What long-term visas are still available now?

[BeerT]

There used to be a lot of long-term visa options for pp under 50 years old, such as volunteer visa, Buddhism visa and Muay Thai visa. 

However, due to the sudden policy change recently, these visas are no longer available and are basically just treated as fraud visa. 

 

In this case, does anyone know if there are still any other long-term visas available for expats / digital nomads under 50 years old (except for the Elite Visa)? 

This is quite confusing. Greatly appreciate if someone can share some experiences. 

 

Thanks! 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, BeerT said:

There used to be a lot of long-term visa options for pp under 50 years old, such as volunteer visa, Buddhism visa and Muay Thai visa.

I wouldn't refer these as long term visas.

Also you can scratch non O volunteering from that list.

ED visa is available but has stricter attendance rules now and maybe gives a year unless it's university course. 

What's your idea of long term ? 

[BeerT]

5 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I wouldn't refer these as long term visas.

Also you can scratch non O volunteering from that list.

ED visa is available but has stricter attendance rules now and maybe gives a year unless it's university course. 

What's your idea of long term ? 

Exactly. I've been reading news that many people on non-O visa (volunteer, buddhism) either got their visas revoked or got expelled from the country. 

 

By long-term, I was referring to 3 years+, potentially even longer. 

 

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, Celsius said:

Buddhism visa? Muay Thai Visa?

Buddhism he means Non O R 

(religion)

Muay Thai meaning ED visa.

More common to study language. 

 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, BeerT said:

Exactly. I've been reading news that many people on non-O visa (volunteer, buddhism) either got their visas revoked or got expelled from the country. 

 

By long-term, I was referring to 3 years+, potentially even longer. 

 

Forget agent acquired non O volunteering. 

The non O R (religion) requires effort. 

ED visas still available. 

 

You state 3 years+ 

If unmarried and under 50 there are no continuous options. (Apart from PE) 

 

Best plan is to spend majority of time in Thailand mixing in time spent in other countries. 

 

[BeerT]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Forget agent acquired non O volunteering. 

The non O R (religion) requires effort. 

ED visas still available. 

 

You state 3 years+ 

If unmarried and under 50 there are no continuous options. (Apart from PE) 

 

Best plan is to spend majority of time in Thailand mixing in time spent in other countries. 

 

Thanks for getting back Jack. 

 

By saying "Best plan is to spend majority of time in Thailand mixing in time spent in other countries " -- were you referring to use regular tourism visa + extension during the stay in Thailand? 

 

Thanks! 

[Celsius]

15 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Buddhism he means Non O R 

(religion)

 

Was this ever an option for regular folk? 

 

Speaking of which, 10 years ago I was looking into Elite visa and calculated everything carefully. Back then visa runs were extremely easy. With transportation, staying in hotels, paying visa fees it would have been about 50,000b per year cost in the low end, VS Elite visa which comes to about 100,000 a year for 5 year elite or 50,000 a year for 20 year elite.

 

Today everything is more expensive and A LOT more difficult. I believe the Elite visa prices are still the same.

 

 

 

 

[Captain Monday]

Elite Easy Access 5 year program went up to 600k.

 

They don't accept overstayers and chances with a history of volunteer visa sound slim.

[DrJack54]

41 minutes ago, BeerT said:

By saying "Best plan is to spend majority of time in Thailand mixing in time spent in other countries " -- were you referring to use regular tourism visa + extension during the stay in Thailand? 

Indeed.

Fortunately Thailand has some of the most flexible stays available .

For visas there are the SETV and also METV. 

Then there are visa exempt entries via air and land. (land visa exempt limited 2 per calendar year)

 

Most of these permission of stays can be extended by 30 days per entry. 

 

The sticky situations occur when there is very little time spent out of Thailand and fly out/in visa exempt is almost asking for trouble..

Recently someone sent their elderly mum to KL (flight) and return same day to obtain another border exempt entry.

Nuts.

 

Never understood the obsession with continuous living in Thailand.

 

If I was young and single I would spend 6-9 months in Thailand and the balance elsewhere. 

Vietnam being my personal pick. 

 

Edited January 11, 2023 by DrJack54

[tomazbodner]

1 hour ago, BeerT said:

Exactly. I've been reading news that many people on non-O visa (volunteer, buddhism) either got their visas revoked or got expelled from the country. 

 

By long-term, I was referring to 3 years+, potentially even longer. 

 

Elite Visa is still available.

[Salerno]

1 minute ago, tomazbodner said:

Elite Visa is still available.

