Question about residency, financially free people who moved to Thailand

[acenase]

I always read up and see a lot of people who write things like "Decided to spontaneously move to Thailand!" and write about actually living here but still traveling to Cambodia, Laos, Myannmar, etc. Wouldn't this raise flags with immigration if you keep entering/exiting without spending 2 days at a Thai consular getting a Visa?

 

So my question is, how do they legally move to Thailand if they don't find a job or go to school that will sponsor them for a Non B or E-Visa that allows them to truly live here? 

 

So far what I have learned, for me to stay long term is I need to go back to my home country, and apply for a METV and get at least 9 months out of that. What if someone sold their place and brought all their things to movs to thailand permanently and don't have a place to go back to in their homecountry? 

 

Another question is if people keep traveling to bordering countries and getting Visa Exempt stamps without spending 2 days at a Thai consular getting a Visa wouldn't that raise trouble with Immigration? I'm just wondering how people do it because I always read about expats talking about how great life in Thailand is and will never go back to their home country, but if they aren't over 50, going to work or school - is really possible to live in Thailand without going back? Because I would like to know how people can stay long term without applying for METV in their home country and without spending 2 days to drop off and pick up their Passport at Bordering Thai consulars

 

I am on a Tourist Visa because I came to Thailand without any Visa and used up my 6 Entry/Exit exempt stamps and was told to get a Tourist Visa but I am not eligible for any other Visa like a Non Imm because I'm just spending my life savings without workkng. But the inconvenience of having to leave and re-apply for a SETV each time I decide to travel because Immigration informed me that I can't keep entering and exiting with Visa Exempt stamp after 6 and I want to know is this the standard for everyone who comes to Thailand without a METV or eligible for Non Imm? I'm thinking about the guys who say that they have lived here for 4 years... how do they do it. If we are financially independent, under 50 and Single.  Is the only way possible to live in Thailand is doing Visa runs to Thai consulars every 90 days and applying for re-entry permit if we choose to leave and re-enter on the same SETV before the 90 days are up? I want to know if there is another option I may not know about out there that is available for me, if i want to live in Thailand long term since I am financially independent and retired under 50 and single.

[tonray]

Elite Visa good for 5 years if you have the money for it.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

A lot of people in Thailand work - work permit.

 

A lot of people in Thailand are on retirement visa - non o visa.

 

A lot of people like myself are married - non o visa.

 

A lot of people like yourself are doing visa runs and applying for single entry visa in Laos - Tourist visa. This is your only option if you don't want to pay 500,000 baht for 5 year visa. If you are financially independent as you say, a mere $15,000 for this visa is not much if you really want to stay here. I am not a fan of this visa as I think they are pushing a lot of "benefits" people will never use, but if I REALLY wanted to stay in Thailand this is something I would definitely get.

 

You can get an education visa, but to be honest I found it to be a lot of hassle and nowadays it's quite expensive.

 

 

[acenase]

 what I want to know is how do people claim they can spontaneously just up and move to Thailand on a tourist visa because if someone wants to move to Thailand the best planning would have to be apply for a METV which gives 9 months.... that said, you still need to GO BACK to your home country to re-apply for another 9 month. So how is that considered "moving" if you have to go back?  $15,000 for a Visa is quite steep honesty, its a given as why 99% of people would rather just save the money and travel/apply for new Visa, but thats the inconvenience to save $15,000 i guess.

 

i just think when people say they "moved to Thailand sponataneously" are lying because you can't really move here unless like mentioned, you either have work/school or 50+ years old or married for long term stay. The only other category is long term tourist, which eventually you NEED to go back to your home country right? Whether it is to apply for another METV to get an additional 9 months or just keep doing Visa runs and applying for a SETV to "live" in Thailand but how boring can that get when you're doing it every 3 months... for 2-3 years? 

 

With that comes the costs like re-entering the country on a SETV you need to pay an additional 1,000 Baht, you need to pay an additional 1,900 Baht to extend the 60-90 days. This is the hidden struggles that no one mentions who don't fall in that category who claims they moved to Thailand. They never mention the Visa runs, Visa extensions, Leaving after 90 days and spending 2 days at Thai consular just to get a fresh Visa to come back with. Is that really living or just a long term Tourist? 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2017 by acenase

[overherebc]

The idea may not fit but try looking at it as moving to Asia!

