If You Wrote Thailand's Visa Laws

[JimmyTheMook]

What would you change ?

Add some stability/uniformity to the constantly changing terms ?

Give a 60 day visa on arrival ?

Allow people with a Thai family some sort of status here other than a simple extension of stay ?

[Guest]

A pointless exercise as we don't write the law.

[lazygourmet]

But we don't!

[whatchamacallit]

why waste valuable time - better spend it at the beach :-)

[Prajak]

I would add an extra line, for all Immigration officials.

"This is it, and not more than this"

[Jingthing]

They want the money for the tourist visas. So 30 day stamp free. For 60 day tourist visa, pay money on arrival available.

Retirement visas -- ten year duration, instead one year.

Reduce the financial requirements by half for those who OWN their own condo (as does Mexico)

[JR Texas]

They want the money for the tourist visas. So 30 day stamp free. For 60 day tourist visa, pay money on arrival available.

Retirement visas -- ten year duration, instead one year.

Reduce the financial requirements by half for those who OWN their own condo (as does Mexico)

Reduce financial requirements across the board by half.

Eliminate financial requirments for foreigners who are supporting a Thai wife.

Eliminate all border runs.

Eliminate the need to buy an exit airline ticket prior to arrival (in all circumstances).

Introduce as pay to stay system: 3 month, 6 months, 12 months, forever.

Eliminate the "genuine tourist" concept (maybe do what the Philippines and Cambodia do).

Stop 90 day reporting (totally insane requirement).

Stop the need to travel across the universe just for a re-entry permit (make them available all over, especially at the airport).

Allow foreigners to take care of all visa matters at any immigration office (if not, at least let them go to the closest office to them).

Stop the insane 15 day border run.......any person who leaves the country and comes back should be given 90 days (no limits imposed on this).

In general, reverse everything they have done over the past ten years and make it easy, not hard for foreigners to remain in Thailand and spend their money instead of havin to leave and spend money in Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Cambodia.

The current system provides ZERO security for any expat. Those that think they are fine need to think again. Right now they are attacking foreign males with Thai wives. Why? Xenophobia.

Next.......and no doubt this will happen.........they will abrogate all grandfathered in rules and then many of the people sitting on high horses now will change their tune.

If I were an outsider looking in, I would never invest money in a business........never purchase any expensive real estate.........never marry.........never retire here. Period.

They really must change these rules fast.

[tropo]

why waste valuable time - better spend it at the beach :-)

Probably better to stay indoors and type. Harmful UV and harmful water pollutants at the beach.

[DegenFarang]

I would sell citizenship for 1-2 million baht, maybe more.

I would create a one-year, indefinitely renewable visa for people who are living here permanently but: not working, not investing, not going to school, not retiring and not poor. The investor visa is close to this but it requires you to put your money in potentially risky places (in Thai Baht, in real estate, in a fixed deposit account in a 51% Thai owned bank, in bonds etc.). I would make the requirements something like 2,000,000 baht in a bank account in Thailand (in any bank in Thailand, and in any currency - possibly with a prohibition on taking the money out of Thailand) that must be continually 'topped up' every year when you go to renew your Visa. Thus showing that you have more than 160,000 baht per month to spend for the next year and it is less likely that you are going to be seeking to work illegally, at least in the low paying jobs where illegals tend to work.

I would punish people severely who overstayed their Visa for a lengthy period of time. I don't have an exact figure in mind but people doing it for 7 years, 8 years, 20+ years should be serving prison sentences.

It would not force people to do 'border runs' or otherwise leave the country to get a visa that they qualify for, except for the fact that they happen to be in Thailand. People would be able to go to immigration to get a new Tourist visa or a new VOA, or to get an ED visa if they happen to be here on a tourist visa, etc. The same 'crackdowns' and limitations on exceptions could apply and be enforced, it would just stop the need to unnecessarily inconvenience people, and also stop sending tourist baht to bordering countries for no reason.

I would create a self-employment class of visa and/or work-permit (I'm not sure if you need a visa to get a work permit or if a work permit alone is enough). But in any case, people living here who are self-employed should not have to get a Thai partner and start a company in order to work - especially when the person is something like a freelance web-developer or writer, or somebody who makes money online somehow. These people are putting money into the Thai economy but their only current option is to get start a company or work here illegally under some other Visa class. They should be on self-employment work permits and paying taxes.

[Jingthing]

Why imprison overstayers? That is barbaric! Just deport and blacklist. Duh.

I agree with the ideas of

-- in country border runs at your immigration office (pay a fee)

-- self employment work permit subject to application of evaluation of value to Thailand

[Moonrakers]

I would change the law to make my life easier depending on my personal circumstances at the time.

[Jingthing]

I would change the law to make my life easier depending on my personal circumstances at the time.

That goes without saying.

[DegenFarang]

Why imprison overstayers? That is barbaric! Just deport and blacklist. Duh.

Deportation is a form of imprisonment, they detain you and put you through some process, I don't know what that process is but I can imagine it isn't a smile and a thank you for the 20,000 baht and a 'please come again'.

If other countries don't give out sentences for people who overstay for 20 years then I guess I just don't understand what it means to overstay, but they should be detained, interrogated, deported and blacklisted at the very least.

[DegenFarang]

I would change the law to make my life easier depending on my personal circumstances at the time.

lol it is very difficult to answer a question like this without giving that answer.

[koheesti]

I lived in a country where one way to get a 2 year residence permit was to show that you have enough money from an outside source (not a job in country since this wasn't for a work permit). In my case, I showed them a copy of my most recent W-2 from the Internal Revenue Service and a letter from my company stating my salary. I knew other people who got it based on their pension. After that, no reporting to Immigration, no leaving the country ever X-number of days, no hassles at all.

