End of Era with tourist visa?

[rkidlad]

If you say so. I'm not kidding myself about any of it regardless of who's in charge.

[aneliane]

I am able to qualify for a retirement visa/extension anyhow.

But I could also do a METV if I wished.

I am a U .S. citizen, so no problem getting a METV in the states.

I have the funds to show to stay in Thailand, I currently live in Thailand, and can show a contract with a place of residence monthly in Thailand. I pay for my apartment in Thailand monthly and can show receipts proving that

I get a monthly pension paid to me in my Thai bank account monthly and I can show I have funds to live in Thailand for 6 months easily with no problem

If I wished to I could easily qualify to stay the 6 cold months of snow and ice in my U.S. home area in Thailand on a tourist METV visa.

In fact, if the Thais looked at it carefully I am exactly the kind of "quality tourist" they should be trying to attract with their 6 month multi entry tourist visa.

6 months every year in Thailand, and 6 months back in the U.S. in the summer......I could happily do that.

If they would just see the opportunity a 6 month tourist multi entry visa is just the thing for me, as well as a nice profit maker for Thai immigration.

All they would have to do is to market it to the right group and they can have a good money maker.

All Thai immigration has to do is think about it clearly and see the METV as the profitable money maker it could be if marketed properly.

Just make it available to the "six month annual tourist" who want to live in Thailand and escape he cold winter in the U.S. and Europe. by making it available in Thailand with some restriction on funds and of course not allowing the METV holder to work in Thailand.

Am it he only one who sees this?

I am not a marketing genius, but I can smell the opportunity here.

Wake up, Thai immigration, and see what a fantastic opportunity you could have here.

It's not what they have in mind.

They say they wanted to attracted ASEAN tourists to come several times a year and have repeat holidays, hence the multiple entries.

For TAT the best tourist is the one that comes shortly, splash quite a bit of cash like Chinese and leave.

[svaldezi]

Wow my thread got nice and long. So what I can gather from all this is we ALL just have to wait and see what happens. If the visa run days are over than I guess it another SEA country for me, time will tell.

[steven100]

Geezus except for the people that have obtained residence status or citizenship (very few) .....we are all tourists. I suggest that the main criteria to be a tourist is that your not working and abide by other conditions. Where exactly in thai immigration act does it state how long you can remain in los as a tourist. Where is stated limits to back to back tv

and what about ...

non-O

non-OA

retirement

marriage

thai children

ED

Business

Missionary.

although some above are non-O based on ........ it still covers most situations.

A tourist is a person who visits a country to tour and not stay permanently or years in my book.

Genuine tourists stay 1-2 months .... not 12.

[jacksam]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

[thai006]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

you have retirement visa, same me i got thai child so non o thai child that why we can stay in thailand without problem

[jacksam]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

you have retirement visa, same me i got thai child so non o thai child that why we can stay in thailand without problem

I do not have a retirement visa. Main reason being is that there is no such thing. I have permission to stay in Thailand on the basis of retirement. Your the same but different reason. So technically what are you? Resident? Prob not. Citizen ? More unlikely. So what label is available for us. Tourists has a nice ring to it.

[steven100]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

yeah, your probably right ..... I think extension of stay based on retirement is the wrong wording or it could have been called semi permanent visa or something.

IMO, the whole visa thing is a mess anyway, firstly, it's to complicated ....... and second, it's not universal across the board, different officers aren't aware of all the rules and requirements, hence confusion.

[jacksam]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

yeah, your probably right ..... I think extension of stay based on retirement is the wrong wording or it could have been called semi permanent visa or something.

IMO, the whole visa thing is a mess anyway, firstly, it's to complicated ....... and second, it's not universal across the board, different officers aren't aware of all the rules and requirements, hence confusion.

I'm on your page. Seems ridiculous that just about every thai consulate operates in different ways. There are the experts like ubon and many others who help us all. I have a smile when I read that this and that consulate is difficult. Or that consulate is good. This one only does single entry. That one does double. That consulate does not require proof of funds .....this one does.

