What is the longest visa one can get for Thailand

I know the ones at the airport last for one month and there is this thing of 3 x 1 months only. But can one get a visa for longer, say a straight forward 6 months

Just read the thai site - the bottom line is you cant do it. Never mind.

60 day tourist visa extendable to 90 days in Thailand?

[Dboy]

I have a 12-month Visa, multiple entry. Good for 3 months per entry. Border run every 3 months is not too bad.

dboy

[PinkSilom]

Five year multiple entry visa.

http://www.thailandelite.com/privileges_visa.php

[Dboy]

Five year multiple entry visa.

http://www.thailandelite.com/privileges_visa.php


you're posting this is as a joke, right?

[PinkSilom]

WhiteDesire is a young guy. The prospect of a 5 year Multiple Entry Visa which can be renewed every 5 years for life, might be very attractive. I appreciate the initial cost of the Thailand Elite membership might have led you to think I was joking, but a million baht might be pocket money to him for all I know.

does that exist?

What is the criteria for that one, apart for retirees of course that sort of thing, I didn't see it on the Thai web site?

[Dboy]

Elite card might be worthwhile if the Elite committee that runs it was still even meeting anymore. Unfortunately they are not. There's been a ton of info written on this program over the years. But hey, its not my money. Do whatever you wanna do.

dboy

[Dboy]

does that exist?

What is the criteria for that one, apart for retirees of course that sort of thing, I didn't see it on the Thai web site?

You don't have to be a retiree to do this. I don't have a form in front of me, but from memory, you check the "non-immigrant" box, then under "reason for travel" select "other" then write in "personal travel". This is a Non-Immigrant "O" Visa (multiple entry). You need to make you you have 1 full page unused in your passport because the Visa stamp uses a whole page. In addition, you'll need more blank pages for each entry and exit.

Send that in with a $125 (or whatever your currency is), photos, etc. and you'll get a 1-year visa back. This is a great way to do things because you also get other benefits like ability to open a checking/savings account, get a drivers license, etc. The nice thing about the drivers license is that after your initial one-year license you can get the better 5-year permanent license. From what I've heard, the cops target the 1-year license holders more than the 5-year holders because they figure the 1-year holders don't know their way yet and are a better mark for bribes/fines.

Of course you are not allowed to work with this form of Visa. Once you get a Visa like this, things like 30-day stamps, weird rules and all that are no longer a problem.

As usual if you are travelling you need to go to a photo store and have them make a small copy of the important pages of your passport, with the visa stamp, and get them to shrink it down and laminate it. This copy is for use in the bars, beach, etc so your original passport won't be destroyed. This is very important for long-term travelling as passports do not wear very well in tropical heat.

So in your particular case, for 6-months you'd have to do one Visa run after 3 months, and that's all. Just don't overstay, as there are fines.

Don't even consider the Elite card mentioned above as this was a failed program created awhile back that got very little support and was actually a bit of a disaster for the people who created it. The Thai Elite Card is only mentioned now as a joke. Basically it was a ripoff. None of the benefits listed on the Elite Card website are even functional anymore. Very few of these cards were ever actually sold (under 200 sold as I recall). One of the biggest supposed benefits was that this card would allow a foreigner to buy up to 1.6r of land...that did not work out as advertised. This all happened in 2003 or so and is now just historical information. Elite card is dead. That's all you need to know.




dboy

The 12-month Non-Immigrant O (O stands for "other") visa that Dboy mentions can be issued for various reasons, from visiting family, to exploring retirement, to visiting friends, to suppporting Thai children and/or wife, etc.

Not all embassies/consulates issue one any more, and from comments on ThaiVisa.com it seems you have the best bet of acquiring one by applying for it in your own country. In the past, you could get similar visas from neighboring countries, such as at Penang in Malaysia, but there has been a "tightening up" of issuing such visas in SE Asian Thai consulates and embassies.

WhiteDesire, I'm not sure what country is "home" for you, but if you are in the UK, the Hull consulate has a reputation for being generous with Non-Immigrant O visas. In the US, most of the consulates have been reported to issue them, with the exception of the Los Angeles consulate which seems at times to be very stingy.

[Captain Swing]

does that exist?


Don't even consider the Elite card mentioned above as this was a failed program created awhile back that got very little support and was actually a bit of a disaster for the people who created it. The Thai Elite Card is only mentioned now as a joke. Basically it was a ripoff. None of the benefits listed on the Elite Card website are even functional anymore. Very few of these cards were ever actually sold (under 200 sold as I recall). One of the biggest supposed benefits was that this card would allow a foreigner to buy up to 1.6r of land...that did not work out as advertised. This all happened in 2003 or so and is now just historical information. Elite card is dead. That's all you need to know.




dboy

Maybe it's not completely dead.

