Opinions On Which Visa To Aim For?

[sfmadison2]

Although I feel like I understand the visa process moderately well, I'd be interested to hear other people's opinions on what the best way to go is, given my situation. Searches through the archives didn't produce anything which completely answers my question. So:

Given the facts below, what sort of visa would you recommend trying to get?

--I'm American, in my 30's, not-married, and intend to stay in Thailand long-term.

--I've been on a Non-Imm ED for the last 5 years, but it will expire in November.

--I'm not currently working, though trying to set up an exporting business.

--I know some well-off Thais who would be willing to help me out with references/forms if need be.

--I speak Thai fluently, and spent several years in a Thai monastery.

--I have no criminal record, and have a decent amount of savings.

Not sure if all of these facts are relevant to the issue at hand, but I thought I'd write down everything so as to avoid possible important omissions.

My thinking is that this may come down to asking somebody to vouch for me, or include me as an 'employee'. If this is the case, I want to understand what my best option is so that I can make it as straightforward as possible for a Thai friend who might be asked to help me out.

Any feedback from those well-versed in possible visa paths is very much appreciated....

Thanks a lot,

Jack

[lopburi3]

You really need a valid reason for stay and if study is no longer an option there is not a lot that can be done beyond tourist stay. If you find employment that is an option but that is much more than someone saying you work for them or that you are a good person - they have to have a position that allows a work permit to be issued and work permit has to be issued.

[Mario2008]

For long term, you have two options:

1. study, you can study anything you want as long as the school is approved so just start something new.

2. get a job.

A third one is to invest 10 million baht in Thailand.

[sfmadison2]

thanks lopburi and mario for your response.

If you find employment that is an option but that is much more than someone saying you work for them or that you are a good person - they have to have a position that allows a work permit to be issued and work permit has to be issued.

where can i find out more about this, specifically, having a position that allows a work permit to be issued? what does that involve/what would it mean to create such a position?

(by the way, the reason i was having trouble posting before was because i used a smily emoticon which--when i looked at it in html--is actually a link. making it by hand as opposed to using the emoticon option from the editor solved it.)

[lopburi3]

You might want to read in both this forum and the jobs/employment forum while waiting for response.

[IMA_FARANG]

Well, quite a few years ago I had an American friend whose father had wotked in Thailand for many years.

My friend had therefore lived in Thailand, went to school in Thailand, and spoke fluent Thai.

He managed to find a job with a Taiwanese firm that needed a Thai/English speaking local area manager for their Thailand service branch.

My American friend was the local Thai office manager for that Taiwanese company for a few years.

(Eventually he was transferred to Taiwan, married a Taiwannese woman, and as far as I know is still living in Taiwan).

Not saying you could do something like that...just that such a thing IS possible....with luck and effort.

So think "outside of the box"...and good luck.

[sfmadison2]

thanks lopburi and IMA for your responses.

i agree with your suggestions about finding legitimate work with a company that's already set up to employ foreigners. In addition to this option, however, i'm interested in your statement about a thai company needing to have a position "that allows a work permit to be issued."

I will look through the forums for this, but specifically: what exactly does a thai company need to do in order to have a position which qualifies a non-thai to obtain a work permit? Surely this issue has come up before, and perhaps someone has been generous enough to document the procedure/forms required.

Thanks again!

[4evermaat]

I would continue on the multiple entry non-imm ED (letter of reference from the school or institution) or non imm 'o' for visiting friends (letter of reference from friend). Then use an honorary consulate to secure your visa and keep going. Seems like the one in Dallas, TX or Portland, OR are your best bets.

Question: so you want to work for thai company?

Edited August 8, 2012 by 4evermaat

[cms22]

For long term, you have two options:

1. study, you can study anything you want as long as the school is approved so just start something new.

2. get a job.

A third one is to invest 10 million baht in Thailand.

Another option is to get married and apply for one-yr extensions... (Have I got that correct?)

[sfmadison2]

I would continue on the multiple entry non-imm ED (letter of reference from the school or institution) or non imm 'o' for visiting friends (letter of reference from friend). Then use an honorary consulate to secure your visa and keep going. Seems like the one in Dallas, TX or Portland, OR are your best bets.

Question: so you want to work for thai company?

thanks for the response, i'm reading up on that now. i hadn't considered the "O" but i wonder why more people don't recommend this if it's really as simple as needing a letter from a friend.

no, i don't really want to work for a thai company. i have thai friends who have thai companies--fairly big ones--and my idea was that i could do a little translation work for them at times in exchange for being an 'employee'.

thanks again for the responses.

[lopburi3]

It is not that simple. Do not believe any consulate will issue for such a reason.

[sfmadison2]

It is not that simple. Do not believe any consulate will issue for such a reason.

thanks, lopburi. i've read many of your answers on here over a long period of time, so i'm inclined to believe you, even if it's not what i want to hear.

if i can figure out what the procedure is, i think most likely i will need to help my thai friend to file the paperwork necessary for me to obtain a non-imm B & work permit as a member of his staff. i will search the forums for this information (though if anyone knows the link off-hand, that would of course be appreciated as well )

thanks all for your help.

[4evermaat]

I would continue on the multiple entry non-imm ED (letter of reference from the school or institution) or non imm 'o' for visiting friends (letter of reference from friend). Then use an honorary consulate to secure your visa and keep going. Seems like the one in Dallas, TX or Portland, OR are your best bets.

Question: so you want to work for thai company?

thanks for the response, i'm reading up on that now. i hadn't considered the "O" but i wonder why more people don't recommend this if it's really as simple as needing a letter from a friend.

no, i don't really want to work for a thai company. i have thai friends who have thai companies--fairly big ones--and my idea was that i could do a little translation work for them at times in exchange for being an 'employee'.

thanks again for the responses.

It is not that simple. Do not believe any consulate will issue for such a reason.

It is technically illegal to work in thailand without a permit, but in practice, there are reports of many freelancers, teachers, etc working for years without permit.

No consulate in the region will probably issue the o visa for visiting friends. But a few consulates in other countries may. In the USA, Portland, OR and Dallas, TX honorary consulates would be your best bets. Visiting friends is still a valid reason as far as the Immigration Bureau is concerned, correct? It's only an individual consulate decision not to/not to issue.

There is still other reasons anyway in which you can obtain an appropriate letter of invite anyway, if the visiting friends option is unlikely.

[ubonjoe]

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a notice out to the embassies and consulates advising them that visiting friends was not a valid reason for issuing a non-o visa.

[sfmadison2]

hmm. seems people have conflicting information on this.

regardless of whether an O-visa is obtainable for visiting friends or not, i still wonder about the feasibility of residing long-term on a visa like this. after all, how long can you really 'visit' before you're actually living here?

[ubonjoe]

Your best option at your age is to find a job if you wish to stay here long term. You could also continue your studies or remain for a while on tourist visas.

[sfmadison2]

thanks, ubonjoe, i think you're right.

thanks to others for the suggestions as well.