Covid19 - updates on immigration and visa extensions

[HHTel]

Yeh, both are true. It's a catch-22 situation. The Thai authorities require cover for 100,000 baht to include cover for Covid. Almost impossible to find a company to insure for Covid!

[Dannie Boy]

I am not sure if this is the correct Convid thread for this question.
I have not studied it carefully but have picked up 2 pieces of info.

1, Foreign visitors will need to have Medical Insurance with coverage for Covid - I’m not sure that this is yet official, but it’s definitely been mentioned elsewhere
2. Medical insurance companies will only be selling travel insurance that specifically excludes covid - similar to above, this has been mentioned, certainly in the UK press but even if you could find an insurer willing to provide cover, the cost would probably be extortionate - result being you’re unlikely to want to visit.

Anybody know if those two statements are true.

As I mentioned in a separate thread, I reckon the only hope is that the boffins find a vaccination PDQ

[caller]

So, just as Thailand is largely blaming the middle east and new arrivals for new infections, Myanmar is now blaming Thailand for some of their new infections. I guess both can't be right - can they?

https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-re ... h8dQ-gO22Q

[HHTel]

So that's why we have zero infections. Find a case, ship it to Myanmar. Problem solved.

[jungle]

Is the 90 day reporting amnesty still on until 31 July ?

[PeteC]

^ Yes

[buksida]

Mod edit: have moved the last few posts to the correct section: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=39124&start=123

Nothing to do with visa extensions.

[berlinmichael]

Slightly off topic but does anyone know when the Blueport immigration office is due to open?
Thanks and regards

[PeteC]

Slightly off topic but does anyone know when the Blueport immigration office is due to open?
Thanks and regards

See the announcement on Page #15 of this thread.

[PeteC]

Immigration weighs 2nd Extension of Thai Visas

https://bangkokherald.com/thailand/immi ... hai-visas/

Note: This Bangkok Herald site has strong site protection in place and copying any article is impossible. Therefore any future stories from that source will be title and link only. The only other solution is to take and post a screen shot photo of the article which we will do for any urgent stories that they may publish.

[PeteC]

VISA AMNESTY EXTENSION UNLIKELY, IMMIGRATION SPOX SAYS

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/cri ... spox-says/

BANGKOK — Another round of visa amnesty for foreigners residing or stranded in Thailand is unlikely, an immigration spokesman said Friday. The amnesty, extended back in April, will expire at the end of this month.

Spokesman Col. Phakkhaphong Saiubon said there’s a need to “clear out people” as the situation of global pandemic starts to wind down. The government issued automatic extensions of stays earlier this year only after hundreds of foreigners queued up at immigration centers throughout the country.

“There most likely will not be an extension. It’s all quiet on that front. It’s been a long time and we need to clear out people,” Phakkaphong said. “Thailand and the Thai government are already generous. No other country has this long of a visa amnesty.”

Foreigners wishing to extend their stay will also have to journey as far as the Impact Muang Thong Thani exhibition hall from July 13 onwards; immigration offices will temporarily move there to ensure physical distancing, the spokesman said.

The amnesty, approved by the government in April, allowed foreigners whose visas expire between March 26 to July 31 to stay in the Kingdom without applying for an extension at immigration offices.

After July 31, overstay fines as well as the 90-day report requirements will resume if the immigration declined to extend the amnesty. Foreigners who plan to continue staying in Thailand are advised to renew their visas and 90-day reports before then.

“I recommend you do it within this month,” Phakkaphong said.

Foreigners who do not or cannot extend their visas, or are unable to leave due to flight restrictions may try asking their respective embassies for an official letter to allow them to continue staying.

Otherwise, they’d be told to leave Thailand.

“It also depends on the flights available for you,” Phakkhapong said. “But if your embassy won’t issue a letter for you, then you may have to leave since there’s not much we can do.”

Before the visa amnesty was granted, immigration officials required as many as nine separate documents for foreigners to extend their stay for up to 30 days. They include land deeds, rent contracts, and even selfies of foreigners with their accommodations.

[dtaai-maai]

[
Spokesman Col. Phakkhaphong Saiubon said there’s a need to “clear out people” as the situation of global pandemic starts to wind down.
“There most likely will not be an extension. It’s all quiet on that front. It’s been a long time and we need to clear out people,” Phakkaphong said.

[...]

Foreigners wishing to extend their stay will also have to journey as far as the Impact Muang Thong Thani exhibition hall from July 13 onwards; immigration offices will temporarily move there to ensure physical distancing, the spokesman said.

[...]

Foreigners who do not or cannot extend their visas, or are unable to leave due to flight restrictions may try asking their respective embassies for an official letter to allow them to continue staying.

Otherwise, they’d be told to leave Thailand.

“It also depends on the flights available for you,” Phakkhapong said. “But if your embassy won’t issue a letter for you, then you may have to leave since there’s not much we can do.”

That's a confusing bunch of mixed messages, but most confusing of all is the suggestion that all you need is a letter from your embassy saying you can stay. Something lost in translation, I suspect.

[PeteC]

The Khaosod story was published at 1400 hours yesterday. So far none of the other English language publications have mentioned anything about it. That's unusual, and they're being cautious it appears until an official announcement is issued by the Gov.

[buksida]

EMBASSIES WON’T ISSUE EXTENSION PAPERS FOR CITIZENS STRANDED IN THAILAND
Several embassies in Bangkok on Tuesday said they will not issue any further visa extension letters for their citizens when the overstay amnesty in the coronavirus pandemic expires on July 31.

In an announcement published last week by the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, American citizens who are residing in Thailand will have to decide whether to stay or leave the country, since it will no longer provide extension of stay requests for its citizens. The letter is mandatory to most foreigners who wish to extend their stay for another 30 days.

“U.S. citizens have between now and July 31, 2020 to either return to the U.S. or their country of permanent residence, or to obtain the appropriate visa type for a long-term stay in Thailand,” the post said. “The U.S. Embassy is unable to give advice on individual visa issues. Please refer specific visa questions directly to the immigration.”

Immigration spokesman Phakkhaphong Saiubon on Tuesday said again that another round of amnesty extension is “unlikely.”

He also recommended foreigners whose respective embassies refused to issue the required papers to leave the country before July 31 to avoid being fined or arrested.

“Thailand has shown enough leniency for foreigners,” Col. Phakkhaphong said. “It’s been nearly four months already. If you have a letter, you’re good to stay, but if you can’t get one, then there’s not much we can do.”

The British Embassy in Bangkok said on its website that requests for visa extension letters will not be possible.

...

Overstay fines and the 90-day report requirements will resume after July 31 should the government decide not to extend it.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/cri ... -thailand/

[Governor]

Clearly such letters serve no useful purpose whatsoever and Consular staff are making it clear that they are not prepared to play Immigration's silly games.