[SweatySock]

How about something similar to the United Arab Emirates, a 4 year residence visa.

Provide the necessary paperwork at the time of application and bye-bye see you again in 4 years time.

Enter and exit the country as many times as you like during that period without any further need for exit/re-entry visas.

Simple.

[samran]

I would sell citizenship for 1-2 million baht, maybe more.

No country with a modicum of self-worth would sell its citizenship to any man off the street with a few bucks in his pocket.

A more transparent path to citizenship to those who have shown committment to the country, by all means, but not citizenship to those who only want a passport of convinience.

Other than that:

- Automatic work and residency rights for spouses of Thai nationals

- Longer times between visa checks. Say 2 to 4 years, and then residency after say 5.

- Upping the tourist visa to say 60 on arrival, but then stictly enforcing a 90 day in 180 rule so that it isn't abused.

I'd also ensure that Thailand had a visa system - based on a points system - which could attract business start ups, though your stay is regulated by your business actually making a threshold level of revenue each year.

[Totster]

- Automatic work and residency rights for spouses of Thai nationals

The immediate problem with this is 'marriage for money', the green card situation that the USA had, and that other countries have suffered also. The marriage has to be confirmed as legit.. time and money, can't see the authorities here wanted the extra work..

totster

[samran]

- Automatic work and residency rights for spouses of Thai nationals

The immediate problem with this is 'marriage for money', the green card situation that the USA had, and that other countries have suffered also. The marriage has to be confirmed as legit.. time and money, can't see the authorities here wanted the extra work..

totster

It is a legit fear, but I think on balance the current system is already pretty cumbersome for extensions based on marriage to a Thai national with the downside there are many who are in a legit relationship suffer.

Given Thailand's low wages no-one is going to try and marry someone so they can work here, the worst that is going to happen is someone is going to pay so they can stay here.

On balance though, my view is I'll leave it to the market as to whether someone can afford to stay here or not. Even without a monetary restriction, I think you'll find that most people will still need 40-50K per month to support a family with some modicum of security.

[Jingthing]

One more, allow foreigners to register their same sex relationships, and then allow such foreigners the same visa options as those married to Thais.

[Totster]

One more, allow foreigners to register their same sex relationships, and then allow such foreigners the same visa options as those married to Thais.

I don't know too much about this, but isn't this a worldwide consideration at the moment, for instance, can a gay couple English/Thai get a settlement visa based on their relationship ? (I really don't know, maybe it is possible?)

edit - is same sex marriage even legal in Thailand ? This would have to be a pre requisite

Totster

[manjara]

I would give a 2 year visa to any foreigner married to a Thai based on similar criteria to a UK settlement visa, i.e. they could prove a prior relationship. Anyone with this visa should receive an automatic work permit based on an application from a Thai company employing them (only minimum wage restrictions would apply). The WP would remain valid for the full period of the visa unless terminated by the company.

After 2 years, the foreigner could then apply for Thai citizenship, requiring a pass on a test covering basic Thai language, tax returns, knowledge of Thai customs/life etc or extend the 2 year visa for another 2 years.

Thai companies should be able to apply for a 'pool' of visas for skilled staff, based on their needs, for a similar visa valid for 2 years. The salary is a matter for negotiation between company and individual. The individual could also convert after 2 years to Thai citizenship based on the same criteria and sponsorship from the company, or the company could apply to extend for another 2 years

[cdnmatt]

I'd definitely put a self-employment VISA option in aswell, as there's many people in my shoes. Make good money online, can work anywhere in the world, and have decided they would prefer to live in Thailand vs. their home country. Not in any shape or form harming the Thai economy, but just simply bringing in money from out of country, and spending it here.

[DegenFarang]

I would sell citizenship for 1-2 million baht, maybe more.

No country with a modicum of self-worth would sell its citizenship to any man off the street with a few bucks in his pocket.

Depends how you define a country with 'a modicum of self-worth' and 'a few bucks' I guess.

Panama, Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis all sell citizenship, in one form or another. There are others.

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

For every million invested in Thailand, purchase condo, long term investment, stock market. For each million 1 year on your visa. So if you invest 5 mil you get a 5 year visa. Same same at end of visa still have investment new visa for same length.

[mca]

3 year visa extensions for those married to a Thai national.

Only report residence when changing address.

[Jingthing]

One more, allow foreigners to register their same sex relationships, and then allow such foreigners the same visa options as those married to Thais.

I don't know too much about this, but isn't this a worldwide consideration at the moment, for instance, can a gay couple English/Thai get a settlement visa based on their relationship ? (I really don't know, maybe it is possible?)

edit - is same sex marriage even legal in Thailand ? This would have to be a pre requisite

Totster

Yes, it is a global issue but here we are talking mostly about Thai visas.

Of course, gay marriage is not legal in Thailand.

My suggestion covered that. Allow same sex couples with a foreigner and a Thai to have a way to officially register their relationship in another way in Thailand, marriage isn't necessary. Then recognize those registered in Thailand relationships the same way as marriages for the purposes of Thai visas. It makes sense.

As far as the UK, yes I know of UK people who have moved back to the UK with their Thai partners where the Thai's visa ticket was the same sex relationship. Don't know more about the legal details, but yes, quite possible for UK people and other nationalities as well.

[bangkokgas]

3 year visa extensions for those married to a Thai national.

Only report residence when changing address.

Agree- but only for the first 3 years. After that- give'em 5 as they do in Japan.