Is It Possible To Get A 12 Month Visa Without Being Married To A Thai Or Having A Thai Business?

[qwunk89]

hi all,

i've been to los many times and am currently exploring the option of moving to los. i work over the net, and can basically work anywhere in the world - my company even advocates it. is it possible to get a non-immigrant o visa or any one-year visa? any advice appreciated? what would you do if you were me and wanted to live in los? thanks in advance. i'm well under 50 too.

[LivinLOS]

Your not going to get one based on your work.. You can probably get away with working under the radar in your situation but be aware thats what your doing.

For the visa.. Depending on what country you come from you may be able to get a 1 year based on visiting friends and family if you have a friendly consul.. Where are you from ??

If you do get one you still do visa runs each 90 days as you wont be able to extend annually incountry in your position..

If you cant get one then its lots of travelling and getting Tourist visa's valid for 60 days each time and extendable for 30 days for 1900 baht.. Lots of mucking about every few months sadly.

[qwunk89]

hey LivinLos,

thanks for the info. i'm from the US; does that make it easier or more difficult to get a one year visa? also, yeah, i'm aware that i would be working under the radar - thanks for making sure though. i was looking into the non-immigrant o, but it seems i wouldn't qualify - but then someone else told me it's very possible. any input on that? thanks again. i so want to live in thailand for a year (maybe longer), but i don't want to have to do the 30 day visa runs; also, i heard immigration recently starting cracking down and even 30 day visa runs done consecutively aren't possible anymore.

[LivinLOS]

Thats the thing.. Technically there isnt a non imm O for under 50's not working or unmarried to Thais.. But some consuls are known to be 'friendly' and issue a 1 year non imm O on the basis of visiting friends and family or even sometimes 1 year non B's on 'investigating investment' etc..

From memory I think Houston may be friendly but let other Yanks weigh in on that first.. Also it never hurts to pick up the phone and call them.. Things said on the phone may be more helpful than the 'official rules' posted on websites.

[Crossy]

Agree with livinlos ^^^

Can't help with 'friendly' consulates in the US, others will, I can say that you won't get a visa on these grounds anywhere is Asia

[qwunk89]

hey LivinLos and Crossy,

thanks for the advice and info. so . . . anyone have advice on friendly consulates in the US? if so, let me know. i may try and give the consulate in houston a call on monday. thanks.

[sbk]

Heres a link to the list of consulates in the US Royal Thai Embassy Consulates, scroll down to the bottom of the page where each consulate is listed as a link. I would recommend calling a few, it will give you a better idea of the lay of the land, as it were.

Consulate-General in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas (Dallas), Texas (El Paso), Texas (Houston)and Dominican Republic

[qwunk89]

thanks sbk!

[windupnet]

hi all,

i've been to los many times and am currently exploring the option of moving to los. i work over the net, and can basically work anywhere in the world - my company even advocates it. is it possible to get a non-immigrant o visa or any one-year visa? any advice appreciated? what would you do if you were me and wanted to live in los? thanks in advance. i'm well under 50 too.

Which country are you in? I enquired about this myself recently. E-mail me at and I will tell you what I know. Cheers

[qwunk89]

hey windupnet,

i'm in the US, and i wish i could email you - but the email address you gave got removed. isn't there a pm function on this board? i guess not, or i just don't know how to do it. anyway, would definitely like to hear the info you have windupnet. can you post on here?

[qwunk89]

found the pm function.

[jdinasia]

Read the boards thoroughly ... then ask me again at the end of April when I return from DENVER and I will let you know

However my first non-imm-ed was easy there and I assume my next non-imm multi will also be easy ... however now I have strong ties to the community here

Last year's trip to Perth Australia with a letter from a friend (and copy of a house book) and a letter from a Biz here with a job offer at some later date gave me the option of a multi non-o or non-b

Edited April 2, 2007 by jdinasia

[shaymo]

hi guys,

im pretty much in the same position as qwunk. i work over the net for a small translation co. in france. only thing is they insist on me paying tax whereever i be. therefore, i gotta get a one year and a work permit. is it really that difficult - nay impossible- for some1 in this situ?? i plan on living in los indefinatly also, putting down roots etc.

any input that helps me in this legal quagmire (but cracking country of course!!) mucho appreciated!!

[astral]

I think the 10 million investment option is still open.

No need to buy property, just place the money in a government

approved investment vehicle.

[LivinLOS]

hi guys,

im pretty much in the same position as qwunk. i work over the net for a small translation co. in france. only thing is they insist on me paying tax whereever i be. therefore, i gotta get a one year and a work permit. is it really that difficult - nay impossible- for some1 in this situ?? i plan on living in los indefinatly also, putting down roots etc.

any input that helps me in this legal quagmire (but cracking country of course!!) mucho appreciated!!

The question has been brought up a few times.. If you were American then the AMity company route is actually not too hard to do but if your not American the costs are prohibitive to a small single person enterprise.

[LivinLOS]

I think the 10 million investment option is still open.

No need to buy property, just place the money in a government

approved investment vehicle.

I thought that route had closed..

10mil became 3 mil then was removed ??

[Sunbelt Asia]

I think the 10 million investment option is still open.

No need to buy property, just place the money in a government

approved investment vehicle.

I thought that route had closed..

10mil became 3 mil then was removed ??

The 10 million or 3 mllion Baht scheme is no longer available to new applicants.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[qwunk89]

anyone have any more input on this subject? thanks again!

[Vit77]

hi all,

i've been to los many times and am currently exploring the option of moving to los. i work over the net, and can basically work anywhere in the world - my company even advocates it. is it possible to get a non-immigrant o visa or any one-year visa? any advice appreciated? what would you do if you were me and wanted to live in los? thanks in advance. i'm well under 50 too.

If u have about 12-16 hours a month u can try student visa:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=113828

[simcity]

anyone have any more input on this subject? thanks again!

Gwunk what I have find is :

Many consulates are tuff to issue visa !

Friendly consulate will know other competitor and if the draconian or not ! and they will be please to help you .

The one I approach did understand my situation and issue me with a one year O visa , I am in the same situation as you .

Approach a friendly consulate and see what is the maximum he can give you , perhaps 2*3 or 3*3 entries first ( if you have that in you country ) , built a relationship first and increase bit by bit !

It really help if you can put together some financial papers for him too.

[richguess]

hey LivinLos and Crossy,

thanks for the advice and info. so . . . anyone have advice on friendly consulates in the US? if so, let me know. i may try and give the consulate in houston a call on monday. thanks.

I have onlt dealt with the consulate in Honolulu. They only gave me a single entry B after I showed them all the paperwork on my new Thai business. I would not recommend going through them.