Please Advise On Best Visa And Place To Stay For Me

[johnbarley]

Hello, I'm in American and in my 30's. Plan to stay in Thailand for around year to see if I like it.

I'm here on the free 30 days and will then be out of the country for about a month so it's during that window that I'd like to apply for the visa. During the month I'm here, I'd like to reserve a condo/apartment which I would stay in for the time I plan to be here.

Which visa is best for me? If it helps, the visa situation, I wouldn't mind working or studying but only 15 hours a week max. Are there any reputable agencies that will handle everything for you?

It seems there is one that allows you to stay 9 months. If I got that one would it be possible to rent a place for 9 months or does everyone want 1 year contracts? I'd like to rent a place near a park in bangkok(probably Lumphini). Can anyone recommend an agency or building?

Thanks.

Edited December 18, 2012 by johnbarley

[Lite Beer]

2 options I can see.

2 Entry Tourist Visa would get you 6 months with extensions and a border run.

When that is used, get another one.

If you are back in USA you might get a triple entry.

Sign up for a Thai Language school and get an Education visa.

I think you only have to attend about 4 hours a week.

Have a look at the sponsor on the right of the page.

[wayned]

If you are going to be out of Thailand for a month, where will you be? If you are going back to the US you can get a triple entry tourist visa that will give you up to 270 days with 2 border runs and 3 extensions. The best that you will get is a double in a neinhboring country.

As stated, you can also apply for a ED visa, that can be extended every 90 days(1900 baht/extension) without leaving Thailand as long as you are still enrolled and attending classes. You can stay as long as 3-5 years depnding on the course and scholl that you attend. Enrollment fees each year are around 25000 baht.

[Nisa]

If you are trying to decide if you should stay in Thailand then recommend going to a language school and getting an EDU visa. They will take care of everything for you in terms of paper work.

If you want to learn more, I recommend contacting Mac (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/user/46756-macwalen/) he is from the Walen School (http://www.thaiwalen.com/) which has a number of locations. Good school, good people and you'll meet a lot of folks while learning to make your stay in Thailand better by knowing more about the language.

[wayned]

If you choose the ED visa route and you are in Thailand for a short period, you should contact a couple of schools and audit a class to see if their teaching methods are in line with what you want. Some schools have rolling classes and when a new student comes he is put into the class where it is, you might start on page 30 of the book. Others have preset schedules and new students are put into the beginning of the class and stay with it as a class. Prevoious posts recommend Walen, I would also recommend that you contact: http://www.tlslanguageschool.com/

[johnbarley]

Cool, thanks for the advice.

Actually during the month I'm away, I'll be in Brazil and Argentina so I'd apply for the 2 Entry Tourist Visa since I guess the 3 Entry Tourist Visa would be unavailable.

Then I'd like to do the EDU visa. Can I apply for this while I'm here on a tourist visa or should I just forget the tourist visa and go straight for this? I only have a month to do it. Is it possible to study a language other than Thai or a non-language subject to qualify?

Should I go ahead and book my condo for 6 months or 1 year putting down deposit, etc. with the hope that I'll get the visa and be back or is it too risky?

[ubonjoe]

You could try for the visa while in Argentina at the embassy there. Website: http://www.thaiembargen.org/

Or in Brazil at one of the 2 honorary Thai consulates there. Info: http://www.guidetothailand.com/thailand-travel-information/honcon-americas.php

I would not worry about getting the visas you need for a one year stay here. Either going the ED visa route or tourist visas. It will be no problem at all to get the 2 visas you would need from Vientiane.

Edited December 19, 2012 by ubonjoe

[johnbarley]

You could try for the visa while in Argentina at the embassy there. Website: http://www.thaiembargen.org/

Or in Brazil at one of the 2 honorary Thai consulates there. Info: http://www.guidetoth...on-americas.php

I would not worry about getting the visas you need for a one year stay here. Either going the ED visa route or tourist visas. It will be no problem at all to get the 2 visas you would need from Vientiane.

Thanks, guess it's off to find a green area in BKK with a condo to rent....

[Nisa]

You could try for the visa while in Argentina at the embassy there. Website: http://www.thaiembargen.org/

Or in Brazil at one of the 2 honorary Thai consulates there. Info: http://www.guidetoth...on-americas.php

I would not worry about getting the visas you need for a one year stay here. Either going the ED visa route or tourist visas. It will be no problem at all to get the 2 visas you would need from Vientiane.

Thanks, guess it's off to find a green area in BKK with a condo to rent....

You might need a longer visa to find such a place