Kai1988

Hi guys, 

 

Am considering getting the TE visa just to avoid all the hassle with immigration and not having to worry about the rules changes and whatnot, but have a couple of questions... 

 

1) My passport is set to expire in 2021, so if I get the 5 year easy access option, what happens at the end of the 4th year and I have to get a new passport? Can they transfer the visa to the new passport? 

 

2) I travel quite extensively throughout the region, probably at least once or twice a month and I understand that they give you a new 1 year visa everytime you pass through immigration (please correct me if I'm wrong), so what happens on the 5th year? Is there a fixed expiry date on the final 1 year visa? 

 

3) We've (or more specifically my partner) just bought a place in salaya, near mahidol university (nonthanburi province)... Does that distance qualify for the short haul transfer service? 

 

cheers! 

Use your company and apply for an APEC card this will give you 90 days each stay and it is intended for business travelers that frequently travel.

If I use the APEC card, do I have to mark business or tourist purposes on the landing form?

If I may... Thailand Elite is not only about the visa.

The Thailand Elite membership also provides you, besides the PE visa and other privileges, with a superb assistance at the airport.

If you travel often in and out of the country, it is a wonderful perk. Better than any airline assistance. But it comes at a price, indeed.

@gerry1011 For sure. The freedom to fly in at any time or day and not having to worry about the queues at the immigration and no more hassle at the counters would be very, very welcomed.

Having said that, if I can get away with visa exempt for the time being, I'm inclined to do so simply because I could put the 20k to work and generate more income for myself in the mean time. It might not be much... but I still have many, many more years of working to go. ):

LOL.

I love my Thai Elite Visa. It's hassle free and I can come and go as often as I want. However, it is expensive. I recommend that you continue doing what you've so far been doing without any problems. If and when, what your doing no longer works, then you might want to go with the Thai Elite Visa.

@HerbalEd If the immigration officer issues me a formal letter asking me to apply for a visa the next time around, will it affect my ability to apply for the Thai Elite Visa?

@lawrence Thanks for your reply, good to see another Singaporean on this forum.

You mentioned "wait till they give you the letter ...if not it's fine" - what kind of letter is this?

@JayBird I'm not G7. I'm from Singapore, and I've actually been to the Thai embassy in Singapore to enquire about the possibility of getting a tourist visa but they informed me that there shouldn't be an issue since I usually don't stay more than 30 days... but they also admitted that at the end of the day that the IO usually has the final say.

@TerryHL ah ok I see, I might check out the possibility of getting that then...

@IMA_FARANG so what would a wise man do after 5 visa exempts in a row? Lol

@elviajero I've had a couple of immigration officers asking me what I'm doing in Thailand so often but they usually just leave it like that when I tell them I'm coming to visit my girlfriend. I always carry more than 20k baht, my business cards and proof of a return air ticket when I travel into Bangkok but so far I haven't been asked for them...

@RabC I've read that the multi entry tourist visa requires proof of long term residence... and here's where it gets slightly tricky. I usually stay with my girlfriend and her family when I go up to visit her. Everyone's cool with it (since we help out with the groceries and the electricity bills) except for her eccentric spinster aunt who stays with them. Unfortunately the house is jointly owned by her dad and the aunt, who absolutely refuses to endorse me as an alien staying with them. We are looking at getting a place for just the two of us, but that will only be in a couple of months...

If you have proof of working outside Thailand and can show this upon entering the country then I see no reason why you shouldn't be allowed entry each time.

Maybe you just got unlucky with one of the many immigration officers on the day.

I for one wouldn't be rushing out buying the Thai Elite visa for minimal trips of 7/10 days a time in the country.

What sort of proof would I require? I'm a director of my family business but I usually carry my business card with the designation of sales manager. Would that suffice?

@stoneyboy I've been asked to get a tourist visa by an immigration officer at Don mueang airport once but when I went to the Thai embassy they told me that there's no need for me to get a tourist visa since I'm always there for less than 30 days... so that's a bit confusing haha.

Hi guys, first timer here.

I understand that there have been many posts about the Thai elite visa on this forum, but was looking for some advice. I've been in a relationship with my Thai partner for the past 2 years and I travel up to see her once a month for about 7-10 days each time on tourist visa exempt (30 days). So that's probably about 15-20 visa exempt stamps in the passport so far... I've heard from my girlfriend that there's been some news online recently about Thai immigration clamping down on frequent visitors (?) and we really don't want to run the risk of me getting stopped at the immigration or not being allowed to enter. I can afford the half a million baht but being only 28, it's still a substantial amount of money that can be put towards making more money (or saving toward that million dollar sinsot!!) so I guess my question is... with 20k baht and a return air ticket every trip, is it safer for me to get the Thai elite visa? Or would it be okay to continue on visa exempt...?

Not too familiar with Thai immigration laws since they seem to be changing all the time so any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers!