I need a visa to stay in Thailand long term

[TeacherMike]

I am currently on a Chiang Mai ED visa, but I just moved to Bangkok.... What should I do?

I dont really want to pay 30,000 baht AGAIN to get a Bangkok ED visa...

I dont want to get married...

I dont want to stay on a tourist visa...

Do I have options? I always see these visa services offering "1 year Thai visa" or "change your tourist visa to a 1 year visa without leaving Thailand", what is that all about?

I also see Siam Legal offering a 1 year multi entry non B for 20,000 baht or something like that.

[beano2274]

Do you have a job? Will you be starting a company? Can you invest 10million Baht, are you over 50?

if none of the above then tourist visa or ED Visas are your only options

[paz]

The non-imm B visa so obtained are based of false credentials.

If you want to be truly legal, Tourist visa is pretty much the only option.

[ubonjoe]

I would not trust any of those offers. The multiple entry non-b offer requires you to travel back you home country to get it and there is no guarantee that you will get it.

I assume you are not 50 or over.

You don't have a lot of options. There is the Thai Elite 5 year visa that costs 500k baht to get.

[ukrules]

I asked about visa options at the above mentioned legal company and they didn't offer the business visa which leads me to believe it's no longer something they do.

In the end I went with the elite visa, it lasts for 5 years so even though it's not a cheap option it's very convenient.

[TeacherMike]

Ugh, sucks.

I guess I'll be moving schools then.

[bigt116]

I guess your working illegally 'TeacherMike' ? Why not get an employer who provides a work permit ?

[RichardThailand]

Why not get a job teaching at a real school so you won't have to be working illegally?

Edited August 31, 2014 by RichardThailand

[jacksam]

OP you state you NEED to live long term in Thailand. Should that read ...You WANT to live..

Get a tourist visa or as ubon suggests thai elite visa.

[Suradit69]

I am currently on a Chiang Mai ED visa, but I just moved to Bangkok.... What should I do?

I dont really want to pay 30,000 baht AGAIN to get a Bangkok ED visa...

Actually visas are issued by embassies or consulates of Thailand, not by Bangkok or Chiang Mai, and your permission to stay in Thailand depends on Immigrations.

Are you sure you're still legally in Thailand? Sounds like your reason for having a permission/extension of stay may have ceased or was on dubious footing if you were teaching without proper documentation. Be careful that you don't find yourself in "overstay" territory since that could become expensive and/or inconvenient.

[inbangkok]

Ugh, sucks.

I guess I'll be moving schools then.

There are so many language schools in BKK and the pricing is competitive. You can find them for 15,000 to 17,000 if you look around. They are not all 30,000.

[Just1Voice]

You sound like another one who wants to live in LOS, but can't do it legally, so you're looking for "options". With the way things currently stand, it ain't gonna happen.

[notmyself]

What about a non 'R' visa to Study or Practice Buddhism.

1.Application form T.M.7 with one 4×6 cm. Photograph and 1900 Baht Visa Fee.

2.Copy of passport ( Certified true copy )

3.Visa Extension in case of staying in Thailand for

1.An official letter from the Department of Religious Affairs or Department of Prime minister or Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

2.An official letter from the abbot where the alien will study

http://www.thaivisa.com/283-0.html

[paz]

1.An official letter from the Department of Religious Affairs or Department of Prime minister or Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

2.An official letter from the abbot where the alien will study

These letters are not given easily. The applicant must be a bona-fide Buddhist scholar.

[notmyself]

1.An official letter from the Department of Religious Affairs or Department of Prime minister or Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University

2.An official letter from the abbot where the alien will study

These letters are not given easily. The applicant must be a bona-fide Buddhist scholar.

It also says practice.

[Digitalnomade]

Bonjour Nobody can live in thailand legally long term. If you are under 50 like me, don't want to be unemployed in europe, the only way is to go with a tourist visa and go back to your country times to times for a few weeks. All countries are like that, USA is the same. Just a b2 visa then u go home.

Still thailand is not pain in the butt when you renew a visa. You can stay 2 years in Thailand with back to back tourist visa and no question asked. Worse case they tell you it s your last visa, go home and come back. In USA they won't let you enter if you have not a fixed job in your home country. You may come for 6 months in the USA but certainly not 2 years like in Thailand.

So thailand at the end is not so bad with its tourist visa and they have retirement visa at 50 when in the USA, retirement visa doesn't even exist. (everybody stay young in the USA )

Edited September 2, 2014 by Digitalnomade

[ukrules]

Bonjour Nobody can live in thailand legally long term. If you are under 50 like me

I've got a 5 year visa and I'm 41 so there are options.

Edited September 2, 2014 by ukrules