What are my options for obtaining a visa while in Thailand on an expired tourist visa with a pregnant girlfriend?

@Cha****

the original financial difficulties were around the perks, the golf, spa, etc. That was the original focus of the "membership" and they projected unrealistically high membership numbers and "for some reason" prepaid for all these services, contracts like 100m THB up front for golf, and then the members never came. There were also other dubious expenses. This was back in the 00s. That was all sorted out in the end, costs cut, staff numbers reduced etc.

More recently they have pivoted to focusing on the thing that people actually care about, i.e. the visa. They dropped the price and started offering memberships that were basically just the visa, 500k for 5 years, 1m for 20 years. This proved very popular, much more so that what they were doing before (2m+VAT for 20 years of perks) and their previously very very low membership increased significantly.

It increased further since the 2014 coup and the increasing "crackdown" on visa issues, many people who were previously doing visa runs or whatever took up Elite instead as one of the few hassle free options for under-50 unmarried etc. And even more, since the pandemic and the border closures, as it's one of the few options if you want to stay here you can actually get onto inside the country. So they have had a significant growth in membership and revenues. Interestingly from their own description of them as "elderly" it actually seems a lot of their membership since the pandemic would qualify for a retirement visa in normal times but can't get onto one due to the amnesty situation and closed borders.

Now a visa doesn't really cost the Thai state anything in particular, it's a sticker, but say we put the cost at the same level as all the other visas, namely, 2,000 THB.

So what they are doing, basically, is selling a sticker, a piece of paper, something that costs the Thai state some amount below 2,000 THB, for a sum between 500k and 1m. And that is virtually all profit. And this is most of their business now, it's not the perks, it's selling stickers for 500k-1m. That's a nice business model, much better than the perk one (unless you happened to be the perk provider) and yes, I think it is now unlikely they will again get into financial difficulties.

32/pandemic-gives-elite-card-an-unforeseen-sales-boost

Well it is past midnight

@Cha****

. Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the

@Ivan ***********

...sorry I fell asleep after reading the first paragraph...😴😴😴😴

@Kaho ***

Do your due diligence. Most of these services are legit and you shouldn't have any issues despite some of the concerns raised by some posters.

I think during the period of validity of such an extension you should be fine.

If you had any concerns, then my advice would be to leave the country just before the expiration of the extension, which would be in like 15-16 month from now (these extensions start from Sep 27, then you are given 3 months initially + 12 months on top of that). Provided borders are open then and get a new visa and extension obtained by yourself from scratch.

You could even consider applying for a new passport if you're particularly worried. I don't think you'll be faced with any questions about an old, expired extension if you're starting fresh.

@Kaho ***

That's my suggestion for the end of next year, not now.

Right now you get whatever visa extension through whatever legitimate means you can find. Then end of next year, when you're up for your next extension you can decide how to best go about it.

Again, the authorities don't care about your old expired visas. Otherwise all of us would be interrogated about visas we got 12 years ago in some old passport. That doesn't happen.

The problems might occur when you're trying to seek an extension of stay for a different type of visa off of an existing extension issued in another province that might look unusual to immigration.

But if you let it expire and come back on a fresh visa and go through the process then, you should face no issues.

@Pa**

exactly.

@Kaho ***

she is wrong. And happy to pass judgement while offering no solutions. Just her way. And is also not considering the magnitude of your situation. You essentially will need to either 500k Baht for an Elite visa, or have an agency like Thai Visa Centre process your volunteer visa. Or approach a thai language school in your area to make an education visa application. 3

Months of either will cost you 20k baht or so, and another 1 year extension (should u choose it) will cost about another 35k baht. But you should start soonest

@Kaho ***

Ivan also understands... your options are very narrow here now and we are in the strangest of times. But you obviously want to stand by your girlfriend and the Pregnancy! Congratulations.

@Kaho ***

I am also thinking to find them to deal with the visa problem....

@Ka**

this has very understandably strongly impacted their reputation. However, all applications remain in process and the Centre was well investigated during this. And makes people even more nervous. Take the time to read thru the comments on their FB, there are many, many strong recommendations for them, and many people very happy with their services. I definitely felt some trepidation, but they were nothing but professional throughout. Many people whom obtain visas through them also have the visa verified successfully by immigration after they receive. It’s big business in Thailand. And clearly, immigration is well of it

@Danny ******

This isn't the best time to be pregnant, given that hospitals in many countries aren't allowing the father inside the birthing room (due to covid), more coercion to comply with whatever interventions that you may not want and the added pressure of visa issues if the father isn't a citizen.