If you have enough money you can be based in Thailand and do some travelling to other Asian countries as and when you feel like it. A few nearby countries give you 90 days on arrival and a couple do electronic visas on-line.

Yes you still have to apply for Thai visas etc but you can make that part of the holiday/experience. Travel around Asia can be cheap and easy to do and it's good to spend a few weeks in the different countries to get a break from Thailand.

With a bit of planning it's not that difficult to do.

Edited September 23, 2017 by overherebc

[darrendsd]

1 hour ago, acenase said:

 what I want to know is how do people claim they can spontaneously just up and move to Thailand on a tourist visa because if someone wants to move to Thailand the best planning would have to be apply for a METV which gives 9 months.... that said, you still need to GO BACK to your home country to re-apply for another 9 month. So how is that considered "moving" if you have to go back?  $15,000 for a Visa is quite steep honesty, its a given as why 99% of people would rather just save the money and travel/apply for new Visa, but thats the inconvenience to save $15,000 i guess.

 

i just think when people say they "moved to Thailand sponataneously" are lying because you can't really move here unless like mentioned, you either have work/school or 50+ years old or married for long term stay. The only other category is long term tourist, which eventually you NEED to go back to your home country right? Whether it is to apply for another METV to get an additional 9 months or just keep doing Visa runs and applying for a SETV to "live" in Thailand but how boring can that get when you're doing it every 3 months... for 2-3 years? 

 

With that comes the costs like re-entering the country on a SETV you need to pay an additional 1,000 Baht, you need to pay an additional 1,900 Baht to extend the 60-90 days. This is the hidden struggles that no one mentions who don't fall in that category who claims they moved to Thailand. They never mention the Visa runs, Visa extensions, Leaving after 90 days and spending 2 days at Thai consular just to get a fresh Visa to come back with. Is that really living or just a long term Tourist? 

 

 

No people don't NEED to go back to their home country and no they are not lying

 

If people choose to live here on the methods you describe why is that your concern? If you spend your life concerned about what total strangers are doing then you really need to question your own life

[acenase]

35 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

No people don't NEED to go back to their home country and no they are not lying

 

What are you smoking? You do infact NEED to go back to your home country to apply for a new METV after it expires. Moving somewhere means you can permanently stay there, not just being there for 9 months before going back to your home country. 

 

I'm talking out the people who claim to live in Thailand who are Under 50, Not working/going to school and Single. There's no Visa to serve its purpose for that except Tourist visa.

Edited September 23, 2017 by acenase

[giddyup]

3 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

What are you smoking? You do infact NEED to go back to your home country to apply for a new METV after it expires. Moving somewhere means you can permanently stay there, not just being there for 9 months before going back to your home country.

You don't really seem to understand the system. I came here 8 years ago applied for an OA visa (retirement) and have been here ever since, never returned home.

[acenase]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

You don't really seem to understand the system. I came here 8 years ago applied for an OA visa (retirement) and have been here ever since, never returned home.

 

What system will allow someone under the age of 50 to get an OA visa (retirement)? I am talking about people who are under the age of 50 because no matter how much money they have, they aren't eligible for that specific Visa.

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, acenase said:

 

What system will allow someone under the age of 50 to get an OA visa (retirement)? I am talking about people who are under the age of 50 because no matter how much money they have, they aren't eligible for that specific Visa.

 I missed the part where you specified under 50.

Edited September 23, 2017 by giddyup

[BritTim]

19 minutes ago, acenase said:

52 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

No people don't NEED to go back to their home country and no they are not lying

 

What are you smoking? You do infact NEED to go back to your home country to apply for a new METV after it expires.

Going back to your home country is optional. If you wish to use METVs, you must do this. However, some use a combination of visa exempt entries, SETVs and Non Ed visas (all available in the region) to stay for long periods. It is a bit precarious, because rules changes could interfere with what such people are doing, but more than a few have succeeded in doing this up until now.

