What do you consider a retirement age? If you arriving on an international flight then you can arrange to have this done at Suvarnabhumi, Phuket or Chiang Mai Airport. The Thailand Elite program that is a prerequisite to obtaining the Elite Visa is a program that was first instituted by the Thaksin administration to encourage a wealthier class of tourists to visit Thailand. I can just sort of forget about it and just be comfortable to know I am always welcome. The extension of 1-year stay can be made every year without the usual need to cross the border - exclusively for this Thailand Elite's Privilege Entry Visa. Since you already have the driving license from your home country, it’s quite easy to get a Thai driving license. The Thailand Elite Visa is for anyone who lives or regularly comes to Thailand but doesn’t want to deal with Thailand’s bureaucratic visa system. Once they receive their welcome letter they can book an Elite Personal Assistant to meet them at their gate at Suvarnabhumi airport upon arrival. Too bad the Thai government rips off foreigners with their crazy rules and fee’s. If you leave Thailand via land border once in a year does this mean no imigration visit and 1900 baht payment. You can contact the elite visa member service to help you up an appointment with the embassy. Let’s take a look at the benefits that come with the Thailand Elite Visa. If I understand correctly. In short, yes. If you aren’t eligible for a long-term visa in Thailand and need to do a visa run, you need to pay around 10,000 Thai baht on average for a three day, 2 night trip to a nearby Thai embassy outside of Thailand. The Thailand Elite Visa program comes with airport services. The biggest advantages of the Thailand Elite Visa that appealed to me were the; 1. Thailand Elite Visa is the most convenient visa to live in Thailand with. This includes digital nomads that don’t want to do visa runs, retirees who don’t want to be stressed with the new complicated regulations that have been regularly introduced, or investors or business people who need to fly in and out of Thailand several times a year. There is a burden in starting over again and again every several months – figuring out a new city, developing new friendships (though I am lucky enough to be able to reconnect often with many of my friends around the world thanks to communities like Hacker Paradise and Nomadlist), finding a productive work environment, and also the more basic things like just getting phone service and figuring out transit, etc. If you are already here in Thailand, you still need to go to the immigration office. It’s one of the restricted countries for Thailand Elite program. But with it also come challenges. An official representative of the Thailand Elite Visa program will get back to you shortly. However, this option is now only available to those who seriously want to learn Thai. If the first one is called “extension”, it does logically means that you have to get already one card before that one isn’t it ? What is the best Thai Visa for someone wanting to stay in Thailand? Required fields are marked *. In addition, Elite Visa holders will get additional support from the Elite Visa program, including booking an alternative state quarantine. Based on the information we have so far, the Elite Visa program is negotiating with the Thailand Government to increase the quota. It was introduced in 2003 after the Thai government approved the Thailand Privilege Card project proposed by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. THAILAND ELITE originated from a singular goal: to present to our esteemed foreign guests Thailand’s finest vacationing and business experiences in several unique and special packages. You can wait until we know more on the requirements. The most affordable and popular program is the Elite Easy Access option, which starts at THB 500,000 (or just over USD 16,000) per person for a five-year visa. You can live in the country for 5 years and leave/enter as often as you want. However, currently they know that you are unable to enter Thailand yet. 600,000 Thai baht for a five-year visa means you pay 120,000 baht per year or 10,000 baht per month. The Thailand Elite Visa offers 6 different packages so you can be sure that there will be something that will appeal to you. Thailand offers one of the world’s attractive and cheapest residence by investment scheme in Asia. Cost depends on the program that you choose. For the individual who wishes to enhance his or her experience in Thailand. You can stay in Thailand and apply for the Elite visa. Similar to health insurance, you don’t need to show any proof of funds. Please read our private policy for more information. We may receive compensation when you click on those links. Just a small query though on the ’90-days reporting’. We’ll assist you based on our experience with running a company in Thailand for over a decade. Image 1 of 9. Their main differences are the amount of years you get and other privileges like golf, spas, health checkups, and airport transfer services. You can’t get this service from a normal airport transfer service. This happens at no cost to you and helps me cover some of the expenses of running this website. The whole process takes around three months. Another group is those who want to retire in Thailand but haven’t reached the age requirements or other conditions required by the retirement visa. Thank you. Thailand Elite Visa Summary So there you have it, his experience with the Thai Elite Visa. Thailand Elite Visa Review: What You Should Know Before Applying. In addition, you can get one free health checkup a year and also have access to a member contact center who can provide support for anything you need while living your life in Thailand. The visa fee must be paid in full before you can get the visa. I do not wish to go though the problems of getting a tourist