Best Advice for non 0 visa extension

[chris8815]

Hi, 

I just saw the update about not needing to go in for an extension and was wondering what was the smartest move in terms of my non-immigrant o multiple entry visa based on marraige.  My stamp is April 14th and my year-long visa expires on May 30th 2020.  I was planning to go in to immigration this afternoon for a 60 day extension but now I dont know what to do.   What's the smartest move? (I ideally would like to stay here as long as possible, until the border is open and can go to laos and get another non o visa, when the conditions improve, and also avoid any crowded and potentially dangerous immigration lines for me and my wife.) THanks so much for the help in advance with all the confusion going on.  

Edited April 9, 2020 by chris8815

[BritManToo]

Current best is to do nothing.

[Tanoshi]

Do nothing.

Your current permission to stay will be automatically extended to April 30th, then for a further 30 days each month for as long as the amnesty period is extended month by month, which in my opinion will be at least until the end of June, perhaps longer.

[chris8815]

Thanks so much for the super fast help guys I really appreciate it. You literrally could have just saved me from getting the virus. So the answer is do nothing, and just keep my eye on the monthly amnesty extension situation, so that I know when to go in.  

[Tanoshi]

My guess is the amnesty will extend slightly beyond borders opening and flights resuming to allow those who need to leave, do a border run, or obtain a new Visa, to do so.

Keep an eye out for further announcements on the situation.

[chris8815]

Again, thanks so much.  You guys really saved me a lot of stress and time.  

[Kalasin Jo]

I didn't read the amnesty as covering the non O multi based on marriage. I'm not s tourist, I'm visitingvmy wife. I came in well before 26 March too. Please correct me!

 

Anyway my visa expired in mid January. Came in just before that, got 90 days which expires tomorrow. To play it safe last week I got a 60 day extension to 9 June for the fee of 1,900 baht and exposure to others at my local IO. After that? Perhaps the amnesty does apply and will be continued?  It's currently only until 30 April isn't it?

[chris8815]

Oh man I hope it cover the non-o.

[William Osborne]

I am in similar position althou about 1 week ahead in both cases....i am planning to go IO on about 20 apr for 60 day extension ....this will bring me up to mid June when my non o expires....if possible i will a do border bounce before it expires and i can get another 3 months plus 60 day ext.....if things still a mess in june, i have put 400k in the bank for 1 year ext........hopefully IO will be reasonably quiet next few weeks.

Edited April 9, 2020 by William Osborne

[greg71]

I have a bad feeling that this virus situation will be the catalyst to stop the multi non o visa from the soft consulates like Savannakhet and HCM . Lets hope im wrong . 

[chris8815]

This whole things seems to be a cluster---k.  Maybe I should just go in to my local office tomorrow, and get the 60 day extension, and that way I can hopefully do a border run, and then further 60 day extension. I just don't want to lose the option of being able to get those extra months, if I use the amnesty extension. 

Edited April 9, 2020 by chris8815

[William Osborne]

2 minutes ago, chris8815 said:

This whole things seems to be a cluster---k.  Maybe I should just go in to my local office tomorrow, and get the 60 day extension, and that way I can hopefully do a border run, and then further 60 day extension. That way I don't lose that 

As it should be quiet.....this would be best option....maybe they will tell you to wait to do the 60 day extension until amnesty is over ?.......tough call to say borders will be open by May 30 so youll lose your non o......I am in slightly better postion as my non expires mid June but still have backup plan off putting 400k in bank if need to do 1 year ext.

[worldfun]

12 minutes ago, chris8815 said:

This whole things seems to be a cluster---k.  Maybe I should just go in to my local office tomorrow, and get the 60 day extension, and that way I can hopefully do a border run, and then further 60 day extension. I just don't want to lose the option of being able to get those extra months, if I use the amnesty extension. 

Damn I'm with same situation stamp till 14mar non o & thus saved by amnesty too as it covers ALL visa types including NON O ????

 

So I think borders will reopen before end of may & you can go out & get a final 90 day entry before visa expiry else apply a new and still no need to deal with immigration offices in country ????

[chris8815]

Thanks so much. The one year ext is a smart idea as a backup. How long do you have to show the money in the bank?

[chris8815]

I wonder if we dont get 60 day extensions now, if we can get a 60 day extension on top of the amnesty period whenever it ends. That might be the best situation. 

[greg71]

400k 2 months prior for the marriage extension ,800k 3months prior for the retirement extension 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, greg71 said:

400k 2 months prior for the marriage extension ,800k 3 months prior for the retirement extension 

Retirement was changed to 2 months over a year ago.

[chris8815]

Hey Ubon Joe, whats your take on my best course of action, I know you give excellent advice :"

 

Hi, 

I just saw the update about not needing to go in for an extension and was wondering what was the smartest move in terms of my non-immigrant o multiple entry visa based on marraige.  My stamp is April 14th and my year-long visa expires on May 30th 2020.  I was planning to go in to immigration this afternoon for a 60 day extension but now I dont know what to do.  "

[William Osborne]

35 minutes ago, worldfun said:

Damn I'm with same situation stamp till 14mar non o & thus saved by amnesty too as it covers ALL visa types including NON O ????

 

Amnesty starts from mar 26 so if your stamp expired 14mar your supposed to go and pay overstay to avail of amnesty......this is what I understand0 anyway..

