Seems you need a master’s degree to handle Thai immigration rules

[webfact]

 

ASEAN NOW Op-Ed

Many of us expats still struggle to keep up to date with the latest news on Thailand’s immigration rules.

Most of the news tends to start as rumours, often discussed amongst friends down at the bar.

As most now know often what you read in the media is only suggestions or hearsay, as rules can only be officially confirmed once they are posted in the Royal Gazette.

So where do we stand currently.

Listed below are a few of the current rules and regulations, however, these can change regularly.

If you are unsure suggest you get hold of an experienced Thai visa agent to sort you out.

What is the Test and Go? 

Test and Go were the requirements to have pre-arrival and/or post-arrival Covid health checks. Thankfully, they discontinued Test and Go for fully vaccinated arrivals on May 1, 2022. 

 

So, what is the Thailand Pass? 

 

Thailand Pass, which is still required, is the compulsory online pre-arrival registration system that requires everyone to upload their vaccination proof and full evidence of insurance.  Effective from June 1st as well Thai Nationals will no longer be required to register for the Thailand Pass. The Pass will only function as a pre-arrival registration system, not an approval system.

 

For the latest info best check out https://tp.consular.go.th/ 

 

Will I still be able to stay here on a Covid extension of stay after May 24, 2022?

 

Occording to media reports foreigners will now have until March 25th 2022to extend their special COVID extension stamp, as announced by the Bureau of Immigration. The COVID extension was supposed to end on January 25 but has been extended. The visa relief or extension grants 60 days of stay to those who apply. 

 

Originally these ongoing extensions of stay for up to 60 days were brought in by the Thai government two years ago.

 

It was basically to help tourists and Asian workers who were unable to return home as borders were closed and there were no flights available. 

 

Many neighboring countries have already canceled this discretion. e.g., Cambodia is already telling overseas tourists, ex-pats, or foreign workers that anyone without a valid visa is in an overstay position and will be subject to overstay fines or worse. 

 

Maybe the same will be adopted by most Asian immigration authorities.

 

Do all overseas travellers need medical insurance to enter Thailand?

 

This is a tricky subject as the insurance companies naturally want to sell you their high-cost policies but are they vital?

 

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According to Thailand Pass, everyone needs a minimum coverage of US$10,000 to cover hospitalization in case they catch Covid. 

 

The current exception seems to be if you hold a work permit.

 

This stipulation also covers foreigners returning with a re-entry permit authorized before they left Thailand. 

 

Foreigners applying for some specific visas from Thai embassies abroad may require additional insurance cover. 

 

The visas needing extra insurance currently are the nine-month Special Tourist Visa (STV) and three visas based on retirement for those aged at least 50: O/X (10 years), O (3 months), and OA (12 months). The details are most Thai embassy websites.

 

Do foreigners still require insurance to extend their stay at Thai immigration?

 

Those with most visas or permission to enter do not require insurance to extend their stay. 

 

The current exceptions are the STV, the O/X, and the O/A: specifics vary at immigration offices. 

 

The three months O visa based on retirement, given by embassies, runs out after three months. 

 

However, it can normally be extended at immigration for a further twelve months without any insurance, but with specific bank deposits or income stipulations.

 

With the majority of land borders now reopened, foreigners may now enter and depart. 

 

However, foreigners may not leave Thailand and return on the same day as the good old days. 

 

No more rushing down to the border in a minibus and back for tea!

 

The reason being is they must register online after departure for Thailand Pass with at least 48 hours’ notice required to receive their all-important QR Code. 

 

It isn’t possible to apply for an advance Thailand Pass whilst still in this country. 

 

Lack of clear information

 

We are still suffering from rumour and a lack of clear government statements.

 

Covid-19 will not be declared an endemic disease on July 1, the health minister said last Friday, despite earlier suggestions that it would be.
 
Senior members of the government have been telling the public over the past two months that the government is planning to declare Covid as an endemic disease in July without providing a timeline or specific criteria.

 

Those claims were refuted by the health minister.

“No one said that it would be declared on July 1,” Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters at the government house.

Anutin said the current outbreak with the number of severe cases of around 1,000 patients and the declining number of daily Covid deaths are supporting the move to declare the disease as endemic.

