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Thai Elite 20 vs 5 year, Thoughts?


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19 hours ago, Thailand Outcast said:

If only there was a 1 year Elite Card for around $500USD.  It would make life so much easier here.  ????

Just a bit higher than what a 1-year Visa actually costs in this region?  Not a chance!

 

19 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Also have people experienced any problems boarding airplanes to Thailand with the Elite visa?

Not yet.  But be aware that Immigration can always claim you haven't proved you can "afford your entire stay" - and there is no way to prove otherwise to them.  They are already using this baseless-allegation to block those entering on Tourist Visas. 

 

Since they feel at liberty to twist the laws to screw people, the only thing protecting you is that someone above in the chain is a beneficiary of the program, and will have their heads if they mess with you.  If/when that corrupt person's "protection" magic goes away, so does your easy access to the country.

 

But, as long as the visas are still for sale, those benefiting from the scheme will not want to destroy the "credibility" of it - costing them sales - by causing problems for current members. 

 

The last time they stopped selling elite visas, they continued honoring entry to existing members - but they honored the validity of Tourist Visas during that time-period also.  The last "test" was before the anti-farang clique went total-rogue at the entry-points they control, and threw the law-book in the trash can.

 

4 hours ago, malagateddy said:

I honestly wish that some people would stop banging on about the so called anti western attitude in this country.

It's not really an attitude of the "country" - just a clique which control large pieces of the immigration (and other) govt apparatus.  The "new rules" for retirees, and denying-entry based on lies to those with Tourist Visas at several clique-controlled entry-points, are clear evidence of this.

 

4 hours ago, malagateddy said:

Please remember the " shoddy " way a certain 4 countries have treated their citizens here in Thailand.

Immigration told them to do the impossible - to "verify" incomes.  They said, "Sorry, no can do."  Then immigration changed their minds and went back to "certification," but the letters were already gone. 

 

I do agree the 4 did play a part in the problem, however; they should have just continued issuing the same letters and let Thai-immigration play "bad guy" by rejecting them.  The others called immigration's bluff, and there letters are still accepted.

 

4 hours ago, malagateddy said:

Also, Thailand has every right to " tighten up " it's immigration procedures as it sees fit to do so.

Yes, they can be as anti-Western in their policies as they want.  The point is, it is risky to count on anything long-term from a government which is actively piecemeal-purging "your kind" out of the country.

 

4 hours ago, malagateddy said:

2005 I took my wife to the UK..several years later..She got Indefinite Leave to Remain followed by Citizenship..totalling bout 1400 pounds..
When we left the UK to move over here..the financial cost of Ind. Leave to Remain was about 1600 quid..and tons more rules/regs along with it.

By contrast, as a Westerner, you'd have a very tough time ever getting citizenship - or even PR - in Thailand.  It's impossible unless willing to take a Thai job and work here for years, both before and during the long application process.  I don't blame them on making citizenship difficult, but PR for those married to a resident or long-time retired after some years would be the decent thing to do. 

 

Instead, in many areas, they make it a goalpost-moving and office-inconsistent hell to get a measly 1-year extension to stay with and support your Thai wife/family.  This is evidence this clique (which do not control all offices) aren't just anti-Western, but also anti Thais-married-to-Western.  My impression, from their interactions with my wife, is that they hate the Thais that marry us more than they hate us.

 

4 hours ago, malagateddy said:

Everyone here in Thailand needs to go with the flo..as you would do in your respective home countries.

We have the right to raise-hell and push for changes to policy in our passport countries. 

Here, we don't; all we can do is open our eyes, see the trend, warn our fellows, and try our best to be prepared.

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Well Sir,
We shall have to agree yo disagree.
Me..68 years young..I live it daily and enjoy my life 'cos every one of us are " only here on this earth for a look ".
Nobody knows the future thankfully, as many people would lie in their bed whimpering I think.
Cheers

We have the right to raise-hell and push for changes to policy in our passport countries. 
Here, we don't; all we can do is open our eyes, see the trend, warn our fellows, and try our best to be prepared.


Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

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1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

Just a bit higher than what a 1-year Visa actually costs in this region?  Not a chance!

 

Not yet.  But be aware that Immigration can always claim you haven't proved you can "afford your entire stay" - and there is no way to prove otherwise to them.  They are already using this baseless-allegation to block those entering on Tourist Visas. 

 

Since they feel at liberty to twist the laws to screw people, the only thing protecting you is that someone above in the chain is a beneficiary of the program, and will have their heads if they mess with you.  If/when that corrupt person's "protection" magic goes away, so does your easy access to the country.

