Self-Employed Foreigner looking for solutions (I seriously need help....)

[seancbk]

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 ?

It would be an education visa. You are merely learning Muay Thai.

You can get an education visa for any education, even learning French, or learning to be a Pastry Chef.

All that matters is that you are enrolled in an accredited course with a school registered with the Ministry of Education.

Web Courses Bangkok can get you an education visa to study web design and online marketing.

[Rogermoore]

Don't think you really need a work permit because your just taking care of your company back home not here . Just keep a visa so they don't charge 500 baht per day that you over stay

[NoshowJones]

"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.

There are times when you don't obey laws you don't agree with, this could be one of them if you are not taking away work from a Thai national.

[SGD]

No easy and cheap way of doing this I'm afraid.

The idea of a Thai company would probably cost over Bt50k per month when you add up the administration, accounting, tax, legal and visa fees. Premises could add significantly more. As the OP seems short of cash, this is a non starter.

Realistically, the work permit side of this is hardly, though perhaps technically required. Therefore, the logical solution would seem to be the Bt500k, 5 year Elite programme.

Nothing else comes close in terms of cost and a bit if online work is not really going to set off the radar.

It would also frighten off some authorities looking for people abusing tourist or education visas as you have Elite "face".

[bigt3116]

"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.

There are times when you don't obey laws you don't agree with, this could be one of them if you are not taking away work from a Thai national.

You don't get to pick and choose which laws you fancy obeying ! Laws are there for a reason not an option.

[where2go]

Is it not possible to become a partner in a running business in Thailand (Eg. Restaurant) . Then use the partnership papers to get a 1 year business Visa ? I am just wondering,... I have always visited Thailand either with SETV or METV. However the idea of 12 months in 1 stretch sounds enticing, for sure. I am an USA Citizen . Comments welcome

Edited December 29, 2015 by where2go

[jippytum]

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

This is sensible factual advice

[NoshowJones]

"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.

There are times when you don't obey laws you don't agree with, this could be one of them if you are not taking away work from a Thai national.

You don't get to pick and choose which laws you fancy obeying ! Laws are there for a reason not an option.

Right, Give me a reason why it is against the law to drive a vehicle with red number plates outside the province where you live.

Give me a reason why it is against the law to drive a vehicle with red number plates after dark.

Give me a reason why it is against the law to not wear underpants.

Give me a reason why it is against the law for motor cyclists to not stay in the first lane of a road unless there is an obstruction.

Are there any posters who have obeyed any of these laws just because they are laws?

Edited December 29, 2015 by possum1931

[liamkincaid]

Hi guys, thank you so much for all the feedback, i really appreciate it. I'm reading careful every post.

So for what i understand, i only have 4 options

Option 1: multiple entry non-b visa for business that would allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year. And keep doing that. (Still not really sure for how long i can keep doing this every year, without them rejecting me...)

Option 2: Multiple entry tourist visa from an embassy or consulate. (Really scared that after some stamps (3 right?) i will get rejected...)

Option 3: Thailand Elite membership (Very expensive.... but i guess is the best way to do it?

Option 4: Open a company in Thailand. That sounds actually interesting for me in theory, but with all the stuff i need to actually make this happen (like 4 thai employees) i can not make it work. I will not be able to get any profit...

[fekman]

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 ?

Based on my own research, there is only one school left that is registered with the ED dept. Toddys Muay Thai, near Bearing BTS. They handle the visa and you go to Phnom Phen to pick it up. Check website.

[Singerman]

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 ?

Based on my own research, there is only one school left that is registered with the ED dept. Toddys Muay Thai, near Bearing BTS. They handle the visa and you go to Phnom Phen to pick it up. Check website.

It always pays to read the fine print !

"If you are on the 1-year program you should still apply for 3-months, and get your visa renewed from within Thailand every 90 days at immigration for a cost of 1900 THB each time. When that happens, you are required to show-up in-person, along with a representative from our gym and a big stack of paperwork that we will provide you, to ensure that you will be granted the extension. You must also have been training regularly, with proof to show them (such as pictures of your training sessions which are stamped by the Academy)."

