Latest Pattaya Immigration News

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Latest Pattaya immigration news

By Pattaya Mail

April 4, 2020

In an attempt to reduce queues, Chonburi Immigration at Jomtien has now canopied the whole car park with extra seating and facilities. A few services, such as the 90 day report for long-stay farang and the collection of passports for retirees, can be completed without the need physically to enter the building. It is now compulsory to wear a mask at all times whilst on the premises and temperature checks are taken at the door.

Foreigners complaining about overcrowding have been told that local immigration officers, whilst sympathetic, have no power to vary the regulations. Suggestions such as a general amnesty for overstayers, applications for visa extensions online or paying authorized fees by credit card require national authorization and possibly Cabinet approval. Top immigration officials in Bangkok have argued that the needs of national security are paramount.

Note from GB: Before anybody panics, the next 4 paragraphs apply ONLY to people stranded in Thailand and have no way to go home.

In recent days, there has been much speculation on social media that the government has agreed a measure to allow three months’ extension – to the end of June 2020 – for some foreigners who are trapped here and unable to fly home. However, Bangkok immigration spokespersons have played down the prospect of an early implementation of such a plan, stressing that the detail is complex and that they believe it could be misused by aliens.

For the moment then, foreigners needing to extend their visa because of the Corona virus pandemic are limited to a maximum 30 days at a time. Apart from passport copies, a passport size photo, a receipt for the TM30 reporting-of-address form and the 1,900 baht fee in cash, there are further requirements. These include clear proof of the address again (such as house book or land registration paper, condo ownership document), hand drawn map of residence and extra photos including the applicant pointing at the numerical address of a house where he or she is staying. It is best to bring original documentation of residence and photocopy it in advance.

Another necessary document is a letter from the applicant’s embassy confirming that the person is a victim of international travel restrictions. Many embassies have now closed their doors to visitors, but the websites of most reveal that the letters can be applied for online and sent back that way or by post. Unfortunately, the precise regulations for the 30 days extension caused by the pandemic do slightly vary from office to office. Chonburi Immigration has officers on duty to give advice on precise documentation.

However, it should be noticed that people who entered Thailand with a 30 days visa-exempt stamp or a 60 days tourist visa will normally be able to obtain a 30 days extension – once only – just as they did in the past before the Corona outbreak. In those cases, the documentation is much reduced and includes TM7 (visa extension form), TM 30 (notification of address), passport copies and one passport photo for a fee of 1,900 baht. But once these travellers have used up the allowance, they are then in the category of needing a virus-related extension as described above.

Other visa categories at the immigration bureau such as retirement extensions of stay, one year married visas, education visas, Board of Investment-sponsored activity and work permits are continuing as normal. Many visitors are saying that immigration queues are worse on Mondays and Fridays and heavier in the morning than in the afternoon. However, there appears to be an informal quota system in operation. One farang told Pattaya Mail, “It’s best just to turn up with copies of everything and the right forms filled in. The staff are doing their best within the parameters set by their superiors in Bangkok.”

Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration closed on Monday April 6.

Due to the Chakri Day public holiday, Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration at Jomtien Beach is closed Saturday through Monday. The office will reopen at its normal posted hours on Tuesday, April 7.

Story and photos: https://www.pattayamail.com/featured/la ... ews-294182

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Foreigner complaints and frustration rise over lines at Immigration, Thai Authorities say help is coming and the details are still being “discussed”

By Adam Judd

7 April 2020

Complaints and frustration over lines at Immigration have reached a deafening level, with multiple pictures and e-mails sent today alone to The Pattaya News of a crowd estimated to be in the hundreds at Jomtien Immigration this morning and afternoon.

The lines, being caused by estimated numbers of hundreds of thousands of tourists still stuck in the country unable (or in some cases, unwilling) to return to their countries, were expected to be long today as Immigration was closed on Monday for a public holiday. However, frustration was still high as many people reported being in line for multiple hours in the sun and heat and the lines were far beyond what most people expected, even those who arrived two hours or earlier before Immigration opened to attempt to be some of the first people in line.

Jomtien Immigration has done the best they could of a tough situation, providing water and masks to some patrons, multiple tents and fans, hand sanitizer, temperature checks and more. However, due to the sheer size of the crowd, socially distancing, despite the solid efforts of Chonburi Immigration, was difficult, if not impossible. It is worth noting as well that the Immigration officers also put themselves on the front lines during the pandemic directly interacting and assisting with hundreds of foreigners and are working extremely hard during the situation.

The issue, of course, isn’t a local Immigration office as they merely follow the rules and have no control over policy. The issue is lack of a waiver or National Immigration Policy change, even a temporary one, to help encourage social distancing and lower the lines.

