Visa options: Tourist vs. Non inmigrant-O Educational

[Mai Mee Tang]

I've been living on Thailand since February 2018 with a METV, currently on a 30 day extension from my last entry on July. Previously I have been 4 times for holidays with Visa exempt entries of around 15 days each (3 on 2017 and 1 on 2016). I've never overstayed on any of the entries.

 

I will travel back my home country in Europe next month for a month or so and I'm planning to come back Thailand again to live.

 

I'm single, on my 30s and I work online for a foreign company, so now wondering which is the best way to live in Thailand as legal as possible.

 

I've been reading extensively about the Tourist Visa option, which seems to have worked for many of you for many years. But I would also like to know the advantages and disadvantages vs the Educational visa, as learning Thai is something I have to do definitely if planning to live here on a mid term basis.

 

How many hours should I study Thai per week to get the Ed. Visa? Can I request it on any Thai Embassy? Any preferred embassy?

 

For coming back to Thailand after my holidays in Europe I think I would request a SETV and within the 60+30 days I will check how to keep on living here. Do you think I will have problems to request a SETV having had a METV already this year? Which embassy will be the easiest one to get it? Shall I renew my passport when I'm back home to have a "clean" one?

 

If I missed something or other Visa types should be considered, please feel free to suggest.

 

Thank you in advance!

 

PS: This is not a post to discuss wether working online is legal or not in Thailand, please focus on the visa topic.

[ubonjoe]

You could apply for another METV instead of a single entry tourist visa. There is no rule that prevents your from getting another METV. Many people have gotten them back to back.

To apply for a non-ed visa you would need to enroll in a school and get the required documents from them. For a total stay of up to one year you would normally enroll in a 400 hour course of study. To get extensions of stay you need to attend classes 2 hours a day 4 days a week.

There are not many other options for staying here unless you find a job here.

You could get membership in Thai Elite and obtain a visa valid for 5 years that allows unlimited one year entries until it expires. A 5 year membership costs 500k baht.

[Mai Mee Tang]

You could apply for another METV instead of a single entry tourist visa. There is no rule that prevents your from getting another METV. Many people have gotten them back to back.
To apply for a non-ed visa you would need to enroll in a school and get the required documents from them. For a total stay of up to one year you would normally enroll in a 400 hour course of study. To get extensions of stay you need to attend classes 2 hours a day 4 days a week.
There are not many other options for staying here unless you find a job here.
You could get membership in Thai Elite and obtain a visa valid for 5 years that allows unlimited one year entries until it expires. A 5 year membership costs 500k baht.

Thanks ubonjoe, helpful as usual!

To be true I didn't think of another METV back to back as when I applied January 2018 for the 1st one in Thai Embassy in Madrid they were reluctant to give me one and I had to show lots of extra documentation, not required specifically on their website, to make them sure enough.

Anyone has experience on this single embassy to get a METV back to back? A new passport when requesting the new METV could help?

I could give it a try and in case I got rejected, shall I apply for a SETV on the same embassy? Or will this trigger any alarm for them?

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Mai Mee Tang said:

I could give it a try and in case I got rejected, shall I apply for a SETV on the same embassy?

You could do that. But I really think they will do another METV.

[JackThompson]

18 hours ago, Mai Mee Tang said:

A new passport when requesting the new METV could help?

A new passport is usually obtained to allow receiving SETVs at nearby consulates, because some of them have limits based on the count of SETVs in a passport.  Many consulates do not have a problem issuing multiple METVs in a row, because they are only obtained in the applicant's home-country, and there are specific requirements that must be met to apply. 

The question is, would the Madrid Thai-Consulate would care if it was your 2nd METV, provided you could supply all requested paperwork?  What "extras" did they request of you when you applied the first time?

If you cannot get an METV, a 2nd option would be to get the school-documents now, while you are in Thailand, then use those to obtain an ED Visa.  But...

 - It is legal to study Thai while on a Tourist-type visa, so you could begin learning Thai before switching to the ED Visa later. 

 - One can obtain ED Visas easily at consulates close to Thailand (Laos being the best choice). 

 - One can only obtain ED Visas to study Thai for a limited time, so if planning a longer stay, it would make sense to start with an METV (ideal) or even SETV(s), then go to an ED Visa later.
 

Note that your full-history of entry/exits is in Immigration's Database, even if you have a new passport, so be sure you always have 20K Baht worth of Cash to show when entering Thailand - especially if you enter at an airport or Malaysian border-crossing.

[Mai Mee Tang]

A new passport is usually obtained to allow receiving SETVs at nearby consulates, because some of them have limits based on the count of SETVs in a passport.  Many consulates do not have a problem issuing multiple METVs in a row, because they are only obtained in the applicant's home-country, and there are specific requirements that must be met to apply. 

