My positive experience with Thai Elite Visa

[Ratt Thai]

Hi all,

 

As i am a "long stayer" here in the los, married to a Thai lady, i opted for the 20 year visa for 1 million . ( Elite Superiority Extension )

 

I contacted them directly per e-mail, did read all the requirements on their website, followed their helpful guidance as per their e-mails and everything went as swift as could be.

 

In less then 15 working days, from submitting application form to receiving the final welcome letter. 

 

Now preparing for the part where as i receive my visa sticker in my passport.

 

Bottom line:

 

Everything done per e-mail. No hick ups, swift responses, professional follow ups, easy to follow guidelines.

 

My opinion:

 

Very professional, helpful and clear, polite, soft toned e-mail conversations with the person in charge.

 

Recommendable service for those who want more ease in life and wanting to go this road.

 

They got 5 stars out of 5 from me...

 

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2018 by Ratt Thai

[glegolo]

Nice, if can afford it why not!!  You have to do your 90 days reports though!! You have to extend this extension every  5 year!!

 

But may I ask you, what is REALLY the difference between using an "agent" once a year, pay them, lets say, 20K every year multiple by 20 years which turns out to be 400.000 baht!!

 

OR EVEN do the job yourself, takes 30 minutes in total once a year at a cost of 1.900 baht a year to a total cost over 20 years amounting to;  38.000 baht NOT 1 miljon baht.....

 

I wonder what is the REAL reason behind choosing the more expensier alternative....???  OK besides the obvious answer; - "I CAN do it"

 

glegolo

Edited September 7, 2018 by glegolo

[Ratt Thai]

@glegolo

 

1: for me and my wife, our peace of mind, no worry for the next 20 years....

2: every 5 years a new passport with a new 5 year visa sticker sounds good to me... 

3: no need for wondering how and why people do different or choose to do things another way...

4: its not because i CAN do it, its because i WANT to do it... 

5: This pleasant experience i had / have might be helpful for others who are seeking for their comfort.

[glegolo]

Ratt thai, I didn´t mean to attack you in any way whatsoever. I was honestly just curious how somebody posses that urge to spend money when they do not need to do it. That there IS people out there actually NOT feel satisfied with themselfs when saving some money just by doing some stuff on their own...

 

This is something that I often wonder over.... What drives people to function like that.... You talk about "hassle".. What hassle IF you have 1 miljon baht just to GIVE AWAY like that. Then obviously have the economical means of staying in Thailand on an extension prooving money in the bank or as income.. What kind of hassle do you foreseen that I havent met sofar during my ten extensions here???

 

glegolo

Edited September 8, 2018 by glegolo

[ubonjoe]

Some inflammatory posts and the resultant replies to them have been removed.

[Ratt Thai]

8 minutes ago, glegolo said:

What kind of hassle do you foreseen that I havent met sofar during my ten extensions here???

I think i must have been reading so many "less pleasant" experiences here on Thai Visa about getting extensions, visa's, must have's, don't do's, don't forget's... that i became "allergic" ...

My real cost over the years, to have my visa business and corresponding paperwork in proper order, was 2000,- Thb per month ( rounded number ), and i had to drive around everywhere...

Now, it becomes 4000,- Thb and i can stay in my seat... ( besides my normal occupation that is )

 

For me, there are advantages of this Thai Elite Visa.

 

For others, thats entirely up to each individual.

 

For me this was a genuine posting about a pleasant experience in a sometimes less pleasant world. ( just read comments on these fora and you understand )

 

 

[glegolo]

Ratt Thai, when you reply that way, I do fully understand how you feel about it, and I can accept that as well, without any problem.

Good on you....

 

glegolo

Edited September 8, 2018 by glegolo

[anon789561]

So with the elite visa you don't need to leave the country every year?

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

So with the elite visa you don't need to leave the country every year?

Not unless you want to.

If you do not want to travel you can apply for a one year extension at immigration instead of leaving and entering the country for a new one year entry,

[KittenKong]

1 hour ago, Ratt Thai said:

My real cost over the years, to have my visa business and corresponding paperwork in proper order, was 2000,- Thb per month ( rounded number ), and i had to drive around everywhere...

Now, it becomes 4000,- Thb and i can stay in my seat...

My real cost for my retirement extension is under 2000B per year, not per month, to which I would need to add between 1000B and 3900B for re-entry permits if desired. So say 6000B max or 500B per month as an absolute maximum. I dont really see how it could possibly cost anyone 2000B per month to do this.

