Thai Elite Visa - any benefits when changing to "Non-B" Visa within short time?

[Miami007]

Are there any benefits of getting a Thai Elite Visa, if the ultimate goal is to purchase a business and get a work-permit.

My mate wants to partner on a prospective business and his lawyer advised him to get a Thai Elite Visa and then to convert to "Non-B" when in Thailand to get work permit and to work in the business.  The lawyer advised him that 80% of the Thai Elite fee would be refunded in this case.

 

Looking at the Thai Elite terms, most of the categories are non-refundable and non-transferable.  So spending THB 500,000 or more to get a visa for a few months (maybe 2 or even less) and then change to the "Non-B" seems a waste of money.  And Thai Elite seems to be akin to a regular Tourist Visa - just longer duration and more expensive

My questions:

a) as TIT, are there "unpublished possibilities" to get a portion of the fee refunded?

b) does getting a "Non-B" Visa to enter the country and purchase the business really take so long and is it such a hassle with documents as the lawyer indicated?

c) could I enter visa-exempt (EU passport) for 30 days, and then change to "Non-B" and get work permit?  

d) could I enter on a 60/90 day tourist visa and then change to "Non-B" and get work permit?   How long would it usually take to get a Tourist Visa (would be first time for the visa, 7 trips of 7-10 days in the past 3 years)

e) are there any benefits from Thai Elite to assist with the change from Thai Elite to "Non-B" and/ or that expedite the processing?  In that case, the fee for 5 years may be worth the expense.

 

Appreciate any input -especially from anyone who used Thai Elite and then changed to a Business Visa/ WP

thanks a lot

 

[Briggsy]

Are there 2 separate issues here relating to different people? In the beginning, you refer to "my mate" and then later you switch to "I"

[ubonjoe]

I see no reason to get a Thai Elite membership if you will be working which requires changing to a non-b visa in order to get a work permit.

There would be no refund of the fee since your membership would be valid and you could start using the PE visa again if you decided not to work.

[jackdd]

There is no reason to get Thai Elite, just get a tourist visa (multiple entry if you think it might take longer), you won't get a refund.

I recommend to change the lawyer, something is fishy with this guy. Maybe he gets a kickback?

[aprangl]

This guy just wants to sell a Thai Elite Visa to you! Just to inform you, that with a Thai Elite Visa you are entitled to get a work permit!


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[lordblackader]

49 minutes ago, aprangl said:

This guy just wants to sell a Thai Elite Visa to you! Just to inform you, that with a Thai Elite Visa you are entitled to get a work permit!


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No, you're not entitled to a work permit on TE. You still require a Non-Imm Visa to obtain a work permit. 

[elviajero]

2 hours ago, aprangl said:

This guy just wants to sell a Thai Elite Visa to you! Just to inform you, that with a Thai Elite Visa you are entitled to get a work permit!


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You could start the application process for a work permit, but you wouldn’t be issued with the WP until you had a non immigrant visa.

[elviajero]

8 hours ago, Miami007 said:

Are there any benefits of getting a Thai Elite Visa, if the ultimate goal is to purchase a business and get a work-permit.

None at all that I can think of. It would be a waste of membership fee.

[Miami007]

21 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Are there 2 separate issues here relating to different people? In the beginning, you refer to "my mate" and then later you switch to "I"

two people - my friend wants me to partner in the business and recommends the Thai Elite Visa based on what his lawyer told him.

I am not sure that this is the only option and also fastest and most cost effective

[Miami007]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I see no reason to get a Thai Elite membership if you will be working which requires changing to a non-b visa in order to get a work permit.

There would be no refund of the fee since your membership would be valid and you could start using the PE visa again if you decided not to work.

Thanks for the info - I also thought that there is no refund (I think his lawyer wants to sell the Thai Elite)

Could I enter on 30-day visa exempt to do due diligence on the business and close the agreement to buy?  Then convert to Non-b visa from 30-day exempt? 

Or would I need to get a Tourist Visa for 60/90 days first to allow enough time for the process?  

[Miami007]

19 hours ago, jackdd said:

There is no reason to get Thai Elite, just get a tourist visa (multiple entry if you think it might take longer), you won't get a refund.

I recommend to change the lawyer, something is fishy with this guy. Maybe he gets a kickback?

Appreciate the advice - I also feel that the lawyer does not have the best interests of the client at heart LOL...  The money is pocket-change for my friend (and he will use the visa for the family anyway, so will not lose all of it).

 

Could I enter 30-day visa exempt and change from that status to non-b or is a tourist visa required to change to non-b?

 

 

 

[Miami007]

16 hours ago, lordblackader said:

No, you're not entitled to a work permit on TE. You still require a Non-Imm Visa to obtain a work permit. 

Thank you

[Miami007]

13 hours ago, elviajero said:

You could start the application process for a work permit, but you wouldn’t be issued with the WP until you had a non immigrant visa.

Thanks - this is what I understood too

Also read that you should apply for the work permit first, then apply for the non-b visa.  then you get the visa and go to get the work permit once the visa is issued. The first step seems contradictory, but ...

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, Miami007 said:

The first step seems contradictory, but

The work permit has to applied for first since a WP3 or a work permit application approval letter from the Labor Ministry is required to apply for the non-b visa.

[Miami007]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The work permit has to applied for first since a WP3 or a work permit application approval letter from the Labor Ministry is required to apply for the non-b visa.

thanks for clarifying