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Post by will on Apr 24, 2020 14:57:06 GMT 7
Well you've always said where you were would be good enough, unless you found somewhere better. So.....Up2U!! You are nomadic afterall. up2you. Is that the bar you currently miss. One in every town I think. Domestic flights may start next month but they will be more expensive becsuse of new social distance regs according to todays BP. No transport in or out of our village at the moment. Visa amnesty extended to july27 for visas other than non immigrant visas,(which i have) we have to get a letter from the Aust embassy to give Thai immigration....unfortunatly the embassy no longer gives them as they have decided to use the translation of the proclamation given to tourists in english that just says visas are extended and have decided that means all visas....unfortunatly Thai cannot be translated litteraly word for word into english and Thai immigration use the version in Thai which clearly states the automatic visa extention does not apply to non immigrant visas leaving us in a kafkaesque situation. Hopefully it will be sorted soon or a lot of folks here will have problems. Stay safe, stay ontop of your immigrayion status and have fun.
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Post by nomadic on Apr 24, 2020 15:26:47 GMT 7
I was under the impression that all those on non im O are now ok until July 1st with no need to go to immigration until then. But i have a multi entry O which is good until early June but i always leave the country and never ever go to immigration so not sure what happens to me if borders are still closed then. I'm told the vans to my town from Chiang Mai begin again on May 1st also. But currently no foreigners at all are allowed into Mae Hong Song province so still in limbo maybe even if buses go again. Mai pen lai.
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Post by bear on Apr 24, 2020 17:02:43 GMT 7
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Post by bear on Jul 26, 2020 13:50:05 GMT 7
The visa amnesty period has been extended to September 26, but has many discretionary elements to watch for.
Thai immigration has now cleared up most of the macro questions relating to the visa amnesty period to September 26. It is decidedly more detailed and complex than its predecessor ending on July 31. Local discretion in immigration offices has always been present, as Thaivisa.com rightly reminds us on a daily basis, but that official latitude has now grown immeasurably.
Foreigners with an original visa for 15-60 days (or a visa-exempt stamp) – provided you arrived in the country on March 26 or later – can now stay hassle-free until September 26. Effectively, short-term tourists have been given a six months free extension under the two amnesties. They do not need to take any action, fill in any forms or pay any money. Bon voyage.But if foreigners in those categories do stay longer, without permission, they face prosecution and blacklisting. The latest information does not go into detail about fines, but the best advice is not to wait and find out. However, there are three reasons why such a foreigner may seek permission from the immigration to stay longer than September 26: if they are too ill to travel (get a letter from the hospital), if there are no flights available to their foreign destination (obtain a letter from your embassy which will be on a scale of fairly easy to absolutely impossible) and if there is a sudden new coronavirus outbreak which limits international travel (hypothetical situation). The immigration authorities will handle each individual above on a case-by-case basis, but each extension will be for a month or less. Just because you are waving around a letter from a hospital or an embassy just not mean an automatic extension. You can bet your bottom dollar that detailed questions will be asked and, in some cases, further documentation required. After six months that’s understandable. Will this be revisited at immigration offices throughout Thailand after September 26? Those foreigners with a 90 days non-immigrant visa (for example, type B for business/employment or type O for family or type Ed for student status) who wish to stay beyond September 26 will need to appear at their immigration office between now and then with their weighty and relevant documentation under their arm to apply for a fresh visa. Again, decisions will be made on a case by case basis. Many of the foreigners having good reasons to stay will have multiple-entry non-immigrant visas but, as matters stand, cannot do a border run or leave the country and return because of immigration restrictions here and abroad. The immigration bureau is advising such applicants to apply “early” and not wait till mid-September when queues will be longer and tempers frayed all round. These new visas will all the dated from September 27, presumably for three months in most cases. Best of luck. www.pattayamail.com/featured/new-thai-immigration-visa-amnesty-to-september-26-has-many-discretionary-elements-to-watch-for-308795
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Post by highlander4000 on Jul 26, 2020 17:11:34 GMT 7
