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What options do I have for extending my stay in Thailand on a TR Visa without using COVID extensions?

May 15, 2021
5 years ago
Tim ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Question: I arrived here on a TR Visa this week and want to know who to speak to, get help from, to be able to stay as long as possible. Anyone else trying to extend without relying on these emergency covid extensions? Thanks
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is seeking advice on extending their stay in Thailand on a TR Visa without relying on COVID-related extensions. Comments suggest considering an ED Visa for more security, exploring various education-related visas, and other alternatives like the Thai Elite Visa and volunteer opportunities. One commenter notes changes in visa policies regarding back-to-back education visas and shares personal experiences with different visa options.
Jake *******
Where do you want to live? Do you want to do an education visa? I did the self-defense education visa in Chiang Mai two years in a row, then I did the Thai language visa there. I heard in October 2019 immigration stopped allowing back-to-back ed visas but I'm not sure if that's true. Some schools I talked to claimed they could get around that rule but I think that's because they bribe immigration officials. I didn't want to take the risk and I was all out of long-stay options so I went with the 5-year elite visa which was 500K baht. Now it's 600K baht but the 20-year elite visa is still 1M baht which is a good deal IMO if you plan to stay that long. There's also the volunteer visa if you want to do some part-time volunteer work. And there are many other types of ed visas available in various cities for cooking, muay Thai, massage, scuba diving, etc. Let me know if you have any questions.
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Tim ***********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jake ******
Hi Jake! I just need to stay beyond the 3 months...ideally 1 year max so the Elite visa isn't really a good option for me. Can I shoot you a PM?
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Jake *******
@Tim ********
Sure, go ahead (y)
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Jake *******
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LA *********
@Jake ******
did you have to pay 500k for the visa or you just require to have that money on your account?
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Jake *******
@LA ********
I had to pay 500K baht upfront.
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LA *********
It will cost less than 100k to do every year.
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Jake *******
@LA ********
What will cost less than 100k to do every year?
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LA *********
@Jake ******
to do education visa or volounteer visa
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LA *********
@Jake ******
damn that's a full bag of money.
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George *************
I'm going to assume you're not married to a Thai, 50 years of age or over, or have 500,000 baht burning a hole in your pocket. The covid extension is not a bad deal assuming it's continued past May (as it has been for months). However, if you want a little more security, then I think you are looking at an ED Visa. Discussion of that has already started here:

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Bob ********
@George ************
What can the 500,000 Bt. do ?
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George *************
@Robert *******
that and an extra 100,000 baht would buy one a Thai Elite visa extendable for five years.
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Bob ********
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Bob ********
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