possible to get a 1 year tourist visa ?

[changthenomad]

Hi, 

i want to stay in Thailand for atleast a year 

Whichever tourist visa can I apply for ? 

Can I apply from inside Thailand ? 

Cost ? What’s needed ?

thank you ka 

[aussiexpat]

Google Thai embassy in the country you have residence in. They have all the options but one year tourist visa is not one of them.

 

ASpecial Tourist Visa (STV) is for 9 months with lots of requirements. Unless you're 50+ or married to a Thai, an STV or 60 day tourist visa extendable by 30 days is likely to be your longest visa stay

[changthenomad]

7 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Google Thai embassy in the country you have residence in. They have all the options but one year tourist visa is not one of them.

 

ASpecial Tourist Visa (STV) is for 9 months with lots of requirements. Unless you're 50+ or married to a Thai, an STV or 60 day tourist visa extendable by 30 days is likely to be your longest visa stay

I’m in Thailand for 90 days already

entered with 30 day exemption, 2 extension 

What can I do for STV ?

What is The maximum amount of times I can extend ?

[aussiexpat]

6 minutes ago, changthenomad said:

I’m in Thailand for 90 days already

entered with 30 day exemption, 2 extension 

What can I do for STV ?

What is The maximum amount of times I can extend ?

30 day visa exempt only allows one 30 day extension so not sure how you got two unless a 60 day covid extension?

 

STV also is not possible to get when already in Thailand

[Greenwich Boy]

6 minutes ago, changthenomad said:

I’m in Thailand for 90 days already

entered with 30 day exemption, 2 extension 

What can I do for STV ?

What is The maximum amount of times I can extend ?

You can only get a STV from your home country.

Assuming you are on covid exts check your crystal ball for how many more will be available. Current deadline 25th March.

Depending on your circumstances you could convert to Education, marriage or retirement others will know more about that.

[Captain Monday]

Apply to the Thailand Elite program.

[DrJack54]

OP, are you 50+ or 

Married to a Thai?

 

Edited February 17, 2022 by DrJack54

[DoneTravelling]

I never understand why people come on these forums asking such questions. If they are in Thailand just go to immigration or an immigration agent and get a formal answer.

Edited February 17, 2022 by DoneTravelling
Spelling

[DrJack54]

24 minutes ago, DoneTravelling said:

I never understand why people come on these forums asking such questions. If they are in Thailand just go to immigration or an immigration agent and get a formal answer.

You will obtain little or no information from immigration.

An agent will point you in direction that requires his services.

Naive post. 

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

(...) ASpecial Tourist Visa (STV) is for 9 months with lots of requirements. Unless you're 50+ or married to a Thai, an STV or 60 day tourist visa extendable by 30 days is likely to be your longest visa stay

So, this is the equivalent to the pre-Covid METV?

[BritTim]

4 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

So, this is the equivalent to the pre-Covid METV?

No. The STV is extended in Thailand wit no need to leave and re-enter Thailand to prolong your stay. If desired, you can probably get an METV now, but making use of it for extended stays in Thailand is problematic.

 

Unless wealthy (in which case consider Thailand Elite) or aged over 50, there are only flawed solutions.

[Lite Beer]

1 hour ago, DoneTravelling said:

I never understand why people come on these forums asking such questions. If they are in Thailand just go to immigration or an immigration agent and get a formal answer.

Yep. They don't bite and are usually very helpful.

That is why they are there.

[connda]

Until the borders open up and the "emergency restrictions" dropped, the days of border runs is pretty much "old normal" and a thing of the past.

[connda]

50 minutes ago, BritTim said:

No. The STV is extended in Thailand wit no need to leave and re-enter Thailand to prolong your stay. If desired, you can probably get an METV now, but making use of it for extended stays in Thailand is problematic.

 

Unless wealthy (in which case consider Thailand Elite) or aged over 50, there are only flawed solutions.

Or a yearly donation of 25K+ THB to your favorite agent. 

[BritTim]

55 minutes ago, connda said:

Or a yearly donation of 25K+ THB to your favorite agent. 

Right now, if you are aged under 50, you will be very lucky to find an agent who can give you a solution allowing a one-year stay for 25K. Some agents will not even give you a quote. The best bet is probably a Non Ed visa and extension, but no guarantees.

[EVENKEEL]

3 hours ago, DoneTravelling said:

I never understand why people come on these forums asking such questions. If they are in Thailand just go to immigration or an immigration agent and get a formal answer.

I take it you've never tried just going to immigration to ask questions.  ????

[Searat7]

I am hoping that the METV will become an option again as more borders open to neighboring countries. It is still listed on some Thai embassy websites but the ones I checked show the same 60/30 days you would get with an SETV. 

[Lite Beer]

10 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

I take it you've never tried just going to immigration to ask questions.  ????

Yes, No problem.

