about the sign rental contract - checking my visa history

[mrnike]

Hello guys, 

I just arrive in BKK and i'm about to stay here to get to know my girlfriend better. Not intenting to work. I'm about to sign a 7 month rental contract in Bangkok, and i would like to double check that i'm not gonna have problems with immigration when coming back from my visa trips.

 

My visa history is as follows:

first trip (1 week in june 2013) 1 land visa exemption (on my other (lost) passport)

last trip (feb - october 2016) 2 visa exemptions + 2 extensions, + 2 SETV + 1 extension

Return back home for 8 months

on this trip (june 27 2017 - jan 15 2018): 1 visa exemption and 2 SEtV and extensions to come (hopefully).

 

1. Do you think that the high number of stamps and tourist visas after a while could be a problem for immigration in Suvarnabhumi ? Or they won't bother me, as i have less than 6 visa exemptions and the adequate tourist visas ?

2.1 Do you think the embassies (Vientiane and Penang) might become reluctant delivering visas when they see  my complicated visa history ?

2.2 Do the above mentionned embassies have a limit of not back to back" SETV in a determined time lapse ?

3) What other options do you guys who are not resident, not working and not retired use for long stays like mine ? 

 

Thanks in advance

 

Nico

 

Nico

 

 

[Upnotover]

12 minutes ago, mrnike said:

3) What other options do you guys who are not resident, not working and not retired use for long stays like mine ? 

Marriage.

[bbi1]

21 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

Marriage.

Multiple Entry Tourist Visa

[mrnike]

Yes, marriage is an option. But not right now.

 

Not sure a METV is a better option than a SETV 

[mrnike]

So do you think its doable on two SETV? Bcz i would hate to be denied entry at Suvarnabhumi with a 30k rental to pay monthly... 

[JackThompson]

10 minutes ago, mrnike said:

Yes, marriage is an option. But not right now.

 

Not sure a METV is a better option than a SETV 

You could get an ED-visa - starts with 90-days, then periodic extensions for the rest of the year.  Then, you can get another one - with a max-time for studying Thai of 18 months total.  The hassle involved of the periodic-extensions depend on what immigration-office serves your office, and your language-school's connections to that office.

 

Whatever visa you enter /re-enter on, be sure to have 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks on your person to show.

[Maestro]

3 hours ago, mrnike said:

3) What other options do you guys who are not resident, not working and not retired use for long stays like mine ? 

 

You did not say how long you plan to stay in Thailand, only that you signed a 7-month rental contract.

[mrnike]

Yes, sorry.

7 month indeed. I did signed yet, but it's imminent.

[mrnike]

I would really appreciate if someone could advise me on the best way/visa to stay here safely during 7 months without having to worry whether i'll be denied entry when applying for a new visa outside the country, especially with a 7 months rental contract.

 

I am considering taking a thai class (for real, not for visa purposes), but am afraid it's to late to get the ED visa before the end of my 30 days extension (26.07.2017), and i'm not considering renewing my current visa extension, as i think i've got enough of those stamps in my passport.

 

Finally, I would like to point out that i am under 50, and i think i've got enough money to show proof of means of subsistence to authorities if necessary.

 

Cheers.

[tryasimight]

What other options do you guys who are not resident, not working and not retired use for long stays like mine ? 

 

I'm not sure anyone can advise you of  'long term stays like mine' that are legal. Read the posts above for your options. Times have changed my friend.....good luck.

 

Signing up for a 7 month rental contract under these circumstances is not a wise choice.

Edited July 7, 2017 by tryasimight

[JackThompson]

48 minutes ago, mrnike said:

I am considering taking a thai class (for real, not for visa purposes), but am afraid it's to late to get the ED visa before the end of my 30 days extension (26.07.2017), and i'm not considering renewing my current visa extension, as i think i've got enough of those stamps in my passport.

I do not think an extension of your current permission-of-stay will hurt your chances at Immigration, coming and going in the future.   Extensions are routine.

