5-6 months stay.....whats the best way visa wise ??

[Chivas]

Question prompted by more than few recent threads where the visitor has had apparent problems when doing border runs

 

Now not less than 5 months but no more than 180 days to keep in line with this tax legislation that may or may not become into force. (Yes I know it has but nobody seems sure as yet of what exactly it entails)

 

Now the multi entry visa seemed obvious but the guidance notes I'm reading are somewhat confusing in that you're supposed to be visiting other countries in the region and staying for a week or so before returning.....and not stamping out and stamping in an hour later !  The "guidance" is unclear doubtless deliberately !

 

Would it be better in fact to get the standard 60 day Evisa which I've done twice this current period and then extend that by the 30 days giving the first 3 months....then what ??   Go Cambodia for a few days and reapply through the Thai Embassy there or can you in fact apply via the Thai embassy in London as I'd be officially "outside" of Thailand  ??

 

Few points.....

 

I dont want a retirement visa

I can easily fulfill financial requirements

Secondly the rolling 12 months would have no other Evisa or visa exempt entries in the 6 months interim period

 

Thanks...

[pomchop]

25 minutes ago, Chivas said:

Question prompted by more than few recent threads where the visitor has had apparent problems when doing border runs

 

Now not less than 5 months but no more than 180 days to keep in line with this tax legislation that may or may not become into force. (Yes I know it has but nobody seems sure as yet of what exactly it entails)

 

Now the multi entry visa seemed obvious but the guidance notes I'm reading are somewhat confusing in that you're supposed to be visiting other countries in the region and staying for a week or so before returning.....and not stamping out and stamping in an hour later !  The "guidance" is unclear doubtless deliberately !

 

Would it be better in fact to get the standard 60 day Evisa which I've done twice this current period and then extend that by the 30 days giving the first 3 months....then what ??   Go Cambodia for a few days and reapply through the Thai Embassy there or can you in fact apply via the Thai embassy in London as I'd be officially "outside" of Thailand  ??

 

Few points.....

 

I dont want a retirement visa

I can easily fulfill financial requirements

Secondly the rolling 12 months would have no other Evisa or visa exempt entries in the 6 months interim period

 

Thanks...

i did 60 day evisa tourist...extended 30 more days at immigration/no fun center...then went to laos, got appt at thai embassy stayed in vientiane two nights got another 60 day tourist visa (laos overall pretty easy but takes two days)...back to jomtien immigration to extend again another 30 days which took all day to get done ...the 180 day thing re taxes is all in one calendar year so no big deal as me and i think lot of snowbirds come about nov til march or so spread over two calendar years..

 

if you don't want to fool with jomtien immigration u can do the one day van border run to cambodia...3300 thb..leave 5 am return about 3 pm but very simple and easy and maybe less pain than jomtien immigration which is a total zoo of standing in line...but take a look as supposedly u can now do 30 day extension where u put docs and pay online and make and appointment with immigration to just show up and get the passport stamped...never knew that so went there at 8;15 am last week...got done at 4 pm but still had to come back next day to pick it up....so about 8 hours of standing around and still had to go back next day..in that case i wish i had just gone to cambodia where at least u just sit in a comfortable van rather than stand in lines all day

 

i guess other way is to move to russia and get russian passport and they you apparently can show up and no problem for 90 days...not sure if they get to extend another 90 days with simple border run...if not do as many apparently are doing and just overstay as long as you like.

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Chivas said:

Now not less than 5 months but no more than 180 days........

So where do you plan to live the other 180+ days.

 

[Chivas]

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

So where do you plan to live the other 180+ days.

 

 

UK as normal

I like Spring and Summer in the UK but never keen on Autumn and Winter !!

[Chivas]

40 minutes ago, pomchop said:

 

 

i guess other way is to move to russia and get russian passport and they you apparently can show up and no problem for 90 days...not sure if they get to extend another 90 days with simple border run...if not do as many apparently are doing and just overstay as long as you like.

 

Lot of chatter from immigration lately of extending that to other European countries to boost tourism

[alex8912]

Why not do the 60 day TR then extend 30 days in country. Then go somewhere else a week and come back to Thailand and do 30 days visa exempt and extend that 30 days? That's 5 months and one week length of time. Not sure why Laos and Cambodia seem to be popular places outside Thailand. The fares are so cheap to and from Malaysia and Vietnam now $40/50 USD each way or less. But for Vietnam you may need a visa which is easy to get but allow 10 days to get it just in case  they need additional info. If you don't want to get a visa to travel then Singapore , Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea are options too. Seems it's not necessary for you to get a second 60 day tourist visa since you don't even plan to stay much over five months. 

[Toby1947]

Multi entry Tourist Visa 60 day on entry+ 30 days extension at local immigration. Then border run or small break in neighbouring country 60 days on re entry. Can be extended again if required, simple a 5yr old could work it out 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, alex8912 said:

But for Vietnam you may need a visa .........

The OP is UK pp.

Can enter Vietnam visa exempt. 

[Greenwich Boy]

I normally go down the SETV route and one border run (UK passport) Currently in Hoi An after a cheap flight to Hanoi from Chiang Mai, a few days there then the train down to Da Nang via Hue. Build up to Tet thia weekend, having a ball.

[jimn]

21 hours ago, Chivas said:

 

UK as normal

I like Spring and Summer in the UK but never keen on Autumn and Winter !!

Why don't you want to get a Retirement extension? It's easy to get and once you have one it's easy to maintain. I also am from the UK and do 7 months Thailand 5 months UK. Best decision I ever made. Saves mucking about like you seem intent on doing.