However, the steps toward the declaration will continue to be done gradually and the process currently involves the re-zoning of provinces and hard-hit areas to ease domestic restrictions.

In the past some immigration offices have given different visas, so going to Phuket you had one visa stamp but a longer stay stamp elsewhere, so inconsistency continues.

At the end of the day if it is all too bewildering contact a Visa Agency and let the professionals take over.

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-05-24

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[flyingtlger]

I have a PHD and I'm still having problems navigating Thai immigration rules....

 

[SmartyMarty]

Never had any issues navigating around the rules and regulations. Mind you, I've always used an agent to smooth the way ahead.

[RandiRona]

We dont need master degree , we just need @ubonjoe. He is the best !!!! @ubonjoe rocks!!!

[bbko]

Most government info is posted at a 8th grade reading level, when it comes to Thai visas, many problems arise with hearsay, rumors, half information, "somebody said" type stuff and the "special ED" types go and hire an agent claiming the bypass of a 1 hour wait is worth the multi thousand bath payment....555. 

If you're too dense to understand what others consider basic 8th grade reading level instructions, and want to claim hiring an agent is easier, have at it, enjoy paying triple/quadruple for a simple procedure.

[tonysilly]

Master Degree? Wrong! Proper training, stop changing the rules. Be kind and stop bribing Farang for money.  Not all do it but many do. Especially small Provence. 

[Onerak]

I know most rules for retirement visa but I still use an agent to get my visa. It has many advantages, including the return I get my investing the money in the USA pays for my 15K agent fees.  The 15K that I pay to agents helps lots of people, including IOs, who are not fortunate enough to be born in a Western country to earn dollars. For me it's a win win situation. I get the ease of getting the visa and without any paperworks and the the people I pay earn money for  their services because they cannot earn dollars. 

[Dan O]

The main source of rumors and confusion is the pathetic quality of media reporting going on today. Its now just media spin or info just regurgitated by the media outlets without follow up..  Its hard to decide if it its more useless due to lack of fact checking and just running with any info available so they have a story to post or to interview any govt official that has no authority to comment on issues and then presenting it as facts in a story or option 3 which is to never fact check anything, create a sensationalized Headline and throw it against the wall as click bait.  With either of the 3 options the one follow on thats consistant is the claim that the govt continually changes the decisions, rules or regs. Whatever happen to real news reporting, fact checking and following up on stories?

[TaoNow]

Why isn't this thread in the Visas sub-forum?

[DezLez]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Will I still be able to stay here on a Covid extension of stay after May 24, 2022?

 

Currently, it is unlikely but again the Government has not officially decided. 

I suppose the article proves it point as it was out of date before it was published!

The Covid extension was extended on Saturday 21 May until 25 July.

[Iamfalang]

But page 67, article 4; subsection 32a, paragraph 2 says 400,000?

 

IO……today it’s different.

 

oh.

 

 

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand Pass, which is still required, is the compulsory online pre-arrival registration system

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

According to Thailand Pass, everyone needs a minimum coverage of US$10,000 to cover hospitalization in case they catch Covid. 

The continuing nail and coffin for the Thai tourism in 2022. Just a laughable 1 million in nearly 5 months ? 

[Mike Teavee]

25 minutes ago, Onerak said:

I know most rules for retirement visa but I still use an agent to get my visa. It has many advantages, including the return I get my investing the money in the USA pays for my 15K agent fees.  The 15K that I pay to agents helps lots of people, including IOs, who are not fortunate enough to be born in a Western country to earn dollars. For me it's a win win situation. I get the ease of getting the visa and without any paperworks and the the people I pay earn money for  their services because they cannot earn dollars. 

WIN/WIN for you & the IOs maybe, but it's a LOSE for us guys that keep the 800K in the bank as we now have to keep it there for at least 5 months & a minimum 400K for 7 months.   But even more of a hassle is the messing around with Bank Statements showing it's been there all that time especially when you rarely update your bank book so need additional statements.    