 

As mentioned in a previous - deleted - post, I dont understand why anyone who is over 50 or married would choose to pay so much for something that can be had much cheaper and very easily by just doing it oneself. And for those who are over 50 or married but who really cant be a*sed to do it themselves, why not just get an agent to do it for much lower total cost instead?

 

I can see the advantage of Thai Elite for those who dont qualify for retirement or marriage extensions, but for those who do qualify it seems entirely pointless. Still, it's your money to spend as you wish.

[KittenKong]

14 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not unless you want to.

If you do not want to travel you can apply for a one year extension at immigration instead of leaving and entering the country for a new one year entry,

Which is what anyone on a retirement or marriage extension would be doing anyway. So this expensive Elite Visa doesnt even seem to get round that issue, if applicable.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Which is what anyone on a retirement or marriage extension would be doing anyway. So this expensive Elite Visa doesnt even seem to get round that issue, if applicable.

Not sure what you are trying to say. The two are not the same.

The PE visa allows unlimited one year entries for 5 years.

If you have a extension of stay based upon marriage or retirement you have to apply for an new extension every year and supply all the required documents and financial proof it you want to stay longer than a year. And a re-entry permit it you want to travel.

With a PE visa it is your choice as to to either leave and re-enter the country for another year of stay or apply for a one year extension with no other proof than the PE visa in your passport. I would guess that most people with a PE visa travel at least once during the year and would never need to apply for an extension.

[Ratt Thai]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure what you are trying to say. The two are not the same.

The PE visa allows unlimited one year entries for 5 years.

If you have a extension of stay based upon marriage or retirement you have to apply for an new extension every year and supply all the required documents and financial proof it you want to stay longer than a year. And a re-entry permit it you want to travel.

With a PE visa it is your choice as to to either leave and re-enter the country for another year of stay or apply for a one year extension with no other proof than the PE visa in your passport. I would guess that most people with a PE visa travel at least once during the year and would never need to apply for an extension.

spot on.... you only provide paperwork once, at the initial application, then after approval everything is piece of cake, no worry about what changed or is different... no more paperwork to do.... ( paperwork for applications, gathering documents, copy's, certificates, the whole nine yards to go... )

yes , the 90 days still have, but even that is easy... TE takes care of that if you live in their zone, 

 

Bottom line: no more worry's for the paperwork.... no more worry's about the IO... 

Edited September 8, 2018 by Ratt Thai

[jackdd]

3 hours ago, Ratt Thai said:

Now, it becomes 4000,- Thb and i can stay in my seat... ( besides my normal occupation that is )

You may not work when on a Thai elite visa

Edited September 8, 2018 by jackdd

[Ratt Thai]

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

You may not work when on a Thai elite visa

yup, but i am not working....

Therefor the TE option is for who its fitting the purpose, and my OP is about my pleasant experience in dealing with Thai Elite.

 

If somehow the TE glove fits the "farang" hand, then i sure recommend the Thai Elite Visa.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, KittenKong said:

My real cost for my retirement extension is under 2000B per year, not per month, to which I would need to add between 1000B and 3900B for re-entry permits if desired. So say 6000B max or 500B per month as an absolute maximum. I dont really see how it could possibly cost anyone 2000B per month to do this.

 

As mentioned in a previous - deleted - post, I dont understand why anyone who is over 50 or married would choose to pay so much for something that can be had much cheaper and very easily by just doing it oneself. And for those who are over 50 or married but who really cant be a*sed to do it themselves, why not just get an agent to do it for much lower total cost instead?

 

I can see the advantage of Thai Elite for those who dont qualify for retirement or marriage extensions, but for those who do qualify it seems entirely pointless. Still, it's your money to spend as you wish.

 

Ultimately it's horses for courses, personal choice, nothing more nothing less. In my book, end of story.

 

 

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure what you are trying to say. The two are not the same.

The PE visa allows unlimited one year entries for 5 years.

If you have a extension of stay based upon marriage or retirement you have to apply for an new extension every year and supply all the required documents and financial proof it you want to stay longer than a year. And a re-entry permit it you want to travel.

With a PE visa it is your choice as to to either leave and re-enter the country for another year of stay or apply for a one year extension with no other proof than the PE visa in your passport. I would guess that most people with a PE visa travel at least once during the year and would never need to apply for an extension.

