Thailand Expats

domifletch · #1 01-08-2005, 00:55

Hi all,

If I want to expat with just a tourist vis, I know I will have to ask first for a 90 days visa at Thai Embassy in Belgium and leave the country after 60 days.

I guess that I will have to leave and re-enter each 30 days the ?

What about the passport and the Intl driving License ? Shall I have to go to BKK at my Embassy to ask new documents before they expire ?
Is there a possibility to ask these papers by mail ? I assume that the laws are not so different from one country to the other, so any advice would be welcomed.
Thanks

LivinLOS · #2 01-08-2005, 01:18

Tourist visa's are 60 days but extendable for additional 30 days.. Triple entries valid for 6 months (so good for 9 months use) are issued in many countries..

Int driving license you get in your home country (there are dodgy ones being sold here currently at about 6k baht for 10 year versions IIRC)..

Passports can be issued from your consulate in BKK..

Might want to consider getting comnpany sponsorship and getting a 1 year non imm B visa.. I hear Penang are currently issueing B visa's pretty easily and even heard of a guy using his own company based outside Thailand (home country) with his own sig on the bottom to guarantee / sponsor himself !! 'Looking for investment opportunities' etc..

Burg · #3 01-08-2005, 02:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

even heard of a guy using his own company based outside Thailand (home country) with his own sig on the bottom to guarantee / sponsor himself !! 'Looking for investment opportunities' etc..

Yes, of course. Just grab a logo from the Internet, make up a letter and you will get a Non_immigrant B Visa in your home country to "work" here for 1 year. Have to leave Thailand every 90 days, which is a pain in the a after 1 year.

The Thai don't even look at the contents of your papers, they cannot read it anyway, they only look at signatures and stamps (if you have a company). And make 450 copies of all the pages, sign them all, and you should be ok.

LivinLOS · #4 01-08-2005, 13:05

The interesting thing to me was that this was issued in Penang.. Thats an easy hop and until now I was being told Sri Lanka (20k flights min) was the closest..

My Non Imm O is here now (literally this morning) but if I had not just got that I would be back on the B system from Penang.. Screw those visa runs..

When you look at the costs from using Sunbelt or Indo Siam for sponsorship they really add up...

7700k for the VISA charge (plus 1k if not in BKK for courier)
7k (125 USD) For the sponsorship letters
20k for the flights
5k min for a couple days Sri Lanka (OK its a mini holiday but..)

40+ ish thou already.. When in fact properly informed you can do it for less than 10 via Penang.

cmwkings · #5 11-09-2005, 03:53

I used to get the triple entry Tourist visas by self and leave every 90 days sometimes getting extensions.

Then I'd take the train down to Penang to renew it. I found this to be annoying and time consuming until I found a better alterative.

I used to go to this hotel on the second floor of Nana Plaza on the left hand corner as you are walking in. Bascially a hole in the wall. However, at the front desk you could leave your passport a long with 5000 Baht and within 5-7 days you could come back and they would get the proper exit and entry stamps for you....Usually from Malaysia. I did this up until about 2001 but I'm pretty sure you can still do it. Otherwise, you might want to ask around as I have heard of several other places that provide the same service. Ask expats in bars around BKK.

I also used to do this in Phuket town for about the same amount of money from the Thai Immigration officers down there but that was at least 8 years ago.

If you don't intend on getting a work permit and 1 year visa, I would recommend looking into this option. It's a time saver and well worth the money....

faultytowers · #6 11-09-2005, 04:00

I think there has been a crackdown on this ,as it is illegal. As far as I know you are no longer allowed to "send your passport on holiday", you must physically leave the country. I know it's a pain ,but that's the rules and if you get caught using "couriers" you can be fined/jailed/kicked out.

Just a word of warning.

cmwkings · #7 11-09-2005, 04:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by faultytowers

I think there has been a crackdown on this ,as it is illegal. As far as I know you are no longer allowed to "send your passport on holiday", you must physically leave the country. I know it's a pain ,but that's the rules and if you get caught using "couriers" you can be fined/jailed/kicked out.

Just a word of warning.

Of course it's illegal. This procedure has NEVER been allowed as you are correct, you must physically leave the country under Thai Law....

I have never heard of anyone getting caught doing this and there has always been "crackdowns" on this activity. Some Thai official obviously wasn't getting paid along the line.

stevem · #8 11-09-2005, 06:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmwkings

Of course it's illegal. This procedure has NEVER been allowed as you are correct, you must physically leave the country under Thai Law....

I have never heard of anyone getting caught doing this and there has always been "crackdowns" on this activity. Some Thai official obviously wasn't getting paid along the line.

