What are the best options for a 20-year-old seeking a one-year visa in Thailand?

Jun 6, 2024
7 months ago
Sebastian *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello, I need a one year visa for Thailand. Right now I am on a Visa on arrival. I am 20 years old. DM me if you have a good solution.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A 20-year-old currently on a visa exemption in Thailand is seeking advice on how to obtain a one-year visa. The community suggests several options: pursuing an Educational (ED) visa if interested in studying, applying for a Multi-Entry Tourist Visa (METV) to allow for around nine months of stay with border runs, or considering the costly Elite Visa if financially viable. However, concerns are raised about the individual's history with previous visa types potentially causing issues with Thai immigration. It is advised to return to Switzerland to apply for a valid visa type rather than risk entering with dubious means, as this could result in being flagged by immigration.
Zoe ******
Lots of helpful info from others, but if you are going to be living in a foreign country, you should learn to do some research on your own first. How to get a one year visa and what visas you are qualified for are some of the most commonly found answers everywhere online. Really seems like you haven't put in any effort to do any research. Good luck living in a foreign country. 🤦
Thomas *******
For what??
Jim ********
If you're on a Visa On Arrival you have to leave after 15 days - no extensions. I actually think you're on a free entry stamp
Greg ***********
you don't have a "visa-on-arrival". You are here on a visa exempt entry and received a 30-days stay permit
Victoria **********
I think you have a lot of research to do rather than asking for otger Favebook users to supply you with solutions and "contacts".

If you want to so it the "not-so-legal' way, fins the nearest Visa Agent and go inside...

Otherwise, my advice would be to return to your home country and obtain a METV (if available to you) and come back to Thailand with that, at least. That, worked to it's maximum, will give you nine months of stay in Thailand. Id then leave for a week or so (Nice holiday to Malaysia or the like) and then come back with a Tourist Visa which will give you 30 days (currently but by then potentially 6o days) rhen extend that at the local immigration office (at a cost of 1900THB currently) for a further 30 days.

That's the best part of a year covered.
Etincelle **********
Ask your daddy for a lot of money and invest it in Thailand.
James *********
Got Yer first taste-O-Honey?
Bart **************
You need a one year visa, so you have a reason to stay in Thailand for a year? Then you are the only person who can say which visa you need.
Henrik *****
Have you ever been in Thailand longer than a couple of weeks holiday ?

If not you may find out that, everyday life is much different from holiday life.

How do you want to finance the stay in Thailand.

It will be difficult to get a workpermit, and on touristvisas work is STRICTLY forbidden, even voluntering without a salary, and with you age in mind, the most jobs you could get is reserved for Thai people only.

ED visa is only an option, if you really want to study, fulltime you will have to attend classes, and may be tested by immigration that you learn some thing.
Jan ******************
What you need and what you can get is often not the same. You could applied for a six months multiple entries tourist visa at home before you left and stayed for up to nine months in Thailand. This is only available from the embassy/consulate of your permanent residence.

I guess you’re not on a 15 days visa on arrival, but a 30 days visa exemption. This can be extended with additional 30 days at your local immigration. You should be able to do several border runs to get a new exemption, but you can’t expect to do a long term stay with this. There’s some options regarding ED visa for studying Thai as an example and also Muy thai visa if this can be an option for you. You’ll need to investigate this further.
Greg ***********
@Jan *****************
last but not least, he needs to get out of Kansas. He needs to leave Thailand as his time is up. If he buys one of these shady ED-visa, he is risking getting banned for a few years when Immigration finds out. I also recommend he returns to Switzerland, waits out 3-4 months and then applies for a multi entry Tourist Visa on the Royal Thai Embassy Bern. This might get him into Thailand by September or October with a fully legal visa, flagged red or not.
Jan ******************
@Greg **********
wise advise
Greg ***********
@Jan *****************
he is 20 years old, has asked these questions in a Swiss group as well. On his recent visa-exempt entry, he has been pulled aside and been questioned by the Immigration officer. He got warned that this would be the last time they allow an exempt entry. He has used a half year Non-Imm-ED visa already and already did a few exempt entries. His time in Thailand is DEFINITELY coming to an end, after one year continuous stay on ED visa and exempt entries. I am 100% sure that he is already flagged red in the Central Computer of the Thai Immigration
Milton **********
@Greg **********
how can you live in thailand long term if you are a remote worker without getting flagged for border bounces?
Greg ***********
@Milton *********
you either fly under the radar, or you apply for an LTR visa. Flying under the radar means, all you can enter Thailand with a Tourist Visa. Or you suscribe a Ko-Phangan tantric Yoga school , a Muay Thai school, or an Underwater Basket weaving school and obtain a faked and greased stay permit
Milton **********
@Greg **********
provide more info regarding this ‘fly under the radar’?
Jan ******************
@Greg **********
Ok I understand, then I guess only Thai Privilege Visa might be his option for a period of time now if he’s able to meet the requirements/costs.
Graham ******
@Jan *****************
not if he's had an ED Visa
Jan ******************
@Graham *****
Agree, ED visa could still be an option if his previous excessive history don’t case any problems.
Nongnuch ********
@Jan *****************
another Non-Imm-ED visa will be a large red flag. He has already used, or rather, "misused" this option before. He just didn't tell us all details around what happened to him when he tried consecutive visa-exempt entries after having been on an ED visa for half a year. He already got a negative entry into Immigration's central computer system. Big red flag!
Carsten ************
If you have enough cash, get an Elite Visa. If you don't want to spend that much money or think about a one year stay in Thailand only, i recommend the METV and some border-runs or Visa-runs. 3rd option is the ED visa to study Muay Thai boxing or anything else, but you need to attend the classes.
Bora ********
Ed visa
Bora ********
@Sebastian ******
Im living hat yai if u want have here
Sebastian *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Bora *******
do you have a good contact for that?
Carsten ************
@Sebastian ******
you need to choose a field first and to decide where you wanna stay.
John **********
Are you willing to study at a school? That's likely to be your only option at your age. A multi entry tourist visa can give you close to 9 months with a couple of border bounces
Sebastian *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
do you have a good contact for that?
John **********
@Sebastian ******
you just need to pick a school that offers that and contact them. They will help with the visa
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