Coronavirus and border runs

[TheDark]

Has Thai government given any slack for people who have multiple entry visas and have to do border runs during this coronavirus outbreak?

 

Is there any chance of visiting local immigration office to extend stay of visit for another 3 months, instead of flying to another country for that same purpose?

 

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by TheDark

[jackdd]

Afaik there are no travel restrictions to the neighbouring countries (both ways), so what is the problem?

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, TheDark said:

Is there any chance of visiting local immigration office to extend stay of visit for another 3 months, instead of flying to another country for that same purpose?

No

The are only giving special extensions for Chinese that entered on 15 day visa on arrival.

You could do a border run to get your new 90 day entry. You do not have to do it by air.

Edit: If married to or the parent of Thai you could get a 60 day extension to visit them.

[ubonjoe]

Some off topic posts have been removed.

[TheDark]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

No

The are only giving special extension for Chinese that entered on 15 day visas on arrival.

You could do a border run to get your new 90 day entry. You do not have to do it by air.

Thanks. Is there a way to deliver the wish to cancel border runs with valid 1 year visas for time being to the Thai immigration / government?

 

 

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, TheDark said:

Thanks. Is there a way to deliver the wish to cancel border runs with valid 1 year visas for time being to the Thai immigration / government?

Did you read the edit I did to my post?

The will not do anything about needing a new entry unless it got to the point that you could not leave the country to get one.

[SpanishExpat]

45 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Afaik there are no travel restrictions to the neighbouring countries (both ways), so what is the problem?

Depending how Vietnam is handling this issue. If I had to do a border run, I surely would skip Vietnam now (which includes booking advance tickets etc)

 

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-suspends-entry-from-all-coronavirus-hit-areas-4060323.html

 

[TheDark]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Did you read the edit I did to my post?

The will not do anything about needing a new entry unless it got to the point that you could not leave the country to get one.

I didn't see it before, now I did. Now I wish to learn a bit more of the rules.

 

If I'm half year in on my 1 year multiple entry NON-O visa and getting close to my 90-day entry. 

 

Can I go to the immigration office and extend my visit (without going outside of Thai borders) by 60 days? This way I would have to exit Thailand only after 150 days, instead of 90 days. 

 

I thought the 60 days extension to visit was only valid at the end of the visa period, therefore extending 1 year multiple entry visa to become 1 year +89 days + 60 days visa when optimised to it's best. 

[ubonjoe]

Just now, TheDark said:

Can I go to the immigration office and extend my visit (without going outside of Thai borders) by 60 days? This way I would have to exit Thailand only after 150 days, instead of 90 days. 

You can extend any of the 90 day permit to stays from your visa to visit your wife. You can even do one for the last entry you can get just before your visa expires.

1 minute ago, TheDark said:

I thought the 60 days extension to visit was only valid at the end of the visa period, therefore extending 1 year multiple entry visa to become 1 year +89 days + 60 days visa when optimised to it's best. 

Not correct. 

[TheDark]

Well, heck. After a decade living here, I'm happy to occasionally learn more details how to maximise the immigration system possibilities. While I had extensions, I didn't have to learn these rules. 

 

But for the past few years, I have been flying or taking a bus to the border, every 90 days. 

 

What you say, is that I didn't have to do that border run every 90 days, and I could have delayed it by another 60 days by paying 1900 baht fee each time. I would have extended my stays and paid the fees with pleasure, had I have only known it's a possibility.

 

Now I know. Thanks. I'll use extension of stay in a near future and save myself a lot of trouble venturing outside of Thailand.

Every little thing helps at this point of my life. 

 

Edit: One more question. As my wife is not too well and have her good and bad days. How much earlier I can visit the immigration and ask for 60 day extension, before my current visit expires? If I visit immigration tomorrow and my visit (not visa) ends in a couple of weeks, will the 60 day extension be added to the day I ask for it or to the day my visit allowance ends?

Edited February 26, 2020 by TheDark

[TheDark]

While I'm still beating my <deleted> for not understanding how to extend border run periods, I still wish to learn a bit more. 

 

Firstly, naturally, if I visit immigration with my wife on 5th of March and my visit expires on 15th of March, is the new 60 days added to the 5th or 15th?

