Thai Visas
The Thai Immigration system seems to become more byzantine as different departments and Consulates issue conflicting rules and regulations regarding the acquisition of Thai travel documents.
Recently, Consulates that were known as “visa run” destinations began restricting the issuance of multiple tourist visas. Locations like Vientiane, Lao and Penang, Malaysia are not seeing as many tourists seeking new Thai visas. Many long term tourists as well as expatriates began toying with the notion of remaining in Thailand on non-immigrant or immigrant visas.
A related issue is that of long term non-immigrant Thailand visas. Non-Immigrant Thai visas can be issued for different durations. Thus, a professionally compiled Thai visa petition is an essential element necessary to the obtainment of a visa of one’s choice. A collateral issue is that of work authorization. In the Kingdom of Thailand, as in the USA, the right to work and reside are often not inherent to the same travel document. Applicants need to remit two different petitions to two different agencies to get a visa extension and Thailand work permit.
Thai Permanent Residence, referred to in the Thai Nationality Act as Immigrant status, allows the immigrant to stay in the Kingdom permanently. That being said, these kind of visas can be hard to come by as they require an applicant to remain in Thailand for a long period on visa extensions earning a statutorily prescribed minimum salary. For the applicants wishing to live in Thailand for an extended period, the retirement visa could be utilized as a way of immigrating. Only applicants who are at least fifty years old can apply for this Thailand visa. With that in mind, it is very beneficial for those with the intention to retire in the Kingdom of Thailand. People in Thailand on this visa cannot apply for a work permit.
If you are thinking of moving to Thailand, take the time to do deep research and look at all facets of the Thai Immigration system.
