Best Visa For Me

[scd]

Hello all. I was wondering if someone can help me work out which visa i should apply for for my next visa to Thailand. Unfortunately i still can't quite get my head around it and would appreciate any advice.

Some history: After holidaying two times previously in Thailand visa exempt (less then 30 days) i decided to go back for a longer stay this year (2011) utilising a Tourist visa with 2 entries. This i obtained successfully in Australian and used this year in Thailand. While staying in Thailand i extended the visa twice by 30 days at immigration, did a visa run to Myanmar, and when this visa expired, i received another 15 days by doing a land entry at Myanmar, which i used before returning back to Australia recently.

My situation: I am 37 and in a relationship with a Thai lady and I would like to continue this relationship during 2012 with a view of it becoming long term if the attraction remains. I have bought my airplane ticket back to Thailand in January 2012.

My needs: I have no need for a work permit at this stage but the ease of obtaining one if i do find appropriate work or set up a type of business would be handy. The need not to do border runs every 3 months is also of interest to me. If i can keep extending by going to my local Immigration that would be great. Multiple entry would also be nice in case we decided to holiday outside of Thailand in 2012.

So basically i am wondering if i should continue getting Tourist visa's, for this year at least, or if i should try to get a Non-Imm O multiple entry (based on?)? Whatever affords me the greatest success of returning is of most interest to me, although i'm weary of filling my passport with Tourist visa stamps.

Any advice is much appreciated and if i've left anything out please let me know and i'll reply. I check TV everyday and would like to apply for my new visa in Australia in the next week or so.

Cheers

scd

[Lite Beer]

Tourist visas would be the only option for you. Unless you enlist in a school learning Thai.

This would give you Education Visa options.

[modafinil]

It looks like a tourist visa is your best option. However, don't expect any useful advice on this forum. You would do better using "Yahoo Answers" or simply browsing through random youtube comments.

[lopburi3]

That my be your opinion but believe it is totally wrong. Having been posting here for eight years and having read just about every source of information on Thai visas available on the internet can say without a doubt the best and most correct information is consistently provided on this forum by its members.

[steve187]

A double entry tourist visa extended for 30 days on both entries, would give you 180 days here. if you wanted to leave thailand for travel it would be ideal to time the holiday to line up with your second tourist visa entry, or a re-entry permit could be obtained from immigration to leave the current entry alive, make sure all tourist visa entries are made during use by date on the visa itself. As already posted the other option would be an education visa. At present there would be no option of a non immigrant visa for you.

take no notice of post 3, the keyboard types without being engaged to brain first.

[scd]

Thanks for the relevant replies guys. I'll go with a double Tourist visa. Not sure if Brisbane will do a triple (anyone know?). I've investigated the Ed visa before and might leave that option for a future date if needed. Cheers and thanks!

[Leftfield1965]

Thanks for the relevant replies guys. I'll go with a double Tourist visa. Not sure if Brisbane will do a triple (anyone know?). I've investigated the Ed visa before and might leave that option for a future date if needed. Cheers and thanks!

Not sure if the Brisbane consulate does triples, best to phone them and ask. My experience with them is that they're friendly and willing to give advice.

Which brings me to another option that you might want to consider. A couple of posters on this thread have mentioned that it would be impossible for you to obtain a non immigrant visa at this stage. Now, technically speaking that might be true, but the Brisbane consulate has been known to slightly bend the rules sometimes. In June '09 I obtained a non imm 'o' from them based on having a Thai girlfriend. All they needed was a letter from the GF stating that we were in a long term relationship, along with a copy of her passport/ID and sufficient funds in a bank account (can't remember how much, sorry).

If I were you I'd ring them up and ask if such an option would be available for you. It certainly worked for me, it got me a 15 month stay with multiple entries.

Good luck.

[Lite Beer]

A couple of posters on this thread have mentioned that it would be impossible for you to obtain a non immigrant visa at this stage. Now, technically speaking that might be true, but the Brisbane consulate has been known to slightly bend the rules sometimes. In June '09 I obtained a non imm 'o' from them based on having a Thai girlfriend. All they needed was a letter from the GF stating that we were in a long term relationship, along with a copy of her passport/ID and sufficient funds in a bank account

Good luck.

That was in 2009. The rules have been tightened up considerably since then.