Bear, over here in Cambodia I just got hit with a nightmare. I arrived a couple of days before the border closed. I chose the EG looking for work visa because I was thinking to do some volunteer work with animals. The police came around and registered all foreigners at our hotel. But my visa was different, everyone else is on the tourist visa. So I specifically went to a travel agent a week before my visa expired to confirm I'd be OK. On the third day she said news came through that my EG visa was exempt. But I wanted to be 100 % sure. So I took her card and she told me to give her card to the hotel. So I did this and was sent to the hotel manager. I showed him her card and he said 'don't worry I will contact my lawyer to make sure'. All this was before my visa expired on the 9th. If he had probls he should have told me, on the 23rd I got a knock on my door that I have to go to the lawyers office to talk about my visa, she was in Phnom Penh so I had to go back again the next day, this time the hotel manager didn't go with me. The hotelmanager had the email and mobile phone of the lawyer from before my visa expired on the 9th. So I asked the lawyer, when did the hotel manager first contact you? She showed me her phone and the first text message to her from the hotel manager was I think the 23rd of July. I got charged for 170US for overstay and 60 US for the visa extension to 9th of August. So I was angry I went back to the hotel and said to the hotel manager, 'why didn't you contact her until the 23rd'and he said' I tried but I couldn't reach her. So I went to my room with her business card and emailed her and said 'has your office been closed since 9th of July' and she replied within an hour 'our office has been open everyday through covid 19 8am to 5pm except Sundays'. So the hotel manager hasn't contacted her and because of this I'm being charged 170US for overstay, 60 for the visa and now I have the concern that I will get blacklisted next time I enter Cambodia. So I'm waiting for another email from her tomorrow to prove that he had her email/phone/business card and that he is at fault and then I will have to talk to the owner. My mistake is that I trusted him, I should have personally gone to immigration. My lesson learnt, never trust anyone unless they are an official and give you official documentation that your visa is OK.
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Post by bear on Jul 26, 2020 18:01:59 GMT 7
Not a nice situation at all highlander4000. So glad you're not locked up and your lesson is learnt!! Do the hotels have a lot to do with foreigner's visas......I'm a bit confused!! The police (immigration?) came and registered you all; but they didn't give you a heads up on your different visa. That's poor form. Is the amnesty being extended there do you know? I've had a look re blacklisting; can't find anything definitive. If it hasn't been noted in your passport and you keep on top of it from here on; there shouldn't be a problem. The only thing the hotel does in Thailand is report you are staying there to immigration. They should also give you your notification of address slip to put in your passport. Then it's up to you to work with immigration. Hope it's all ok!! Cheers bear
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Post by nomadic on Jul 26, 2020 21:54:56 GMT 7
I may have problems after going to immigration last week. Because I am on a multi entry I cannot got to other countries as all borders are closed. So they said i should apply for a new visa where i only have to go to immigration every 3 months rather than leaving the country every 3 months. But as a first time applicant I either have to have 800,000 baht in my Thai bank or 65,000 baht going into it every month. I have neither. So after Sept 26th I may be in trouble also although i will go this week to see what the boss says as he wasn't there last week. But never a dull moment where politicians are concerned. Why can't I just go to immigration every 3 months instead of the border because of the unique situation? Because that is logical. Who knows what they will say? But I can't get and don't want a new visa anyhow. Growl on hold for now.
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Post by mulloway on Jul 27, 2020 0:02:27 GMT 7
highlander4000, Things are always simpler on a tourist visa! sounds like they gave you the wrong visa type, but you will have to keep on extending that Visa until you exit the country. As for being blacklisted - Very unlikely, I do know of a guy who feel into a bottle of Angkor beer while in Siem Reap and overstayed his Tourist visa by 30 weeks. At the airport he simply paid the overstay fine of either $5 or $10 US per day. He handed over the money to immigration staff at the airport and no questions were asked. I thought people on a tourist visas were exempt from overstay fines in Cambodia during the pandemic, but I am not sure about the visa you were given. Might be an idea to go the immigration office there in Siem Reap and continue extending your visa with them. You have acted in good faith and done nothing wrong, just make sure you dont get angry with immigration staff or anyone else and it will work out ....
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Post by nomadic on Jul 27, 2020 8:00:49 GMT 7
Wise words mulloway on not getting angry under any circumstances. It never works with anything in this part of the world and even more so with immigration. Keep smiling and your voice low even if it is illogical madness. You will only make it far worse as they have all the power so you really do have to cow tow to them in all circumstances.
