9 month stay annually

[Clive]

Good morning.
Can you please help me?
Im a UK citizen presently living in the UK but plan to move to Thailand. My plan is to live in Thailand 9 months a year and return to the UK to work for 3 or 4 months.
I used to live in Thailand but the visa rules have  changed over time and would appreciate it if anyone could shed some light on the best type of visa to get and how I can extend the visa for a 9 month stay.
Many thanks....Clive

[bkk6060]

METV

[Delight]

I have friends who visit Thailand as tourists for 9 months.

They simply arrive with  Non 'O' visa . In their cases they receive it from Hull.

They have to leave Thailand every 90 days. The classic Cambodia visa run.

Things change maybe now they visit Laos.

They never talk about it so  I assume that it is not problematic.

[ThaiBunny]

METV - one visa run, two 30-day extensions and there's your nine months

[onera1961]

3 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

METV - one visa run, two 30-day extensions and there's your nine months

May be good for one year. On the second METV, there is a high probability of entry denials unless subject yourself to inconveniences of land border crossings. 

[elviajero]

You really should be looking to get a Non-immigrant visa for a stay of that length. A METV is a tourist visa and you’ll always face the threat of being denied entry.

 

If you’re over 50 a Non O-A would give you a stay of 1 year on entry so there would be no need for any border runs.

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, Delight said:

I have friends who visit Thailand as tourists for 9 months.

They simply arrive with  Non 'O' visa . In their cases they receive it from Hull.

They have to leave Thailand every 90 days. The classic Cambodia visa run.

Things change maybe now they visit Laos.

They never talk about it so  I assume that it is not problematic.

I do not grasp how they can get a second 90 day permission to stay on a single entry Non-Imm-O Visa. Even if they came in on Visa Exempts the second time, they would need to leave after 60 days with a single in country extension. 

[Peter Denis]

14 hours ago, elviajero said:

You really should be looking to get a Non-immigrant visa for a stay of that length. A METV is a tourist visa and you’ll always face the threat of being denied entry.

 

If you’re over 50 a Non O-A would give you a stay of 1 year on entry so there would be no need for any border runs.

Elviajero gave you the correct advice.

However, if you are not over 50 (a requirement for being granted a Non-Imm OA visa, which is valid for 1 year and does not require border runs) the METV is probably the best alternative.  The first and probably also the second year you would be using it would most probably pose no problem,  But after that the risk of being denied at entry will become higher since you are not considered a tourist when you stay that long in Thailand (you will not be in compliance with the 180-day rule, when doing back-to-back METVs).

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I do not grasp how they can get a second 90 day permission to stay on a single entry Non-Imm-O Visa. Even if they came in on Visa Exempts the second time, they would need to leave after 60 days with a single in country extension. 

They can’t. They must be referring to a multiple entry Non O which are no longer available.

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, elviajero said:

They can’t. They must be referring to a multiple entry Non O which are no longer available.

And for a longer time, were not available at the Hull Honorary Consulate.

[Suradit69]

5 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I do not grasp how they can get a second 90 day permission to stay on a single entry Non-Imm-O Visa.

Generally posts that start off with " I have a friend (or friends) who ..." tend to be more creative fiction than fact.   

[emptypockets]

3 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Elviajero gave you the correct advice.

However, if you are not over 50 (a requirement for being granted a Non-Imm OA visa, which is valid for 1 year and does not require border runs) the METV is probably the best alternative.  The first and probably also the second year you would be using it would most probably pose no problem,  But after that the risk of being denied at entry will become higher since you are not considered a tourist when you stay that long in Thailand (you will not be in compliance with the 180-day rule, when doing back-to-back METVs).

Glad someone gave correct advice as you certainly didn't There is no 180 day rule.

[Clive]

Thank you all very much for the information. I feel that a little more information is required so that you can vive me the best advice.
I am 52 with two half Thai children aged 15 and 11 which will be living with me as they live with me presently in the UK
Thank you so much

[elviajero]

2 hours ago, Clive said:

Thank you all very much for the information. I feel that a little more information is required so that you can vive me the best advice.
I am 52 with two half Thai children aged 15 and 11 which will be living with me as they live with me presently in the UK
Thank you so much

That makes a big difference. You could get a Single Entry Non O visa and apply for a 1 year extension at the end of 90 days. You’d need to show 400K in a Thai bank account on the day you apply. When you go back to the UK you buy a re-entry permit (1,000) that will allow you to return for the remainder of the 1 year extension. Then you can renew that extension every year.