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, chris8815 said:

I just saw the update about not needing to go in for an extension and was wondering what was the smartest move in terms of my non-immigrant o multiple entry visa based on marraige.  My stamp is April 14th and my year-long visa expires on May 30th 2020.  I was planning to go in to immigration this afternoon for a 60 day extension but now I dont know what to do.  "

It is your choice. You can get the 60 day extension or wait until the emergency decree ends to apply for extension or leave the country.

[chris8815]

So you think that I can get a 60 day extension AFTER the emergency decree ends? (I know you dont know for sure.) That would make the most sense for me since it could possibly give me the longest amount of time depending on how long the decree lasts.  

Edited April 9, 2020 by chris8815

[JAS21]

My extension based on retirement is due May 2.

 

I went to Nonthaburi Immigration when it was just 30 days to go.

 

They said they were very busy with emergency extensions.

 

They noted my details, took my telephone number, and gave me an appointment to come back on 24 April.

 

That is what I intend to do.

[peterpop]

I was told by CM Immigration yesterday that if I use the Covid extension then I will not be able to renew my NON O Visa ext for marriage, but will have to leave the country and re enter using a non O from Laos or elsewhere.  I am having to use coffee money for the first time in 13 years.  I am very upset.

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, peterpop said:

I was told by CM Immigration yesterday that if I use the Covid extension then I will not be able to renew my NON O Visa ext for marriage, but will have to leave the country and re enter using a non O from Laos or elsewhere.  I am having to use coffee money for the first time in 13 years.  I am very upset.

If you are on a one year extension of stay that is probably correct.

[rowdyone]

I went to the Nonthaburi Immigration office yesterday seeking clarification on extending a 30 day visa exempt by 60 days based on marriage. I was told to wait until at least April 30 as I will still qualify for the 60 day extension after the current automatic extension expires.

[chris8815]

2 hours ago, rowdyone said:

I went to the Nonthaburi Immigration office yesterday seeking clarification on extending a 30 day visa exempt by 60 days based on marriage. I was told to wait until at least April 30 as I will still qualify for the 60 day extension after the current automatic extension expires.

Glad you posted this. That's what I wanted know. 

[JimGant]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

If you are on a one year extension of stay that is probably correct.

Wow, if this weren't Thailand, I'd say common sense would weed out misinterpretations of confusing new guidance from Immigration. But, yeah, it's just possible, no, very possible, that "one-year extensions of stay" based on marriage or retirement aren't covered with this free pass from overstay. Why? Well, these folks aren't the tourists the gov't has in mind....we're the problem children of the country. Of course, it just may be the top level powers really did mean all permissions of stay, including us lifers here in Thailand -- but, as per usual, their intent somehow can't be unambiguously delivered to their subordinates.

 

And, again, we get caught up on the terminology of "visa" -- interchangeably and confusingly used with the term "permission of stay" and even with the term "extension [of a permission] of stay." Look at this latest from the US Embassy:

 

Quote

Information in brackets are my additions.

On April 8, the Royal Thai Government approved and implemented automatic visa [permission of stay] extensions for foreign nationals (including U.S. citizens) whose visas [permissions of stay] expire between March 26 and April 20. Visas [permissions of stay] will be extended automatically until April 30, 2020.  The measure applies to all immigration categories including visa exemption (i.e., tourists who entered Thailand and received a 30-day visa [permission of stay]), the category typically received by U.S. citizen tourists.  If you have a valid visa [permission of stay], you do not need to visit an immigration office in order to benefit from the automatic visa extension.

Thanks US Embassy for helping to clarify this terminology confusion NOT! You mean you enter Thailand under the 30-day visa exempt criteria -- and receive a "30-day visa"? Yeah, I know you know the difference -- and using the shortcut "visa" cuts to the quick. However, it sometimes adds to the confusion also.....

 

I added the brackets to clarify exactly what it is they're trying to say. And my interpretation of their interpretation of the Thai directive is: My one-year permission of stay (which is also referred to as an extension of stay) based on retirement, off a long-defunct Non O-A visa, qualifies to "benefit from the automatic visa [permission of stay] extension."

 

But, won't know 'til I show up after the automatic visa extension period ends -- with my long expired one-year extension of stay based on retirement.  (Probably never happen, as will probably have an elite visa by then, as that 800k sitting for naught as a sunk cost can now seemingly be less confusingly used....).

Edited April 10, 2020 by JimGant

[Tanoshi]

Read the official Thai government website for clarification of which group the amnesty covers.

 

 

Quote

Visas [permissions of stay] will be extended automatically until April 30, 2020. 

Annual extensions of stay based on Retirement or Marriage are not 'Visas', therefore not included in the amnesty, which only applies to those who entered on 'Visa' (i.e. Tourist, Non O) or Visa exempt and were granted a short period of stay (30 -90 days).

[JimGant]

2 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

only applies to those who entered on 'Visa' (i.e. Tourist, Non O) or Visa exempt and were granted a short period of stay (30 -90 days).

Oh, it says something a about a "short period of stay?" What about somebody who entered on a Non Imm O-A visa on April 1, 2019, and was given a permission of stay until March 31, 2020? You're saying that they're not included in the amnesty?

[Tanoshi]

10 minutes ago, JimGant said:

Oh, it says something a about a "short period of stay?" What about somebody who entered on a Non Imm O-A visa on April 1, 2019, and was given a permission of stay until March 31, 2020? You're saying that they're not included in the amnesty?

Then they should have already applied for a further 1 year 'extension' before 31st March, OR left and re-entered before their Visa validity expired to obtain a further 1 year permission of stay.

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by Tanoshi