Reporter: RonnyLatYa
At the moment, everyone can stay until July 31, given the exemption. At least if your period of stay ended after March 26. What will happen afterwards is not yet known. According to the Belgian embassy, a decision on this should not be expected before July 24.
A few days ago there was a statement from an immigration officer. He would have said in an interview that a new exemption is unlikely to happen. But it's not an official announcement. However, if it were to be the case, this means that you either have to get a new extension through immigration, or you have to leave Thailand. If you do not do so, “overstay” will be charged again after July 31.
But as mentioned, no official decision has been announced at this time (15/07/20). Nevertheless, our embassies have already made themselves heard through their FB page.
For those who do not have access to FB, I will also provide the full text as it appeared, outside the link.
FB page Dutch embassy
“The Thai authorities have not yet confirmed whether the visa amnesty scheme will be extended beyond July 31, 2020. The Dutch embassy in Bangkok advises you to go to the Thai immigration service well before the end of this regulation to apply for an extension of your visa. Take into account expected crowds around July 31 and the costs of 500 THB per day if your visa has expired.
If the Thai Immigration Service indicates that you need a cover letter from the embassy, please contact [email protected]. Eligibility to issue a cover letter depends on your visa status for Thailand and is assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
www.facebook.com/netherlandsembassybangkok/
FB page Belgian embassy
“Visa extension
The embassy is experiencing a surge in questions about the extension of Thai visas. We are in contact with the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with Immigration.
A final decision on what happens after the July 31 amnesty deadline is not expected before July 24.
Please contact Immigration to review your options.
Belgian citizens have been able to return to Belgium at any time throughout the corona crisis. The embassy will therefore not issue any extension letters.
#Visa extension #Immigration
Hotline: 1178 / 0-2287-3101”
www.facebook.com/BelgiumInThailand/
I emphasize again that there is not yet any official communication from the Thai government/immigration about this. Personally, however, I think you should take into account that the exemption will end on July 31.
As soon as there is official news about this, I will let you know via a new TB Immigration Info Brief.
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Regards,
RonnyLatYa
Is a letter required in all cases, normally you can still extend for 30 days for Thb 1900.
There is no decision yet, so leave it for a while to say what will normally be.
You do not need a letter for a one-year extension (including retired, Thai Marriage, etc.), so that is already an exception to “all cases”.
Any extension, 7, 15, 30, 60, 90 days, 1 year…. always costs 1900 Baht.
I didn't care about the whole waiver thing. Makes me insecure and (needlessly) worried. I just did the extension in Corona time and also recently did the 90 days. Ideally almost no customer in the entire office. Was so peeped.
People with a regular annual extension didn't have to worry about that at all.
It has been said several times, even recommended to simply extend at the scheduled times and report just as planned. If you did, you don't have to worry now.
Concerns extensions, there is now a temporary immigration office in Muang Thong Thani, (July 13, Impact complex), for 90 days notification and visa extensions, 14,30, 90 and 38 days, you also have to be here for Tm XNUMX, for short term visa (counter K) online queue only, this can be done via the immigration website via the QR code, for extensions this is mandatory, http://www.bangkok.immigration.go.th
Beats. Opened them again. That is why it is expected that there will be no new exemption after July 31.
I don't understand the potential problem of not extending the amnesty.
1. Every Dutch citizen and Belgian with an annual visa was able to extend it in the normal way and
2. Every Dutch and Belgian citizen with a tourist or visa-free stay has been given sufficient time to return to the Netherlands or Belgium during the amnesty period. After all, there were and are sufficient flights from Bangkok to Europe.
I only see a problem for those who used to extend their stay in Thailand by hopping over the border and returning immediately. But that is precisely a group that Thailand wants to get rid of.
How am I seeing it wrong.
Indeed it is.
The Thai government has given an exemption of approximately four months. Every “tourist” actually had enough time to leave Thailand in time.
I don't think they want to get rid of the group "border runners". Not those who do it through a correct visa.
Finally, the “border run” is also a source of income for many.
What they do want to get rid of, I think, are those who work here and use the “border run” to justify their stay instead of purchasing the correct visa and corresponding work permit.
There are some options on the table. I only provide them for information purposes and they come from Richard Barrow's FB page
– Foreign Ministry's deputy spokesman Natapanu Nopakun announced on Friday that a third automatic visa extension will be proposed to the Cabinet soon.
– Cabinet to consider extending visas beyond July 31 for stranded foreigners https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30391492
Thailand on Friday said it would give foreigners a grace period until September to apply for visa extensions as it eased restrictions amid the pandemic, a senior official said.
-Thailand to offer grace period for foreigners' visa extensions | Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-thailand-idUSKCN24I0T8
The article by Reuters is more interesting. It says, “we will allow visa requests from 1 August to 26 September”. This suggests that rather than an extension of the amnesty, people will be able to buy new visas without leaving the country.
Again…just for information. Nothing is official.
https://www.facebook.com/richardbarrowthailand/photos/a.669746139705923/4679950045352159/?type=3&theater