staying in thailand year after year - visa

[Hjernestimulanz]

i would like to know what kind of visa i should get if i want to stay in thailand for as long as possible ( rest of my life if possible )

im 34, not rich, not married or working or any thing else, i just want to live there with at less hassle as possible?

Edited June 19, 2016 by Hjernestimulanz

[LburtonL]

Will never happen... sorry /thread

[Hjernestimulanz]

but i have heard many people have lived there for many many years under the same conditions. just havent spoke with them, so i dont know what they do

[Eclipse]

Tourist Visas but it is your guess as to how long you can do it for.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Eclipse

[Gulfsailor]

but i have heard many people have lived there for many many years under the same conditions. just havent spoke with them, so i dont know what they do

Most others have a reason. Be it married, Thai kids, employment, retirement, investment. The ones that do not can take advantage of the Thai Elite Program (20yr = 2 million).

[elviajero]

There isn't a visa for you.

[thrilled]

The elete program but you might be to young.And if you try to buck the system you don't want to eat rice soup twice A day.And really bad conditions.And maybe know some Mai tai to get by.

[Torrens54]

So, how do you plan to support yourself?

You say you have no job etc., do you have an income from overseas?

[powerdude]

im 34, not rich, not married or working or any thing else, i just want to live there with at less hassle as possible?

hm, i guess you still need money to live in this world, even in Thailand...

i read one story recently about one russian dude was found in north thailand without any ID,

so spent few years in jail and then deported anyway.

"thailand elite visa" is your best bet if you like to stay in thailand many years, only 12k euro

[darrendsd]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

[steve187]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

that was then this is now, elite is the best legal route

[IMA_FARANG]

Well, I fist came to Thailand in 1977.....and am still here, but barely made until I was 50 years old and could qualify foe retirement here in Thailand..

Bur I did NOT and could NOT live here all that time.

I was lucky enough to have a job/career experience that allowed me to work all those years earning a living OUTSIDE of Thailand....and returning once or twice each year for a holiday to Thailand.

Finally when I was able to retire in my home country (U.S.A) I was able to get a pension and move to Thailand as a retiree.

I managed it, and have been retired here in Thailand since 2010......but it wasn't easy to get to that point all those years, waiting and working for that retirement time to arrive so I could stay in Thailand.

I am the living proof that it can be done.....but I can tell you it isn't easy.

[darrendsd]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

that was then this is now, elite is the best legal route

As I said in my post things are getting harder,

It is still "now" as after 11 years I am still here

[williamgeorgeallen]

your only option is becoming an English teacher if you have a degree. be warned the pay is not very good and has been the same for about 10 years despite living cost going up.

at your age you should be in the middle of setting yourself up for retirement, not coming to thailand to exist on a small salary. i know so many younger guys who came to live the dream. most gave up and went here but some remain. i tend to avoid them as they are always broke and looking to score some 'easy money' i came here when i was 32, i put a million bath into setting up a business, it took years before it became profitable but i had the rent from my properties back home to fall back on. if you dont have some passive income then life is going to be hard here.

if you cant afford an elite visa then just stick to holidays in thailand. hope you listen to all the advice here. everyone is telling you the same thing.

[williamgeorgeallen]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

guy is looking for advice. sounds like you did it but you dont tell him how you did it.

[JayBird]

You have a few options:

• Thailand Elite -- It comes with a PE visa. 500k for 5 years (or 2M for 20 years)
• Investment Visa -- Invest 10M THB (Government Bonds) will grant you a visa. Each year you maintain the bonds you get a visa renewal
• METV runs -- Go back home, get an METV, come back, repeat
• SETV runs -- Go to Laos (can be made easy by even living in Undo Thani) every 2-3 months and get a new visa
• Visa run -- Go to the border ever 30 days and get a stamp renewal (if you are from G7)

These are probably your most easiest, least hassle options. There's nothing really better/easier, because, sadly, that's how the world is

[phuketrichard]

There isn't a visa for you.

sure there is

http://www.thailandelite.com/tpc_news_view.php?id=6

Elite visa good for 5 years, than renew

or every 9 months return home and get a METV

Edited June 20, 2016 by phuketrichard

[Jedsada3]

I can only confirm what is said above: it will be very difficult or impossible to live in Thailand longer than tourist visa and its extensions allows.

You are not rich, no job, no income... it means that if you live here, people will look at you with the same eyes as those with which you look refugees in your home country!

[darrendsd]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

guy is looking for advice. sounds like you did it but you dont tell him how you did it.

Believe it or not there is a message service on Thai Visa

[williamgeorgeallen]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

guy is looking for advice. sounds like you did it but you dont tell him how you did it.

Believe it or not there is a message service on Thai Visa

this is a public forum. sure there are many young guys here wanting to know how you achieved staying in thailand so long. i have to say i am quite curious myself. any chance you can tell us?

[NoshowJones]

Will never happen... sorry /thread

Thailand discriminates against the under 50s unless you are rich, ie the Elite visa for which you get nothing in return

and this is after you have shelled out 500.000 Baht and contributed to their economy over the previous five years.