Talk about a dysfunctional system. A lot of us have been in business. It's a basket case.

IMO

[Suradit69]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

yeah, your probably right ..... I think extension of stay based on retirement is the wrong wording or it could have been called semi permanent visa or something.

IMO, the whole visa thing is a mess anyway, firstly, it's to complicated ....... and second, it's not universal across the board, different officers aren't aware of all the rules and requirements, hence confusion.

I'm on your page. Seems ridiculous that just about every thai consulate operates in different ways. There are the experts like ubon and many others who help us all. I have a smile when I read that this and that consulate is difficult. Or that consulate is good. This one only does single entry. That one does double. That consulate does not require proof of funds .....this one does.

Talk about a dysfunctional system. A lot of us have been in business. It's a basket case.

IMO

Embassies or consulates of every country operate differently depending on where they are located.

Do you really think the US embassy in Germany or Britain and the US embassy in Somalia or Bangladesh issue visas applying the same criteria? Do you think an American travelling to London faces the same immigrations hurdles as would a Thai or Malaysian?

[paz]

Immigrations offices don't issue visas, but don't let facts bother you.

Beside that Immigration can issue a visa by mean of conversion, or Thai elite visa, in common parlance a visa can mean an extension of stay. Not correct but conveys the meaning. Do not let terminology get in between simple facts.

Edited October 30, 2015 by paz

[jspill]

"from major under the table payments for Visas"

Immigrations offices don't issue visas, but don't let facts bother you.

He said under the table ones, they have been known to provide those.

[seedy]

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[jacksam]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

yeah, your probably right ..... I think extension of stay based on retirement is the wrong wording or it could have been called semi permanent visa or something.

IMO, the whole visa thing is a mess anyway, firstly, it's to complicated ....... and second, it's not universal across the board, different officers aren't aware of all the rules and requirements, hence confusion.

I'm on your page. Seems ridiculous that just about every thai consulate operates in different ways. There are the experts like ubon and many others who help us all. I have a smile when I read that this and that consulate is difficult. Or that consulate is good. This one only does single entry. That one does double. That consulate does not require proof of funds .....this one does.

Talk about a dysfunctional system. A lot of us have been in business. It's a basket case.

IMO

Embassies or consulates of every country operate differently depending on where they are located.

Do you really think the US embassy in Germany or Britain and the US embassy in Somalia or Bangladesh issue visas applying the same criteria? Do you think an American travelling to London faces the same immigrations hurdles as would a Thai or Malaysian?

Took so much type to contribute exactly what? Read the op

[jabis]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

yeah, your probably right ..... I think extension of stay based on retirement is the wrong wording or it could have been called semi permanent visa or something.

IMO, the whole visa thing is a mess anyway, firstly, it's to complicated ....... and second, it's not universal across the board, different officers aren't aware of all the rules and requirements, hence confusion.

Those both extensions of stay started with visas' with the type of NON-IMMIGRANT <suffix>, so in "any books" that'd be called a visitor, as in non-permanent (termed) visitor of the Kingdom(, or to use more common terminology - a tourist ) Same with other types of visas, prior permanent residency & citizenship, except the special type of Tourist class visa's - they have no non-immigrant status, that which mostly enables the visitor to acquire certain privileges over the regular Tourist. But potato potato, time for my morning coffee . Happy halloween guys.

[blueyeshk]

http://www.johnnyfd.com/2015/10/thailands-6-month-multiple-entry.html?m=1

[Rocketsurgeon]

End of this era was five years ago. If you were able to hang on and spend considerable amounts of time here annually, most likely that you are new to the game with not much of a visa trail.

Get a retirement visa or move on. Thailand has some great things going ing for it but if I was made to really feel unwanted, I'd be gone never to return. You have 219 countries to choose from including your own. Can't be that difficult.