Edited February 6 by jimn

[Chivas]

4 hours ago, Toby1947 said:

Multi entry Tourist Visa 60 day on entry+ 30 days extension at local immigration. Then border run or small break in neighbouring country 60 days on re entry. Can be extended again if required, simple a 5yr old could work it out 

 

Your wonderful response was utterly apprteciated...............

 

Clearly you didnt even read the OP

[Chivas]

2 hours ago, jimn said:

Why don't you want to get a Retirement extension? It's easy to get and once you have one it's easy to maintain. I also am from the UK and do 7 months Thailand 5 months UK. Best decision I ever made. Saves mucking about like you seem intent on doing.

 

lol am not "intent" on mucking about

 

Another one incapable of reading the OP.......what is the matter with this forum the last few years

 

I specifically made the point I didnt want to go down the retirement route.......Where on the thread did I even remotely mention my age ??

Edited February 6 by Chivas

[jimn]

2 hours ago, Chivas said:

 

lol am not "intent" on mucking about

 

Another one incapable of reading the OP.......what is the matter with this forum the last few years

 

I specifically made the point I didnt want to go down the retirement route.......Where on the thread did I even remotely mention my age ??

Don't be so defensive, I was trying to nudge you down this route, as its your best option. You did hint you were of Retirement age by your comment "I don't want a Retirement visa I can easily fulfill financial requirement". You clearly don't want advice so carry on mucking about trying to find a solution.

Edited February 6 by jimn

[persimmon]

The easiest and cheapest solution for up to 6 months would seem to be ...

1). SETV for the 1st 60 days ( 60 )

2).extend at immigration  for another 30 days ( 90 )

3).leave the country and re-enter visa exempt for anther 30 ( 120 )

4).extend at immigration for another 30 ( 150 )

5).leave the country again and re-enter visa exempt ( 179 )

 

Might be a few less days due to leaving a margin of safety and the way they count the days .

[El Matador]

Maybe the 90 days visa waiver will come into life at some point and it would make things much easier as you could do 2 in a year and call it a day.

Otherwise the METV is good and you do a bit of holidays in Vietnam, Malaysia or Bali to avoid questions. I honestly hate those 30 days extensions inside Thailand as they can waste you a day so I would plan 2 small vacations and use 3x60days on the METV for easiness. 

 

It is the clear the 180+ days are creating tons of insecurities in terms of immigration, bureaucracy, and taxes. So it is a good idea to save the headache related to it.

[Chivas]

17 hours ago, jimn said:

Don't be so defensive, I was trying to nudge you down this route, as its your best option. You did hint you were of Retirement age by your comment "I don't want a Retirement visa I can easily fulfill financial requirement". You clearly don't want advice so carry on mucking about trying to find a solution.

 

Jesus wept lol fella

 

Maybe I dont want to put £20,000 in a Thai account

Maybe I dont want to go down the utterly illegal route of playing underhand tactics with immigration and employing dubious agents so that just maybe one day I arrive at Suvarnabhumbi and am pulled  sweetly aside with a stamp saying "persona non grata" in the passport

 

I repeat am looking at 5-6 months not permanent 12 months residence

 

Off you pop

 

Assist or desist

[Chivas]

8 hours ago, El Matador said:

Maybe the 90 days visa waiver will come into life at some point and it would make things much easier as you could do 2 in a year and call it a day.

Otherwise the METV is good and you do a bit of holidays in Vietnam, Malaysia or Bali to avoid questions. I honestly hate those 30 days extensions inside Thailand as they can waste you a day so I would plan 2 small vacations and use 3x60days on the METV for easiness. 

 

It is the clear the 180+ days are creating tons of insecurities in terms of immigration, bureaucracy, and taxes. So it is a good idea to save the headache related to it.

 

Yep I think you're spot on. Get the METV and couple side trips to Angeles City and PP for a few days inbetween

[jimn]

On 2/7/2024 at 8:35 AM, Chivas said:

 

Jesus wept lol fella

 

Maybe I dont want to put £20,000 in a Thai account

Maybe I dont want to go down the utterly illegal route of playing underhand tactics with immigration and employing dubious agents so that just maybe one day I arrive at Suvarnabhumbi and am pulled  sweetly aside with a stamp saying "persona non grata" in the passport

 

I repeat am looking at 5-6 months not permanent 12 months residence

 

Off you pop

 

Assist or desist

Remember, when you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It is only painful for others.
The same applies when you are stupid.

 

About sums you up pal.

[thinktoomuch]

You say that you don't want a retirement visa but perhaps you should have said that you don't want to get a retirement extension.

 

If you are old enough to get a retirement visa and the wording of your original post implies that you are, then you could look at getting a Multiple Entry Non-Immigrant O visa based on retirement. 

 

You would get 90 days for each entry and the visa would be valid for 12 months. Stamp in just before expiry and you would get 15 months out of it.

 

This visa is available again from the London embassy. It costs the same as the METV.

If insurance is asked for, normal insurance from any company is usually enough because it only offers 90-day entries .

You would have to do a border run to stay longer than 90 days because as far as I am aware the only two extensions available from an entry on that visa are the 1-year retirement extension and the 60-day extension to visit Thai family.

 

There is also the Singe Entry Non-Immigrant O visa based on retirement, which is valid for 90 days and can only be used once. If the proposed 90-day tourist visa exemption goes ahead you could consider using the Singe Entry Non-Immigrant O visa plus a 90-day tourist visa exempt entry to get the time you need. That would probably be less risky than two 90-day tourist visa exempt entries back-to-back. However, I think that the safest option would be to get the Multiple Entry Non-Immigrant O visa that I mentioned earlier.