Thailand elite Visa info

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

I thought that the Thailand Elite Visa might have some advantages over extending my existing Non-Imm "O" Visa every year at Immigration, so wrote to them with a few questions as follows, with their answers:

 

(1) With a Thailand Elite Visa, will I be able to leave and re-enter Thailand, even with a required 14-day quarantine here? As far as I know the Thai government is still considering this option, unless you have a clearer idea.

 

Thailand Elite Member Members will be able to leave and re-enter Thailand. However, in order to re-enter they will be approved under conditions and procedures of CCSA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Public Health.

(2) Can I apply for a Thailand Elite Visa while I am in Thailand holding a Non-Immigrant "O" Visa valid for 1-year?

 

Yes, you will be able to apply while staying in Thailand.

 

(3) It seems I would still have to renew the yearly Visa extension. Does this require my physical presence at an Immigration office? If so, which one?

Can I choose which Immigration Office to use? [These days I use the IO at [xxx] which is much less crowded than the nightmare at Chaeng Wattana].

 

According to the immigration regulation, if you enter and stay in Thailand for the entire 1-year period without leaving the country, you will be subject to apply for the extension of stay which will extend your stay for 1 more year. The application for the extension of stay can be filed at the Immigration office at the area where you reside in with the government fee THB 1,900 (without the need to leave the country). The application of extension can be done every year until the expiry of your visa.

-----

So basically, with an Elite Visa costing 500,000 baht for 5-years, I would still have to go to an Immigration Office every year and pay 1,900 baht to extend the visa for another 365 days. For me, that's the whole point of having an Elite Visa, so that I do not have to bother with applying for an extension every year and paying them the 1,900 baht.

 

It seems to me that the Elite Visa is merely an add-on which MIGHT make visa extensions a little bit easier. But I have never had a problem extending my visa for retirement, based on keeping 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account. Paying 500,000 baht for dubious benefits for 5-years does not seem like good value. Maybe OK for someone younger who does not meet the retirement or marriage categories for a Non-Imm visa.

[theoldgit]

You've posted this in the wrong forum, this forum is for visas for countries other than Thailand.

 

I'll move it for you.

[Tounge Thaied]

Great questions and synopsis. Totally agree.

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

1 hour ago, theoldgit said:

You've posted this in the wrong forum, this forum is for visas for countries other than Thailand.

 

I'll move it for you.

From one old git to another -- thank you !

[Ginger Tea]

Well I guess the advantages are two fold: you don’t have to show your financial records to Immigration; and you don’t have to show your medical insurance certificate.
 

Currently, there is a post where someone living in Jomtien, is required by Immigration, having got the extension of stay, to go back after 3 months and prove that he still has 800,000 in his bank account.

 

In my case, I had an non immigration O-A visa which was coming to its 2 year end. So I got it before they changed the rules about needing proof of medical insurance to get a new O-A. Even though my O-A predated the rules Immigration still require proof of medical insurance insurance.

 

I “ummed and ahhed” about Elite visa but in the end I decided to buy  the medical insurance each year which I pay for out of my yearly budget, rather than giving Elite visa team 500,000 from my 800,000 Immigration savings. At least, if I catch dengue or malaria or even Covid, I can get good hospital treatment.
 

For me, 500,000 for 5 year visa is expensive. At the end of the 5 years, you need a new Elite visa, or alternatively an extension of stay, and you no longer have 500,000 in your bank account. 5 years soon goes by and then you’re back at square one.

 

If I had the spare cash, then maybe 1,000,000 for 20 year visa is a possibility. The strange thing is though that they only give you the visa as sticky label for your passport, in blocks of 5 years. That kind of worries me that they could at some point in the future decide to change their rules so you don’t qualify for all 20 years even though you’ve paid 1,000,000 up front.
 

However, the future for the next 12 months, let alone 20 years, are so uncertain, especially with exchange rates and home country, and indeed Thailand, financial stability.

 

Finally, I feel the Immigration rules need changing. One of the reasons for proving 800,000 savings is to show that you can afford to live in Thailand. Probably the biggest threat to your financial stability is medical bills, which can be astronomical if operations and hospital stay are required. If however, you have shown Immigration that you have  a good quality medical insurance (and I don’t mean the cheap Charlie ones of 13,000 or whatever) then you shouldn’t have to prove your financial savings to Immigration.

 

 

[biatch0]

3 minutes ago, Ginger Tea said:

Well I guess the advantages are two fold: you don’t have to show your financial records to Immigration; and you don’t have to show your medical insurance certificate.

Although technically you just did show your financial records indirectly by having THB 500,000 available to spend on "convenience" ????

