Thai Immigration has announced that foreigners who are “stuck” in Thailand will be able to obtain new 60 day visas under the special pandemic rules. The previously approved final date was May 29, but this has been moved forward to July 29, which effectively gives permission to remain here until the end of September.
The press release from immigration headquarters mentions three categories of persons able to apply: those who are unable to return to their home country because of the pandemic, those who cannot find suitable flights, and any individual whose embassy supports an extension of stay. In practice, most immigration offices will issue the additional sixty days provided applicants fill in paperwork stating the grounds of their wish to remain. The standard fee is 1,900 baht.
It is not known how many foreigners are dependent on the “Covid” extensions rather than other visa types, but the generally accepted figure is around 100,000. They include tourists who cannot return home because of strict entry rules or lack of flights to a particular destination, those who don’t want to go back because of high infection rates and, finally, independent travellers who are enjoying life here.
Many observers believe that the special extensions will continue to be issued by Thai Immigration until the land frontiers reopen again. At the moment, they are closed for most purposes – including visa runners – although citizens of Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar are allowed to cross for reasons of work or to return home after an employment contract ends.
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