[Max69xl]

On 9/3/2019 at 3:29 PM, ThaiBunny said:

METV - one visa run, two 30-day extensions and there's your nine months

If Immigration continues the way they have this year,he won't get more than 180 days. That's the longest time you're supposed to stay on a tourist visa. 

[Max69xl]

5 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Glad someone gave correct advice as you certainly didn't There is no 180 day rule.

Several people on tourist visas have been denied entry this year because of staying to long  = more than 180 days. Even if it's not written down, that's the whole idea with a tourist visa. When Immigration decided that 2 land crossings per calender year (30 days each) was the limit,the reason was to make it possible for a person starting with a 60 days TR Visa from home to be able to stay a longer time. This was explained by a high ranked Immigration officer early last year.

His exemple was 60 days TR plus extension + border crossings. 

 

[Ctkong]

5 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Glad someone gave correct advice as you certainly didn't There is no 180 day rule.

There is no in print the 180 day rule in a moving year hoewever I was told verbally once that in a moving average of 6 months period, I was staying almost 90 days so the next month I may be denied entry. That was a long time ago. 

[Max69xl]

41 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

There is no in print the 180 day rule in a moving year hoewever I was told verbally once that in a moving average of 6 months period, I was staying almost 90 days so the next month I may be denied entry. That was a long time ago. 

People have been denied entry this year because of staying longer or about to stay longer than 180 days on tourist visa. 

[DrJack54]

14 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

People have been denied entry this year because of staying longer or about to stay longer than 180 days on tourist visa. 

Umm, think your being bit selective there. Certainly at airports there is more screening. A METV gives your up to 6 +months + Your permitted 2 border crossings per calendar yr. Which are rarely challenged and can be extended at imm by 30. The threads on tvf represent tiny fraction of entries every day. However yes the mood has changed significantly. Esp airports. 

[Briggsy]

16 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Umm, think your being bit selective there. Certainly at airports there is more screening. A METV gives your up to 6 +months + Your permitted 2 border crossings per calendar yr. Which are rarely challenged and can be extended at imm by 30. The threads on tvf represent tiny fraction of entries every day. However yes the mood has changed significantly. Esp airports. 

I have stayed 9 months / year in Thailand for years. I was recently denied entry with a fresh METV at Suwannaphum and returned to the UK. (for breaking the non-announced, non-existent 180-day rule)

 

The OP wishes to stay 9 months a year every year. He needs to avoid all TV's including METV's. As he has Thai kids, he should go for non-O visas with or without extension, up to his circumstances.

[Max69xl]

12 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

I have stayed 9 months / year in Thailand for years. I was recently denied entry with a fresh METV at Suwannaphum and returned to the UK. (for breaking the non-announced, non-existent 180-day rule)

 

The OP wishes to stay 9 months a year every year. He needs to avoid all TV's including METV's. As he has Thai kids, he should go for non-O visas with or without extension, up to his circumstances.

Yes,I agree. Immigration are getting tougher regarding tourist visas with extensions and border runs, especially this year. 

Edited September 4, 2019 by Max69xl

[happy chappie]

Surely you must have the £27-28,000 for the elite visa.????

[Peter Denis]

21 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Glad someone gave correct advice as you certainly didn't There is no 180 day rule.

There are many posts on the TVF of people being denied entry as a tourist (with or without a visa) because their passport showed a history of being more than 180 days in Thailand in a calendar year.  See also the posts of Max69xl and Briggsy just above:

> If Immigration continues the way they have this year,he won't get more than 180 days. That's the longest time you're supposed to stay on a tourist visa. 

> I have stayed 9 months / year in Thailand for years. I was recently denied entry with a fresh METV at Suwannaphum and returned to the UK. (for breaking the non-announced, non-existent 180-day rule)

Maybe it's not an 'official rule' but it seems that the 180 day limit for tourists is practiced by many IO's.  This being Thailand, there will of course be cases where the practice was not enforced.  

If I am wrong, please do correct me, as it has never been my intention to give incorrect advice.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Peter Denis
addition info

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Peter Denis said:

That's the longest time you're supposed to stay on a tourist visa. 

