Options for new visa? In my mid 30s...

[BKKrunaway]

Hi all,

 

I have been in LOS for about 10 years on all sorts of visas.

 

I have a little business overseas that I focus on from here and cannot take up a full time job in Thailand.

 

Up until recently I had a really sweet deal with a school in my area where I come in to teach 1 day per week and they give me a Non-B and Work Permit.

 

Unfortunately for me (fortunately for them) the school has grown and they need another full time teacher so at the end of this semester I will be asked to leave so that my slot can be allocated to a foreigner who is willing to come in every day.

 

I'm not married (this may change in a year or two though) and have no immediate family in Thailand. 

 

I need a visa to hold me over for a year until this LTR visa or marriage becomes a reality.

 

Any recommendations? Remember I am not old enough for a retirement visa yet.

 

Been thinking about a Non-ED or another Non-B + WP (most desirable) if I can find another employer that is as flexible as my current one.

 

As I do travel pretty often, it is helpful to me to show "ties" to Thailand so that I can get visas for other countries (Schengen, UK, etc.) in Thailand instead of having to return to my own country for this.

 

If I want to go to Europe I typically have to show a WP in Thailand (to prove that I will return here) before the VFS office will consider processing a Schengen for me.

 

Thanks all!

[ChaiyaTH]

Get a proper agent and you live here easily as long you want. Expect to pay 30-40K a year for that.

 

Otherwise you will be in the process of wasting a lot money, or buy Elite visa. Or you will be stuck to a child costing even more, or worse, a wife. That is about it.

Edited June 13, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[DrJoy]

Elite visa is the no nonsense visa , if you can afford it.

 

600,000 THB for 5 yrs

Edited June 13, 2022 by DrJoy

[ubonjoe]

A Non-ED visa to attend a school would be a option if you did not travel frequently. Immigration requires proof of your attendance when applying for extensions or in rare cases they can make problem when entering with a re-entry permit.

Another job might be the best option.

Or if you have 600k baht handy you could apply for a 5 year Thai Elite visa that allows unlimited one year entries to the country.

 

 

[BKKrunaway]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

@ChaiyaTH - is there any agent you could recommend?

 

@DrJoy and @ubonjoe - I am looking into the Elite visa and would probably lean towards the 20 year at THB 1 mil, however, this could still prove an issue for me when trying to apply for visas to other countries (particularly to visit my daughter in Europe from time to time) as it does not demonstrate strong ties to Thailand as a Non-B and WP does.

 

I recently had to apply for a visa to Japan and they wanted to see my Thai WP for example.

 

Thanks again.

BKKrunaway ????

Edited June 13, 2022 by BKKrunaway

[Misty]

1 hour ago, BKKrunaway said:

I need a visa to hold me over for a year until this LTR visa or marriage becomes a reality.

 

LTR may be coming sooner than a year - screenshot below is a header from BOI's website - available for application from 1 Sep. Date confirmed by BOI in recent meeting with foreign chambers...

 

 

 

[beau thai]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

A Non-ED visa to attend a school would be a option if you did not travel frequently. Immigration requires proof of your attendance when applying for extensions or in rare cases they can make problem when entering with a re-entry permit.

Another job might be the best option.

Or if you have 600k baht handy you could apply for a 5 year Thai Elite visa that allows unlimited one year entries to the country.

 

 

Joe, you are very experienced in this area. I have a french friend here who is quadraplegic (47), doing a phd  online (using tongue to activate pc/phone) to France. He would like to learn thai and get non ed visa but it would have to be online. Is that possible?

He is concerned that as covid extensions end he will no longer be able to stay in Chiang Mai. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[BKKrunaway]

Hi @ubonjoe and @Misty -

 

I have been been thinking of going on to an METV whilst waiting for the LTR visa to materialise.

 

I see that you can apply for this online nowadays, do you know whether this is possible to do from within Thailand?

 

Furthermore, is there a limitation around which citizens may apply online? I am the holder for a South African passport.

 

Lastly, if online is not an option, are there any embassies in the region which offer METVs to non-residents?

 

The requirements for that visa do not seem to stringent and it seems to be a good option for a 6-9 month period with international travel opening up again.

 

Thanks!

 

BKKrunaway

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, BKKrunaway said:

, are there any embassies in the region which offer METVs to non-residents?

No

[BKKrunaway]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

No

@DrJack54 - FYI, I am currently looking at Colombo (actually gotten a Non-B there before) and Ankara (dealt with their embassy when I needed a repatriation flight back to Thailand).

 

Happy to go further than SEA, so long as I don't need to go back to South Africa.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, BKKrunaway said:

Happy to go further than SEA, so long as I don't need to go back to South Africa.

My understanding re obtaining a METV or some others such as non O-A is that they can only be obtained in your own country or country where you are a permanent resident.

 

Be aware that land borders are more easy now and you have options from Thailand to close by consulates.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

37 minutes ago, BKKrunaway said:

 

I have been been thinking of going on to an METV whilst waiting for the LTR visa to materialise.

You will not be able to apply anywhere for a METV. Only  those from certain countries qualify for one.

 

37 minutes ago, BKKrunaway said:

Furthermore, is there a limitation around which citizens may apply online? I am the holder for a South African passport.

The e visa site is only site at certain embassies and official consulates. I looked at the embassy in Pretoria website and they are not using the e visa site. Also they do not show a METV on their website.

See: https://pretoria.thaiembassy.org/en/page/29707-tourist-visa?menu=5d66366f15e39c2ad0003b2e

[Misty]

2 hours ago, BKKrunaway said:

Hi @ubonjoe and @Misty -

 

I have been been thinking of going on to an METV whilst waiting for the LTR visa to materialise.

 

I see that you can apply for this online nowadays, do you know whether this is possible to do from within Thailand?

 

Furthermore, is there a limitation around which citizens may apply online? I am the holder for a South African passport.

 

Lastly, if online is not an option, are there any embassies in the region which offer METVs to non-residents?

 

The requirements for that visa do not seem to stringent and it seems to be a good option for a 6-9 month period with international travel opening up again.

 

Thanks!

 

BKKrunaway

Hi BKKrunaway, sorry can't help with METV - no experience with that unfortunately.  Been following LTR developments this past year.