A Few Long Stay Questions

[jompa]

Hello! I've been reading lots of threads on this forum now for a few days, and it's seems to be the right place to ask my questions.

Here's the deal: Me (27yrs) and my girlfriend (24yrs) want to spend the next year in Bangkok. We will study over the Internet here in our native Sweden, and that will give us an monthly income of roughly 36000THB each (in swedish money from sweden that is). Not very much but we figured that would give us a lot more in Thailand than here in Stockholm. However, there still are a few major issues that has to be solved for this to work out in a good way.

We have looked at apartments in bangers on the web, and it seems that they come in plenty and in a very wide price range. How does one go about renting an apartment in Thailand? What's the requirements?

In order for our studies to work we really need an ADSL-connection, how does those work in Thailand? Is it like here were you sign up for a year or so, or can you decide how long you want it? Also, I guess a phone line is required, so how's the rules on that?

But the main issue is of course: Visa! After reading a bunch of threads covering this issue I'm a bit wiser and lot more confused. Would there be any visa that applies to us in our situation, we want to do this by the book if it's at all possible. If not, is it even possible to rent an apartment and getting ADSL with a tourist visa? From what I can tell after reading about the new tighter rules, you are by no means guarantied any kind of visa other than the 30+30+30 waiver stamp in 180 days period. And after that you can apply for a tourist visa 60+30 days, but there's no garantee you get it, correct? We don't want to leave the country for 3 months if it can be avoided.

We'll I hope you get the situation, sorry for any wierd english. Is this at all doable?

Grateful for any help!

[wpcoe]

When I lived in Bangkok over a 5-year period I rented two apartments and one townhouse with just a 30-day waiver stamp in my passport.

Ditto for ADSL, just with a 30-day waiver stamp in my passport. I believe the minimum contract for ADSL is six months? Just be sure that when you rent the apartment that it has a phone line that you can use to subscribe to ADSL.

[jompa]

Ok, sounds good. But with these new visa rules we could be standing at the border without access, and with all our stuff in an apartment in Bangkok. How do we avoid that situation? Is there any way?

[jdinasia]

Ok, sounds good. But with these new visa rules we could be standing at the border without access, and with all our stuff in an apartment in Bangkok. How do we avoid that situation? Is there any way?

consult your local Thai consulate regarding a visa

[jompa]

consult your local Thai consulate regarding a visa

Yes, we're going to do that for sure. But any information from experienced expats and travelers regarding this would be very useful.

[geoffphuket]

Just a thought, but have you been to Bangkok before ? Many can't stand the poluted air and trafic for more than a few days. It could be quite a shock from Sweden.

Apartments can be rented anywhere, just walk in with your bags...and cash

You won't be able to stay without doing visa runs to a border every 60 days (tourist visa). To stay for 90 days you'd need a non immigrant 'O' visa for which you don't qualify.

[jompa]

Just a thought, but have you been to Bangkok before ? Many can't stand the poluted air and trafic for more than a few days. It could be quite a shock from Sweden.

Apartments can be rented anywhere, just walk in with your bags...and cash

You won't be able to stay without doing visa runs to a border every 60 days (tourist visa). To stay for 90 days you'd need a non immigrant 'O' visa for which you don't qualify.

Hello!

Yes, we have been in bangkok before during our 3 months stay in thailand and laos a few years ago, and we loved it and spend a few weeks there. I agree it's a quite a shock compared to sweden, and that's the reason we wanna go there!

Regarding the visa, I understad we have to do visa runs and that's no problem. However, I'm a bit worried about this new 90/180 rule. Is there a way around that for someone like us in this situation? Or are we doomed? We're going in mars btw.

[geoffphuket]

Just a thought, but have you been to Bangkok before ? Many can't stand the poluted air and trafic for more than a few days. It could be quite a shock from Sweden.

Apartments can be rented anywhere, just walk in with your bags...and cash

You won't be able to stay without doing visa runs to a border every 60 days (tourist visa). To stay for 90 days you'd need a non immigrant 'O' visa for which you don't qualify.

Hello!

