Business visa without work permit

[timoti]

Hi,

 

One of my friends told me there is a visa agency making these visas just like described here:

Is this legit visa? Anyone has used this before?

 

I don't know if this one is worse than the business visa where you set up some company, etc?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[BritTim]

It seems dubious. A multiple entry Non B visa is theoretically available for directors of Thai companies to allow them to enter for business meetings etc. I suspect they are utilising that. However, the visa is not intended for long term residence in Thailand. I would personally stay away from it. I could imagine a crackdown similar to that which occurred with dubious volunteer visas/extensions. A crackdown on Chinese using a similar dodge with Non B visas has recently occurred.

[DrJack54]

Scam...

"One of my friends told me" 

What's your point.

[timoti]

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Scam...

"One of my friends told me" 

What's your point.

He has that visa. Just asking if it's a good visa to get instead of ED or setting up actual company through a lawyer.

 

2 minutes ago, BritTim said:

It seems dubious. A multiple entry Non B visa is theoretically available for directors of Thai companies to allow them to enter for business meetings etc. I suspect they are utilising that. However, the visa is not intended for long term residence in Thailand. I would personally stay away from it. I could imagine a crackdown similar to that which occurred with dubious volunteer visas/extensions. A crackdown on Chinese using a similar dodge with Non B visas has recently occurred.

That makes sense. Another friend said he set up an actual company by a lawyer so I guess that's more legit compared to this one.

[BritTim]

1 minute ago, timoti said:

That makes sense. Another friend said he set up an actual company by a lawyer so I guess that's more legit compared to this one.

That is definitely more legit, but also a lot more expensive if actually paying the required four Thai staff. It is never a good solution unless you want to actually run a business here.

[timoti]

Just now, BritTim said:

That is definitely more legit, but also a lot more expensive if actually paying the required four Thai staff. It is never a good solution unless you want to actually run a business here.

I was quoted 110K for the first year because of the initial things that needs to be done.

[BritTim]

Just now, timoti said:

I was quoted 110K for the first year because of the initial things that needs to be done.

There are also ongoing costs. In the past, a Thailand Elite visa worked out cheaper. With recent changes, Thailand Elite is a less attractive option than before.

[timoti]

Just now, BritTim said:

There are also ongoing costs. In the past, a Thailand Elite visa worked out cheaper. With recent changes, Thailand Elite is a less attractive option than before.

Yes I was actually planning to get the 5y for 600K but I wasnt aware they were going to bump up the price so much higher. Otherwise that would have been a very good deal.

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, timoti said:

He has that visa. Just asking if it's a good visa to get instead of ED or setting up actual company through a lawyer.

Has he even looked at requirements to set up a company.

Rhetorical question.

No such animal that you describe. 

Scam 

 

[BritTim]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Has he even looked at requirements to set up a company.

Rhetorical question.

No such animal that you describe. 

Scam 

Such a scheme would be possible but, as I posted earlier, dubious. They make you a director of a Thai company and provide the documentation for a multiple entry Non B visa as a director of the company. If the scheme gains traction, a crackdown is likely.

[timoti]

8 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Such a scheme would be possible but, as I posted earlier, dubious. They make you a director of a Thai company and provide the documentation for a multiple entry Non B visa as a director of the company. If the scheme gains traction, a crackdown is likely.

It's also mentioned here by someone else. It's from thai visa center. I thought that place was advertised here a lot.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by timoti

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Such a scheme would be possible but, as I posted earlier, dubious.

True...think where lost patience when OP stated.....

"Just asking if it's a good visa to get instead of ED or setting up actual company through a lawyer."

 

Clearly has no intention of study language or being involved in a real company.

 

Clearly ED is his best option (scam)

 

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, timoti said:

It's also mentioned here by someone else. It's from thai visa center. I thought that place was advertised here a lot.

@ThaiVisaCentre

What's this guy on about. 

 

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, timoti said:

It's also mentioned here by someone else. It's from thai visa center. I thought that place was advertised here a lot.

 

 

That thread was highly confusing. On the face of it, he received a one-year extension of his permission to stay from a visa exempt entry without the previous necessary Non Immigrant visa. That would be out and out illegal, not just dubious.

[timoti]

7 minutes ago, BritTim said:

That thread was highly confusing. On the face of it, he received a one-year extension of his permission to stay from a visa exempt entry without the previous necessary Non Immigrant visa. That would be out and out illegal, not just dubious.

I have a feeling it's the same thing my friend told me. There isn't so much info about this beside a few threads on reddit. I think it's relatively new.

[Caldera]

3 hours ago, timoti said:

It's also mentioned here by someone else. It's from thai visa center. I thought that place was advertised here a lot.

Yes it's a well-connected and much recommended visa agent. I'd still be cautious. There's a lot of money in providing "creative" longterm visa options to those who aren't old enough for a retirement "visa" yet.

 

But keep in mind that those schemes are okay until they aren't. When the crackdown on volunteer visas happened, customers of that particular well-trusted agent were affected by the fallout just like anyone else.

 

From the sparse information available on that other thread, they use an obscure little immigration office in the South to obtain a one year extension based on business activities (without "working", so most likely a position on the board of directors of a Thai company).

 

I'd be concerned about two things: Firstly, if that office issues a suspiciously high number of those visas, that in itself could lead to scrutiny. Secondly, if people on the same kind of visa happen to get caught up in criminal activities unrelated to that visa as such, it's pretty much guaranteed that a wider investigation and crackdown will follow. 

[retarius]

60,000....may as well get an elite visa or whatever it's called now.

[timoti]

16 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

@ThaiVisaCentre

What's this guy on about. 

 

I think they don't want to publicize this visa too much but if you ask them privately they will let you know.

[timoti]

19 hours ago, Caldera said:

Yes it's a well-connected and much recommended visa agent. I'd still be cautious. There's a lot of money in providing "creative" longterm visa options to those who aren't old enough for a retirement "visa" yet.

 

But keep in mind that those schemes are okay until they aren't. When the crackdown on volunteer visas happened, customers of that particular well-trusted agent were affected by the fallout just like anyone else.

 

From the sparse information available on that other thread, they use an obscure little immigration office in the South to obtain a one year extension based on business activities (without "working", so most likely a position on the board of directors of a Thai company).

 

I'd be concerned about two things: Firstly, if that office issues a suspiciously high number of those visas, that in itself could lead to scrutiny. Secondly, if people on the same kind of visa happen to get caught up in criminal activities unrelated to that visa as such, it's pretty much guaranteed that a wider investigation and crackdown will follow. 

What happened to those people? Their visa become invalid or they couldn't get any other visa afterwards?

[timoti]

9 hours ago, retarius said:

60,000....may as well get an elite visa or whatever it's called now.

Isn't the cheapest elite four 5 years is 1M now? I think it's a huge difference.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, timoti said:

What happened to those people? Their visa become invalid or they couldn't get any other visa afterwards?

Some in Immigration decided to give them a hard time later. They did not do anything that was technically illegal, but they were playing games in a way that could cause problems for genuine volunteers doing charity work. Immigration at some offices and entry points took the opportunity to obstruct their future entries or extensions.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, timoti said:

Isn't the cheapest elite four 5 years is 1M now? I think it's a huge difference.

Indeed! 1,000,000 baht for five years instead of 20 years.

[DJ54]

If you’re a U.S. Citizen you can apply/use The US/Thai Amity Treaty to open 100% owned company there are a few exceptions for type of work. YouTube integrity legal has numerous vlogs…