Big Thailand visa changes from June 1

[frankstraube]

15 hours ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

They should start with a special visa granted to all those above 50 who own property in Thailand and mainly deliver it with none of the absurd foreign health insurance requisites that ask to mention the minimun amount of coverage. Just a proof of ownership of the condo or 30yr leasehold with passport, photo  and pension  certificate should be enough for this special visa that could be valid 10 years with a maximum stay of 4 months each year and no absurd requirements to "requalify" each year like with the LTR visa.

I am in the process of acquiring an LTR Visa for retiree. With this 10 years LTR visa you don't need to "requalify" each year...just reporting where you stay.

You only have to show that you still qualify after 5 years, and it's free. Seems pretty good to me.

 

[frankstraube]

13 hours ago, Toby1947 said:

How do you know, details haven't been released yet 

Exactly...i believe this 60 days on arrival will simply replace the 30 days + 30 days extension that everybody does and gives a lot of work to immigration officier for no reason. So your hope of 60 days+30 days extension could be wrong...just wait and see. 

In that case the 60 days tourist visa with 30 days extension would still be relevant.

Edited May 29 by frankstraube

[Captain Monday]

47 minutes ago, frankstraube said:

Exactly...i believe this 60 days on arrival will simply replace the 30 days + 30 days extension that everybody does and gives a lot of work to immigration officier for no reason. So your hope of 60 days+30 days extension could be wrong...just wait and see. 

In that case the 60 days tourist visa with 30 days extension would still be relevant.

No reason? You forgot the 1900 baht

 

[george]

Here is the new list of Visa Exemption and Visa On Arrival (VOA) dated 2024-05-29

 

 

[george]

 5 year multiple entry DTA visa (Destination Thailand) from 2024-xx-xx:

 

 

[scubascuba3]

3 hours ago, frankstraube said:

Exactly...i believe this 60 days on arrival will simply replace the 30 days + 30 days extension that everybody does and gives a lot of work to immigration officier for no reason. So your hope of 60 days+30 days extension could be wrong...just wait and see. 

In that case the 60 days tourist visa with 30 days extension would still be relevant.

No point getting a 60 day tourist visa when you can get a free 60 day visa exempt

[george]

12 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

No point getting a 60 day tourist visa when you can get a free 60 day visa exempt

 

Note: It's not yet confirmed by MFA if you can apply for an extension to the 60-days visa exemption, but it's likely.

[mania]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

No point getting a 60 day tourist visa when you can get a free 60 day visa exempt

 

I wonder then if the old TR visa will now be 90 day visa like the old Non Imm O ? Or will they do away all together with the TR

 

Lately the Non Imm O has gotten quite confusing with there being two types... One to visit Thai & one to visit Non Thai

The visit Thai needs the 15k USD & non Thai only 1k USD in bank...Odd

 

https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/non-immigrant-type-o-visiting-family

Edited May 29 by mania

[ryandb]

5 hours ago, frankstraube said:

I always buy a return ticket after 30 days, and once in Suvarnabhumi i change it to 60 days. But of course it is better if you can change your ticket with no fee. And there is always the possibily that the flight back after 60 days is full... 

But every flight company knowing now that you can always extend the visa free entry by 30 days, i suppose they will let you board even with a return ticket after 60 days, right ? Did you ever had some bad experience ?

Not boarding but going through Phuket airport, they made me book a flight within the 60 days (I came in on a TV)

[tandor]

23 hours ago, tandor said:

i hope its grandfathered !!

i think Marriage doubled, and Retirement went from 500 to 800k.

[pomchop]

On 5/28/2024 at 1:05 AM, Robert Paulson said:

Sounds like they want the tax money. So can we just say we’re digital nomads. Someone explain to me why a digital nomad is going to get 180 days while a married expat has to jump through all kinds of hoops and report every90

so exactly what is required to claim you are a digital nomad/freelancer?  Do you actually somehow have to prove that you earn $$ from some digital nomad biz?  What proof is required?  Or can you just say you are pay the fee, do the 500 k baht in a bank and that's it?  Devil is in the details of which there seem to be few.

[ravip]

Visa Exemption and Visa On Arrival (VOA)

 

Can someone please explain the above, in detail?

Visa exemption = No visa is necessary?

Visa On Arrival = Visa will be stamped on the passport on arrival at a TH airport?

