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Questions Abt Getting A Visa For Thailand

Featured Replies

Hey guys,

Recently me and the Mrs have been planning on relocating to Bangkok to live.

We run a relatively successful small internet business which should be enough to sustain us in Thailand. Now the question is, is there anyway our visa will allow us to live there for about a year straight?

I understand that tourist visas are granted just 30days, and if so, what are the methods we could use to get around this, i.e visa runs etc? How do you guys usual get around this? Im from Singapore btw.

I called the Thai Embassy in Singapore, however, to our dismay the person on the other side of the line was rather rude and unhelpful thus we couldn't get any useful information.

Any help appreciated! :D

PS: Could i also have methods that are not necessarily 'by right'? :)

Edited by furukawa

I'll move this to the visa section where the experts hang out.

What are the nationalities and ages of the applicants ?

  • Author
I'll move this to the visa section where the experts hang out.

thanks loads! :)

  • Author
What are the nationalities and ages of the applicants ?

I'm 23 and she's 21.

PS: Could i also have methods that are not necessarily 'by right'?

Please read the forum rules before asking people to violate them. :)

  • Author
PS: Could i also have methods that are not necessarily 'by right'?

Please read the forum rules before asking people to violate them. :)

I'm sorry, I don't mean anything illegal, just unconventional, i.e visa runs, methods or loopholes that are legal but not mentioned by the thai embassy.

Hey guys,

Recently me and the Mrs have been planning on relocating to Bangkok to live.

We run a relatively successful small internet business which should be enough to sustain us in Thailand. Now the question is, is there anyway our visa will allow us to live there for about a year straight?

I understand that tourist visas are granted just 30days, and if so, what are the methods we could use to get around this, i.e visa runs etc? How do you guys usual get around this? Im from Singapore btw.

I called the Thai Embassy in Singapore, however, to our dismay the person on the other side of the line was rather rude and unhelpful thus we couldn't get any useful information.

Any help appreciated! :D

PS: Could i also have methods that are not necessarily 'by right'? :)

Your reference to a tourist visa being 30 days is probably a visa exempt entry you get on arrival.

A tourist visa is issued by an embassy or consulate and allows for a 60 day entry that can be extended for 30 days at immigration. They are free if you are a Singapore passport holder. But at this time they are free for everybody.

Unless you are over 50 tourist visas may be your only option for your stay. Unless you want to study Thai language.

Suspect I misunderstood your original post.

The language study option is possible for a long period and allows you to stay in country for about 3x,000 baht each per year with only extensions of stay required every 90 days. As you are also learning the language of the country it would seem a good fit and only requires a few hours of class each week.

Tourist visas would require leaving country which would probably cost as much or more overall.

But you can not work in any way/shape or form in Thailand without a work permit so if you have an internet connection it would not be for working.

  • Author
Suspect I misunderstood your original post.

The language study option is possible for a long period and allows you to stay in country for about 3x,000 baht each per year with only extensions of stay required every 90 days. As you are also learning the language of the country it would seem a good fit and only requires a few hours of class each week.

Tourist visas would require leaving country which would probably cost as much or more overall.

But you can not work in any way/shape or form in Thailand without a work permit so if you have an internet connection it would not be for working.

no worries, my original post did seem a tad misleading :)

thanks loads for suggestion! i don't suppose 3x000thb is inclusive of school fees?

Suspect I misunderstood your original post.

The language study option is possible for a long period and allows you to stay in country for about 3x,000 baht each per year with only extensions of stay required every 90 days. As you are also learning the language of the country it would seem a good fit and only requires a few hours of class each week.

Tourist visas would require leaving country which would probably cost as much or more overall.

But you can not work in any way/shape or form in Thailand without a work permit so if you have an internet connection it would not be for working.

no worries, my original post did seem a tad misleading :)

thanks loads for suggestion! i don't suppose 3x000thb is inclusive of school fees?

I believe Lopburi meant to say 30,000 baht each per year (being the annual school fee).

Yes that would include the school fees (under 30k) and the 1,900 baht every 3 months for new extension of stay.