Yes, we have been in bangkok before during our 3 months stay in thailand and laos a few years ago, and we loved it and spend a few weeks there. I agree it's a quite a shock compared to sweden, and that's the reason we wanna go there!

Regarding the visa, I understad we have to do visa runs and that's no problem. However, I'm a bit worried about this new 90/180 rule. Is there a way around that for someone like us in this situation? Or are we doomed? We're going in mars btw.

Assume you meant March

There is actually no change in the visa regulations; they’ve merely decided to enforce the existing ones. Read the visa info’ from the consulate in Birmingham UK –

http://www.thailand-visa.com/

it’s very clear and precise

No way around the visa runs....sorry

Geoffphuket

[desmond]

If you don't have a non 'O' visa , to what I know, you can't get adsl line. To subscribe, you need to fill out the form and produce either work permit or non-'O' visa. This is one of the requirements. Likewise, you can't apply for phone line under your name.

As for apartments, most owners do not have 'direct lines' and they don't allow you to apply for it.

This was my experience before I got my non 'o' visa

You might like to double check this

[jompa]

Assume you meant March

There is actually no change in the visa regulations; they’ve merely decided to enforce the existing ones. Read the visa info’ from the consulate in Birmingham UK –

http://www.thailand-visa.com/

it’s very clear and precise

No way around the visa runs....sorry

Geoffphuket

Yes, March indeed!

Ok, so if I understand the info from your link correct, there's no way to get around the 90/180 rules without a visa. Or could you do the 30+30+30 border runs with stamps and then apply for a tourist visa outside Thailand? Would they really accept that? Cos according to the requirements on the page you linked a tourist visa is issued to anyone who wanna go for tourist purposes. This is very confusing, please have patience with me.

[jompa]

If you don't have a non 'O' visa , to what I know, you can't get adsl line. To subscribe, you need to fill out the form and produce either work permit or non-'O' visa. This is one of the requirements. Likewise, you can't apply for phone line under your name.

As for apartments, most owners do not have 'direct lines' and they don't allow you to apply for it.

This was my experience before I got my non 'o' visa

You might like to double check this

I see, it sounds pretty reasonable when you think of it. However this seems to be a small problem compared to the visa.

[geoffphuket]

Assume you meant March

There is actually no change in the visa regulations; they’ve merely decided to enforce the existing ones. Read the visa info’ from the consulate in Birmingham UK –

http://www.thailand-visa.com/

it’s very clear and precise

No way around the visa runs....sorry

Geoffphuket

Yes, March indeed!

Ok, so if I understand the info from your link correct, there's no way to get around the 90/180 rules without a visa. Or could you do the 30+30+30 border runs with stamps and then apply for a tourist visa outside Thailand? Would they really accept that? Cos according to the requirements on the page you linked a tourist visa is issued to anyone who wanna go for tourist purposes. This is very confusing, please have patience with me.

No problem at all 30+30+30 then a trip to Penang or KL to purchase a tourist visa. If you're worried about being asked difficult questions and don't want to go to the consulate in Person, there are plenty of Agents in Penang that will do the leg work for you....many on this forum use one. I do because it saves the taxi fare to and from the Consulate.

Good luck...past my bedtime now !

geoffphuket

[jdinasia]

You MAY be able to get your local consulate to issue you a non-imm-ed etc ....

or ar least multiple tourist visas

IF you get a triple entry tourist visa ---- you can stay 60 days .. then extend it 30 days for 1900 baht

(90 days)

then Border run to activate the second Tourist Visa and repeat the above process

(90 above PLUS the new 90= 180)

Then a border run to activate the third Tourist visa and repeat step 1

(the 180 above +90 = 270 days)

OK ... Now you have been here 270 days ... and never used a visa exemption (30 day run)

For the next 3 months you can do a 30 day run so ---- that is the previous 270 days plus 30 +30+30

There's a year .....

