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Is the tourist visa extension until July 31, 2020, automatic for French nationals in Thailand?
Visa ExtensionTourist VisaThailand ImmigrationVisa AmnestyCOVID-19 Visa PoliciesFrench Nationals in Thailand
Jun 20, 2020
6 years ago
Ivan *******
ORIGINAL POSTERHi everyone
I am french and i got a tourist visa. My visa is expired since the 20 of april 2020 i saw on the french ambassy web site that i got free extension until the 31 of july without doing anything. I dont need to go to immigration office or anything else. Is that correct?
Thanks in advance
I am french and i got a tourist visa. My visa is expired since the 20 of april 2020 i saw on the french ambassy web site that i got free extension until the 31 of july without doing anything. I dont need to go to immigration office or anything else. Is that correct?
Thanks in advance
TLDR : Answer Summary
A French national in Thailand inquired about the automatic extension of their tourist visa that had expired on April 20, 2020. They noted that the French embassy website mentioned a free extension until July 31, 2020, without the need to visit immigration. Responses from the community acknowledged the extension but advised caution regarding future travel plans, suggesting that once borders reopen or after July 31, the individual would need to leave Thailand and potentially apply for a new visa. There were also discussions about the different visa policies for other nationalities and the need for immigration to be notified for certain extensions.
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Jayku *******
Basedbon my understanding, you need to contact local immigration office to get the extension stamp from them. Then, they will extend the visa for you with the wording explain that you are overstays but exempt per government annoncement. You would be able to stay more 30 day and may extend again with the letter from Embassy.
Ronald *********
Words fail me, people still asking for answers nobody knows.
Roger ********
Only in Thailand. Every other nation would put in a set of rules to legalise our presence. Thailand brings in a system so that we remain illegal, but will not be fined :-)
Tod *********
@Roger *******
how about you get the correct visa extension for the reason you're here? Don't think of this amnesty as a "free 3 months to kick it in thailand" program.
It was designed to let foreigners who don't have longs stay visas/extensions get OUT of here and go back to where they came from
Roger ********
@Tod ********
This was your advice 3 weeks ago. I should be able to apply for a retirement visa in July with 12 months of sufficient income and some evidence that the SMTs on my bank account were really FTTs. Is your advice the same? Tod *********
@Roger *******
IF you're on a Non-O visa entry stamp, or amnest from one seeing as you can't bounce out and back you should be able to go straight to a yearly extension of stay at the immigration office by showing 12 months of incoming overseas transfers for the required amount Roger ********
I do so love a good theory. Thanks again.
Roger ********
@Tod ********
Thank you Tod. I had one entry that was light by 2000 baht from last June, hence my need to get into next month so that it drops off the list of 12 months. Tod *********
@Roger *******
in theory it should work, (y) Reply to
Tod *********
Reply
Roger ********
@Tod ********
All my ducks will be in a row come September, which was the plan. Thrown out by not being able to do a visa run this month. Your last advice to me was to wait until July 31st. Have you changed your mind?Reply to
Roger ********
Reply
Roger ********
An 'amnesty' is defined as an official pardon. Cannot get pardoned unless there is an illegal act to be pardoned for.
José *************
@Roger *******
but it isn't only in Thailand. Neither are this people illegally in the country. How are they illegal if there is an amnesty? Poor choice of words Reply to
José *************
Reply
Darran *******
But as soon as borders open or it gets to 31 July you will need to leave Thailand and apply for a new visa.
Fab **********
Ciaran McNeill let's say you're Brazilian, I'm not sure you want to come home 😅
Henry *********
Ciaran McNeill Possibly they should. But it's not uncommon for people to apply for a tourist visa in a neighbouring country. Whether or not it's granted depends on the applicant's history.
Michael ********
@Barry ********
the border thing is for people from Loas Myanmar and Cambodia not other nationalities.Henry *********
@Michael *******
I think @Barry ********
is referring to the borders with neighbouring countries that will hopefully re-open in July to allow people on O/B/tourist visas to get new visas and then re-enter Thailand (not the border pass which is just for citizens of those countries to go home).Ivan ************
@He***
I really don't think that's going to happen in July. Their priorities are not people doing border runs, they will be the last to be accommodated.Right now it is essential job work permit holders only. They have indicated next phase they will likely prioritise marriage visa holders, but that hasn't even happened yet. They are also looking at medical tourism.
Then after that they are talking about piloting something focusing on high-spending tourists only, and they will be limited to the province of arrival (like Phuket), and only 1,000 people allowed fly in per day.
Borders opening for general tourism or 90 day non-immigrant border runners I would not expect to happen until late this year if not 2021.
You also need to consider that it isn't just Thailand here, the OTHER countries need to open their borders as well. Right now I think Cambodia is the only one that has, and you need a negative Covid test, a $3,000 deposit and need to stay at least overnight, and if you are unlucky and someone on your flight in tests positive- two weeks. And right now even if you did get there, the Thai embassy would not give you a visa.
Ivan ************
If you are currently on a non-immigrant B or O and you have not yet gone onto amnesty and can do, you should extend in country. If you are married, you would also have the option of a 60 day visit Thai family extension which might give you time to get the required finances together for a regular 1 year extension.
Henry *********
@Ivan ***********
Yeah, you may well be right. But if the land borders do not re-open, the Thai government will have to extend the visa amnesty. The meeting is (I understand) planned for 26 June, so we should know then.Ivan ************
@He***
I agree, I suspect they will extend it if borders are still closed and most flights are still cancelled. I think that's a lot more likely than the borders opening up and visa runs going back to normal.Reply to
Ivan ************
Reply
Ivan *******
ORIGINAL POSTERthanks
Reply to
Ivan *******
Reply
Bob **********
Yep
Tod *********
and you waited almost TWO months AFTER your entry stamp expired before you asked the question?
Tod *********
Liubimtsev Serg I don't konw what you're talking about. IF your stamp expired before the 26th of march when you exit on amnesty you pay only from the date it expired until the 26th of march..
Michel *********
@Tod ********
Haha! After two months sleeping: "MERDE ! MON VISA !"Ivan *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Michel ********
sacrebleu 😂😂😂Reply to
Ivan *******
Reply
Ivan *******
ORIGINAL POSTERi was not too worried cause i was pretty sure it was ok ^^
Dan ********
@Ivan ******
Famous last words of Ivan Marie “I’m pretty sure.......”. Maybe not the cleverest way to think about things like that. This is Thailand. Reply to
Dan ********
Reply
Tod *********
Be that as it may, if your entry stamp expired after March 26, yes you are indeed covered on amnesty until no later than the 31st of July
AND
Just so you know, it's not a free extension, it's not an extension at all, you just are allowed to stay here on an expired stamp until the amnesty runs out (July 31st).
AND
Before you ask, no one knows what will happen AFTER the amnesty runs out. You need to watch for the news from the government on what amnesty holders need to do.
AND
Just so you know, it's not a free extension, it's not an extension at all, you just are allowed to stay here on an expired stamp until the amnesty runs out (July 31st).
AND
Before you ask, no one knows what will happen AFTER the amnesty runs out. You need to watch for the news from the government on what amnesty holders need to do.
Ivan *******
ORIGINAL POSTER@Tod ********
thanksIvan *******
ORIGINAL POSTER😅
Reply to
Ivan *******
Reply
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