Must Read Immigration Bureau reminds foreigners to apply for visa extension before Oct 31

[jeffthehat]

23 minutes ago, dxrdxr said:

If my understanding is correct, on November 1st everyone must have a permission to stay stamp in their passport dated after November 1.

 

If you don’t have a stamp then you are on overstay.

 

There will no longer be an Amnesty allowing you to stay without a valid stamp.

 

Immigration wants everyone to be “back in the system”.

 

They've been saying no more amnesty at the end of every month. They've extended it every time.

 

Will it happen again? Probably. Not smart to bet on it though. 

[mikosan]

22 hours ago, Jingthing said:

OK.

I'm confused.

This is the amnesty program right?

If you intend to apply for the usual stuff such as annual retirement extensions that happen.to be coming up, there is no need to do it before November right?

That's correct.

[dxrdxr]

33 minutes ago, jeffthehat said:

They've been saying no more amnesty at the end of every month. They've extended it every time.

 

Will it happen again? Probably. Not smart to bet on it though. 

There is “amnesty” meaning free stay without a stamp. And there is allowing extensions (for a price) that normally would not be allowed.

 

 I think the former is over. But a still a chance for the latter.

 

[Percy P]

I'm under the impression that a visa amnesty to cover November was in place. I got an extension covering  October . What's going on.

[woogoo]

We're super serious this time guy's. Listen to us. I know last time we said we were serious but this time we really mean it. We're like so serious that we couldn't possible be anymore serious.

[dxrdxr]

3 hours ago, Percy P said:

I'm under the impression that a visa amnesty to cover November was in place. I got an extension covering  October . What's going on.

You need to get a stamp that covers November.

[Mike k]

On 10/27/2020 at 2:41 PM, ukrules said:

Noted, I will go in for my yearly extension some time in the next few weeks after what's left of 'the hordes' have all been processed.

Mine's due on the 11th of November 

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, Percy P said:

I'm under the impression that a visa amnesty to cover November was in place. I got an extension covering  October . What's going on.

The amnesty was for those ~5 months when you had to do nothing to stay "stranded' here on expired stamps. That ended in September and now everyone needs to be on a valid extension of stay and “back in the system” as @dxrdxr has already stated.

[webfact]

Reminder from Thai Foreign Affairs about staying in Thailand after October 31

By Caitlin Ashworth

 

 

The following was sent by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reminding foreigners about staying in Thailand after the current visa amnesty expires…

 

“Mr. Tanee Sangrat, Director-General of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry Spokesperson reiterated that all stranded foreign nationals who wish to stay in the Kingdom of Thailand beyond 31 October 2020 need to submit an application for extension of temporary stay at the Immigration Bureau within 31 October 2020.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has circulated a Note Verbale to all diplomatic missions, consular representatives and international organisations in Thailand, to seek their cooperation in informing and advising their foreign nationals regarding this matter.

 

According to the Notification of the Ministry of Interior on Permission for Certain Groups of Aliens to Remain in the Kingdom as a Special Case (No. 4) issued on 30 September 2020, foreign nationals are permitted for temporary stay in Thailand until 31 October 2020.

 

Late application submission is allowed within 90 days after 31 October 2020, subject to a fine. Those who remain in the Kingdom without application submission within such grace period shall be deemed as overstaying and will be prosecuted, deported and prohibited from entering Thailand.”

 

Source: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/visa/reminder-from-thai-foreign-affairs-about-staying-in-thailand-after-october-31

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2020-10-29

 

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[Burma Bill]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

shall be deemed as overstaying and will be prosecuted, deported and prohibited from entering Thailand.”

It’s a hap-hap-happy day Toodle-oodle-oodle-oodle-oodle-ay For you and me, for us and we All the clouds have rolled away It’s a hap-hap-happy day Toodle-oodle-oodle-oodle-oodle-ay The sun shines bright and the world’s aright It’s a hap-hap-happy day - I do not think so!!

[Rimmer]

Troll post removed

[BritManToo]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Late application submission is allowed within 90 days after 31 October 2020, subject to a fine. Those who remain in the Kingdom without application submission within such grace period shall be deemed as overstaying and will be prosecuted, deported and prohibited from entering Thailand.”

Interesting ........ so they've already given permission for you to apply after the deadline.

Only those overstaying by more than 90 days (beyond Feb 1st) will be prosecuted/deported.

 

This is a major change to immigration policy.

Edited October 29, 2020 by BritManToo

[rbkk]

It is interesting to note that the state of emergency (due to Covid-19) has been extended by another month to the end of November 2020. Perhaps the visa amnesty will also be extended by another month, with the annoucement on Monday after the deadline has passed on the weekend. (Same as last month.)

[NanLaew]

48 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Interesting ........ so they've already given permission for you to apply after the deadline.

Only those overstaying by more than 90 days (beyond Feb 1st) will be prosecuted/deported.

 

This is a major change to immigration policy.

Only for those that read it as an open invitation to 'wing it' without any stamp until 1st February maybe.

[NanLaew]

2 minutes ago, rbkk said:

It is interesting to note that the state of emergency (due to Covid-19) has been extended by another month to the end of November 2020. Perhaps the visa amnesty will also be extended by another month, with the annoucement on Monday after the deadline has passed on the weekend. (Same as last month.)

The visa amnesty is OVER. It expired on 26 September when visa-less and stamp-less foreigners were instructed to attend their local Immigration Office and get an EXTENSION and a stamp to legalize their extended stay here. This procedure is called getting an extension of temporary stay and is NOT in any shape or form an amnesty any more.

[dxrdxr]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Interesting ........ so they've already given permission for you to apply after the deadline.