[acenase]

17 minutes ago, giddyup said:

 I missed the part where you specified under 50.

 

I'm 42 and retired, decided to live in Thailand permanently but I am only eligible for a Single Entry Tourist Visa out here.

 

Every 3 months I prefer to fly out and back in, not sit in a bus for 12 hours to the border.

 

But with that there's lots of anxiety in that reading in these forums about people who have back to back tourist visas and worrying about the mood the IO will be in and if he suspects you are working, he can deny your entry, no questions asked. 

6 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Going back to your home country is optional. If you wish to use METVs, you must do this. However, some use a combination of visa exempt entries, SETVs and Non Ed visas (all available in the region) to stay for long periods. It is a bit precarious, because rules changes could interfere with what such people are doing, but more than a few have succeeded in doing this up until now.

 

It's what I've been doing. But like you said, rules can change, you can still get denied, then what? Can I really claim I "moved to Thailand"?  I've already got 6 Visa Exempt entries, when the IO let me in but then said next time I need a Tourist Visa.  Now 3 Tourist Visas later... you've got people saying you start rolling the dice. When the IO sees you've been in Thailand for 2-3 years doing this, who knows what will happen right? That's why I am saying I want to permanently live here not play russian roulette and have anxiety on if I will be approved or denied every time I fly back in with my SETV.

Edited September 23, 2017 by acenase

[darrendsd]

OP as another poster has said you don't understand the system, when you do understand it come back

[tonray]

5 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

I'm 42 and retired, decided to live in Thailand permanently but I am only eligible for a Single Entry Tourist Visa out here.

 

Every 3 months I prefer to fly out and back in, not sit in a bus for 12 hours to the border.

 

But with that there's lots of anxiety in that reading in these forums about people who have back to back tourist visas and worrying about the mood the IO will be in and if he suspects you are working, he can deny your entry, no questions asked. 

 

It's what I've been doing. But like you said, rules can change, you can still get denied, then what? Can I really claim I "moved to Thailand"?  I've already got 6 Visa Exempt entries, when the IO let me in but then said next time I need a Tourist Visa.  Now 3 Tourist Visas later... you've got people saying you start rolling the dice. When the IO sees you've been in Thailand for 2-3 years doing this, who knows what will happen right? That's why I am saying I want to permanently live here not play russian roulette and have anxiety on if I will be approved or denied every time I fly back in with my SETV.

[acenase]

9 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

OP as another poster has said you don't understand the system, when you do understand it come back

 

Clearly the system is getting SETV from bordering countries, what's so hard to understand about that? What you need to understand is that's NOT a permanent system to claim you "live in Thailand"

when you start rolling the dice playing russian roulette and having to show "proof of onward flight" and risk getting denied and being sent back to your own country. Why should you meed to show proof of unward flight if you live in Thailand? Then when people ask you "I thought you moved to Thailand" and whats your response? Oh my time of using up all my visa exempt and tourist visas was denied by the IO. 

 

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

 

 

[BritTim]

15 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

I'm 42 and retired, decided to live in Thailand permanently but I am only eligible for a Single Entry Tourist Visa out here.

 

Every 3 months I prefer to fly out and back in, not sit in a bus for 12 hours to the border.

 

But with that there's lots of anxiety in that reading in these forums about people who have back to back tourist visas and worrying about the mood the IO will be in and if he suspects you are working, he can deny your entry, no questions asked. 

 

It's what I've been doing. But like you said, rules can change, you can still get denied, then what? Can I really claim I "moved to Thailand"?  I've already got 6 Visa Exempt entries, when the IO let me in but then said next time I need a Tourist Visa.  Now 3 Tourist Visas later... you've got people saying you start rolling the dice. When the IO sees you've been in Thailand for 2-3 years doing this, who knows what will happen right? That's why I am saying I want to permanently live here not play russian roulette and have anxiety on if I will be approved or denied every time I fly back in with my SETV.

You should be aware that an METV is really little safer than multiple SETVs as far as immigration's attitude to your long term residence on tourist entries. It does suggest you have some money, and the return to home country is seen as a positive. That said, if you are rarely out of Thailand, the official may suspect you of illegal working and be inclined to be difficult, whether you use an METV or an SETV.