So presumably, as in the case of an OA visa, you can come and go as you please during a PE visa's 5-year lifetime without the need for a re-entry permit? And it is, I take it, possible to get almost 6 years out of this visa in practice by doing a border run just before its expiry date (although it follows that a re-entry permit would then be needed to safeguard your latest permission to stay if you were intending to travel to foreign parts during the 6th year)?

[BMW Overlander]

5 hours ago, Happy enough said:

So with the elite visa you don't need to leave the country every year?

 

Doubt there is a single Elite Visa holder in Thailand who doesn't travel at least once across the border within 12 months.

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, BMW Overlander said:

 

Doubt there is a single Elite Visa holder in Thailand who doesn't travel at least once across the border within 12 months.

I have aware of one that has not left the country since he got one about 4 years ago. 

[BMW Overlander]

59 minutes ago, OJAS said:

So presumably, as in the case of an OA visa, you can come and go as you please during a PE visa's 5-year lifetime without the need for a re-entry permit? And it is, I take it, possible to get almost 6 years out of this visa in practice by doing a border run just before its expiry date (although it follows that a re-entry permit would then be needed to safeguard your latest permission to stay if you were intending to travel to foreign parts during the 6th year)?

 

Correct. Re-enter Thailand day before your 5 years Elite Visa expires and you get another year in passport. But leaving during the 6th year automatically cancels re-entry.

Edited September 8, 2018 by BMW Overlander

[BMW Overlander]

Just now, ubonjoe said:

I have aware of one that has not left the country since he got one about 4 years ago. 

 

?

[AsiaHand]

6 hours ago, Happy enough said:

So with the elite visa you don't need to leave the country every year?

Same as a retiree not leaving the country every year.

[AsiaHand]

57 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I have aware of one that has not left the country since he got one about 4 years ago. 

I know many that have been retired here that haven't left in over 20 years.

[anon789561]

1 minute ago, AsiaHand said:

Same as a retiree not leaving the country every year.

same as marriage extensions. just heard with the elite they needed to leave every year but heard wrong. seems they do extensions but without having to do any further paper work which makes more sense for the money being sent

[AsiaHand]

What is the cost of the  elite visa  extension at the end of the 5 years.?

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, AsiaHand said:

What is the cost of the  elite visa  extension at the end of the 5 years.?

The visa cannot be extended. A new visa would have to be issued.

If the Thai Elite membership was for more than 5 years there would be no fee for the new visa. If only for 5 years a new membership would have be paid for which at this time is 500k baht for another 5 years.

[dotpoom]

8 hours ago, Ratt Thai said:

@glegolo

 

1: for me and my wife, our peace of mind, no worry for the next 20 years....

2: every 5 years a new passport with a new 5 year visa sticker sounds good to me... 

3: no need for wondering how and why people do different or choose to do things another way...

4: its not because i CAN do it, its because i WANT to do it... 

5: This pleasant experience i had / have might be helpful for others who are seeking for their comfort.

The first 3 reasons bothered me a bit.... No.1...situations and circumstances can change greatly over 20 yrs...No. 2...I change my PP every 10 yrs. Wouldn't want to do it every 5 yrs.....No 3...I really don't see how it's any of my business how people do their business (apart from getting tips from them) so I do not spend time wondering how or why they choose to do it their way.

  I'm glad though it suits you personally and went very smooth for you. For me personally, like an earlier poster said, ...the 1,900 Bt. once a year suits me fine.

 

 

Edited September 8, 2018 by dotpoom

[smotherb]

9 hours ago, Ratt Thai said:

@glegolo

 

1: for me and my wife, our peace of mind, no worry for the next 20 years....

2: every 5 years a new passport with a new 5 year visa sticker sounds good to me... 

3: no need for wondering how and why people do different or choose to do things another way...

4: its not because i CAN do it, its because i WANT to do it... 

5: This pleasant experience i had / have might be helpful for others who are seeking for their comfort.

Have you used it yet?

[Rama]

sure you had quick turnaround. for 1 mil baht I would hope so. You might want to ask them exactly how many people have signed up for the elite program...

Edited September 8, 2018 by Rama
edit text

[roath]

I read recent reports that DLT are only giving out 2 year DL replacements now for Thai Elite holders rather than 5 year which would be a significant disadvantage of the Elite visa over a standard non-immigrant visa.