Immigration Bureau mulls further visa extension for stranded foreigners

[PaulHamon]

There are still Thai citizens stuck outside Thailand, most likely many of their visa have expired.

 

Would be nice for Thai Government to extend the same courtesy to foreigners still in Thailand, as these countries are doing for their citizens.

[jphasia]

6 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Not meaning to nag or anything but you could have got your 12 month extension before the 90 days expired at the end of May

The 90 days I mentioned is for permission to stay (border run). My 1 year visa multi is valid until November 2020. So I am on safe side. If the amnesty is not extended end of this month, I will have the options

1/ to do a border run (with all the actual rules, quarantines (probably include quarantine in the country where i will go to...)

2/ go for extension (either 60 days or 1 year)

[mike787]

NO More extensions, get ready to pay big.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

There are thousands still stranded in Thailand that need to do border runs to activate another period of entry when the borders re-open, such as multi Non O Visas, or Non O-A Visa holders.

Then there are those who's current Visas have expired but need to apply for new Visas at local Thai Embassies/Consulates, or those just wanting another VE entry to convert to Non O and subsequent 1 year extensions.

 

As above.

 

There are also many migrant workers here on either an L-A visa or border pass which has expired and can't be reissued until the borders are open. Hundreds of thousands of them at least.

[anchadian]

2 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

What nationalities are still stranded here?

As flights are taking off again anybody can, one way or the other, fly OUT of Thailand.

If they have the necessary funds.

 

Maybe haven't received refund(s) from previous cancelled flight(s).

 

[Mike Teavee]

5 minutes ago, jphasia said:

The 90 days I mentioned is for permission to stay (border run). My 1 year visa multi is valid until November 2020. So I am on safe side. If the amnesty is not extended end of this month, I will have the options

1/ to do a border run (with all the actual rules, quarantines (probably include quarantine in the country where i will go to...)

2/ go for extension (either 60 days or 1 year)

The point I was trying to make was that you don't need to wait for the Visa to expire to get a 12 month extension as you can do it on any of the 90 day entries (i.e. You could have got it on the entry for which the permission to stay that was ending in May).  I appreciate this might feel like you're wasting 6 months of your Visa but it would meant that you'd be covered until May 2021 (Hopefully things will be somewhat back to normal then), @drbeachpost above 

 that you still might be able to do this. 

 

Hopefully you'll be Ok to get the 60 day extension, but there are currently no guarantees that you will be able to once the Amnesty is over, who's to say Immigration won't say that you've already had > 60 days extension so need to exit/return to reset the clock? [I'm assuming that guys who were already on the 60 day extension will definitely have to either find a way to do a 12 month extension or exit/re-enter). 

[jphasia]

4 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

The point I was trying to make was that you don't need to wait for the Visa to expire to get a 12 month extension as you can do it on any of the 90 day entries (i.e. You could have got it on the entry for which the permission to stay that was ending in May).  I appreciate this might feel like you're wasting 6 months of your Visa but it would meant that you'd be covered until May 2021 (Hopefully things will be somewhat back to normal then), @drbeachpost above 

 that you still might be able to do this. 

 

Hopefully you'll be Ok to get the 60 day extension, but there are currently no guarantees that you will be able to once the Amnesty is over, who's to say Immigration won't say that you've already had > 60 days extension so need to exit/return to reset the clock? [I'm assuming that guys who were already on the 60 day extension will definitely have to either find a way to do a 12 month extension or exit/re-enter). 

Ok, I understand your point now.

The thing is everything has gone fast these last few month.

1/ I never applied for any extension (60 days or 1 year) in Thailand for the last 20+ years because I never had to spend more than 90 days consecutivily in Thailand (I travel a lot)

2/ I entered Thailand (from Myanmar) the last time end of February. I was supposed to go back to Myanmar sometime in March but the borders closed. Due to the non visibility of the future (when, how long...), I thought first that I was fine until end of May. I believe they announced sometime in April "all permission to stay extended until end of July, do not come to immigration". So there was not much I could do. June passed with still visibilities and now we are in July....

[CorpusChristie]

3 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

What nationalities are still stranded here?

As flights are taking off again anybody can, one way or the other, fly OUT of Thailand.

Shhhusssshhh ????

Were stranded here and could do with another month 

[Blumpie]

Stuck in the land of smiles, good food, and the worst booming music known to man.

Boom boom boom boom... boom boom boom boom... 

[Blumpie]

37 minutes ago, mike787 said:

NO More extensions, get ready to pay big.

Just FYI, even Thai immigration, bless their inept heart, understands that many people cannot return to their countries because their borders are closed just like Thailand did to its citizens.  

