Sino ThaiSo, you have decided to stay in Thailand for the winter or even longer. Let’s talk about ways to legally stay in Thailand and types of visas.
Basically, the majority of Russian-speaking tourists enter Thailand with a thirty-day stamp. After the expiration of its validity period, you can go to the border run (border crossing) and if you make such trips through companies that professionally deal with this, then you can receive such a stamp many times, for example, throughout the whole year. The cost of a trip for a thirty-day stamp with such a company is approximately 4-5 thousand baht per person. Periodically, during the high season, the Thai authorities increase the period of stay of tourists with a stamp from 30 to 90 days.
A tourist visa is issued for 60 days before arriving in Thailand from the Thai embassy in your country for about $40, then can be extended at the immigration office in your place of stay for 1,900 baht for another 30 days. After traveling to any neighboring country, you can apply for a tourist visa again. This can be done no more than 2-3 times. There is also a multi-tourist visa valid for six months, but it is less common and more expensive and difficult to obtain.
A student visa is now only available in Thailand at a school when studying English or Thai. Each new language can be learned for no more than one year, and this will take you 2-3 years. In addition, you will have to go to classes – this is monitored. Together with training, the cost of a student visa will be 50-60 thousand baht per year. You can also get a student visa for a child over 3 years old, and one of the parents can get a guardianship visa.
A pension visa is issued to people over 50 years of age. You can apply for it both in your country and in Thailand. To apply, you will need to have a deposit in a bank account in the amount of 800 thousand baht or the equivalent of this amount in any currency. Instead of a deposit, you can provide a document confirming a monthly income of at least 65 thousand baht or its equivalent. You will also need medical insurance. The cost of a retirement visa is 200 dollars if you do it in Russia or 2000 baht if you do it in Thailand.
Thai elite visa is a government program to attract tourists who want to stay for a long time in Thailand and not have to deal with the visa issue multiple times. A visa is issued in Thailand through specialized agencies; only one passport will be required from the documents. There are 7 different types of Thai Elite visas. For example, a five-year visa costs 600 thousand baht per person, there is a five-year visa for two for 800 thousand baht. A ten-year visa for two will cost 1.5 million baht. There is also a twenty-year visa for one person for 1 million baht – this is the cheapest visa in terms of its cost per year. The advantages of Thai elite visas are that you pay once and no longer face bureaucratic problems associated with visa reissues and extensions.
With all of the above visas, you will not be able to work and earn income in a Thai company.
A work or business visa (Non-B) allows, in addition to staying in Thailand, to work in a Thai company – your own or someone else’s, but only if you obtain a work permit (work permit). A work visa is issued for your company, first for three months with departure from Thailand and then for another year and then extended annually. Registration takes place through a Thai law company, which takes care of all bureaucratic procedures. Cost from 50 to 150 thousand baht. A work permit is issued for 1 or 2 years, the cost is 40-50 thousand baht. Annual expenses for maintaining a company with one foreigner are approximately 120 thousand baht. Based on your business visa, for the same period, your spouse and children under 20 years of age receive a Non-O visa without the right to work, costing 10 thousand baht per person.
The investment visa has many features – it requires an investment in real estate, Thai government bonds or a bank deposit in the amount of 10 million baht. Moreover, investment real estate may not be just any property, but one that meets certain requirements, which makes obtaining it difficult and costly. The visa is issued for one year and is renewed annually as long as you meet all the requirements for this type of visa.
LTR visa is a long-term resident visa for wealthy (at least $1 million) citizens, wealthy retirees, professionals working from Thailand for Thai or international companies. Issued for 10 years and gives the right to work in Thailand. Cost 50 thousand baht. Holders also require medical insurance.
The smart visa is designed to attract scientists, major executives, businessmen, investors or highly qualified specialists. The list of requirements for this type of visa is very long, and we will not consider it within the scope of this article. A visa is issued for one or two years, the cost is 10 thousand baht per year. Health insurance required.
There is still a complicated procedure for obtaining permanent residence status and Thai citizenship. But this is a long and complex question that interests a very small number of foreigners.
This latest information is up to date and we hope you find it helpful!