scottyinthai

Hi all, I am sure I have read somewhere on here that it is possible to obtain a non-imm B visa as investor/partner in a business. I do not wish to have a work permit as I have no intention in working. Can anyone tell me if this is possible and maybe point me in the direction of a thread that may have already answered this question. Many Thanks.

I thought that the work permit was supposed to remain at the premises listed on the permit and also that it cannot leave thailand? So how could you show it when re-entering the country?

If you are booking a private taxi don't be afraid to tell the driver to slow down. You are the paying customer. There is good drivers out there too.

The Thais are spreading this real fast on Facebook. I've seen 3 different videos of tourist being told to remove their own personal chairs they have bought and carried from their hotel. This is going to hurt. It's spreading on social media like wildfire.

Where did they get this "30 day visa?" I thought tourist visas were 60 days and visa exempt on arrival was 30 days?

Anyone know how long before the permitted to stay date you can apply for extension?

Ubon joe?

Many thanks

It annoys me seeing foreigners working commissions selling tours. I'm glad to see the crackdown. Too many bodgy business owners too cheap to employ Thais selling Phi Phi island trips. It's totally illegal for a foreigner to be sitting behind a desk selling the local products

It's ok for a farang to sell tours. They cannot be a tour guide. As long as they have a work permit which most selling tours do. It's not illegal at all.

I am reasonably confident that only A and B are domestic. F concourse is international. There is no lounge in domestic that accepts Barclays card for free entry.

You could always jump in a taxi and ask for the nearest massage place. I'm sure there would be one within 10 mins of the airport.

K-bank now no longer allow you to transfer funds out if Thailand via internet. Just a new policy implemented in the last week. I went to the branch I opened it in at patong where I no longer stay and was told I cannot transfer international online.

I was told I can only do it in the branch and was not able to because it was a bank holiday (eventhough the branch was open). I'm trying to get my money out of here quick smart and before all the retirement warriors post I've done nothing wrong. I've been flying in and out every 28 days off shore and legally opened my account but was told it is to do with the clamp down on illegal money being earned in Thailand so u have to do it in the branch and prove it came from overseas.

Just need to hope I get in next month to get it out

I would like to know if an offshore worker who lives in a resort complex paying resort prices and using 6 exempt stamps a year is ok? Krabi immigration have said no i need to get tourist visas each time which would mean back to back even though a month apart.

Hat yai immigration told me 4 times per year for visa exempt, phuket town immigration told me i have no problems as i genuinely don't work here.

Can you get a clear answer on how many exempts are allowed per year?

Thanks for your time and effort you guys put into this.

I will arrive in BKK this Thursday 24th July 10pm and would like to know the nearest place to sukhumvit and easiest way to get there to extend my TR on friday. I have a re entry stamp as it was only a single entry visa.

Many Thanks

Immigration officer i asked told me his interpretation is 4 per year.  I want to empasise that this is only his interpretation and said this is how he will be enforcing the rule.

I work 28/28 and have been using exempt stamps as i am a tourist, ie stay in a villa in a resort and don't work.

I contacted 2 immigration officers that i know and this is their 2 responses(note suprisingly they are totally different!!).

1. He said 4 exempt stamps is enough for 1 year. So 4 trips use exempt and last 2 trips get a tourist visa.

2. Get a tourist visa everytime in Malaysia where I work.

So even these guys dont actually really understand the rules. When i asked first guy to put that in writing he said no as this is just his interpretation and how he will be enforcing it!! Clear as mud!

4 exempt stamps is enough for a year? Is that Calendar year or rolling 12 month period?

Even he doesn't know, that's the point I was making. It will all depend on each individual officer and how they interpret the rule and how they feel that day

So get a tourist visa every time to be sure

Not allowed back to back according to the new rules.

I work 28/28 and have been using exempt stamps as i am a tourist, ie stay in a villa in a resort and don't work.

I contacted 2 immigration officers that i know and this is their 2 responses(note suprisingly they are totally different!!).

1. He said 4 exempt stamps is enough for 1 year. So 4 trips use exempt and last 2 trips get a tourist visa.

2. Get a tourist visa everytime in Malaysia where I work.

So even these guys dont actually really understand the rules. When i asked first guy to put that in writing he said no as this is just his interpretation and how he will be enforcing it!! Clear as mud!

