I Am Stuck In Bkk Due To Volcanic Ashes And My Visa On Arrival Is Expiring

[vdries]

Dear all,

I arrived in Thailand almost a month ago for a holiday and entered as Dutch national on a visa on arrival. I was supposed to fly home today but due to the closure of the airport in Amsterdam my flight got cancelled. I have no idea when I will be able to leave, but my visa on arrival is expiring soon.

Does anyone know where I can go to get an extention?

Thx!

[Jdietz]

7 day extension at any immigration office. It may help to state where in Thailand you are at the moment for better directions. Price 1,900 Baht.

[LaoPo]

OP:

You're not the only (European) one stranded in Thailand and also not the only one in Asia, Europe or elsewhere in the world.

I'm sure the authorities will know about it and have mercy this time.

There are already many millions of stranded passengers now, all over the world who can't fly and return or take off to their destinations.

Make the best of it!

PS:

Mother Nature grabbed the world at it's balls; nothing that can be done and let's hope that other dangerous volcano doesn't erupt; the KATLA*....., next to the present one but with a crater of 110 square kilometers

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Volcanic-Ash...69#entry3514669

LaoPo

Edited April 17, 2010 by LaoPo

[spongeman]

The authorities need to have mercy - this may carry on into Thursday or Friday next week.

[bdenner]

The authorities need to have mercy - this may carry on into Thursday or Friday next week.

Until you see something in writing from the Immigration dept. don't take anything for granted. This is Thailand we are speaking of!

[Maestro]

Yes, vdries, you need to go to an immigration office and apply for a 7-day extension of stay. Go before your current permission to stay expires.

--

Maestro

[Declan]

Where are u? my wife is a barrister with good connections, i can get u an answer today

[chadintheusa]

You should contact the immigration office on Chaengwattana road and inquire about an extension, can do that on Monday. Or contact them at the airport, they know the flights have been canceled.

[soihok]

The first thing I would do is contact the Airline that has cancelled your flight.

They should be able to assist you, unless its Aeroflot, Biman or such.

[Jimmu]

Lets face it,,, you would'nt expect every tourist to make their own way down to some strange, busy office somewhere down town in the middle of a massive political demonstration going on.

Your kidding RIGHT?

[miksguevara]

go down to the immigration office and dont expect thai immigration to waver official visa practices ...they may do but I doubt it.....I dont know why people are speculating about this....

[KhaoNiaw]

go down to the immigration office and dont expect thai immigration to waver official visa practices

Definitely the best advice.

[balo]

The last time this vulcano erupted was in 1827 and it lasted for 18 months.

So maybe you should apply for a 1 year visa .

[soihok]

Contact the airline that has cancelled the flight.

How many travellers are stranded due these flights being cancelled?

Do the previous posters belive that these travellers will fined for leaving late?

Great for tourism that is!

[tropo]

The last time this vulcano erupted was in 1827 and it lasted for 18 months.

So maybe you should apply for a 1 year visa .

There's always the old fashioned option...traveling by sea.

[micksterbs]

Yeah, I'm in the same situation. Due to go back to the UK on Monday via Bahrein but certainly looks like a no-no at the moment. I can't imagine that the airline would want me and hundreds of others pouring into Bahrein if they can't carry on from there. Problem is, my visa (non-imm O) expires on the 22nd so it looks like I'm going to have to try for an extension. Apart from my passport, what other paperwork do I need?

Have to say that I'm dreading this; the usual experience of Thai beauracracy is every piece of paper you've ever owned, photocopied and signed at least three times and then waiting for two hours. Then they'll send you home for the first thing that comes into their head like, ooh, your grandfather's birth certificate or something. Shudder. Suddenly, three days on the floor at Bahrein airport seems quite attractive...

[gotlost]

Party on Dudes your going to be here a while.

[Mario2008]

Yeah, I'm in the same situation. Due to go back to the UK on Monday via Bahrein but certainly looks like a no-no at the moment. I can't imagine that the airline would want me and hundreds of others pouring into Bahrein if they can't carry on from there. Problem is, my visa (non-imm O) expires on the 22nd so it looks like I'm going to have to try for an extension. Apart from my passport, what other paperwork do I need?

