Ask question
This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.

Can I change my visa status from amnesty while staying at a monastery in Thailand?

Aug 19, 2020
6 years ago
Erik *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'm staying at a monastery as a layperson on visa amnesty. I entered Thailand on Feb 28 with a visa exemption stamp. The abbot before has supported foreigners to stay longer and signed letters to the immigration office.

How would this process work in light of covid? Can I change to a volunteer or religious visa from within Thailand? How soon do I need to start this process? Are there any confirmed stories of someone on visa amnesty who successfully changed to a 3-month visa, or who were denied a 3-month visa?

Thanks in advance!
751
views
16
all likes
4
replies
2
users
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is on visa amnesty while staying at a monastery and seeks guidance on transitioning to a volunteer or religious visa in Thailand. They inquire about the processes involved, timelines for initiation, and any success stories of similar cases. A comment warns that changing from visa amnesty to a new visa is not possible, even pre-COVID.
Robert *******
You can not change from overstay (amnesty) into a visa in Thailand,

Even in the pre Covid period this was not possible and those people you talk about went from a valid stay from a Visa Exempt Entry or a Tourist Visa into a new stay from a new Visa,
Like
Reply
Erik *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Got it.
Like
Reply
Erik *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Robert ******
That's right, currently I haven't overstayed, I'm within the amnesty period.
@Benjamin *****
Do you mean Sept 26?
Like
Reply
Robert *******
@Erik ******
The amnesty is just a waiver of the overstay fines if you could not leave Thailand before or on your Admitted until ../../... or permitted up to ./../... date stamped in your passport, until the day you did manage to leave, Now with a new end date of 26 September
Like
Reply
Reply to
Robert *******
Reply
Thai Visa Advice
... members · 40% approval rate
The Thai Visa Advice group is a specialized Q&A forum for visa-related topics in Thailand, ensuring detailed responses.
Join the Group
Thai Visa Advice
View the Conversation
Thai Visa Advice
The ask:thailand community, consisting of multiple Q/A groups with over 100,000 members, powers this platform. It is not an official government resource. Our members actively contribute to this resource, and while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee its complete reliability. Assistance to travelers is provided as a community service.