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Is it possible to renew a Covid visa in Thailand after overstaying due to illness?

Covid VisaOverstay PenaltiesThai ImmigrationVisa ExtensionsNon-Immigrant VisasHealth Regulations in ThailandExpat AdviceVisa Rules and Regulations
Apr 7, 2022
3 years ago
Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello again

As mentioned in my earlier post, we’ve been overstaying here because we had Covid. Unfortunately, my husband is still testing positive (many healthy people can test positive for a long time). Because of complicated procedure for foreigners entering Myanmar, the earliest flight we can get is on the 19th.

Is it worth going to immigration to renew our Covid visa? We’ve overstayed for 10 days now. We entered Thailand on Non immigrant visas. And what excuse do we give if we go there. Which extra documents are required.

Thanks. 🙏
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is concerned about their overstay in Thailand due to Covid and is seeking advice on renewing their Covid visa after 10 days of overstay. There is a dilemma about whether they should approach immigration for an extension, what excuse to provide, and what documentation they might need. Community members express varying opinions on the seriousness of overstaying and potential fines, while discussions cover the implications of not notifying health officials about their Covid status.
Vivek ********
You should contact a hospital immediately if your husband is positive they will have to support you or second option is to approach your embassy and they can take it forward ...At the most you will be fined and it can be negotiated or waived if embassy intervenes.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Vivek *******
 OP husband tested positive 10 days ish ago, it's way too late to contact an hospital to get a letter to avoid overstay fine. Also, the hospital fee can easily rack up to 6 digits (100k baht+ for hospital stay). This is a common scam that I've warned everyone about (getting stuck in hospital when testing positive for Covid). Finally, she is from Myanmar, a country currently in a civil war, her embassy is worthless. She has a better chance at seeking asylum then getting help from her embassy.
3 years ago
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Robert **********
@Vivek *******
 Hospital might be able to sort an extension for you have a medical basis, or something. However, they may want to admit your whole family and make you pay for it.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Robert *********
 No, the hospital can't because she and husband already on 10 days overstays. But yes, the hospital fee can be 100k+ baht pretty quickly for 4 people.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
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Nick *******
You can't be that healthy if u keep testing positive
3 years ago
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Nick ******
 thanks for the helpful comment
3 years ago
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Helen *************
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Frank-Steven ***********
I sympathize with you. You got caught in the ill-communicated, permanently and always-last minute changing and never coherent Thai immigration mess. Add extra bad luck to this with you getting covid.

I am not really sure what to advise in this special case / what the best course of action is. Usually, overstay is never a desirable option.

Then again, the question is: Did you notify the officials when you tested positive for COVID? I am asking, as not doing so is illegal in Thailand and may come at additional problems and fines.

If you did report covid: I would go to immigration now and settle it.

If not, one could consider sitting it out on overstay.

I hope someone can give you more helpful advise. Maybe
@Stu***
?
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Frank-Steven **********
 You can self-isolate if you catch Covid, you do not need to tell officials nor will get into trouble. The only trouble is the overstay fine which she cannot avoid.
3 years ago
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Frank-Steven ***********
@Maxim **********
 Source? Since when? Before everyone who tested positive (even with a self taken ATK test) was required to inform the officials under penalty of up to 40,000 baht or imprisonment.

„To undergo home isolation, those who test positive must still report their positive ATK result to Thai health officials. Patients must consult with a doctor to determine if they are eligible for home isolation. Those who have mild to no symptoms with living space where they can isolate from others should be able to isolate at home.“

„Those who refuse to quarantine or get treatment for Covid-19 under the government’s guidelines can face a penalty of up to two years in jail and an up to 40,000 baht fine.“

