Visa Extension For Medical Reasons?

[manonthemon]

Hi,

Where to begin? I'm in a situation. To be precise - my girlfriend is.

She's Indian. She is 26 weeks pregnant. She's been here on a Non B visa but due some trouble with her job (you can read more about that here: ) she ended up on a tourist visa. The visa runs out on the 30-th.

Yesterday we've learned that her pregnancy is at risk. I wont get into medical details here, what matters is that she should stay at home and rest. Before we got that information we were planning to fly back to India on the 6th October and get her an ED visa, we wanted to stay in India for 3 weeks and come back. This holiday plans have been canceled for obvious reasons. But we still need to get her a visa.

The doctor wasn't happy about it but he DID allow her to fly there and back suggesting that the sooner we go the better it is (for her and the babies health) But if it's only possibile we'd still rather avoid flying. Hence my question - is it possible to get a tourist visa extension for medical reasons?

Today we're seeing another doctor to get a second opinion on that matter.

To sum it up, the facts are.

- She's indian so she can only get her visa in India (2 hour flight form here).

- She has all the documents for her ED visa (costed her 15k)

- She's 26 weeks pregnant. There is some complications and she should rest.

- Her visa runs out in 4 days.

- Te doctor allowed her to fly but from what I read it's better not to.

thanx for any info,

Edited September 26, 2012 by manonthemon

[Briggsy]

Usually the hospital does it all for you.

[Mario2008]

Yes, if she cannot travel because of medical reasons she can get an extension of stay for up to 90 days at a time, every 90 days till she is fit to travel again.

She needs to visit immigration with a doctors declaration that she is unfit to fly and outlining her condition. Most big private hospitals have laisons with immigraiton and can help take care of the extension.

[manonthemon]

Yes, if she cannot travel because of medical reasons she can get an extension of stay for up to 90 days at a time, every 90 days till she is fit to travel again.

Thanx, that helps a lot. I'll consult another doctor today and we'll decide what's best for her.

cheers,

[Lite Beer]

2.25 In the case of medical

treatment or convalescence or to look after a patient:

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 90 days at a time.

(1) Confirmation and request has been made by a physician

responsible for the treatment. The Physician must describe the details of treatment and advised that the illness is a barrier for travelling.

(2) In the case of looking after a patient, confirmation and request has been made by the physician responsible for the treatment or by an embassy or consulate.

(3) Patient Carer, except parents, spouse, children, adopted children or children of spouse, shall be granted no more than 1 extra person.

[Colabamumbai]

I have flown from India to Thailand and back, I do not know how you can do it in 2 hours. Mumbai Bangkok, 4.5 hours on the plane, plus, plus.

[manonthemon]

I have flown from India to Thailand and back, I do not know how you can do it in 2 hours. Mumbai Bangkok, 4.5 hours on the plane, plus, plus.

Bangkok - Kolkata is a 2 hours flight.

[NancyL]

It's absolutely essential that the doctor supplies a letter that the patient cannot travel until a certain date. As mentioned, the private hospitals have a patient liason dept that can help with this. But, I've assisted foreigners in the government hospital or those receiving care from a doctor in his private clinic and found there is much confusion from those doctors about what is needed by immigration. It doesn't do any good to simply supply a letter confirming that the patient in currently resident in a hospital or has been in the hospital. Immigration wants to see certification from the doctor that the patient will be unfit for travel up to a certain date in the future.

It is possible for a third party to obtain a medical extension if the OP's GF shouldn't be traveling to immigration. Just copy the language for a basic limited power-of-attorney from the internet, where she'll grant the OP permission to act on her behalf on obtaining a visa extension for her. Have a couple witnesses for her signature (like nurses) and some official looking stamps from the hospital or doctor's office. Bring a photo of the GF (looking really miserable and highly pregnant, maybe surrounded by nurses and with the OP in the photo looking concerned) and the OP's passport. Could save the GF the stress of dealing with Immigration herself.

[manonthemon]

It's absolutely essential that the doctor supplies a letter that the patient cannot travel until a certain date.

I believe that's exactly what we have - we went to a big government hospital yesterday (Rajavithi Hospital) and the doctor there gave us a medical certificate stating, that my GF is unfit to travel till the 4-th of January (that's around our due sate) because of hight risk of haemorrage. The document is in English.

I hope this get's us an extension. Actually - excension of extension - she got a 7 days extension of her tourist visa a couple of days ago. We got the information about the pregnancy complication a day or two later.

We're leaving for immigration right now. Keep fingers crossed.

[manonthemon]

Hello again. Today me and my 6 months pregnant GF (who was instructed by the doctor yesterday to stay in bed) spent 7 hours in the immigration. We didn't get what we came for but we did get something.

We arrived there around 9 AM, asked for a number for the tourist visa extension based on medical reasons line and got it. Our number didn't pop up before 12:00 so we had to wait through the infamous immigration lunch break. After the lunch it took another 2 hours for our turn to come up and when it finally came we were told that the number they gave us in the beginning is for the wrong counter.

