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Answered6 years ago

What are the details of the newly published amnesty decree and how does it affect visa extensions in Thailand?

Tod *********
asked Oct 1, 2020
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ATTENTION MEMBERS:

They finally published the new amnesty decree in the Royal Gazette and the amnesty is now officially extended.

Thanx go to Dee Sophon (y)
Answer summary
The new amnesty decree has been officially published, providing an extension for visa holders until October 31st. Users are discussing the implications of the decree for their specific situations, including clarification about the 30-day extension based on embassy letters and the requirements for immigration office visits. Important points include the need for those with an 'under consideration' stamp to return to the originating immigration office on the date specified, and that individuals without an embassy letter may be limited to staying until the 31st only. Additional questions revolve around exiting the country, the impact of layoffs on employment visas, and the processes for obtaining updated stamps.
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Citra *******************
Citra *******************
Hello Tod, last month my bf already got the stamp until 26 Oct. Should we back to Immigration and asking for another stamp exp 30 Nov?
Citra *******************
Citra *******************
Success with second stamp. Thanks
@Tod ********
@Annina **************
. If you already have stamp that expire on 26 Oct you can just go to the office.. no appointment needed.
Annina ***************
Annina ***************
Follow up question: If I went to MTT, do I just go or get an appointment? Thanks!
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
yes, take the passport and go back to the office where the stamp was issued and they will adjust it to nov 30
Citra *******************
Citra *******************
@Tod ********
thankyou.
Tom ********
Tom ********
where's the link? or is it that one with a document in Thai? Do they have the information in English?
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
you're on your own, this is thailand there is no official translation sorry :/
Kai *****
Kai *****
Hi sir tod. I just have a question. My partner just got laid off from his work yesterday. we already booked a ticket going back to the philippines on oct.21. If they will cut his visa and work permit now, will he be under amnesty or they will just give him 7 days since he’s under non b visa? Thank you so much.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
they will cancel his extension and he will automatically go on the amnesty that is good until Oct 31st, so as long as he leaves by then he's fine
Kai *****
Kai *****
@Tod ********
thank you so much sir for the quick response..
Jaman ******
Jaman ******
@Tod ********
Thanks for all your work. I extended without embassy letter since it was my first extension. so I have no loop to close. Do I still need to go to immigration to get the 30 November stamp? or is it automatically?
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
from the way I am interpreting what they said in the press conference, you won't get stamped until Nov. because you didn't USE the embassy letter
Jaman ******
Jaman ******
@Tod ********
it seems to change every moment...since your comment yesterday was different , so crazy
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Jaman *****
, that was your decision to go to Pai

And it was probably because they were one of the only offices doing those wacky "if you never got your extension you can now" extensions (I think Chiang Mai was too)

BUT

If I was a betting man I'd say you don't qualify for anything past the date you got now.

Still, I'd go to an immigration office next week and see what they say.
Jaman ******
Jaman ******
@Tod ********
Sure, thanks for all your help. I will do this soon. The million-dollar question for me is if I will need to go to the office that issued my extension (again a journey) or any office. I didn't need an embassy letter, since it was my first extension and the office in Pai did not request embassy letter for first tourist extensions from certain nationalities
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Jaman *****
I see a visit to the immigration office in your near future to ask them how it really is..
Benjamin ******
Benjamin ******
>it was my first extension. so I have no loop to close

What was the extension that you got? And what immigration office did you use?
John **********
John **********
@Jaman *****
I think you only get until 31 October. Only those who used an embassy letter get until 30 November
David ******
David ******
Does the “adjusted stamp” apply to ALL extensions of stay (i.e. 60 days, 1 year..) or only to the 30 days dated till October 26th?
Benjamin ******
Benjamin ******
This applies only to people who got an amnesty extension
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
Listen up people IF you already applied for the 30 day embassy request extension and have "under consideration" stamps you go back to the immigration office that issued that stamp on the date it says ON THE STAMP.