 

If you really want to stay long term, the Thailand Elite Easy Access visa is your only surefire solution.

[phuketjock]

34 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

I'm 42 and retired, decided to live in Thailand permanently but I am only eligible for a Single Entry Tourist Visa out here.

 

Every 3 months I prefer to fly out and back in, not sit in a bus for 12 hours to the border.

 

But with that there's lots of anxiety in that reading in these forums about people who have back to back tourist visas and worrying about the mood the IO will be in and if he suspects you are working, he can deny your entry, no questions asked. 

 

It's what I've been doing. But like you said, rules can change, you can still get denied, then what? Can I really claim I "moved to Thailand"?  I've already got 6 Visa Exempt entries, when the IO let me in but then said next time I need a Tourist Visa.  Now 3 Tourist Visas later... you've got people saying you start rolling the dice. When the IO sees you've been in Thailand for 2-3 years doing this, who knows what will happen right? That's why I am saying I want to permanently live here not play russian roulette and have anxiety on if I will be approved or denied every time I fly back in with my SETV.

You claim to be " finacially independant " but apparently not independent enough to buy into Thailand

Elite 5 year visa which will allow you to live here permanently for the next 5 years?? no border hopping,

no more tourist visas, exactly what you want, or say you want???

After the 5 years you will be nearing 50 and all your troubles will be over, retirement extension now available.

Edited September 23, 2017 by phuketjock
addition

[gmeddy]

To the OP,  you said blah blah blah for about 400 words when all you really want to know is: "What does one have to do to get Thai citizenship?" Because that's apparently what your definition of "moving" to Thailand is. Obviously lots of people have a different definition of what "moving" to Thailand means, but you've made it clear that you mean being able to live here indefinitely without any Visa troubles or restrictions or obligations to leave the country ever again.

 

So please stop wasting readers time and just ask it straight. You want to become a real Thai citizen, that's the only way to "move" here according to your def. 

I know an American who did it. He learnt Thai so fluently that he translated a book about the King which got him in real good with people in powerful places and they offered him anything he wanted, he asked for citizenship, and got it. But now he's a Citizen, he even needs to apply for permission to leave the country, so he says...

[HungDonger]

If you have retired at 42 and find the $U.S.8 per day for an Elite Card to expensive maybe you retired to early.

[darrendsd]

23 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

Clearly the system is getting SETV from bordering countries, what's so hard to understand about that? What you need to understand is that's NOT a permanent system to claim you "live in Thailand"

when you start rolling the dice playing russian roulette and having to show "proof of onward flight" and risk getting denied and being sent back to your own country. Why should you meed to show proof of unward flight if you live in Thailand? Then when people ask you "I thought you moved to Thailand" and whats your response? Oh my time of using up all my visa exempt and tourist visas was denied by the IO. 

 

 

 

 

 

What you don't seem to understand is unless you have PR or citizenship  then NOBODY is here permanently, the rules could change at any time and indeed some people who lived here have had to go home when the rules changed in the past for other visas

 

If people choose to live here on TV's than what is your problem?  it is their choice not yours

 

These people don't claim to "live in Thailand" they know the risks and know they could be refused entry at any time, the same as the rules for other visas could change at anytime

 

Get over yourself and get a life

 

 

Edited September 23, 2017 by darrendsd

[Pdaz]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

You don't really seem to understand the system. I came here 8 years ago applied for an OA visa (retirement) and have been here ever since, never returned home.

Same for me. I arrived in Asia as a backpacker in 1987. Was 10 years before I made a short trip back to UK. I bounced around between Singapore, Indo, Malaysia and Thailand. Apart from 3 years with an employment pass in Singapore I never had anything but a tourist visa. Once I moved to Thailand full time in 2000 I either got a non O by post ( I have two passports ) or entered on visa exempt. Many people I know have done something similar. As another poster said, "think of it as moving to Asia"

Now that I'm finally over 50 I use the retirement extension route.