The question is, would the Madrid Thai-Consulate would care if it was your 2nd METV, provided you could supply all requested paperwork?  What "extras" did they request of you when you applied the first time?

If you cannot get an METV, a 2nd option would be to get the school-documents now, while you are in Thailand, then use those to obtain an ED Visa.  But...
 - It is legal to study Thai while on a Tourist-type visa, so you could begin learning Thai before switching to the ED Visa later. 
 - One can obtain ED Visas easily at consulates close to Thailand (Laos being the best choice). 
 - One can only obtain ED Visas to study Thai for a limited time, so if planning a longer stay, it would make sense to start with an METV (ideal) or even SETV(s), then go to an ED Visa later.
 
Note that your full-history of entry/exits is in Immigration's Database, even if you have a new passport, so be sure you always have 20K Baht worth of Cash to show when entering Thailand - especially if you enter at an airport or Malaysian border-crossing.

First, thank you for the information JackThompson.

I might need a new passport anyway as I'm having too few empty pages on the current one.

I don't know if the Madrid Thai Embassy will be happy to grant a 2nd METV back to back with only around 1month in between, this is why I asked for any previous experience. The extra documentation, not shown specifically on their website requirements for a METV, they required me to show was a bank statement for the last 6 months and my job contract. They also told me "usually" they don't provide METV. But once I gave them all the documentation, they granted the METV in 2 days without any more questions.

I also checked the requirements to request the ED Visa on Madrid Thai Embassy website and they ask for the school documentation to be sent via mail directly to them from the school, which I haven't seen in other Thai embassies, for example the one in Laos.

In case they don't want to issue a METV or a SETV for me on Madrid Thai Embassy, how likely it is that when I come back to Thailand, around 1month from my last exit and after have been already 8months this year on a METV, I got a Visa Exempt, and a 30 extension afterwards, so I have time enough to arrange a SETV or ED Visa on Laos Embassy?

When getting in Thailand, I had always carried a flight ticket out of Thailand within the required timeframe for each case (30 or 60 days) and 20.000 bahts in cash.

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, Mai Mee Tang said:

The extra documentation, not shown specifically on their website requirements for a METV, they required me to show was a bank statement for the last 6 months and my job contract.

The money in the bank and a document from your employer is shown here in this PDF linked to on the embassy website.

http://www.thaiembassy.org/madrid/contents/images/text_editor/files/Visado de Turista MULTIPLE July 2017.pdf

12 hours ago, Mai Mee Tang said:

In case they don't want to issue a METV or a SETV for me on Madrid Thai Embassy, how likely it is that when I come back to Thailand, around 1month from my last exit and after have been already 8months this year on a METV, I got a Visa Exempt, and a 30 extension afterwards, so I have time enough to arrange a SETV or ED Visa on Laos Embassy?

You should have no problem getting a visa exempt entry and then a 30 day extension of it.

[Mai Mee Tang]

This file you attached is not saying anything about the job contract, only referring to the last pay slip signed by the employer which I already provide, and in regards the money in the bank they request a document from your bank stating your average money for the last 6 months was not lower than 5000€, which I also provided them on first instance. Extra to that 2 documents they asked me for the job contract and the bank statements for the last 6 months, which I also provided to them afterwards.

Also on this same document from the Thai Embassy in Madrid it is said they could request any further documentation they think is needed to confirm the truthfulness of the Visa request, so fair enough, finally they can request anything they want and you should provide them to avoid having a METV refusal.

I hope there is no issue to have a METV or a SETV, if not I will go for the visa exempt, fingers crossed.

Thank you for your advise!

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[JackThompson]

17 hours ago, Mai Mee Tang said:

This file you attached is not saying anything about the job contract, only referring to the last pay slip signed by the employer which I already provide, and in regards the money in the bank they request a document from your bank stating your average money for the last 6 months was not lower than 5000€, which I also provided them on first instance. Extra to that 2 documents they asked me for the job contract and the bank statements for the last 6 months, which I also provided to them afterwards.

Also on this same document from the Thai Embassy in Madrid it is said they could request any further documentation they think is needed to confirm the truthfulness of the Visa request, so fair enough, finally they can request anything they want and you should provide them to avoid having a METV refusal.

I hope there is no issue to have a METV or a SETV, if not I will go for the visa exempt, fingers crossed.

Thank you for your advise!