Try sugar in your coffee sweetheart.  It helps.  

[ThailandRyan]

14 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

Stuck in the land of smiles, good food, and the worst booming music known to man.

Boom boom boom boom... boom boom boom boom... 

Sorry, you must live directly below me.  I will be courteous and turn down the music, tame the GF down a little, and keep the bed from making that continuous thumping noise for hours on end. Once again Sorry.

[Tanoshi]

54 minutes ago, mike787 said:

NO More extensions, get ready to pay big.

You can still apply for a 60 day extension, married to a Thai, if you haven't previously applied.

[drbeach]

24 minutes ago, jphasia said:

Ok, I understand your point now.

The thing is everything has gone fast these last few month.

1/ I never applied for any extension (60 days or 1 year) in Thailand for the last 20+ years because I never had to spend more than 90 days consecutivily in Thailand (I travel a lot)

2/ I entered Thailand (from Myanmar) the last time end of February. I was supposed to go back to Myanmar sometime in March but the borders closed. Due to the non visibility of the future (when, how long...), I thought first that I was fine until end of May. I believe they announced sometime in April "all permission to stay extended until end of July, do not come to immigration". So there was not much I could do. June passed with still visibilities and now we are in July....

My situation is identical to yours. 1) lots of travel 2) Mostly to Myanmar 3) I was planning to go to Myanmar in March but the situation was deteriorating and then the borders closed. So I never needed to do any extension as until now, the longest I had ever spent in Thailand was about 80-85 days and even that was exceptionally long-usually 60 is the maximum.

 

Now I'm possibly looking at an extension of some sort. Will wait until a decision has been made on the amnesty and then I'll know what to do.

[Banana7]

19 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

Just FYI, even Thai immigration, bless their inept heart, understands that many people cannot return to their countries because their borders are closed just like Thailand did to its citizens.  

Try sugar in your coffee sweetheart.  It helps.  

Most countries, even though the border is closed, allow its own citizens to enter.

 

What country is not allowing its own citizens back in?

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, drbeach said:

Could still get the 12 month extension AFTER the expiration of the 90 days provided it's done within the amnesty period. Immigration will reportedly backdate it. Alternatively a 60-day extension can also be sought at any time (if one hasn't already been made).

Sometimes only with "agent help," though.

 

1 hour ago, drbeach said:

Again with the Turkey option. They have daytime curfews on weekends there. Nuff said. Not an attractive prospect. Europe it is (although I understand Americans are still excluded).

 

I think as daft as immigration may be, it's almost certain they will give us some lifeline until such times borders re-open. This piece of news sort of confirms that.

I am not considering it because I want to spend a lot of time there.  I would be going only if staying here means becoming an illegal-alien, which is not an option.  I will be back in SE Asia, preferably Thailand, when it is possible with reasonable conditions for entry.

 

1 hour ago, jphasia said:

2/ go for extension (either 60 days or 1 year)

Some IOs / offices are not allowing this.  Good luck.

[JackThompson]

 

1 hour ago, Mike Teavee said:

The point I was trying to make was that you don't need to wait for the Visa to expire to get a 12 month extension as you can do it on any of the 90 day entries

It is not as though immigration provides these by the stated rules everywhere.  They don't.  They Actively HATE people applying based on Thai family, and block you every imaginable underhanded-way.  Many of us use Non-O-MEs because immigration block our legit attempts to apply for extensions.

 

Try getting one where they want docs from your landlord who doesn't live in Thailand - then say "not good enough" when you get the docs air-mailed - or they disqualify your proven income because it "Isn't a state pension," and similar.  Those were how they blocked my 1st two attempts (multiple visits for the 1st one). 

My last attempt was for work in Thailand on a work-permit, and (just my luck) they had just changed the rules to make the application like a Non-B, as if I didn't already have a valid work permit (which I did/do) - and without consideration of covid-conditions (rule-changes on tax-payments, office-pics required w/ closed offices, etc). 

Edited July 3, 2020 by JackThompson

[Sambotte]

Easy decision. Can not see ANY problem with more amnesty. Only benefits for : image, Thaïs (except those turning xenophobes), farangs, and immigrations (they surely don't want a massive influx now).

3 months would be the way to do.

[jphasia]

20 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Now I'm possibly looking at an extension of some sort. Will wait until a decision has been made on the amnesty and then I'll know what to do.

Yes. Exactly.

 

Also for me, I still have work schedule in Myanmar. For now, we are talking about August but again a lot of incertitudes. Will i be able to go there? If i can go there, will I be able to come back? Should i better ignore this work and look for extension in Thailand... so as you said, wait and see

[Don Mega]

This WuFlu thing is winding up, time for these freeloaders to sort their sh!t or go home.

