Visa Options?

[WhaleBomb]

Hi guys,

 

So I am looking at to what my potential visa options are after 26th Septemeber. Some key points about me;

• 28 years old
• British Citizen
• around 50-60k baht income per month (only into UK bank account)
• on visa exemption which was extended for 30 days already (didn't extend a 2nd time with embassay letter)
• no family here (just girlfriend which im pretty sure means nothing)
• no degree

 

So I am living in Surat Thani. I have been staying in a Resort here with a Thai family, who I have become really close with. We was talking the other day and they was asking me about what I will do after 26th Septemeber, and they said was it possible if they could "hire me" to work for them so I could get a working visa. The only issue with that is that I have no degree. But I have seen a few people mentioning these "volunteer visas" where you do not need a degree so would it be possible for me to volunteer for my landlord to get this visa type. They are willing to go immigration with me and deal with any paperwork.

 

Any advice at all would be amazing, thank you guys you have always been a great help.

[BritTim]

It is great that you have such a good relationship with the Thai family, but it is highly unlikely they can help with visa issues. The volunteer visa will not work because they are not a registered charity. Actual employment would also be tricky due to the nature of their business where only specialist work would qualify under the alien business laws. I believe you will have no choice other than to use the services of an agent who can arrange a volunteer visa (through a registered aid organisation they have a relationship with) or possibly an education visa. I am unsure of the costs you are faced with in Surat Thani. Good luck!

[Malawi]

Your choices are pretty limited at best without some dodgy dealings.

[DrJack54]

OP, you need read no further than post #2.

This may sound negative but youth is on your side. Return to UK and as soon as things return to semi normal come back perhaps with a METV. Many threads on TV about ways to live in Asia ongoing.

If you think Thailand is 100% for you then consider an elite visa, even if that means taking out a loan.

[yellowboat]

You may look at a business visa if you can come up with a good reason.  Malaysia is affordable, nearby and far easier for you.   Is your love interest up for an adventure? You can usually stay in Thailand for around four months a year hassle free. Vietnam is hassle free too for long periods of time. Both countries have good food and similar lifestyles without all the hassles of military controlled Thailand. 

[Phillip9]

59 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

You may look at a business visa if you can come up with a good reason.  Malaysia is affordable, nearby and far easier for you.   Is your love interest up for an adventure? You can usually stay in Thailand for around four months a year hassle free. Vietnam is hassle free too for long periods of time. Both countries have good food and similar lifestyles without all the hassles of military controlled Thailand. 

Malaysia?  Vietnam?  What are you even talking about?  Both have borders tightly closed for the foreseeable future—surely we’ll beyond sept 26.

[AgMech Cowboy]

This is cold and I know you don't deserve it...

 

Leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back a-gain...   (Sorry. I couldn't help myself.)

[Phillip9]

Seriously, there are basically your legitimate options:

1) elite visa-very expensive, 500,000 baht for 5 years

2) study Thai at a language school and get an Ed visa, about 30,000 baht for 6 months.  I know this is possible over in Koh samui.  And you may be able to take the courses online.

3) get married

 

 

You need to start any of these right away because it may take a month or more to actually complete the visa process.

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, WhaleBomb said:

Any advice at all

Get married.

[Bender Rodriguez]

13 hours ago, WhaleBomb said:

around 50-60k baht income per month (only into UK bank account)

wow, how do you manage that ? with no degree

[CorpusChristie]

2 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Vietnam is hassle free too for long periods of time.

Havent they clamped down in visas in Vietnam recently ?

Only giving people 30 days at a time or something

[brianp0803]

The reason any country offers visas is because they believe it benefits the country.

 What skills do you have to offer the country?
Are you from a rich family and don’t need to worry about money when you retire?

 

 If no degree and no job skills I would suggest you get both of these before planning to stay in Thailand a long time.

 

Do you have 10,000,000 to invest in Thailand? 
Getting married may cost 500,000 baht and a party?

Enroll in an international university and get a degree. This offers long time benefits.
Thai Elite visa. 
 

Enroll in a school to learn Thai. Many schools advertise their ability to get you a visa (I have never seen a school advertising their ability to teach you Thai) Not sure if they are still checking on you every 3 month at extension time about your progress learning Thai. 

 

[mrfill]

15 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

wow, how do you manage that ? with no degree

Its equivalent to the UK minimum wage.

[samsensam]

24 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

wow, how do you manage that ? with no degree

 

haha it's only around 1,500GBP/month, you'd only just break over the annual minimum tax threshold in the uk

[greggraham]

9 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Get married.

Doesn't necessarily help. I'm also on amnesty after an (extended) tourist visa and was told by local IO being married doesn't help my situation. 

[vermin on arrival]

58 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

Havent they clamped down in visas in Vietnam recently ?

Only giving people 30 days at a time or something

Nope just go in and pay it for months at time. Super easy. More expensive than here per month though.

[Peter Denis]

20 minutes ago, greggraham said:

Doesn't necessarily help. I'm also on amnesty after an (extended) tourist visa and was told by local IO being married doesn't help my situation. 

Hi, in a different thread @Okis reported that his IO confirmed that they would accept his application for the 1-year extension of stay based on his ME Non Imm O marriage Visa of which the permission to stay obviously already expired (he also already used his 60-day extension of stay).

@Okis > can you please indicate which IO confirmed this?  Thanks.

[jonga80]

Ok, I don't want to start a new topic about the same.