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3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Frank-Steven **********
 No, you do not have to tell anyone nor ask a doctor if you can stay home, this is part of the scam. I have help many people avoid paying tens of thousands of Thai baht by telling them to stand their ground went Hotel and Hospital try to "force" them to go to the hospital. There are many organism/lawyer that help people every day avoiding such scam. Also, "The Thaiger" are not reputable nor trusthworty. They are kinda the laughing stock of foreign media in Thailand.
3 years ago
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Frank-Steven ***********
@Maxim **********
 You don’t provide any sources to your claims. I in turn will give you an additional, more reputable one. Long story short: Yes … home isolation is possible now. IF IF IF the authorities (and doctors) decide one is eligible for it and meets the requirements - I.e. milder symptoms AND a suitable “home” to isolate in. Even in home isolation they will regularly check and you and provide you with medication and food. What you are not allowed to is just shut up about it and quietly crawl into an hotel room or similar. That is the law. Though I am sure quite some people risk that given a rather slim likelihood of being caught. That is everyone’s individual choice. Just don’t spread unsupported false information.
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3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Frank-Steven **********
 I do not need sources, as Thailand laws are contextual and money driven. There is a lot of corruption and bribery in the medical field, including during Covid with Hotel/Hospital staff/authority, taking each their cuts for having many foreigners "forcefully" in 10 days isolation in hospital. This is one of the many scheme that you can get caught into if you are not careful. I've been living here since 2010, I was naive like you at the beginning (I'm guessing that you've been here only for a few years), but I've changed my thought process many years ago and accepted to play the "game" the Thai way. What you mention as "nurse visiting you for medication", etc, is part of the scheme to up-charge you with hidden fees.
3 years ago
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Frank-Steven **********
 You’re scaring me. I’m quite vulnerable with all the stress of me and my kids catching Covid, not being able to go home, missing the flight, having to overstay longer and having to pay lots of fine.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Helen ************
 The only thing that truly suck is the overstay fine that is piling up by 1k baht each passing day (you + husband). You are from Myanmar, correct? What's going on in your country is a lot more stressful then the worse that could happen to you being on overstay here in Thailand. Some people are making it look like a lot more dramatic then it is.
3 years ago
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Frank-Steven ***********
@Helen ************
 Sorry. Wasn’t my intend to scare you or anyone. Just wanted to challenge what Maxim commented before (about being allowed to ride covid out without reporting that to officials), which I believe is not correct.
3 years ago
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Frank-Steven ***********
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Frank-Steven **********
 We didn’t notify the officials. We only did 10 day isolation. That’s why I’m worried. ☹️
3 years ago
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Helen *************
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Maxim ***********
If you leave on the 19th, your fine will be 23k baht total given that it's already 12k. If you can't pay the fine you will be jailed. You had the chance to extend your stay with the Covid extension Friday March 29, or earlier this week with overstay penalty, but didn't do it. Nothing will happen to you if you extend while on overstay, you will simply pay the overstay fine and get stamped 30 more days from the day that your visa ended. So if you go today your extension will end around April 26 and you will pay today 12k+1.9k+1.9k, so 15.8k baht total.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
I know that if you are on Visa exempt entry or Tourist visa, you can extend 30 more days for 1.9k baht, even if you were on overstay. I did it a few time myself. If it doesn't apply to Covid extension, well, you are looking at a 23k baht penalty upon leaving on April 19.
3 years ago
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Maxim **********
 Some people here commented here that we can’t renew Covid visa anymore because we no longer have it. 😞
3 years ago
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Helen *************
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Kuan ******
It’s just money fine.

You pay when you leave the country at immigration.

They hardly stop you on the roads n street to arrest foreigners. Unless u are participating in some late night gatherings u will never be caught.

