Change to Thai Elite while on extension of stay?

[PomRakBKK]

Hey,

Is it possible to change to the Thailand Elite visa while being on an extension of stay?

They told me I need to come on a 30 day stamp, but I think they assumed I am here with a VISA instead of an extension of stay based on thai wife.

Thanks

[ubonjoe]

I think they are correct.

If you were on visa entry they could cancel the entry from it and do a one year stamp after the visa is issued.

It might be possible if your extension could be be canceled at the same time they do the visa at Chaeng Wattana. To do that you would need a divorce decree.

You could fly out and re-enter at Suv (BKK) and they could issue the visa at the airport when you enter the country.

[PomRakBKK]

I don't want to get divorced, I just want to switch to the Elite visa for the benefits of it and not being subject to the constant rules changing.

Last time I didn't get a re-entry on my extension of stay and got questioned by the I/O like a criminal. I want to avoid this in the future and live as hassle free as possible.

[ubonjoe]

If you fly into Suv (BKK) the Thai elite staff will meet you and escort you to the office where they will issue the visa and stamp you into the country for a year. No problem at all that way.

[PomRakBKK]

If you fly into Suv (BKK) the Thai elite staff will meet you and escort you to the office where they will issue the visa and stamp you into the country for a year. No problem at all that way.

Ok so theres absolutely no way to change it within the country? Means I am required to fly in and out to get the TE visa?

Nothing ever is easy I guess..

[ubonjoe]

If you fly into Suv (BKK) the Thai elite staff will meet you and escort you to the office where they will issue the visa and stamp you into the country for a year. No problem at all that way.

Ok so theres absolutely no way to change it within the country? Means I am required to fly in and out to get the TE visa?

Nothing ever is easy I guess..

There no other way to do it that i know of. I think the Thai Elite staff has enough experience to know what is possible.

You could do a border hop to get a exempt entry and then meet the Elite staff at Chaeng Wattana to get the PE visa issued. But it would be much easier to fly into Suv (BKK) to get the visa and one year entry stamp.

[blackcab]

If you fly into Suv (BKK) the Thai elite staff will meet you and escort you to the office where they will issue the visa and stamp you into the country for a year. No problem at all that way.

Ok so theres absolutely no way to change it within the country? Means I am required to fly in and out to get the TE visa?

Nothing ever is easy I guess..

It might be preferable to fly out then in.

[rickthailand]

I had a tourist visa and changed it to elite in country easy

[bim]

I had a tourist visa and changed it to elite in country easy

I did the same. The visa was issued in BKK.

[ubonjoe]

I had a tourist visa and changed it to elite in country easy

Correct it is easy if you have a visa entry that immigration can easily cancel and change it to a one year PE visa entry. In the case of the OP he has an extension of stay that they cannot cancel without a reason to do it,

[PomRakBKK]

OK, so I have to fly out and someone from the TE visa staff will put the visa in my passport upon arrival before or after passing immigration?

Because if I fly out without a re-entry permit I am afraid to get grilled again why I didn't get one and what I do in Thailand etc. Not that I have anything to hide, I am just a normal guy married to a Thai who likes to live low key.

[jacksam]

I don't want to get divorced, I just want to switch to the Elite visa for the benefits of it and not being subject to the constant rules changing.

Last time I didn't get a re-entry on my extension of stay and got questioned by the I/O like a criminal. I want to avoid this in the future and live as hassle free as possible.

Must of been very bad experience to wish to change to EV. You say that you didn't get a reentry with your extension. The reentry permit is applied for separately?

The extension is only done annually. Maybe you could use an agent to assist you. Obtaining EV when you have means to have extensions by being married to Thai, I guess is personal. Money must not be an issue

[ubonjoe]

OK, so I have to fly out and someone from the TE visa staff will put the visa in my passport upon arrival before or after passing immigration?

Because if I fly out without a re-entry permit I am afraid to get grilled again why I didn't get one and what I do in Thailand etc. Not that I have anything to hide, I am just a normal guy married to a Thai who likes to live low key.

Once you have the application approved and the 500k baht paid you can inform Thai Elite of your arrival flight info at BKK and they will meet you when you get off the plane and take you to get your visa and one year entry stamp.

[Nemesis7]

Just fly out and upon returning back your Thai elite visa will be ready upon your arrival at subarnabhum airport. The elite personal assistant will receive you from the aero bridge and escort you to fast track immigration and get your passport stamped with elite visa and of You go with new special entry visa

[toolpush]

You can cancel your extension of stay at Chaeng Wattana. My friend was here on an ED visa and on her second extension of stay. She was instructed by Thailand Elite to go to Chaeng Wattana in the morning and cancel it. She told the immigration officer the reason she was cancelling was so she could get the Elite Visa in the afternoon the same day. He cancelled it. A Thailand Elite person then met her after lunch there and got her the Elite Visa. No problems at all.

[ubonjoe]

You can cancel your extension of stay at Chaeng Wattana. My friend was here on an ED visa and on her second extension of stay. She was instructed by Thailand Elite to go to Chaeng Wattana in the morning and cancel it. She told the immigration officer the reason she was cancelling was so she could get the Elite Visa in the afternoon the same day. He cancelled it. A Thailand Elite person then met her after lunch there and got her the Elite Visa. No problems at all.

That is because there was a reason for immigration to cancel the extension. The extension was based upon attending school. Not attending school gave them the reason.

An extension based upon marriage can only be canceled if there is no longer a marriage. Another example of an extension that could not be canceled is one based upon retirement.

[sunnyjim5]

As stated some extensions can not be cancelled at immigration.

However if one leaves the country without a re-entry permit whilst on such an extension, it will, effectively be cancelled and a visa exempt entry will be given on return.

[NoshowJones]

I don't want to get divorced, I just want to switch to the Elite visa for the benefits of it and not being subject to the constant rules changing.

Last time I didn't get a re-entry on my extension of stay and got questioned by the I/O like a criminal. I want to avoid this in the future and live as hassle free as possible.

Your first paragraph, You cannot be sure that having an Elite visa that they won't change rules, TiT, and as far as I know, you still have to do 90 day reports.

Your second, if that's what you want, you have come to the wrong country.

[Suradit69]

I don't want to get divorced, I just want to switch to the Elite visa for the benefits of it and not being subject to the constant rules changing.

Last time I didn't get a re-entry on my extension of stay and got questioned by the I/O like a criminal. I want to avoid this in the future and live as hassle free as possible.

Your first paragraph, You cannot be sure that having an Elite visa that they won't change rules, TiT, and as far as I know, you still have to do 90 day reports.

Your second, if that's what you want, you have come to the wrong country.

Did they admit you and allow you to maintain the extension without a re-entry permit? If so, you were lucky. Normally if you didn't bother getting a re-entry permit you'd only get a 30 day visa exempt entry.

A lot cheaper to keep the extension, buy a multi-re-entry permit and avoid such problems. If you have money to burn, use an agent. Not really necessary, but a lot cheaper than Baht 500,000.

[mihalis]

Why not just ask them...

[krey]

I would ask them as well, they have an email and are very helpful

My friend switched from Student to Elite and he did not have to fly out of the country to do it

but he did have to go to BKK as they would not do it in any other provinces.

If they do make you leave and come back , it is true that one of the reps will meet you at the airport and help you with everything such as going to the special elite thai visa line and they will do all the talking and work for you... If you are coming in and dropping 500 000 baht on an Elite I would not be worried about immigration not letting you in due to your extension.. of course before you do all this you have to talk to Elite, and also before you can be in the program they will need a copy of your passport to do a criminal check on you of some sorts not sure if it is just within Thailand or if they contact your own country...