I would have only got the 7 days warning too, even found a job I would have been able to get right away if I would have had to do that! lol

@Terry B .... Congrats. Please...your post is more helpful to all if you could advise which office in Thailand you had this experience. Thanks!