My advise is just leave on your flight n be prepared to pay money.
3 years ago
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kuan *****
 Thanks for the non-judgmental comment. No, we’re quite indoorsy people. The only place we go is the playground for our two kids.
3 years ago
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Helen *************
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Philip **********
I’m really confused about your comment. What excuse you give to immigration. If you have Covid. Quarantine. Once you’re recovered. GO HOME!
3 years ago
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Philip *********
 I’m desperate to go home. Myanmar won’t let my husband enter with his recovery certificate.
3 years ago
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Helen *************
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Philip **********
What’s a Covid Visa?
3 years ago
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Kool *******
If you did not check in with the health department, and a doctor, when you got covid, you have no alternatives for any kind of visa or extension. There is no proof you had, or recovered, from covid. You will be fined bt500 a day per person, and if you are caught before you leave you will be arrested and put in immigration detention waiting for deportation at your expense.
3 years ago
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Zap **********
@Maxim **********
 ok gotcha so as long as overstay is within the timeframe of the normally allowed extension?
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Michelle ***********
 Yes, but it's possible that it's impossible with Covid extension (to extend while on overstay). I just know that I did extend both tourist visa and visa exempt while being on overstay more then once.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
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Zap **********
Legally through immigration
@Maxim **********
?
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Michelle ***********
 Yes, on more then one occasion. This is why I was asking
@Kool ******
 if the law for Covid extension is different (or if he is guessing). Because if you are on Tourist visa or visa exempt entry, you can extend while on overstay. You will get stamped 30 days which include the overstay days. So if you are on 10 days overstay, you get 20 more days for 1.9k baht + 5k baht overstay fine = 6.9k baht.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kool ******
 I thought we could still get Covid extension.
3 years ago
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
Well, we didn’t mean to overstay. Before 28th of March, people who originally came with non immigrant visas were not eligible for another Covid extension. And our flight date was on 29th! Our visas expired on the 27th. All of a sudden, we had to change the flight to 5th of April because we suspected we had Covid. Unfortunately, my husband still tested positive. Then we changed our flight to 8th, he still tested positive! So we tried to change the flight to the 10th or 11th again, but we couldn’t. That way, we keep overstaying.

I asked this group because I don’t know what to do, to be honest. I want to go to immigration and renew the visa but my husband doesn’t wanna go. He said you never know what they would do. Believe me how much we both hate overstaying in another country.
3 years ago
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Kool *******
@Helen ************
 as soon as you discovered you had covid you should have contacted the hospital, before your extension expires. They would have helped you. Now that your extension has expired the best you will get is a stamp saying you have 7 days to leave the country, if they do not arrest you all. From the sound of it you have no documentation to prove you had covid. Immigration takes being on overstay very serious unless you get caught on your way to fly out at the airport. Then you just pay your fine and get an overstay stamp, unless it is more than 90 days overstay. If you get caught anyplace other than on your way to the airport to fly out you will be arrested and deported, and banned for 3, or 5 years. I can't remember exactly. Immigration will not renew your covid extension. The best they might do, and it is a very slim chance is give you a 7 days to leave stamp.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Kool ******
 You do not get arrested at immigration while trying to extend your expired visa. This is not their job.

The major way that people get caught is thought check-point, which is rare. Cops asked for my passport once in the last five years, and it was while taking the bus to Mukdahan border pre-covid. They are more worry about people that look like Cambodian or Myanmar people.
3 years ago
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Zap **********
@Helen ************
you can't renew or extend something you no longer have (it has expired).
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Michelle ***********
 Not true, ive extended tourist visa and visa exempt entry while on overstay before.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
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Kool *******
@Helen ************
 only before your actual visa, or previous covid extension, expires. Once it expires you have no options left.
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
@Kool ******
 I've extended my visa 30 more days while on overstay before but it was never the Covid extension. You know people who got denied the extension due to overstay?
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
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Jared **********
@Helen ************
 you had options while you had a valid visa, now on overstay you’re going to have problems
3 years ago
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Jared **********
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Simon *********
Not from my experience but from i read before. I believe visa is the cheapest option unfortunately. Mostly if the results keep coming positive. They should have a program or something for everyone getting in that situation by now
3 years ago
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Bobby ********
You are aware that between you, you are accumulating 1000 baht per day in overstay fines with the possibility of arrest and deportation the longer you delay getting a valid extension?
3 years ago
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Garrett ***********
@Bobby *******
 500 a day
3 years ago
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Bobby ********
Garrett Greenwald. "Between you"
3 years ago
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Garrett ***********
@Bobby *******
 Sorry didn't see it was 2 people.
3 years ago
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Bobby ********
Garrett Greenwald. I forgive you 😆
3 years ago
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Bobby ********
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Maxim ***********
@Garrett **********
 1k a day, 500 + 500 (her + husband).
3 years ago
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Maxim ***********
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Helen *************
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bobby *******
 I’m desperate to go home. It feels terribly awful to be trapped here with our two small kids.
3 years ago
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Helen *************
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