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_01_09_50_2.htm

[Dboy]

They are "reworking" "revamping" "down-scaling" it, whatever. Read in Pattaya News last week that the committee was having it's last meeting. Probably developing a new committee to try to fix the thing. The way the whole thing was handled it seems to me a huge risk to sink a bunch of baht into a program right now with unknown benefits. The way it was originally sold they made it sound like you were buy "keys to the city" or something. The reality was a long way from that. Read something in the Bangkok Post in spring of this year saying they planned on doing away with all of their marketing partners, drastically reduce the cost of the card, basically create a whole new program. No idea what will happen to original buyers of this thing. And of course this was a pet project of Mr. Taksin so there are probably political issues going on in the background. The same people who hate TRT probably hate the Elite Card. Now, if it turns out this new card REALLY allows you buy land and get a "forever" Visa, then hell yeah that's a good thing. But it's not sorted out yet.

dboy

I knew it existed but did not think it was available, thought it was for retirees that sort of thing. Anyway, checked it out and it costs ┬г100 but the most you can stay in Thailand is 90 days then you have to leave and come back to get it reinvigorated, the most you can stay then in Thailand doing it this way is around 15 months. ie. visa dated 1 January, visit Thailand for 90 + 90 + 90 + 90, then make sure you leave Thailand before your 1 year visa expires so you get another 90 days, all in all around 15 months.

Ideal if you want to travel around SE Asia and base yourself in Thailand and visit the other places such as Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong on a long trip.

I knew it existed but did not think it was available, thought it was for retirees that sort of thing. Anyway, checked it out and it costs ┬г100 but the most you can stay in Thailand is 90 days then you have to leave and come back to get it reinvigorated, the most you can stay then in Thailand doing it this way is around 15 months. ie. visa dated 1 January, visit Thailand for 90 + 90 + 90 + 90, then make sure you leave Thailand before your 1 year visa expires so you get another 90 days, all in all around 15 months.

Ideal if you want to travel around SE Asia and base yourself in Thailand and visit the other places such as Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong on a long trip.
Sounds like you got it sorted out and have a proper understanding how it works.

Until I started learning about the visas, I thought "visa runs" were only comprised of 30-day visa-waiver stamped folks getting a new visa-waiver stamp. Turns out a fair amount of "visa runners" are Non-Immigrant O visa holders getting a fresh stamp for a new 90 day period.

Guys,

They have allowed me to have free visas for seven years, however, they did charge me 20,000 baht overstay whilst I was in prison.! [ after they released me!]


Believe me, you cannot make stories like this up!

So what is your status now? Do you have a retirement visa or something? If you don't mind me asking.

Separately, I really did think this visa run thing has been done away with, but basically what people do now is get this O visa and stay there for 15 months before coming home to the UK and probably getting another another. Where do people go (the shortest route) for their visa runs (without me looking at the map).

[quote="WhiteDesire"]So what is your status now? Do you have a retirement visa or something? If you don't mind me asking.

Separately, I really did think this visa run thing has been done away with, but basically what people do now is get this O visa and stay there for 15 months before coming home to the UK and probably getting another another. Where do people go (the shortest route) for their visa runs (without me looking at the map).[/quote


Whitedesire,

I am 45 so do not qualify for retirement visa.


I am on Non immigrant "B" visa.

Because I am a nuisance to them, and technically still on bail? [ seven years!] They basically ignore me and let me do as I please!

Usual favourite place for visa runs is Cambodia.

I still haven't decided what I am doing yet but I'm sitting on a nestegg and wonder and wonder - but also I wouldn't want to do anything that could go wrong - I remember going to live in a country once and only managed 6 months, it was inaptly thought out - I don't regret it but well one learns.

I still haven't decided what I am doing yet but I'm sitting on a nestegg and wonder and wonder - but also I wouldn't want to do anything that could go wrong - I remember going to live in a country once and only managed 6 months, it was inaptly thought out - I don't regret it but well one learns.


Whitedesire,


I love this place, however, I did come here financially OK!

A lot of guys arrive, [fall in love with Thailand,] and their dreams override the realities of their finances and that of the Country and what they can afford.

I don't regret a moment of my life here, its been great but I really try to stay realistic.

I'm not sure if I get it right all the time [ probably not!]

What u doing up this time of the morning, I'm at work at the moment its 23:42 Tuesday night (UK). Anyway, you must like it being there all that time. But why I am deciding and not deciding etc is because, so many people get it wrong out there, and run out of money. Lets face it, unless one stays in their house day in day out and doesn't get about, it's pointless moving to a country - one probably needs more money than the UK to "do the things they want" in Thailand due to the fact that everything in, for instance, Pattaya, is sexually based. Let's face it that is what the majority of people go out there for. Anyway, I'm weighing up my options. Malaysia is another alternative place to go - we'll see.

What u doing up this time of the morning, I'm at work at the moment its 23:42 Tuesday night (UK). Anyway, you must like it being there all that time. But why I am deciding and not deciding etc is because, so many people get it wrong out there, and run out of money. Lets face it, unless one stays in their house day in day out and doesn't get about, it's pointless moving to a country - one probably needs more money than the UK to "do the things they want" in Thailand due to the fact that everything in, for instance, Pattaya, is sexually based. Let's face it that is what the majority of people go out there for. Anyway, I'm weighing up my options. Malaysia is another alternative place to go - we'll see.

Whitedesire,

You have got it completely correct, [in my opinion] I don't think you will make too many mistakes!


Good luck whatever you decide.