Thai Elite 20-year Visa: Outlook & Process [2023]

[balooo]

so if anyone had ED Visa anytime in past will be denied to obtain Elite Visa, right?
I remember to had read something about the volunter visa in the requirements but not about ED.

[Thomaz73]

9 hours ago, Jackie2013 said:

here's the PM Thai Elite have sent their official agents 

Thanks! And dammit, looks like your prediction was better than mine

[markhaenses]

20 minutes ago, balooo said:

so if anyone had ED Visa anytime in past will be denied to obtain Elite Visa, right?
I remember to had read something about the volunter visa in the requirements but not about ED.

It totally depends on the reputation of the language/muay thai school, because they have been beaten to death, very much abused by people. If your schools have has bad reputation for example school notorious for fake attendance, in that case thai elite can deny the visa. Volunteer visa is completely different restricted territory.

[taylor1975]

44 minutes ago, balooo said:

so if anyone had ED Visa anytime in past will be denied to obtain Elite Visa, right?
I remember to had read something about the volunter visa in the requirements but not about ED.

When the the ed visa was issued it must have been accompanied by a letter from a governing body to say it was legit - it had a 4 letter accronym. 

[davidge]

2 hours ago, balooo said:

so if anyone had ED Visa anytime in past will be denied to obtain Elite Visa, right?
I remember to had read something about the volunter visa in the requirements but not about ED.

From my understanding (and I haven’t spent a very long time studying Elite as I have no interest in it) you are very likely to be rejected if you have had an Education visa - even a genuine one. There’s an appeal but I don’t think many (if any) are successful now.

 

As for the upcoming changes they have been mentioned for a while. As usual here, you are unlikely to know the full details of the new Elite Packages until it’s too late to apply under the current ones. So if you are serious about getting one, or upgrading from a 5-year, I’d apply now. It’s pretty much guaranteed that the new packages won’t be cheaper or better.

[Love_to_eat_Thai]

5 hours ago, Tingtong4Thai said:

How do you avoid that?  I have the Elite Visa and that's exactly what I did yesterday at Jomtien immigration.

Elite is a multi-entry visa, you get stamped in for 12 months every time.  If you have one trip out of Thailand every year then you don't need to worry about it.

[Tingtong4Thai]

5 hours ago, Love_to_eat_Thai said:

Elite is a multi-entry visa, you get stamped in for 12 months every time.  If you have one trip out of Thailand every year then you don't need to worry about it.

Thanks for that!   Guess I'll be making a trip in a little less than 12 months time.  It will be much preferable to the Jomtien circus.

[Jackie2013]

A Japanese official agent to the TPC have quoted these prices as of October 1th: 

20 years  – THB 5m　
15 years  – THB 2.5m　
10 years  – THB 1.5m
5 years    – THB 900,000　

At the same time, this photo was hard-translated from a Chinese forum: 

 

Unofficial / unconfirmed 


That 20 year price increase is just mindblowing. I'm glad I onboarded last month...phew! 


 

 

 

 

 

[Ohyesuare]

On 28/07/2023 at 20:59, Tingtong4Thai said:

Thanks for that!   Guess I'll be making a trip in a little less than 12 months time.  It will be much preferable to the Jomtien circus.

I just paid a few thousand baht for an agent to do the extension for me in Jomtien. I just had to go there and take a photo in front of the office and drop off my passport and membership card and then the next day or two, they dropped off my passport at my condo.

[Tingtong4Thai]

OK, I'll keep that in mind if I'm not in a position to take a trip next year.   It just seems ridiculous to have to pay thousands of bath extra every year to get the representation I've already paid 600,000 baht for.   I know... TIT.

[Tingtong4Thai]

16 hours ago, Jackie2013 said:

That 20 year price increase is just mindblowing. I'm glad I onboarded last month...phew! 

Yeah, I had heard that the change was going to be substantial but never dreamed it would be THAT substantial!