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Post by timber on Jul 28, 2020 7:16:07 GMT 7
I may have problems after going to immigration last week. Because I am on a multi entry I cannot got to other countries as all borders are closed. So they said i should apply for a new visa where i only have to go to immigration every 3 months rather than leaving the country every 3 months. But as a first time applicant I either have to have 800,000 baht in my Thai bank or 65,000 baht going into it every month. I have neither. So after Sept 26th I may be in trouble also although i will go this week to see what the boss says as he wasn't there last week. But never a dull moment where politicians are concerned. Why can't I just go to immigration every 3 months instead of the border because of the unique situation? Because that is logical. Who knows what they will say? But I can't get and don't want a new visa anyhow. Growl on hold for now. Nomadic, Can you tell what that visa is, that you use, so you don't need the 800,000bht.
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Post by itsmylife08 on Jul 28, 2020 13:38:37 GMT 7
Omg nomadic that is crazy there are far too many requirements for my liking. Is the 800,000 Thai Baht like a security deposit? That's a lot of money mate AU$35,500 or PH1,250,000 Pesos you could buy a low-cost house for that here. Time to look elsewhere I think mate. Best wishes Itsa
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Post by nomadic on Jul 28, 2020 19:08:41 GMT 7
I may have problems after going to immigration last week. Because I am on a multi entry I cannot got to other countries as all borders are closed. So they said i should apply for a new visa where i only have to go to immigration every 3 months rather than leaving the country every 3 months. But as a first time applicant I either have to have 800,000 baht in my Thai bank or 65,000 baht going into it every month. I have neither. So after Sept 26th I may be in trouble also although i will go this week to see what the boss says as he wasn't there last week. But never a dull moment where politicians are concerned. Why can't I just go to immigration every 3 months instead of the border because of the unique situation? Because that is logical. Who knows what they will say? But I can't get and don't want a new visa anyhow. Growl on hold for now. Nomadic, Can you tell what that visa is, that you use, so you don't need the 800,000 bht My usual multi-entry one year visa that requires me to leave the country every 3 months under normal circumstances. For that, I need to show 800,000 baht which is a combination of my pension for the year + amount in both Thai & Oz bank accounts. But for this new one year visa for me where you only have to go to immigration every 3 months you need to either show 800,000 in a Thai bank or a pension of 65,000 or more per month going into the account the first time you apply even though I have had other visa's for 20 years. So not sure what they will say until I talk to them. I will have neither.
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Post by timber on Jul 29, 2020 9:34:04 GMT 7
OK, thanks Nomadic, Been looking at the Thai Embassies websites in Aus, and I still can't work out all of the different requirements, for diff versions of the same Visa.
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Post by bear on Jul 29, 2020 17:10:45 GMT 7
OK, thanks Nomadic, Been looking at the Thai Embassies websites in Aus, and I still can't work out all of the different requirements, for diff versions of the same Visa. Unfortunately timber my sources say most Embassies & Consulates globally haven't been issuing non immigrant O retirement visas for a considerable time. They are still available at Savanakhet in Laos with the pension, money in Thai and Ozzie banks as is done by nomadic in normal times. I think maybe Penang does them as well. Non immigrant O visa covers; for dependent, spouse and family visit, or spouse of Thai national or for volunteer or NGO. That's it as far as I know.....although Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth consulates may have more flexible rules than Canberra, Sydney or Melbourne. canberra.thaiembassy.org/non-immigrant/Here is a complete list of consulates in Oz. A short email inquiry re: Non-immigrant O Retirement visa, might see you get lucky. protocol.dfat.gov.au/Public/Consulates/196/StateAt the moment though no one is getting into the country......I originally came on a non immigrant O-A which gives you two years if you use it wisely. The plan was to go back to Oz, rinse and repeat. Of course that was before the health insurance debacle of October 31, 2019 was implemented, whereby you are required to purchase health insurance from a cabal of Thai companies to be admitted on an O-A. Now of course there's the current situation......if you fit into a group that is allowed access, the hurdles include; fit to fly certificate, certificate of entry, mandatory Government approved isolation and at least two Covid tests with time constraints. Sorry, there's not much to be cheery about; bear
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Post by timber on Jul 30, 2020 10:25:02 GMT 7
Thanks Bear, I'm only just tossing around Idea's in my head at the moment.
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