[jacko45k]

Oops wrong thread.

Edited September 7, 2020 by jacko45k

[FlyingThai]

17 minutes ago, Ginger Tea said:

If I had the spare cash, then maybe 1,000,000 for 20 year visa is a possibility. The strange thing is though that they only give you the visa as sticky label for your passport, in blocks of 5 years. That kind of worries me that they could at some point in the future decide to change their rules so you don’t qualify for all 20 years even though you’ve paid 1,000,000 up front.

 

However, the future for the next 12 months, let alone 20 years, are so uncertain, especially with exchange rates and home country, and indeed Thailand, financial stability.

 

Finally, I feel the Immigration rules need changing. One of the reasons for proving 800,000 savings is to show that you can afford to live in Thailand. Probably the biggest threat to your financial stability is medical bills, which can be astronomical if operations and hospital stay are required. If however, you have shown Immigration that you have  a good quality medical insurance (and I don’t mean the cheap Charlie ones of 13,000 or whatever) then you shouldn’t have to prove your financial savings to Immigration.

 

1) The 1M/20Y option is definitely a better "bang per buck" if you want to stay long term in the Kingdom. You will always qualify and that's certain as you have a contract with Thailand Elite which is a government program under the Ministry of Tourism & Sports. The contract also says that members will receive refunds should the program be cancelled for any reason.

 

2) You can't predict the economic or political situation in any country. That being said the worldwide financial markets are way overdue for a recession based on historical data FWIW.

 

3) There are many things that - from a practical and logical perspective - need change in Thailand (as in any other country). However TIT and I wouldn't expect this to happen anytime soon. Furthermore a medical insurance isn't a guarantee for someone not to end up destitute in Thailand especially if the premium is paid monthly. Is there an insurance against making bad decisions with your savings? No it isn't. Most of the Thai Horror Stories aren't about medical debt but a combination of things. The majority involve women, alcohol, crime, dodgy investments and yes - bad health as well.

 

IF you really want to stay in Thailand until your last days then I'd decide for the 20 years basic Elite Visa, take the 800k in the retirement account and pay whatever difference you feel comfortable with either cash or take out a short term loan/credit card. It shouldn't take all too long to pay back such a small amount but you'd be forever free from Thai immigration shenanigans.

 

Yes you would have to do the 1,900 Baht annual extensions but let's be honest: Are you planning to NEVER leave the country at least once a year? There are a bunch of countries around here even if you don't go back to your home country or overseas.

Edited September 7, 2020 by FlyingThai
Addition

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

Thai Visa have just confirmed by email as follows:

 

We are writing to inform that under immigration regulation, Thailand Elite Members are required to go to immigration to extend visa every year with usual fee of 1,900 baht.

 

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

29 minutes ago, Ginger Tea said:

don’t have to show your medical insurance certificate

There is no insurance certificate required to extend a Non-Imm "O" Visa, only an "O-A" Visa.

[FlyingThai]

Just now, Raphael Hythlodaeus said:

Thai Visa have just confirmed by email as follows:

 

We are writing to inform that under immigration regulation, Thailand Elite Members are required to go to immigration to extend visa every year with usual fee of 1,900 baht.

 

Yes. IF you never leave the country. Is that a realistic scenario? Otherwise you get a new 1 year stamp into your passport even after a quick border crossing.

 

But even if you do the 1,900 Baht extension lets say at CW, Thailand Elite has a liaison officer there and you'll be in/out within 30 minutes.

[DrTuner]

It's just a glorified tourist visa. I have it and I used to leave the country every 2-3 months for trips, so never did an extension. Upon returning you get a one year permit stamp. It's convenient in as you get whisked through the immigration and you bags picked by the elite staff. But very overpriced for what it is. I got it because I couldn't stand the face of the IO doing the marriage extensions and her inane ever changing requirements anymore. 

 

Would I recommend it as a long term solution? No, it's a stop-gap for under 50's or a perk for frequent travellers. 

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

3 minutes ago, FlyingThai said:

But even if you do the 1,900 Baht extension lets say at CW, Thailand Elite has a liaison officer there and you'll be in/out within 30 minutes.

Yes, but I avoid Chaeng Wattana because of this. Last visa extension at my local IO took less than 30-minutes without any "liaison officer."

[jacko45k]

6 minutes ago, Raphael Hythlodaeus said:

There is no insurance certificate required to extend a Non-Imm "O" Visa, only an "O-A" Visa.

Based on retirement....

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

2 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Would I recommend it as a long term solution? No, it's a stop-gap for under 50's or a perk for frequent travellers.