 

I keep the 800K in the bank & use an agent because I can't be bothered keeping up with the latest regulations & would rather pay somebody else to do this for me (use an accountant in the UK to file my tax return for exactly the same reason)  costs me an additional 6,000 THB on top of the 1,900 THB immigration fee but worth it to me as it makes my life easier & I like an easy life ???? 

[Time Traveller]

Once  again ASEAN Now are way off the mark on what they are writing about.  May I suggest you hire someone in country who actually has experience with Thai immigration bureaucracy. 

 

The problems for foreigners dealing with Thai immigration has never been "rumors" or misleading news articles.   The problems have always been the laws published in the Royal Gazette itself.  Or, more specifically, the vagueness and lack of details.

 

For example, they will publish something on the requirements for a category of visa/admission to Thailand. But they never go in to any detail with what actually qualifies as evidence for approval of the visa.    Hence, we are all left to the mercy of how each individual office, or frontline officer, interprets such regulations.  So, what may be acceptable one day or place, is not acceptable on another day or with another officer.  There is no consistency.  That is the major problem. 

[ozz1]

I find the best method is go to your local immigration office before time and get in writing what they want or use a agent it's not that hard really

[Boycie]

2 hours ago, RandiRona said:

We dont need master degree , we just need @ubonjoe. He is the best !!!! @ubonjoe rocks!!!

 

28 minutes ago, DezLez said:

I suppose the article proves it point as it was out of date before it was published!

The Covid extension was extended on Saturday 21 May until 25 July.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1260270-covid-19-extensions-extended-until-july-25th/

[bluejets]

Advice I use is the one I downloaded (somewhere here I think) 

Keep it on the wall in plain sight.

Works for me, after all, it's Thai's country, if you don't like it then nick off.

 

"When it comes to dealing with officialdom here, whomever you are dealing with, determines what the requirements are at that time.

It may be different tomorrow, or it may be different today if dealing with a different official.

At least, after we have lived here a while, we figure out how things work and we are not taken by surprise when the rules change."

 

[Tom H]

2 minutes ago, Boycie said:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1260270-covid-19-extensions-extended-until-july-25th/

webfact author ????

[Thailand]

18 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

 

The continuing nail and coffin for the Thai tourism in 2022. Just a laughable 1 million in nearly 5 months ? 

My sister and friends were considering coming later in the year (first visit) when the country was really open, because of the procrastination by the ptb  they have just booked for Spain, no doubt along with many others.

[bkk6060]

Seems like simple math, documentation and following instructions.  A 5th grade education should be more then sufficient.

[Tod Daniels]

I don't mean to rock the boat (especially as I just became a Mod on this web-forum) BUT a BIG cause of misinformation could be articles like this that have bad info in them which are read by and parroted as gospel by thousands of foreigners here but..

How about we just address the most noticeably bad and erroneous information in this article ????

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Will I still be able to stay here on a Covid extension of stay after May 24, 2022?

The covid extension program has already been extended another 2 months until July 25th. With that being said some offices are getting more strict in issuing the 60 day covid extension with other offices telling people they can't get one and to leave the country (so your mileage may vary)
 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

foreigners may not leave Thailand and return on the same day as the good old days. 

100% totally not correct, you can most definitely exit/re-enter the same day at land borders

The borders with Cambodia were enforcing a mandatory stay overnight in Cambodia when you exited thailand but now at Ban Pakard at least if you have covid extensions in your passport they're just charging you a "special fee" of 1000baht and letting you come right back to thailand. There are no issues at all bouncing out and back in Malaysia OR Lao by land the same day
 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

It isn’t possible to apply for an advance Thailand Pass whilst still in this country. 

Again, totally NOT correct. You can indeed apply for a thai pass while inside thailand as long as you select where and when you're going to enter the country.
Funny enough AT the borders with Cambodia they will apply for a thai pass FOR you (for a special fee) if you didn't do it before you decided to bounce out and back.

I didn't want to nit-pick that article to pieces just correct the most obvious stuff that I know for fact is not correct.

