Would someone be so kind as to point me in the direction of the new visa options or alternatives?Tourist and long term options.
It seems that Thailand, despite its apparent lower tourism numbers and dependence on tourist income, delight in making it as tough and complicated as they can for people to come on holiday and enjoy themselves. I have various friends that are coming to stay and they seem to be hampered at every turn when applying for visas. You would have thought that someone in the Thai Government and or Immigration would wake up and small the coffee and make it easy for foreigners to come and spend money here!
New Visa options
Re: New Visa options
Well, assuming you're not going to be working here, the basic rules at present are as follows:
A. Visa exempt stamps. The citizens of various countries do not need a visa to enter Thailand for a limited period of time. Currently, that is 30 days if arriving by air or 15 days if using a land or sea crossing. These entry stamps are free and there is no limit as to how many you can have. Nationalities qualifying are listed here:
http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2490
B. Tourist visas. These must be obtained prior to entry and allow a stay of 60 days on arrival and this period can be extended for a further 30 days at any Imm office for 1,900 THB. Tourist visas come in single, double and even triple entry varieties. In neighbouring countries, the Thai missions make up their own rules as to how many you can have back-to-back from them.
Currently, Vientienne are still giving out double-entry visas, but you may not get any more than a single entry anywhere else. There is always the possibility that the consulate or Embassy will refuse the visa if they see too many in your passport already. If not that, then you are likely to get a stamp saying no more from them.
Therefore, a double entry visa will give you 6 months here, with one border run and two extensions.
C. Non Immigrant visas. There come in either single entry or multi-entry varieties. Other than in exceptional cases, they must be obtained outside the country before entry. On entry, you're given 90 days permitted to stay. With the multi-entry variety you can exit and enter as many times as you want during the visa's validity and get 90 days on each re-entry.
You are supposed to qualify for these visas and the usual reasons are for retirement (over 50 with provable funds) or married to a Thai (with provable funds).
Some consulates, especially in your home country, may be more flexible and grant a Non O visa on the basis of visiting friends. Neighbouring countries will almost certainly not issue these any more.
D. The Non Imm O visa can be extended every year for 1,900 THB (with provable funds) and this is the route most take to live here long term - unless they're working.
The above may seem a bit of a nightmare, but it's really quite uncomplicated once you've been through the hoops a few times.
Imm regularly change the goalposts for whatever reason. Most of these changes are to do with ensuring that no-one's working illegally (maybe dive instructor or teacher) to support themselves here.
A. Visa exempt stamps. The citizens of various countries do not need a visa to enter Thailand for a limited period of time. Currently, that is 30 days if arriving by air or 15 days if using a land or sea crossing. These entry stamps are free and there is no limit as to how many you can have. Nationalities qualifying are listed here:
http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2490
B. Tourist visas. These must be obtained prior to entry and allow a stay of 60 days on arrival and this period can be extended for a further 30 days at any Imm office for 1,900 THB. Tourist visas come in single, double and even triple entry varieties. In neighbouring countries, the Thai missions make up their own rules as to how many you can have back-to-back from them.
Currently, Vientienne are still giving out double-entry visas, but you may not get any more than a single entry anywhere else. There is always the possibility that the consulate or Embassy will refuse the visa if they see too many in your passport already. If not that, then you are likely to get a stamp saying no more from them.
Therefore, a double entry visa will give you 6 months here, with one border run and two extensions.
C. Non Immigrant visas. There come in either single entry or multi-entry varieties. Other than in exceptional cases, they must be obtained outside the country before entry. On entry, you're given 90 days permitted to stay. With the multi-entry variety you can exit and enter as many times as you want during the visa's validity and get 90 days on each re-entry.
You are supposed to qualify for these visas and the usual reasons are for retirement (over 50 with provable funds) or married to a Thai (with provable funds).
Some consulates, especially in your home country, may be more flexible and grant a Non O visa on the basis of visiting friends. Neighbouring countries will almost certainly not issue these any more.
D. The Non Imm O visa can be extended every year for 1,900 THB (with provable funds) and this is the route most take to live here long term - unless they're working.