This statement is also somewhat muddled as Visas are never renewed!

[ubonjoe]

Hi guys, thank you so much for all the feedback, i really appreciate it. I'm reading careful every post.

So for what i understand, i only have 4 options

Option 1: multiple entry non-b visa for business that would allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year. And keep doing that. (Still not really sure for how long i can keep doing this every year, without them rejecting me...)

Option 2: Multiple entry tourist visa from an embassy or consulate. (Really scared that after some stamps (3 right?) i will get rejected...)

Option 3: Thailand Elite membership (Very expensive.... but i guess is the best way to do it?

Option 4: Open a company in Thailand. That sounds actually interesting for me in theory, but with all the stuff i need to actually make this happen (like 4 thai employees) i can not make it work. I will not be able to get any profit...

1. Getting another visa would not be a problem.

2. The METV allows unlimited 60 day entries for 6 months. You don't have to worry about being denied entry with it. Only visa exempt entries are restricted.

3. It seems to be an expensive up front cost. But if you look at what it can save you by not having to leave the country for a year. No visas or visa runs to worry about.

4. Not the best option unless you are actually making money from it by doing business here.

[Dan5]

How old are you? If your 50 or older you can get a retirement visa. Though I suppose its not totally clear that you can work for a company or have your own company outside Thailand legally on a retirement visa, I know a lot of people do it. And I remember years ago when I was looking into doing some consulting work outside Thailand a Thai lawyer said that it was OK as long as the company doesn't have a presence in Thailand, you work over the phone or the internet from your home and the company doesn't pay you into a Thai bank account. And he said he'd checked with a high level person in immigration. And I've run into a number of people who make money on the internet, some of them for years and they've never heard of anyone having a problem with immigration over that. And it kind of makes sense. The purpose of the law about work permit is to prevent foreigners from taking jobs from Thais.

[williamgeorgeallen]

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.

that is pretty interesting. i will tell some of my study visa mates about that. wonder if it will work. anyone heard about someone studying thai kick boxing to get a study visa. would be good to see them test you at the airport on the way in to see if you were were actually doing classes.

[Dan5]

Does the Thailand elite option allow you to work?

No. And there's the rub.

Can you quote a document to back up that statement. I'm almost sure that income from outside Thailand is no problem. And then of course how would they ever find out?

[Dan5]

Don't think you really need a work permit because your just taking care of your company back home not here . Just keep a visa so they don't charge 500 baht per day that you over stay

I'm almost certain you don't. See my other post

[lemerou]

If you go the ED route, you have to be real careful and choose a school agreed by the gouvernement.

About the METV, do we know if it's possible to use them back to back ? (Have a METV, spend 6 months, come back to home country and ask for another METV, spend 6 months, come back ect....) ?

[jspill]

Does the Thailand elite option allow you to work?

No. And there's the rub.

Can you quote a document to back up that statement. I'm almost sure that income from outside Thailand is no problem. And then of course how would they ever find out?

It's no problem in practice, in the same sense as working remotely on a tourist visa is no problem. Thousands do it and zero arrests.

But by the same token there's no explicit advertising saying 'you can legally telecommute if you buy this visa' on either option.

If it was legal, it'd be regulated and come with a work permit and taxes, but at the current time one can't get a work permit for online work. Not being legal and regulated doesn't mean something is illegal though.

There's no just no language in law describing it, I think Thailand does that deliberately so if they want to arrest people the law is whatever they say it is, that's why they write 'working is working for pay or unpaid' in the Alien Labor act. But that doesn't mean they're looking to arrest digital nomads or Elite card holders either.

[JLCrab]

And as per MFA definitions, working online is not a Profession or an Occupation either.

[fey]

And as per MFA definitions, working online is not a Profession or an Occupation either.

i had a neighbor who was shooting a movie in thailand, including active filming and interviewing numerous people on video for a documentary. and openly promoting it while out and about, including lavish parties and social gatherings with neighbors and neighborhood thais.

he was on tourist visas. not even this was questioned. never mentioned actually, except the time i brought it up casually.

that will give you an idea how far fetched questioning an online activity would be.

