NO AUTOMATIC EXTENSION for people with covid extension

[ubonjoe 47,519]

Here is what the ministerial order states.

This is section 35 of the immigration act states.

"Section 35 : The Director General or the competent official deputized by the Director General shall have
the authority to permit the alien , who entered to stay temporarily in the Kingdom under Section 34 , to
remain in the Kingdom under any prescribed conditions. The periods of time which one is authorized to
stay in the Kingdom are as Follows :
1. Not exceeding 30 days for a case under Section 34 (4) , (8) and ( 9 )
2. Not exceeding 90 days for a case under Section 34 (3)
3. Not exceeding one year for a case under Section 34 (5) , (10), (11) , (12), (13) , (14) and (15)
4. Not exceeding two years for a case under Section 34 (6)
5. As deemed necessary for a case under Section 34 (1) and (2)
6. As deemed appropriate by the Commission of Investment Promotion , for a case under
Section 34 (7)
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.
Each time when applying for an extension of temporary stay in the Kingdom , the alien shall
submit an application and pay the fees as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations. While waiting for
directives the alien may be permitted to stay."

 

Section 34 : aliens entering into the kingdom for a temporary stay may enter for the below listed activities
1. Diplomatic or Consular Missions.
2. Performance of official duties.
3. Touring
4. Sporting
5. Business
6. Investing under the concurrence of the Ministries and Departments concerned.
7. Investing or other activities relating to investing subject to the provisions of the law on
investment promotion.
8. Transit journey.
9. Being the person in charge of the crew of a conveyance coming to port, station , or area in
the Kingdom.
10. Study or observation.
11. Mass media.
12. Missionary work under the concurrence of the Ministries and departments concerned.
13. Scientific research or training or teach in a Research Institute in the Kingdom.
14. The practice of skilled handicraft or as a specialist
15. Other activities as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations."

 

Note that section 35 mentions extensions.

 

 

[uberfarang 115]

18 minutes ago, RloLigor said:

So you got an extension of stay until April 29. That date is after March 26, so it will be extended automatically to April 30 and later possibly one or several months more.

I got it today. The officer said I have to come back again on April 29, with a new letter from embassy. No free automatic extension for me.

[RloLigor 10]

1 minute ago, uberfarang said:

I got it today. The officer said I have to come back again on April 29, with a new letter from embassy. No free automatic extension for me.

Probably miscommunication or incorrect information.

[vermin on arrival 1,461]

@ubonjoe So my original date to exit was March 29 using extension of visa exempt. I went on March 26th to get an emergency covid extension so as not to overstay at MTT. I got an under consideration stamp until April 23rd. Do I need to go again or do I have until April 30th? I would think I have automatic extension, but these two reports are worrying, and I am wondering if CW IO has the discretion to interpret it differently.

[uberfarang 115]

Just now, RloLigor said:

Probably miscommunication or incorrect information.

Could be but I doubt that me (on the other poster) are the only one who experienced "miscommunication". The office wasn't totally empty, the people before and after me at counter J weren't turned away either, I didn't check their stamps so I can't speak for them, but it seemed to me pretty much business as usual. I am afraid there won't be a lot of other feedbacks to confirm or infirm this because very few people showed up today at the office.

[jacob29 310]

2 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

I would think I have automatic extension, but these two reports are worrying, and I am wondering if CW IO has the discretion to interpret it differently.

In your case I'm sure we'll have more first hand accounts before April 23. I'm inclined to visit Chonburi immigration to clarify, I mean it's not like I have anything better to do now, and provided the queues aren't there it should be safe enough.

[uberfarang 115]

4 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

@ubonjoe So my original date to exit was March 29 using extension of visa exempt. I went on March 26th to get an emergency covid extension so as not to overstay at MTT. I got an under consideration stamp until April 23rd. Do I need to go again or do I have until April 30th? I would think I have automatic extension, but these two reports are worrying, and I am wondering if CW IO has the discretion to interpret it differently.

I think by the time you need to go back, other members would have had a chance to clarify the situation.