[BritTim]

17 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

I am hoping that the METV will become an option again as more borders open to neighboring countries. It is still listed on some Thai embassy websites but the ones I checked show the same 60/30 days you would get with an SETV. 

That is the way the METV works. You can enter Thailand multiple times using the visa, but the permission to stay that you receive each time is the same as when you enter with a single entry tourist visa. Another option at the current time is the STV (special tourist visa) which allows you an initial 90-day stay, and the ability to extend twice by 90 days each time without leaving Thailand. You should not use the STV if planning to apply for a "conversion" Non Immigrant visa at immigration in Thailand.

[Searat7]

As I remember the METV before Covid you could have three sixty day stays, each extendable by 30 days so theoretically you could stay up to 9 months but would have to leave the country twice to do this . This is why it was not available for some time during Covid. I just rechecked website for Washington and it says one 60 day visit only along with one 30 day extension.

[shdmn]

15 hours ago, DoneTravelling said:

I never understand why people come on these forums asking such questions. If they are in Thailand just go to immigration or an immigration agent and get a formal answer.

Because this site used to be called ThaiVisa until very recently.  

Edited February 18, 2022 by shdmn

[ubonjoe]

11 minutes ago, Searat7 said:

I just rechecked website for Washington and it says one 60 day visit only along with one 30 day extension.

I found it on the Thai embassy website. https://thaiembdc.org/2021/05/13/metv/

[ifmu]

IF your from usa         

https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/visa/

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, ifmu said:

IF your from usa         

https://thaiconsulatela.org/en/visa/

And you are living within the region of the US that the LA Consulate is responsible for.

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Apply to the Thailand Elite program.

Yes, if you are that rich you can afford to just give away millions of Baht.

[NoshowJones]

16 hours ago, DoneTravelling said:

I never understand why people come on these forums asking such questions. If they are in Thailand just go to immigration or an immigration agent and get a formal answer.

Nonsense, you will get the proper information from the likes of DrJack54 and UbonJoe, not like IOs where different offices will give you different answers.

[Rimmer]

An off topic post has been removed

[LivinLOS]

The way the question is asked implies you dont yet know the lie of the land in visa 'solutions'. 

For now you can likely continue to get ongoing covid extensions due to an 'inability to travel' but these are going to be case by case, end at some stage, and are hence always a worry and not stress free. 

If your not over 50 or married to a Thai (or working here, joining the monkhood or other such classes) you start running out of legal options fast. 

You can pay 500k for a 5 year elite visa... Its actually not a terrible deal but you need to be sure your staying long term.. 

 

If your working and earning online you could go totally legal and pay Thai taxes etc via a BOI registered umbrella payroll (eg shelter sponsoredworkpermit etc) but this then means you need to pay real taxes, if you earn anything worthwhile (and you have to to qualify) you end up paying a fair amount for the legality. Lots more than an elite visa but you are then fully legal to work. 

In your situation people often start learning Thai, really or half assed for the visa, to get an ED visa extension 90 days at a time. 
People (in chiang mai) also get the military assisted 'self defense school' visa for hand to hand combat lessons. Amazing what money spinners pop up for the army once the junta takes control huh ??

People also pay agents to assist in obtaining volunteer visas, dodgy but happens.. 
 

[Inala]

On 2/20/2022 at 9:47 AM, LivinLOS said:

The way the question is asked implies you dont yet know the lie of the land in visa 'solutions'. 

For now you can likely continue to get ongoing covid extensions due to an 'inability to travel' but these are going to be case by case, end at some stage, and are hence always a worry and not stress free. 

If your not over 50 or married to a Thai (or working here, joining the monkhood or other such classes) you start running out of legal options fast. 

You can pay 500k for a 5 year elite visa... Its actually not a terrible deal but you need to be sure your staying long term.. 

 

If your working and earning online you could go totally legal and pay Thai taxes etc via a BOI registered umbrella payroll (eg shelter sponsoredworkpermit etc) but this then means you need to pay real taxes, if you earn anything worthwhile (and you have to to qualify) you end up paying a fair amount for the legality. Lots more than an elite visa but you are then fully legal to work. 

In your situation people often start learning Thai, really or half assed for the visa, to get an ED visa extension 90 days at a time. 
People (in chiang mai) also get the military assisted 'self defense school' visa for hand to hand combat lessons. Amazing what money spinners pop up for the army once the junta takes control huh ??

People also pay agents to assist in obtaining volunteer visas, dodgy but happens.. 
 

I checked the Thai Elite site, I think that 5 year must be 600k now? I couldn't find anything for 500k? 

[LivinLOS]

On 2/21/2022 at 9:44 AM, Inala said:

I checked the Thai Elite site, I think that 5 year must be 600k now? I couldn't find anything for 500k? 

ahh yes.. prices rise.. sorry