And even if you stick with TR Visas, I would simply advise avoiding Poipet and Airports. 

Granted, it could happen that other border-points get "new orders" they must follow, at some point - which is another reason the ED route would be the safest, considering you lease/deposit.

Edited July 7, 2017 by JackThompson

[YetAnother]

30 minutes ago, tryasimight said:

Signing up for a 7 month rental contract under these circumstances is not a wise choice.

and do not volunteer more than you need to immigration

[mrnike]

All right guys. So do you it would be safe enough to sign a rental contract doing my 6 months left on 2 setv ? Bcz even doing the thai course i think i would go to vientiane to get 1 setv at the end of the month, as i booked and paid my tickets a while ago already.

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, mrnike said:

All right guys. So do you it would be safe enough to sign a rental contract doing my 6 months left on 2 setv ? Bcz even doing the thai course i think i would go to vientiane to get 1 setv at the end of the month, as i booked and paid my tickets a while ago already.

I signed a 1-year lease last-year, while staying on Tourist Visas.  I would do it - with the following considered:

 

• If none of your tourist visas have a little stamp that says something like, "... has traveled several times... a tourist visa" - then you will get at least one more from Vientiane. 
• You may get that extra-stamp from them the next time (or not).  The visa you receive is still ok if you do - it only means you cannot get more from them (and/or some other consulates).
• If you do get that extra-stamp, you must be prepared to go to your embassy upon your return and get a new passport, so that you can get more tourist-visas easily in the future.

Also - maybe your return-ticket is to Udon-Thani, and you are going to cross the bridge and then fly from there, in which case you are set - but I would never fly-in to a Thai airport with a Tourist-Visa, given a longer-stay history, under the current conditions.  I would always cross at the more-friendly Friendship Bridge.  But, as others have noted here, I am more paranoid about being denied-entry at a Thai airport than some others are. 

 

Everyone must make their own call on these things - choice of point-of-entry, whether to sign a lease, etc.  There are no guarantees .  FYI, I just married my Thai GF of 4 years (the last 2 together continuously, except for tourist-visa trips) - so I do empathize with your situation.  Glad to hear you will be exploring that relationship, and seeing where it leads.  Thai ladies can be the best there are, but like all people, you have to get below the surface to find out their true-nature.  Best of luck to you in your travels and love.

[sanemax]

20 hours ago, mrnike said:

I would really appreciate if someone could advise me on the best way/visa to stay here safely during 7 months without having to worry whether i'll be denied entry when applying for a new visa outside the country, especially with a 7 months rental contract.

 

There are currently no restrictions on the number of tourist visas Thai Embassys will issue 

   You can get two VES at land border crossing and unlimted at airports

Nothing is guaranteed though , rules and regulations change ( or are enforced) regularly 

   But, theres no issue about getting numerous tourist visas

[Crisu]

Multiple Entry Tourist Visa

If i understand him correct he stay in thai now, want stay here and not want go back to his country of residence to arrange this visa type.

[JackThompson]

6 hours ago, sanemax said:

There are currently no restrictions on the number of tourist visas Thai Embassys will issue 

   You can get two VES at land border crossing and unlimted at airports

Nothing is guaranteed though , rules and regulations change ( or are enforced) regularly 

   But, theres no issue about getting numerous tourist visas

Yes - to the extent that getting a TR-Visa is problematic, it can be completely solved by getting a new passport. 

 

Entering the country is something else, entirely.  But even with the recent increase in scrutiny, no one has yet been denied, that we know of, who had 20K Baht in cash to show when entering.  I would guess you would need to botch the "What are you doing here," and "How do you support yourself," Q/A session pretty badly to get denied with the cash-in-hand.

Edited July 8, 2017 by JackThompson

[IMA_FARANG]

I live in Bangkok with a 3 month rental contract for which I pay roughly about 18K Thai baht monthly.

I have a monthly retirement/old age pension from the U.S.

I won't go into the actual details of the  rental contract but as I said I pay monthly and get a stamped receipt  for that monthly payment.