<<I have no working knowledge of the Thai Embassies/Consulates in Sweden ---- but in my home --- IF I could show that my studies would benefit by me being in SEAsia ,,, and PROVE that I was a student I would be able to get a non-imm-ed Multi-entry visa .. which opens up 15 months of stay with 90 day runs>>

Edited September 25, 2006 by jdinasia

[cooL_guY_corY]

You MAY be able to get your local consulate to issue you a non-imm-ed etc ....

or ar least multiple tourist visas

IF you get a triple entry tourist visa ---- you can stay 60 days .. then extend it 30 days for 1900 baht

(90 days)

then Border run to activate the second Tourist Visa and repeat the above process

(90 above PLUS the new 90= 180)

Then a border run to activate the third Tourist visa and repeat step 1

(the 180 above +90 = 270 days)

OK ... Now you have been here 270 days ... and never used a visa exemption (30 day run)

For the next 3 months you can do a 30 day run so ---- that is the previous 270 days plus 30 +30+30

There's a year .....

<<I have no working knowledge of the Thai Embassies/Consulates in Sweden ---- but in my home --- IF I could show that my studies would benefit by me being in SEAsia ,,, and PROVE that I was a student I would be able to get a non-imm-ed Multi-entry visa .. which opens up 15 months of stay with 90 day runs>>

A quick questiong about the triple tourist visa ft. extentions, i always thought that since tourist visas have to be activated in a certain time that with the 30 day extentions on the first 2 tourist visas your 3rd one will be done by then ? ( isnt it 3 months from the date you get the stamp, i usually get mine week before i go to the tropics, from the thai consulate here in edmonton, canada) Although ( and hopefully! ) I am wrong. Also I plan on studying in bkk @ a thai university, and from what i understand they send you a letter, and you come in with a non-imm (o visa i am assuming) and then they change it to a studendt visa for you( uni takes care of it thru the registrar). Just curious about this and those 3x tourist visas. Sorry not trying to hijack this thread just trying to add to it.

Also about internet connection, with fat budget you got you could probably find a room with Wi-Fi access, that might take the worry about visa probs to get an ADSL line, but like you said thats the least of your worries right now. And i know some rooms are rentable with a ready internet connection to the building anyway..

[wpcoe]

If you don't have a non 'O' visa , to what I know, you can't get adsl line. To subscribe, you need to fill out the form and produce either work permit or non-'O' visa. This is one of the requirements. Likewise, you can't apply for phone line under your name.

As for apartments, most owners do not have 'direct lines' and they don't allow you to apply for it.

This was my experience before I got my non 'o' visa

You might like to double check this

Yes, please DO double-check on it. Here's my experience:

In my five years in BKK from 1999 to 2004 I subscribed to ADSL from QNet and KSC (at different addresses) with no visa nor work permit, just a 30-day stamp in my passport.

About a year and a half ago, I move to Pattaya and I subscribed to ADSL from TT&T with no visa nor work permit, just a 30-day stamp in my passport.

I know plenty of other farang who also have ADSL on just a 30-day passport stamp, including from TOT and True.

So there are five possibilites that I know of: Qnet, KSC, TT&T, TOT and True -- all with no visa nor work permit.

PS: Same-same for owning a telephone line. People will tell you that you need a visa and work permit to apply, but I had TOT phone service at three different locations in BKK and TT&T phone service in Pattaya ... [broken record:] all with no visa and no work permit.

[jompa]

Thank you all for your input, it really helps clearing things up a bit. From what I can tell there might be a chance for us actually making this happen, even with the new rules. Thanks again!

No problem at all 30+30+30 then a trip to Penang or KL to purchase a tourist visa. If you're worried about being asked difficult questions and don't want to go to the consulate in Person, there are plenty of Agents in Penang that will do the leg work for you....many on this forum use one. I do because it saves the taxi fare to and from the Consulate.

Good luck...past my bedtime now !

geoffphuket

Ah, I see, that sounds good to me. How reliable are those agents, no risk of being ripped off and loosing pass port? Is malaysia the best place for geting these visas, or will any of the bordering countries do?

