Hi Guys,
My situation: I did a border bounce some time ago and collected a 60 day TR stamp based on a METV, gained at an embassy before I traveled to Thailand last year (the METV has since expired), then I gained a 30-day extension of stay at the local Chiang Mai immigration, Extension of stay valid until 14thApril 2020.
Just a quick check with the experts on some terminology, please. Is a ‘Visa’ considered to be one and the same as an ‘Extension of Stay is permitted to XXXX stamp, when considering the emergency automatic extensions of stay until April 30th?
I ask because the UK embassy, Bangkok seems to have stopped issuing the ‘unable to travel due to COVID -19 support letters, stating that ‘’British Nationals who hold ‘Visas’ expiring on or after 26th March will now be granted an automatic extension until 30th April 2020’’. Reading other posts recently, my original thoughts where that the automatic extensions of stay until 30th April would be granted to those on Extensions of Stay stamps (as described). However, with all the confusion regarding terminology, I’m now unsure and don’t want to stay away from IO only to end up on overstay.
Your expert advice would be much appreciated.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is seeking clarification on whether an 'Extension of Stay' stamp is equivalent to a 'Visa' in the context of automatic extensions granted due to COVID-19. They mention their current visa status and the expiration of support letters from the UK embassy, leading to confusion about their immigration status and the need to approach immigration authorities to avoid overstaying.
