Lao partner cannot do Border run for his 30 day stamp

[vanbrit548]

My Laos partner who lives with me in Pattaya normally gets his passport stamped every 30 days by doing a border run.  At present all borders are closed with little sign of them reopening any time soon.  Wondering what he can do? I heard that 30 day extensions may be granted if he gets a letter from the Laos embassy.  So that will involve us heading to Bangkok and possibly waiting several days to obtain.  Is anyone else in the same boat? Any suggestions?

[BritTim]

First step is to contact the Lao embassy. Assuming you can get through, there must surely be someone who can advise you.

[jackdd]

Somehow i doubt that neighbouring countries issue such a letter, because all it takes for him to get home to his country is a few hours drive. But asking doesn't hurt, so just call the Laos embassy or send an email.

[jaiyenyen]

A friend of mine has the same problem. Her visa stamp expires on 1st April. She went to the Laos embassy in Bangkok yesterday. As you can imagine, they were very busy. She was told to go back on 31st March and they would give her the extension.

I hope this helps.

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, jaiyenyen said:

A friend of mine has the same problem. Her visa stamp expires on 1st April. She went to the Laos embassy in Bangkok yesterday. As you can imagine, they were very busy. She was told to go back on 31st March and they would give her the extension.

I hope this helps.

Bit confused. How can Laos embassy give her an extension to stay in Thailand. Not possible.

[NamH2O]

http://www.laoembassybangkok.gov.la/

Your partner can apply at the laos embassy Bangkok for the letter 200 Baht

[jaiyenyen]

Good point Dr Jack54.

But that was what I was told.

[Senior Player]

Yes, I have the same problem with a girlfriend from Laos who's currently in the Bang Lamung district which happens to be a long way from Bangkok, so the possibility of traveling to the Laos Embassy in BKK is no longer an option for her. I also think it would be highly irresponsible for her to now return to Laos, which is just starting to show early signs of the virus, when she could catch en route and cause further major community spread in her own country by returning. Clearly, the best thing for her to do is to hunker down in her Thai province and wait for the possibility of extending her current 30-day stamp through other means. It would help greatly if the Thai government considered migrants from neighbouring countries who need immediate guidance and assistance in extending their stay by not having to cross the border or travel to an embassy in the capital city.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Senior Player

[jacko45k]

10 hours ago, vanbrit548 said:

I heard that 30 day extensions may be granted if he gets a letter from the Laos embassy

The border is still open to him isn't it? It might be that they hence do not issue the letters... can you contact them? 

[samsensam]

 

common sense suggests contact the embassy.

[Senior Player]

10 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

common sense suggests contact the embassy.

The Laos embassy isn't answering its calls in Bangkok. Perhaps its overwhelmed? Don't you think people have already tried that avenue? 

[vanbrit548]

Nor is the Lao embassy responding to emails.  ????????.  

[Senior Player]

There's a good piece in the Bangkok Post beseeching the Thai government to relax its rules on those with 30-day visa exempts and calling for them to end the tourist paper chase. Unfortunately, the Thai government's online processing capabilities exclude those holding a 30-day tourist visa who wish to extend it. Not that I have any faith in their online processing capabilities as many tourists find it next to impossible to get it to work for them for other purposes. The sensible thing would be for the Thai gov to extend all visas or 30-day exempts automatically during this State of Emergency just as Indonesia, the UK and NZ amongst others have done. The trouble is the Thai gov is obsessed with bureaucracy rather than common sense. 

 

<removed>

Edited March 28, 2020 by ubonjoe
removed link to Bangkok Post (forum rule)

[Senior Player]

On 3/27/2020 at 10:20 AM, vanbrit548 said:

Nor is the Lao embassy responding to emails.  ????????.  

My Laos girlfriend seems to think she's allowed to stay in LOS due to this letter. I can't read it myself so I'm dubious about her claims. I don't know if this helps?

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Senior Player

[jackdd]

13 minutes ago, Senior Player said:

My Laos girlfriend seems to think she's allowed to stay in LOS due to this letter. I can't read it myself so I'm dubious about her claims. I don't know if this helps?

 

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior of Thailand is asking immigration police to help people who are affected from Covid 19 and might not be able to travel home.

So it doesn't have any relevance for us.

[Senior Player]

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior of Thailand is asking immigration police to help people who are affected from Covid 19 and might not be able to travel home.

So it doesn't have any relevance for us.

Thanks @jackdd I wasn't sure what relevance it had but thought if it could help I'd post it. So basically it's just a statement advising the immigration police to help those affected by the virus and not those trapped in the country trying to extend their 30-day visas? I thought the letter was too good to be true.