[JackThompson]

31 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

Most countries, even though the border is closed, allow its own citizens to enter.

 

What country is not allowing its own citizens back in?

What does that have to do with many of us still here?  We aren't going to our "passport countries".  Thank goodness there are a few other options open - countries that evidently want our spending.   But, hopefully, the auto-extension will be extended here.

[BangkokReady]

14 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

time for these freeloaders to sort their sh!t or go home.

Do you even know what the term freeloader means?  Most people who are still here will be waiting for the border to open and paying their way.  That isn't freeloading.

[Banana7]

21 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

What does that have to do with many of us still here?  We aren't going to our "passport countries".  Thank goodness there are a few other options open - countries that evidently want our spending.   But, hopefully, the auto-extension will be extended here.

The point is that if your Thai visa is expiring, and you can't renew/extend it in Thailand, you can leave Thailand as the law requires you to do. You can go to another country, perhaps not the one that is your top choice, but there is at least one country that will let you in and that is your passport country. There are flights out of Thailand to get you on your way.

 

Just because you have money to spend doesn't mean Thailand wants you here. Move along and go to another country or comply with Thai immigration law.

Edited July 3, 2020 by Banana7

[JackThompson]

1 minute ago, Banana7 said:

The point is that if your Thai visa is expiring, and you can't renew/extend it in Thailand, you can leave Thailand as the law requires you to do. You can go to another country, perhaps not the one that is your top choice. but there is at least one country that will let you in. There are flights out of Thailand to get you on your way.

 

Just because you have money to spend doesn't mean Thailand wants you here. Move along and go to another country.

Yes - if they force my family apart - as they have tried to do many times by rejecting legit applications for extensions - then that is what I will have to do.  I will not be overstaying even a day.  If my flight is cancelled (as many are), I suppose will be living "air-side" at the airport. 

 

Their decision to extend the deadline or not, the rtp-corruption that blocked my multiple valid extension attempts, etc - nothing I can do about those things.  I can either pay their demanded $1100 baht bribe for "agent help"**, or leave.

**(It costs double the agent-fees if you support thai family, vs retirement - even if you meet all the "official" requirements for the extension)

[BangkokReady]

8 minutes ago, Banana7 said:

Move along and go to another country.

Or just stay in Thailand until they no longer allow it...

[lovesthespicy]

Makes sense to extend another 2-3months. The people here are renting condos and spending money into the economy. Theirs not a bunch of tourist coming into replace them anytime soon. 

[metisdead]

Some troll posts stalking another member have been removed. 

 

 

[Isaan Alan]

1 hour ago, Banana7 said:

The point is that if your Thai visa is expiring, and you can't renew/extend it in Thailand, you can leave Thailand as the law requires you to do. You can go to another country, perhaps not the one that is your top choice, but there is at least one country that will let you in and that is your passport country. There are flights out of Thailand to get you on your way.

 

Just because you have money to spend doesn't mean Thailand wants you here. Move along and go to another country or comply with Thai immigration law.

and how do you get back into Thailand to live with your wife in the house you built?

[BangkokReady]

13 minutes ago, Isaan Alan said:

and how do you get back into Thailand to live with your wife in the house you built?

Sadly, there are some quite unpleasant people who seem to take joy from saying "your times up buddy, clear off", even though they have no say in what the Thai government decides.  The decision may be that another month or more is added to the amnesty and, if this is the case, then people can stay.  Until a decision is made, no one can say what will happen.  Why some people choose to fantasize and then seem to want to torment others with their desired result is a little beyond me.

 

I hope it's just an internet/troll thing, and these people aren't as mean to those around them in real life.

[salsajapan]

So funny to see so many wrong posters here, when it was clear as water from the start that it will be extended.

They are not even discussing to extend or not, they are discussing how long to extend it ! Clear now ? I guess not for some, but anyway maybe even their own life has never been clear !

 

 

 

 

[salsajapan]

24 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Sadly, there are some quite unpleasant people who seem to take joy from saying "your times up buddy, clear off", even though they have no say in what the Thai government decides.  The decision may be that another month or more is added to the amnesty and, if this is the case, then people can stay.  Until a decision is made, no one can say what will happen.  Why some people choose to fantasize and then seem to want to torment others with their desired result is a little beyond me.

 

I hope it's just an internet/troll thing, and these people aren't as mean to those around them in real life.

 

the same kind who want someone killed or killed because he smoked a joint maybe... How can they be so ridiculous is beyond understanding, I agree !