Visa exemption in combination with Thai Elite?

[mike3994]

Hello,

 

I'm a UK citizen but live in mainland Europe. I've been wanting to go back to Thailand for some time (like many people), but have been trying to avoid as much of the visa and travel hassles and stresses as possible.

 

Today I read that you can now enter Thailand on a normal visa exemption and they will give you an additional 15 days to cover the quarantine, so 45 days visa free, assuming you hold a passport from the list of supported countries (which the UK is thankfully part of).

 

My question is as follows...

 

Would it be viable to get an Elite Visa whilst in Thailand on that 30 day visa free period? Or is that just too risky? Has anyone here done so?

 

The logical solution would be to get an STV, but I just don't want to go through that. The women who works at the Thai embassy in this country is a complete nightmare. There's literally hundreds of negative Google reviews specifically about her and how hard she makes everything, so I can only imagine what hell it would be trying to get approved for an STV with her during this difficult time, especially as a non-citizen of this country

 

Thanks for reading

[DrJack54]

You can obtain a PE visa in UK. 

My understanding is that you will be dealing with company that handles that and not Thai consulate. Could be wrong. 

Also folk will be along to advise if PE can be obtained after you enter visa exempt.

My guess is to apply prior to enter Thailand.

Good luck

[mike3994]

Going back to the UK right now to obtain any visa is out the question. I'd have to do a quarantine and go through all sorts of stuff. I'm not doing 2 quarantines to get to Thailand. 1 is already enough.

 

And I know 100% you can apply for the Thai Elite once in Thailand, it's even on their official site. My question was in relation to it being possible (or too risky) within a 30 day window. And I was wondering if someone had experience with that specifically

 

Thanks

[BritTim]

You can initiate the application for the Thailand Elite visa before entering Thailand. Even if you have been accepted as a member, you could still elect to enter Thailand visa exempt. After leaving quarantine, you simply pay for the Thailand Elite membership, and have the Thailand Elite visa affixed to your passport at Chaengwattana.

 

It is very likely that you could complete the Thailand Elite process when starting the application process on arrival in Thailand with the help of the 30-day extension you can get on the visa exempt. However, it seems to me unnecessary to take that risk.

[DrJack54]

OP, currently the 60 day covid extensions are available till end of March. Almost for certain that will be extended. 

Imm may want you to apply for a 30 day extension to your visa exempt entry. After that thinking you could obtain covid extension and during all of this apply for PE.

Also as BritTim points out you could get ball rolling now.

Good luck.

[mike3994]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

You can initiate the application for the Thailand Elite visa before entering Thailand. Even if you have been accepted as a member, you could still elect to enter Thailand visa exempt. After leaving quarantine, you simply pay for the Thailand Elite membership, and have the Thailand Elite visa affixed to your passport at Chaengwattana.

 

It is very likely that you could complete the Thailand Elite process when starting the application process on arrival in Thailand with the help of the 30-day extension you can get on the visa exempt. However, it seems to me unnecessary to take that risk.

 

Thanks for the info. This was actually my initial idea (to start the process before leaving to Thailand), but I saw this on their application form: https://i.imgur.com/ui2geuA.png

 

The part about asking when my arrival stamp was permitted to got me worried. Guess I'll contact them directly and clarify that, as it might just be some default value that's not a requirement.

 

You also mentioned a 30 day extension on the visa exempt entry... Do you know if that would still apply given they are already handing people a 15 day extension on the 30 days (to cover the quarantine). So essentially it would become a 75 day visa exemption? That seems a little high to me

[mike3994]

1 hour ago, DrJack54 said:

OP, currently the 60 day covid extensions are available till end of March. Almost for certain that will be extended. 

Imm may want you to apply for a 30 day extension to your visa exempt entry. After that thinking you could obtain covid extension and during all of this apply for PE.

Also as BritTim points out you could get ball rolling now.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the replies. Yes if that's possible (the extra 30 days on the exempt visa entry), then no question I'd just apply for the Thai Elite whilst in Thailand. From what I understand it's far easier to obtain if you are within the country, especially during these times and 2 months would be more than enough

[FalangTingTong]

I had considered the same route.  My impression from the official company was it’d be a stretch, probably could work but might cut it uncomfortably close considering the quarantine requirement if you have to leave and re-enter.

 

However an agent told me that they can get it done faster.  The implication being that if someone outside the official company is getting a cut, that person is motivated to do whatever follow up makes it go faster.  I have no idea if it’s true but it seems plausible and you might want to contact a couple agents.

 

I ended up choosing another route for now as I’m 50.  Good luck with it!

[Salerno]

3 hours ago, mike3994 said:

You also mentioned a 30 day extension on the visa exempt entry... Do you know if that would still apply given they are already handing people a 15 day extension on the 30 days (to cover the quarantine).

 

Yes.

[mike3994]

So yeah the tourist visa exemption is definitely extendable. You're given a 45 day one (15 days extra to cover the quarantine and 30 days normal visa exemption). That can be extended for another 30 days, giving you effectively 75 days total within Thailand, one way or another. Images on the consular services page confirm as such: https://i.imgur.com/YbYGlau.png

 

The problem now is I've been reading that you have to have been in Thailand for 30 days before you can get your Thai Elite visa (if you're getting it whilst in Thailand). No clue why, but apparently that's the rule. I've sent an email to both Siam Legal and the official Thai Elite website regarding this, so hopefully that will get clarified.

 

Also worth noting it's not possible to enter Thailand on an STV and then convert to Thai Elite. Again no idea why, but that's how they want it.

 

Whilst I'm grateful Thailand is at least offering options (many countries are not), it's bizarre to me why they would make it harder to obtain an Elite Visa, which people are paying a minimum of $20,000 for, compared to just entering on a tourist visa exemption or even STV. Very strange way of doing things

[mike3994]

Here's the official announcement that you cannot convert an STV to Thai Elite: https://www.thailandelite.com/tpc-news/detail/142

 

"please be advised that, once approved, the STV cannot be converted to any other type of visa over the course of your permitted 90-day stay period in the Kingdom"

 

It's almost like a puzzle trying to figure out all this stuff. Hopefully this thread can  help someone else out too, as there just seems to be so much confusing and conflicting information from everywhere

[ukrules]

Apply and join first.

 

Enter the country and then get the visa affixed, they used to do this at the airport but once you've completed quarantine I see no reason why you can't head to Chaeng Wattana for visa insertion now they've halted visa insertions on arrival.

 

If in doubt email them and confirm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, mike3994 said:

The problem now is I've been reading that you have to have been in Thailand for 30 days before you can get your Thai Elite visa (if you're getting it whilst in Thailand). No clue why, but apparently that's the rule. I've sent an email to both Siam Legal and the official Thai Elite website regarding this, so hopefully that will get clarified.

Just ignore all that unofficial info. 

Unless it is from Thai Elite ignore it.

You can get a Thai Elite visa issued on the day you get out of quarantine if your application has been approved after entering visa exempt.

[mike3994]

Awesome, thanks guys. That definitely seems the way. Become a member of Thai Elite before traveling (from what I can tell it takes about a month to get approved, which is fine since I wanted to travel in May) and then enter Thailand on the visa exemption with as little hassle as possible. Then once quarantine is over go and get the actual Thai Elite visa in Bangkok whilst on the 30 day visa exemption.

 

Seems like the easiest approach given all the insanity at the moment. Thanks again for the help