Looking To Stay In Los For 1 Year

[wetface]

Dear Members, some help please...

Looking to stay in LOS for 1 year... don't care how I accomplish this, though marriage is not an option. I'd like to learn some Thai along the way... looking at ed visa vs. tourist visa. prices for 1 year thai study programs satisfying ed visa requirements.. i see anywhere from 23000-108,000, (private lessons). I don't want to commit to a 2-3 hours daily study regime, homework etc.. nor do i wish to be limited to any one geographical location, or pay some school handsomely for the priviledge of learning thai. Clearly, I want no drama while there.

I've heard that 1. If in lang. school must stay at that one location and visit same immigration office every 90 days. 2. Immigration officials,(I hear more prevalant in bkk), can give subjective, impromtu thai lang. "test" and if they're not satisfied with your abilities, can deny extensions. Any recourse if some lower level pissy official denies you? However if I stay on tourist visa it is my understanding that can obtain multiple entries,(3), prior to arrival and can obtain extensions of 30 days per visit total 270 days. Immigration officials are certainly under no obligation to give 30 day extensions.

What documents, if any, should i bring from home to help me obtain maximum extensions?

That takes me to 270 days, or there abouts. Too, my understanding was a with a tourist visa, a max of 3 entries are given, excluding any extensions... period, within 1 year's time. By one year do they mean to say from any period during Jan1- dec. 31 or is it I assume from date of visa stamp? That leaves me +/- 100 days short... Can i turn that tourist visa into ed visa prior to tourist visa expiration? Is this a cumbersome procedure? If i turn into ed visa what are min. requirements of study times/ hours per week, month that must be completed to comply with ed visa requirements and how long before expiration of Tourist visa should i allow myself to accomplush this change?

On either t.v. or ed visa what if any are requirements for place of residency? on t.v., i'll be moving all over the place must i check in with immigration every so often and if so must i do this within the same jurisdiction which extension was granted or may i do so anywhere in the country?

If i do t.v first and then ed visa, this would be cheaper, as i would have to pay for less classes.

I also hear of some pepole who obtained multiple entry visas, then left the country for a little r&r, came back, didn't pay attention to the re-entry stamp they received at the airport, left, and later found out that they have voided their multiple entries!!! How do i prevent this and safeguard my multiply entry visa? What stamp do i specifically look for, upon re-entry, to ensure that all is ok with the world? I definitely planning on visiting other countries in the region.

Are my facts straight here... thanks for the help

WF

[nam-thip]

That's a long winded story to ask a simple question and maybe the reason you’ve had no replies.

Lots of questions require lots of answers.

Keep it simple and you'll get the answers your looking for, take one step at a time.

Unless you’re living on another planet apply in your own country for a 1-year multi-entry O visa.

When you arrive in Thailand check that the visa is stamped correctly and hit the border every three months again checking the visa is correctly stamped.

An easy way to stay in Thailand for a minimum of 1-year.

Forget Ed-visas it will bog you down to one location.

Get yourself into Thailand and sort the rest out once your here.

The choices when here are endless.

[Lite Beer]

Unless you’re living on another planet apply in your own country for a 1-year multi-entry O visa.

He is unlikely to get one of those in the USA.

Probably best to get as many entry Tourist Visas as he can get.

When they run out he should be able to get more from a neighboring country.

Or go the Thai Language School route.

[wetface]

Unless you're living on another planet apply in your own country for a 1-year multi-entry O visa.

He is unlikely to get one of those in the USA.

Probably best to get as many entry Tourist Visas as he can get.

When they run out he should be able to get more from a neighboring country.

Or go the Thai Language School route.

Thank you both for the help and for moving my post. I had called the Thai Consulate here in the states, the one in Texas as I had read on this site that was the best to apply to. I live in Los Angeles and the Consulate here sucks.... in trying actually talk to someone. When I contcted the people in Texas, they told me forget the O visa unless I owned property, had a Thai Wife or wanted to do some volunteer work... the tourist visa gave me, if i understand it correctly, a max. of 3 entries per year at 60 days per entry and with 3 extensions at 30days /ext. a grand total 270 days, well short of a year. I will apply for visa b4 heading out.... but what is the best way to stay a year??? I thought the same max out tourist visa and then switch to Thai Lang. School. Appreciate any other suggestions..

WF

[wetface]

That's a long winded story to ask a simple question and maybe the reason you’ve had no replies.

Lots of questions require lots of answers.

Keep it simple and you'll get the answers your looking for, take one step at a time.

Unless you’re living on another planet apply in your own country for a 1-year multi-entry O visa.

When you arrive in Thailand check that the visa is stamped correctly and hit the border every three months again checking the visa is correctly stamped.

An easy way to stay in Thailand for a minimum of 1-year.

Forget Ed-visas it will bog you down to one location.

Get yourself into Thailand and sort the rest out once your here.

The choices when here are endless.

Nam thip thanks for the response...... I understand what your alluding to.. sort it out when I get there... where are some good places to network with people who have sorted out these types of scenarios.. thanks

WF