Thanks for this comment from a Thai Visa member. My thoughts exactly. For over 50s and non-frequent travelers (like me), there seems no real advantage, even though I have funds to pay for it.

On the rare occasions I leave/enter Thailand, I use the dedicated channel for the over 70s. Last year bypassed the long queues and whisked through Immigration in less than 5-minutes.

[FlyingThai]

2 minutes ago, Raphael Hythlodaeus said:

Thanks for this comment from a Thai Visa member. My thoughts exactly. For over 50s and non-frequent travelers (like me), there seems no real advantage, even though I have funds to pay for it.

On the rare occasions I leave/enter Thailand, I use the dedicated channel for the over 70s. Last year bypassed the long queues and whisked through Immigration in less than 5-minutes.

If you get the cheap 20 year visa option it doesn't really matter if you travel frequently or not because that package doesn't include the Limousine transfers etc.

 

May I ask how old you are right now? If you're 70+ then it indeed makes very little sense to buy a 20 year Thailand Elite visa.

 

Likewise it'll likely not be as easy to keep staying in Thailand as you get into high age or fall seriously ill. Unless you have a prepaid personal nurse at your disposal which is definitely much more affordable than in the western world.

[FlyingThai]

16 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

It's just a glorified tourist visa. I have it and I used to leave the country every 2-3 months for trips, so never did an extension. Upon returning you get a one year permit stamp. It's convenient in as you get whisked through the immigration and you bags picked by the elite staff. But very overpriced for what it is. I got it because I couldn't stand the face of the IO doing the marriage extensions and her inane ever changing requirements anymore. 

 

Would I recommend it as a long term solution? No, it's a stop-gap for under 50's or a perk for frequent travellers. 

Well a tourist visa doesn't allow you to stay one year at a time, let alone legally. I get your point and agree - if you have the opportunity to do one trip per month and get new tourist visa exempts then it's indeed money out the door for nothing. I did that a few years following my graduation from a local university. But after getting two snarky comments and a questioning from IO's even when using the Priority Lane at BKK I decided to put a stop to it before being denied entry some day.

 

I'm not married and neither do I plan to get married in Thailand. I'm also far from retirement age so my situation might be different but being a numbers guy in finance I can't see the advantage of jiggling 800k and paperwork around year after year just to satisfy Thai immigration officials. I left my country to get away from all the government BS and not to enhance my frustration even more.

[silver sea]

35 minutes ago, Raphael Hythlodaeus said:There is no insurance certificate required to extend a Non-Imm "O" Visa, only an "O-A" Visa.

... and also an extension of stay, and future applications, which flow from an O-A, including O-As which predate the change of rules.

 

My own feeling is still that 500,000 for a 5 year visa is too much to pay, and verges on a scam, and as you have said yourself you still need to pay 1900 each year and do 90 day report. The 20 year visa is more tempting, but things are too uncertain, as explained in my earlier pist.

 

This is an elite visa thread which you may find interesting which shows what happens if you don’t exit each year and omit to pay Immigration 1900 for permission to stay another year. This poor fellow got himself into all sorts of trouble with his 5 year Elite visa, and sadly, some ThaiVisa readers were not very sympathetic.

 

Anyway, good luck with your final decision????

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2020 by silver sea

[Captain Monday]

20 minutes ago, Raphael Hythlodaeus said:

Thanks for this comment from a Thai Visa member. My thoughts exactly. For over 50s and non-frequent travelers (like me), there seems no real advantage, even though I have funds to pay for it.

On the rare occasions I leave/enter Thailand, I use the dedicated channel for the over 70s. Last year bypassed the long queues and whisked through Immigration in less than 5-minutes.

Good for you. Watch this space, how is your health insurance looking>$100,000 USD Covid covered? The epidemic is just the thin edge of the wedge. No foreigners will be tolerated to stay here soon without expensive (and redundant Thai insurance) policies. Will they be allowable for over 70s? Elite membership will possibly your last chance. Do you have a plan B?

[FlyingThai]

32 minutes ago, silver sea said:

... My own feeling is still that 500,000 for a 5 year visa is too much to pay, and verges on a scam, and as you have said yourself you still need to pay 1900 each year and do 90 day report. The 20 year visa is more tempting, but things are too uncertain, as explained in my earlier pist.

 

This is an elite visa thread which you may find interesting which shows what happens if you don’t exit each year and omit to pay Immigration 1900 for permission to stay another year. This poor fellow got himself into all sorts of trouble with his 5 year Elite visa, and sadly, some ThaiVisa readers were not very sympathetic.