I have a rental flat in Bangkok with a cable television system. weekly maid and laundry service, a restaurant downstairs where I can get meals, and a small store where I can buy certain things I need including Booze if I want to.

I keep these monthly bills, and have used them at immigration when the question, "Where do you live, and how do you support yourself in Thailand?" is asked of me.

Let's just say I am a retiree from The U.S. and have a U.S. Social Security pension monthly from the U.S.

I won't bore you with the details, let's just say I have been living here for over a year since I found this place here in Bangkok.

Let's just say it is completely legal and accepted by immigration as I have an annual retirement visa that I renew yearly.

Just so you know, it IS possible and legal and CAN be done.

 

 

[mrnike]

All right thanks everybody for your replies.

 

As i will start thai classes soon, i think that the ED visa will do the trick for the second part of my stay. But for the 1st one, i willing to choose the solution with would screw the least my visa history, for future stays.

 

1) extend my current visa exemption 

 

2) go to Vietniame (as planned initially) and get a SETV , with the risk of getting the little red stamp (as small as the risk might  be), which could screw totally the 2nd part of my stay).

 

Which one do you guys think would be the wisest solution, given my situation?

 

Cheers

[JackThompson]

1 minute ago, mrnike said:

All right thanks everybody for your replies.

 

As i will start thai classes soon, i think that the ED visa will do the trick for the second part of my stay. But for the 1st one, i willing to choose the solution with would screw the least my visa history, for future stays.

 

1) extend my current visa exemption 

 

2) go to Vietniame (as planned initially) and get a SETV , with the risk of getting the little red stamp (as small as the risk might  be), which could screw totally the 2nd part of my stay).

 

Which one do you guys think would be the wisest solution, given my situation?

 

Cheers

I would go with #1, if the school will have the paperwork ready before that extension expires.  But on #2, be aware that a Vientiane "red stamp" would not prevent you getting an ED visa from them - only another Tourist visa.

Also, if you go with #2 - I would not fly back into Thailand (you mentioned tickets, earlier) - cross Friendship Bridge.  Flying domestic is OK, but airport-immigration on an international-flight entry may reject you for made-up reasons, if you have history here on Tourist or Exempt entries.  See here:

 

[mrnike]

Thanks for your reply.

 

I dont know which way to take, even though you mentionned twice, that the extension is OK. I'm afraid that adding one more stamp would make my visa/stamps history worse, and the post of denied entry at BKK, does not make me comfortable with going to Laos to get an SETV.

 

If necessary, i'm able to provide a bank statement for the last 2-3 years with a monthly very confortable income for Thailand and a monthly balance (on my current account) meeting METV requierements for the last 12 month. Do you guys think that would be enough to make it much safe(r) for me ? Even though i know that here nothing can be taken for granted.  

 

The point is that i dont wanna be stalked outside LOS with a rental contract pending and my girlfriend waiting for me here.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by mrnike

[mrnike]

Hi guys,


The situation finally very complicated and is driving me nuts, so that I'll REALLY have to take a break of it all to be able to think.


My visa exemption expires on the 27 of this month.

So Im thinking of travelling abroad for 2 to 4 weeks and therefore would like to know which would be the safest option due my visa history (3 exemptions + extensions and 2 SETV in 2016 and this time 1 visa exemption now), knowing that on my return I'm planning to enroll a thai language course and go for the ed visa for another 6 or 8 months and renting a place for the same amount of time.

- make the visa extension tomorrow and when travelling out of BKK (within a few days) make a reentry permit (but in my return i would get only max 30 days to choose the school and get the ed visa paper done

- leave the country before the 27 and get (one more) SETV before i come back.

as i dont think getting an additional exemption would be a wise choice.


Thanks for your advices.

 

Ps: Sorry if this post looks like my last one, but im feeling quite insecure and pushed by the time.

[lkv]

38 minutes ago, mrnike said:

Hi guys,


The situation finally very complicated and is driving me nuts, so that I'll REALLY have to take a break of it all to be able to think.


