Long term Muay Thai training visa

[Spairoh]

Hi all! I'm leaving for Thailand April 20th to train in Hua Hin. I intend on staying for a bit and I do not necessarily intend on coming back to the US when I'm done.

When I decided to travel to Thailand, there was the METV option and now there is a Boxing Visa option.

1) Can I apply for a METV and just not mention the intention of the trip?

2) Does the Boxing Visa allow for multiple entries?

3) At the time, I bought a one way ticket to Thailand. I was unaware of the visa requirements. Does my ticket leaving Thailand need to be specifically by air?

4) Does the return ticket need to be back to my point of origin (US) or can it be to anywhere other than Thailand?

5) I am more or less retired but do hold a valid LLC with the state of Colorado. Is a "Certificate of Fact of Good Standing" from the Office of the Secretary of State of Colorado something that would fulfill the "business license or business registration" requirement?

Thanks all! I'll be in DC from March 23rd to the 29th so I'm hoping to knock this out in person.

[jacksam]

I have never heard of a boxing visa. The metv application has nothing to do with this anyway. You should apply for an metv, spend time here and look at your options. Some people come here, learn muay Thai, but they obtain an ed visa. They are not issued "long term"

Your ticket out of Thailand can be anywhere. Some people choose cheapest option from carrier such as AirAsia.

The reference to business is an involved topic in itself. If you have plans to work in Thailand you need to look into your options and of course Thai requirements

[Spairoh]

I have never heard of a boxing visa. The metv application has nothing to do with this anyway. You should apply for an metv, spend time here and look at your options. Some people come here, learn muay Thai, but they obtain an ed visa. They are not issued "long term"

Your ticket out of Thailand can be anywhere. Some people choose cheapest option from carrier such as AirAsia.

The reference to business is an involved topic in itself. If you have plans to work in Thailand you need to look into your options and of course Thai requirements

Thanks for the reply! I included the link for the boxing visa below. It is a new addition since I bought my plane ticket in January.

The business license reference is because the site lists "employment verification" as a requirement for the METV. If self-employed, then "business license or business registration."

Thanks for the AirAsia tip!

http://thaiembdc.org/consular-services/tourist-visas/tourist-visa-category-tr-boxingyoga-training/

http://thaiembdc.org/tourist-visa-category-tr-multiple-metv/

[jacksam]

Interesting OP. Think what you will have is an ED visa giving you 60 stay which you can apply for extensions. I would suggest you obtain your METV as your initial visa. This gives you up to almost 9 month stay. During that time access options going forward. You can obtain your ed visa when here. You mention possible intention for long term stay but did not mention your age. For anyone under 50, especially if under 45, the Thai elite visa gives easy access for long term stay until non O. However some regard expensive and prefer other option such as setv, METV and ed visa etc

[Eclipse]

Looks like the so called "Boxing Visa" is a single entry Tourist Visa that gives a stay of 60 days and can be extended at Immigration by another 30 days.

So a total of 90 days.

[FritsSikkink]

it is just a tourist visa for 60 days which can be extended once for 30 days

[Spairoh]

jacksam, I had to look up the elite! Pretty cool but out of the question due to cost. I am 30.

Eclipse and FritsSikkink, I think you're exactly right.

[jacksam]

jacksam, I had to look up the elite! Pretty cool but out of the question due to cost. I am 30.

Eclipse and FritsSikkink, I think you're exactly right.

In a nut shell the biggest change in recent times has been doing away with double and triple TV. These in past were used by people in the main under 50 to live long term in Thailand. Allbeit with the pain of boarder runs. The METV needs to be applied for in home country and rules around ed visa more tightly enforced. These were abused for some time. Setv at most crossings seem also to be limited to 3 consecutive. Stamps as ongoing means to stay are more strictly issued.

I still think someone can live here for few years but at 30 this is not an easy method to remain ongoing.

[ubonjoe]

If you are in Colorado you should apply for your visa at the honorary consulate in Denver. Contact info here: http://thaiembdc.org/royal-thai-honorary-consulates-general-in-the-u-s/

There is no boxing visa. There is a non-ed visa that you could get with proof you have enrolled for a course of study at a Gym/School for Muay Thai. You might be able to get a multiple entry non-ed visa with correct paperwork at the consulate. A multiple entry non-ed visa would allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year. If not you could get a single entry non-ed visa. Then if enrolled at a Gym/school that is registered with the Ministry of Education you could apply for 90 day exertions at immigration.

I the above is not possible you should get the METV. Contact the consulate to find out their requirements. You may find it much easier than you think.

