RichardThailand

If you have a Samut Prakan address you can the the immigration office there. 
Samut Prakan Checkpoint
Amphoe Mueang Changwat Samutprakan
10270
0-2395-0029

Thanks. Am I right to assume that I should apply for that extension about a week before my first 30 days is up and I should visit the office with my new outgoing airline ticket?

How is the noose tightening exactly? Sensationalist Thaivisa headlines do not a tightening make. The 90 day ED visa thing has been around for a long time. The 8 hours a week has too, as a possible future policy floated by the MoE that my school said was not even close to happening. This 25 hours a week thing is a troll, a wind-up, or a wild misunderstanding.

At the end of the day I'm not really sure what is tightening up. Seems like nothing except the 30 day run.

The 25 hour thing is NOT a troll or a wind-up.  Anything can be misunderstood but it seems to me that it's difficult to misunderstand being told something as simple as the 5 hours a day and 5 days a week. A new price was also mentioned to my friend but I did not include this. The price was around 3 times what people are paying now.

Anyway I do agree that there seems to be total confusion. All I am doing here is relating what I was told by a reliable friend and asking what others have been told. I guess the day is fast approaching when we will all find out for sure. 

I understand there were changes. Now the dust has maybe settled a bit can someone clarify what the new policy is?

 

The 25 hours sounds like it would be for full time study and might allow for a one a year extension.

 

See this is the problem, even a global moderator on the biggest visa related website for Thailand doesn't know what is what, nobody does. The Junta has sat their together and come up with a handful of changes and nothing has been passed down correctly, nobody knows whether they are coming or going. How long before the dust settles and we know where we stand?

 

Well really all that's needed is for a person studying at one of the larger schools to go to a school and ask the administrator.  I have already posted the result of the answer my friend was given and he is studying at one of the larger schools. I thought the 29th is the day when we're all going to hear something more official.  I would assume if you're the owner of a large language school you already know the answer.   

It is an easy process just complete an application form and pay 1900 baht.

Which airport and which city?

It is once only for both extensions.

Bangkok.  Will be staying near Mega Bangna mall.  Thanks for your advice.

I have read that it has been confirmed for Bangkok it will be 8 hours a week doing 2 hours a day in order to get apporval from the Ministry of Education.

There has been no confirmation for other locations.

Hopefully others who are now studying will go to their school admins and get some more first hand information. If they do as my friend has been told then it's a huge game changer for I assume almost 100% of the people who are now studying Thai with that visa. 

On the 29th or after you will be able get one 30 day extension. Before then the longest you can get is 7 days.

How easy is the extension process. Where do you need to go if you are living near the airport and one last question. Once a visa-exempt has been extended then can it be extended again. I realize maybe knows this as the rules are changing soon but I would be interested to hear for example if the current 7 day extension can be extended again. 

Thanks

A friend just mentioned to me that he's been told his school are now expecting the new requirements will be: 5 times a week, 5 hours a day.

Has anyone else here tried asking their language school what the new requirements are going to be? Now I know that at least one school is expecting 25 hours / week it would be interesting to hear what the other schools have to say.

How easy will it be for me to extend this for another few weeks (after the 29th August) and if I do that then could I even extend it for longer before my 6-7 week trip is over ?  

Some background on my situation.  This will be my first trip to Thailand this year. I have an outgoing ticket that for 3 weeks after my arrival date.

 I don't have the time now to get a tourist visa and at this point didn't want to go that route as I am not sure of exactly how long my trip will be.  It might be 3 1/2 weeks or might be 7 1/2 weeks. 

Thanks

He'll need to exit and get a tourist visa. Any embassy/consulate should be ok for this.

Why can the person not get an extension? I thought prior to end of August the 7 day extensions were still available. 

I would like to stay in Thailand. First with visa-exempt status and then would like to apply the normal way for a retirement license. 

I do not wish to stay in one particular place and would like to stay in some different serviced apartments.  In other words, no lease just long term stay. 

Can I get a  "yellow tabien baan" or whatever else may be needed for a driving license to prove address from the serviced residence ?

