moving to thailand

[worldxcess78 44]

alright, so, i'm not a newbie to pattaya after several visits over the past several years (10 to be exact) but this time, I plan on doing something new. I'm planning on living there for at least 9 months while i finish my degree and I'm already looking at places to stay. However, what would be the best course of action to staying there on say, a student visa? I've heard Walen would be my best choice. Any suggestions or comments on this?

[CheshireTom 1,377]

alright, so, i'm not a newbie to pattaya after several visits over the past several years (10 to be exact) but this time, I plan on doing something new. I'm planning on living there for at least 9 months while i finish my degree and I'm already looking at places to stay. However, what would be the best course of action to staying there on say, a student visa? I've heard Walen would be my best choice. Any suggestions or comments on this?

 

Why do you wish to get a student visa as opposed to, say, a triple entry tourist visa?

[worldxcess78 44]

You know, I've actually never heard of that one. Is there a link I can go to?

[ZARIS 20]

your age is?

 

a student living in patts- should be interesting. Suggest you prepay your return ticket.

[worldxcess78 44]

I'm old for a student lol I'm 34. spent the last 12 years in the military and the last 2 1/2 working security.

[BigDUSA 71]

Do you plan on getting a job or will you live off of savings?

Edited March 12, 2013 by BigDUSA

[worldxcess78 44]

Not sure if this went through but I have more than enough in savings for fun and learning. Not to mention enough to hold me over until I can hopefully aquire another security job.

[js007 795]

You know, I've actually never heard of that one. Is there a link I can go to?

 

A triple entry tourist visa. Each "entry" gives you sixty days, which can be extended, in Thailand, for an additional 30 days for a small payment. So, if you play your cards right, you can stretch out the triple entry visa to almost a year by doing a visa run now and then. I suppose that when the first triple entry visa expires, you could fly to Kuala Lumpur or somewhere and get another one.

[nkped 1,208]

You know, I've actually never heard of that one. Is there a link I can go to?

Don't know where you will be getting your visa. At least a couple of us did it successfully by mail with the Thai consulate in Los Angeles http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/index.aspx Their form is used for a number of types of visas and may be a bit confusing. They have a page for people in the US applying for tourist visas which helps a bit. http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=33 The current iteration says a limit of 2 entries. Another member may have gotten a visa for 3 so ???

I'm old for a student lol I'm 34. spent the last 12 years in the military and the last 2 1/2 working security.

Went back to school at 35 and did okay but that wasn't in Thailand. Not sure that would have worked out.

[js007 795]

I've had good luck with the honorary Thai consulate in Houston. Try for a triple entry visa. It might cost you a bit more, but not too much more. Should be less than $100.

[worldxcess78 44]

Thanks for the heads up! I will definetely look into this. I'm surprised my friend hadn't thought about it this as he travels back and forth to Thailand quite a bit.

[tomcat76 327]

Don't know where you will be getting your visa. At least a couple of us did it successfully by mail with the Thai consulate in Los Angeles http://www.thaiconsu....org/index.aspx Their form is used for a number of types of visas and may be a bit confusing. They have a page for people in the US applying for tourist visas which helps a bit. http://www.thaiconsu...aspx?link_id=33 The current iteration says a limit of 2 entries. Another member may have gotten a visa for 3 so ???

 

 

Yes, I currently have a tourist visa approved for triple entry that was issued in November (and expires in April) by mail from the LA consulate. Because of the 180d expiration on the visa itself (and the clock starts when the visa is issued at the consulate, not when it's first used BTW), I don't see how you could go more than 270d on it (you could re-enter for the 3rd time at the very end of the 180d visa validity limit and have up to 90 more days). The cost was US$40 per entry, making mine $120. I have not needed or requested any of the 30d extensions.

 

It might be possible to request something OTHER than the standard 60-d entry (wi opt 30-d ext) on a case basis by simply requesting it along with some justification. 'Never heard of anyone doing that though.

[jacko 8,813]

 

 

It might be possible to request something OTHER than the standard 60-d entry (wi opt 30-d ext) on a case basis by simply requesting it along with some justification. 'Never heard of anyone doing that though.

It was some months ago and I was talking to an British guy who claimed he had got a visa, while already here, that allowed him a long stay. He had arrived with a 30 day stamp. I did a bit of enquiry and was told he could have obtained a medical visa, allowing a renewable 90 day stay. He used an agency and they handled it. Here it is discussed on Thai Visa...

[manning 0]

....any one got any thots on retaining residential link in uk ( for state benefit reasons), but spending most of year in pattaya/thailand, using visasetc?

[ttk 236]

Another thing to consider when getting multiple entry visas is your passport expiration. Make sure you have at least 6 months or so longer then the visa. If you have to renew the passport, the visa is not transferred to the new one.

[papillon 695]

The student visa looked like a good way to be able to stay in LOS for a lengthy period. I saw it advertised quite heavily in Pattaya but didn't look into it as I decided to go to the Philippines instead.

 

First impression was that it was a bit of a scam. Very small amount of classroom time necessary but allows a long stay in country. You probably wouldn't even need to attend class.

 

Anybody here with first hand experience of the Student Visa?

[MM 6,562]

Another thing to consider when getting multiple entry visas is your passport expiration. Make sure you have at least 6 months or so longer then the visa. If you have to renew the passport, the visa is not transferred  to the new one.

 

Yes it is. You have to go to immigration and transfer the visas, but it's quite doable.

[papillon 695]

Make sure you have enough empty pages in your passport as well. Pages fill up fast in Asia with all the fucking stamping they do. I had to return to England and get a new passport because it was nuked by Cambodia sticking full page visa stamps every two weeks. Wankers. Why do they need to fill a full fucking page with just one stamp. Oh yes, now I remember, Pol Pot murdered all the Intellectuals. Mai pen rai

[Idefix 2,275]

Make sure you have at least 6 months or so longer then the visa. If you have to renew the passport, the visa is not transferred to the new one.

 

Yes it is! I made it in March in Jomtien. Easy & free

 

I had to return to England and get a new passport because it was nuked by Cambodia sticking full page visa stamps every two weeks.

 

2 remarks:

- Why go to England? I think most people (including English) can get a new passport at their Embassy in Bangkok...?

- If you make frequent travels to Cambodia, it can be a good option to use their E-Visa. You will spare 1 page of your passport each time

[papillon 695]

 

- Why go to England? I think most people (including English) can get a new passport at their Embassy in Bangkok...?

 

 

Not for a few years now.

 

Hong Kong does it now for Bangkok. Their 'express' service takes too long and would have left me in Thailand without a passport. I was on a 15 day stamp at the time with no space left for further stamps except for a small space just big enough for my exit stamp at Swampy.

[LocalYokul 214]

 

A triple entry tourist visa. Each "entry" gives you sixty days, which can be extended, in Thailand, for an additional 30 days for a small payment. So, if you play your cards right, you can stretch out the triple entry visa to almost a year

 

The best you can do is almost 9 months. You need to use all the entries before six months. That is the validity of the visa. So, you could at best get just under 6 months + 90 days.