  • Author

thanks loads guys! sure sounds like a great deal! I don't have to do visa runs do i?:)

I've been wondering the same, because as you, I just work off the internet. I can more than sustain myself in Thailand with my income, but all the B class visas require a letter of reference from the Thai company you will be working for. I could never find anything for entrepreneurship / self-employment, but found this little gem last night:

http://www.thaicongenvancouver.org/cms/ind...view&id=219

It's a 3 year non-immigrant visa, the requirements seem very reasonable, and it allows for self-employment. It allows you to work in Thailand, but you can not be employed by a Thai company, which is exactly what we're both working for. Unfortunately, I can't see to find any mention of it on the Thailand Immigration web site, so still have to look into it more.

If you wanted, I'll let you know as I find out more. I'm in Thailand now, and will be visiting an immigration lawyer shortly, plus contacting the consulate in Vancouver, Canada.

I don't have to do visa runs do i?

No but you have to visit Immigration every 90 days for a 3 month extension.

Have a look at the sponsors banners at the top of the page.

I've been wondering the same, because as you, I just work off the internet. I can more than sustain myself in Thailand with my income, but all the B class visas require a letter of reference from the Thai company you will be working for. I could never find anything for entrepreneurship / self-employment, but found this little gem last night:

http://www.thaicongenvancouver.org/cms/ind...view&id=219

It's a 3 year non-immigrant visa, the requirements seem very reasonable, and it allows for self-employment. It allows you to work in Thailand, but you can not be employed by a Thai company, which is exactly what we're both working for. Unfortunately, I can't see to find any mention of it on the Thailand Immigration web site, so still have to look into it more.

If you wanted, I'll let you know as I find out more. I'm in Thailand now, and will be visiting an immigration lawyer shortly, plus contacting the consulate in Vancouver, Canada.

Look at the requirements. You would not qualify. Also you would not get a Work Permit for what you plan to do.

  • Author
I've been wondering the same, because as you, I just work off the internet. I can more than sustain myself in Thailand with my income, but all the B class visas require a letter of reference from the Thai company you will be working for. I could never find anything for entrepreneurship / self-employment, but found this little gem last night:

http://www.thaicongenvancouver.org/cms/ind...view&id=219

It's a 3 year non-immigrant visa, the requirements seem very reasonable, and it allows for self-employment. It allows you to work in Thailand, but you can not be employed by a Thai company, which is exactly what we're both working for. Unfortunately, I can't see to find any mention of it on the Thailand Immigration web site, so still have to look into it more.

If you wanted, I'll let you know as I find out more. I'm in Thailand now, and will be visiting an immigration lawyer shortly, plus contacting the consulate in Vancouver, Canada.

Thanks loads for the helpful information! However, I seem to be lacking in points 6 through 9 :)

Look at the requirements. You would not qualify. Also you would not get a Work Permit for what you plan to do.

Why not? I think I would. Anyway, found it on the Thailand web site:

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2498

It states at the bottom, "The required additional documents (4 – 9) may be submitted upon request.". If needed, I can just shift some work from existing contractors over to a few Thai firms, get some contracts in place with them, and voila, I now have partnerships with Thai companies! If needed, I can always register a corporation in Thailand as well. hel_l, income tax would be way cheaper than in Canada anyway. That, and I can easily prove a monthly income of 200,000+ baht, plus am planning to leverage some resources to help some non-profits around, so I don't see why they'd decline me.

Edited by cdnmatt

  • Author
I don't have to do visa runs do i?

No but you have to visit Immigration every 90 days for a 3 month extension.

Have a look at the sponsors banners at the top of the page.

alright, would it make any difference if apply for a course first, and then go to thailand, or vice versa? i'm looking for a school within reasonable distance to my rented apartment and I'm rather afraid if my thai language school isn't imm aproved(?)

I've been wondering the same, because as you, I just work off the internet. I can more than sustain myself in Thailand with my income, but all the B class visas require a letter of reference from the Thai company you will be working for. I could never find anything for entrepreneurship / self-employment, but found this little gem last night:

http://www.thaicongenvancouver.org/cms/ind...view&id=219

It's a 3 year non-immigrant visa, the requirements seem very reasonable, and it allows for self-employment. It allows you to work in Thailand, but you can not be employed by a Thai company, which is exactly what we're both working for. Unfortunately, I can't see to find any mention of it on the Thailand Immigration web site, so still have to look into it more.

If you wanted, I'll let you know as I find out more. I'm in Thailand now, and will be visiting an immigration lawyer shortly, plus contacting the consulate in Vancouver, Canada.

It does not say anywhere that you can work.

You will not find it on a immigration website because immigration does not issue visas.

It is here on the MFA website. http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2498

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