 

Is the extension of visit dictated by specific immigration offices or does the general rules apply to all immigration offices?

We already know, that many rules are applied differently by different embassies. Does the same apply to different immigration offices?

 

[ubonjoe]

29 minutes ago, TheDark said:

One more question. As my wife is not too well and have her good and bad days. How much earlier I can visit the immigration and ask for 60 day extension, before my current visit expires? If I visit immigration tomorrow and my visit (not visa) ends in a couple of weeks, will the 60 day extension be added to the day I ask for it or to the day my visit allowance ends?

You can do it up to 2 weeks early at most offices. 

The extension will start from the end of your current permit to stay.

[TheDark]

12 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You can do it up to 2 weeks early at most offices. 

The extension will start from the end of your current permit to stay.

Thank you. You just made my current life a lot easier. Just when I thought everything was falling apart. 

[Caldera]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The are only giving special extensions for Chinese that entered on 15 day visa on arrival.

Interesting. How long/often can they now extend their VOA? That sure beats waiving their overstay fine instead.

[ubonjoe]

19 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Interesting. How long/often can they now extend their VOA? That sure beats waiving their overstay fine instead.

I have not seen anything about how long the extensions are for. I would guess 15 day or possibley 30 days.

[TheDark]

Let's rewrite the rule of having 1 year multiple entry visa to Thailand.

 

1 year multiple entry visa costs 5000 baht.

 

You have to exit Thailand after 90 days of visit.

 - You can however extend each your stay by 60 days, if you visit Thai immigration with your spouse and pay 1900 baht extension fee.

 - This way one doesn't have to do a border run (simply going out of Thailand and coming back) every 90 days, but every 150 days. 

 

- If it's more easy and cheap to do border run every 90 days, then simply do it. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hashes7327]

So with a Non B multiple entry visa I can extend my 90 days to 120 each time? I'm flying to KL tomorrow which is ridiculous considering the pandemic.

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, Hashes7327 said:

So with a Non B multiple entry visa I can extend my 90 days to 120 each time? I'm flying to KL tomorrow which is ridiculous considering the pandemic.

You can only do it if you are married to or the parent of a Thai.

[Jeff G]

20 hours ago, SpanishExpat said:

Depending how Vietnam is handling this issue. If I had to do a border run, I surely would skip Vietnam now (which includes booking advance tickets etc)

 

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-suspends-entry-from-all-coronavirus-hit-areas-4060323.html

 

I just returned from one week in Dalat, Vietnam. No problems going or coming. Everyone very friendly, got 2 month added on my 6 month multiple entry tourist visa. Very easy and I highly recommend a visit to Dalat. Try to stay at The Dalat Palace Hotel. Truly a living antique and a fantastic hotel!

[fourpack]

Slightly off topic I expect Nong Khai border last week.

Coming back into Thailand off the bus

Hurded through what I presume to be a heat/temperature checking tunnel.

Great I thought taking things seriously NO should have known better the computer and TV screen was running recording Temperature of people but no one was there to look. Totally pointless.

Edited February 27, 2020 by fourpack

[Kalasin Jo]

On 2/26/2020 at 6:20 PM, ubonjoe said:

You can extend any of the 90 day permit to stays from your visa to visit your wife. You can even do one for the last entry you can get just before your visa expires.

Not correct. 

Ubonjoe, apart from paying the 1,900 baht fee what documents are needed to request a 60 day extension to a 90 day permission on a ( now expired but you say that doesn't matter) M E no O visa based on marriage? Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

10 hours ago, Kalasin Jo said:

Ubonjoe, apart from paying the 1,900 baht fee what documents are needed to request a 60 day extension to a 90 day permission on a ( now expired but you say that doesn't matter) M E no O visa based on marriage? Thanks.

You wife needs to be with you when you apply. Marriage certificate and a copy of it, copies of her house book registry and ID card.

Copies of your passport photo page, visa, entry stamp and TM6 departure card.

 

[ubonjoe]

In the news now.