I have a friend who would like to work here but wants to do everything legally. I saw there were some suggestions that with a Thai Elite visa a person can do business?

Maybe I am confused about this but does that visa allow a person to work legally as a digital Nomad, gaining no payments from Thailand, conducting no business in Thailand and with no funds from overseas coming into a Thai bank account as payment for services?

I have been trying to research into what might happen after Dec 2015 with the ASEAN integration. Seems there's very little information out there as to what (if anything) will happen. 

Has anyone any read anything about changes that might effect the free flow of ASEAN community members. Any information relating to employment, requirements for work visas, residency requirements.

Thanks,

I will come to Thailand soon and entr on visa-exempt prior to trying to get a retirement visa.  My friend will come with me and enter the same way prior to trying to get an ED Visa. 

Is it possible to get at Thai driving license when having this status?  How much is involved. Note that we both have expired licenses from other countries.  Plenty of experience driving but as those licenses are expired if we can get a Thail license then what would be involved. 

Thanks

The elite card has been losing a lot of money and it was run by Taksins crowd . It could be possibly closed down.

How can a card that gives very little and costs a lot lose money?

Just to clarify. I am not looking for trip information or where to go. All I am looking for is some visa related tips such as how long a visa I would be able to get in Manila.

Does anyone know how much the tourist visa costs at the embassy in Manila. If I get one would it be for up to 60 days? I read about double-entry visas. Are those available in Manila and what's the difference between that and a tourist visa?

I read some place that although I get a 30 day visa exempt entry on arrival I can extend this. Can someone tell me how I go about doing this and how long can I extend my stay without leaving the country? I already have the Philippines to Thailand trip by air booked. Do I need to show a ticket back to the Philippines less than 30 days after arrival ? If so then does anyone recommend an airline where I can most easily change my flight back?

Thanks

I have a frend filling out an application form for an ED visa. One of the questions asks her to list her trips to Thailand and the visa that she was issued during each stay.

She was there for a few weeks last year. She came as a tourist, got the normal entry and exit stamps. So what should she put on the ED for as the type of visa issued during the stay?

Thanks

I'd like to find out the price of one of these but I'm not in Thailand right now. Can anyone tell me where I can check the price online? Does anyone know of any shops that have an online catalog.

Thanks,

Does anyone have any experience with shipping items from PI to Thailand. I've been quoted $250 per cubic meter which is rather expensive.

Has anyone any suggestions on how I could do the shipping cheaper?

thanks

I have a couple of questions. I am still living in the Philippines and have not been back to the UK for many years.

From what I understand the Retirement visa requires a police check. Where do I get this from ? Is that a check from UK or ??

Also what's the process for applying for the visa. Should I go to Thailand first, move money into the bank, get bank certification and then leave to do the application? If so then where can I go to for the application. I have a friend who mentioned that some countries around Thailand would not let me do the application?

Thanks in advance.

I would like to live in Thailand and make use of the ED visa. Fully intend to try and learn Thai. However I have the means to travel abroad and would like to take some frequent trips to other countries and return to continue my studies.

Could that be a problem? As mentioned I do intend to do the hours of study needed at one of the larger schools.

I have a question regarding income requirements for the retirement visa. I am a dual US/British citizen however I presently live in the Philppines and I use my UK passport for all travel. I feel my home country is England and I do not want to use my USA passport when applying for a retirement visa.

After many trips to Thailand I would now like to retire there. From what I understand I need to have 800K baht in the bank for a period of time. I easily have enough funds to put this money into a Thai bank.

My question is that I also understand I must show a certain income and have this validated by my embassy. I have income from rental properties in the US and at this time this varies between $1,000 and $3,000 a month. As an investment the properties have appreciated significantly but the cash flow from rentals after expenses is not so high. There could be a year when the average amount per month is slightly less than the minimum monthly income requirement.

Can someone give me advice to confirm I need to get the income validated by the UK embassy and also will they even do that as my income is going directly into my bank accounts in America. If I use the UK embassy how strict are they with checking to ensure the exact amount of income coming in?