Well there is no written rule and since they issue METVs which very readily support in excess of 180 days in Kingdom, I am unsure how it can be claimed. 

[Peter Denis]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Well there is no written rule and since they issue METVs which very readily support in excess of 180 days in Kingdom, I am unsure how it can be claimed. 

It's correct that with an METV you can stay almost 9 months in Thailand as a tourist (but you need to do at least 2 border runs to be in compliance).  But I understood that when you come in with subsequent METV's your history of staying in Thailand can be checked, and if IO is looking for a reason to deny entry they can claim that you are not a genuine tourist because of staying too long in Thailand.  The unofficial period often stated is more than 180 days in calendar year.

Obviously - since this is Thailand - there will be cases, where people with more than 180 days as tourist in a calendar year have been allowed entrance.  Myself being one of the 'lucky ones' with 3 back-to-back METV's.  But on my last trip home I switched to Non-Imm OA Visa, as I did not want the risk of being denied entry.  

[Los Luver]

When one stays 9 months each year in Thailand means that you live in Thailand.

The fact is that immigration is crackng down on those who live in Th. on SETV and METV

One might stay in Th. 9 months on a TV once. But one cannot get away with it the 2nd year. Things have changed

[Max69xl]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Well there is no written rule and since they issue METVs which very readily support in excess of 180 days in Kingdom, I am unsure how it can be claimed. 

The METV Visas are not supposed to be used as a border run visa.

When you apply for them in your home country, you need a reference

from your employer sent to the Thai Embassy. That means you have a job to go back to, hence,you are not supposed to stay here long term.

THIS IS A FACT,and has nothing to do with METV Visas obtained in neighbouring countries. Those are loopholes. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Max69xl

[westsail]

I live in Thailand 8-9 months a year, don't keep more than 50-100k baht in the bank in Thailand and haven't had any visa problems yet.  I apply for a non OA  12 month visa at the Thai embassy in Washington, DC.. I provide proof of funds from my Fidelity retirement account in the U.S.

When I return to Thailand within the 12 month period I am given an 12 month automatic extension at no charge which covers me until I return to the U.S. again and repeat the process over again for another 2 years.

I know the rules can and do change, but after all of the horror stories I read on TV about people's visa problems I will stick with my easy and proven method as long as I can.

 

 

[PingRoundTheWorld]

19 hours ago, Max69xl said:

This was explained by a high ranked Immigration officer early last year.

His exemple was 60 days TR plus extension + border crossings. 

No high ranking immigration officer would ever say anything about a "180 day rule" because no such rule exists. I'm not sure why some posters on here are on a crusade against long-term stayers, but the fact remains that current law does not limit how long one can stay on tourist visas. There are plenty of people living in LOS for 9 months a year or more on tourist visas or visa exemptions who have never been denied entry.

 

You should be fine on METV for 8-9 months a year. This is what it was intended for - long term tourism. Just don't be an idiot and you'll never have a problem:
1. Avoid DMK airport.
2. Avoid female officers.
3. Avoid suspicious/short visa runs - same-day visa run is guaranteed to get questions - make your visa runs at least a few days, better a few weeks.

4. Spend some actual time out of the country so there is no doubt you aren't working in Thailand illegally.

[Max69xl]

22 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

No high ranking immigration officer would ever say anything about a "180 day rule" because no such rule exists. I'm not sure why some posters on here are on a crusade against long-term stayers, but the fact remains that current law does not limit how long one can stay on tourist visas. There are plenty of people living in LOS for 9 months a year or more on tourist visas or visa exemptions who have never been denied entry.

 

You should be fine on METV for 8-9 months a year. This is what it was intended for - long term tourism. Just don't be an idiot and you'll never have a problem:
1. Avoid DMK airport.
2. Avoid female officers.
3. Avoid suspicious/short visa runs - same-day visa run is guaranteed to get questions - make your visa runs at least a few days, better a few weeks.

4. Spend some actual time out of the country so there is no doubt you aren't working in Thailand illegally.

Think before you post something about visas you don't know anything about.

I am a long stayer,no cheap charlie who doesn't meet the requirements for a proper long stay visa.

A long stayer is "not" a person with a TR Visa + several visa exempts. 

Immigration are tough now and will be even tougher regarding tourist visas.