[jackdd]

16 minutes ago, Senior Player said:

Thanks @jackdd I wasn't sure what relevance it had but thought if it could help I'd post it. So basically it's just a statement advising the immigration police to help those affected by the virus and not those trapped in the country trying to extend their 30-day visas? I thought the letter was too good to be true.

Those who are trapped in the country and try to extend their 30 day visa are affected by the virus or not?

He is advising immigration police that they should allow people who can't travel back home due to the Corona situation to stay legally in Thailand, be it tourist visa, visa exempt, non-immigrant or any other visa.

He finished this sentence with "until 30.08.2020 or however long necessary".

I can understand that this last sentence might cause confusion and some people might understand this as: We all can stay until 30.08.2020.

But this is not what it means. He is not ordering immigration police to do this, but merely asking them, so this letter doesn't have any direct effect on us foreigners.

Unless immigration police issues a new police order, following this person's advise, everything is as before. They could of course also just ignore his advise.

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by jackdd

[Senior Player]

2 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Those who are trapped in the country and try to extend their 30 day visa are affected by the virus or not?

He is advising immigration police that they should allow people who can't travel back home due to the Corona situation to stay legally in Thailand, be it tourist visa, visa exempt, non-immigrant or any other visa.

He finished this sentence with "until 30.08.2020 or however long necessary".

I can understand that this last sentence might cause confusion and some people might understand this as: We all can stay until 30.08.2020.

But this is not what it means. He is not ordering immigration police to do this, but merely asking them, so this letter doesn't have any direct effect on us foreigners.

 

Understood @jackdd The directive has to come from the Thai government to waiver all visas and automatically extend, just like the UK has done to its foreign travellers within its own country. Asking the immigration police to help is just another form of buck passing rather than being pro-active themselves.

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, jackdd said:

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior of Thailand is asking immigration police to help people who are affected from Covid 19 and might not be able to travel home.

So it doesn't have any relevance for us.

I think you off a little in what you wrote.

I just had my assistant (daughter) type it into Google translate.

It was written by the head of the immigration bureau to the interior minister.

"The rough translation says this.

Subject: Permission for aliens to stay in the Kingdom temporarily, study by the Permanent Secretary for Interior. Due to the epidemic situation of the coronavirus-19 Increasing intensity in various countries. Including Thailand as well Leading to the closing of borders in and out of the country As a result, foreigners temporarily staying in the Kingdom are affected, unable to return to their home country or to travel outside the Kingdom. Which may cause such aliens to stay in the Kingdom of Thailand in violation of the law on immigration."

 

"Therefore, in order to alleviate the suffering of the foreigners above, please consider to present to the Cabinet at the meeting on March 24, 2020. To consider and approve the Immigration Bureau to consider allowing foreigners entering the Kingdom. Temporarily By type of visa Or as per the visa waiver rights Which was affected by the border closure Due to the covid-19 viral spreading situation And cannot return to his home country or return to the Kingdom In the kingdom Further, under the provisions of the Immigration Law until June 30, 2020 or the period of granting permission as necessary."

 

So it is not in effect yet since I have seen nothing about it being approved on the 24th by cabinet

So at this time it changes nothing as far as I know or it would of been in the news.

 

I will be requesting a translation of it shortley.

[drbeach]

On 3/26/2020 at 8:12 PM, jackdd said:

Somehow i doubt that neighbouring countries issue such a letter, because all it takes for him to get home to his country is a few hours drive. But asking doesn't hurt, so just call the Laos embassy or send an email.

Not when the borders are closed.

[jackdd]

6 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I think you off a little in what you wrote.

I just had my assistant (daughter) type it into Google translate.

It was written by the head of the immigration bureau to the interior minister.

Yes, you are right, i got it the wrong way arround.

Immigration is asking the interior ministry to help foreigners.

[drbeach]

1 hour ago, Senior Player said:

My Laos girlfriend seems to think she's allowed to stay in LOS due to this letter. I can't read it myself so I'm dubious about her claims. I don't know if this helps?

 

The letter basically requests that foreigner's visas are extended so they can remain in status with effect until June 30 or according to necessity.

 

You might say that's a bit vague (which is typical with official language) but what this basically implies is - visas will be extended during the period from now until June 30, with the permitted length of stay being according to what they think is appropriate or June 30. I have heard they will keep giving people a month each time but since I won't be affected until June myself, all I can go off right now are reports I've read elsewhere.

 

The assumption in this letter is that the situation will have eased enough to allow travel again after June 30 (though it could be before or after) hence why they are kinda being generous by allowing extensions made from now on to be valid either until then, or be extended unlimited number of times through until that date. Should the situation continue beyond then, I'm sure the department will continue to allow further extensions.

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Yes, you are right, i got it the wrong way arround.