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

The extra METV docs they requested the last time are consistent with their "employer and money" requirement - just more proof of the same.  I would apply for the METV with those extra-docs again.  Even better odds, since you will have a new passport.  Definitely bad to run out of pages while in the middle of needing to go to Laos or Cambodia, where full-page stickers are involved - as has happened to many.

 

If that fails, I doubt you will be rejected at least an SETV, for which only the 20K Baht "in the bank now" rule may be requested (and you provided much more for your METV app).  I am only aware of the French Thai-Consulate imposing a "3-Mo out of Thailand" rule on issuing a new one, though there could be others.  Please let us know how it works out with the Madrid Thai Consulate.

Given the amount of time you have spent here fairly recently, I would be worried about arriving Visa-Exempt at a Bangkok Airport - even with the money and a flight-ticket out.  Visa-Exempt entries are issued at Immigration's discretion - while a "Visa" is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  IOs at the airport could claim their "over 180 days" rule (as has happened to others) and force you on the next plane back.  The rule doesn't exist, but there is no oversight to make them obey the rules, or prevent them from stamping a different and irrelevant rejection-reason in your passport. 

 

If you are rejected for even an SETV in Madrid, please let us know (it will help others applying there), and we can consider your next options.  Flying to Penang or Kuala Lumpur (with your new passport) for a couple days to get an SETV, then on to Thailand, would probably be what I would do, in that situation.

Edited September 25, 2018 by JackThompson

[Mai Mee Tang]

The extra METV docs they requested the last time are consistent with their "employer and money" requirement - just more proof of the same.  I would apply for the METV with those extra-docs again.  Even better odds, since you will have a new passport.  Definitely bad to run out of pages while in the middle of needing to go to Laos or Cambodia, where full-page stickers are involved - as has happened to many.
 
If that fails, I doubt you will be rejected at least an SETV, for which only the 20K Baht "in the bank now" rule may be requested (and you provided much more for your METV app).  I am only aware of the French Thai-Consulate imposing a "3-Mo out of Thailand" rule on issuing a new one, though there could be others.  Please let us know how it works out with the Madrid Thai Consulate.

Given the amount of time you have spent here fairly recently, I would be worried about arriving Visa-Exempt at a Bangkok Airport - even with the money and a flight-ticket out.  Visa-Exempt entries are issued at Immigration's discretion - while a "Visa" is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  IOs at the airport could claim their "over 180 days" rule (as has happened to others) and force you on the next plane back.  The rule doesn't exist, but there is no oversight to make them obey the rules, or prevent them from stamping a different and irrelevant rejection-reason in your passport. 
 
If you are rejected for even an SETV in Madrid, please let us know (it will help others applying there), and we can consider your next options.  Flying to Penang or Kuala Lumpur (with your new passport) for a couple days to get an SETV, then on to Thailand, would probably be what I would do, in that situation.

I got my 2nd METV from Thai Embassy in Madrid issued without any problem within the same year. I had a new passport done before requesting the Visa, so no stamps or Visas on it.

In the Thai Embassy I provided all the relevant documentation and they asked me only 2 questions:
- Will you have any problem with your company for staying so long time in Thailand? I told them no problem at all.
- What is the reason you want to stay so long in Thailand? I just said I have a Thai girlfriend.

I recently got into Thailand via Suvarnabhumi from Europe, just in case I had the 20k bahts with me and the flight out the country within 60 days, and I had no issue at all, not even a single question. I have stayed out of Thailand for 1 month.

Thank you to all who provided help on this thread!

[DrJack54]

Early in this topic, Ubonjoe mentioned Thai elite visa. Personally I'm over 50 so retirement option was easy. A friend recently showed me his brand new 5 yrs elite visa. At about $3k usd per year, yes 500k for 5 yr paid up front. I see it as a real option. I wonder if anyone has ever actually sat down and calculated all the costs of doing visa runs etc. Not to mention some of the perks of the elite visa. Especially if you travel a LOT out of Thailand for short periods. 

Edited November 12, 2018 by DrJack54
Error

[Mai Mee Tang]

Early in this topic, Ubonjoe mentioned Thai elite visa. Personally I'm over 50 so retirement option was easy. A friend recently showed me his brand new 5 yrs elite visa. At about $3k usd per year, yes 500k for 5 yr paid up front. I see it as a real option. I wonder if anyone has ever actually sat down and calculated all the costs of doing visa runs etc. Not to mention some of the perks of the elite visa. Especially if you travel a LOT out of Thailand for short periods. 

I did calculate the option for the Thai Elite Visa and it's not much more expensive than in my case, around 30% if I remember correct. I understand in some other cases it can be much more expensive. My main drawback is to pay the 5 years in one go. If it was somewhere around the 250-300k I would think of it as a reasonable option for the next 5 years.