Guys have been caught, there was a big one involving the office in Patong.

domifletch · #9 11-09-2005, 07:39

Well, the last thing I would want is to do something illegal in LOS and get a red stamp on my passport.... There are probably some legal tricks that can make life easier, no? Of course, I guess the best thing to do is to create a company there and to get a work permit... what is the minimum amout to invest to create a company in LOS? Is it allowed for only one farang or do you need Thai people involved? I have read many things about it, but not so clear if you don't want to employ other people and just work there.

cmwkings · #10 11-09-2005, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by domifletch

Well, the last thing I would want is to do something illegal in LOS and get a red stamp on my passport.... There are probably some legal tricks that can make life easier, no? Of course, I guess the best thing to do is to create a company there and to get a work permit... what is the minimum amout to invest to create a company in LOS? Is it allowed for only one farang or do you need Thai people involved? I have read many things about it, but not so clear if you don't want to employ other people and just work there.

Great question...One that can be easily answered from first hand experience. This is ultimately the best solution by far. When I did this back in 1997 it cost about 35,000 Baht to start a company. At that time, you needed at least 1 Thai citizen on the corporate documents. Based on the type of business and the number of farangs working for it, you need to "capitalize" at least 1 million baht per farang. Now I have heard different scenarios regarding this part of the procedure, all different based on what type of business you wish to open and the number of Thais you wish to employ, if any.

It also helps to know someone in the commerce department to speed things up as the red tape can be time consuming and annoying...Not to mention, there might be various other "pay-offs" that need to be made.

This way you get your 1 year, multiple entry work visa and a work permit. These two documents must coincide with each other time wise.

If you do this, make sure you get someone who has done this several times before such as I Thai lawyer or other affluent Thai. I known some people go through this process, spend money and time and get nothing in the end.

As with anything of this scope, beware and get as much information as possible and get the prices quoted up front in writing if possible.

cmwkings · #11 11-09-2005, 09:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by dizbuster

It may be prudent to take out the exact instructions from your post and replace them with something like "PM me for info" - you never know who might be reading these threads

Good info, but better to be safe than sorry

after all, you don't want that little "service" to disappear after a visit from some of the local MIB

Diz

I agree....I'll word it differently the next time

LivinLOS · #12 11-09-2005, 13:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmwkings

Of course it's illegal. This procedure has NEVER been allowed as you are correct, you must physically leave the country under Thai Law....

I have never heard of anyone getting caught doing this and there has always been "crackdowns" on this activity. Some Thai official obviously wasn't getting paid along the line.

You obviously havent been around for a while..

Few years back, front page news (gazette) and big problems for lots of expats who just paid the 1200 each month for the stamps.. I would say about 30% of the people I know had to lose thier passports and get new passports issued from BKK.. Some people took risks and got mega hassle..

LivinLOS · #13 11-09-2005, 13:56

These days getting caught with the bent stamps (the passports never left the country of course they just rubber stamp them in the back room) will mean deportation and red stamp at least, possibly a stay in the immigration holding pen with the Burmese illegal immigrants also.

Be warned..

LivinLOS · #14 11-09-2005, 13:57

I had been trying to post that message since this morning.. For some reason it would not take the message whole.. Tried it 10s of times.. Split into two it would go.. Thats also trying to post it via post then edit it in.. Weird !!!

repeter · #15 29-09-2005, 22:13

The validity of visas for business purposes will be extended to three years to attract investors. The new multiple-entry non-immigrant type B (business visa) would be valid for three years with a fee of 10,000 Baht.
This is part of the governments attempt to attract foreign investors to operate businesses or work in Thailand. The current multiple-entry business visa is valid for one year and costs 5,000 Baht.

repeter

Nicke · #16 30-09-2005, 04:12

I got caught 3 years ago and no way I am using such services again. I were lucky after all, no big punishment. The guys who arrived to Bangkok the days before me were jailed, the day I arrived it was just interview and a fine but not deportings or jailings, as some high police officer decided to let it go this time.

I would suggest that everyone do it the proper way and dont pay anyone to get a stamp for you. I will not take the risk to get caught a second time and get deported.

I know some authorities still offer this service but it is not worth the risk, do it yourself in a proper and legal way. BTW, the current price at that time was 2000 baht for a stamp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmwkings

Of course it's illegal. This procedure has NEVER been allowed as you are correct, you must physically leave the country under Thai Law....

I have never heard of anyone getting caught doing this and there has always been "crackdowns" on this activity. Some Thai official obviously wasn't getting paid along the line.

marc26 · #17 30-09-2005, 04:25

maybe i havent been there long enough, but i enjoy my visa runs. amke a little holiday out of them