STV About to Expire - Covid Extension possible?

[Robin]

Hello,

I arrived in March with a STV. I am currently on my last 90 day extension. My return flight is already booked for the 25th of November. However, the airline allows me to rebook the flight for free. If I could, I would be happy to stay another 30-60 days in Thailand instead of returning to cold Europe.

This article mentions something about covid extension.

Quote

Anyone still here on the 60-day Covid visa extension now has until November 26 to prolong their stay with the immigration authorities.

Which I don't fully understand. To make it short: Is there any legal way to extend my stay for an additional 1-2 month?
I would be also interested to hear your opinion on applying for a second STV after about 3 month the 1st STV ended.

Some background information: I am in my 30ties and I am (oh wonder) in a relationship for more than 4 years with someone over here.
The paperwork for the STV sucked, especially the Thai health insurance part (horrible service, and bad communication - trying to reclaim a 2.000 Baht treatment for a small infection was an experience I wouldn't wish to anyone). I still liked that I didn't have to provide 90 day reports. I am happy to provide additional information.

I e-mailed immigration division 1 Bangkok. But I don't have any hopes to get a qualified answer, if any at all.

[BlueSphinx]

37 minutes ago, Robin said:

Hello,

I arrived in March with a STV. I am currently on my last 90 day extension. My return flight is already booked for the 25th of November. However, the airline allows me to rebook the flight for free. If I could, I would be happy to stay another 30-60 days in Thailand instead of returning to cold Europe.

This article mentions something about covid extension.

Which I don't fully understand. To make it short: Is there any legal way to extend my stay for an additional 1-2 month?
I would be also interested to hear your opinion on applying for a second STV after about 3 month the 1st STV ended.

Some background information: I am in my 30ties and I am (oh wonder) in a relationship for more than 4 years with someone over here.
The paperwork for the STV sucked, especially the Thai health insurance part (horrible service, and bad communication - trying to reclaim a 2.000 Baht treatment for a small infection was an experience I wouldn't wish to anyone). I still liked that I didn't have to provide 90 day reports. I am happy to provide additional information.

I e-mailed immigration division 1 Bangkok. But I don't have any hopes to get a qualified answer, if any at all.

Hi,

One of the drawbacks of the STV is that it does allow 2 extensions each of 90 days, on top of the initial 90 days you received on entry, but that it is not possible to stay longer than the max of 270 days in the Kingdom.  So if you arrived early March and extended twice, you will have used up by end November the permitted days.  For any other Visa (or VisaExempt entry) you can apply for 60-day covid extensions, but NOT for an STV.  But as this is Thailand, it wouldn't hurt if you would visit a local Immigration Office and ask whether there would be a possibility for you to apply for the 60-day covid-extension when your current extension is due to expire.  Most probably the answer will be NO, but if they are willing to do so you would be able to stay longer (and then you can of course keep on applying for those 60-day covid-extension until Thai Immigration ceases to prolong them). 

[Robin]

Thanks for the answer. I understand that the STV has a limit of 270 days but so has the usual 60 day TR + usual 30 day Visa Extension. What I don't understand and haven't read/found so far is why and which visa is applicable for a covid visa extension. It just doesn't make sense to me why the usual TR implicitly is eligible for the covid extension but a STV is not. I will try to contact them and keep this thread updated.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Robin

[Faz]

According to current Immigration Bureau orders, there is a limit to how long you can extend your stay from certain Visa entry types, however the 60 day Covid extension order supersedes those existing orders allowing foreigners to stay for as long as that order exists and Immigration are willing to issue them.

I can't find any reason why they should refuse you a 60 day Covid extension, although they are issued at their discretion, but currently with the lack of tourists they appear more than happy to appease those who want to stay longer and continue spending money in Thailand.

[BlueSphinx]

37 minutes ago, Faz said:

According to current Immigration Bureau orders, there is a limit to how long you can extend your stay from certain Visa entry types, however the 60 day Covid extension order supersedes those existing orders allowing foreigners to stay for as long as that order exists and Immigration are willing to issue them.

I can't find any reason why they should refuse you a 60 day Covid extension, although they are issued at their discretion, but currently with the lack of tourists they appear more than happy to appease those who want to stay longer and continue spending money in Thailand.

Thanks, and you are of course correct that with the lack of tourists Immigration should be happy to provide you with a 60-day covid-extension.

@Robin > Please do keep us informed when your local Immigration Office is willing to provide such covid-extension for your current STV.  Also do mention which Office (as there is huge inconsistency in how different offices apply the regulations).

[Faz]

@Robin

I've just read elsewhere of someone with an expiring STV successfully extending their stay a further 60 days applying for the Covid extension. Standard application same as others.

[BlueSphinx]

34 minutes ago, Faz said:

@Robin

I've just read elsewhere of someone with an expiring STV successfully extending their stay a further 60 days applying for the Covid extension. Standard application same as others.

@Robin > FAZ confirmation of a succesful 60-day covid extension for an expiring STV is very good news for you.  It is still recommended not to wait till very last day before applying for it in case your local Immigration Office poses some difficult/inconvenient requirements for your application.  In case these are as good as impossible for you to meet, you could still apply at another Imm Office in a different province, with a more easy-going 60-day covid-extension application policy.

Success!

[Faz]

16 hours ago, Robin said:

I would be also interested to hear your opinion on applying for a second STV after about 3 month the 1st STV ended.

The STV scheme has been extended to Sept 30th 2022.

You can indeed make a further application for a new STV at a Thai Embassy.

[Robin]

On 10/10/2021 at 5:10 AM, Faz said:

@Robin

I've just read elsewhere of someone with an expiring STV successfully extending their stay a further 60 days applying for the Covid extension. Standard application same as others.

Thanks for the update. I didn't get a reply from Immigration 1 in Bangkok via email.

Therefore, I decided to fly back on the last day my STV expires. I had a very bad experience with immigration when I tried to get a residence certificate for a driver license. They can't issue this document when you have a STV. But that's another story.

I will get the vaccine in Germany and try to enter the country with a fresh STV in March. I hope that the embassy in Frankfurt will accept my proposal for the second STV. They can be very strict and interviewed me personally for an ED-Visa I applied for about 3 years ago. I will keep you updated about my journey. Thanks for your help.

Edited November 5, 2021 by Robin