riff raff go home

[katoeylover]

(anicon @ Sep. 18 2006,15:27)

I lived in the States without a valid visa for over 4 years in the 90's, and i know many who are still doing it.

..that won't work now after 9/11, try to explain to INS when you leave what you have been doing here the past few years on an expired visa, you'll be in for a long interregation & probably miss your flight.  If you want to leave without taking the chance of being hasseled by INS you might have better luck leaving via Canada or Mexico..

new US-VISIT biometrics entry/exit procedures..

Updated rules & regs for US visas!

Yes, i realise things are quite a bit different now.

However there are plenty in Fl doing just that. Hope they dont want to leave!!!

[BAM]

(anicon @ Sep. 18 2006,21:27)

I lived in the States without a valid visa for over 4 years in the 90's, and i know many who are still doing it.

..that won't work now after 9/11, try to explain to INS when you leave what you have been doing here the past few years on an expired visa, you'll be in for a long interregation & probably miss your flight.  If you want to leave without taking the chance of being hasseled by INS you might have better luck leaving via Canada or Mexico..

new US-VISIT biometrics entry/exit procedures..

Updated rules & regs for US visas!

When I fly up to LAX on Qantas from Australia it's always fun listening the poor Australians comments as we all wait lined up to go through US Immigration. Alot of them don't seem to know they are about to be photographed and fingerprinted too!

I myself being Canadian I don't have to photographer and Fingerprinted... I actually pass through with the Americans since Canada has an agreement with the US... but some of the poor Australians are so shocked by the US fingerprinting them just to enter the US.

[Guest]

When did they start fingerprinting? I had heard some talk that it was going to happen but last time I was there in October 2003 they had not started doing it.

[BAM]

(ozzie @ Sep. 19 2006,08:19) When did they start fingerprinting? I had heard some talk that it was going to happen but last time I was there in October 2003 they had not started doing it.

I think around the start of 2005.

[SamplerDoc]

Visa rules change
Just as I made my very first visit......and was planning on moving there for a year

So much for all the tips gained from Monkeyman and Snick and Mardhi
They changed the airport and visa rules all in less than one month....hmmmmm

Wonder if I can still pull off coming there later this year to live for a year with only border runs?

[stogie bear]

Wonder if I can still pull off coming there later this year to live for a year with only border runs?

Errr.... this is the only rule that HAS been mentioned as being more rigorously enforced, so NO! You may NOT be able to do the border run thing in the future. But you can still get a visa from your Thai consulate and come here for as long as you want...

The process to get a One Year Multiple Entry Visa is quite simple. If you are interested in potentially investing in Thailand, lets say business, real estate etc. You can be granted a one year Non-Immigrant type B (business type) Visa. Ok so whats the catch? Well the way process works is the you will need to have a company sponsor you for the One Year Multiple Entry NON-B Visa.
So here is the process:

1. Aquire the Non - B sponsorship documents. This is a very simple process which takes about 15 mins. A few photocopies of your passport, a few signatures and your on your way.

2. Now that you have your documents you must leave the country. This works exactly the same way it does for any Visa run to a Thai Consulate - with one exception....the Thai Consulates in Asia are very reluctant to issue One Year Multiple Entry Non-Imm Type B visas. Problem? not really. The visas can be obtained from almost any other consulate outside asia.

3. You now submit your documents to the Royal Thai Consulate with your accompanying Visa Application (you get that at the consulate). You will need to supply two 4x6cm passport type photos with the application. Requests for NON-B Type Visas are generally processed next day, although I would allow one extra day in your itinerary for any problems that may arise (ie. misplaced documents, missing information, un-common sense.)

4. You are now the proud holder of a One-Year Visa. You can now enter Thailand at which time they will stamp your passport for a 3 month duration - NOT 2 months and get an extension as tourist visa requires - you get a FULL THREE MONTHS. At such time as your 3 months expires, a simple border run to any immigation checkpoint (Cambodia, Laos, Burma etc) will suffice to acquire another 3 month stamp. Also note, if your timing is right, you can extend this visa to 15 months. Simply leave and re-enter the country a few days before the one year expires, and bingo - another 3 month stamp.

If you're planning an extended stay in Thailand, acquiring the one year visa WILL save you money in the long run.

Let's do the math...