You MAY be able to get your local consulate to issue you a non-imm-ed etc ....

or ar least multiple tourist visas

IF you get a triple entry tourist visa ---- you can stay 60 days .. then extend it 30 days for 1900 baht

(90 days)

then Border run to activate the second Tourist Visa and repeat the above process

(90 above PLUS the new 90= 180)

Then a border run to activate the third Tourist visa and repeat step 1

(the 180 above +90 = 270 days)

OK ... Now you have been here 270 days ... and never used a visa exemption (30 day run)

For the next 3 months you can do a 30 day run so ---- that is the previous 270 days plus 30 +30+30

There's a year .....

<<I have no working knowledge of the Thai Embassies/Consulates in Sweden ---- but in my home --- IF I could show that my studies would benefit by me being in SEAsia ,,, and PROVE that I was a student I would be able to get a non-imm-ed Multi-entry visa .. which opens up 15 months of stay with 90 day runs>>

It looks like there's a number of possibilities for doing this. I guess it all comes down to what kind of visa we manage to get here in sweden before we go.

About the student visa; maybe if we wanna learn thai while being there helps? Or if we put some other thai perspektiv on our studies. We are in fact both very interested in thai language and culture, so this would not be a lie on our part. I really just hope we can explain all this to the staff at the consulate in a satisfying way.

Also about internet connection, with fat budget you got you could probably find a room with Wi-Fi access, that might take the worry about visa probs to get an ADSL line, but like you said thats the least of your worries right now. And i know some rooms are rentable with a ready internet connection to the building anyway..

Yeah, that would of course be ideal if we could get a room that already have some kind of internet-connection. I'm going to look into that one. We actually don't need an internet connection that fancy, so pretty much anything will do. However, having a 24/1 mb connection at home, I wouldnt mind a speedy one over there.

Yes, please DO double-check on it. Here's my experience:

In my five years in BKK from 1999 to 2004 I subscribed to ADSL from QNet and KSC (at different addresses) with no visa nor work permit, just a 30-day stamp in my passport.

About a year and a half ago, I move to Pattaya and I subscribed to ADSL from TT&T with no visa nor work permit, just a 30-day stamp in my passport.

I know plenty of other farang who also have ADSL on just a 30-day passport stamp, including from TOT and True.

So there are five possibilites that I know of: Qnet, KSC, TT&T, TOT and True -- all with no visa nor work permit.

PS: Same-same for owning a telephone line. People will tell you that you need a visa and work permit to apply, but I had TOT phone service at three different locations in BKK and TT&T phone service in Pattaya ... [broken record:] all with no visa and no work permit.

But maybe the new tighter rules will play a part here too? But I hope it's as easy as you say. How long does one have to sign up for, when getting phone and adsl? And how cheap/expensive is it? Are there also good and bad companies?

[wpcoe]

But maybe the new tighter rules will play a part here too? But I hope it's as easy as you say. How long does one have to sign up for, when getting phone and adsl? And how cheap/expensive is it? Are there also good and bad companies?

Well, I hope immigrations rules wouldn't affect the business policies of the ISPs and phone companies, but this IS Thailand, so....

I'm not sure the current rates/deals available in Bangkok, as I live a few hours south, in Jomtien. My phone bill here is B107/month plus any calls I make (very few, as I rely on mobile phone.) My ISP, TT&T MaxNet, is B790/month for 512k, unlimited access/download.

My ex-roommate in BKK was paying less than B1,000 for True 1Mb service not too long ago.

All the ADSL plans I have had required a six-month contract.

[BillKay]

Hello! I've been reading lots of threads on this forum now for a few days, and it's seems to be the right place to ask my questions.

Here's the deal: Me (27yrs) and my girlfriend (24yrs) want to spend the next year in Bangkok. We will study over the Internet here in our native Sweden, and that will give us an monthly income of roughly 36000THB each (in swedish money from sweden that is). Not very much but we figured that would give us a lot more in Thailand than here in Stockholm. However, there still are a few major issues that has to be solved for this to work out in a good way.

We have looked at apartments in bangers on the web, and it seems that they come in plenty and in a very wide price range. How does one go about renting an apartment in Thailand? What's the requirements?

In order for our studies to work we really need an ADSL-connection, how does those work in Thailand? Is it like here were you sign up for a year or so, or can you decide how long you want it? Also, I guess a phone line is required, so how's the rules on that?