[JackThompson]

Regardless of our definition of "tourist," the Thai government has never imposed limits on "back-to-back" TVs. Think about this - a person residing in Thailand and not working here derives their income from elsewhere. Those foreign-currency reserves are spent in Thailand. Does anyone think this is, just maybe, why they don't impose a limit? Of course it is. They have not "accidently" allowed those who fall between "poor" and "elite" to stay here.

That said, the Thai authorities appear to wish to "filter" foreigners living here, incrementally discouraging those less able to support themselves at a higher standard of living. This includes raising the retirement-extension financial-minimums, and ending perpetual back-to-back visa exemptions.

For a while, those who could afford frequent travel to Laos, and purchase a new Passport every couple years, were deemed sufficently "liquid" to allow to stay. Now, it appears it will be those who can afford more frequent Passport replacements and/or trips to their home country still meet their qualifications. These are not 'loopholes in the law' - they are POLICY. Following guidelines and truthfully supplying the required paperwork is not "abusing" anyone or any system. Thai authorities could place a limit on TVs at any time. They haven't.

Here again, we see no limit on back-to-back METVs specified, thus far. The only limits are showing savings, and either job, self employed, or even 'student' in the case of the US-DC consulate. A line of credit transferred into an account for 6 mo, and some distance-learning classes at a community college, and you have your visa - even if you are poor. If you have $7K and a business, even easier. And, yes, back-to-back seems to be perfectly acceptable, at least per the stated regulations.

[korkenzieher]

The problem they have is really quite a simple one with no easy solution.

The have a lot of visa abuse on TV's. Less so from long-stay Europeans than from African, Gulf and South Asians who work, or over stay. I'm not sure why it is that Europeans seem to be so paranoid, always believing themselves to be the target of crackdowns (or cocky, if they have a visa, and think someone else is getting shafted).

The overstay issue is quite an issue - most overstays were admitted to the country on legally issued visas. They then disappear. Insisting on strict terms and conditions before travel (such as exit flights (which are easy enough to miss), or hotel bookings (which are easy enough to cancel)) is an attempt to make sure those people will leave and are genuine tourists.

Thais have little issue with westerners coming here for extended periods as long as they can support themselves. The difficulty is sorting the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. Unfortunately, when you take a blunt instrument to a fine-grained problem, you are going to get some unfair outcomes - gap-year students spring to mind.

Like others, I am not so tied, or committed to Thailand, that I would think too long about moving, if it was made clear that I (and others like me) were the actual target of such crackdowns.

[stgrhe]

Future will tell. My uniformed guess will be that you will be able to do back to back METV at the consulates that currently do double and triple tv. So business as usual. Relax

That will not happen. The new multi-entry tourist visa will only be possible in the counrty where the applicant holds citizenship or permanent residence. The applicant must also prove that he or she has sufficiant means corresponding to minimum 200,000 baht.

[Asiantravel]

The problem they have is really quite a simple one with no easy solution.

The have a lot of visa abuse on TV's. Less so from long-stay Europeans than from African, Gulf and South Asians who work, or over stay. I'm not sure why it is that Europeans seem to be so paranoid, always believing themselves to be the target of crackdowns (or cocky, if they have a visa, and think someone else is getting shafted).

The overstay issue is quite an issue - most overstays were admitted to the country on legally issued visas. They then disappear. Insisting on strict terms and conditions before travel (such as exit flights (which are easy enough to miss), or hotel bookings (which are easy enough to cancel)) is an attempt to make sure those people will leave and are genuine tourists.

Thais have little issue with westerners coming here for extended periods as long as they can support themselves. The difficulty is sorting the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. Unfortunately, when you take a blunt instrument to a fine-grained problem, you are going to get some unfair outcomes - gap-year students spring to mind.

Like others, I am not so tied, or committed to Thailand, that I would think too long about moving, if it was made clear that I (and others like me) were the actual target of such crackdowns.