visa if I pay this large some. Also, is there any way an application for someone currently in Thailand could be expedited? In certain cases, it even takes less than two weeks. You still need to get an immigration stamo each year costing 1900 baht if you stay in Thailand for a year. TPC is a 100%-owned special- purpose company under the Ministry of Tourism and Sport. Once you receive approval, your profile on the website is updated to reflect this status and will show a link to a payment page. In 2016 I moved to Berlin for a job and never looked back. Therefore, the Thailand Elite Visa program has partnered with many travel related service providers throughout Thailand. You can contact us to remove your data at anytime. The elite visa agent picks you up right inside the gate and escorts you to the fast-track lane at immigration. Have you heard of the Thailand Elite Visa? Not specifically – but I would recommend reaching out to see if any open questions can be handled by e-mail or phone. anecdotally it seems to typically be completed in 3 or 4 weeks, Thailand Elite Visa: my experience and review, 8 things you discover are weird about Americans once you have traveled, The Empty Vessel Makes the Greatest Sound, Sailing Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (our first sailing experience), A day in the life: Koh Chang under COVID quarantine. What you need to know to land a job, stay long-term, and save $1000s on rent, money transfers, insurance, and utilites! The Thailand Elite Visa is a simple (but costly) purchase, enabling an individual or a family to stay in Thailand for 5 to 20 years without dealing with the normal headaches of immigration and visa applications. Thank you. This is not really at all a factor with the 20 year (and the fact I am eligible for a retirement visa by the time it expires). And if so, would that effect people who already got granted an Elite Visa? Feel free to reach out and suggest a new topic. However, this may change in the future. In my case I received the approval letter one month after sending in the application. Then, you need to visit the Thai embassy or the immigration office early in the morning and spend at least half a day there. The best part about the Thailand Elite Visa is that you don’t need to worry anymore about your visa. About me: EU citizen, living in Phnom Penh for the last few years as a permanent tourist (not employed), too young for the Thai retirement visa Your email address will not be published. And you can apply for the visa no matter how old you are. You need to have a passport that isn’t Thai. Of all of the places that I travel to, I continue to return to Asia as a primary home. – Nope, you don’t need to have health insurance for the elite visa. The rate you get from them can even be cheaper than renting directly from a rental company. The Elite Visa program will give you a list of alternate state quarantine (ASQ) locations, including prices and partnered hospitals. Thailand Elite Visa. I am 31 years old and so, given that I would qualify for the retirement visa (minimum age 50) by the time my Elite Visa expires, choosing Thailand Elite Superiority Extension provides me an essentially lifetime visa in Thailand for a one-time fee. Dealing with Thailand Elite was always a stress-free experience. Feel free to get in touch. There’s also another group like investors or a business people who need to visit Thailand many times a year and find none of the current visa options suitable for them. And there’s one option allowing you to stay here for 20 years for a one-million baht fee. You aren’t of unsound mind, incompetence, or quasi incompetent. You can fill out the form above to get in touch with the Elite visa representative and have all of your questions answered or get started with applying the Elite visa. While I do not make light of the expense of these visas, I also feel that the sums of money are in fact achievable for many. There you provide your basic information (name, address, occupation, passport number) along with a passport photo, scan of your passport and current visa. Two days after making the payment I received a payment confirmation and was able to schedule an appointment with Thailand Elite at Chaengwattana Immigration. If you want to move to and live in Thailand hassle-free, become a subscriber. This means that even if you have been accepted into the program, you might not be able to immediately fly to Thailand. Although it isn’t for everyone, it’s a convenient choice for those who can afford it. They can’t get business visas. And you need to take a Thai language test at the immigration office when extending your education visa. Yeah, you still need to report every 90 days even with the Elite Visa. Prior to 2019 turnaround could be as fast as 5 days, but since the introduction of stricter measures by immigration it is typically now around 6-8 weeks (and officially can be as long as 3.5 months). The Thailand Elite Residence Program offers seven options. You can’t get a work permit with the Thai Elite visa. It is something that changed my life and that I wouldn’t trade for anything. He is now on a 5 year visa that he feels gives him more peace of mind. It’s a huge difference, so please confirm. Airline will refuse bording witout a visa. Yes, the country has a bit of extra bureaucracy, but sometimes it also works in your favor. I would love to get the points as well. On the other hand, it’s no problem to run or operate a business overseas with an Elite Visa, as long as the visa holder isn’t paid a salary or working for a company in Thailand. This is done by a visa agent to take the burden off one’s shoulder. The rules are always changing, and waits can be unpredictable and sometimes agonizing. ExpatDen creates free guides for anyone looking to work, live, retire, study, or start businesses abroad. 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