Meanwhile, Thai Authorities, including the Government Spokesperson, say that The Thai Cabinet and Immigration Leadership have been working on a plan to balance National Security as well as properly encourage social distancing. They have cautioned multiple times, however, that this plan takes time and that they have heard the complaints loud and clear and are working on them. They have also stated the Prime Minister is concerned about the situation and seeking a solution best for everyone. Multiple Embassies, such as the British and US Embassy, have also contacted Thai Immigration officials and spoke with them about the concerns of their citizens over the current process.

Some items, such as 90 day check in online, have been improved notes Thai Immigration. They are actively encouraging people to their check-in online when possible to avoid potential lines.

As of press time, no official announcement on changes in the process has come from the National Immigration level. It is hoped that further information will be forthcoming later this week.

https://thepattayanews.com/2020/04/07/f ... discussed/

[ISAC69]

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)Visa amnesty announced, awaiting PM’s signature.

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/visa ... -signature

[Up2u]

And.....
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Prayut Extends Foreigners Stay to April 30 Due to Coronavirus

By Tappanai Boonbandit, Staff Reporter

April 8, 2020

BANGKOK — Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday signed the plan to grant automatic visa extensions for foreigners residing in Thailand to April 30.

According to the announcement published this afternoon by the Ministry of Interior Affairs, foreigners who entered the kingdom with visas, visa on arrival, or through visa waiver programs will be granted an extended stay from March 26 to April 30.

The 90-day reporting is also suspended until April 30. Those who entered Thailand by border permits are allowed to stay in the country until the border checkpoints are reopened.

The order is set to come into effect when it’s published in the Royal Government Gazette.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/cri ... ronavirus/

[Gaybutton]

The 90-day reporting is also suspended until April 30.

Assuming the article is accurate, I definitely like this part. I submitted my 90-day address report online April 3. So far I have not had a response.

Of course, I would like to see it suspended permanently, but I'll take what I can get . . .

[Gaybutton]

See also: https://thepattayanews.com/2020/04/08/i ... he-details
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Immigration Bureau grants automatic extension of visas

Apr 08, 2020

The Immigration Bureau has announced that it is granting visa relief for all foreign nationals stranded in Thailand. The announcement, signed on April 7, was published on the bureau’s website on Wednesday (April 8).

As per the relief measures, visas that have expired from March 26 onwards will be automatically extended to April 30. Foreigners are no longer required to apply for an extension at an immigration office and they will not be charged Bt500 per day for overstaying their visa.

Foreigners who are due to file a 90-day report between March 26 and April 30 have also been temporarily exempted until further notice.

Foreigners holding border passes will be allowed to stay in Thailand for now, but they will be required to leave the country within seven days once borders reopen.

All foreign nationals are advised to closely monitor the Immigration Bureau’s website for updates, though the measures announced on Wednesday are valid until April 30 unless otherwise updated, the bureau said.

Many foreign nationals have found themselves stranded in Thailand due mainly to the cancellation of flights and many countries restricting incoming flights as part of the battle against the transmission of Covid-19.

Tourists have recently complained of crowded conditions at immigration offices, where they have had to queue up to apply for visa extension, putting them at risk of catching the virus.

Many Thais are also stranded abroad as the government is only allowing 200 Thais to enter the country on a daily basis as it needs to prepare quarantining sites for them.



https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30385641

[thewayhelooks]

My 90 days comes up mid-May. Fingers crossed for an extension after April 30.

[Gaybutton]

My 90 days comes up mid-May. Fingers crossed for an extension after April 30.

Aren't you going to try filing the 90-day address report online rather than going to immigration?

[2lz2p]

Mine is due on 28 April - likewise, I hope it gets extended. Although the bf does it for me, I would like to avoid having him join the long lines. I may try the online reporting, but in the past, from reports I read at the time, if your last entry into Thailand was before they implemented the online reporting database in 2015, you couldn't use it because they didn't back load data for those that entered prior to implementation. So, if you were not in the database, it wouldn't accept a report and sent message to visit Immigration.

Perhaps they have either back loaded data, i.e., entered data for those in Thailand that had no departure recorded, or connected the system to the regular 90 day reporting database that Immigration uses when you report in person.

Thanks GB for the photo of the Immigration page with the update on extensions.

[Undaunted]

For anyone in Pattaya that does not want to use the online 90 day reporting or doesn’t want to go to immigration to report a friend has used this service, they will come to your home pick up your passport take it to immigration and return it to your home with the next reporting date, she was totally happy with the service....Fee is 500 baht ...call 0983948863