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Visa Amnesty ends 26 Sept


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Here is the latest announcement from the Immigration Bureau about what happens once the visa amnesty ends on 26th September. If you are unable to extend your stay now, or get a letter from your embassy or doctor to get a temporary 30 day stay, you should prepare to leave soon.
 
 
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5 minutes ago, edwardandtubs said:

It's just because that's already been stated so there's no need for them to keep repeating it.

Maybe, but Richard's description has nothing to do with the announcement.  It doesn't at all describe "what happens once the visa amnesty ends".  It's all about reducing overcrowding at the immigration offices probably because of the one local covid case.

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18 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

Interesting that the actual announcement says nothing about amnesty ending or the need to prepare to leave or anything remotely like that.

There was never an "amnesty" - we got automatic-extensions of our existing permitted-stays through (eventually) Sept 26. 

They have already announced one can get 30-day extensions of these with a letter from your embassy.  Just the letter and some landlord-docs (depending on the office).  That seems to be the "what's next" option. 

 

If one cannot get an embassy-letter (USA is automatic, others want "reasons"), and do not want to return to your passport-country, then next step is to check here (and similar sites) for options:

https://travelbans.org/
https://www.traveloffpath.com/countries-reopening-their-borders-for-tourism-the-complete-list/
https://www.kayak.com/travel-restrictions

 

 

 

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18 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

What further explanation is needed about once the amnesty ends ?

People should have either got their visa extended, got a new visa or departed 

A few people went to immigration for extensions this week and were told to come in 2 weeks as things might change.

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11 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

I hope that an extension does happy, BUT I think that it will not 

I tend to think that so many will be trapped unable to get flights in time, and have been unable to get Embassy letters, that 'bad publicity' might force their hand close to the cut-off. In the meantime, pressure will be kept up. An example, flights to Oz on Thai for September are going to be just one a week with very limited seating... surely some people will get stuck here.

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14 hours ago, arfandy said:

That hotline 1178 is a bogus! Tried calling over 20 times, listened to the automatic answering then redirected to supposedly a real person but always got busy line. 

 

I got through after a 5 minute wait. Guy spoke English and was very polite and helpful.

 

As the end of the amnesty nears they are getting more calls so the wait at the end of the line time is going up.

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2 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

For sure some will.  That is why they are allowing special 30 day extensions with an embassy letter.

 

Not sure which Embassies are prepared or have announced they will issue letters... they stopped the last ones but are slow to get going with a new offer, just 18 or so days to go.

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Any news on the extension of the amnesty?
There are still no flights to my country. Transit flights to third countries are risky. Many are faced with the fact that the flight is canceled - you can get stuck at the airport of a third country. Also, my country has over 1 million cases of COVID-19 and 5000+ new cases every day - why would we risk our lives?

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2 minutes ago, PabloPablo said:

Any news on the extension of the amnesty?
There are still no flights to my country. Transit flights to third countries are risky. Many are faced with the fact that the flight is canceled - you can get stuck at the airport of a third country. Also, my country has over 1 million cases of COVID-19 and 5000+ new cases every day - why would we risk our lives?

Doesnt look like the amnesty will be extended.

You have to get a letter from your Embassy and then get a 30 day visa extension 

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From speaking with Thai people, I think the current situation of many people being stuck has come about through misunderstanding. 

 

Foreigners seemed to see the amnesty as "We get to stay in Thailand until Sep 26th, then we have to go home", Wheras the Thai's viewed it as "Foreigners have until Sep 26th to arrange their departure, which is plenty of time". Thais I speak with seem to not understand how anyone can still be having a problem given they have had so much time, and the fact there have been plenty of flights they could have gotten on since the Amnesty was approved.

 

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1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

Doesnt look like the amnesty will be extended.

You have to get a letter from your Embassy and then get a 30 day visa extension 

 

59 minutes ago, rimpsstar said:

From speaking with Thai people, I think the current situation of many people being stuck has come about through misunderstanding. 

 

Foreigners seemed to see the amnesty as "We get to stay in Thailand until Sep 26th, then we have to go home", Wheras the Thai's viewed it as "Foreigners have until Sep 26th to arrange their departure, which is plenty of time". Thais I speak with seem to not understand how anyone can still be having a problem given they have had so much time, and the fact there have been plenty of flights they could have gotten on since the Amnesty was approved.

 

But there are still no guaranted regular flights. Many flights are cancelling, airlines on the verge of bankruptcy - do not want to return money. Some people pay for 2nd and 3th tickets becouse of cancel. Madness.

Embassy says:
"The embassy does not issue such letters. If you legally plan to stay, then you need to obtain a legal long-term visa or leave the country before 09/26."

Yes, we can take a flight with transfers. But it's risky - we can stuck in airport of transit country. Very high risk of covid in this case. 

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20 minutes ago, PabloPablo said:

But there are still no guaranted regular flights. Many flights are cancelling, airlines on the verge of bankruptcy - do not want to return money. Some people pay for 2nd and 3th tickets becouse of cancel. Madness.

If you are from Europe or north america, there are daily very reliable flights now.  There are relatively few countries that are difficult to reach.  If you need help finding a flight, post your country here and someone can probably tell you an airline that could take you there any day you want.

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1 hour ago, rimpsstar said:

... and the fact there have been plenty of flights they could have gotten on since the Amnesty was approved.

Given the flight-options are often scams (take your money, cancel the flight, won't return the money for months), Immigration should just stamp folks out when they enter the airport, and provide cots and showers.  Then, when a flight actually arrives (not cancelled), those at the front of the que, heading to that destination, can get on. 

 

Fortunately, the 30-day extensions would seem to allow many/most to avoid this situation.  Hopefully, all embassies will provide these letters automatically upon-request (without begging), as the USA is.

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11 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

 

Fortunately, the 30-day extensions would seem to allow many/most to avoid this situation.  Hopefully, all embassies will provide these letters automatically upon-request (without begging), as the USA is.

The UK Embassy  will not be issuing those letters for people on tourist visas

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59 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

The UK Embassy  will not be issuing those letters for people on tourist visas

Russia will not be issuing too. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Phillip9 said:

If you are from Europe or north america, there are daily very reliable flights now.  There are relatively few countries that are difficult to reach.  If you need help finding a flight, post your country here and someone can probably tell you an airline that could take you there any day you want.

I'm from Russia. As far as I understand, tickets can be found. But we have over 1 million cases of COVID in Russia, and their number continues to grow. I don't understand why we cannot wait out the epidemic in a safe place. Here on Koh Samui, we have not had a COVID infection in the last 5 months. 

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