Moving To Chiang Mai For A Year

[Briann]

Hi guys,

I am planning on moving to Chiang Mai for a year or so at the end of the year and I'm kind of worried about it all. I don't want to have to return home a failure after a couple of months and I’m just looking for friendly advice on accommodation, work, costs, visa etc.

My main concern is the visa. I can get a quadruple entry tourist visa with each entry valid for 60 days. So that would cover me for 8 months. Would I then need to go into a neighboring country and apply at the Thai embassy for a new visa? And would I need to do this on a monthly basis? All this would seem very messy, it would especially interfere with work. I have a computer science degree but I know it would be very difficult to get work in IT in Chiang Mai, but I would be willing to teach English if I had to. And I understand that it would be very difficult to secure a work permit, but to get a work permit would be ideal for me.

This brings me to my next point - is it possible to get a bank account without having a work permit or without a non-immigrant visa?

I've read that the average cost of accommodation is around 6000 baht. Is that for a studio apartment? And what would the location be like in relation to the city centre, or say Thapae gate?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Brian

[earlofwindermere]

Welcome to Chiang Mai

I've never heard of that kind of visa. If I were you, I'd go to an Honourary consulate in your country (there are quite a few if you're from the US, Canada or Australia). Get a non-immigrant "O" or "B" visa as it would help solve your problems. Honourary Consulates are a lot mroe willing to grant these kind of visas than embassies.

Bank account are easy to get - especially at branches in the tourist area.

Accomodations vary considerably, depending on the location. You can get a small apartment for that price in the main section of town or a house for that price if you're willing to live further out. For example, I had a 3 storey townhouse just inside the Superhighway for 5000 baht last year. Now, for 7000 baht, we have a 3 bedroom house just outside the 2nd ring road.

Browse through this forum as a lot of the questions you have will probably already be answered.

[SamSipEt]

Most of your questions have already been answered in other posts (see the topic “need Information” at the top of this forum) however…..

The 60 day tourist visa will also require a border run at the end of the 60 days to activate the next visa. A non immigrant multiple entry is better because each stamp obtained during a visa run is valid for up to 90 days. I haven’t worked in years but think that a business visa requires you to report to immigration (near the airport) every 90 days.

For accommodation browse the forum and choose one that seems to fit and adjust / move to suit your tastes after arrival.

Costs – needless to say that the most expensive thing is likely to be your beer / bar / entertainment bill. Of course if you find a partner and settle down with either him or her or them then this could be really expensive.

Good luck and welcome to Chiang Mai

[meadish_sweetball]

A year-long non-immigrant O would be a better deal for you, as suggested.

If not, a quadruple tourist visa would be good too (although I have only ever heard of triple entry tourist visas being issued).

Getting new tourist visas is not a big problem if you go to Penang, and a single entry tourist visa permission to stay can be extended at the Immigration Office in Chiang Mai by 30 days for 1900 baht. That means you have 90 days at a time in the country.

90 days at a time is also what you have with a Non-immigrant O (but then you do not need to apply and pay for the last 30 days).

I suggest you pose your visa related question in more detail (not forgetting your age and nationality) in the visa-related forum.

[Maejo Man]

I think you'll find Briann that your " quadruple entry tourist visa with each entry valid for 60 days." is no more than the regular 60 day multiple entry visa. In simple terms, you can stay in the kingdom for 60 days where upon, the visa expires at the end of the sixty day period. If you choose. you can exit the kingdom just before it expires, and maintain the continuity once only. At the end of that period you will have to exit the kingdom every 30 days to maintain a legitimate tourist status.

Unless you plan to be in and out during those 60 days, have you considered a 60 day single entry? They are cheaper, and it doesn't seem as if you require the multiple entry.

If at all possible, try to obtain a "1 year non immigrant visa" you will still be required to leave the kingdom every 90 days anyway.

Edit:- What I should have stated is that no matter how many entries you have on a 60 day multiple entry tourist visa, the visa is still only a 60 day visa, and after 60 days it becomes void. regardless whether it is used or not.

Edited May 8, 2006 by Maejo Man

[agsnowdon]

Hey

I'd definitely get a Non Immigrant B visa which will be valid for a year and you will only have to go to the border very 90days. This visa will allow you to look for work and I sure you can obtain a work permit with the B visa. Make sure you get this visa before you enter Thailand as it will be a lot easier in your home country. (Depending on where you live)

As for work lets face it a lot of people work with out work permits and run the risk. But if you’re willing to take that risk then it’s your choice. I know a guy who’s been in CM teaching English with no permit for over 3 years.

I got my bank account with my Non Immigrant B visa you go to your chosen branch with your passport and all is plain sailing from there.

Accommodation your right in the center you looking at about 5000-7000BHT for what your looking for, you'll no doubt have to put a deposit of 3 months down and probably a minimum contract of 6 months.

The best way to get work would to come here and look!

Hope that helps

Have fun

[p1p]

As with all the advice above. Get a Non-Imm B visa. Don't even think of it with a tourist visa, you have too many hassles if you wish to stay a while.

Work. There is definitely IT work available here. Many people live here and work for overseas companies, so you could try to land such a job before you come.

English teaching. Try to get a qualification teaching as a foreign language before you come. You will find legitimate employment much easier and earn more.

Accomodation - You can find a place to live from about 3K Baht per month upwards. So 6K should be no problem.

Lastly: Read the pinned topics at the top of the forum and skim the rest, going back several pages. There is a lot of info here if you can be bothered to look for it.

[Briann]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your replies. For those who are interested I am an Irish citizen from Dublin. The royal thai consulate for Ireland can offer a quadruple entry tourist visa. They can also issue a Non-immigration Visa (60 euro per entry) and a Multiple Entry Non-immigration Visa but both of these are not available to tourists. They further state the following in their FAQ - (http://www.thaiconsulateireland.com/visaguidelines.htm)

Q. I would like to seek employment while in Thailand. Your requirements for a Non Immigrant Visa state that I must have a letter from the company or institution I will be working with when I apply for my visa. If I don't have this letter can you issue a Non Immigrant Visa so I can still look for work?

....A. No. We cannot issue Non Immigrant Visa for seeking employment. You would have to apply for a Tourist Visa and when you are hired by a company in Thailand, you may be required to leave the country to obtain an appropriate visa. Your employer in Thailand should advise you of your requirements.

So, it looks like my best option is to apply for the quadruple entry tourist visa and take it from there. It all sounds a bit tricky/messy to me, from the sound of things consulates in other countries offer a lot more options.

Thanks for your help!

Brian

[p1p]

Normally you can apply for a non immigrant visa using the reason that you wish to remain in-country for longer than the tourist visa allows.

I have friends and family coming from the UK who apply for and use Non-Imm B Visas for this very reason - They stay 90 days at a time.