# Help with Visa type & Work Permit



## Amazing Day (Jun 6, 2017)

We are a couple 55+ who want to move from the UK to Thailand and "eventually" do some kind of work, in areas such as in consultancy, exporting or internet based marketing. 

Our original thoughts are to just take the flight there, stay in a hotel for a couple of weeks until we can find a decent place to rent. Once we are settled (after about 3 months) try to generate some small income, as I say, probably internet based. We would be self employed. 

Can anyone explain the order of the steps we need to take to make the move, i.e.:-

- What type of Visa do we need first? 
- Should we get our first Visa here in the UK BEFORE we travel, or get it in Thailand?
- Can we change our Visa once we are there?
- Can we apply for a work permit once we are there and have made up our minds about what we want to do?

We have looked at all the information and it is a bit of a minefield. 

We know about the various work categories for the work permit.
We know you cannot do ANY type of work unless you have a work permit.
We know that some Visa's require money in the bank.

Would really appreciate if someone (who has already done this and has recent experience) can tell us.

Thanks in advance for any help and advice!!


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## Thai Bigfoot (Aug 29, 2009)

All your questions can be answered if you peruse this site. But, only an established Thai company can get you a work permit.


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## Dekillon (Jun 18, 2017)

Amazing Day said:


> We are a couple 55+ who want to move from the UK to Thailand and "eventually" do some kind of work, in areas such as in consultancy, exporting or internet based marketing.
> 
> Our original thoughts are to just take the flight there, stay in a hotel for a couple of weeks until we can find a decent place to rent. Once we are settled (after about 3 months) try to generate some small income, as I say, probably internet based. We would be self employed.
> 
> ...



Hi

If you are serious about moving to Thailand for work then you should take time to visit a lot of websites and understand perfectly the regulations.

Maybe I can help to start.

- a visa is necessary to enter the territory. If you don't have agreement yet with a company registered in Thailand then you cannot get a Business visa. You are forced to come with a tourist visa or thanks to the Tourist Visa Exemption as you are UK.

- you cannot work in thailand if you don't have a Business visa + a Work permit. It means that if you find a job in Thailand you should leave the country first, come back with a business visa then apply for a Work permit. Hopefully the company will help you to understand the process. No need to come back to UK to apply for the Business visa. You can go at the Thai embassy in Singapore, Cambodia, Laos,...

- Officially in any case you should have a work permit when you work. Even if you are self-employed. However if you are doing stuff online with no direct link with Thailand then it should be ok. Regulation is not completely drastic but be careful.

- So if you want to stay longer in Thailand without a work permit then you need a long term visa. One solution is the Visa non-immigrant ED studying Thai language. Another solution is the Visa non-immigrant O if you are above 50 years old. Have a look to the Thai embassy in UK website for all the details.

Regards


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## Amazing Day (Jun 6, 2017)

Hi
Thanks for the replies. 
Yes....we know there's a lot online that we can read about......and we've done nothing but that for a few weeks now, but as I said.... its a complete minefield! 

Lots of conflicting information...i.e. the UK Thai Embassy states that if you apply for a Non-Immigrant Visa O-A (Retirement) from them, you MUST have a UK state pension - not a company one. Whereas other sites (I presume Thai based ones) state you only need to be over 50 years old and have THB800,000 in a Thai bank. It is SO confusing.

We may work.....but as I said, it will be eventually - perhaps not at all!

What we do want (ideally) is to find the right Visa that gives us the longest stay in Thailand. 

Also been trying to find out about Visa runs - we're also a bit in the dark here. Some say they're legal, others not. 

What is the longest time you can stay in Thailand? 
Can we get a renewal from a local immigration office, or do we have to leave the country? 
Can you come and go across the border indefinitely?

Our main question is: If we plan to stay in Thailand for a few years - possibly for life - what is the best thing to do that with regards to a Visa? 

Is anyone on this Forum doing this right now who can give us accurate information?

Apologies if this is bombarding with questions, but there doesn't seem to be more than one source where all the questions are answered the same, so you know that it is accurate. Also I've read that many others have come across this problem too!

Honestly, we are trawling the internet daily on this and our time for moving is getting closer - hence our plea for help on this forum!!

Many thanks in advance!


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## Thai Bigfoot (Aug 29, 2009)

I've relocated to Phuket, from the U.S., in 2009. 
Thai visa rules by your country of origin.
But, to get a retirement visa you must be 50 and have some sort of provable income, whether it's retirement income, or $800k in a Thai bank.

First, get an "O" visa. This is the only one you can then convert to a Retirement Visa, which is a misnomer. It's not a visa, per se, it's a one year extension on your original Thai "O" visa. You have to renew this extension yearly with the same proof you used the first time.

Visa Runs. If your visa is due to expire, you have to go on a "Visa Run" to a Thai embassy or consulate in another country. You will usually get the same type of Visa you had originally. Visa runs are not required if you have the "O" Visa retirement extension. I did visa runs for many years. The last on was 3 years ago to get an "O" visa that I could use from then on for the extension. Visa runs in a van are scary. The drivers all speed and drive recklessly. They seem to believe it's smart to go even faster and tailgate even closer, when it rains. All Thais seem to do this.

Here's my suggestion. 

If you're eligible for the Visa Extension, come here on an "O" Visa obtained from the Thai Embassy in your country. After 60 days, you can get the extension by supplying bank/income proof, and residence information i.e. lease, bills in your name with your Thai address, internal and external photos of your address.

If you aren't eligible, still get the "O" visa because it's good for 90 days. You'll have to do the visa run every 90 days. You'll see many people say get the standard tourist visa because it's less expensive. This is true, but, it's good for 30 days. It can be extended twice for 30 days, but, it costs B1,900 each time, so, it's not really cheaper. The "O" saves you extra trips to your local immigration office.

The biggest problem with getting advice about Thai visas is: 1-Different rules for different home countries. As a result, advice provided can be inaccurate if they come from a different place. There's a ton of misinformation passed around by people who heard how someone else did it. Almost always wrong. 2-Inconsistencies between Thai embassies and consulates as to what the law is. If you go to the one in Scotland, you may get conflicting stories with different people.

If you need any further help, let me know.

Good luck!


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## Amazing Day (Jun 6, 2017)

Many thanks for the info..........much appreciated!!


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## Thai Bigfoot (Aug 29, 2009)

Update: The Tourist Visa is now good for 60 days with one 30 day extension available. I had told you 30 days with two extensions available.


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