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What visa options do I have for a one-year stay in Thailand without working?

Tourist Visa Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Education Visa (ED Visa)Marriage Visa Retirement Visa Long Term Resident (LTR) Visa Thai Citizenship

Sep 24, 2023

a year ago

Sarah ***********

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hi guys! Is there any way I can get a visa if I am only staying for a year and not working please? Or is the education visa my only option? Any help appreciated please. Thank you!

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TLDR : Answer Summary

A one-year stay in Thailand without work can be achieved through a few visa options. The most common approaches suggested are obtaining a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV), which allows for extended stays through visa runs, and an Education Visa (ED Visa) for study purposes. Other alternatives include marriage to a Thai national, which may lead to residency, and pursuing a Long Term Resident Visa (LTR) based on wealth or the Elite Visa for more affluent individuals. The possibility of staying on a Tourist Visa with extensions and multiple entries was recommended as a viable and flexible option.

NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES

Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.

Steve *******

What’s the easiest way to get a 60 day tourist visa

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Graham ******

Start here

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Graham ******

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Terary **********

If a year is all you need I would recommend doing back-to-back tourist visa.. Maybe a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) to start. It depends also on your nationality.

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Hubert *******

Marry a Thai man and you could obtain Thai citizenship.

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Melissa *********

not sure if this website is still accurate but looks like it takes a long time for this route.

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Mark ********

Hmmm. I'll think about that.

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Mark ********

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Alistair **********

Get a Multi Entry Tourist Visa. You get 60 days each time you enter Thailand, which you can extend by 30days for 1900B at immigration. You then leave the country and re-enter for another 60days +30ex. You can get up to 270 days with this if timed perfectly. Add in 2 land border runs (use a company) +30 ext. and you've got your 12mths.

Alternatively, ED visa is your next best option. Or possibly dodgy 1yr "business visa" that I've seen visa agents offer in the past. Idk much about it or if it's still a thing though.

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Gianpaolo ******

@Alistair *********

Good advice! I have been living in Thailand for 9 years and I have been doing this for 8 years. MTV allows you to stay for around 270 days (270 full days is impossible because the 6 months of visa validity start from the moment of issue)! Only the first year I did an ed visa which is also a good option but after the second quarterly extension the school prepared the documents late and I had to stay in overstay for 4 days! So I decided to send to screw the school and do everything myself

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Gianpaolo ******

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Henrik *****

thaievisa.go.th

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Paul ********

You could go on on a 60 day tourist visa and getting extended by 30 days. Then do 2 land border visa runs and 1 air visa run that would give you 12 months

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Frank **********

math wizard huh?

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John *******

need to do your maths again with all the border runs and extensions not even close to 12 months the best she could get out of that is approx 270 days thats with extensions on each border run and a flight back in than she takes big risk and almost guaranteed being denied entry because it will show cause that she is attempting to live there continuously on tourist visas

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Paul ********

John Roche that is not true I know someone who did 4 land border runs and I did everything I said so you need to just ..............

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Andy ********

I know someone who lived to the Grand old age of 99 and he smoked and drank alcohol every day of his adult life.

By your stupid logic that means everyone who smokes and drinks every day should live to 99.

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Gregor **********

"I know someone who" and how many years back was that? You cannot enter unlimited with visa exempts any more. You will be denied entry after the third time

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Bonnie *********

Ooh, I know someone who…

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John *******

No it is true you can only do 2 land border entries into Thailand in a calender year so go back do your maths and check with immigration officials or check within the group if you think I am wrong stop giving people incorrect information

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John *******

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Daniel **********

Marriage, retirement (over 50 only), elite (expensive) or "studying" lol

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Brandon ************

Marriage to a Thai. Having a half Thai child. Paying for elite visa or qualifying for LTR visa through wealth.

If you're not 50 years old those are about the only options other than getting a job or studying

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Brandon ************

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