Thai immigration clarifies situation for tourists and long term visa holders during amnesty period

nomad97 said:
A true Irishman, to be sure, to be sure - Jus sanguinis.
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CO-CO said:
Is it not 2 months for the first extension application?
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I think you may be right. However, as @Merlin has said he is to return around 15th September to see if more info is available, the time remaining until the amnesty deadline, 27th September, will then be less than 2 weeks away. I only wondered if money seasoning, now 2 months for the first application, had been considered or factored into the equation.
 
CO-CO said:
Is it not 2 months for the first extension application?
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Retirement rules changed March 1 2019. Under the new rules, the B800,000 must be in the account at least two months before applying for the visa (permit to stay) and must remain in the account for at least three months after the visa has been issued. This is where the confusion of a 3 months period is coming from.
This stops the whip it in and whip it out and wipe it technique. Employed by Shonks and Shonky agents extraordinaire.
 
Wanderer said:
I got the hell out last month because my 1-year multi entry visa had not only expired but they don't exist any longer; plus I expected that there would be every likelihood of great confusion perpetrated by individuals in Bangkok who don't get out out much, don't talk to anyone else who doesn't get out much, and don't understand that their pontificating paperwork bears no practical relevance to aeroplanes, covid, or the realities of normal life.
I underestimated it !!
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Would you not have been able to apply for a 12 month extension and then get a re-entry permit to cover your trip to the UK?
 
Rice said:
Retirement rules changed March 1 2019. Under the new rules, the B800,000 must be in the account at least two months before applying for the visa (permit to stay) and must remain in the account for at least three months after the visa has been issued. This is where the confusion of a 3 months period is coming from.
This stops the whip it in and whip it out and wipe it technique. Employed by Shonks and Shonky agents extraordinaire.
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Just to add to Rice's post....the 800k can drop to 400k after 3m....

"Confirmed in police order No. 35/2561 foreigners who apply for a retirement extension using the 800k baht in the bank or the combination of income method now need to keep 800k baht in the bank for three months after the extension and 400k baht in the bank after that."
 
CO-CO said:
Just to add to Rice's post....the 800k can drop to 400k after 3m....

"Confirmed in police order No. 35/2561 foreigners who apply for a retirement extension using the 800k baht in the bank or the combination of income method now need to keep 800k baht in the bank for three months after the extension and 400k baht in the bank after that."
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There was a time, I believe, many years ago, when the money held in the bank for either a marriage or retirement ext, had to be NEW money each year. This meant for some people having to return what was left to their home country, and then bringing it back
 
Prakhonchai Nick said:
There was a time, I believe, many years ago, when the money held in the bank for either a marriage or retirement ext, had to be NEW money each year. This meant for some people having to return what was left to their home country, and then bringing it back
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My first retirement extension was in 2000 but I cannot remember anyone mentioning "new" money. I remember they had just reduced the retirement validity age from 55 to 50.
 
CO-CO said:
Would you not have been able to apply for a 12 month extension and then get a re-entry permit to cover your trip to the UK?
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I don't think so, but I don't know so. Because that 1-year non-imm multi-entry visa doesn't (for no explained reason) exist any more, I used the logic that I would have to start from scratch again.
Which (God Help Me) I'm trying to do. For a Non-Immigrant O-A 1-year visa. The on-line application form is an illogical, inflexible nightmare in itself and every section has to be completed before filing.

What I didn't bargain for was that the UK side of things would be even worse.
My on line application for a certificate of criminal record clearance was onerous in itself but got refused at the end because that system was only operational using a mobile phone app at this time. And my phone's camera couldn't take a photo of my passport page. Somehow, after any attempts, it eventually worked, a confirmation was sent that I was certified as clear. But it is not allowed to print that off and therefore trying to do that is blocked. Hard copy is in the 2nd class post, so at least it is done.

But to get the medical certificate that I don't have leprosy, TB, elephantiasis, drug addiction or 3rd stage syphilis (only 3rd?????) is even worse. My registered local surgery of 18-years has said they don't do it - I asked verbally first in March and also a month ago. On-line I can find a hundred ways of getting a covid test or how to send a dog or wild animal to Thailand, but only that for me I should contact my GP. I have now sent 3 emails without response.
I have also visited the local hospital and they were very sympathetic and said we can't do that, surely you GP will do it?
I also checked out the Covid testing unit - nope, only Covid. And the site was barriered off like I remember Peterhead maximum security prison (as a visitor).

Maybe I should go A & E at the main hospital and lie down on the floor screaming.
They won't beat me.
 