 

[spinner2020]

Addressing a couple of points that have cropped up here:

 

I'm one of many with non-O multi (marriage) and usually I travel more than once every 3 months. I have never done the stuff with bank balances or TM30s as a result, and never been to Immigration.

 

This week, because of the regional travel situation, I went to IO to ask if they could – just this once – stamp me out/in. They were sympathetic but no, not without going through some protocols, mainly reporting address (ie TM 30). Incidentally, they insisted my wife must be present (she's currently upcountry with the family).

 

So just for a change I did a border run – to Pu Nam Ron/Htee Khee (Burma). Very easy if boring; got 90-day stamp, no procedures for The Virus, no paperwork required.

 

BUT: need to know you can nowadays only do this (land border crossing) TWICE PER CALENDAR YEAR.

[jackdd]

4 minutes ago, spinner2020 said:

BUT: need to know you can nowadays only do this (land border crossing) TWICE PER CALENDAR YEAR.

Visa exempts are limited to two per calendar year. If you have a valid visa you can do this as many times as you want.

[fourpack]

2 hours ago, spinner2020 said:

Addressing a couple of points that have cropped up here:

 

I'm one of many with non-O multi (marriage) and usually I travel more than once every 3 months. I have never done the stuff with bank balances or TM30s as a result, and never been to Immigration.

 

This week, because of the regional travel situation, I went to IO to ask if they could – just this once – stamp me out/in. They were sympathetic but no, not without going through some protocols, mainly reporting address (ie TM 30). Incidentally, they insisted my wife must be present (she's currently upcountry with the family).

 

So just for a change I did a border run – to Pu Nam Ron/Htee Khee (Burma). Very easy if boring; got 90-day stamp, no procedures for The Virus, no paperwork required.

 

BUT: need to know you can nowadays only do this (land border crossing) TWICE PER CALENDAR YEAR.

You have your facts slightly wrong as mentioned.

You have a NoN O based on marriage you can go out and come in as many times as you want land/Air/Sea.

You are confusing the 30 day visa Exempt rule which is two times land border entries per year.

[Kalasin Jo]

15 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You wife needs to be with you when you apply. Marriage certificate and a copy of it, copies of her house book registry and ID card.

Copies of your passport photo page, visa, entry stamp and TM6 departure card.

 

Thanks. Ubonjoe. Saved me a trip there just to ask! Very simple then! Does it count as a a 90'day report? Easy enough byp do one at the same time but what if done a few days before or would I need to go and do that at actual 90 days?

[EricTh]

13 hours ago, jackdd said:

Visa exempts are limited to two per calendar year. If you have a valid visa you can do this as many times as you want.

 

Including tourist visa? Can you give me a link to the official website confirming what you said.

[jackdd]

8 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Including tourist visa? Can you give me a link to the official website confirming what you said.

Any kind of visa. There are some law breaking IOs at some entry points who might try to deny entry for arbitrary reasons, but this can be avoided by only entering at law abiding entry points.

Official sources usually state what is forbidden, or if there are certain limitations, as for example the two visa exempt limit at land borders. They don't mention what is allowed, because this list would be endless.

So you won't find an official wesite which states "you can enter as many times as you want", because this is the logical consequence of the non-existence of any limitation.

[HaleySabai]

I was up to MaeSai on the weekend doing my run and had no trouble at all.The Thai immigration has apparently hired Uni-students to guide travelers and answer questions. The exit and entry had both cute English speaking Thai-girls in their school uniforms.

 

Meanwhile...in the hell-realm on the other side of the border the Myanmar immigration office/shack/cubical was packed with 11-Chins,all wearing masks...so was I. 

What was interesting was after the official took my $10usd he stamped my passport 'in and out' and said with a panicked look to "go back now". Usually they give me the option of shopping or even stay in town for a few days. Just thought it was odd but didn't care either way since there is nothing of interest in Tachiliek for me. When I crossed back to Thailand I thought...What the hell is going on in Burma,for all we know there could be a major outbreak of Corona. Myanmar is such a god-awful mess of a county that a nasty virus could easily develop legs and run over the people. Not like the Junta is going to care nor on the ground have the resources to deal with it.

Maybe just my over-blow'n imagination at work based on the behavior of a stressed out immigration officer...but,who knows.