# Can an Aussie get an extended visa after arrival?



## Young Gun (Nov 15, 2014)

If I arrive and get the 2 month visa, then do a CELTA course (teaching), and find work.

If I have a job, can I get a longer visa?

If not, how often can you do visa runs, or leave the country and come back now?

Do you have to stay out for 2-3 days?

Thanks in advance.


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## AndyFTH (Oct 27, 2014)

Hi,
if you have standard 30 days tourist visa on arrival, you can extend them for another 30 days and after for another 7 days.

If you have tourist visa from your country for 60 days, you can also extend them for 30 days and after for 7 days.

I don't know about working (education) visa...I should be similar. Cost of extending your visa is 1900 Baht.

Visa runs - you don't have to stay outside of Thailand for any time. You can cross border to Laos and 30 second later you can go back to Thailand.


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## Young Gun (Nov 15, 2014)

AndyFTH said:


> Hi,
> 
> Visa runs - you don't have to stay outside of Thailand for any time. You can cross border to Laos and 30 second later you can go back to Thailand.


Is there any limit to this now?

ie how many you can do in 6 months?


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## dhream (Jan 30, 2012)

I think you get two bounces as AndyFTH says, and that is it... he has forgotten to mention what happens AFTER your 30 + 30 + 7 are up, I can say that you definitely WON'T be coming back after 30 seconds in Laos, or even 30 days... all that ended rather abruptly in August this year (2014).

Your best bet is to enroll for an ED visa and related course as soon as you can and convert your tourist visa ASAP, rather than try to spin it out until the last minute (thereby you save the extensions for if you really need them!)

As mentioned above, once you've used the tourist visa and 2 extensions up, you have to leave for a considerable time, e.g just as if you were on holiday for real and heading back to another year of indentured slavery back home... I'm not sure how long, because I'm on a retirement extension (50+ only) so it does not affect me personally, but someone else will likely know here, or you can try the "Thai Visa" site...

Also you may get longer applying back home, or maybe not... they may start asking questions you'd rather not answer... but it costs more either way (since it's FREE on arrival, and not back home) and you have to trundle in to the embassy and... yadda yadda yadda, whereby, if you show up at BKK or wherever you're stamped into the country within 2 minutes, if that..

Up to yoo as they say in Soi Cowboy...


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## Young Gun (Nov 15, 2014)

dhream said:


> I think you get two bounces as AndyFTH says, and that is it... he has forgotten to mention what happens AFTER your 30 + 30 + 7 are up, I can say that you definitely WON'T be coming back after 30 seconds in Laos, or even 30 days... all that ended rather abruptly in August this year (2014).
> 
> Your best bet is to enroll for an ED visa and related course as soon as you can and convert your tourist visa ASAP,


I would be taking a CELTA or TEFL course, so hoping to get right almost upon completion.

Thanks, I was not sure of the changes.

I think that you can buy a 5 year visa, but it cost $18,000AU.


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## dhream (Jan 30, 2012)

Young Gun said:


> I would be taking a CELTA or TEFL course, so hoping to get right almost upon completion.
> 
> Thanks, I was not sure of the changes.
> 
> I think that you can buy a 5 year visa, but it cost $18,000AU.


I have not heard of this? There is an 'elite' program which is pretty dubious IMHO. And very very expensive.

Just google Thai Govt. Visa pages that's obviously where you'll get the most up to date info.


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## tod-daniels (Dec 1, 2013)

First off, let's get some terminology straightened out!

For Auzzies, there is no "visa on arrival". What you get flyin' in is a "30 day visa exempt stamp". It has that catchy name because you showed up here without a visa in your passport that you'd previously purchased at a Thai Embassy or Consulate and because your Auzzie you got stamped in for a 30 day permission to stay.

Now about the only thing which was posted correctly is; after you arrive on a 30 day visa exempt stamp you can go to a local immigrations office pay 1900baht and extend that for an additional 30 days. 

As far as working on an ED visa, yeah, that ain't gonna happen. The only people who can work on an ED visa are people enrolled in continuing education at a real university and they can "intern" in their field. You as a foreigner if you're on an ED visa doin' some CELTA TEFL course ain't gonna get a "work permit". That's the book which lets you work here..

The Thai Elite Card has several different levels, at different costs. I know several people who have them, come and go regularly and think they're great especially if you're not on a Type-B visa, over 50, married to a thai or supporting half-thai kidz here (the 4 most common visa extensions).

Email a Thai consulate in Oz apply for a double entry Tourist Visa. That'll give you almost 6 months in country with only a border run and two in country extensions! Then you can find out what you're gonna do for work..

Good Luck


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## ghazialahmadi (Nov 17, 2014)

Thank you all for these bits of great information.


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## dhream (Jan 30, 2012)

*Elite=Money*



tod-daniels said:


> (snipped).
> 
> The Thai Elite Card has several different levels, at different costs. I know several people who have them, come and go regularly and think they're great especially if you're not on a Type-B visa, over 50, married to a thai or supporting half-thai kidz here (the 4 most common visa extensions).


