Valid Visa?

[themana]

Um, ok, so here's the deal. I want to come over to Thailand for two years to live with my boyfriend. He has a friend whom he works for that runs a language academy. She has told me that she knows someone that works in Immigration that can help arrange a visa for me, that would let me work, study and have a bank account in Thailand. All for the same rough price most language academies charge for their one-year ED visas, around 28,000 baht. So, while I obviously know that this method of obtaining a visa is unconventional to say the least, I have to admit I'm very curious. I guess my main question would be that, if this visa is to be procured by somebody working at Immigration itself, would this be a valid visa in itself, although the way in which it was obtained was unorthodox? What are your thoughts? Does anybody know of any similar cases?

[Maestro]

You must get a visa from a Thai consulate, outside Thailand. The type of visa to apply for depends on the purpose of your travel. If it is to study, apply for a non-immigrant visa type Ed, for which the school will have to send you some papers. Ask the consulate what they require.

If you want to work in Thailand you need a work permit. Your employer will have to apply for that, which he will probably do after your arrival in Thailand. Unless you arrive with a non-immigrant visa type B, you will have to go to a Thai consulate in a nearby country, with paperwork from your employer, to get the non-B visa before you can pick up your work permit when it is ready.

[Richard4849]

Beware of people who claim to have friends who can "facilitate" things for you possibly in violation of the law.