 

I'm in tourist visa until the 26th of september, I need 3 more months of visa. I was thinking in the volunteer visa for 25k in Thai Visa Centre, today they were arrested. They offered me 6 months student visa for 36k, but is too expensive and I only need 3 months. I read something about medical visa.

 

I need help, if I want to stay until december, which is my best option?

 

By the way, I would study thai, starting now until december, I asked a lot of schools and nothing, only the option of 36k.

[Peter Denis]

9 minutes ago, jonga80 said:

Ok, I don't want to start a new topic about the same.

 

I'm in tourist visa until the 26th of september, I need 3 more months of visa. I was thinking in the volunteer visa for 25k in Thai Visa Centre, today they were arrested. They offered me 6 months student visa for 36k, but is too expensive and I only need 3 months. I read something about medical visa.

 

I need help, if I want to stay until december, which is my best option?

If you are married to a thai national or have a thai dependant child, you can apply for the 60-day extension of stay for reason of family visit.

If you did not yet use it you can apply for a 30-day extension of stay which your Tourist Visa entitles you to.

When you have a thai dependant child you can also apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for that reason and extend that later into a 1-year extension of stay (no financials needed).

>> Also an ED Visa might be an option (but I have no info on that).

[Nanaplaza666]

2 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

wow, how do you manage that ? with no degree

Thats a little more then a 1000£ , thats a little demeaning of you Bender Rodrigeuz . You must be a stuck up kid or a stuck up grown up who has a perfect live and thinks everybody is beneath you . 

[jonga80]

4 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

If you are married to a thai national or have a thai dependant child, you can apply for the 60-day extension of stay for reason of family visit.

If you did not yet use it you can apply for a 30-day extension of stay which your Tourist Visa entitles you to.

When you have a thai dependant child you can also apply for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa for that reason and extend that later into a 1-year extension of stay (no financials needed).

>> Also an ED Visa might be an option (but I have no info on that).

Thank you.

 

I'm not married.

I used the 30 days extension, actually I did not use because I extended my visa too early, and after that started the amnesty, but it counts like used.

No have thai dependant child.

ED Visa legally you need to go outside Thailand.

 

I only see illegal options:

Pay an agent for a visa within Thailand.

Overstay. This option I don't like.

[Peter Denis]

1 minute ago, jonga80 said:

...

I used the 30 days extension, actually I did not use because I extended my visa too early, and after that started the amnesty, but it counts like used.

...

If you did not apply for the 30-day extension after you entered Thailand on your Tourist Visa, you are still entitled to it. 

It is NOT the same as the 30-day extension you could get at the beginning of the Amnesty on the basis of an Embassy statement.

[pantsonfire]

4 minutes ago, jonga80 said:

Thank you.

 

I'm not married.

I used the 30 days extension, actually I did not use because I extended my visa too early, and after that started the amnesty, but it counts like used.

No have thai dependant child.

ED Visa legally you need to go outside Thailand.

Any info on the ED Visa for a male 40+? Resulting to last resorts here to gain entry from outside of thailand.  500k Elite is too much

[jonga80]

6 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

If you did not apply for the 30-day extension after you entered Thailand on your Tourist Visa, you are still entitled to it. 

It is NOT the same as the 30-day extension you could get at the beginning of the Amnesty on the basis of an Embassy statement.

I applied, but I paid the 1900 bahts too early, the amnesty started 10 days before my 30 days extension.

 

5 minutes ago, pantsonfire said:

Any info on the ED Visa for a male 40+? Resulting to last resorts here to gain entry from outside of thailand.  500k Elite is too much

I don't have too much info, I'm 40, and they told me I need to go to a thai embassy outside Thailand, or the other option would be to pay 36k in Pattaya for 6 months ED Visa. I think in this forum there are people who got the visa within Thailand, I would like to know how and where.

[CorpusChristie]

5 minutes ago, pantsonfire said:

Any info on the ED Visa for a male 40+? Resulting to last resorts here to gain entry from outside of thailand.  500k Elite is too much

You usually have to apply for an Ed Visa from outside Thailand AFTER getting all the documents from within Thailand 

[Phillip9]

13 minutes ago, jonga80 said:

 

ED Visa legally you need to go outside Thailand.

 

As far as I am aware it is perfectly legal to get a ED visa through a language school.  It requires some extra fee, but it is available nation wide at many legitimate schools and openly advertised.  It was not typically done in pre-covid times, but I have never read anything stating it is illegal.

[Phillip9]

10 minutes ago, CorpusChristie said:

You usually have to apply for an Ed Visa from outside Thailand AFTER getting all the documents from within Thailand 

Most schools can now get your Ed visa without leaving Thailand for some extra fee.  

[jonga80]

1 minute ago, Phillip9 said:

As far as I am aware it is perfectly legal to get a ED visa through a language school.  It requires some extra fee, but it is available nation wide at many legitimate schools and openly advertised.  It was not typically done in pre-covid times, but I have never read anything stating it is illegal.

It's illegal, because legally you need to go to a thai embassy outside Thailand. You pay the extra fee because that. I would like to know about schools where I can pay that extra fee for the ED visa within Thailand. As I said until now I only have the 36k "offer".

[jonga80]

Just now, Phillip9 said:

Most schools can now get your Ed visa without leaving Thailand for some extra fee.  

Which schools? I asked 6 schools.

[CorpusChristie]

10 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

Most schools can now get your Ed visa without leaving Thailand for some extra fee.  

The poster who I was replying to is currently outside Thailand and wanted to get an Ed Visa to gain entry