[vermin on arrival 1,461]

1 minute ago, uberfarang said:

Could be but I doubt that me (on the other poster) are the only one who experienced "miscommunication". The office wasn't totally empty, the people before and after me at counter J weren't turned away either, I didn't check their stamps so I can't speak for them, but it seemed to me pretty much business as usual. I am afraid there won't be a lot of other feedbacks to confirm or infirm this because very few people showed up today at the office.

Sure. Makes sense. Why would people come? They thought the extensions were automatic, especially after checking the dates on their stamps, and they want to avoid possible infection.

[ANDREW999 70]

3 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

Sure. Makes sense. Why would people come? They thought the extensions were automatic, especially after checking the dates on their stamps, and they want to avoid possible infection.

Totally coherent if you check the stamp in your passport. Maybe they could have used the word stamp instead of visa.

[uberfarang 115]

9 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

Sure. Makes sense. Why would people come? They thought the extensions were automatic, especially after checking the dates on their stamps, and they want to avoid possible infection.

Totally agree. I just showed up (and glad I did) because I haven't read yet any "field reports" (at CW) since the announcement came into effect and I was probably in the first ones to have to come back for the "under consideration" stamp, more will follow next week.

Edited April 10, 2020 by uberfarang

[rott 2,152]

2 hours ago, audaciousnomad said:

A lot of people who do not follow ThaiVisa forums are about to screwed by this. If they are here on a previously extended visa, and do not come in thinking they have amnesty, they will be in for a RUDE AWAKENING at 500baht for each day that they failed to come in because they were MISLED by the announcement! #BaitAndSwitch

I am happily on a one year extension so much of this goes over my head, but I am puzzled by the following:-

 

"if they......do not come in thinking they have amnesty, they will be in for a rude awakening at 500 baht for each day". 

If they do not think they have an amnesty why would the daily 500 baht surprise them.??

[Peter Denis 6,597]

26 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Here is what the ministerial order states.

This is section 35 of the immigration act states.

... < lengthy text >

Hi UJ, thanks for providing the actual text.

Useful for thai Visa experts.

But it is absolutely ridiculous that IO issues a statement and that there are now conflicting interpretations from different IOs about what it actually means.

Using the word 'Visa' as a cover-all for

- the actual Visa,

- the permission to stay it provides,

- the possible extension of stay the applicant might already have received,

- the 'under consideration' stamp for his extension,

is a sure receipt for confusion all over.

 

[audaciousnomad 680]

 

37 minutes ago, ANDREW999 said:

Totally coherent if you check the stamp in your passport. Maybe they could have used the word stamp instead of visa.

Better yet, use the words "permission to stay". That would be the most precise. Replace the word VISA which is ambiguous.

"Foreigners whose permission to stay in the Kingdom expires on 26-March or thereafter, will be granted an automatic extension of their permitted stay until 30-April."

That would cover all, eliminating the burden of interpretation of stamp types (Visa, Exemption, VOA, SETV, METV, Covid-Extension) because all of these ultimately get a "permitted to stay until" stamp. So IO just looks at the date stamp, checks it against 26-March, and done!

How hard would it have been to word it that way?    

Edited April 10, 2020 by audaciousnomad

[ANDREW999 70]

46 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

 

Better yet, use the words "permission to stay". That would be the most precise. Replace the word VISA which is ambiguous.

"Foreigners whose permission to stay in the Kingdom expires on 26-March or thereafter, will be granted an automatic extension of their permitted stay until 30-April."

That would cover all, eliminating the burden of interpretation of stamp types (Visa, Exemption, VOA, SETV, METV, Covid-Extension) because all of these ultimately get a "permitted to stay until" stamp. So IO just looks at the date stamp, checks it against 26-March, and done!

How hard would it have been to word it that way?    

Even more accurate. Thanks!

[Puchaiyank 14,914]

Ah yes, The invaluable Thai Visa...Immigration Officers...the signed documents with photos...the waiting in line to find you do not have everything they now need...the moving requirements...the inconsistencies...

 

All part of the lure and mystique of Amazing Thailand...