 

But, as long as the visas are still for sale, those benefiting from the scheme will not want to destroy the "credibility" of it - costing them sales - by causing problems for current members. 

 

The last time they stopped selling elite visas, they continued honoring entry to existing members - but they honored the validity of Tourist Visas during that time-period also.  The last "test" was before the anti-farang clique went total-rogue at the entry-points they control, and threw the law-book in the trash can.

 

It's not really an attitude of the "country" - just a clique which control large pieces of the immigration (and other) govt apparatus.  The "new rules" for retirees, and denying-entry based on lies to those with Tourist Visas at several clique-controlled entry-points, are clear evidence of this.

 

Immigration told them to do the impossible - to "verify" incomes.  They said, "Sorry, no can do."  Then immigration changed their minds and went back to "certification," but the letters were already gone. 

 

I do agree the 4 did play a part in the problem, however; they should have just continued issuing the same letters and let Thai-immigration play "bad guy" by rejecting them.  The others called immigration's bluff, and there letters are still accepted.

 

Yes, they can be as anti-Western in their policies as they want.  The point is, it is risky to count on anything long-term from a government which is actively piecemeal-purging "your kind" out of the country.

 

By contrast, as a Westerner, you'd have a very tough time ever getting citizenship - or even PR - in Thailand.  It's impossible unless willing to take a Thai job and work here for years, both before and during the long application process.  I don't blame them on making citizenship difficult, but PR for those married to a resident or long-time retired after some years would be the decent thing to do. 

 

Instead, in many areas, they make it a goalpost-moving and office-inconsistent hell to get a measly 1-year extension to stay with and support your Thai wife/family.  This is evidence this clique (which do not control all offices) aren't just anti-Western, but also anti Thais-married-to-Western.  My impression, from their interactions with my wife, is that they hate the Thais that marry us more than they hate us.

 

We have the right to raise-hell and push for changes to policy in our passport countries. 

Here, we don't; all we can do is open our eyes, see the trend, warn our fellows, and try our best to be prepared.

Here, we don't; all we can do is open our eyes, see the trend, warn our fellows, and try our best to be prepared.

 

Its the trend that is the most frighting thing......The trend has not changed course in over a decade....

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1 hour ago, malagateddy said:

Well Sir,
We shall have to agree yo disagree.
Me..68 years young..I live it daily and enjoy my life 'cos every one of us are " only here on this earth for a look ".
Nobody knows the future thankfully, as many people would lie in their bed whimpering I think.
Cheers

 


Sent from my SM-G7102 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

Staying informed is not whimpering....

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20 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Do you have to pay first or do you wait for provisional upon payment application approval before coughing up the big bucks?

The rep told me to wait for approval. Once, approved they will inform me about payment. 

 

20 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Also have people experienced any problems boarding airplanes to Thailand with the Elite visa?

They rep assured me there would be no entry problem into Thailand

 

15 hours ago, Metapod said:

It's not about the tax number, it is about establishing your domicile abroad,

I think  US citizens have to pay taxes on their wold wide earnings, irrespective of the country they live. 

I applied for a Thailand Tourist visa today and it will take 2/3  day to get. it. Most probably I will be in Thailand next week and wait for the 20-year elite visa inside Thailand. Once I get it, I'll start my Asia travel. 

 

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16 hours ago, donnacha said:

Very interesting, I had not realized it was considered a residence visa. So, that might mean that, for those 50 and over, the retirement visa can be used, in the same way, to establish domicile for tax purposes. Handy.

Regarding the Thai tax number, I have had to supply mine for various purposes back in Europe, including bank accounts. 

You may wish to research the "tax equalization scheme" before you decide to be a "resident" of a foreign country, and a "non resident for taxation purposes" of your home country.  

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11 hours ago, Thailand Outcast said:

You may wish to research the "tax equalization scheme" before you decide to be a "resident" of a foreign country, and a "non resident for taxation purposes" of your home country.  

Thanks T.O. but, from what I could find online, tax equalization applies only to employees. I believe those of us discussing domicile in this thread are all business owners.

Also, just to avoid another possible confusion (not for you but other readers), none of us are from countries that continue to own your earnings even if you have lived abroad for decades, such as the United States

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20 hours ago, malagateddy said:

I honestly wish that some people would stop banging on about the so called anti western attitude in this country.