For this reason we're not trying for another child until next year at the earliest, once things settle down a bit.

@Paul ******

I disagree. Seems like a great time for babies - can't travel anywhere and the rent is cheap!

As far as we know kids are pretty much immune to covid and we don't have covid here in Thailand anyway!

@Bernardas ***********

If you don't mind not being allowed to go into the delivery room with the mother and having the baby wear a face shield and all sorts of other nonsense, then fine. But for the rest of us, I think it's better to wait a year or two.

@Paul ******

Face shields probably would do anything in that scenario.

That being said you could probably bribe your way in if that's the only thing holding you back 😬

Or just have a private birthing outside of big law obiding hospitals 🤷‍♂️

@Bernardas ***********

Yes you could always have a home birth.

I don't know what the current policies are at Thai hospitals, I just assume they're similar to those in other countries using covid as an excuse. Perhaps bribery is an option to get into the birthing suite, I don't know.

That's why I wouldn't consciously choose to have a baby right now; it's a different story if you became pregnant before covid started of course.

@Danny ******

amongst other things haha

@Jennifer *******

i would hope not

@Harry *****

What are you going to volunteer for have you a special skill i dont think so

@Richard *****

again I am just sharing information; if you do not believe, do your homework and search on the Internet

@Harry *****

i have things of far more importance thankyou

@Richard *****

Permit and Live in Chiang Mai for One Year

This is a Visa and Work permit for Non Profit Organization. You will be required to engage in volunteer activities with the charity (primarily assisting disadvantaged children). This will be in the form of

Volunteer work for the charity:

* Cooking and preparing food

* Delivery and serving food packages in local schools and Hill-Tribe communities

* Planting Trees in Villages

* Teaching English to Children

* Many other types of work

@Harry *****

Yes there is legit volunteer visa , contracted with and for a non-profit organisation to perform tasks you described. BUT this type of visa does NOT cost 30-50,000 Bahts. Moreover on this matter NPOs are subject and prone to Royal Thai Immigration controls.

@Jennifer *******

I didn’t say you are not : I just mentioned what’s important . Breath, relax and reread my text.... Why so nervous ? Lol

@Jennifer *******

What is important is not the stamp on the passport but to be registered properly in the Thai Immigration system/software

@Kaho ***

what kind of special visa the agent can provide for you in your case?

@Kaho ***

personally, if you want to apply for a visa to Thailand in the future, I’d be careful of getting an ‘agency bought’ visa. If you get caught you could have that marked on your immigration status.

@Kaho ***

basically they pay a ‘fee’ to someone at a local immigration office to stamp it (presumably they’ve specified where you need to go? Like their office in Bangkok or wherever). It’s ok as long as you don’t get caught or questioned but it can create problems in the future Rule of thumb is - if you couldn’t do it yourself (even if you choose to use agent to save time), it’s not legit.

@Kaho ***

I took advice and decided not to go for an ‘agency arranged’ visa because it’s likely I’ll apply for a legit long term visa in the future. I just don’t want to jeopardise that for a short term fix.

Jane Beresford As long as your visa number is registered in the immigration system it’s legal. True enough there are some corners being cut but this is a pandemic period and no ordinary country either.

@Neil ******

sure I understand that. But basically you're paying a bribe to bi-pass the 'normal' system (and how will that work when you have to do 90 day reporting? And you're far away from the place of visa being issued?). Also it could be called out in the future, or it may not.

Ps this doesn’t apply to legit visas like Elite

@Ni**

so he is right then.... with a lighter pocketbook and long stay visa. He played it Well

@Bim ******

I made my entry on visa exemption which was now experid and under amnestie last month to a NON-O retirement in country. So if you meet the requirements you are able to convert.

@Kaho ***

ok, I only made a correction about amnesty to NON-O

@Kaho ***

unless they provide the letter to unlock the 30 day extension then there isnt much you can do unfortunately.

@Kaho ***

so sorry. After living here 7 years I am in the same position. Waiting for a reply from the embassy

@Kaho ***

that's a risk but they told me the same