My visa exemption expires on the 27 of this month.

So Im thinking of travelling abroad for 2 to 4 weeks and therefore would like to know which would be the safest option due my visa history (3 exemptions + extensions and 2 SETV in 2016 and this time 1 visa exemption now), knowing that on my return I'm planning to enroll a thai language course and go for the ed visa for another 6 or 8 months and renting a place for the same amount of time.

- make the visa extension tomorrow and when travelling out of BKK (within a few days) make a reentry permit (but in my return i would get only max 30 days to choose the school and get the ed visa paper done

- leave the country before the 27 and get (one more) SETV before i come back.

as i dont think getting an additional exemption would be a wise choice.


Thanks for your advices.

 

Ps: Sorry if this post looks like my last one, but im feeling quite insecure and pushed by the time.

Visa exempt is a lottery if you have 3 already extended, although the unofficial limit is 6.

 

When do you want to travel abroad and where?

 

If I was you I would consider:

 

A. Extending the visa exempt for 30 days, then travel abroad, if you say you would travel for 2-4 weeks you could apply for an SETV there? 

 

B. Or you could apply for the SETV first then get a reentry permit on it for your travelling abroad on it. 

 

C. Or extend your visa exempt now, travel abroad after and apply directly for an ED visa in that country if possible, with document supplied from school within the next 30 days.

 

It all depends on:

 

-when do you intend to travel overseas for 2-4 weeks.

 

- the place you intend to travel to, is it a Thai visa friendly place.

 

Maybe you could clarify further, then it would be easier to suggest the best idea.

Edited July 24, 2017 by lkv

[mrnike]

Hi. Thanks for your reply.

 

Not sure yet where, but it's gonna within the next days, as I'm allowed to stay only until 27.

 

Regarding the destination I'm considering going to Bali. But i don't mind doing a little detour in Penang.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, mrnike said:

Hi guys,

The situation finally very complicated and is driving me nuts, so that I'll REALLY have to take a break of it all to be able to think.
My visa exemption expires on the 27 of this month.

So Im thinking of travelling abroad for 2 to 4 weeks and therefore would like to know which would be the safest option due my visa history (3 exemptions + extensions and 2 SETV in 2016 and this time 1 visa exemption now), knowing that on my return I'm planning to enroll a thai language course and go for the ed visa for another 6 or 8 months and renting a place for the same amount of time.

- make the visa extension tomorrow and when travelling out of BKK (within a few days) make a reentry permit (but in my return i would get only max 30 days to choose the school and get the ed visa paper done
- leave the country before the 27 and get (one more) SETV before i come back.
as i dont think getting an additional exemption would be a wise choice.

Thanks for your advices.

Ps: Sorry if this post looks like my last one, but im feeling quite insecure and pushed by the time.

If you really must go out soon, before getting the ED paperwork done, I'd come back with a TR-Visa - with 20K Baht, by land.  You will have been gone for weeks, so it's not an "in/out."  Just keep tabs here on what the situation is at different land-border checkpoints.

Not sure if you could get the ball rolling with a language-school before you leave and/or if they could mail you the paperwork abroad - assuming you trust them enough to pay in-advance.  If anyone has arranged an ED from a language-school before arrival, maybe they can chime-in.

[lkv]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

If you really must go out soon, before getting the ED paperwork done, I'd come back with a TR-Visa - with 20K Baht, by land.  You will have been gone for weeks, so it's not an "in/out."  Just keep tabs here on what the situation is at different land-border checkpoints.

Not sure if you could get the ball rolling with a language-school before you leave and/or if they could mail you the paperwork abroad - assuming you trust them enough to pay in-advance.  If anyone has arranged an ED from a language-school before arrival, maybe they can chime-in.

Well he does not really have to go on the 27th, he can extend his current stay by 30 days if he wishes to do so.

 

If he was to go to the school now and join, he would have the documents in about 3 weeks right?

 

A bit tight but doable.

