Hello forum, i wish to live and work legally in Thailand, but unfortunately i don't find any long-term solutions for me. I'm a self employed foreigner (From Europe), and i have my own company (Marketing) in my country. I'm not making any money inside Thailand.

What solutions do i have?

Education Visa is not a solution for me, I still have to do my work so i don't have any time to actually study, also is not legal to study and work.

Working for a thai company is very complicated since i already have my own work... Would be great to find a company willing to help me with a work permit but unfortunately i don't find any.

Open a company in Thailand? I don't see how i can hire Thai staff (4 right?), own only 49%, and make it all work, specially in such a competitive and difficult area like marketing, i will never get any profit.

Do you guys know anything about Umbrella Companies? Any info?

Edited December 28, 201510 yr by liamkincaid

Thailand Elite program.

http://www.thailandelite.com/glimpse.php

Edited December 28, 201510 yr by beachproperty

If you have a company legally formed in your home country you might be able to get a multiple entry non-b visa for business that would allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year by applying for it at an embassy or consulate there. See: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

Another option would be a multiple entry tourist visa (METV) from an embassy or consulate in you home country.

As said there is also of the Thailand Elite membership that would allow you to get a visa valid for 5 that allows unlimited one year entries for one year. See: http://www.thailandelite.com/glimpse.php

Does the Thailand elite option allow you to work?

Does the Thailand elite option allow you to work?

No. And there's the rub.

Only so called umbrella company i have heard is iglu,,

http://iglu.in.th/work/

No personal experience though,, Maby somebody here has?

Edited December 28, 201510 yr by thaitero

"I'm not making any money inside Thailand." - Does not matter.

"Education Visa is not a solution for me, I still have to do my work so i don't have any time to actually study, " - You are working illegally already.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I really appreciate it.

About the the "unlimited 90 day entries for a year" sounds nice but i wonder for how long i could ask for that.... I guess they will probably not allow me to stay for more than one year...

About the Thailand elite option sounds great but i dont have that much money to be in the elite group.

The iglu idea sounds like a possible solution, i will send them an email asking for more information.

Edited December 28, 201510 yr by liamkincaid

You could get another multiple entry non-b visa when the first one expires. You can get almost 15 months of total stay from it by doing an entry just before the visa expires.

ubonjoe what happens after those 15 months asking for the 90 day entries? I will not be able to ask that visa anymore right? Just worried that after i will get a red warning stamp or something like that.

Anyone here actually using the Thailand elite option?

Edited December 28, 201510 yr by liamkincaid

Or just get a 1 year visa based on retirement if youre over 50. You can still own a business in Europe and "maintain it" from your laptop without a work permit. Many people do .

ubonjoe what happens after those 15 months asking for the 90 day entries? I will not be able to ask that visa anymore right? Just worried that after i will get a red warning stamp or something like that.

Anyone here actually using the Thailand elite option?

You should be able to get another visa without a problem. There are people that have been getting them for several years.

There are several people on this forum that have joined the elite program. Some since it started 12 years ago. A lot of people have gotten the 5 year membership since it came into effect.

Only so called umbrella company i have heard is iglu,,

http://iglu.in.th/work/

No personal experience though,, Maby somebody here has?

Sent them 2 mails in the last 4 weeks. Never go a reply.

Study Muay Thai. Two hours a week, get one year visa.

Study Muay Thai. Two hours a week, get one year visa

More detail is required about what is needed to obtain this visa.

Where would this "one year visa" be issued ?

Only so called umbrella company i have heard is iglu,,

http://iglu.in.th/work/

No personal experience though,, Maby somebody here has?

Last I checked, you need to put ~$2K USD through them a month, and they take 30% of that in exchange for obtaining your visa and work-permit. So $600 USD / mo for the visa. See if you can perhaps use bilateral tax laws to offset some of that.

The Elilte is a better deal for most (you can get almost 6 years out of it), though it's a significant up-front cost. Unlike many countries (Malaysia, Philippines), you don't just hold that money in a bank account to quality - you "spend" it for the visa. And, you are technically still in violation of the law, lacking a work-permit. So far, those working for overseas entities are not being prosecuted, but enforcement of old laws can start at any time (see the TM-30 discussions, or the requirement to register your phone-SIM).

The other alternative is the Single-Entry-Tourist-Visa Consulate Hop, which requires obtaining a new visa every 90 days. Starting with a fresh passport, you go to the somewhat more "difficult" consulates first (Vietnam, Cambodia, HongKong), then to the "easier" ones (both in Laos and Penang). The more "difficult" ones may not issue you a visa if you have several other stamps, and often require you show booked air-tickets (in or out or both). The "easier" consulates do not require showing air-fare, and may give you 3 or 4 SETVs before they say "no more." At that point, you apply at your local home-country embassy for a new passport and start over.

When double and triple entry visas were available, the passport-renewal step might be years apart. Now, it is likely to be more frequent, though we do not have new data as to whether the "easy" consulates will permit more singles than they previously offered doubles. As there are no actual "written rules" on the policies of the consulates (sometimes there are various things written down, but that doesn't mean they actually "apply to reality"), one must keep a close eye on this board to find out when/if their policies change.