AND

IF you already got the extension of stay stay dated until the 26th of Oct, I suggest you WAIT a few days until ALL the immigration offices understand this new order and are able to adjust the stamp.

There is no need to be in a hurry to run right back and get the stamp adjusted today.
Keef ********
Keef ********
Exactly. Don't do what I did yesterday. Wait. 😁
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
There was some "lost in translation" being reported in the news.

For people who did NOT get the embassy letter and apply for an extension before the last amnesty ran out, you can now stay until the 31st of Oct. AND if you're going to apply for an extension or a visa you need to do it BY the 31st of Oct, not the 3rd of Oct like some news medias reported. (they left the 1 out of the date 31 and reported it as the 3rd :O )
Tom ********
Tom ********
My extension has me going back the 16th. Is this discounted now, and amnesty works to the 31st of October, or do I still have to go back the 16th of October?
Benjamin ******
Benjamin ******
@Tom *******
Go back on the date your immigration office wants you to return to close the loop
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
KEEP THIS POST ON TOPIC PEOPLE
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
I got an extension until 9th Oct with an unfit to fly letter, it was the full 30 days but they dated it from when I saw the doctor, not from 27th September. I need to know if I can go between now & 31st Oct or before 9th Oct. I’m on Koh Tao so immigration came to us.
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
I did succinctly explain this in my post however you guys are the Admin so I respect your decision.

Posted elsewhere and saved others from an unnecessary journey.
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Jordana ********
, I think you don't qualify for the extension to the 30th Nov. You didn't use the embassy letter you used a medical certificate and that was a different type of extension
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
@Tod ********
they said at the time it was exactly the same thing. I’ll go to immigration and find out I guess. Thanks
Benjamin ******
Benjamin ******
@Jordana ********
Yep, that is a different case, and it would confuse a lot of people since you got a different type of extension to the amnesty, and you're using an immigration office that does things differently.
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
@Benj****
I’ve already had this conversation with Tod so I won’t go into it again. Our amnesty, because we’re on Unfit to Fly NOT Medical Certificates is at this time until 31st Oct, until they revisit us with the Mobile Unit on Koh Tao & Koh Phangan.
Benjamin ******
Benjamin ******
@Jordana ********
I agree. What Samui does is very confusing, and others would get confused. If you got the extension of amnesty, you'll get the November date stamp.
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
@Joe *********
post deleted because I need to keep the comment in the group.

I posted a few days ago but Admin wouldn’t allow the post as they said it would be confusing.
Joe **********
Joe **********
@Jordana ********
hey Jordana, did you have any success in Samui? I went and was told that I should come back by the end of the month and that I would be covered under the visa amnesty until end of october (I have the same stamp like you, in my case until October 14th). But obviously I would prefer to have gotten some extension stamp or something in written form but they just told me to wait and come back later in the month. Hope it will be fine.
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
@Benjamin *****
yep, that’s what I thought. I’ll hopefully be able to get to Samui on Thursday. Thanks for responding. I just wish I didn’t have to make this journey.
Benjamin ******
Benjamin ******
@Jordana ********
extension of stays based on medical reasons are can be acquired up to 90 days, depending on the doctor's treatment and opinion. You currently have a 30 day extension of stay based on medical reasons that (I'm assuming) is valid. You should be able to renew this extension unlimited times, until your treatment is over.