The above may seem a bit of a nightmare, but it's really quite uncomplicated once you've been through the hoops a few times.
Imm regularly change the goalposts for whatever reason. Most of these changes are to do with ensuring that no-one's working illegally (maybe dive instructor or teacher) to support themselves here.
Re: New Visa options
Thanks for that Lomuamart I will cut and paste your info and pass it on.
Regards
Regards
Re: New Visa options
I have a none immigrant multiple entry visa. My question is: Do I have to leave Thailand after 90 days or can I get permission from the immigrant office to stay longer?
Re: New Visa options
Yes, you do have to exit Thailand after 90 days (see the exception below). That date should be clearly marked on your permitted to stay stamp when you entered. Just exit and return, on the same day if you want, and you'll get another 90 days. You can do this as many times as you want as long as the visa itself remains valid.expat71NL wrote:I have a none immigrant multiple entry visa. My question is: Do I have to leave Thailand after 90 days or can I get permission from the immigrant office to stay longer?
If you don't wish to exit after any 90 days, you can apply for an annual extension before the permitted to stay stamp expires. As mentioned above, Imm will grant you the year's extension as long as you qualify - ie "retirement", over 50 with proof of funds, or marriage to a Thai national and proof of funds. This extension is done within Thailand and can be applied for within the last 30 days of any 90 day permitted to stay stamp you have.
Re: New Visa options
And do not forget ED Visa (a form of O Visa).. This is normally a single entry visa but extended in Thailand with support documents from your school every 3 months. At present this can be extended up to 3 years. Whilst there is some abuse of the process, particularly in Bangkok, at our school we will only accept legitimate students.
Re: New Visa options
I think that line of thought is a little bit of arrogance on the part of us non-Thais. According to recent statistics I've read, tourism only accounts for around 6% of Thailand's gdp and I think a lot of that is young single males that come here for repeated holidays...It seems that Thailand, despite its apparent lower tourism numbers and dependence on tourist income, delight in making it as tough and complicated as they can for people to come on holiday and enjoy themselves.
By far the biggest part of the economy is industrial and manufacturing, which is doing quite well at the moment (hence the strong baht) and that is closely followed by agriculture which is ok now too so I don't think they (the government) are too concerned about losing a tourist or three; of course, the businesses that are directly related to the tourism industry would have a different opinion.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
Re: New Visa options
I don't suppose it'll happen quickly, but for the future:
When ASEAN leaders meet in Hanoi this month, one of the top items for discussion will be a five-year plan to open Asia's borders and develop a highly connected trading community in the region.
It is a vast and ambitious proposal, a liberalisation plan that mirrors the single-Europe concept of open borders. And while it will no doubt encounter some hurdles and foot-dragging along the way, there is at least a stated universal commitment within ASEAN to pushing ahead with it.
It is the kind of seismic change in regional economic development that, if implemented, will force all sorts of changes in local laws, regulations and procedures. Australian companies, and professional services firms especially, will need to get to grips with the ramifications swiftly, or risk being muscled out of some rare opportunities.
Under the proposed plan, visa requirements for citizens of ASEAN member nations would be eased, a single tourist visa would be available for all ASEAN countries and tariffs on imported goods would be cut to between 0 and 5 per cent by 2015.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/building ... 16p3q.html
When ASEAN leaders meet in Hanoi this month, one of the top items for discussion will be a five-year plan to open Asia's borders and develop a highly connected trading community in the region.
It is a vast and ambitious proposal, a liberalisation plan that mirrors the single-Europe concept of open borders. And while it will no doubt encounter some hurdles and foot-dragging along the way, there is at least a stated universal commitment within ASEAN to pushing ahead with it.
It is the kind of seismic change in regional economic development that, if implemented, will force all sorts of changes in local laws, regulations and procedures. Australian companies, and professional services firms especially, will need to get to grips with the ramifications swiftly, or risk being muscled out of some rare opportunities.
Under the proposed plan, visa requirements for citizens of ASEAN member nations would be eased, a single tourist visa would be available for all ASEAN countries and tariffs on imported goods would be cut to between 0 and 5 per cent by 2015.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/building ... 16p3q.html