Immigration is asking the interior ministry to help foreigners.

It written to the interior minister asking him to present immigrations proposal to the cabinet when they met this past Tuesday.

Immigration is suggesting allowing everybody affected by border crossing closures and cancellation of flights  in or out and the ability to leave or re-enter the country to stay in the country until June 30th,

[Senior Player]

2 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It written to the interior minister asking him to present immigrations proposal to the cabinet when they met this past Tuesday.

Immigration is suggesting allowing everybody affected by border crossing closures and cancellation of flights  in or out and the ability to leave or re-enter the country to stay in the country until June 30th,

So that was 5 days ago and nothing has been said on the matter since? Unless the Interior Minister acts immediately, this dithering on waiving visas and 30-day exempts is going to continue. Hopefully he pulls his fingers out soon.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Senior Player said:

So that was 5 days ago and nothing has been said on the matter since? Unless the Interior Minister acts immediately, this dithering on waiving visas and 30-day exempts is going to continue.

The decision has to be done by the cabinet. If and when it was approved by them immigration would have to write and issue the order.

[jackdd]

10 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

It written to the interior minister asking him to present immigrations proposal to the cabinet when they met this past Tuesday.

Immigration is suggesting allowing everybody affected by border crossing closures and cancellation of flights  in or out and the ability to leave or re-enter the country to stay in the country until June 30th,

I still wonder about their motives though. Why would they need the cabinet?

 

They could just issue a police order changing the 30 days maximum with an embassy letter to 90 days maximum.

Or to make it even more easy for applicants, use this clause of the current police order:

5. In the case where an alien applicant does not meet the full qualifications stipulated by the criteria herein or in other cases not specified in this Order but a competent officer equivalent to or higher than inspector is of the opinion that the alien has legitimate reason for staying in the Kingdom of Thailand, the application shall be forwarded to the Commander of the Royal Thai Police or an authorized competent officer for further consideration of the alien's application.

And issue 90 days extensions based on it, no embassy letter required.

 

I have the suspicion that they just want it to look like they try to help, but actually they don't want to help.

[ubonjoe]

34 minutes ago, jackdd said:

They could just issue a police order changing the 30 days maximum with an embassy letter to 90 days maximum.

Or to make it even more easy for applicants, use this clause of the current police order:

They cannot do that without cabinet approval of a ministerial order. The immigration act only allows a stay of 90 days for touristic purposes.

The 30 day extensions they are doing now is temporary fix.

More or less the same for those on visas other than for touristic purposes under clause 2.28 by a embassy.

What they are doing now is a small temporary work around for the problem

Allowing people already in the country to stay until June 30th as proposed is a good idea. Then I assume they could add more time to it if needed.

[jackdd]

19 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

They cannot do that without cabinet approval of a ministerial order. The immigration act only allows a stay of 90 days for touristic purposes.

The 30 day extensions they are doing now is temporary fix.

More or less the same for those on visas other than for touristic purposes under clause 2.28 by a embassy.

What they are doing now is a small temporary work around for the problem

Allowing people already in the country to stay until June 30th as proposed is a good idea. Then I assume they could add more time to it if needed.

If it is deemed necessary that the aliens have to stay in the Kingdom Longer than the period of time prescribed in the paragraphs (1) (2) (3) and (4) the Director General shall consider granting the aliens extension of stay for a period not exceeding one year for each time. After granting permission, the Director General shall report to the Commission for their information, with the reason, within seven days from the date of granting.

Immigration act section 35.

Paragraph (2) is "tourism".

The "Director General" is the (immigration) police chief. So to my understanding, without having to change any existing regulations, he could give one year extensions.

[vanbrit548]

On 3/26/2020 at 9:46 PM, Senior Player said:

Yes, I have the same problem with a girlfriend from Laos who's currently in the Bang Lamung district which happens to be a long way from Bangkok, so the possibility of traveling to the Laos Embassy in BKK is no longer an option for her. I also think it would be highly irresponsible for her to now return to Laos, which is just starting to show early signs of the virus, when she could catch en route and cause further major community spread in her own country by returning. Clearly, the best thing for her to do is to hunker down in her Thai province and wait for the possibility of extending her current 30-day stamp through other means. It would help greatly if the Thai government considered migrants from neighbouring countries who need immediate guidance and assistance in extending their stay by not having to cross the border or travel to an embassy in the capital city.

did you resolve this? My partner got 7 days to leave by April 10th! no idea what to do ????

[fourpack]

There are many Lao citizens around Khon Kaen two I know went to the KK Laos consulate and got a letter went to immigration and got 30 days extension.

So surely the BKK embassy is doing the same

Edited April 5, 2020 by fourpack