[Leftfield1965]

A couple of posters on this thread have mentioned that it would be impossible for you to obtain a non immigrant visa at this stage. Now, technically speaking that might be true, but the Brisbane consulate has been known to slightly bend the rules sometimes. In June '09 I obtained a non imm 'o' from them based on having a Thai girlfriend. All they needed was a letter from the GF stating that we were in a long term relationship, along with a copy of her passport/ID and sufficient funds in a bank account

Good luck.

That was in 2009. The rules have been tightened up considerably since then.

Maybe so...but there's no harm in asking is there?

I merely gave the OP another option to explore, and if there is one place that is particulary helpfull it's the Brisbane consulate.

[Lite Beer]

No harm in asking

[modafinil]

Apologies for my remark earlier in the thread - inappropriate and inaccurate. lopburi3 has it right.

Merry Xmas!

[scd]

Thanks for the relevant replies guys. I'll go with a double Tourist visa. Not sure if Brisbane will do a triple (anyone know?). I've investigated the Ed visa before and might leave that option for a future date if needed. Cheers and thanks!

Not sure if the Brisbane consulate does triples, best to phone them and ask. My experience with them is that they're friendly and willing to give advice.

Which brings me to another option that you might want to consider. A couple of posters on this thread have mentioned that it would be impossible for you to obtain a non immigrant visa at this stage. Now, technically speaking that might be true, but the Brisbane consulate has been known to slightly bend the rules sometimes. In June '09 I obtained a non imm 'o' from them based on having a Thai girlfriend. All they needed was a letter from the GF stating that we were in a long term relationship, along with a copy of her passport/ID and sufficient funds in a bank account (can't remember how much, sorry).

If I were you I'd ring them up and ask if such an option would be available for you. It certainly worked for me, it got me a 15 month stay with multiple entries.

Good luck.

Cheers Leftfield. That was sort of the angle i was looking at, as i'd seen it mentioned on a consulate site somewhere that a Non Imm O could be attained on grounds of a long visit to see an acquaintance, if one had supporting documentation etc. Unfortunately in the rush to pack for the airport i forgot to get the GF to write me a support letter. All good. I'll be more then happy if the Bris consulate is as supportive as people suggest, and i'll try them out for a triple and see what happens. Thanks again!

[David48]

Thanks for the relevant replies guys. I'll go with a double Tourist visa. Not sure if Brisbane will do a triple (anyone know?).

Cheers Leftfield. That was sort of the angle i was looking at, as i'd seen it mentioned on a consulate site somewhere that a Non Imm O could be attained on grounds of a long visit to see an acquaintance, if one had supporting documentation etc. Unfortunately in the rush to pack for the airport i forgot to get the GF to write me a support letter. All good. I'll be more then happy if the Bris consulate is as supportive as people suggest, and i'll try them out for a triple and see what happens. Thanks again!

Hey scd, could you update us here when and what Visa you obtained as I am also in a similiar situation to you and use the same consulate in Brisbane.

[lopburi3]

The non O visa is not issued for such (GF) visitation anymore.

[bobl]

You're one of the many unfortunates who fall through the cracks of not having a visa category to fit into. Fortunately there are other options.

Retirement and marriage are out since you're only 37 and (very wisely) not falling into the trap of rushing into marriage just to get a visa.

This leaves Business and Ed. A 1 year Ed visa to study Thai is quite easy to set up. If you learn Thai in the process you've fulfilled your moral and legal obligations. However I'm not sure how easily (or if) you can get a multiple re-entry stamp on an ed visa, should you wish to make trips.

Business - don't be put off by the tome of information you'll have to wade through regarding investment or setting up a company. Even if all you're doing is taking a few "widget x" with you when you fly out because they're cheaper than back home and you can make a few beer chits selling them, you're doing "business" (outside of Thailand) and should be perfectly entitled to a 1 or 3 year multiple entry business visa (*assuming they're available to Australians).

Otherwise you're stuck with doing it the way you're doing it. Be careful with triple entry. These are valid for 3 x 60 day trips, so they expire after 180 days. However since you can extend your first 2 visits by 30 days each, you're here for 180 days already so if you time it wrong, you won't be able to activate your 3rd entry. You'd have to do a border run shortly before the 180 days to get the full "270 days" out of a triple entry.