[JackThompson]

I just posted to a similar question here - Thai options and backup plans:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/918379-get-visa-to-stay-long-term-in-thailand/#entry10874672

There is no legal-limit on staying in Thailand on Tourist Visas (to be differentiated from 'visa-exempt' entries). The basic formula is to max-out how many Tourist Visas you can get from nearby consulates, then get a new passport and repeat - but see the caveats in that post.

Do you plan to return to your home country annually? The METV could work, but nearby availability is limited. Back-to-back issuance has not been tested. See the 'sticky' METV thread - searching for reports from your home country, and also this latest update:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/926059-metv-visa-from-australia-foreign-nationals-can-apply-the-official-word/

[NoshowJones]

im 34, not rich, not married or working or any thing else, i just want to live there with at less hassle as possible?

hm, i guess you still need money to live in this world, even in Thailand...

i read one story recently about one russian dude was found in north thailand without any ID,

so spent few years in jail and then deported anyway.

"thailand elite visa" is your best bet if you like to stay in thailand many years, only 12k euro

Only????

[NoshowJones]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

that was then this is now, elite is the best legal route

No use to the OP, he is not rich, and only mugs throw away money like that with no return.

[williamgeorgeallen]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

that was then this is now, elite is the best legal route

No use to the OP, he is not rich, and only mugs throw away money like that with no return.

no point suggesting the elite visa for this guy who can not afford it and he will need a visa to work if he has no cash. elite visa is the perfect visa for under 50 year olds. works out at 100K thb per year. thats only 3000USD per year which seems pretty good to me. i have an non im O based on my kids. if i did not have kids i would get an elite visa. 3 thousand dollars a year gets you a hassle free visa to stay in thailand. how can you say that is nothing? never heard anyone who has an elite visa complain about it. only people who seem to complain about it are those who dont know how good it is or those who can not afford it.

[NoshowJones]

There isn't a visa for you.

sure there is

http://www.thailandelite.com/tpc_news_view.php?id=6

Elite visa good for 5 years, than renew

or every 9 months return home and get a METV

"or every 9 months return home and get a METV"

Why can't the Thai authorities allow you to get a METV in a neighbouring country?

I would think that is too sensible for Thailand, and that is not in their genes.

They must be losing decent law abiding people who would love to stay in this country and contribute

to their economy.

or every 9 months return home and get a METV

[NoshowJones]

I came here at 34, now 45, not married, no kids and don't have a business or work for anyone and have never been on the Thailand Elite visa

Each and every one of the visas I have been on has been a legal visa before anyone asks

There is ways however I will admit it is getting harder, will I be able to stay here until i'm 50 and qualify for a retirement visa? I don't know but I hope so

that was then this is now, elite is the best legal route

No use to the OP, he is not rich, and only mugs throw away money like that with no return.

no point suggesting the elite visa for this guy who can not afford it and he will need a visa to work if he has no cash. elite visa is the perfect visa for under 50 year olds. works out at 100K thb per year. thats only 3000USD per year which seems pretty good to me. i have an non im O based on my kids. if i did not have kids i would get an elite visa. 3 thousand dollars a year gets you a hassle free visa to stay in thailand. how can you say that is nothing? never heard anyone who has an elite visa complain about it. only people who seem to complain about it are those who dont know how good it is or those who can not afford it.

We will have to agree to disagree with this.

[Shiver]

I was 36 when I got here (47 now), so have a similar position to you. I am on SETV which has been okay so far, but every time I go to renew I get a little nervous that they will change the rules at any moment.

No pension, average income from outside the country. My fallback would be Elite visa, but only if there are no other choices.

[Timwin]

Start with single entry tourist visas, 60 days plus 30 days extension from local immigration. Go visit nearby countries. Cambodia especially has much easier visas and you can start even your own business there without too much hassle. Laos is also very nice.

Ignore these resident naysayers here, every thread has at least one. I just don't get them. They moved to tropical Thailand but all day every day they are angry and yapping to other foreigners! Are they angry/jealous towards others because they are too old or others "too young" to move to Thailand? Or both?

[JayBird]

OP did say he was not rich, but not sure if that means: only have 50 THB or if that means: I only have 100k plus a trust fund that gives me 50k/year. Rich is not very specific.

Lots of not-rich people can get the Thailand Elite card. If you can not afford the Thailand Elite card then you might want to also check how you will afford to live in Thailand. Not saying you can't, but just how poor are you? Those who ARE rich can just get Investment Visas/etc.

And a few points:
​Thailand does not discrminate against under 50s. Not many countries in the world even offer a retirement visa, so one should be pleasantly surprised Thailand does. And at age 50 no less (rather than the normal retirement age of 65+). The reason it isn't lower is because under 50 you really gotta ask: Why are you retiring so young?! (Not many people are under 50 and in a position to retire comfortable... for those who can, they offer the Thailand Elite card and Investment Visas).

Thailand offers more options and greater flexibility to stay here for long periods of time (years) than most other countries in the world. So one should not complain they don't just give a free pass to everyone. They give a lot more than most places as it is.

If you cannot afford a Thailand Elite card *AND* can not afford doing return trips home for an METV *AND* can not afford to do trips to the border for SETV, then you really need to take a good hard look at your financial situation. Thailand is not here to try and take care of people who are scraping by. No country is.

Edited June 20, 2016 by JayBird