But the main issue is of course: Visa! After reading a bunch of threads covering this issue I'm a bit wiser and lot more confused. Would there be any visa that applies to us in our situation, we want to do this by the book if it's at all possible. If not, is it even possible to rent an apartment and getting ADSL with a tourist visa? From what I can tell after reading about the new tighter rules, you are by no means guarantied any kind of visa other than the 30+30+30 waiver stamp in 180 days period. And after that you can apply for a tourist visa 60+30 days, but there's no garantee you get it, correct? We don't want to leave the country for 3 months if it can be avoided.

We'll I hope you get the situation, sorry for any wierd english. Is this at all doable?

Grateful for any help!

[john bull]

Hi, in reply to your questions it is all getable. Firstly you reuqire a Non immigration type O visa. Which allows you to stay in Thailand for 90 days plus approximatly a 15 day extension, then you hvae to exit the country for one day then your 90 day stay starts ticking again, This visa is valid for one year. Ref internet. You need to buy a GPRS modem(plugs into USB port) broadband speed. There are several packages so you need to look around.Accommodation I have no idea for Bangko. Hope this is of some help.

[dash]

jdinasia :

For the next 3 months you can do a 30 day run so .....

how to bring in accord with what the Royal Thai Consulate Birmingham writes on the link posted in this thread ?

3. You hold a confirmed air ticket to leave the Kingdom within 30 days direct from a Thai airport. Please note that you must travel by air and travel from an airport outside of Thailand does not count.

[chucky66]

Note that the non-immigrant type O visa cannot be used for people who are visiting Thailand for tourist purposes only. For each 30 day visa exemption stay in Thailand you will now definitely need an 'air' ticket (only air) out of the country within the 30 day period 'to be shown when entering the country and/or by your airline'. These rules are now strictly enforced! The rules around whether you will be allowed to re-enter Thailand having spent 90 days in the country (30+30+30 visa exemptions or 60+30 tourist visa) is still unclear. Despite several statments to try and clear this point up no-one seems to know if you will have to leave the country for 90 days before you can return on 30 day visa exemptions or a tourist visa.

See this from Birmingham, UK Thai consulate:

------------------------------------------

The Thai authorities have recently announced changes to the way in which they will deal with tourists entering Thailand for up to 30 days without a valid visa and as there is some confusion as to the exact meaning of this announcement we hope that this explanation will help clarify the situation.

The most important point to understand is that this only affects people who do not have a valid visa. If you have a valid visa there is no change at all to the way your travel arrangements will be dealt with and you need read no further.

If you are entering the Kingdom of Thailand without a valid visa there is a concession which allows you to do so providing that the following conditions are ALL fulfilled.

1. Your Passport is on a list of passports approved for this purpose. It is likely to be but please check if you are in doubt.

2. Your visit to the Kingdom of Thailand is for tourism purposes only.

3. You hold a confirmed air ticket to leave the Kingdom within 30 days direct from a Thai airport. Please note that you must travel by air and travel from an an airport outside of Thailand does not count.

This has been the rule for many years and nothing has changed in this regard. The only thing that has changed is that these rules are going to be applied more strictly than in the past. This means that you will not be allowed into the Kingdom of Thailand without a valid visa unless you can fulfil all of the above conditions. In addition to this anyone who has entered the three times in succession without a valid visa will be automatically barred from entering the Kingdom under any circumstances for 90 days from the date of the last exit.

Note that this enforcement of the current rules are intended to end the practice of a person without a valid visa going to the border every 30 days.

Please also be aware that Airlines often check if passengers have either a valid visa or a return ticket within 30 days and will exclude you from boarding a flight to Thailand if you have neither. The Thai authorities have asked Airlines to be more vigilant in this respect.

The last point is that this 30 days only applies if your total stay is up to 30 days. It is not a free 30 days which can be added to the length of your visa as some people seem to think.

All Visa application forms are now available in Acrobat Reader Version 5 or above and Microsoft Word. If you have an old version of Acrobat Reader, you can download a free version from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

Kind Regards

Geoff Howard, Hon Consul for Thailand.