Best Visa option for 37 year old male seeking to stay 1 year+ in Thailand

[pinvisa1]

A friend of mine, UK national, would like to stay in Thailand for at least a year. He is not suitably qualified to become a teacher.

I would appreciate the Forum's advice on what his his best plan of action should be.

[ubonjoe]

He could get a 3 entry tourist visa that would give him almost 9 months of stay without needing a new visa. Then get another tourist visa from a nearby embassy or consulate.

He could come in on tourist visa also and check out some schools and then get a ED visa and extensions of stay.

[Seymour1]

I thought they had clamped down on back to back tr visas, so maybe not easy to get that second one?

[Seymour1]

and are you sure can still exend each tr visa at imig office, ( and if can can only do twice before exp date of visa)

[paz]

and are you sure can still exend each tr visa at imig office, ( and if can can only do twice before exp date of visa)

You are getting correct advice, ubonjoe would not reply with "not sure" things.

Edited August 19, 2014 by paz

[ubonjoe]

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I thought they had clamped down on back to back tr visas, so maybe not easy to get that second one?

There is no clamp down on tourist visas only exempt entries.

and are you sure can still exend each tr visa at imig office, ( and if can can only do twice before exp date of visa)

All three entries can be extended As long as the 3rd entry is done before the visas expiration date there is no problem. The 3rd extension can be done because the visas 6 month validity is only to use the visa it does not limit the amount of time you can be in the country.

[Seymour1]

So all previous warnings of clamp downs on suspicious back to back tr visas were not followed through? I am just asking.

Re: extending all 3 of the entries isn't it virtually impossible unless you can time the arrival back of your visa and passport to within a few days of your already paid flight and entry to Thailand ! bit risky

[paz]

So all previous warnings of clamp downs on suspicious back to back tr visas were not followed through? I am just asking.

Re: extending all 3 of the entries isn't it virtually impossible unless you can time the arrival back of your visa and passport to within a few days of your already paid flight and entry to Thailand ! bit risky

Nothing risky. Just get your triple entry tourist visa at the last practicable time before departure, in order to obtain up to 270 days in Thailand.

[Seymour1]

The embassys cannot give sure answers so can we? they didn't know about extensions for all cases or if could cross back in same day!!

[Seymour1]

if the post service and processing time was 100% accurate i'd agree



[paz]

The embassys cannot give sure answers so can we? they didn't know about extensions for all cases or if could cross back in same day!!

Embassy doesn't care what happens in Thailand. All they care is selling you a visa according to their rules.

[Suradit69]

So all previous warnings of clamp downs on suspicious back to back tr visas were not followed through? I am just asking.

Re: extending all 3 of the entries isn't it virtually impossible unless you can time the arrival back of your visa and passport to within a few days of your already paid flight and entry to Thailand ! bit risky

You have to make the third border crossing before the visa expires. You can do it any time before the visa expires, so you may not get the full 60 day + 30 day + 60 day + 30 day before the visa expires, but, aside from doing the crossing sooner than the hoped for full 180 days, there's no risk. Depending on when the visa was issued maybe you'll have stayed in Thailand for 170 days or 160 days before the final border crossing.

Once you're back in the country on the third entry you'll have the last 60 day permission to stay and be allowed the last 30 day extension even though the visa will have expired well before then.

So no risk other than getting something slightly less than 270 days.

[Holly1956]

He should apply before leaving his home country for an Education visa to study Thai or English. He should allow about 1 month before his date of travel in order to receive the necessary paperwork and apply through his nearest Thai Consulate. He will be granted 3 months and will be able to extend this for up to a year in 3 month periods without having to leave the country. That would be your best option.

[Don Aleman]

1). NONE or

2). See a connected Thai lawyer who can get you, for a price, anything/anyone, you want !

[notmyself]

Liverpool consulate state that only the final entry can be extended but if this is incorrect then a triple entry from home country followed by a single entry obtained in the region will get you close to a year all told. This is on the assumption that the triple entry has a validity period of 6 months rather than 3.

[ubonjoe]

Liverpool consulate state that only the final entry can be extended but if this is incorrect then a triple entry from home country followed by a single entry obtained in the region will get you close to a year all told. This is on the assumption that the triple entry has a validity period of 6 months rather than 3.

There is lot of info on the Liverpool website that is wrong. They seem to of made up most of it up themselves.

Every entry of a tourist visa can be extended for 30 days at immigration. There is no rule that says you can't.

[Sydneycraig]

For extending in neighboring country after the triple entry finished, out of Singapore, kl or Penang, which if any is best for a single?

[ubonjoe]

Penang

[Thai Visa Service]

and Vientiane or Savannakhet in Laos will surely issue a Double Entry.

[notmyself]

Liverpool consulate state that only the final entry can be extended but if this is incorrect then a triple entry from home country followed by a single entry obtained in the region will get you close to a year all told. This is on the assumption that the triple entry has a validity period of 6 months rather than 3.

There is lot of info on the Liverpool website that is wrong. They seem to of made up most of it up themselves.

Every entry of a tourist visa can be extended for 30 days at immigration. There is no rule that says you can't.

Likely trying to sell you a double when you only need a single.