Who Knew (anyone used this)?

The Elite website offers 3 levels, 4 if you count each family 'add-on' member, THB 100,000 + THB 10,000 p/a (just for each family member).

Level one starts at THB 2,000,000 for one individual for 20 years. + THB 20,000 a year!

Level four is THB 500,000 for Five years no annual fee, then you can apply again, maybe, in five years. 

At USD 15,221 / that's US 3,044 a year, or USD 254 a month (figures rounded up) so if you were a pensioner and not willing or able to 'prove' funds, or otherwise hobbled by youth etc. this may be the answer.

Still, it's a steep price to pay for the average joe who washes up here a 'financial refugee' or immigrant dreamer. 

It's unclear if you'd likely still be restricted in your ability to work etc. as no mention is made of that. 

They throw in an airport lounge, golf buggy rides to and from the plane, and a Limo to and from your hotel. Maybe an extra 'wai' or two...

You'd really really need to rak Thailand, and have money for nothin' to go this route.

On a more sensible note, does anyone know, once having used a visa to the limit, or visa exemption, and then lawfully departed, how long you need to stay away for?

Thanks.


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## Young Gun (Nov 15, 2014)

tod-daniels said:


> You as a foreigner if you're on an ED visa doin' some CELTA TEFL course ain't gonna get a "work permit". That's the book which lets you work here..
> 
> Email a Thai consulate in Oz apply for a double entry Tourist Visa. That'll give you almost 6 months in country with only a border run and two in country extensions! Then you can find out what you're gonna do for work..
> 
> Good Luck


So even upon completion of the CELTA, and you are offered work, you cannot get a work permit?

Emailed the consulate last night. The form mentioned having a guarantor, but not sure why if it is for the tourist visa?! Waiting to hear back.


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## dhream (Jan 30, 2012)

Young Gun said:


> So even upon completion of the CELTA, and you are offered work, you cannot get a work permit?
> 
> Emailed the consulate last night. The form mentioned having a guarantor, but not sure why if it is for the tourist visa?! Waiting to hear back.


t-d is about the most knowledgeable person here that I know of relating to things Thai, particularly the paperwork needed to stick around.

t-d said an ED visa is not a work permit. It is a study visa. After you done the course, you need to get a job, or job offer, then deal with whatever visas permits that entails, and about which I have no idea.

Now, my next paragraph is hearsay, but since few (no) others are sharing their actual teaching experience, you'll need to take it at face value, and err on the side of caution.

In the past language schools were known for not bothering to apply for, or assist teachers to apply for a work permit, as I understand this costs *them* money.

See, it's exactly avo-dip like this that makes me laugh to hear Thais, and other westerners for that matter, talk about western 'Cheap Charlies' but anyway, back to the topic... Many teachers would accept this crap deal, since there was little choice. 

Now they have to be fully 'legal', or they get deported, meaning the schools have to pony up or they go out of business, maybe.

Clear as mud? 

If I were you, Young Gun, I'd try Vietnam or Korea or just about anywhere else... they actually *want* you to go there and help them learn stuff. :eyebrows:


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## Young Gun (Nov 15, 2014)

I was told I could apply for a double entry visa (6 months) and the guarantor was only an emerg contact in Australia.


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## dhream (Jan 30, 2012)

Young Gun said:


> I was told I could apply for a double entry visa (6 months) and the guarantor was only an emerg contact in Australia.


Thanks for getting back to us (as in the forum in general) Young Gun, few ever bother to repay anything they learn here.

So now we know the current situation with applying overseas, which is different to getting the exemption on arrival (15-30 days?) 

Any charge involved? When I inquired at Thai embassy in Portugal in 2013 they wanted: 30 euros, copy of return or other outbound ticket. Proof of EU residency (which I had, but what has that got to do with going to Thailand? Bloody Government busybodies!) I decided to give them a miss and entered on the standart tourist visa exemption and did all the rest here... good luck with the teaching, and remember, we are cynical here with good reason!:eyebrows:


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## Young Gun (Nov 15, 2014)

dhream said:


> Thanks for getting back to us (as in the forum in general)
> 
> Any charge involved? When I inquired at Thai embassy in Portugal in 2013 they wanted: 30 euros, copy of return or other outbound ticket. Proof of EU residency (which I had, but what has that got to do with going to Thailand? Bloody Government busybodies!) I decided to give them a miss and entered on the standart tourist visa exemption and did all the rest here... good luck with the teaching, and remember, we are cynical here with good reason!:eyebrows:


Only $45, a stamp, reg post, and two recent photos, so about $60 all up really.

Not bad considering most land with 30 days and pay $60 just to get another 30.

With good reason, lol.

Cheers


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## ethos15 (Nov 24, 2014)

Really interesting thread, thanks to all that posted.


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