What visa options are available for someone under 50 looking to stay in Thailand for a year?

May 2, 2024
5 months ago
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'm considering moving to thailand for a year. I have a pension that pays me enough to qualify for the LTR wealthy pensioner visa from what I understand. Do you have to be 50 years old to qualify for this? I'm 41, if this disqualifies me, are there other options to stay for around a year to see if I want to stay longer? Visa runs, muay thai visa, enroll my daughter in school etc. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user is inquiring about options for staying in Thailand for a year since they do not meet the age requirement of 50 for the LTR Wealthy Pensioner visa. Responses suggest other visa options including getting a multi-entry tourist visa or a non-O visa through their child's schooling. Several users mention the possibility of visa runs, teaching English, or enrolling in an educational program like a Muay Thai training course. The conversation emphasizes the importance of verifying requirements and exploring multiple avenues.
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Dylan ********************
Ed visa learning muay Thai or Thail language and your child can be a dependent under you.
Jorge ****
There are *many* foreigners living in Thailand, employed, usually at schools as language teachers. If they do well and keep both school staff and students happy, they may be here for years. International schools pay the best. These intl schools also hire math, science, social studies, and IT teachers too. Check out
*************
and look up "Dave's ESL Cafe" website too. Also look at the pic below to get an idea of what a university offers (sorry, appl time has passed for this one). Steady job, monthly income, work permit, no visa runs... it is a good arrangement. They do require a 4 yr degree about 99.9% of the time. Downside: you have to work everyday. Good luck!
Terary **********
I have been here 9 years on just about every kind of visa available to a person who doesn't qualify for a long term visa.

You can pull a multiple-entry tourist visa (METV) which gets you 9 months but you have to do a border bounce every three months. I have had good luck doing back-to-back METV's / SETV (Single Entry tourist visa). I spend 1-2 weeks in a different country between visas, Bali is very nice.

You should be able to pull a full year from tourist visas and visa runs. No doubt there are better ways (LTR, Retirement, Elite, etc).. But if you have few options, its pretty easy to do it this way.
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Terary *********
awesome. Thanks man. This was kinda what I was hoping. I did border runs in Costa Rica so that's no big deal. Gives you an excuse to go on vacation. I'll think about this. One more question if you don't mind: can you sign a long term lease on a METV?
Terary **********
@Josh ******
That depends on the Landlord but I haven't had any problems finding places to live. You will discover you can do almost anything with a tourist visa and an agent. Best of luck.
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Terary *********
thanks again
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Terary *********
thank you. I was curious if anyone had done this. Do you apply for your METV in your own country ? Can you do it online with a VPN?
Kev *********
Ed visa?
Christine *******
Please check with an agent they will do every thing professional for you.
Henrik *****
Never be dependant of an agent.

Much better to have control, and do it yourself.
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Todd *********
Just buy a ten year thai elite visa and you are good to go
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Todd ********
thanks but I'm still in the feeling out portion and don't want that level of financial commitment yet.
Todd *********
@Josh ******
you have $80k a year pension. It’s not much commitment really
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Todd ********
how much is it?
Todd *********
@Josh ******
I think it’s 1.5M baht. $40k USD for 10 years.
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Todd ********
yeah, I don't know if I want to commit that much money to somewhere I don't know if I'll stay 10 years. I have my wife and daughter with me so well over 100k is too much. But thank you for the information.
Pom ********
@Josh ******
I just read about it , don’t have to pay for wife and daughter.
John **********
You need to be 50 or over. I'd suggest you get a multi entry tourist visa if your plan is to come and see how you like it, that'll get you up to 9 months stay
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
I was reading the thai embassy website, I thought it said you can stay for 6 months, on a multi entry tourist visa, leaving every 60 days or 90 if you pay for the 30 day extension. Am I missing something? How would I stay for 9 months?
Bob **********
@Josh ******
you need to apply for that visa in your home country
Jan ******************
@Josh ******
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John **********
@Josh ******
every entry gets you stamped in for 60 days and can be extended by 30 days. You make your final entry just before the visa expires to get a final 60+30
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just "border runs "?
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
can you do that indefinitely?
John **********
@Josh ******
just border runs for the life of the visa but you can only get it in your home country
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
thank you for the information.
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
thanks. Yeah I'm already here. Looking at my options
Jan ******************
@Josh ******
Privilege visa could also be an option until you qualify for a retirement visa if you decide to stay permanently
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John **********
@Josh ******
ah already here is quite different to considering moving to. How long have you already spent in Thailand in the last couple of years? Is your daughter thai? If so do you have official rights via a court?
Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John *********
I've been here about one month. My daughter is American. First time in Thailand
John **********
@Josh ******
assuming your daughter is over 3 and 20 you could send her to school and get her an ED visa, then you could get a guardian visa based on her status.
Brandon ************
One child in school can "sponsor" one parent for a non-O visa.
Brandon ************
The requirements are on the LTR website

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Josh *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
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