[Shocked farang]

On 5/28/2024 at 6:05 PM, Robert Paulson said:

Sounds like they want the tax money. So can we just say we’re digital nomads. Someone explain to me why a digital nomad is going to get 180 days while a married expat has to jump through all kinds of hoops and report every90

Simple, all the married expat needs to do is to buy a second hand laptop and claim to be a digital nomad. If they ask you what exactly you do, you reply that you are still in the "faking" phase, there's a saying in the digital nomad community that is : "fake until you make it". 

[Upnotover]

24 minutes ago, ravip said:

Visa Exemption and Visa On Arrival (VOA)

 

Can someone please explain the above, in detail?

Visa exemption = No visa is necessary?

Visa On Arrival = Visa will be stamped on the passport on arrival at a TH airport?

 

[frankstraube]

1 hour ago, ryandb said:

Not boarding but going through Phuket airport, they made me book a flight within the 60 days (I came in on a TV)

They made you buy a ticket within 60 days because you had a TV and  a return flight between 60 and 90 days, or because you did not have any return ticket ? 

[Shocked farang]

27 minutes ago, ravip said:

Visa Exemption and Visa On Arrival (VOA)

 

Can someone please explain the above, in detail?

Visa exemption = No visa is necessary?

Visa On Arrival = Visa will be stamped on the passport on arrival at a TH airport?

Visa exemption means that they will stamp the entry on your passport stating the maximum duration of your stay. 

Visa on arrival means that first of all, you must buy a Visa, that is an authorization to travel to Thailand, once you have that Visa then they will stamp your entry with the maximum stay. 

[frankstraube]

3 hours ago, george said:

 5 year multiple entry DTA visa (Destination Thailand) from 2024-xx-xx:

 

This multi-entry DTV looks great. One visit to immigration every 6 months, and one visa run every year. Up to 5 years, for only 10 000 bahts ? Seems too good to be true. Because nowadays everybody with a computer can become a freelancer whatever that means...

 

[ryandb]

1 hour ago, frankstraube said:

They made you buy a ticket within 60 days because you had a TV and  a return flight between 60 and 90 days, or because you did not have any return ticket ? 

 because it was on day 85 or something like that

[StayinThailand2much]

On 5/28/2024 at 8:54 PM, bob smith said:

I honestly cannot believe what I am reading.

 

This government seems to have a split personality when it comes to foreigners/tourism. 

 

How long before we see the obligatory 'over tourism' articles, and the 'tourists stealing Thai jobs' evening specials? Anyone taking bets? 

 

Bob. 

 

The eternal struggle between greed and xenophobia. Nothing changed in 20 years...

[StayinThailand2much]

4 minutes ago, ryandb said:

1 hour ago, frankstraube said:

They made you buy a ticket within 60 days because you had a TV and  a return flight between 60 and 90 days, or because you did not have any return ticket ? 

 because it was on day 85 or something like that

 

Will be interesting, with longer durations and easier/longer possibilities to extend, how embassies and airlines will handle return-ticket dates...

[khlongtoey]

20 hours ago, El Matador said:

In all honesty I don't see more people coming back to grey UK because they don't want to do the 90 days report. Despite being bureaucratic, the retiree visa is still quite attractive compared to many other countries.

On the other hand, taxes are another story.

 

 

The criterias are completely absurd. You need to work for a company which makes 150 millions of dollars each year, which excludes self employed people (the vast majority of digital nomads).

when people say "retirement visa", is that meaning EOS, "extension of stay" ?

 

I'm in my late 50s, and considering another O-A if the insurance premiums are available , especially at a lower rate. During the process of obtaining an O-A , what is the timing and place to purchase the required insurance?

 

Is it possible to purchase /advisable health insurance that would cover all trips to Thailand and maintain that insurance. As at an older age, it might not be available at all.

 

Is there a purchase that would cover both ?

 

 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

12 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

If course not. Same applies to anywhere. All I am saying is that there is some benefit to society with mixed marriages. 

OK - it sounded like you were on a rant about certain 'people' illegally entering countries and marrying locals. My Bad.

 

 

[frankstraube]

9 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Will be interesting, with longer durations and easier/longer possibilities to extend, how embassies and airlines will handle return-ticket dates...

Unfortunately embassy, immigration and airlines don't want to know about possible extension of stay even if everyone is entitled to get one. They just stick with how many days will be stamped in your passport on arrival, hence the hassle of having to change your return ticket or buying a cheap disposable one.

[Liquorice]

7 minutes ago, khlongtoey said:

when people say "retirement visa", is that meaning EOS, "extension of stay" ?

Sometimes purely a guess based on experience as there is no such thing as a retirement visa per se.