Visa Run to Cambodia - 30 day passport stamp
12x Visa run to Cambodia @ approx. 2500/trip = 30,000
+ add the inconvenience of leaving each and every month.
Grand Total = 30,000

Tourist Visa 60 Day + 30 Extension - Malaysia, Singapore, Phnom Penh
4x Flight, Hotel, Misc Expenses @ approx. 10000/trip = 40,000
4x Tourist Visa Cost @ 2000 = 8000
4x 30 Day Extension @ 1900 = 7600
Grand Total = 55,600

One Year Non-Immigrant B Visa ( Multiple Entry)
1x Sponsorhip Documents = 7200+VAT
1x Trip to Thai Consulate (Flight, hotel, misc) = 15,000
1x Visa Consulate Charge = 5000
3x Visa Runs = 6000
Grand Total = 33,200 *plus - you get an extra 3 months for a total of 15months


Other Advantages:

No more annoying and expensive monthly visa runs or trips to immigration.

You are free to pursue business opportunities without threat of deportation and persona non-grata (99 year blacklist)

Can apply for a Thailand Work Permit without leaving the country to aquire the proper visa.

Can open a Thailand Bank Account.

Now - get off your ass and do something!  

[dummy_plug]

Interesting read Stogie - thanks for putting that up. I myself was having some thoughts about coming to the kingdom for an extended stay. Good to know that I have options should I plan to stay longer than intended. I'm sure this will be of great use to many others on the forum as well!

[Guest]

So when i go in October i was gonna open an account at maybe bank of Siam.Does this mean i cant do it as a visitor w/my regular passport?I'd like to be able to transfer funs between visits.Advise please Stogie?  

[stogie bear]

Well the law states clearly that Bank accounts can NOT be offered to people on tourist visas, but I got one so there you have it! TIT! This is Thailand!

You can get a savings account with ATM cards etc with Bangkok Bank. I took Kui with me to fight my cause for me and we eventually beat them into submission but it wasn't easy! I had head office on the phone to the branch in Seacon Square and I printed off info from there web site to back me up also!

[SamplerDoc]

SB, Thanks for the Visa tips in such great detail...there is light at the end of the tunnel
Thanks, now I just need to figure it all out, since I have no work sponsor

[dummy_plug]

(stogie bear @ Sep. 21 2006,02:28) can get a savings account with ATM cards etc with Bangkok Bank

Wow really? Now I want one...just to have it.

Oh, and so I can more easily direct funds to the air con factory.

[dummy_plug]

On a side note, the exchange rates Bangkok Bank is offering to buy USD is amazing! It's a few baht higher than most American banks!!!

[vangough05]

Harvey Norman Electrical has air cons fully installed for $465 aus. Maybe you can employ him to install them in BK for you. Airfares are really cheap now. $894 AUD FROM Brisvegas

[styrbord]

More info

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=84525

[stogie bear]

New visa rules confirmed

PHUKET: -- New rules limiting stays in Thailand on €œvisas on arrival€ to 90 days over any six month period were confirmed at a September 15 meeting of Immigration Department Chiefs in Bangkok. The new policy will go into effect on October 1.

In a related development, the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang, Malaysia, has stopped issuing double-entry tourist visas.

Pol Lt Col Pipat Pongpan, an Inspector at Phuket Immigration Office, told the Gazette, €œAnyone who has already stayed 90 days on visa-on-arrival permits does not need to worry. We will start counting the days from October 1.

€œ[Foreigners from countries qualifying for visas on arrival] can come in and out of the country as many times as they like with a visa on arrival, but can stay for a maximum of 90 days in any six month period. If they stay 90 days then they must leave for 90 days before they are entitled to another visa on arrival. They can, however, go and request a tourist visa from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad and come back into the country,€ he said.

€œExtensions above the 90-day limit may be granted in exceptional cases, such as if the tourist is suffering from an illness or involved in a lawsuit,€ he added.

€œNo new investment visas will be issued after October 1. However, existing visas in this category may be extended if the holder still has funds of 3 million baht and is still doing business in Thailand,€ Col Pipat said.

Tourist visas are still available, for a fee, at Thai embassies and consulates in neighboring countries. The Royal Thai Consulate in Penang, however, will now issue only single-entry 60-day tourist visas. An official at the consulate said that an order had been sent down from Consul Pramote Pramoonsab to cease issuance of double-entry tourist visas, which allow a total stay of up to 120 days.

Double-entry tourist visas are at present still available in the Thai Consulate in Kota Bharu and Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, however.

A source in the Visa and Travel Document Division, Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), said that the move by the consulate in Penang is not due to any sweeping changes in MFA policy.

The decision whether or not to issue double-entry tourist visas rests solely at the discretion of each diplomatic mission, the source explained.