7 hours ago, JackThompson said:

 

They seem pretty harsh on ed-visa holders - perhaps the most scrutiny of all options excepting in/out Visa Exempts.  If the TE is not a prudent choice for me financially, and only a couple years until the big '50', in any case.

 

You didn't mention marriage, but being on 'perpetual probation', no matter how many years you are married and living here, with no guarantee the rules will not change in the future, makes that a strange option, to me, in the context of a lifetime commitment. 

 

There is also the 'B' visa, but if I wanted to work full-time, I could make more elsewhere, get permanent residency is a few years easily, etc. 

 

 

I agree it must be something like that - but is it 6 mo, or 8 mo, or some other number?  That is what I would really like to know - how much time-in and time-out are "hassle free" ?? 

 

For ED Visa, I was thinking those who go to really legitimate schools (Mahidol , chulalongkorn) or persuing real degrees (not those who go to learn Thai 4 hours a week, but those working on Masters/PhDs on serious topics).  And given the cost of a Masters being up around 400k/year it adds legitimacy to it

 

I feel confident that if you are here less than 6 months/year you should not get a problem with TV/SETV/METV.  After 9 months I think it starts to look like you *live* here and vacation elsewhere.  But other factors play in.  If they see you 8 months in Thailand, and the other 4 in in Laos/Cambodia the might be suspicious.  If it's 8 months here and the other 4 in the UK, perhaps less suspicion. 

 

And of course I believe G7 people get better treatment.  (The people from the Consulate often stated 'Oh, you are G7, then it is no worry').

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I don't understand what you mean by probation. 

I just completed my 9th application for an extension based upon marriage and there has been no change in  the requirements.

The financial requirements to get one has not changed in at least 13 years.

Since getting my first extension I have seen the rules change for other types of extensions (working, teaching, education and volunteer work for example).

 

I am not saying marriage-extensions are not do-able - only that even after being here 9 years, one still needs to obtain "approval" to stay for a limited time, and must continually report your location every 3 months.  IOW, one remains a perpetual 'supervised alien' granted only temporary permission to stay with one's spouse.  Contrast to most countries, where if one does not get into trouble for some period of time (a 'probationary' period), these procedures stop, and the person receives residency.  

 

Then there is the matter of issues reported here by people obtaining new or consecutive extensions-of-stay with the required paperwork in hand (often the same docs that 'worked' the year before).  On that front, and with other visa-types, we all owe our thanks to you, UJ, for helping us sort through it all.