Visa Advice Please.

[TechnikaIII]

I will be travelling soon, and need to stay until September because there is much to organise, ... stuff to do with setting up the eventual home and helping my fiance's parents. (I'm a 61 yo UK citizen)

I gather it's easy to get a 30 day stay on arrival. But to apply for longer than that, it seems there's a chunk of money involved and it has to be applied for at an embassy. Is there any way of extending this whilst there? We do plan to marry soon, if that helps.

I will be maintaining UK residency for a while atleast. (I'm an artist and necessarily live off sales of work in a number of countries) I will effectively be drawing on that income mostly from Thailand, which has got to be a good thing for them. Just hope they view it as such.

suggestions and advice welcome.

Thanks K.

[mallyrd]

Technikalll,

I recknon there will be plenty of experts coming along shortly to give you the necessary advice. Setting up the eventual nest and helping the inlaws is quite a serious step but having said that I guess you know what you are doing. As far as visa's are concerned you would best off if before you travel to Thailand you get yourself a double entry tourist visa which will take you well beyond your stated date.

Good luck.

[TechnikaIII]

Technikalll,

I recknon there will be plenty of experts coming along shortly to give you the necessary advice. Setting up the eventual nest and helping the inlaws is quite a serious step but having said that I guess you know what you are doing. As far as visa's are concerned you would best off if before you travel to Thailand you get yourself a double entry tourist visa which will take you well beyond your stated date.

Good luck.

A "double entry tourist visa". Hmm. Thanks. I'd looked and seen a number of different types of Visa, but don't recall seeing that. Will look into it. Thankyou for the quick reply.

[tigerjohn]

Technikalll,

I recknon there will be plenty of experts coming along shortly to give you the necessary advice. Setting up the eventual nest and helping the inlaws is quite a serious step but having said that I guess you know what you are doing. As far as visa's are concerned you would best off if before you travel to Thailand you get yourself a double entry tourist visa which will take you well beyond your stated date.

Good luck.

A "double entry tourist visa". Hmm. Thanks. I'd looked and seen a number of different types of Visa, but don't recall seeing that. Will look into it. Thankyou for the quick reply.

there is visas you can get very easy for not too much money ie £40 for 90day 1 entry to £100 for 1yr triple entry, im sure they are correct prices but to be sure ring thai consul in hull 01482 581668 they will tell you all you need to know and you can get any visa in 30 mins if you make appointment to pick up, hope this helps

[TechnikaIII]

Thanks tigerjohn. Will do.

[Tywais]

Moving this to the Thai Visa subforum.

[kennkate]

Would be better to get a Multi entry cost a tad over £100 at Hull as advised,

Each entry will give you 90 days so you wont have to leave Thailand unless you wish to stay longer than 90 days and it is valid for one year from date of issue.

hull do a postal sevice and are very good to deal with

[Lite Beer]

Without a Visa there is a possibility that you will not be allowed on the flight.

A single entry Tourist Visa (free of charge) will give you 60 days and can be extended at Immigration for a further 30 days (1,900 Baht)

This will take you past September.

As said for future long stay visits a Non Imm O Multi Entry Visa will give you up to 15 months but you would have to do a border run every 90 days. Apply at the Thai Consulate in Hull.

[lopburi3]

If you are planning to live in Thailand the multi entry non immigrant O visa from Hull (only place that will issue before marriage in the area) would be logical as that type of entry is required for marriage extensions of stay from Immigration inside Thailand (non immigrant visa entry) and you need a visa for airline if trip longer than 30 days inside Thailand.

You also should be aware you can not work in Thailand without a work permit (regardless of marriage status) so anything your making/selling should be done outside of Thailand.

[TechnikaIII]

If you are planning to live in Thailand the multi entry non immigrant O visa from Hull (only place that will issue before marriage in the area) would be logical as that type of entry is required for marriage extensions of stay from Immigration inside Thailand (non immigrant visa entry) and you need a visa for airline if trip longer than 30 days inside Thailand.

You also should be aware you can not work in Thailand without a work permit (regardless of marriage status) so anything your making/selling should be done outside of Thailand.

Thanks, but as regards 'not working', being an artist, I reserve the right to draw, paint ... etc., when and wherever I like. The only time I have ever been questioned was in the old East Berlin, where images of the wall and military installations were off-limits. Thailand not being North Korea, is not going to stop me with a sketch book in my luggage or even a handful of paintings. They are my diary, and I will work, until I drop. Whilst my accounts are UK based, and that's where I pay taxes, it is only for the concern of the UK revenue that I in fact do declare all income.

Were I to eventually establish a gallery or picture framing workshop, my partner/wife could run it under my guidance. She is really keen to learn all about it and is looking for better employment. However, for the foreseeable future, I have no plans to sell work in Thailand. My market is in Europe.

But it is interesting that a photographer, or an author, could visit and work for a month and carry their work in a memory stick, and no one would notice. But an artist is, by nature of the product, more conspicuous and is therefor targeted. It has bugged me a few times entering/departing the UK, Norway and Australia.

[jazzbo]

Thanks, but as regards 'not working', being an artist, I reserve the right to draw, paint ... etc., when and wherever I like.

http://www.thaivisa....gs-for-20-baht/

... and they may not believe that you are not in fact selling.

[PhilHarries]

AFAIK if you spend your time as an artist in Thailand painting pictures, taking photographs or whatever there is no issue with work permits etc.

However if some of your work were to end up in a gallery for sale then, whatever the destination of the money, it could be construed as working. There's probably a workaround for this but you should take legal advice.

[TechnikaIII]

That poor Canadian guy! ( http://www.thaivisa....gs-for-20-baht/ ) Cripes ... well thanks everyone for the cautions. It looks like the authorities are out to screw for every farang for every Baht possible. But that said, there would be a free-for-all if there no regulations in place.

The Canadian street artist was drawing in public and thus arguably stealing work opportunity from a local. My artwork is at least practiced mostly in private, and will not be seen in public until it reaches Europe or Australia. I'll be out and about with cameras, but so are millions of others. And fortunately I will be living in a village some 8 hours away from Bkk. We will occasionally get around to places of different landscape, where the concern will be more for malaria and cobras, than police interfering with us.

In the event of an exhibiting opportunity being offered, then yes, I will certainly review the visa status and be prepared with legal advice.

... thank you again.

[jazzbo]

IMHO keep a low profile, never use the word 'work' in any conversation , and do not exit the Kingdom with or ship via mail too many items at once. But mostly be advised that one in LOS cannot "reserve the right ..." to do anything at any time

[TechnikaIII]

Sorry, a bit of 'abbreviation overload'. What does " ... that one in LOS ... " mean?

But yes, the exclusion of 'work' from everything spoken and written.

It's 5am here, and I haven't slept yet :-(

[jazzbo]

Land-of-Smiles...

[TechnikaIII]