Visa help...

[Greenbottle5]

I can't seem to find what I need through google so I thought I would ask here.

 

What I have:

-Am a US citizen

-Have a WFH job, paid in USD, I will be working while I am there.

-I may be taking language courses if I have the time, I will be working 8 hours a day. Hopefully these classes are not long and allow me to get an education visa.

 

What I want to do:

-Stay in Thailand for 5 months, maybe longer if I can.

 

 

 

Some other questions:

Is it even possible to be there for a year or more without a special visa (eg: retirement/marriage) ? Are border runs viable? I remember when I was there I could pay 9500 baht to get 90 days added onto my passport. Could I just keep doing that?

[ricktoronto]

You can try to arrange a double entry 60 day tourist visa which you can extend once to 90 days per entry , leaving once for the ability to stay 6 (or 5 ) months.

 

You can get an educational visa but you have to actually study and learn Thai, and the word is that immigration will chat with you , in Thai as you try to renew it, so you better speak Thai to some degree after a year or out you go. A proper Thai language school to achieve the level of Thai is not cheap - could be 24,000+ Baht per year and fees.

 

The other questions, unless you are old enough (over 50) and have enough money or income to obtain a retirement visa then no, no to the border runs (15 days is all you get at the border by land, 30 by air) and no to bribes.

[Greenbottle5]

I intend to learn learn to the best I can. I really hope to be proficient in it. Okay, so double entry 60 day tourist visa is my best bet then? And later when I'm there, apply for the education visa?

 

 

So if I get the 60 day tourist visa... + a 90 day renew I can stay a total of 6 months? Do I have to like... leave Thailand after that?

[Cnut the lesser]

Given what you are doing I would be getting an education visa as soon as possible and not getting into a "border run" type scenario.

 

There is actually no requirement to learn Thai on an education visa.

 

The requirement is that you are attending a school and studying in Thailand.

[Ohyesuare]

Get a triple entry tourist visa in the US, that will give you about 9 months. You will have to do a border run every 90 days and a 30 day extension at immigration every 60 days. Keep in mind that you are not allowed to work on a tourist visa in any form (internet,etc..). After the 9 months you can try going to Laos for a few more double entry visa's depending if there is a crackdown or not.

 

The education visa is another option but if you are working 8 hours a day, you might not have time to study and immigration does occasionally test you if you are actually learning.

[Scumbag]

For 5 months the double entry tourist visa is probably the best way to go. You will need to extend both stays by 30 days and do one border run. This will give you a maximum of 180 days. If you then decide to stay longer the education visa would be a good option.

[Greenbottle5]

I don't think I can get the education visa if I am working 8/hours a day so yeah, will have to cross that out.

 

So If I am working via an American employer, I don't see why I can't work while on a tourist visa... Don't freelancers do that all the time?

 

Also, is there a limit on how long you can stay in thailand? Can I stay there perpetually on tourist visa runs? Or will I be forced to leave at some point if I am using tourist visas alone?

[Scumbag]

I don't think I can get the education visa if I am working 8/hours a day so yeah, will have to cross that out.

 

So If I am working via an American employer, I don't see why I can't work while on a tourist visa... Don't freelancers do that all the time?

 

Also, is there a limit on how long you can stay in thailand? Can I stay there perpetually on tourist visa runs? Or will I be forced to leave at some point if I am using tourist visas alone?

There is no time limit and people have been staying in Thailand for many years on tourist visas and border runs. No guarantee that it will not get more difficult to do in the future.

 

Someone asked earlier if you was 50 years old or older. This is important because if you are a retirement visa is a good option.

[Greenbottle5]

Nope, way less than 50 years old.

[ricktoronto]

I don't think I can get the education visa if I am working 8/hours a day so yeah, will have to cross that out.

 

So If I am working via an American employer, I don't see why I can't work while on a tourist visa... Don't freelancers do that all the time?

 

Also, is there a limit on how long you can stay in thailand? Can I stay there perpetually on tourist visa runs? Or will I be forced to leave at some point if I am using tourist visas alone?

 

Well, you have to leave after the first visa is up if you extend it to 90 , then you can come back on the 2nd entry, and then there is no guarantee you will get another.

 

You do know you don't get the visa IN Thailand, right? Visas are issued by a Thai consulate outside Thailand.

 

So after the second one is used up you not only have to leave but you have to go to another country and apply for a new visa. Say you go to Hong Kong and they refuse. So then what? Go to Philippines and try there? Or Singapore?

 

And they do say no. A lot. And the border agents have been known to refuse entry if they see nothing but back to back to back tourist visas.

 

You're dealing with a country that has no lack of familiarity at both immigration and at consulates with tourists/farangs trying to live ad infinitum on end-to-end visas. By way of comparison you can go to the Dominican Republic on a tourist card, overstay literally years and all they do is charge a tax when you leave. They even have a price list when you exit with penalties for overstays of over 5 years. E.g. they could give a shit if tourists want to stay there and spend money and never leave.

 

There is actually a lot about visas on the internet, even though you said there is none. I think you need to read about what they are, where you get them and how they work, and maybe read the Thaivisa web site for tips.

 

If you work even for a foreign employer they will deport you, by the way, if you get caught, which is not likely but if you get on the wrong side of authority people they'll figure it out.

 

You can do the school thing - it is not 8 hours a day at language school, more like 2. Not having to leave and try to renew visas is probably worth the effort and you learn Thai which is a good thing, being that you want to be in Thailand.

Edited September 5, 2012 by ricktoronto

[Edge RIP]

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Also, is there a limit on how long you can stay in thailand? Can I stay there perpetually on tourist visa runs? Or will I be forced to leave at some point if I am using tourist visas alone?

 

Neighbouring countries such as Cambodia and Laos were given specific guidelines last year intended to stop long term stayers using tourist visas.

 

More info' below.

 

.............................................Thaivisa has just posted a couple of interesting Visa info' items HERE and HERE

[Greenbottle5]

I see. Thanks for the information / pointing me into the right direction.

 

What should I look into if I want to stay there for a year or more? My situation is basically this. I want to remain a US Citizen always. I want to work for US employers only and remotely, at least for the next 3-5 years, or indefinitely.

[eanto]

For 5 months the double entry tourist visa is probably the best way to go. You will need to extend both stays by 30 days and do one border run. This will give you a maximum of 180 days. If you then decide to stay longer the education visa would be a good option.

 

Would this be a good way to go prior to applying for a retirement visa after the 180 days had run out? Thanks.

[Scumbag]

Would this be a good way to go prior to applying for a retirement visa after the 180 days had run out? Thanks.

I would have thought a better option would be to get a non-immigrant type O-A visa (ie a retirement visa) before leaving home. You would then get an extension of stay just prior to it expiring.

[eanto]

I would have thought a better option would be to get a non-immigrant type O-A visa (ie a retirement visa) before leaving home. You would then get an extension of stay just prior to it expiring.

 

Thanks for the advice Scumbag. I need more homework me thinks!

[ricktoronto]

I would have thought a better option would be to get a non-immigrant type O-A visa (ie a retirement visa) before leaving home. You would then get an extension of stay just prior to it expiring.

 

I believe the OP is nowhere near old enough for this option.

 

Anyhow there is quite a lot of easy to read and digest info on the internet including most Thai consulate sites, and Thaivisa forum. the OP asks over and over the same thing without doing a lick of work to try to figure it out.

 

He's got the answer and he's been told there are risks due to trying to do something not covered by non O or O-A visas so maybe he can try some research on his own now?