Long Term Stay Visa Options

[music065]

Let's say my income drops below the minimum required to renew my retirement visa. Are there any other options I could use to stay long term in Thailand? (ie making continual visa runs etc, though I'm not sure if i would be allowed to renew indefinitely?).

 

Basically I'm looking for a way to remain in Thailand long term with something other the retirement visa.  I was even thinking of perhaps going to Cambodia when my visa expires, stay there for 6 months or so, then return? Not sure if this would help.

 

I'm open to any suggestions that might work, including bouncing around other SEA countries if that might help. Any ideas?

[Jingthing]

Well for retirement extensions there is an easy way.

Say your income is 600K.

Put 200K in a Thai bank account and you still qualify for retirement extensions.

Another option is one of the "Elite" options where you are basically buying an amount of time to stay. But that money is spent and you're not sound very elite. (No offense.)

[ubonjoe]

You duplicate topics have removed.

As said one option is to combine income with the money in the bank to reach a total of 800k baht.

[music065]

Thank you!

[music065]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Well for retirement extensions there is an easy way.

Say your income is 600K.

Put 200K in a Thai bank account and you still qualify for retirement extensions.

Another option is one of the "Elite" options where you are basically buying an amount of time to stay. But that money is spent and you're not sound very elite. (No offense.)

 

How dare you, guvna

[glegolo]

Get married and use the marriage extension alternative instead, just half of retirement option... 400.000 baht in bank OR 40.000 baht a month in income....

 

Get married tomorrow and you have your new option in place...

 

Glegolo

[music065]

Would this work: use a tourist visa or multiple non-immigrant visa & extend to stay the maximum 90 days. Then from what I read, I'd have to leave Thailan for 90 days, so say I go to Cambodia for 90 days. Then I return to Thailand.  Rinse - repeat - keep doing this indefinitely.  Possible?

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, music065 said:

Would this work: use a tourist visa or multiple non-immigrant visa & extend to stay the maximum 90 days. Then from what I read, I'd have to leave Thailan for 90 days, so say I go to Cambodia for 90 days. Then I return to Thailand.  Rinse - repeat - keep doing this indefinitely.  Possible?

There is no 90 day limit on staying in the country. You can use a tourist visa to get a 60 day entry, extend it for 30 days then go out for a another visa and come right back.

[JackThompson]

 

2 minutes ago, music065 said:

Would this work: use a tourist visa or multiple non-immigrant visa & extend to stay the maximum 90 days. Then from what I read, I'd have to leave Thailan for 90 days, so say I go to Cambodia for 90 days. Then I return to Thailand.  Rinse - repeat - keep doing this indefinitely.  Possible?

If you don't have the "money in the bank" to pad the income, you could live here some/most of the time on Tourist Visas.  Each is good for 60-days, and can be extended for 30-days.  Do NOT confuse with "visa exempt entries," which follow different rules. 

 

Many people live here nearly all the time using this method.  Each "visa run" to a Thai Consulate in a nearby country requires at least one overnight stay - apply on the first day, receive on the 2nd.  Currently, only airports and the Poipet border crossing will give you any trouble when entering, provided you always have 20K Baht in cash or travelers checks on your person (most times, they don't ask).

 

BUT - be aware that it is always possible the rules will change, and some sort of limit/year could be imposed at all points of entry.  IOs at airports have told people there is a "180 days/year" rule - which does not exist - but is certainly a rule some in "the system" would like to impose - no matter the harm to countless Thais who rely on income from the many people who stay here longer than that/yr on Tourist Visa entries.  You mentioned 90-days out - not sure how that might play into future rules - we can only speculate.

 

Another option would be to "go frugal" in Cambodia for awhile, until you can save some money from your existing income, then use the combo-method to qualify, as UJ suggested, above.  Rent in Phnom Penh can be under 2000 baht, if you can live without air-con.  Meals can be well under $1/each - fresh fish and veggies from the market, cooked at home.  A 1-year visa there is ~$360 (USD) / year - no financials needed.  Vietnamese visas can be even cheaper, depending on your nation of origin, but I don't know the living-options.

[music065]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

There is no 90 day limit on staying in the country. You can use a tourist visa to get a 60 day entry, extend it for 30 days then go out for a another visa and come right back.

 

Huh. That's good. I read a website that said after staying in Thailand 90 days, you have to remain out of the country for 90 days before coming back in. So i guess that's wrong?

[JackThompson]

Just now, music065 said:

 

Huh. That's good. I read a website that said after staying in Thailand 90 days, you have to remain out of the country for 90 days before coming back in. So i guess that's wrong?

Yes - oft repeated, and based on a defunct police-order which only ever referred to Visa Exempt entries - never applied to those entering on Tourist Visas. 

[music065]

Just now, JackThompson said:

Yes - oft repeated, and based on a defunct police-order which only ever referred to Visa Exempt entries - never applied to those entering on Tourist Visas. 

ok great!

[music065]

3 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

If you don't have the "money in the bank" to pad the income, you could live here some/most of the time on Tourist Visas.  Each is good for 60-days, and can be extended for 30-days.  Do NOT confuse with "visa exempt entries," which follow different rules. 

 

Many people live here nearly all the time using this method.  Each "visa run" to a Thai Consulate in a nearby country requires at least one overnight stay - apply on the first day, receive on the 2nd.  Currently, only airports and the Poipet border crossing will give you any trouble when entering, provided you always have 20K Baht in cash or travelers checks on your person (most times, they don't ask).

 

BUT - be aware that it is always possible the rules will change, and some sort of limit/year could be imposed at all points of entry.  IOs at airports have told people there is a "180 days/year" rule - which does not exist - but is certainly a rule some in "the system" would like to impose - no matter the harm to countless Thais who rely on income from the many people who stay here longer than that/yr on Tourist Visa entries.  You mentioned 90-days out - not sure how that might play into future rules - we can only speculate.

 

Another option would be to "go frugal" in Cambodia for awhile, until you can save some money from your existing income, then use the combo-method to qualify, as UJ suggested, above.  Rent in Phnom Penh can be under 2000 baht, if you can live without air-con.  Meals can be well under $1/each - fresh fish and veggies from the market, cooked at home.  A 1-year visa there is ~$360 (USD) / year - no financials needed.  Vietnamese visas can be even cheaper, depending on your nation of origin, but I don't know the living-options.

This is great info for me, this outlines the exact strategies I've been thinkng of. 

[ubonjoe]

3 minutes ago, music065 said:

Huh. That's good. I read a website that said after staying in Thailand 90 days, you have to remain out of the country for 90 days before coming back in. So i guess that's wrong?

No sure what or where your read that but it absolutely incorrect.

There has never been a limit on staying in the country on tourist visas. Perhaps you were reading about the 90 days in 6 months rule for visa exempt entries that was rescinded in 2008.

[music065]

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

No sure what or where your read that but it absolutely incorrect.

There has never been a limit on staying in the country on tourist visas. Perhaps you were reading about the 90 days in 6 months rule for visa exempt entries that was rescinded in 2008.

ok thank you

[ubonjoe]

Some off topic posts and replies about marriage have been removed. Topic is not about marriage to a Thai.