Retirement extension due to Covid travel restrictions

[geejay]

Good afternoon all from a very damp and cold UK

I would appreciate any help or suggestions regarding the following.

My wife and I were residing in our condo in Pattaya until early July this year, when we returned to the UK.

In April 2020 I renewed my extension to stay based on retirement and got re-entry permits before our departure from Thailand hoping to return in November 2020.

I have been using the monthly international transfer of at least 65,000 baht into my Thai bank account and have and will continue those transfers.

My concern and request for advice is, if there are still travel restrictions on entering Thailand do to Covid and I can’t return before the expiry of my retirement extension in April 2021, is there any way that I can apply for any amnesty or grace period or is it just a case of losing my status and having to start all over again?

Thank you in advance

 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, geejay said:

Good afternoon all from a very damp and cold UK

I would appreciate any help or suggestions regarding the following.

My wife and I were residing in our condo in Pattaya until early July this year, when we returned to the UK.

In April 2020 I renewed my extension to stay based on retirement and got re-entry permits before our departure from Thailand hoping to return in November 2020.

I have been using the monthly international transfer of at least 65,000 baht into my Thai bank account and have and will continue those transfers.

My concern and request for advice is, if there are still travel restrictions on entering Thailand do to Covid and I can’t return before the expiry of my retirement extension in April 2021, is there any way that I can apply for any amnesty or grace period or is it just a case of losing my status and having to start all over again?

Thank you in advance

 

You would need to return to Thailand prior to date on your re-entry permit.

There is no grace period. 

Of course there are travel restrictions. Extensively covered in many threads. Not likely to end any time soon.

BTW, Starting afresh for new non o is simple process. 

Only one person's advice, but since you have wife with you in UK, I would forget return to Thailand untill things change. Your current extension and desire to maintain it is small issue

[ubonjoe]

You can apply for a certificate of entry at the embassy in London based upon having a extension of stay based upon retirement if you have a valid re-entry permit to keep it valid.

Is your wife also on an extension based upon retirement? If on a extension based upon being a member of you family they have not yet included that on the list of those that can enter the country with a certificate of entry.

[wayne07836]

I also have a valid Extension Of Stay and Multi Entry Permit valid until 8-Feb-21, wanted to take advantage of the recent opportunity to get back so that I could be there in time to renew for another year.

I submitted my application for Certificate Of Entry with the Embassy in Abu Dhabi on the 21-Nov-20, expecting a pre-approval or rejection in 3 days as stated in all of the guidance notes published, but still in "Waiting Approval" and "Under Consideration" status after 5 days.

Have emailed the Embassy direct twice with no response, has anyone else experienced delays such as this?

Wanted to travel early January so submitted early giving plenty of time to book the ASQ Hotel in case of a New Year rush.

 

Anybody have any suggestions? should I re-submit for another COE at the consulate in Dubai ? 

[geejay]

10 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

You can apply for a certificate of entry at the embassy in London based upon having a extension of stay based upon retirement if you have a valid re-entry permit to keep it valid.

Is your wife also on an extension based upon retirement? If on a extension based upon being a member of your family they have not yet included that on the list of those that can enter the country with a certificate of entry.

Thank you for your reply ubonjoe, just to clarify, my wife and I both have re-entry permits and our extension is based on retirement, but my wife's extension is granted as we are married and I can show the required amount transferred each month into my Thai bank, does that change anything?

Thank you for your time

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, geejay said:

Thank you for your reply ubonjoe, just to clarify, my wife and I both have re-entry permits and our extension is based on retirement, but my wife's extension is granted as we are married and I can show the required amount transferred each month into my Thai bank, does that change anything?

That is the type of extension I was writing about. You can double check with the embassy but it is not currently listed as a visa or extension of stay that is allowed to apply for a certificate of entry.

List is here: https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/119247-requirements-for-certificate-of-entry-during-travel-restriction?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

[geejay]

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

That is the type of extension I was writing about. You can double check with the embassy but it is not currently listed as a visa or extension of stay that is allowed to apply for a certificate of entry.

List is here: https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/119247-requirements-for-certificate-of-entry-during-travel-restriction?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

 Thank you very much, I will check.