Thai Elite easy access after 5 years

[moogradod]

If you get a TE Visa (Easy Access) for 5 Years and it is expiring, you may not upgrade this Visa according to the website of Thai Elite to another program. At least this is how I understood the regulations.

 

1. But can you apply again for 5 years just from the start while being in Thailand or do you have to buy a 10 year or even a 20 year Visa from the very beginning if you want to stay longer than 5 years later on ?

2. If it is expired, could you apply for a non-immigrant-O-visa based on retirement instead if it turns out that it was not worth it ? From within Thailand (like conversion from a tourist visa) ?

 

In short: What do you do if you want to stay longer than 5 years after the TE Visa has expired ?

 

 

[elviajero]

2 hours ago, moogradod said:

1. But can you apply again for 5 years just from the start while being in Thailand or do you have to buy a 10 year or even a 20 year Visa from the very beginning if you want to stay longer than 5 years later on ?

You can buy any term/type of membership at the end of any membership while in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

1. You can apply for another easy access membership after your current one ends or any other one. 

The PE visa is a multiple entry which means you can get a new one year entry up to the date it expires.  Which means you can get almost 6 years of total stay from it. You would need a re-entry permit to keep that last year permit to stay valid if you want to travel.

But your membership would no longer be valid which means you would not get any of the perks from it.

2. You should be able to do a change of visa status to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry based upon qualifying for an extension of stay that would allow you to apply for a extension of stay near the end of the 90 day entry from the visa. You could do it up to the last 15 days of the last one year permit to stay you would get from the visa.

Edited October 24, 2018 by ubonjoe
corrected typo

[scorecard]

I'm lost, does this mean when Elite finally expires you cannot just renew it for another 5 years?

(If you meet the requirements of course.)

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, scorecard said:

I'm lost, does this mean when Elite finally expires you cannot just renew it for another 5 years?

You apply for a new membership at the end of 5 years if that is when your membership ends and pay the required amount for the new membership. Then you get a new PE visa valid for 5 years,  I think you could call that a renewal.

No much different than applying for a new visa at a embassy or consulate or a new extension of stay at immigration.

[scorecard]

9 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You apply for a new membership at the end of 5 years if that is when your membership ends and pay the required amount for the new membership. Then you get a new PE visa valid for 5 years,  I think you could call that a renewal.

Not much different than applying for a new visa at a embassy or consulate or a new extension of stay at immigration.

Thanks.

[descc71]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. You can apply for another easy access membership after your current one ends or any other one. 

The PE visa is a multiple entry which means you can get a new one year entry up to the date it expires.  Which means you can get almost 6 years of total stay from it. You would need a re-entry permit to keep that last year permit to stay valid if you want to travel.

But your membership would no longer be valid which means you would not get any of the perks from it.

 

Hi Ubon, can you clarify "You would need a re-entry to keep that last year permit to stay valid if you want to travel." Does this mean that just before the 5 year visa expires I would need to leave and re-enter Thailand, and they would give me a 1 year stamp in my passport like they usually do? Assuming this is true, I should then just stay in Thailand without leaving to keep that 1 year visa valid, because once I leave and reenter again they will give the normal 30 day etc visa. Am I correct?

 

many thanks

[moogradod]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

1. You can apply for another easy access membership after your current one ends or any other one...........

 

2. You should be able to do a change of visa status to get a 90 day non immigrant visa (category O) entry based upon qualifying for an extension of stay that would allow you to apply for a extension of stay near the end of the 90 day entry from the visa. You could do it up to the last 15 days of the last one year permit to stay you would get from the visa.

Thanks ubojoe, helpful and precise as always. Much appreciated.

Makes me wonder what the advantage of a 10 year PE then is.

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, descc71 said:

Hi Ubon, can you clarify "You would need a re-entry to keep that last year permit to stay valid if you want to travel." Does this mean that just before the 5 year visa expires I would need to leave and re-enter Thailand, and they would give me a 1 year stamp in my passport like they usually do? Assuming this is true, I should then just stay in Thailand without leaving to keep that 1 year visa valid, because once I leave and reenter again they will give the normal 30 day etc visa. Am I correct?

 

I left out permit in my post after re-entry (corrected now). After the visa expires you would need to get a re-entry permit at immigration to keep the last one year permit to stay valid if you want to travel. You would be stamped into the country up to the date that your last entry ends when using the re-entry permit.

You will certainly get another 1 year entry if you do it before the visa expires.

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, moogradod said:Makes me wonder what the advantage of a 10 year PE then is.

A longer membership for less money normally than getting two memberships to reach 10 years.

After the first PE visa expired you would just have to get a new one at immigration or entry to the country at certain airports. No need to apply for a new membership.

[descc71]

46 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

I left out permit in my post after re-entry (corrected now). After the visa expires you would need to get a re-entry permit at immigration to keep the last one year permit to stay valid if you want to travel. You would be stamped into the country up to the date that your last entry ends when using the re-entry permit.

You will certainly get another 1 year entry if you do it before the visa expires.

Thank you much appreciated.