Slightly better is the METV, though you likely have to go home to get it (some long-shot workarounds are yet untested). How difficult it is to get varies by the consulate, unfortunately. You can read the last few pages of the METV thread to see how far apart the enforcement is from one country / consulate to the next - though we still do not have a lot of data there. One of those gets you almost 9 months in-country, then add another locally-obtained SETV, and hopefully repeat the process (if your home-country consulate will issue another).

Edited December 28, 201510 yr by JackThompson

Study Muay Thai. Two hours a week, get one year visa.

That's nonsense..unless you can show us how?

I have no specific advice, just that some things are much easier when you live in Nong Khai than if you live in Bangkok or Koh Samui.

Study Muay Thai. Two hours a week, get one year visa.

That's nonsense..unless you can show us how?

If it's nonsense why ask?

Actually if you Google Chacrit Muay Thai school, on the Ed visa page it says attend classes twice a week minimum, and on the fees page it says one class takes one hour.

if your over 50 retirement visa and don't tell anyone

If you have a company legally formed in your home country you might be able to get a multiple entry non-b visa for business that would allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year by applying for it at an embassy or consulate there. See: http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15388-Non-Immigrant-Visa-%22B%22-(for-Business-and.html

Another option would be a multiple entry tourist visa (METV) from an embassy or consulate in you home country.

As said there is also of the Thailand Elite membership that would allow you to get a visa valid for 5 that allows unlimited one year entries for one year. See: http://www.thailandelite.com/glimpse.php

What if your company is registered in a country other than your country of origin ?

There is no permanent solution in this situation

You will need to do visa runs and get single or multiple entry visas in neighboring countries like vietnam, cambodia and laos.

It's not that big a deal, but you will need to travel and get some cheap tickets every 3-6 months.

If you have money to throw at it, you will never be without a visa.
Worst case scenario, you could get a new passport for a clean slate (but have never had to do that).

Edited December 29, 201510 yr by fey

Does the Thailand elite option allow you to work?

No.

Returning to the OP:

Start a Thai company, employ four Thai nationals on minimum wage, get yourself a non-immigrant B visa, and then issue yourself a work permit. Pay yourself a salary high enough to qualify for annual extensions based on working in Thailand, and you're set.

That's the 'proper' way of doing it.

The tricky things are:

1. Finding a trustable Thai person to own 51% of your company.

2. Finding four Thai people to be paid minimum wage and go on your books.

3. The bureaucracy involved in setting everything up.

4. Tax. You have to pay some. And get (Thai) accountants to do your books.

The benefits include:

1. You are 100% completely above-board and legal.

2. After doing this for 3 years or so, you can apply for Permanent Residency in Thailand.

3. If your company is successful, you can expand later and even get more Thai employees and maybe another foreigner or two on the books, with work permits.

Study Muay Thai. Two hours a week, get one year visa.

That's nonsense..unless you can show us how?

If it's nonsense why ask?

Actually if you Google Chacrit Muay Thai school, on the Ed visa page it says attend classes twice a week minimum, and on the fees page it says one class takes one hour.

I have this funny image of the ED holder being asked by the immigration officer for a demonstration. "See that guy in line 3a, go after him tiger..."

Edited December 29, 201510 yr by Friendly Stranger

A couple of thoughts.

You have a Company back home, this will allow you to set up a Registered Company here for 5 years, after which it will have to become a Thai Company if you wish it to continue operating here, as I understand it?

Work for a Thai Company/ Set up a Thai Company/ Register your foreign Company -

Either way you will need a Work Permit (WP) and to obtain a WP you will need a Business Visa (BV). WRT the BV you have to get it from your home country and is only valid for 3 months, it use to be valid for 12-15 months (90 day re-entries), but when I went to Hull the Consulate said they no longer did 12 month Thai BV's stating the Thai Guv said 3 months was sufficient for a Thai Company etc. to get you a WP, that was 3 years ago.

Solution?

Marry a Thai and do the business through her etc. but trusting in your Thai/any partner doesn't always work out.

GL

If you wish to live in the South I can help.

Off topic posts and replies to them have been removed.

OP, I need to ask the reason(s) why it is so important to live long term in Thailand?

You have stated that you are a company owner, yet you don't seem to have the inclination (or perhaps resources) to explore the legal route citing that marketing is so competitive. OK, fine.

I read your post as that of somebody looking for a visa option ahead of their actual business interests. It may be an idea to re-evaluate your prioritories as to what you really want.

Hence the reason for the question.

You don't state how long you have been in Thailand either; but just in case this is a rush decision on your part, Thailand is a completely different animal to live in than it is to visit for a short holiday a couple of times a year.

Life changing moment, get your ducks in a row before taking the plunge.......

Returning to the OP:

Start a Thai company, employ four Thai nationals on minimum wage..

Also note that Immigration will come to your office and expect to see your Thai employees at work. That has been the expreience of others I have known who own restaraunts, etc.