could you please explain what you are saying a little more simplistically?
I think you're saying you pay the agent $2000, and they then loan the 800K needed for the visa, and that this is a bad deal for the retiree?
And you then compare this to a retiree providing their own 800K, thereby saving themselves the $2000 they would have paid the agent?
Isn't the baseline the $1443 per year of the 20yr Elite? Asking as I'd like to re-do your calculation with the LTR Wealthy Pensioner vs the 5-yr Elite (and understand your rationale).
thank you very much indeed for this post. Sometimes a human explanation of a process is worth a million legalistic web pages and fb posts! So kind of you to respond to everyone.
Could I just clarify this comment? When you say "work permit was an option", do you mean someone with the Wealthy Pensioner visa could also get a work permit? Or are you referring to one of the other LTR visas, eg, 'highly skilled professionals'?
This article doesn't list TM30 as something you need to take to immigration. Is the TM30 just something the landlord (ideally) takes care of, it goes in the system and you never see? I assumed I'd need to get hold of it (along with passport, TM47 and previous report receipt).
The article also doesn't mention that you need to go in person once before doing it online. Be interested if I've picked that up erroneously.
That is awful - given how much hassle it is to get a Thai visa from Ethiopia you'd have thought they'd have little left to check. We had no issue at all getting a VOA in Sept, although only 15 days (now 30 until March). We have done a couple entries on VOA several times no problem. Perhaps it is because you're spending longer in each year in Thailand, so they're looking more sceptically at your TV? I tried for several months every option I could find, but Ethiopians have it tougher than anyone else, and ended up having to go Elite. I'll be 51 by the time it ends so will move to a retirement one then as it is so much cheaper even with the bank hassles.
Is the TV being refused? Or are you denied entry on arrival?
Apparently if you get a criminal check and register with the Min of Education in Addis, the consulate (in India) will certify your criminal check (MFA might too, I've not tried), and you can then get a Thai Ed visa. But it is a lot of paperwork for a couple months, you then have to study, and it might endanger future Elite applications (Elite currently say you must show an official document from the Office of Basic Educational Commission for any past Ed visa).
I never found a visa agent that would continue the conversation once I mentioned an Ethiopian passport, and I tried about 15 both in person and calls/Line etc. Legal firms were also no help. There might be some, but I always ended up being referred to some phone number of some random person in Addis I would not risk posting a passport to.
I assume you can't apply for a retirement visa in Kenya so you'd need the 800k / 65k a month, then come in for 90 days, then extend annually, buying a re-entry permit for subsequent stays? Elite costs 600,000 Baht for 5 years for an individual, although when that expires you can extend for another 15 years for 400,000.