Have to say that I'm dreading this; the usual experience of Thai beauracracy is every piece of paper you've ever owned, photocopied and signed at least three times and then waiting for two hours. Then they'll send you home for the first thing that comes into their head like, ooh, your grandfather's birth certificate or something. Shudder. Suddenly, three days on the floor at Bahrein airport seems quite attractive...

The 22nd is a long time away and there are some hopefull signs that some operatins might start again.

But an extension would be 1,900 baht. You would also need to bring a passphoto and a copy of your passport and departure card. Extension will be 7 days. But it might very well be that they will not chage any overstay in situations like this.

[micksterbs]

Yeah, I'm in the same situation. Due to go back to the UK on Monday via Bahrein but certainly looks like a no-no at the moment. I can't imagine that the airline would want me and hundreds of others pouring into Bahrein if they can't carry on from there. Problem is, my visa (non-imm O) expires on the 22nd so it looks like I'm going to have to try for an extension. Apart from my passport, what other paperwork do I need?

Have to say that I'm dreading this; the usual experience of Thai beauracracy is every piece of paper you've ever owned, photocopied and signed at least three times and then waiting for two hours. Then they'll send you home for the first thing that comes into their head like, ooh, your grandfather's birth certificate or something. Shudder. Suddenly, three days on the floor at Bahrein airport seems quite attractive...

The 22nd is a long time away and there are some hopefull signs that some operatins might start again.

But an extension would be 1,900 baht. You would also need to bring a passphoto and a copy of your passport and departure card. Extension will be 7 days. But it might very well be that they will not chage any overstay in situations like this.

True. I'm not intending to call the airline until later today as the situation could change. I read on BBC this morning that KLM and another airline, I forget which, had carried out test flights with no ill-effects. KLM were going to ask for permission to fly. The airlines are losing a shed-load of money every day that this goes on and they're going to want to get cracking soon-ish. I'm trying to sound optimistic here.

[sarahsbloke]

Better off going to Cambodia or Burma for a day trip.

You will get a 14 day Thai visa on re-entry to thailand.

[GreenSnapper]

Air Asia to Penang.

3 months visa on arrival. Should be sufficient.

[lopburi3]

Several off-topic/nonsense posts removed.

[Sunderland]

Lets face it,,, you would'nt expect every tourist to make their own way down to some strange, busy office somewhere down town in the middle of a massive political demonstration going on.

Your kidding RIGHT?

The immigration office is not downtown, it's in northern Bangkok. There have been sporadic demonstrations around Bangkok including one which closed the immigration HQ for a day. Follow the news and you should have no problems visiting immigration on Chaengwattana Road. It's a good 40 minutes away from Rajapraong intersection.

[redwood13]

Before calling have a look at your airline's web page.

For example here's KLM's re Flight Disruptions..

-redwood

[syd barrett]

I think when the Thai Immigration get back to work tomorrow, Monday April 19th after the Songkran holiday, then they will make an announcement about this.

When the airport was shut by Yellow Shirts, visa regulations were waived as long as you could show proof of a flight booking.

[alyx]

Hey I would not rely on hypothetic leniency from any of the administration (at home and abroad)

So, only two legal solutions apart from one week extension

1) Fly out and in asap

2) Fly out, visit until the sky clears up, fly back and leave

Edited April 18, 2010 by alyx

[bprinceuk]

I am presently in France at the moment, all the news media are indicating that the ash clouds are not budging and that the flight cancellation may go on for several days.

Related content

• Video: UK flight ban continues
  

Air traffic control company Nats announced that the ash cloud caused by an erupting Icelandic volcano was still covering the UK and the flight ban would continue as a result.

There is currently no end to the disruption in sight with volcanologists warning that the eruptions from Mount Eyjafjallajokull could continue for months.

Officials said airlines would continue to be subject to restrictions for as long as ash billowed into British airspace.

A spokesman for airport operator BAA advised passengers not to travel to airports and to keep in touch with their airlines.

Graeme Leitch of the Met Office said a change in the wind direction might mean flight restrictions could be lifted but there was no indication that any such change was imminent.

[Maestro]

Where are u? my wife is a barrister with good connections, i can get u an answer today

One does not need a barrister with good connections to find out where to go for an extension of stay.

--

Maestro

[thaiphoon]

Bump.

Please contain topics on this matter to one thread. Thank you.

[bramds]

Today at the desk of AirBerlin they told me I would not be charged for an overstay. If they do charge me, I will send the receipt to AirBerlin and ask for compensation.