He started running out of funds and wanted me to pay 20k baht (half the bill) at the final screening party. got pissed and banged on my door drunk afterwards. i told him 'hey, these are your friends, not mine. my idea of a party is a couple tigers, not a cookout with guest musicians and people pulling up in classic cars'.

last i heard he want back to barcelona. did not like thailand much anyhow, sat around with the aircon on and drank red wine all the time. he also managed to nail a few chicks while here, and i saw him spanking a monkey walking my his villa one evening. also, he never learned how to do his own laundry.

he is a reader of this board.

Edited December 29, 2015 by fey

[siamcrut]

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.

Or in Sathun or Ranong...

[MilesofSmiles]

Just keep your mouth shut and your visa legal in any sense, and you're fine.

Easy.

Iglu costs about 5000/year and works very well.

I swear half the visa advice on this forum comes from a mindset of extreme perpetual fear.

[JLCrab]

And as per MFA definitions, working online is not a Profession or an Occupation either.

i had a neighbor who was shooting a movie in thailand, including active filming and interviewing numerous people on video for a documentary. and openly promoting it while out and about, including lavish parties and social gatherings with neighbors and neighborhood thais.

he was on tourist visas. not even this was questioned. never mentioned actually, except the time i brought it up casually.

that will give you an idea how far fetched questioning an online activity would be.

<snip>

Very edifying. My opinion is that the Ministry of Labor and Immigration Bureau have both told the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that, if you want to continue to hand out tourist visas to persons at will, don't expect US to do anything about in what manner they engage themselves once they get here.

The elimination of the 2 & 3 entry tourist visas may be MFA's first move in that direction.

[JLCrab]

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.

Or in Sathun or Ranong...

However they are not less than an hour away from a Thai Embassy in an adjacent country.

Edited December 29, 2015 by JLCrab

[aronp1]

"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.

????? He's not in Thailand guy.

[zugady]

Hi!

4 years before I had exactly the same problem like you. I was Customer Service (wire, cable, plastic industry), self employed.

The only solution I found in Thai it was to have "a tourist visa", a "Multi entry", so you can entry-exit many times.

The problem was to find the money to make a "good" deposit to have the visa.

But I used this system during 6 years, any problem.

Good luck!

[siam2007]

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

I can confirm that this still works as per December 2015. But better use a honorary consulate rather than the embassy

[manchesterlalala]

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

I can confirm that this still works as per December 2015. But better use a honorary consulate rather than the embassy

Would anyone be able to expand on this please? What exactly would that entail?

From the information in the link, it appears that you would either have to work for a Thai company (specifically Point 2.1 [1]), or have dealings with Thai companies (specifically point 2.1 [2]), which you would have to be able prove with supporting documentation.

I take it merely having a company registered in the UK, which is verifiably active and trading, would not be enough to secure this visa?

For background I am a digital nomad (freelance translator) working online here in Thailand but fully UK-based. My attention was piqued here, because I am looking for any other option that saves me from marrying the TGF

[Maestro]

If there are no companies in Thailand with whom you need to discuss business on behalf of your UK company you will have difficulty getting a multiple-entry non-B visa.

[elviajero]

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

I can confirm that this still works as per December 2015. But better use a honorary consulate rather than the embassy

Would anyone be able to expand on this please? What exactly would that entail?

From the information in the link, it appears that you would either have to work for a Thai company (specifically Point 2.1 [1]), or have dealings with Thai companies (specifically point 2.1 [2]), which you would have to be able prove with supporting documentation.

I take it merely having a company registered in the UK, which is verifiably active and trading, would not be enough to secure this visa?

For background I am a digital nomad (freelance translator) working online here in Thailand but fully UK-based. My attention was piqued here, because I am looking for any other option that saves me from marrying the TGF

Even if you were able to get a non 'B' visa it wouldn't entitle you to work. To be able to work you would need a work permit, which you wouldn't get unless you're employed by a Thai company.

A business operated from within Thailand is not fully UK-based.