On 4/19/2022 at 2:17 PM, possum1931 said:

 

These retirees should be encouraged, and not put through all the nonsense like being treated with having to report every 90 days like a prisoner on parole.

Possum:  I truly agree with you about the 90-day address report. 

 

I remember, when I was living in a northeast Thailand provincial town during the early 1970s, the local merchants of Vietnamese heritage had to report at the local police station every 90 days  -- regardless of their political affiliation.

 

I guess my point was that OP should not try to wing it, especially at this time. 

 

Immo (and the country in general) seems to be gravitating to a higher-income level of tourist and aspiring resident.

 

In my view, the fairest thing is to give us long-term expats a path to (dual) citizenship so we could be here legitimately on a long-term basis without all the pins and needles.

 

 

Thanks everyone for your input, there's definitely a few different options to choose from.

 

I'm 48 so maybe not worth paying 600,000 baht for the 5 year Visa Elite to cover less than 2 years until 50 (although it does sound the least hassle option).

 

With the METV is the following correct? 'the METV allows you to stay for a maximum period of about 9 months (6 months + 60 days as a last entry + 30 days extension)'. When leaving Thailand every 60 days can this just be via border a crossing or does it have to be an international flight? Also i assume you can't apply for another METV as soon as the previous one has expired?

 

I like the idea of the ED visa as i'd love to learn to speak more Thai. 

 

The Marriage visa is an option as i was planning to do this after i had settled in Thailand after 50, how does this option work? Do you have to be married for a certain period of time before applying for a marriage visa?

If only two years left till 50.

 

I would get a special tourist visa which will give you 9 months roughly if you extend it correctly.

Then a 90+30 tourist visa from Penang which should be open by then.

Then a edu visa to take you well over the 50 mark.

 

Do not under any circumstances try to do the other way around. Edu visa followed by tourist visas, it can lead to issues

 

35 minutes ago, EscapetheUK said:

With the METV is the following correct? 'the METV allows you to stay for a maximum period of about 9 months (6 months + 60 days as a last entry + 30 days extension)'. When leaving Thailand every 60 days can this just be via border a crossing or does it have to be an international flight? Also i assume you can't apply for another METV as soon as the previous one has expired?

With METV every entry grants 60 day stay. Each entry you can obtain a 30 day extension.

The exit reenter can be via land border or air. 

Would not recommend Bach to back METV. 

After exhaust the 9 months you could use border exempt entries and extend each. 

You are allowed 2 visa exempt per calendar year. 

9+4 months is doable. 

7 hours ago, EscapetheUK said:

Thanks everyone for your input, there's definitely a few different options to choose from.

 

I'm 48 so maybe not worth paying 600,000 baht for the 5 year Visa Elite to cover less than 2 years until 50 (although it does sound the least hassle option).

 

With the METV is the following correct? 'the METV allows you to stay for a maximum period of about 9 months (6 months + 60 days as a last entry + 30 days extension)'. When leaving Thailand every 60 days can this just be via border a crossing or does it have to be an international flight? Also i assume you can't apply for another METV as soon as the previous one has expired?

 

I like the idea of the ED visa as i'd love to learn to speak more Thai. 

 

The Marriage visa is an option as i was planning to do this after i had settled in Thailand after 50, how does this option work? Do you have to be married for a certain period of time before applying for a marriage visa?

For a few years i did METVs, on one occasion it was back to back, once the approx 8.5 months was up i flew back to UK for a short holiday got a new METV and back to Thailand, a small risk of customs making a fuss but never happened to me