As far as needing a degree to navigate immigration extension procedures, it is my experience that all to many foreigners here don't put the required time into the oh-so important task of knowing what they need to get the extension they are after. Face it, most long-stay people apply for an extension (usually) ONCE a year.
With over 70 offices in the country things can and do change office to office as far as what they want year to year. So get off your butt, go to your immigration office a month or so before your current extension is gonna expire, get the latest hand out, ASK them if anything not on the list is required, so you have at least a general idea of what you're doing when you go back to apply. Another thing you need to stop saying is "I don't understand why I need to give them xxx, or yyy". Unfortunately (for you) the fact you don't understand why they need document x or y doesn't even factor into the equation. The immigration officers are low level, passport stamping, paper pushing, box ticking government workers, if you tick the boxes you get the extension, if you don't you don't and understanding why you need a document or copy isn't gonna help you get your extension one bit. 

Getting an extension of stay at any of the immigration offices in the country is not brain science or rocket surgery, it takes time, patience and planning but trust me, the most clueless foreigner here CAN get thru the process if they put their mind to it

[Skeptic7]

How 'bout Immigration trying clear, concise and CONSISTENT for starters. Simplification and being a tad flexible would also help, as not everyone has the same lifestyle and/or living conditions. 

[bluemoon58]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

It isn’t possible to apply for an advance Thailand Pass whilst still in this country.

I have and so have quite a few other friends and acquaintances.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, TaoNow said:

Why isn't this thread in the Visas sub-forum?

Maybe because the real moderators didn't want move it?

[steven100]

Travelers looking for a two week holiday spot don't want the hassle with ' Thailand Pass "  paperwork and QR codes etc ....     

they just want to pack their suitcase and jump on the plane.

They don't mind showing their vaccination certificate on arrival but that's it.

 

Thailand has shot itself in the foot big time with all this paperwork BS.  

Vietnam,  Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Malaysia and Japan  are enjoying more & more tourists thanks to Thailand's stupidity.      

[sungod]

36 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

Once  again ASEAN Now are way off the mark on what they are writing about.  May I suggest you hire someone in country who actually has experience with Thai immigration bureaucracy. 

Back to bullet point journalism albeit with a name change.......

 

'The OP' should consider a master's degree in journalism before putting pen to paper in future, or at least learn how to research, so much misinformation.

[ikke1959]

The whole immigration and visa system has to be modernized... There are too many visas with too many rules and it makes things unclear..Just tourist visa, long term visa, and that is it. scrap 90 days reports, Thailand Pass, that's it... Enter 2022 instead of a lot bureaucratic rules, copies, and everything... Make life easy

[sirwilly]

No you dont need any qualifications just very deep pockets full of MONEY.

[TravelerEastWest]

2 hours ago, bbko said:

Most government info is posted at a 8th grade reading level, when it comes to Thai visas, many problems arise with hearsay, rumors, half information, "somebody said" type stuff and the "special ED" types go and hire an agent claiming the bypass of a 1 hour wait is worth the multi thousand bath payment....555. 

If you're too dense to understand what others consider basic 8th grade reading level instructions, and want to claim hiring an agent is easier, have at it, enjoy paying triple/quadruple for a simple procedure.

Some of us are working long hours and have children - for us using an agent to get an appointment and be in and out of immigration in less than an hour is well worth it.

 

If I had lots of time and not much money I would do all the paperwork myself...

 

 

Most of the visa extension requirements are simple except when iO add or change things at the last minute and different offices require different things...

[josephbloggs]

What a horrendous article.  I don't have a master's degree but have managed to live and work here for 27 years.  It really isn't difficult.

 

And how can they state such utterly incorrect rubbish as this?  Has the author ever actually applied for TP?  Sounds like it was written by one of the "insurance scam" posters here who generally base their outrage on zero experience and made up injustices.

"The reason being is they must register online after departure for Thailand Pass with at least 48 hours’ notice required to receive their all-important QR Code. 

 

It isn’t possible to apply for an advance Thailand Pass whilst still in this country. "

Of course it is possible to do it while still in the country!!  I have done it myself.  TP does not ask where you are when you apply, you only need to say when you will arrive and the purpose ("returning to Thailand" is one of the options). 

 

And it isn't "at least" 48 hours' notice.  TP says a maximum of 48 hours.  Most people get their approvals within a few hours.

 

Really Asean Now has been going downhill for some time but this is ridiculous.