4 exempt stamps is enough for a year? Is that Calendar year or rolling 12 month period?

Even he doesn't know, that's the point I was making. It will all depend on each individual officer and how they interpret the rule and how they feel that day

I work 28/28 and have been using exempt stamps as i am a tourist, ie stay in a villa in a resort and don't work.

I contacted 2 immigration officers that i know and this is their 2 responses(note suprisingly they are totally different!!).

1. He said 4 exempt stamps is enough for 1 year. So 4 trips use exempt and last 2 trips get a tourist visa.

2. Get a tourist visa everytime in Malaysia where I work.

So even these guys dont actually really understand the rules. When i asked first guy to put that in writing he said no as this is just his interpretation and how he will be enforcing it!! Clear as mud!

Hopefully one of the mods will be able to offer some advice on my situation or maybe someone else in the same situation as me, im not looking to debate the rules as i agree with them being implemented, I am just looking for advice.

I work offshore 4weeks on 4weeks off and about 18 months ago i went to immigration to extend for 7 days on my exempt entry stamp. At this time i told the IO what i do and how i come in and out monthly and asked is there a better visa i could be using, his reply was just keep doing what you are doing it is fine.

So now it doesnt look like this is fine. I stay in a rented villa in a resort complex and am not married and not over 50 so i treat each trip back to thailand as basically a holiday, going to the beach, gym, restaurants and bars so i could pass as a "tourist" in my opinion.

I have applied for and been approved for the 5 year elite card however when i spoke to immigration in krabi they didnt even know about an elite visa. There is plenty of people on here saying it is a solution however the visa issued is a "special tourist" visa so there is a possibilty you could be denied entry even after buying it. I know this is highly unlikely but it is possible as other people are being turned away with legitimate visas.

What would you suggest is the best option for someone in my situation. Im just about ready to send off the form to pay for the elite visa but i am wondering if there is any other alternatives. I would not hesitate to take the elite visa if it was paid yearly however i am concerned that if the rules change again or my circumstances change in the 5 years.

It looks like 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off would not expose you to immigration problems if you are one of those people who are elligible for the 30 visa exemption on arrival. This costs you absolutely nothing.

There is no Elite Visa. There is a partnership with the government and Thai Elite that includes a five year visa. It matters not if if your local immigration office has heard of it or not, they will eventually. When you receive your visa from Thai Elite it will have an expiration date of five years from the beginning date stamped in your passport. You are good to go even if the Thai Elite program dies it will have no effect on your visa. Other Elite services would be gone but not the five year visa.

Grant,

I would like to think i am not going to have problems with immigration but i suspect i will as my passport is full of visa exempt stamps. They are a month apart but there is alot of them with very few stamps in between as i dont get stamped into Malaysia.

The elite card does not give you a 5 year visa, it only gives you a 1 year visa which is renewable 5 times, hence the reason i would prefer to pay only yearly.

Any other options anyone knows of. Im not trying to find loopholes, i would like a genuine solution to stay correctly.

I know a guy on his 3rd 5 year Elite program visa. Each one is for 5 years from the issue date. You only need to get the extension of stay if you do not leave Thailand for 12 months. Every time you arrive in the country the clock begins on that 12 months. No problem for you. In a recent thread there was a picture of a new 5 year visa expiring in 2019.

Sent from my LG-V500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The 5 year visa is only issued if you buy the 2million baht (+VAT+20,00 per year) elite card. The 500k elite card you are given a 1 year visa, renewable 5 times. Will still work for me.

This is the info i recieved from Thailand Elite as i have already applied and been approved and will go to Bangkok after this month at work to pay and recieve the visa in my passport if there is no other solution.

Hopefully one of the mods will be able to offer some advice on my situation or maybe someone else in the same situation as me, im not looking to debate the rules as i agree with them being implemented, I am just looking for advice.

I work offshore 4weeks on 4weeks off and about 18 months ago i went to immigration to extend for 7 days on my exempt entry stamp. At this time i told the IO what i do and how i come in and out monthly and asked is there a better visa i could be using, his reply was just keep doing what you are doing it is fine.