[nobodysfriend]

Go and get an elite card visa ...it's worth the money if you do not want the hustle .. ther's one you can stay 20yrs for 1 mio ..

[acenase]

50 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

If people choose to live here on TV's than what is your problem?  it is their choice not yours

 

These people don't claim to "live in Thailand" they know the risks and know they could be refused entry at any time, the same as the rules for other visas could change at anytime

 

Get over yourself and get a life

 

 

 

First you say if "People choose to live here on TV" then you contradict yourself and say "These people don't claim to live here" Uh, yes they do. I see it all the time. I do it too. I claim to live here, but really, DO I??? 

 

And I never said it was a problem for people to be here on TV's, if you didn't have selective reading and knew that that's exactly what I'm doing too. Where did I ever say that it's a problem? I'm trying to find out what OPTIONS there are that maybe I don't know about yet for people in my category who claim to moved to Thailand. Do us all a favor and get off the forums for a bit and stop replying when you clearly have nothing educational to say.

Edited September 23, 2017 by acenase

[Tony125]

5 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

First you say if "People choose to live here on TV" then you contradict yourself and say "These people don't claim to live here" Uh, yes they do. I see it all the time. I do it too. I claim to live here, but really, DO I??? 

 

And I never said it was a problem for people to be here on TV's, if you didn't have selective reading and knew that that's exactly what I'm doing too. Where did I ever say that it's a problem? I'm trying to find out what OPTIONS there are that maybe I don't know about yet for people in my category who claim to moved to Thailand. Do us all a favor and get off the forums for a bit and stop replying when you clearly have nothing educational to say.

I think we  have answered your questions, there are NO other options for you except what has been mentioned in previous answers to your post. The Thai Elite Visa at $15,000 for 5 years averages out to $3,000 a year or $250 a month. Will cost you slightly more than getting tourist visas , traveling to other countries for the visa's, or getting re-entry permits.  I am married to Thai but also over 50 so can use retirement visa here. Other's under 50 are married to Thai or work here as teachers or for international companies so can say they live in Thailand. Many may spend some time in their home country but "live" in Thailand. Have a home. condo or business here. Why do you care if we say we live here , if it's so hard for you to do then look elsewhere. If you do the Elite Visa as other poster said you will be almost 50 when it expires and you can do a few METV or TV's till you can get a retirement visa.  Probably be married before 50, forgot there is also an investment visa, if you buy a condo for 10 million baht or more or invest that much in Thai stock you can be given an investment visa, Google it.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, HungDonger said:

If you have retired at 42 and find the $U.S.8 per day for an Elite Card to expensive maybe you retired to early.

You can't purchase it by the day.  It is 5 Years all up front.  Vietnam, Cambodia, The Philippines, etc all have ways to stay there for a tiny fraction, so this is priced waaay out of the market.  But for those who can spend that and not harm their financial outlook - "Up to you."

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, acenase said:

... you've got people saying you start rolling the dice. When the IO sees you've been in Thailand for 2-3 years doing this, who knows what will happen right? That's why I am saying I want to permanently live here not play russian roulette and have anxiety on if I will be approved or denied every time I fly back in with my SETV.

The Laws/Rules say you can come here repeatedly on SETVs so doing this for years is not a problem, unless you run into an IO who doesn't believe in following the laws/rules.  Some IOs (and/or supervisors) in Airports don't like the laws/rules, and sometimes people are denied-entry on false-grounds. 

The solution, for now, is not to fly in.  Cross at a land border, then go to the nearest airport, and fly domestic.  Or take your chances and be prepared for denial - up to you. 

 

1 hour ago, acenase said:

What you need to understand is that's NOT a permanent system to claim you "live in Thailand"

Whether you choose to call it "living here" is up to you - seems like a matter of pure semantics.  I "lived" that way for years, as did/are many, many, others - many of whom are married or retired here now. 
I always had a backup "plan B", "plan C", etc - which would be moving to Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, etc - and getting my things brought/sent to me.  I certainly would never move back to my passport-country - dozens of countries are higher on the "worst case" list of places to live.

