Visa run/extension amnesty during COVID in 2020

[jim hayes]

Hi, does anyone recall or have details/dates about the amnesty mentioned in the title?

I held a marriage based multi entry non o visa valid until July 1st 2020

I last entered Thailand on March 19th 2020, permission to stay given up until June 16th 2020

During this time the borders (and immigration offices?) were closed so I was unable to do the usual visa run and I believe the Thai government issued an amnesty.

On September 23rd 2020 I was granted the 60 day extension for visiting my wife.

I then did a couple of COVID extensions which gave me time to season the 400,000 Baht to apply for the marriage based extension, which I did without any problems in 2021 and 2022.

Fast forward to Feb 2023 and I applied for the marriage extension once again which I was due to receive today (March 29th). However, it has been delayed because the immigration office was questioning the "gap" in my immigration history, ie there are no stamps in my passport to cover the time between June 16th and September 23rd 2020.

Hence my question regarding the amnesty which I'm sure was in place at the time.

I explained to the immigration officer about the amnesty but I wanted to check the facts with you guys.

 

[Caldera]

You're correct, the amnesty was in place during that time. 

 

When you applied for the 60-day extension, they should have put a stamp into your passport to that effect.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Caldera

[jim hayes]

Ok thanks, I did get a stamp for the 60 day extension and another stamp below it referring to an announcement from the government re the COVID situation. I think immigration have forgotten about the amnesty!

[DrJack54]

5 hours ago, jim hayes said:

then did a couple of COVID extensions which gave me time to season the 400,000 Baht to apply for the marriage based extension, which I did without any problems in 2021 and 2022.

The io stu ffed up.

Unless you have exited Thailand without reentry permit you can obtain a 12 month extension. 

Your stay has been continuous and based upon extensions provided by Thai gov.

Which immigration office? 

Edited March 29, 2023 by DrJack54

[jim hayes]

Hi, it's the Kalasin office which is one of those currently under investigation by Big Joke. I have always done everything "by the book" and to be fair the staff there have always been extremely helpful and polite, including yesterday's visit. I guess the problem arose this year because of the ongoing investigation, for the first time ever they requested a copy of every single passport page.

 

[jim hayes]

I believe the amnesty was announced in April 2020 and it ended in September 2020, can anyone confirm this or provide a link to the official announcement? Thanks.

 

[Caldera]

3 hours ago, jim hayes said:

I believe the amnesty was announced in April 2020 and it ended in September 2020, can anyone confirm this or provide a link to the official announcement? Thanks.

 

The first "amnesty" was decreed in April 2020, retroactively for all those whose permission to stay had expired from March 26th onwards. That's when borders had been closed, flights suspended and etc.

 

It was subsequently extended a number of times, and was eventually succeeded by "Covid extensions", I think in October 2020 but I don't recall the exact date.

[jim hayes]

Ok thanks Caldera, that's pretty much how I remembered it. Just had a call from immigration telling that my extension has been approved so they've realized their mistake.  Thanks for the replies everyone.