You should have gotten a full 30 days extension of stay, starting September 26, 2020 (lasting you until October 26, 2020.
Benjamin ******
Benjamin ******
@Jordana ********
I don't know what an "unfit to fly" letter is. I believe this is a letter from your doctor saying you can not fly due to health reasons. If this is correct, then you are *NOT* covered under amnesty, but instead you got a 30 day extension of stay based on medical reasons.
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
Hi
@J**
, I have a full 30 day stamp that I got when Surat Thani immigration mobile Unit came to Koh Tao on 24th September. I’m stamped until 9th Oct because they stamped me 30 days from the date I saw the doctor to get an ‘Unfit to Fly’ certificate. Surat Thani on the phone tell me I’m covered under the amnesty, Samui on the phone tell me they don’t know? 🤦🏻‍♀️I will travel to Samui on 9th October if boats are running. We’re in a severe weather warning now so I don’t even know if I’ll be able to take the ferry!
Joe **********
Joe **********
@Jordana ********
did you already get information from immigration or even an extension stamp for a later date?
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
@Tod ********
I’ll report back 👌🏻
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Jordana ********
AND that's exactly why I said I don't think that extension reason is covered on the "get to stay until the 30th of Nov" part of the amnesty.
Ayuk ********
Ayuk ********
@Jordana ********
go to the immigration office and find out.its very important
Cedna ****
Cedna ****
@Ayuk *******
I will. It’s just a pain in the ass because I’m on Koh Tao. Surat Thani Mobile Unit came to us & stamped the full 30 days, there’s no ‘loop’ to close 🤷🏻‍♀️
Kevin ********
Kevin ********
That's great.....so with a "under consideration" stamp.... on Oct 21.....I'll be able to get a "closed loop" stamp Nov 30???
Justin *************
Justin *************
@Kevin *******
not if you're at chonburi immigration
Ruth **********************
Ruth **********************
My mom's "under consideration" stamp was due today so I went to MTT this morning and the officers did not know about the official announcement yet so we just got her extension until 26 October only. So yes, as Tod said, I would wait it out a few days if possible.
Tab *****
Tab *****
.. Can someone point out the exact part where it mentions this..? Just translated the gazette into English, not sure if I'm missing something - but it only mentions the amnesty being extended until Oct 31. Nothing about foreigners who have applied for their extensions prior to Sep 26 receiving an extension until end of November?
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Tab ****
it doesn't say that in the Royal Gazette posting that's what immigration said in their press conference. I'm relating what they said in thai at the press conference about people who had already paid for the 30 day extension based on an embassy letter
Ben *****
Ben *****
Personally, if I already did the consideration follow-up, I would wait until I hear confirmed reports of people getting the Nov 30 extension before attempting to go to immigration again. It might take a few days for all the offices to get on board. Plus its only Oct 1st for goodness sake, LOL.
Steve ******
Steve ******
@Ben ****
yep for goodness sake we asking a question not all converging on immigration right now most of us have the sense to wait a week
Terry ********
Terry ********
I went Sept 1 and received a 2 month visiting Thai wife extension that expires Nov 26. I paid the 1900 bahts. Am I eligible for the extra 30 days?
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Terry *******
nope you are NOT,
Lyndon ************
Lyndon ************
Can you go back 'early' before the return date for the under consideration stamp?
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Lyn***
, as
@El***
said, nope you wait it out :/ .

Calm down and sit tight,

it is what it is, wait for the date on your stamp to come up
Lyndon ************
Lyndon ************
@Tod ********
thanks, yes i will wait. I am calm, it's my future employer that wants to see if there is any way to speed things up.
Ellie *******
Ellie *******
@Lyndon ***********
No, you may not.
Lyndon ************
Lyndon ************
@Ellie ******
thanks for letting me know
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
That's how it reads, IF you applied for a 30 day embassy request extension BEFORE the old amnesty expired (Sept 26th) when you go back to get the 'loop closed' they should stamp you in until Nov 30.
Steve ******
Steve ******
@Tod ********
I went back yesterday and got till 26th October & I applied on 16th sept using embassy request.

So can we now go back and get till November ?
Steve ******
Steve ******
@Tod ********
agree will wait until wife tells me all on same page
Tod *********
Tod *********
OP
@Steve *****
WAIT until all the offices get the update and the all are on the same page. There's no need for you to run right back now and try to get the extension stamp until Nov 30.

Let the offices figure out that it's approved and get with the program
Geofrey **********
Geofrey **********
@Tod ********
oh thats great!
Kevin ********
Kevin ********
@Tod ********
ok thanks again for explaining this.....that's how I read it

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