 

1 hour ago, acenase said:

risk getting denied and being sent back to your own country

They send you back to where you just flew from - not "your passport-country" (mine is hardly "my own" country, since foreigners get preferential hiring for being more easily exploitable by traitor-run businesses who don't have a shred of patriotism in their being).

 

1 hour ago, acenase said:

when people ask you "I thought you moved to Thailand" and whats your response?

In the odd nightmare-case I ended up in my passport-country, I doubt I would run into many "old friends" waiting for the next flight out of there.  My next communication with friends would be something along the lines of, "So, now I am living in Vietnam/Cambodia/The Philippines/etc - a country where a rogue clique of border-guards are not actively-preventing me from spending my foreign-capital into their economy to help their citizens get ahead and live better lives."

Even those here on more "stable" visas should have a backup plan, as anything short of Perm-Residency can be denied any year - and even a PR who forgets to get a re-entry permit, or stays gone a year, loses PR.  Citizenship is, IMO, the only really "permanent" residency offered in Thailand to foreigners - and not an easy feat.  Not impossible either - though you have to leave retirement for a few years to qualify.

Edited September 23, 2017 by JackThompson

[darrendsd]

23 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

First you say if "People choose to live here on TV" then you contradict yourself and say "These people don't claim to live here" Uh, yes they do. I see it all the time. I do it too. I claim to live here, but really, DO I??? 

 

And I never said it was a problem for people to be here on TV's, if you didn't have selective reading and knew that that's exactly what I'm doing too. Where did I ever say that it's a problem? I'm trying to find out what OPTIONS there are that maybe I don't know about yet for people in my category who claim to moved to Thailand. Do us all a favor and get off the forums for a bit and stop replying when you clearly have nothing educational to say.

So why not ask the question I don't want to live here on TV's so what are my options? Instead of saying people have to go home to get another METV (Incorrect) and calling them liars, (Incorrect again) 

 

Maybe then people will want to help you, I won't

[cacahootie]

41 minutes ago, acenase said:

 

First you say if "People choose to live here on TV" then you contradict yourself and say "These people don't claim to live here" Uh, yes they do. I see it all the time. I do it too. I claim to live here, but really, DO I??? 

 

And I never said it was a problem for people to be here on TV's, if you didn't have selective reading and knew that that's exactly what I'm doing too. Where did I ever say that it's a problem? I'm trying to find out what OPTIONS there are that maybe I don't know about yet for people in my category who claim to moved to Thailand. Do us all a favor and get off the forums for a bit and stop replying when you clearly have nothing educational to say.

 

You tell people to stop replying if they have nothing educational to say, but you keep beating a dead horse that's not provoking topical discussion.  You're so caught up on what it means to "move to Thailand".  You live wherever you make your primary residence.  I lived nowhere for 3 years before I decided to "move to" Thailand.  Just because I travel occasionally, and even if I travel back to the US for 30 days, I still live in Thailand.  Nobody cares about your qualms about what people claim as their residence, it just doesn't matter.  You're not engaging in meaningful or constructive conversation on the subject of visas or residency.

[dbrenn]

2 hours ago, gmeddy said:

To the OP,  you said blah blah blah for about 400 words when all you really want to know is: "What does one have to do to get Thai citizenship?" Because that's apparently what your definition of "moving" to Thailand is. Obviously lots of people have a different definition of what "moving" to Thailand means, but you've made it clear that you mean being able to live here indefinitely without any Visa troubles or restrictions or obligations to leave the country ever again.

 

So please stop wasting readers time and just ask it straight. You want to become a real Thai citizen, that's the only way to "move" here according to your def. 

I know an American who did it. He learnt Thai so fluently that he translated a book about the King which got him in real good with people in powerful places and they offered him anything he wanted, he asked for citizenship, and got it. But now he's a Citizen, he even needs to apply for permission to leave the country, so he says...

I'm a naturalised Thai citizen and I don't need any kind of permission to leave the country. All I need is a standard Thai passport. 

 

Your friend is making things up. 

[tailor ali]

now he's a Citizen, he even needs to apply for permission to leave the country, so he says...

What kind of citizen he is that he have to have permission to leave the kingdom