Visa Type Needed?

[gary09]

i've been looking through the visa section "history" & "seach engine" now even more confused what visa i need .

I am an 43 yr old Australian. Single , not married to a Thai.

i have been to Thailand many times , only on 30 day tourist visa's.

its only in early stages of planning but i may have the opportunity to be partners in a small bar/hotel in Chaing Mai or Hua Hin -

or a bar in Pattaya wants a manager to run his bar.

i wont be "working" as such behind the bar ,so i dont think i will need a work visa, (which is very hard to get anyway)

or in the bar/hotel - i still wont be "working behind Bar".

iam planning to be in Thailand for min. of 12 months up to 2yrs maybe longer - wait & see what happens.

there are a few different visa types, iam confused at this stage of what i need? a 30 day tourist visa will be too short as i will have to keep leaving & renewing (not viable)

a non Immigant "B" visa. "O" visa? - 90 day visa?

i've only been looking this morning as i was only talking to mate in bangkok late last nite, he has a full work visa as he works for a multi national co. he does not know much about other visa's that i may need ,

i will keep "searching" but any current advise & info would be much appreciated .

will be heading there early next year if all works out.

Thanks Gary

[ubonjoe]

Unless you go to a work for a company that can get you a work permit about the only option is a 60 day tourist visa that can be extended for 30 days. This visa can be obtained with a number of entries allowed normally 2 or 3 but have heard of greater. You can get it at a Thai consulate. That means with this visa you would enter for sixty days, extend for 30 and then make a border run and start over again with first 60 days. If consulate gives you a visa with a valid date long enough you could even stay for a year without getting a new visa. Just make border runs every ninty days.

Also if you can get a letter from a company/business in Thailand you could possibly get a ninty day non-b multiple entry visa good for one year at a consulate in Australia. Just make border runs every 90 days. You can get about 15 months out of one of these visas if you leave just before it expires.

I won't comment on "working as such".

Edited October 5, 2008 by ubonjoe

[PoorSucker]

You really should go the WorkPermit way.

Someone might rat you out to immigration Police, ex-girlfriend, ex-employee etc etc.

[digitalchromakey]

I wont be "working" as such behind the bar ,so I dont think i will need a work visa, (which is very hard to get anyway)

or in the bar/hotel - I still wont be "working behind Bar".

Poorsucker makes a good point. Be careful, there have been reports of bar owners being arrested for 'working' (sitting talking with customers) without a work permit. If you have a genuine job, work permits are not that difficult to get, provided you want to do a job that is not reserved for Thais only.

[gary09]

Unless you go to a work for a company that can get you a work permit about the only option is a 60 day tourist visa that can be extended for 30 days. This visa can be obtained with a number of entries allowed normally 2 or 3 but have heard of greater. You can get it at a Thai consulate. That means with this visa you would enter for sixty days, extend for 30 and then make a border run and start over again with first 60 days. If consulate gives you a visa with a valid date long enough you could even stay for a year without getting a new visa. Just make border runs every ninty days.

Also if you can get a letter from a company/business in Thailand you could possibly get a ninty day non-b multiple entry visa good for one year at a consulate in Australia. Just make border runs every 90 days. You can get about 15 months out of one of these visas if you leave just before it expires.

I won't comment on "working as such".

You really should go the WorkPermit way.

Someone might rat you out to immigration Police, ex-girlfriend, ex-employee etc etc

thanks for the replies,

ok , can i get a work visa if i just have a bar or bar/hotel . working as a manager or the person who holds the lease to the bar,?

i have met bars owners before & they do not have work visa's , they do not work or go behind the bar to serve , just there to take care of things, they just have a visa where they have to go on visa runs

[digitalchromakey]

ok , can I get a work visa if I just have a bar or bar/hotel . working as a manager or the person who holds the lease to the bar,?

I have met bars owners before & they do not have work visa's , they do not work or go behind the bar to serve , just there to take care of things, they just have a visa where they have to go on visa runs

Yes you can and if you intend to manange the bar then you will, in the terms of Thai law, be working and thus should hold a work permit.

[astral]

If the Labour Dept finds you working without a permit, you will

be arrested, imprisoned and then deported.

Is it worth the risk??

To say nothing of the financial risk of investing money with partners in Thailand.