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What is the best visa option for long-term residency in Thailand?

visa options long-term stay visa education visa tourist visa digital nomad visa Thailand immigration expat living in Thailand

Jul 5, 2024

5 months ago

Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi guys n girls I’m planning on coming out to Thailand with goal of living there just after 1 year stay at the moment what’s the best option of visa have I got l I don’t want to be having to leave and come back any help is appreciated

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The individual is planning to move to Thailand and is looking for the best visa options for a long-term stay. Recommendations in the comments discuss several visa types including the tourist visa (which can be extended), education visa (ED visa) requirements, and the potential for a digital nomad visa in the future. Users also caution about restrictions on education visas due to previous abuses, the tax implications for foreign income, and practical tips for visa runs to neighboring countries.

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P ********

You can stay with ed visa if now you stay in Thailand with exempt visa for tourist visa can change to ed visa you will get 15 months ed visa for more details please inbox

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Joy *****

hi what's the cost for education visa please let me know?

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P ********

Please inbox

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P ********

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Braulio *********

This topic has been discussed extensively in the past

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Terary **********

METV gets you 9 months which is plenty of time to figure out your next step. You will have to leave every 90 days (you can stay 60 days + 30 day extension).

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Terary *********

as In leaving where can I fly to close that’ll be classed in that ?

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Terary **********

@Teddy ***********

I live in Pattay and I take a van to Cambodia. Cost is about 3500 baht and takes about 8 hours.

I recently bought a one way ticket from BKK to KLA for $50, I don't know what a round trip ticket would cost. I believe the 8 hour round trip road trip preferable. After factoring waiting for the return trip, waiting 2 hours before flight, travel to/from the airport, the road trips just makes more sense. Plus I am probably saving the planet.

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Terary *********

thank you that’s useful is that 8 hours round trip did you say , so just crossing border and back and that’ll count as a re entry

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Terary **********

@Teddy ***********

Yep - When I do it, I am in Cambodia 15-20 minutes. Not even long enough to get a bite to eat. Simple stand in one line to get stamped into Cambodia, go to the next line to get stamped out of Cambodia. You have to do the same with Thailand but in reverse order, obviously.

There is are bunches of people doing it so it's not even sketchy.

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Terary *********

thanks for your help mate

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Teddy ************

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Cris ******

The problem with the education visas are they are being heavily abused. And immigration is starting to crack down on them. As long as you are doing it legit you should be OK. And there's the talk of that digital nomad visa. Like the LTR one but only I think 5 years and lesser requirements

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Phil ********

Correct. There was someone on here that was doing back to back tourist visas then switched to an ED visa. Immigration denied him entry as he could not read and write Thai after 5 weeks of going to school.

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Phil ********

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Michael *******

Check the new tax rules on foreign income might cause you to reconsider, no silver lining here .

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Michael ******

I won’t be a citizen therefore I’m not botherd about the tax my income will still be in English banks paying English tax for now ideally waiting on digital nomad visa to be in place but no clue as of yet when that will be

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Michael ******

thanks well something I can look into I’m young still I don’t have to fixate anywhere yet

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Michael *******

@Teddy ***********

it’s not based on citizenship but residency, as is the case in most countries, if you do not intend to spend more than 6 months of the year here, you will not be tax resident so your visa requirements change accordingly

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Michael *******

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Henrik *****

Start by making a testrun on the same budget, before going further with the plans.

And workpermit is hard to get, so how do you finance the move.

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

online stocks and forex

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Teddy ************

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John **********

How often you will have to attend classes for an ED visa will be between you and the school but 1 day per week is unlikely to be enough. Find a school to study at and ask them

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Colleen *******

@John *********

my son goes to a language school. You're right. 1 day a week is certainly not acceptable.

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Colleen *******

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Bob *********

You should visit for a summer with nothing more than a visa exception for 30 days, extend for 30 in Thailand or go visit Malaysia. Make sure you won't get bored.

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

I’ve been to thailand many times before hence not wanting to leave and come back I’ve just only ever used 60 days at time and never looked into longer stay till now

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Henrik *****

why bother to leave Thailand and come back.

1300 baht for a 60 day touristvisa, + 1900 baht to extend to 90 days, without ever leaving Thailand, with the expenses, that follow that approach.

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Henrik *****

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Rogerio ******

Consider a tourist visa can be done online for $65, and you can then fly to KL and come back the same day, for less than $100 usd for 60 day + extension for another $60 usd, so let's say $250 usd every 90 days, or $1000 usd/year. Assuming you won't use one of these trips to go out and explore SEA.

Counterpoint to doing some edu/thai visa requiring you to spend time in lessons and the cost of the lessons themselves.

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Martin *********

I was given a warning for doing this last year

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Rogerio ******

@Martin ********

'sort a visa out' - were you 'doing this' meaning, flying in and out on visa waivers, or were you on an actual visa?

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Martin *********

I was doing even you told the other guy to do . I know of several people that have been spoken to at imagination. I have a retirement visa now.

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Colleen *******

@Martin ********

my family got a remark on their passports for extending a visa on arrival too many times and told to get a long term visa instead. We spoke to an agent and they said if they tried it again they could get refused entry. This was at BKK. It's just not worth it. Your warning is sound advice 👍.

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Colleen *******

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Graham ******

@Martin ********

rightly so

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Martin *********

told in no uncertain terms sort a visa out or get a ban.

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Martin *********

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Martin *********

How old are you ? Over 50 ?

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Martin ********

not even close still a baby in 20s

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Teddy ************

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Graham ******

Your age?

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

young, early 20s

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Eric ******

@Teddy ***********

I was just getting one for flexibility. I’m gonna stay in Thailand for while, bounce around to nearby countries for a bit, the come back to Thailand. Should I just get a SETV? Thanks for the reply.

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Graham ******

@Teddy ***********

A multi-entry Tourist Visa will get you almost 9 months with two border bounces and three extensions

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Eric ******

do they still do METV? Seems like I read on here that they don't do ME anymore, they process it as a SETV but you don't get the difference refunded.

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Graham ******

Yes you can get the 6 month METV from your country of residence but you provide multiple flights (check the Embassy website for detailed requirements) to prove you need a METV or they will just issue a SETV. For London the requirements are flight in, flight out within 60 days then another flight in.

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Teddy ************

ORIGINAL POSTER

so let’s say I had done the 9 months exacky how you said would I there for have you find somewhere else for 3 months and then enter again in a new year if I wanted to ?

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Graham ******

@Teddy ***********

You'd then need a border run agency to get you a Visa Exempt entry for 30 days followed by a 30 day extension as by then you'd be on very thin ice. If you want to repeat this then you're only real option is the Thailand Privilege Visa at your age.

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Graham ******

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Martin *********

@Teddy ***********

teacher. Mauy thai. Or maybe online work.

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Martin *********

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