According to my Visa agent, those who want to extend from the 5 year to the 20 under the current offerings must do so by August 15th.

[davidge]

From FB:

[taylor1975]

So i've got 2 weeks to decide to upgrade from 5 to 20 years? and it hasn't even been communicated to everyone.

I've got 4 years to go yet, but the extra 400,000/15 years is 26k baht a year. The over 50 retirement visa's are about 25k in year 1 then 12k thereafter, forever (ignoring any price increases). Is that roughly about right? I'll always have over 800k in thai bank if that makes a difference.

I wasn't planning to upgrade fir a few years, but this is likely to stop me if i'm forced to do so in 2 weeks.

[davidge]

6 minutes ago, taylor1975 said:

The over 50 retirement visa's are about 25k in year 1 then 12k thereafter, forever (ignoring any price increases). Is that roughly about right? I'll always have over 800k in thai bank if that makes a difference.

It depends how you start off but, yes, ‘roughly’ that if you want a multiple re entry permit each year as well. If you don’t have the 800k then 4-5k a year more.

[LASportsNut]

Here is the info on the discontinuation of the current packages:

Discontinuation of Current Thailand Elite Visa Membership Packages

Discontinuation of Current Thailand Elite Visa Membership Packages

The year 2023 marks the 20th year of our business and in accordance with the company’s rebranding plan, Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd. will be launching new membership packages on October 1, 2023.

After careful consideration with all stakeholders, we want to inform you of the discontinuation of the following membership packages:

1) Elite Ultimate Privilege

2) Elite Family Premium

3) Elite Privilege Access

4) Elite Family Excursion

5) Elite Family Alternative

6) Elite Easy Access

7) Elite Superiority Extension

😎 Elite Maxima Health

This will not affect applicants who have already submitted membership applications. All applicants will be entitled to privileges until the end of their membership. In this regard, we accept all Thailand Elite Visa membership applications before September 15, 2023 (4:30 P.M. Thailand Time).

Applications for the new membership packages applications will start on October 1, 2023. Applicants who have submitted their membership application will still be eligible to apply under the following conditions;

* No missing or incorrect documents submission

* Complete the payment of membership fee within 30 days after receiving an approval letter and an invoice.

The company reserves the right to deny the application that fails to comply with the above conditions.  For questions, give us a call or message us through our live chat.

[James99x]

1 hour ago, LASportsNut said:

Here is the info on the discontinuation of the current packages:

Discontinuation of Current Thailand Elite Visa Membership Packages

Discontinuation of Current Thailand Elite Visa Membership Packages

The year 2023 marks the 20th year of our business and in accordance with the company’s rebranding plan, Thailand Privilege Card Co., Ltd. will be launching new membership packages on October 1, 2023.

After careful consideration with all stakeholders, we want to inform you of the discontinuation of the following membership packages:

1) Elite Ultimate Privilege

2) Elite Family Premium

3) Elite Privilege Access

4) Elite Family Excursion

5) Elite Family Alternative

6) Elite Easy Access

7) Elite Superiority Extension

😎 Elite Maxima Health

This will not affect applicants who have already submitted membership applications. All applicants will be entitled to privileges until the end of their membership. In this regard, we accept all Thailand Elite Visa membership applications before September 15, 2023 (4:30 P.M. Thailand Time).

Applications for the new membership packages applications will start on October 1, 2023. Applicants who have submitted their membership application will still be eligible to apply under the following conditions;

* No missing or incorrect documents submission

* Complete the payment of membership fee within 30 days after receiving an approval letter and an invoice.

The company reserves the right to deny the application that fails to comply with the above conditions.  For questions, give us a call or message us through our live chat.

Looks like they are removing the limo service for the Elite Easy Access visa as well once you extend.   Here is the "small print" from the application form to extend to the 5 year one to the 20 year one at the current rate of 500,000:

"I hereby anknowledge and agree that once I have been issue my new member ID number for the 20 yr Elite Superiority Extension (ESE) program that do not come with limousine, I will loss my entiltment to have limousine service immidiately. Even if my 5 year EEA have not expired or I have never used any of the limousine service, I will loss my entitlement of limousine immediatet once my new member ID issue to me.