You do not need to have a non-ed visa to attend school it can be done with any visa.

[darrendsd]

ED Visas for learning Muay Thai are available, a quick search on the net throws up a few Schools

OP I live in Hua Hin, what is the name of the gym you will be learning Muay Thai at?

[Spairoh]

jacksam, I had to look up the elite! Pretty cool but out of the question due to cost. I am 30.

Eclipse and FritsSikkink, I think you're exactly right.

In a nut shell the biggest change in recent times has been doing away with double and triple TV. These in past were used by people in the main under 50 to live long term in Thailand. Allbeit with the pain of boarder runs. The METV needs to be applied for in home country and rules around ed visa more tightly enforced. These were abused for some time. Setv at most crossings seem also to be limited to 3 consecutive. Stamps as ongoing means to stay are more strictly issued.

I still think someone can live here for few years but at 30 this is not an easy method to remain ongoing.

Thanks! You're a weath of info.

If you are in Colorado you should apply for your visa at the honorary consulate in Denver. Contact info here: http://thaiembdc.org/royal-thai-honorary-consulates-general-in-the-u-s/

There is no boxing visa. There is a non-ed visa that you could get with proof you have enrolled for a course of study at a Gym/School for Muay Thai. You might be able to get a multiple entry non-ed visa with correct paperwork at the consulate. A multiple entry non-ed visa would allow unlimited 90 day entries for a year. If not you could get a single entry non-ed visa. Then if enrolled at a Gym/school that is registered with the Ministry of Education you could apply for 90 day exertions at immigration.

I the above is not possible you should get the METV. Contact the consulate to find out their requirements. You may find it much easier than you think.

You do not need to have a non-ed visa to attend school it can be done with any visa.

Oh wow! For some reason I've been under the impression that there wasn't an office in Denver, even after looking. Good to know, I'm going to call them first thing in the morning.

ED Visas for learning Muay Thai are available, a quick search on the net throws up a few Schools

OP I live in Hua Hin, what is the name of the gym you will be learning Muay Thai at?

Sitjaopho Muay Thai. I had seen the other schools that do the ED Visas but they aren't Sitjaopho.

The Denver office is going to be nice. I do much better at talking to someone in person. I'm going to shoot for an appointment this week.

[JLCrab]

So far no follow-up on the Denver Honorary Consulate issuing an in-person-only METV only noted that there is no mention of the METV on the Denver Honorary Thai Consulate website.

[BritTim]

So far no follow-up on the Denver Honorary Consulate issuing an in-person-only METV only noted that there is no mention of the METV on the Denver Honorary Thai Consulate website.

The MFA announcement said that all consulates are allowed to issue METV (provided you meet the conditions). I have not heard of any reports of any consulates not issuing them, only, sometimes, that impossible conditions are imposed first.

[ubonjoe]

So far no follow-up on the Denver Honorary Consulate issuing an in-person-only METV only noted that there is no mention of the METV on the Denver Honorary Thai Consulate website.

The MFA announcement said that all consulates are allowed to issue METV (provided you meet the conditions). I have not heard of any reports of any consulates not issuing them, only, sometimes, that impossible conditions are imposed first.

Why would you expect the website for a honorary consulate to be up to date. Their are many embassies and official consulates that have out of date info or no info about visa requirements.

[JLCrab]

Yes -- and why would a guy who said WOW! and that he was going to try for an appointment in the coming week after saying he would call them first thing the next morning not report on the results?

[Spairoh]

WOW!

I called the Denver consulate and it took them a couple days to get back. Upon talking to an amazingly informative lady on the 17th. She said she can get me in on the 21st and I could walk out of there the SAME DAY with my visa. Unfortunately I'm in Kentucky, Ohio, and then Washington D.C. from the 18th-29th.

I have an appointment in Denver on the 31st. We discussed the "Boxing Visa" and my intentions to tour more than one gym in Thailand over a period of 3-9 months. She recommended the METV.

She told me I was overthinking the self-employment letter from the state but said to bring it so it can be filed away just in case.

Thanks again for the Denver tip! I went back and looked into why I thought there wasn't an office in Denver and realized it was probably because I was searching for an Embassy in Denver which gave some conflicting information/addresses/whatevs. I suppose I just wasn't searching and using the right terms.

[JLCrab]

WOW-W I lived for many years in Denver/Boulder area and that might be an option for me should the need arise. Thanks for the update -- Good luck on the 31st. (Please Don't Hurt'em, Hammer)