We were led to another counter, than another to finally arrive at the right one where the immigration staff started checking our documents. Couple of minutes later they took them to the immigration doctor who, 20 minutes later came to a conclusion : no extension permitted.

Why? We ask.

Because you're 26 weeks pregnant and pregnancy is a reason for extension only after the 28Th. week.

It doesn't matter that not every pregnancy is different. It's not important that we have an obstetrician opinion, in writing , form a government hospital stating, that my GF in unfit to travel and should stay in bed because flying can lead to hemorrhage and is risky for both mother's and baby's health. We can not get an extension .

-What should we do doctor? We ask.

- Go to Aranya Prathet (a town on the border of Thailand and Cambodia), get a 15 days extension there.

- We can not, she's Indian, your immigration low stops her form getting a visa on arrival, she can only get it in India.

- That's not my problem...........

I kind of lost it here but my GF calmed me down and we kept negotiating which finally... resulted in an extension - we got two month which is one month before the due date. They say that next time we come we'll get the extension without a problem cuz my GF will be over 30 weeks pregnant. Still - she has to come personally. And in the meantime she has to do a 90days report.

-What if she's in hospital?

- When she get's better she'll pay her overstay....

It was a terrible, terrible day but looking on the bright side, we have them off our back for 2 months and can focus on lying down and getting the baby to the happy, happy end.

Edited September 27, 2012 by lopburi3
26 months changed to weeks

[Mario2008]

That must have been very frustrating.

The 90 day report can be done by mail.

The extension must be made in person, but suspect with a little help from the hospital immigraiton will be accomodating. Not everybody with this kind of extension can travel and immigration will understand that. But will need proof she really can't show up in person.

[rodalyn07]

Hi,when you applied for the extension of the visa of your gf did you pay for it?,Right now my situation is I'm 36weeks pregnant and I went to Maesai yesterday to get my another 2 months.,But sad to say I just get 15days,So it is hard for me to get out again after 15days. My doctor from the government hospital give me a certificate and told me to go at Thai Immigration.

Thanks

[lopburi3]

How would you expect to get 60 days at a border entry? 15 days seems to be what you are allowed for visa exempt entry. You can get an extension of stay from immigration using a TM.7 form costing 1,900 baht with photo and letter from doctor.

[philw]

That must have been very frustrating.

The 90 day report can be done by mail.

The extension must be made in person, but suspect with a little help from the hospital immigraiton will be accomodating. Not everybody with this kind of extension can travel and immigration will understand that. But will need proof she really can't show up in person.

What a nightmare.

Sincerely wish you good luck and keep calm.

There is always a way through, just takes a bit of searching.

Phil.

[rodalyn07]

How would you expect to get 60 days at a border entry? 15 days seems to be what you are allowed for visa exempt entry. You can get an extension of stay from immigration using a TM.7 form costing 1,900 baht with photo and letter from doctor.

I get a double entry visa from Laos,and I need to show up in any boarder to get my another 2months. But last month I decided to show up first in Thai Immigration to get another 30 days cost 1900baht. After that they told me that I can go on any boarder to get my another 2months. My mistake is I based on the Thai Immigration Stamp which is Mar 27,and I went on Maesai on that exact date,.I didn't notice that my Laos Stamp is valid until Mar 26, and the officer didn't allow me..So I just get 15days

But I'm happy coz I went right now to Thai Immigration for my visa extension. I just need the copy of house registration of my bf and they going to give me 60 or 90 days extension ..But I forgot to ask how much it cost.

[lopburi3]

You didn't mention you had a two entry visa. And yes they were correct as your visa expired the day before you went so only visa exempt of 15 days was allowed. Good to hear you are on way to extension from immigration. It will require a TM.7 form with 4x6cm photo and 1,900 baht fee. Also have copies of passport/entry stamp.

[Sheryl]

@manonthemon

 

You need a letter from the hospital stating that you are unable to travel and why, and for how long. Bring that to immigration (or  have someone else bring it) to immigration. You will also need photocopies of your passport pages,  a passport/visa sized photograph and they usually also want photos of the patient (lying in bed and looking  as unwell - or in your cases pregnant -- as possible.)

 

 

 

 

[treetops]

The kid will be 10 years old soon and manonthemon hasn't logged on for over 3 years. ????

 

[TimeMachine]

long time in the future but all things work out in the end. For those who come across this. I asked a hospital for documents for dental work that would take more than 3 months so I could get medical visa. Hospital BPH said they don't give such documents.

 

Life is so hard on us sometimes. It seems agencies conspiring to cause us suffering.

 

 

[JeffersLos]

14 hours ago, Sheryl said:

they usually also want photos of the patient (lying in bed and looking  as unwell - or in your cases pregnant -- as possible.)

 

Well, she'd be 500 weeks pregnant at this stage, so probably not looking the best.  

[Sharp]

6 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

Well, she'd be 500 weeks pregnant at this stage, so probably not looking the best.  

Post of the day and it's only early ????????