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Are 30-Day Extensions with Embassy Letters Currently Being Processed in Phuket Immigration?

Phuket ImmigrationVisa ExtensionsCOVID-19 Visa PoliciesEmbassy Letter RequirementsRoyal Gazette PublicationAmnesty Visa Updates30-Day Visa ExtensionThailand Visa Rules
Sep 8, 2020
4 years ago
Dan ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
FYI just went to Phuket immigration and they have said that until the plan to extend amnesty visas with an embassy letter has been published in the Royal Gazette they are not able to process 30 day extensions.

EDIT: They also said that the embassy letter must be an original, not a printed out copy from an email.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The situation regarding 30-day visa extensions in Phuket is currently unclear. Immigration officials have stated that they cannot process extensions until a plan regarding amnesty visas, which requires a letter from the embassy, is published in the Royal Gazette. The embassy letter must be original, not a printed copy. Despite various comments suggesting confusion about an extension plan and the publication timing in the Royal Gazette, many have noted differences in practices between immigration offices in Thailand. Some have successfully processed extensions with printed embassy letters, while others have faced strict requirements. Overall, expats are advised to stay updated and possibly wait before attempting to extend their visas.
Jay *****
Immigration accepted my embassy letter printed from an email. Looks like diff immigrations diff rules.
4 years ago
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Dan ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jay ****
 which immigration office did you go to?
4 years ago
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Jay *****
@Dan ***********
 Pattaya
4 years ago
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Jesse *********
@Jay ****
 nice thanks for sharing... do you mind mentioning the list of documents you needed besides the letter printed out in order to get 30 days more of COVID extension? thanks!
4 years ago
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Jay *****
@Jesse ********
4 years ago
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Jay *****
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Hugh ********
Most embassys dont give out them letters too
4 years ago
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Makhulu ***************
I hope you all get sorted it must be very frustrating for you all
4 years ago
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Lisandro *******
@Reiner ********
 Who are you referring to?
4 years ago
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Reiner *********
Well not knowing in witch office of immigration you went..to extend....shows that this is a fake news.....as your profile shows ....
4 years ago
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Lisandro *******
4 years ago
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Lisandro *******
Today I have read an American went to immigration ( can't remember which one) with printed email and they told him he needed to have one sent by mail by his embassy, and they were still not able to process his requirement.

He said he started to be pushy, but officers there seemed not interested in working, so he preferred to hold.

When I read this, immediately I thought about a new amnesty.

Something similar when I have read this post.

Crossing fingers.

UPDATE: Found post, pasted below.
4 years ago
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Jesse *********
That's me... I think it's simply not true that Thai police care about us and are planning some secret surprise extension for us in late Sept... I think they are just lazy as hell and angry that Thai Parliament voted already to extend our visas (etc) so they come up with new excuses everyday to avoid working. It really just that simple... the only way they get off their butt is if you pay a ton of "tea money" to an agency.
4 years ago
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Lisandro *******
Damn. My perception was different. Where I live - island- immigration is going to come to us, for the 30 day visa thingy.

Last time that happened, ( was exceptional as well) three days after, amnesty was declared.

Nowadays not so many people to think about cues, social distancing, etc.

Last time, after we paid, amnesty given for free.
4 years ago
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Lisandro *******
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Steven ***************
The part about emails from embassy I would ignore. The only way to get such letter is via email ,from many embassies, and can be used. Example: Only way to get letter from Australian Embassy is to apply via email and the letter is sent to you by email.
4 years ago
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Aaron *********
I can advise that BKK immigration is processing extensions based on an embassy letter. I’m heading back to Immigration on Wednesday to have the extension stamped in.

Was there two weeks ago, but the rule with embassy extensions is that local offices can not approve these, it has to be forwarded to the central immigration office to be approved.

Not even Immigration Div 1 (BKK) has the power to approve it, hence me going back on Thursday
4 years ago
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Marguyvin **********
Did you get Under Consideration?
4 years ago
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Aaron *********
@MarGuyvin **
 yup 🙂
4 years ago
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Aaron *********
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Kool *******
They are correct about it needing to be published in the Royal Gazette. The Cabinet meetings are on Tuesdays, so hopefully something gets published tomorrow, or Thursday.
4 years ago
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Ciarán *******
@James *******
4 years ago
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Anthony *********
That's why I'm waiting till the last moment I know a few people who have been turned away and been told to come back nearer to the 26th, I think an announcement could he coming with good news for all, just a guess mind but it would make a lot of sense to do so
4 years ago
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Ruth *******
@Anthony ********
 wow! This sounds like a really stressful way to be living. Best of luck to everyone.
4 years ago
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Jesse *********
Idk that kinda assume all the offices "know" about some surprise announcement and have our best interests at heart instead of just being lazy/etc as for why they are telling you to come back later (in my experience, they tell you to come back later anytime they can avoid working that day).
4 years ago
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Anthony *********
@Jesse ********
 thats also just as likely for sure 🤣
4 years ago
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Anthony *********
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Dan ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Sorry, to clarify I was asking them about the 30 day extension with an embassy letter, not an amnesty extension. Either way they said they weren’t processing them yet, even though I had all of he proper paperwork.
4 years ago
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Dan ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Sorry, I guess it’s not a new plan per se, but since they announced that people should go in before September 26th I wanted to let people know that they aren’t being processed yet. Previously there had been no mention of how long a visa extension would be or how much it would cost until this came out late last week.
4 years ago
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Dan ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
4 years ago
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Lyndon ************
@Dan ***********
 what bit is new?
4 years ago
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Lyndon ************
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Graham *********
@Dan ***********
 so why are you/they talking about the Royal Gazette?
4 years ago
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Dan ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham ********
 no idea. I think they were saying that the new plan, despite being on posters all over the office, is not official yet because it hasn’t been published in the Gazette.
4 years ago
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Zabel ******************
@Dan ***********
So what you are saying is they did print all the poster's before it was official sound like a brilliant move.🤔
4 years ago
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Graham *********
@Dan ***********
 what new plan is that?
4 years ago
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Dan ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham ********
 this one:
4 years ago
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Dan ************
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Wan *****
Does anyone know when the royal gazette will be published ? Is it
*****
?
4 years ago
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Graham *********
@Dan ***********
 was the implication that there IS a new extension plan ready to be published?
4 years ago
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Dan ************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham ********
 no, sorry no new extension plan just the current one where you can extend for 30 days with a medical exemption, or an embassy letter. They were saying that they were not ready to process the extra 30 days with the embassy letter.
4 years ago
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Dan ************
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Mark ***********************
Follow
4 years ago
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Bobby ********
Did you tell them there is no amnesty extension, that's the whole point of a 30 day extension!?
4 years ago
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Chris *****
🥳🥳
4 years ago
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Davey *******
So does mean amnesty is being extended?
4 years ago
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Davey *******
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