I am a 27 year old Canadian who is applying for a non-immigrant Visa. I currently live in South Korea, and am coming to Thailand to start a new job. My girlfriend, who is Korean, will be coming with me. She will not be working however. I'll basically be supporting both of us. Since we are not married, what options does she have as far as getting more than the thirty day tourist visa which is issued to Koreans? Is there any way we can avoid the expense (and time consumption) of her having to do a visa run every thirty days during my year long contract?

Any advice appreciated...

Thanks

Try to get her a Non-Immigrant visa by being creative. Read various threads on here.    Thailand does not recognize any form of de facto relationship. Might your new employer help   in the creativity ?

I'm not sure if I have the resourcefulness to be creative right now. And as for asking my new employers to be creative, I don't thiink that would leave such a good immpression. Do you have anything specific in mind?

Thanks again,

Get 3 entries of a Tourist Visa. Each stay is 60 days. That'll cover 6 months of stay for her.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I was just thinking, maybe a "creative" way is during your first trip here, have your girlfriend enrole in a Thai Language course at say Thammasat or Chulalonkorn univerisity. I know Thammasat is supposed to have a very good Thai language course. I don't think it is too expensive, and it will be helpful for her to learn some Thai when she is here as well.

Then on her first visa run after her first 60 day tourist visa expires, she goes with her enrolement papers from such prestigious universities to a Thai embassy and gets a non-immigrant "ED" visa, which as I recall, will allow her to stay for at least 90 days or perhaps longer.

Again, just an idea and would welcome comments as to how waterproof my idea is.

Good luck.

You got creative. That'll work

use the internet and enrol NOW ...get the Non Imm in Korea

Thanks for your advice. The problem with her enrolling in a university language course is that we are going to be living in Phetcha Buri. As well, her english is really poor, and we communicate about 50/50 in korean and english. DrP's suggestion about getting three entry visas sounds interesting though. I guess we'll head to the Thai Embassy here in Seoul after the weekend and try and figure things out with them.

Thanks all