I was just thinking about the trickle-down effect of all this on the Thai condominium market from the point of view of rental and sales.think about it

Edited October 31, 2015 by Asiantravel

[ubonjoe]

Future will tell. My uniformed guess will be that you will be able to do back to back METV at the consulates that currently do double and triple tv. So business as usual. Relax

That will not happen. The new multi-entry tourist visa will only be possible in the counrty where the applicant holds citizenship or permanent residence. The applicant must also prove that he or she has sufficiant means corresponding to minimum 200,000 baht.

What do you have to substantive your post. Their has been nothing other than a few embassies that made that requirement that were already only doing visas for residents. A couple of of others want residency but they were only doing single entry visas for non residents anyway..

The Thai embassy in the US only requires you have a visa not only residency.

[LawrenceN]

Future will tell. My uniformed guess will be that you will be able to do back to back METV at the consulates that currently do double and triple tv. So business as usual. Relax

Your guess wears a uniform? Please post photos.

[NoshowJones]

Waiting until full detail of the planned changes are revealed rather then speculating would be advisable.

My own belief is that remaining in Thailand by using serial tourist visas will become very much more difficult.

There are other, legitimate, means of securing a long term stay in Thailand.

I think that the Thai government should be doing more to help Westerners who are under fifty years old live here on a long term basis.

There are plenty of them who could and want to live in Thailand and contribute to the economy.

Lots of them have income from their own countries through renting out property, and have businesses etc.

[NoshowJones]

There will not be a double entry tourist visa anymore. Same for 3 entry visas. The only tourist visas available will be a single entry or the multiple entry tourist visa.

The multiple entry visa apparently will give the same total stay that is possible with a 3 entry visa.

I think that would be fair enough if the three entry visa was available at Ventiane, Savakannet etc, and not just in the peoples home countries.

But knowing Thai mentality, why make something easier for people when they can make it harder?

[NoshowJones]

Future will tell. My uniformed guess will be that you will be able to do back to back METV at the consulates that currently do double and triple tv. So business as usual. Relax

I think these METVs will only be available in ones own country.

[louse1953]

Future will tell. My uniformed guess will be that you will be able to do back to back METV at the consulates that currently do double and triple tv. So business as usual. Relax

Pure speculation at best,rumour mongering at worst.Your 1st 3 words were right though,should have stopped while you were ahead.

[NoshowJones]

Glad you added "in my book" to your definition of a tourist. Can you rather explain why there is no limit on back to back tourist visas. Seems Thailand is not using your definition.

I'm here on extension of stay based on retirement.

So what term for me? Resident. ? Citizen ?

I am a TOURIST

yeah, your probably right ..... I think extension of stay based on retirement is the wrong wording or it could have been called semi permanent visa or something.

IMO, the whole visa thing is a mess anyway, firstly, it's to complicated ....... and second, it's not universal across the board, different officers aren't aware of all the rules and requirements, hence confusion.

I'm on your page. Seems ridiculous that just about every thai consulate operates in different ways. There are the experts like ubon and many others who help us all. I have a smile when I read that this and that consulate is difficult. Or that consulate is good. This one only does single entry. That one does double. That consulate does not require proof of funds .....this one does.

Talk about a dysfunctional system. A lot of us have been in business. It's a basket case.

IMO

I could not have put it better myself.

[jacksam]

Future will tell. My uniformed guess will be that you will be able to do back to back METV at the consulates that currently do double and triple tv. So business as usual. Relax

That will not happen. The new multi-entry tourist visa will only be possible in the counrty where the applicant holds citizenship or permanent residence. The applicant must also prove that he or she has sufficiant means corresponding to minimum 200,000 baht.

Incorrect

[Laza 45]

Future will tell. My uniformed guess will be that you will be able to do back to back METV at the consulates that currently do double and triple tv. So business as usual. Relax

It is all a bit confusing at the moment.. I have seen articles where it has been said that you can only apply from your own home country.. also... proof of employment... and somewhere else I saw that you would need 200,000 Bt on deposit.. We will just have to see what it looks like when the dust has settled.. they wouldn't be making this up on the run, would they?