From OP:

 

2 hours ago, BeerT said:

(except for the Elite Visa)

 

[metisdead]

Posts with trolling comments have been removed.

[mockingbird]

OP, there's been no sudden policy change. Over the last few years the authorities have been making it gradually more difficult for people like you to stay in Thailand long term.

 

The agent acquired volunteer visa you refer to was shut down over 15 months ago, and was only briefly available during Covid. Your options, unmarried, under 50, and not willing/able to pay for an elite visa are a combination of education/tourist and visa exemptions. re: education visa's, immigration have said that they will be more stringent going forward in checking that you are actually attending classes.

 

The longer you stay in Thailand the more careful you need to be on which borders to use. eg the Camdodian borders have become very problematic for long stayers recently. On the current trajectory, it may well become impossible to cross any of the Thai borders with a history of basically living full time in Thailand on the above visa's. It certainly isn't going to get any easier.

 

There has never been a 3+ year visa available (other that the Elite)

 

I assume you fall into the digital nomad category? Why not, as Jack has suggested, alternate between Thailand and another country in the region? You'll have no issues then. 

Edited January 11, 2023 by mockingbird

[Srikcir]

Check to see if you qualify for a Long Term Resident visa, 10 years in two 5-year segments, annual (vs 90-day) notification of residence, no re-entry permit required at airport. Total cost 50k baht.

Four different categories- one might fit you:

Remote workers working for well-established companies overseas.

https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/ltr-brochure.html

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, BeerT said:

Exactly. I've been reading news that many people on non-O visa (volunteer, buddhism) either got their visas revoked or got expelled from the country. 

 

By long-term, I was referring to 3 years+, potentially even longer. 

 

I know quite a few in Phuket and Pattaya who are still doing the Training Visa for Muay Thai, one guy calls it the Fight Visa....lol

[BeerT]

18 hours ago, mockingbird said:

OP, there's been no sudden policy change. Over the last few years the authorities have been making it gradually more difficult for people like you to stay in Thailand long term.

 

The agent acquired volunteer visa you refer to was shut down over 15 months ago, and was only briefly available during Covid. Your options, unmarried, under 50, and not willing/able to pay for an elite visa are a combination of education/tourist and visa exemptions. re: education visa's, immigration have said that they will be more stringent going forward in checking that you are actually attending classes.

 

The longer you stay in Thailand the more careful you need to be on which borders to use. eg the Camdodian borders have become very problematic for long stayers recently. On the current trajectory, it may well become impossible to cross any of the Thai borders with a history of basically living full time in Thailand on the above visa's. It certainly isn't going to get any easier.

 

There has never been a 3+ year visa available (other that the Elite)

 

I assume you fall into the digital nomad category? Why not, as Jack has suggested, alternate between Thailand and another country in the region? You'll have no issues then. 

Very insightful! Thanks for the information! 

[BeerT]

17 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Check to see if you qualify for a Long Term Resident visa, 10 years in two 5-year segments, annual (vs 90-day) notification of residence, no re-entry permit required at airport. Total cost 50k baht.

Four different categories- one might fit you:

Remote workers working for well-established companies overseas.

https://ltr.boi.go.th/page/ltr-brochure.html

Thank you!

[BeerT]

19 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Indeed.

Fortunately Thailand has some of the most flexible stays available .

For visas there are the SETV and also METV. 

Then there are visa exempt entries via air and land. (land visa exempt limited 2 per calendar year)

 

Most of these permission of stays can be extended by 30 days per entry. 

 

The sticky situations occur when there is very little time spent out of Thailand and fly out/in visa exempt is almost asking for trouble..

Recently someone sent their elderly mum to KL (flight) and return same day to obtain another border exempt entry.

Nuts.

 

Never understood the obsession with continuous living in Thailand.

 

If I was young and single I would spend 6-9 months in Thailand and the balance elsewhere. 

Vietnam being my personal pick. 

 

That's very true. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Hanuman2547]

A very long time ago, back in the early 80's and also in the early 90's, I got a 90 day non-immigrant visa from the Thai Embassy in my home country.  I then entered Thailand and stayed for approximately 80-85 days on two separate occasions.  Is there any visa like that still available?

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, Hanuman2547 said:

A very long time ago, back in the early 80's and also in the early 90's, I got a 90 day non-immigrant visa from the Thai Embassy in my home country.  I then entered Thailand and stayed for approximately 80-85 days on two separate occasions.  Is there any visa like that still available?

Yes. 

You are talking about 30yrs ago.

If you are over 50 you can obtain a non O retirement. 

How long do you wish to visit Thailand? 

Better options than a non O