So now it doesnt look like this is fine. I stay in a rented villa in a resort complex and am not married and not over 50 so i treat each trip back to thailand as basically a holiday, going to the beach, gym, restaurants and bars so i could pass as a "tourist" in my opinion.

I have applied for and been approved for the 5 year elite card however when i spoke to immigration in krabi they didnt even know about an elite visa. There is plenty of people on here saying it is a solution however the visa issued is a "special tourist" visa so there is a possibilty you could be denied entry even after buying it. I know this is highly unlikely but it is possible as other people are being turned away with legitimate visas.

What would you suggest is the best option for someone in my situation. Im just about ready to send off the form to pay for the elite visa but i am wondering if there is any other alternatives. I would not hesitate to take the elite visa if it was paid yearly however i am concerned that if the rules change again or my circumstances change in the 5 years.

It looks like 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off would not expose you to immigration problems if you are one of those people who are elligible for the 30 visa exemption on arrival. This costs you absolutely nothing.

There is no Elite Visa. There is a partnership with the government and Thai Elite that includes a five year visa. It matters not if if your local immigration office has heard of it or not, they will eventually. When you receive your visa from Thai Elite it will have an expiration date of five years from the beginning date stamped in your passport. You are good to go even if the Thai Elite program dies it will have no effect on your visa. Other Elite services would be gone but not the five year visa.

Grant,

I would like to think i am not going to have problems with immigration but i suspect i will as my passport is full of visa exempt stamps. They are a month apart but there is alot of them with very few stamps in between as i dont get stamped into Malaysia.

The elite card does not give you a 5 year visa, it only gives you a 1 year visa which is renewable 5 times, hence the reason i would prefer to pay only yearly.

Any other options anyone knows of. Im not trying to find loopholes, i would like a genuine solution to stay correctly.

Hopefully one of the mods will be able to offer some advice on my situation or maybe someone else in the same situation as me, im not looking to debate the rules as i agree with them being implemented, I am just looking for advice.

I work offshore 4weeks on 4weeks off and about 18 months ago i went to immigration to extend for 7 days on my exempt entry stamp. At this time i told the IO what i do and how i come in and out monthly and asked is there a better visa i could be using, his reply was just keep doing what you are doing it is fine.

So now it doesnt look like this is fine. I stay in a rented villa in a resort complex and am not married and not over 50 so i treat each trip back to thailand as basically a holiday, going to the beach, gym, restaurants and bars so i could pass as a "tourist" in my opinion.

I have applied for and been approved for the 5 year elite card however when i spoke to immigration in krabi they didnt even know about an elite visa. There is plenty of people on here saying it is a solution however the visa issued is a "special tourist" visa so there is a possibilty you could be denied entry even after buying it. I know this is highly unlikely but it is possible as other people are being turned away with legitimate visas.

What would you suggest is the best option for someone in my situation. Im just about ready to send off the form to pay for the elite visa but i am wondering if there is any other alternatives. I would not hesitate to take the elite visa if it was paid yearly however i am concerned that if the rules change again or my circumstances change in the 5 years.

Apologies for the double post of nothing. I can't delete from iPad.

I always fly into krabi from KL so I cannot use the elite escort service through immigration and as I previously posted the head of immigration at krabi doesn't even know about this visa.

What chance have we got of getting in with it. Imagine a ignorant official saying no entry and you say I will ring this hotline for thai elite and they will sort it?? Really do you think an immigration official will stand down to some office person from elite/TAT?

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Maybe this whole issue is just a disingenuous way of reviving and propping up the Elite Card, especially for big earners like the oil guys who can easily afford the fees.

The PE visa you get from Elite is not a non-immigrant visa. I believe the original intent was to enable frequent, wealthy visitors to easily come and go. Not to stay for the entire 5y in one go. Although if they start enforcing that, Thailand Elite will probably create a stink with their contacts at immigration.

Not quite accurate. One of the selling points of the Thailand Elite Easy Access visa is that you can stay in Thailand without leaving at all for the entire 5 years.

