Visa for several months stay?

[mikesmith]

Hi all,
was after some advice on what to do as far as visa requirements go for staying in Thailand for several months.
i am from australia and can enter without a visa on a permit to stay for 30 days (tourist).
I am under 50 and cannot apply for retirement visa.

what do i then need to do when in pattaya or bangkok to extend the visa for an additional 30 or 60 days or more?
what are the fees?
do i need to crosss the border and re-enter?

thanks

[tobias-old]

Have a look at http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/engl ... /australia (http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/english/visa#country/a/australia)" (dont know what state you are in there are consulates in most states).

Tourist visa for 60 days then get a extension for another 30days. Have a look at thaivisa website as well lot of information on there. If you travel a fair bit you could look at the apec card they have changed the requirements for it end of last year though.

google is your friend :)

edit, remove phpbb html stuff up

[cdnmatt]

Goto your Thai embassy and apply for a double entry tourist VISA. Upon arrival, you get 60 days, and can extend that to 90 days at any immigration office within Thailand. After the 90 days, you do a quick border run which will use up your second entry, and give you another 60 days which can be extended to 90 again. So in total, you'll have 180 days (6 months) in Thailand without worry.

And speaking of immigration, does anyone by chance know about the Thailand Elite card? http://www.thailandelite.com/. Website is still up, but I guess the program was closed, then recently sold to a private company, etc. Their website says it's still available though, and that you still get a 5 year VISA with it, renewable every 5 years for standard immigration fees. Costs 1.5 million baht, but if I'm staying here long-term, might be worth it instead of screwing around yearly.

[Hmmm]

And speaking of immigration, does anyone by chance know about the Thailand Elite card? http://www.thailandelite.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Website is still up, but I guess the program was closed, then recently sold to a private company, etc. Their website says it's still available though, and that you still get a 5 year VISA with it, renewable every 5 years for standard immigration fees. Costs 1.5 million baht, but if I'm staying here long-term, might be worth it instead of screwing around yearly.

One of Toxin's truly dreadful ideas. And so wedded to the Thai notion of ostentatious "status" .... that he assumed other "hi-so's" from around the world would share, ie that foriengers would be willing to pay a sxxxload of money to be "special" in Thailand. I recall that take up was something less than 1% of what he predicted. So basically no revenue and big costs. And then the privileges began to evaporate. Since its demise as been announced on several occasions over the years, I mainly wouldn't trust that the terms and conditions will remain in place. So not unless you can afford to lose 1.5 mil.

Of course I understand your concern, as one of the ongoing worries for anyone intending to stay longterm is that any government could change the visa rules on them arbitrarily.

[pong]

THE site for all visa info is of course thaivisa.com
That elite progr (initiated by a mr Taksin-now fugitive in Dubai, though his sister is now PM) was of course abolished at astronomous cost by former govt-not seen any info if this brainchild of mr. T will revive. Forget it for now.
Special warning as at least you did have the brains to tell youre from OZ; its not so much Thai Immigr at swampy-airpt, but the AIRLINE check in in OZzieland that makes trouble. Sure-you can get the 30-day visa free entry (is NOT a visa!)but you simply wont get a boarding pass if youre flight out/or back in not also whithin 30 days-thats the rules!
The extensions- IF granted, are only for a max of half time of the original=so a 30 day would give you 15 days extra. ALL cost 1900 THB-so thats not cost-effective either.
Why not be a little adventurous-skip that dreaded town named Pattaya for a while and travel to nearby at the right days- youre still young enough, as you say youre not pensioner. AirAsia has plenty of cheap flights.

[cdnmatt]

One of Toxin's truly dreadful ideas. And so wedded to the Thai notion of ostentatious "status" .... that he assumed other "hi-so's" from around the world would share, ie that foriengers would be willing to pay a sxxxload of money to be "special" in Thailand. I recall that take up was something less than 1% of what he predicted. So basically no revenue and big costs. And then the privileges began to evaporate. Since its demise as been announced on several occasions over the years, I mainly wouldn't trust that the terms and conditions will remain in place. So not unless you can afford to lose 1.5 mil.

Of course I understand your concern, as one of the ongoing worries for anyone intending to stay longterm is that any government could change the visa rules on them arbitrarily.

Yeah, I'm not sure, and nobody on ThaiVisa seems to know either. Everyone just seems to be waiting around, to see what happens, what the new rules are, what (if any) privileges are being revoked, etc. I have contact info for the Singapore office, so might actually contact these guys, see what's up, and if still available, see if I can get a copy of the legal contract. If it's legit though, and I'll actually get basically a lifetime VISA which I have to renew every 5 years, I think I'll definitely jump on it.

The way I see it, I'm 20 years away from being eligible for a retirement VISA, so we'll use that as a basis. Right now I have to go for a trip once a year to Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, wherever, and get a new 1 year B VISA. Plus re-entry permits, lawyer, paperwork, and all that crap. So say 60,000/year I'm spending on VISAs.

60,000/year * 20 years = 1.2 million baht

Or spend 1.5 million baht, get 4 * 5 year VISAs, and never have the requirement to leave Thailand. Sounds worth it to me, especially the peace of mind it would bring. Almost sounds too good to be true, which means it probably is.