Hi all.

 

I am trying to get to Thailand from Germany sometime around the middle of February. I am considering the Elite Easy Access 5-year, and the Non-Immigrant O-A.  Long-term plan is to live there 8 months per year, 4-5 months in country at a time.  I'm 50 and American and I can afford the Elite.

 

The Non-OA seems like the straighter path, but it requires jumping through a couple hoops on the German end, and I live in Berlin, where official appointments for even a dirty look take at least a month to book.  Plus the city's on lockdown indefinitely.

 

So I was wondering if anybody here knows what the realistic turnaround time from application to COE is with the Elite, assuming you apply outside Thailand.  I haven't found much info on the Embassy web sites other than that they can't help you until they hear from Bangkok.

 

Also, would it be possible to enter on Visa Exempt and then get the Elite in Thailand?  Or is that not allowed (or risky)?

 

I'm in the US now and will be back in Germany late January, so in principle I could start the Elite process now and maybe have approval before I even get back.  But what happens then?

 

Thanks in advance!
 

The first step for a Elite visa is to apply for it and that can be done online here. https://www.thailandelite.com/#/

Not sure how long it is taking now but the longest wait would be approval of your application.

It should be possible to have one issued after entering visa exempt. You would need to the application first to be sure it can be issued before the 45 days visa exempt and the 30 day extension ends.

Getting the OA visa is another option. I think the application may be done by mail and the certificate of entry is applied for online. The difficult part might be getting the police background check.

I assume you are a legal resident of Germany that would be required to apply for the OA visa there.

I came in from Germany on an Australian passport with a new Elite Visa.

 

A few tips.

 - Buffer a lot of time, you need to first apply for the membership, then pay, then apply for MFA approval to enter, then apply to get the visa put in your passport, then COE. The whole process takes about 3 months.

 

 - The embassies/consulates have emergency numbers for express processing. This won't help with MFA approval or Thailand Elite's initial approval but you can use them to expedite affixing the visa and COE application. Berlin organised visa affixing within a day's notice (drove Munich to Berlin and back in a day ????). Frankfurt was able to get the COE approved in time for me too. Be very nice to them and they'll help you out.

 - If you can enter on another visa and switch, do this. It'll be easier.

 

Thank you, that's very helpful!

 

Yes, the police report is the main blocker.  (I am a US citizen and a legal resident of Germany.) I have an appointment for Jan 28th but, it being Berlin, that doesn't guarantee that anything will actually happen that day.  As a dirty foreigner I'm not allowed to do it online.  The other potential delay is getting an appointment at the Embassy, but from what wprime says it sounds like that will be OK if I ask for an appointment once everything is ready.  In Berlin they don't process anything by mail; in Los Angeles they *only* process things by mail. 

 

Are there other visas I could get in-country if I arrived visa exempt, that would either get me six months or enough time to get the Elite stamped in Thailand?  I would need to leave Thailand for a while in July anyway, but not before.

I don't mind paying agents, my goals are pretty straightforward: go in Feb, leave in July, return by October with a longer-term stable visa set up by then.  I can live without setting up a local bank account or getting a driving license before returning in the Fall.

 

Again, thanks for the advice.  I quite like the idea of entering on visa exempt and then converting, but I don't like the idea of having to return within, I guess, 75 days if it doesn't work.  Bangkok might still be in lockdown by then!
 

5 hours ago, FalangTingTong said:

Are there other visas I could get in-country if I arrived visa exempt, that would either get me six months or enough time to get the Elite stamped in Thailand?  I would need to leave Thailand for a while in July anyway, but not before.

You can only get a total stay of about 75 days with a visa exempt entry. If you want to get the Thai elite visa I suggest you do the application now. You do not have to pay anything until about 90 days from when it is approved. The approval should be done long before your stay on a visa exempt entry ends.

5 hours ago, FalangTingTong said:

Are there other visas I could get in-country if I arrived visa exempt, that would either get me six months or enough time to get the Elite stamped in Thailand?

Not sure what extensions might be available in March other than the standard 30 day extension. If extended you might be able to get the special 60 day covid 19 extension that ends on the 29th of this month.

The only visa you could apply for would be non-o visa that will allow a 90 day permit to stay based upon qualifying for a one year extension based upon retirement that would require 800k baht in a Thai bank.

OP, just one person's suggestion.....I would just come visa exempt. As I understand it you would receive 45 day stamp. Extra 15 to cover quarantine period. After that you could obtain 60 day extension (referred to as covid extension), can't see those being unavailable any time soon. If they were you could obtain non O based on volunteering along with 12 month extension. You would an agent for that. I assume you are under 50, if not you could obtain the non o based on retirement.

That's simple and you would not need agent.

 

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I assume you are under 50, if not you could obtain the non o based on retirement.

From the OP.

18 hours ago, FalangTingTong said:

I am considering the Elite Easy Access 5-year, and the Non-Immigrant O-A.

 

15 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

From the OP.

 

Excellent. Missed that.

So OP, enter visa exempt. Subsequently obtain a non O based on retirement.

You may need to obtain more time to set up bank account etc. You could apply for extension to your visa exempt entry or possibly obtain 60 day extension based on covid situation. 

 

Thanks!  Assuming I can get a bank account, I could move 800K THB into Thailand in 30 days I think.  Which does kinda compare favorably to spending 600K on the Elite, though in principle I do like the “set and forget” aspect of the Elite.

 

If I had the 800K and also used an agent I assume the “retirement” version would be painless, right?

25 minutes ago, FalangTingTong said:

If I had the 800K and also used an agent I assume the “retirement” version would be painless, right?

Even without an agent it could be painless.

28 minutes ago, FalangTingTong said:

Thanks!  Assuming I can get a bank account, I could move 800K THB into Thailand in 30 days I think.  Which does kinda compare favorably to spending 600K on the Elite, though in principle I do like the “set and forget” aspect of the Elite.

 

If I had the 800K and also used an agent I assume the “retirement” version would be painless, right?

Very simple process so does require agent for anything. You will apply for your non O based on retirement. You will require 800k in Thai bank in your name only on the day of application. Need to show funds came from o/s. That visa gives you 90 day permission of stay. In last 30 days you will apply for 12 month extension. The 800k needs to be in the bank for min 2months prior to applying for 12 month extension. Easy peasy.

As for being more involved that the elite. It's minimal. If you can afford to just keep the 800k in a dedicated account all year then it's a foolproof way of living in Thailand. Straight forward was of living in Thailand ongoing.