I understand that I do not need to pay back those limousine service(s) that I have used and Thailand Elite will not compensiate me for the unused limousine services.

The above condition have been made known to me and I herby fully agreed with the condition."

That's annoying :( 

[Jackie2013]

2 hours ago, LASportsNut said:

Here is the info on the discontinuation of the current packages:

Discontinuation of Current Thailand Elite Visa Membership Packages

 

I posted this last Thursday, on page #1 

 

 

52 minutes ago, James99x said:

Looks like they are removing the limo service for the Elite Easy Access visa as well once you extend.   Here is the "small print" from the application form to extend to the 5 year one to the 20 year one at the current rate of 500,000:

That's annoying 😞

That's nothing new and have always been the case: the ESE never had the Limo service and it's the ESE that you're upgrading to, thus the wording that it disappears. 

Edited July 31, 2023 by Jackie2013

[LASportsNut]

2 hours ago, Jackie2013 said:

I posted this last Thursday, on page #1 

 

 

That's nothing new and have always been the case: the ESE never had the Limo service and it's the ESE that you're upgrading to, thus the wording that it disappears. 

Sorry about that. I actually reread your entire thread and did not see it. Maybe the format confused me.

[Jackie2013]

26 minutes ago, LASportsNut said:

Sorry about that. I actually reread your entire thread and did not see it. Maybe the format confused me.

 

[hillshillshills510]

I've shot them an email. but anyone have any suggestions?

I sent in a ESA (5 year) application last week. Still in doc check. If I don't hear back on an approval before the 15th and I wanted the ESE (20 year) would it be prudent to just send in a new application for the ESE? 

I know if you were to upgrade you'd have to send in a new application anyway. But I figure someone sending in 2 separate new applications before the first one is approved would be strange to them and I don't want to set off any flags. 

Also looking at one of the FB groups (all hearsay) it seems like some agent who was briefed has the opinion that the new plans (for whatever reasons) will not be appealing to their western customers. 

[LASportsNut]

11 hours ago, hillshillshills510 said:

I've shot them an email. but anyone have any suggestions?

I sent in a ESA (5 year) application last week. Still in doc check. If I don't hear back on an approval before the 15th and I wanted the ESE (20 year) would it be prudent to just send in a new application for the ESE? 

I know if you were to upgrade you'd have to send in a new application anyway. But I figure someone sending in 2 separate new applications before the first one is approved would be strange to them and I don't want to set off any flags. 

Also looking at one of the FB groups (all hearsay) it seems like some agent who was briefed has the opinion that the new plans (for whatever reasons) will not be appealing to their western customers. 

I changed mine in the middle and it only took an email to them.

I did not have to resubmit.

[davidge]

Some members received this today:

[Gonetothedogs]

My Visa agent (Thai Visa Centre) assures me i won’t have an issue as the old volunteer extension was in a different passport, but I don’t believe her frankly. Immigration will have a record of it somewhere, they link all your passports together 

[Ohyesuare]

2 minutes ago, Gonetothedogs said:

My Visa agent (Thai Visa Centre) assures me i won’t have an issue as the old volunteer extension was in a different passport, but I don’t believe her frankly. Immigration will have a record of it somewhere, they link all your passports together 

You don't pay until/if you are approved either way so doesn't hurt to try.

44 minutes ago, davidge said:

Some members received this today:

Can confirm, I have received this today as well.

[Gonetothedogs]

4 minutes ago, Ohyesuare said:

You don't pay until/if you are approved either way so doesn't hurt to try.

Can confirm, I have received this today as well.

There was a post on ThaiVisa (I know, I know…) where the guy got approved, paid and then was rejected when the found out about an old ED visa.

 

I am aware than 99% of things posted there are total bollocks, btw