The definition of a scam is that one party defrauds or alters an agreement that is unknown to the other party participating in a transaction. That is clearly not the case when it comes to Thailand Elite. The terms & conditions as well as the costs are clearly outlined in the contract.

 

As far as that thread with the "poor fellow" goes who got himself entangled in an overstay situation, that's what happens if you don't understand what you're buying and don't read the brochure either. It was his responsibility to initiate the one year extension.

[BritManToo]

Just now, FlyingThai said:

The definition of a scam is that one party defrauds or alters an agreement that is unknown to the other party participating in a transaction. That is clearly not the case when it comes to Thailand Elite. The terms & conditions as well as the costs are clearly outlined in the contract.

 

One assumes letting you into the country would be on their side of the contract.

But apparently it wasn't.

[FlyingThai]

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

One assumes letting you into the country would be on their side of the contract.

But apparently it wasn't.

He was already in the country but didn't follow the rules for extending his stay, overstaying his initial 1 year stamp by more than half a year.

 

Thailand Elite isn't a permit to ignore immigration laws and the company isn't obliged to babysit their members. You can still get banned for breaking the law.

 

I do wonder though why they or the IO didn't notify the member after the first 90 days beyond expiration? Probably the IO who did the report didn't notice it!?

Edited September 7, 2020 by FlyingThai

[JTXR]

I tend to think any insurance-related benefit from Thai Elite (even for NonOA extension folks) is possibly overblown. 

 

Remember the TB 400K requirement was just dropped on NonOA folks suddenly, out of the blue, and only recently.  Now that Thailand has started requiring US$ 100K cover during the pandemic, it is quite possible that at least US$ 100K cover will become the default requirement in future, and there's no reason Thai authorities couldn't require it of all foreigners, including tourist visas, NonO, NonB, Thai Elite, etc.  Short-term travel insurance of US$ 100K can be affordable.  Long-term coverage at that level, for older folks, could be way out of reach.

[FlyingThai]

2 hours ago, JTXR said:

I tend to think any insurance-related benefit from Thai Elite (even for NonOA extension folks) is possibly overblown.

What insurance benefit? You mean the "advantage" that you don't have to show a health insurance policy/coverage in order to get your visa?

 

While that sounds great on paper it can quickly backfire because people think they're invincible and just skip over it. Especially as you get older that's obviously a false approach. Insurance premium is a pittance compared to one single hospital visit for a serious illness every 5 years.

 

But as you say, if you come to Thailand (or anywhere else) as an old geezer then it might be hard to impossible to find an insurance that will accept you. It's hard enough even as a relatively young person as soon as you have any pre-existing conditions. For example if you admit on the application to having diabetes most insurances in Thailand will deny you flat out.

[Tounge Thaied]

At present, IMO, the Elite Visa has one redeeming quality, the option for those who want to retire without the health insurance requirement necessity. As I understand it, as you approach 75, currently you cannot get health insurance. So those who are not married to a Thai, and live in Thailand on the retirement VISA, it may be necessary to go ELITE to even stay in Thailand. 

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

19 hours ago, FlyingThai said:

If you get the cheap 20 year visa option it doesn't really matter if you travel frequently or not because that package doesn't include the Limousine transfers etc.

 

May I ask how old you are right now? If you're 70+ then it indeed makes very little sense to buy a 20 year Thailand Elite visa.

 

Likewise it'll likely not be as easy to keep staying in Thailand as you get into high age or fall seriously ill. Unless you have a prepaid personal nurse at your disposal which is definitely much more affordable than in the western world.

Yes, I am 70+ so I don't think that the Thailand Elite Visa has any advantages, particularly as I still have to go to an IO every year and apply for an extension and pay 1,900 baht. Being lazy, that's what I wished to avoid.

 

I do have a "prepaid personal nurse" -- it's called the wife. Unless she runs off with the milkman.

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

18 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Do you have a plan B

Yes, leave Thailand and take my substantial investments here with me !!

[Raphael Hythlodaeus]

10 hours ago, Tounge Thaied said:

At present, IMO, the Elite Visa has one redeeming quality, the option for those who want to retire without the health insurance requirement necessity. As I understand it, as you approach 75, currently you cannot get health insurance. So those who are not married to a Thai, and live in Thailand on the retirement VISA, it may be necessary to go ELITE to even stay in Thailand. 

I agree, but since the rules are constantly changing, I will stick to my Non-Imm "O" Visa extensions based on retirement. Marriage extensions as a backup but more hassle. ELITE Visa if they do as you suggest. At my age (74) there's no chance of health insurance at a reasonable cost. Go somewhere else if all else fails -- I really like Zimbabwe despite the economic situation there.