 

But obviously, he would have to postpone Bali for next month.

 

If you need an SETV now, why do you want to detour via Penang. You can get an SETV in Bali.

 

Unless you want to actually travel to Penang for holiday.

 

Or have the papers sent to Bali by the school if they are not ready by the time you leave.

 

I don't know of people getting an ED in Bali, but dont see why not. Worst case if they refuse to give you an ED you would still end up with an SETV in my opinion. Then you can delay the school for 3 months.

Edited July 24, 2017 by lkv

[mrnike]

On 24/07/2017 at 11:22 PM, lkv said:

Well he does not really have to go on the 27th, he can extend his current stay by 30 days if he wishes to do so.

I finally did that, so i have another 30 days left.

 

So indeed, Bali will be posponed.

 

I've been investigating the school options, and finally not sure the Ed visa is the way to gofor me, as my requierments (flexibility and serious learning) seem hardly compatible with ed visa group classes, and the private lessons  ED Visa option of the schools (over 8 month) are way to expensive to be taken into account.

 

So I'm coming back to my initial idea and am now considering going the SETV visa way (2x) and learning thai with private teachers (not affiliated to schools),

 

Quote

If you really must go out soon, before getting the ED paperwork done, I'd come back with a TR-Visa - with 20K Baht, by land.  You will have been gone for weeks, so it's not an "in/out."

and travel a couple of weeks before reentering Thailand, in order to avoid it to look line an in/out.

 

Do you think that would make it safer?

Edited July 28, 2017 by mrnike

[Bullie]

On 12-7-2017 at 5:51 AM, mrnike said:

All right thanks everybody for your replies.

 

As i will start thai classes soon, i think that the ED visa will do the trick for the second part of my stay. But for the 1st one, i willing to choose the solution with would screw the least my visa history, for future stays.

 

1) extend my current visa exemption 

 

2) go to Vietniame (as planned initially) and get a SETV , with the risk of getting the little red stamp (as small as the risk might  be), which could screw totally the 2nd part of my stay).

 

Which one do you guys think would be the wisest solution, given my situation?

 

Cheers

Find a cheaper appartment. 30 k is a lot, really, even in Bangkok. Don't let your girlfriend decide, unless you really don't care about the money if thing go awry.

[tryasimight]

On 7/9/2017 at 3:57 AM, IMA_FARANG said:

I live in Bangkok with a 3 month rental contract for which I pay roughly about 18K Thai baht monthly.

I have a monthly retirement/old age pension from the U.S.

I won't go into the actual details of the  rental contract but as I said I pay monthly and get a stamped receipt  for that monthly payment.

I have a rental flat in Bangkok with a cable television system. weekly maid and laundry service, a restaurant downstairs where I can get meals, and a small store where I can buy certain things I need including Booze if I want to.

I keep these monthly bills, and have used them at immigration when the question, "Where do you live, and how do you support yourself in Thailand?" is asked of me.

Let's just say I am a retiree from The U.S. and have a U.S. Social Security pension monthly from the U.S.

I won't bore you with the details, let's just say I have been living here for over a year since I found this place here in Bangkok.

Let's just say it is completely legal and accepted by immigration as I have an annual retirement visa that I renew yearly.

Just so you know, it IS possible and legal and CAN be done.

 

 

How is this in any way relevant to the OP's question.

Many people reside here,unfortunately, in the conditions you describe, but who am i to judge?

[mrnike]

In order the secure as much as possible my stay (with setv only), i was thinking of having a new french passport issued here in Bkk (i am binational), in the top of what i mentionned above.

 

Do you think that could do the trick, in case i would get the infamous red stamp from the embassy (" has travelled too many times...") or if my visa would get denied, or on the contrary that would awake suspicion  (bcz issued in bkk just before my exit of the country) from the IO?

 

I must admit that this uncomfortable position makes me worry a lot, as i came here with an important goal: spend 6 months with my gf, in order to get to know her better before serious future commitments in Europe. So a denied entry would seriously mess an important project in my life.