This is mentioned on the website and pointed out several times in the pre sales emails they send you during the signing up process.

Yes that is true but I am one of the oil and gas guys so I am in and out every 28 days and I do travel like a tourist. I rent a villa in a resort and pay almost tourist prices, I eat out in restaurants everyday. The staying for 5 years is not my issue with the elite card it is coming and going and immigration not being aware that this visa actually exists.

I am happy to pay and like I posted before I have had my application approved and they are awaiting my 500k but how safe is it as the elite visa is actually a "special TR" so essentially a tourist visa.

So if they are turning people back with a valid tourist visa? What will happen to people who have the elite visa? I have applied and been approved after the police and bankruptacy background check.

I asked the elite service agent what type of visa i would recieve and was told it is a "Special TR" visa so essentially a tourist visa. I have yet to hand over the 500k as i am very concerned about this happening to me at the border if the officer is having a bad day. I was in Krabi immigration to get a re-entry permit to my TR visa recently and spoke to the chief their as she spoke very good english. I asked her for her advice on the best visa for me and she suggested having a baby or getting married.

I suggested the 500k elite visa and she had no idea this even existed. How many other immigration officials dont know about this? Afterall the elite scheme is run by TAT not immigration.

How can one be sure this "special TR" is going to be good for the whole 5 years?

For all the people on 'O' visas on here that say get the correct visa if you want to stay, give an honest answer if you would hand over the 500k? I know alot of over 50's who dont even like having the 800k in the bank for the extension, at least you still get to keep that money.

I think it would be fair to say that if you have forked out 500k for a visa you will not have any problems at all.

Essex,

I think the same however the people being turned back with TR visas also paid money for their visas (not 500k admitedly) but the other thing that worries me is the chief at Krabi had never heard of this elite visa? How many other immigration officers dont know? I would have thought any memo through immigration the cheif shoud at least know about it.

So if they are turning people back with a valid tourist visa? What will happen to people who have the elite visa? I have applied and been approved after the police and bankruptacy background check.

I asked the elite service agent what type of visa i would recieve and was told it is a "Special TR" visa so essentially a tourist visa. I have yet to hand over the 500k as i am very concerned about this happening to me at the border if the officer is having a bad day. I was in Krabi immigration to get a re-entry permit to my TR visa recently and spoke to the chief their as she spoke very good english. I asked her for her advice on the best visa for me and she suggested having a baby or getting married.

I suggested the 500k elite visa and she had no idea this even existed. How many other immigration officials dont know about this? Afterall the elite scheme is run by TAT not immigration.

How can one be sure this "special TR" is going to be good for the whole 5 years?

For all the people on 'O' visas on here that say get the correct visa if you want to stay, give an honest answer if you would hand over the 500k? I know alot of over 50's who dont even like having the 800k in the bank for the extension, at least you still get to keep that money.

I am an Australian passport holder also and went to KL last month for a single entry 60 day tourist visa (double not available). I handed over a copy of passport photo page, one passport size photo and application form (you also need the fee in RM). I did have a copy of my bank statement and a flight out incase i was asked however i was not. I did see other people being asked and trying to show their phone screen to show bank balance and they were told to go to print it out and come back.

This is the first time i have applied in KL and i thought it was very simple. About a 25 min wait and ready next day. As Ubon said it is different for everyone but this is my experience. I did not have any other tourist visas in my passport, however i did have about 20 visa exempt stamps in my passport. I have since left Thailand and had a re-entry stamp put in and will extend this visa for 30 more days when i come back.

Hope it goes well, be sure to report back as i find this site very informative from peoples actual experience, not the people who say what they think is going to happen.

It can be done on a tourist visa. I arrived on a 60 day visa from KL and have just received my ED visa from Bkk immigration. There is a tonne of papers to do but the right school will help you out of they want your business.

Just had a single entry issued in KL and had copies of bank statements and outward flight tickets in my pocket as I read they are required. I didn't want to show my statements unless absolutely necessary. I was not asked for either, just the application form and 1 passport photo.

Was alot easier than people have been posting on here. Lodged my application at 11am and picked up at 3pm the following day. I have previously had page after page of visa exempt stamps and no tourist visa in my passport.