The Non Imm O and the Non Imm O-A are both applied for the purpose/reason of retirement.

Extensions of stay are permits, not visas, again applied for the purpose/reason of retirement.

12 minutes ago, khlongtoey said:

I'm in my late 50s, and considering another O-A if the insurance premiums are available , especially at a lower rate. During the process of obtaining an O-A , what is the timing and place to purchase the required insurance?

The mandatory Insurance premiums are only reduced for new O-A visa application between Sept - Dec as I understand it.

On entry with an O-A visa, the period of stay is limited to the expiry date of the Insurance policy.

You should arrange for the policy start date to coincide with the day you intend to enter Thailand.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

1 hour ago, ravip said:

'less than desirable' countries and 'desirable' countries.

Now who will decide on the level of desirability? And on what criteria?

Are we going back in time... ???

Yes and No. 

Try applying to emigrate to USA, UK or Australia if you are a citizen of Somalia or Yemen or Syria. 

It is a fact that a percentage of people from certain countries are far more frequently in breach of their new 'western' country's laws. I know the stats in the late 90s and early 00s on the percentage of new Somalians that broke the laws of Australia - it was huge.

There are several countries that do not allow immigration (and some tourism) from certain countries - and they are right in doing so, and they have the right to do so - it is their country.  Japan, Hungary and Poland come to mind. 

And keep in mind that phrase I used - it is their country.

If a large percentage of immigrants (legal and illegal) from any country refuse to adapt and aqccept the laws and culture of their new country, then they should be deported - and others from that country banned from entering. 

It is not about a person, nor is it about race, it is about who the majority of people from certain countries behave when in a new country.  It is extremely hard to tell which are the good or bad ones, so the only answer is to ban all of them. 

It is only the woke PC lefty rubbish that stops the authorities in western countries from making it 'public' - but they all now do to some extent.

 

[george]

UPDATE: In september 2024, it will be a reduction in the number of different NON-Immigrant visa categories available. The remaining categories are:

 

 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

23 minutes ago, khlongtoey said:

when people say "retirement visa", is that meaning EOS, "extension of stay" ?

I'm in my late 50s, and considering another O-A if the insurance premiums are available , especially at a lower rate. During the process of obtaining an O-A , what is the timing and place to purchase the required insurance?

Is it possible to purchase /advisable health insurance that would cover all trips to Thailand and maintain that insurance. As at an older age, it might not be available at all.

Is there a purchase that would cover both ?

You will have to wait for the changes to be in place - September 2024 - and then someone will hopefully know - and/or you can ask an IO in your local Office.

[ravip]

1 hour ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Yes and No. 

Try applying to emigrate to USA, UK or Australia if you are a citizen of Somalia or Yemen or Syria. 

It is a fact that a percentage of people from certain countries are far more frequently in breach of their new 'western' country's laws. I know the stats in the late 90s and early 00s on the percentage of new Somalians that broke the laws of Australia - it was huge.

There are several countries that do not allow immigration (and some tourism) from certain countries - and they are right in doing so, and they have the right to do so - it is their country.  Japan, Hungary and Poland come to mind. 

And keep in mind that phrase I used - it is their country.

If a large percentage of immigrants (legal and illegal) from any country refuse to adapt and aqccept the laws and culture of their new country, then they should be deported - and others from that country banned from entering. 

It is not about a person, nor is it about race, it is about who the majority of people from certain countries behave when in a new country.  It is extremely hard to tell which are the good or bad ones, so the only answer is to ban all of them. 

It is only the woke PC lefty rubbish that stops the authorities in western countries from making it 'public' - but they all now do to some extent.

 

And keep in mind that phrase I used - it is their country.

 

Yes - it is their country.

Foreigners should accept that.

(anyway this is going off topic on this thread ) 

[John Drake]

10 hours ago, Jonathan Swift said:

Digital nomad= A backpacker freeloader with a laptop

 

My Twitter/X feed is full of links to their Youtube videos, where after setting up shop for a couple of weeks they are now broadcasting to the world how they know how it's all done here.

[lamyai3]

5 hours ago, Shocked farang said:

Visa exemption means that they will stamp the entry on your passport stating the maximum duration of your stay. 

Visa on arrival means that first of all, you must buy a Visa, that is an authorization to travel to Thailand, once you have that Visa then they will stamp your entry with the maximum stay. 

 

This is incorrect, visa on arrival is not a visa purchased in advance from an embassy. VOA are typically non extendable and valid for just 15 days.