Hi! I was wondering if there's someone who can help me figure out the best visa option. Up to now I stayed in Thailand for couple of months on a tourist visa. I didn't really do visa runs as I had to leave the country every once and a while for business anyway, but now I would like to settle down in TH for some time ( 1 year or longer ). The most obvious is to do visa runs, but I'm not sure if I can do it repeatedly. Here's my situation:

• 34 old, citizen of Slovenia
  
• I do freelance work online ( self employed )
  
• in 2014 I spent 3 months in Thailand
  
• I have a Thai girlfriend ( marriage last resort )
  
• I can provide my Thai bank account statement of 500.000THB
  

I stayed in China last year on a business visa provided by an agency in HK for approximately 30.000THB. I had to leave the country every 60 days. Are there similar options in Thailand also?

Thanks.

Peter

You don't have a lot of choices,

Tourist visas

Go to school and get extensions of stay for that.

Start a business, obtain a work a permit to get a non-b visa and then extensions.

Find job.

I remember reading a post on this forum about a company that takes freelancers on its payroll and thus makes it legal for them to work in Thailand and enables them to get one-year extensions of stay for the reason of employment. Can't remember who posted that, but perhaps he will make himself known here in this topic.

Of the options mentioned here, your best possibility is to get hired by a company in Thailand which can provide you with a work permit and the visa to match, one yr at a time.

You could marry a Thai citizen, but will have to document your long term relationship and seriousness about being married and living together. You will need witnesses, photos, and other documents. Immigration is very strict on married to a Thai visa and you should be prepared for a thorough examination of your situation. That is renewable year to yr. Research it more.

I suspect the clamp down on repeated visa runs, which you have already accumulated, will last at least two years due especially to current situation. Soon you will be denied readmission on that method, I suspect.

I found the post which I vaguely remembered:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/725053-final-crackdown-for-border-runners-new-strict-immigration-regulation-in-force-from-today/?view=findpost&p=7826406

"You could marry a Thai citizen, but will have to document your long term relationship and seriousness about being married and living together."

"Immigration is very strict on married to a Thai visa and you should be prepared for a thorough examination of your situation."

Either you apply for ED visa which is 1 yr,or start a business. Marrying your thai gf is long process.Immigration are strict on the document

Thanks for the replies! I had serious difficulties logging on to Thaivisa as it is now blocked in PRC.

Either you apply for ED visa which is 1 yr,or start a business. Marrying your thai gf is long process.Immigration are strict on the document

Not a long process. Marriage are done quickly and the certificate is released immediately.With that one can get 60 days extension, or Visa at a consulate. For long stay extension needs 400,000 Bt in bank or 40,000 monthly income.

However I would not ever recommend anyone to may just to stay in Thailand.

What is really not doable for most is "start a business". Expensive, complicated, no guarantee of making any money, and it's not even legally owned.

Edited July 11, 201411 yr by paz