Only those overstaying by more than 90 days (beyond Feb 1st) will be prosecuted/deported.

 

This is a major change to immigration policy.

I think you are misreading this.

 

 The 90 days from October 31 is the grace period. If you are caught during that period you will be in overstay and subject to prosecution!

 

However, if you file an application during that 90 days (which is normally not allowed), you will only be fined.

 

This looks like a “nice” way to allow people to “fix” their overstay situation if they missed the deadline. But don’t get caught first!

 

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, dxrdxr said:

I think you are misreading this.

The 90 days from October 31 is the grace period. If you are caught during that period you will be in overstay and subject to prosecution!

However, if you file an application during that 90 days (which is normally not allowed), you will only be fined.

This looks like a “nice” way to allow people to “fix” their overstay situation if they missed the deadline. But don’t get caught first!

In the past it was always arrest and deport, even for 1 day overstay if caught.

Now it says you can overstay 90 days with no arrest or deport.

 

It's a total change of attitude.

Edited October 29, 2020 by BritManToo

[dxrdxr]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

In the past it was always arrest and deport, even for 1 day overstay if caught.

Now it says you can overstay 90 days with no arrest or deport.

 

It's a total change of attitude.

But it doesn’t say that:

 

“Late application submission is allowed within 90 days after 31 October 2020, subject to a fine. Those who remain in the Kingdom without application submission within such grace period shall be deemed as overstaying and will be prosecuted, deported and prohibited from entering Thailand.”

 

“Those who remain [...] within such grace period [...] will be prosecuted”

 

The only interpretation of “grace period” is the 90 days.

 

 The only change in attitude is that you can apply late. If they catch you after October 31 and you have not applied, it is as it always has been: prosecution.

[Enoon]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Interesting ........ so they've already given permission for you to apply after the deadline.

Only those overstaying by more than 90 days (beyond Feb 1st) will be prosecuted/deported.

 

 

 

No.

 

It's similar to the "airport dash" overstay situation in "normal times".

 

Normal:

While on overstay make it to the airport and you only get fined at the airport.  Don't make it to the airport and you get the book thrown at you.

 

Now:

While on overstay make it to the IO and make an extension application and you only get fined at the IO.  Don't make it to the IO and you get the book thrown at you.

 

 

Edited October 29, 2020 by Enoon

[Stargeezr]

This Amnesty stuff, and extension of temporary stay, and all this temporary methods that

the immigration department is using is all BS.  This is the time to get rid of the gazillion

types of visas, with their own confusing conditions, and rates you have to pay.  Basically

if you pay for a 90 day visa, it should be lowest visa you can get, not some 60 day visa that

is what I could get in Canada, for just a visit. If I wanted 90 days, I would almost have to have

a job waiting for me in country and then get the 90 day work visa.  The 6 month, or 1 year visas

should be just that, no border run or immigration visit every 90 days. THis new 270 day

visa, where you still have to pay a visit to immigration every 90 days is still the dinosaur

attitude of Thai immigration, and I suppose Thai government. Then you also have the visa

if you are married to a Thai person, a type of visa if you are retired and want to stay a year

or more. The most you should have to do is make a phone call to immigration to say that you

are still in country, and how much longer you will be staying. That is inconvenient enough. 

  TIme  for some forward changes. Time to get with the modern world, and quit the corrupt old

ways.

Geezer

[Mike k]

11 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

This Amnesty stuff, and extension of temporary stay, and all this temporary methods that

the immigration department is using is all BS.  This is the time to get rid of the gazillion

types of visas, with their own confusing conditions, and rates you have to pay.  Basically

if you pay for a 90 day visa, it should be lowest visa you can get, not some 60 day visa that

is what I could get in Canada, for just a visit. If I wanted 90 days, I would almost have to have

a job waiting for me in country and then get the 90 day work visa.  The 6 month, or 1 year visas

should be just that, no border run or immigration visit every 90 days. THis new 270 day

visa, where you still have to pay a visit to immigration every 90 days is still the dinosaur

attitude of Thai immigration, and I suppose Thai government. Then you also have the visa

if you are married to a Thai person, a type of visa if you are retired and want to stay a year

or more. The most you should have to do is make a phone call to immigration to say that you

are still in country, and how much longer you will be staying. That is inconvenient enough. 

  TIme  for some forward changes. Time to get with the modern world, and quit the corrupt old

ways.

Geezer

If you are married to a Thai or are on a retirement visa you shouldn't have to do anything unless you have a permanent change of address 

[pubba]

I popped into the immigration office here in Nan city on Friday  30th with copies of my passport, stamps, house book, wife’s ID, 1900 baht, photos etc etc..

 

Didn’t need any of it.

 

They took my passport and disappeared for 5 minutes. Came back with an extension stamp till end of November. No charge or paperwork required.
 

Then they told me that I could come back before end of November with a letter from embassy and get a 60 day extension for 1900 baht, but they weren’t 100% sure if the letter was necessary.

[overherebc]

59 minutes ago, pubba said:

I popped into the immigration office here in Nan city on Friday  30th with copies of my passport, stamps, house book, wife’s ID, 1900 baht, photos etc etc..

 

Didn’t need any of it.

 

They took my passport and disappeared for 5 minutes. Came back with an extension stamp till end of November. No charge or paperwork required.
 

Then they told me that I could come back before end of November with a letter from embassy and get a 60 day extension for 1900 baht, but they weren’t 100% sure if the letter was 

.

Edited November 1, 2020 by overherebc

[overherebc]

Just now, overherebc said:

And the follow on is which embassies will be issuing letters over the next few months?