Wanderer said:
I don't think so, but I don't know so. Because that 1-year non-imm multi-entry visa doesn't (for no explained reason) exist any more, I used the logic that I would have to start from scratch again.
Which (God Help Me) I'm trying to do. For a Non-Immigrant O-A 1-year visa. The on-line application form is an illogical, inflexible nightmare in itself and every section has to be completed before filing.

What I didn't bargain for was that the UK side of things would be even worse.
My on line application for a certificate of criminal record clearance was onerous in itself but got refused at the end because that system was only operational using a mobile phone app at this time. And my phone's camera couldn't take a photo of my passport page. Somehow, after any attempts, it eventually worked, a confirmation was sent that I was certified as clear. But it is not allowed to print that off and therefore trying to do that is blocked. Hard copy is in the 2nd class post, so at least it is done.

But to get the medical certificate that I don't have leprosy, TB, elephantiasis, drug addiction or 3rd stage syphilis (only 3rd?????) is even worse. My registered local surgery of 18-years has said they don't do it - I asked verbally first in March and also a month ago. On-line I can find a hundred ways of getting a covid test or how to send a dog or wild animal to Thailand, but only that for me I should contact my GP. I have now sent 3 emails without response.
I have also visited the local hospital and they were very sympathetic and said we can't do that, surely you GP will do it?
I also checked out the Covid testing unit - nope, only Covid. And the site was barriered off like I remember Peterhead maximum security prison (as a visitor).

Maybe I should go A & E at the main hospital and lie down on the floor screaming.
They won't beat me.
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You seem to be doing this the hard way ...

You could have applied for a 12 month extension in the last 30 days of your permission to stay....subject to money in the bank or income evidence.

The O-A would indeed suit a wanderer such as yourself, but the insurance requirements make it potentially complicated.

Can you not get a single entry Non-Imm 'O' and then apply for a 12m extension after your arrival.

I now understand how right I was in making the decision not to travel to the UK until next July. Even then I will not risk leaving Thailand unless I can guarantee an unhindered return.
 
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Yorky said:
Or even the last 45 days.
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45 days relates to renewal of existing extensions; Immigration advise you to visit in the 30 days of your permission to stay under a Non-) visa. That gives time to season funds if you are using the money in the bank route.
 
CO-CO said:
45 days relates to renewal of existing extensions; Immigration advise you to visit in the 30 days of your permission to stay under a Non-) visa. That gives time to season funds if you are using the money in the bank route.
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It's been so long since my first extension I couldn't remember when I applied (I was then on a 12 month multi out of Singapore).
 
Yorky said:
It's been so long since my first extension I couldn't remember when I applied (I was then on a 12 month multi out of Singapore).
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In theory, anytime during your permission to stay. In practice they told me to bugger off and come back in the last 30 days.
 
CO-CO said:
You seem to be doing this the hard way ...

You could have applied for a 12 month extension in the last 30 days of your permission to stay....subject to money in the bank or income evidence.

The O-A would indeed suit a wanderer such as yourself, but the insurance requirements make it potentially complicated.

Can you not get a single entry Non-Imm 'O' and then apply for a 12m extension after your arrival.

I now understand how right I was in making the decision not to travel to the UK until next July. Even then I will not risk leaving Thailand unless I can guarantee an unhindered return.
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Ray, you really are correct not to leave Thailand.
For everybody with longer term visas the fundamental priority has to be to ensure that everything is fully in order to safeguard life in Thailand for themselves and their families for the coming months and well into next year.

In hindsight, I still don't know if it would have been better to try in April for an extension to my 1-year "O" visa. I didn't have UK financial paperwork with me in Surin, but at that time I didn't have any idea as to the degree of difficulty that has evolved.
I don't suppose I'm alone in that.
Because it was re-listed again (with £150 fee) then I assumed wrongly that I could get a new 1-year non-imm "O" multi-entry when I needed it. It was only when it then wouldn't even allow a multi-entry option on the application form that reality was clear and I then changed to the 1-year O-A which would mean I had already organised approval of finance, criminal record, Covid insurance, etc.
But now, unbelievably, I have everything organised to send the visa on-line stuff to the Embassy except a UK medical certificate to say I don't have third-stage syphilis.
More discussion with my GP Practice and re-sent emails today but not yet the promised yes or no answer.
We shall see.
At work they used to say "Don't mess with Woody". I haven't changed.
 
Renewing my marriage extension right at this moment.
It all seems to be a similar procedure as last time.

The only difference so far is that we have to sit outside the office.
 
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