No-one is "banging on". When discussing the prospects of a long-term, paid-in-advance visa scheme, it is only logical to consider whether there will be any changes in how we westerners are regarded here, whether by the Elite, the governments, the military, the police, or the Thai people in general.

If you have noticed no examples of changing attitudes, terrific, and long may you remain blissfully oblivious, but among those of us who have lived here for decades, it is non-controversial to note that things have changed a great deal.

This is not the appropriate place to flash your white knight credentials, or impress everyone with how integrated you feel. This particular conversion is about whether or not it is worth paying, for a 5-year visa, roughly ten times what you say your wife paid for a lifetime UK citizenship. It is a serious investment and that means we must consider matters as they are, not as we might wish them to be.

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Maybe I'll be out of the topic, but i already paid for the elite visa and i would like to know what i have to do at the bbk immigration.

I mean if it's a fast procedure or it will take time, for example checking again everything, asking me about my financial property in my country or taking my fingerprints ... 

Can someone help me about it?

Thank you very much

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19 minutes ago, aledale said:

Maybe I'll be out of the topic, but i already paid for the elite visa and i would like to know what i have to do at the bbk immigration.

It does not take long from reports I have seen. The Thai Elite rep will handle everything.

No checks or questions since you have already been qualified for the visa.

Immigration does not do fingerprints.

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2 hours ago, aledale said:

Maybe I'll be out of the topic, but i already paid for the elite visa and i would like to know what i have to do at the bbk immigration.

I mean if it's a fast procedure or it will take time, for example checking again everything, asking me about my financial property in my country or taking my fingerprints ... 

Can someone help me about it?

Thank you very much

Nothing. 

 

They pick u up with the golf cart at the plane, then they start honking to get the chinese out of their way on the track. 

Then they bring u to FastTrack/diplomatic entry, they give them your passport and they put the visa sticker in. Takes minutes... Then they bring u to the elite lounge and tell you when your luggage is found. 

After that they bribg your luggage and yourself to the aot limousine which drives you home... 

 

 

It's all really fast as long as your luggage arrives swiftly on the belt which they can't really influence. 

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19 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

I think  US citizens have to pay taxes on their wold wide earnings, irrespective of the country they live. 

I applied for a Thailand Tourist visa today and it will take 2/3  day to get. it. Most probably I will be in Thailand next week and wait for the 20-year elite visa inside Thailand. Once I get it, I'll start my Asia travel. 

 

1

Each country has their own specific laws that you need to adhere to. The US has some of the best (or worst) tax laws depending on your circumstances.

 

If you can take your payment via salary, then you can live outside of the US 330 days a year and qualify for the FEIE, which makes your salary income tax exempt for the first $104,000 per year. Requirements are easy to achieve, so that is a great option for a lot of people. There is a bit more to it than that, but that's the general gist of the situation for the US.

 

Thailand's unique tax remittance laws (set up to benefit wealthy Thais) are perfect for online workers or people who work abroad and live in Thailand.

 

The Elite Visa literally pays for itself several times over if you are the right circumstances.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got a tourist visa to Thailand from Singapore in my Antiguan passport and arrived at Bangkok yesterday. The travel agent who arranged the visa for me told me I could extend the visa for another 30-day after it expires. My question is where do I go to extend it in Bangkok? Is there any travel agent in Bangkok that can take care of this extension? I hope in 90-day I will have my residency visa as the elite visa rep told me. 

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You have to go to Chaeng Wattana immigration, take a taxi (grab) early as its hard to get to. It's outside the last bts station, mo chit.... u can also take the skytrain there and then get a scooter taxi or other taxi.

 

Bring passport photos and a pen, you have to fill out some forms there... can take long depening on the day you go there as there are normally tons of people.

 

That's also where u get your elite visa affixed btw. 

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5 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

I got a tourist visa to Thailand from Singapore in my Antiguan passport and arrived at Bangkok yesterday. The travel agent who arranged the visa for me told me I could extend the visa for another 30-day after it expires. My question is where do I go to extend it in Bangkok? Is there any travel agent in Bangkok that can take care of this extension? I hope in 90-day I will have my residency visa as the elite visa rep told me. 

 

To get a 30 day extension to a tourist visa, you would need to go to the Chaeng Wattana Immigration Office in Bangkok.  Get the 30 day extension a week before your tourist visa expires.

 

In Thailand people use what are called visa agents, not travel agents.  However, I don't think I have ever heard of anyone using a visa agent to get a 30 day extension.   It is a pain getting to the CW Immigration Office, but the getting the extension shouldn't be any problem.

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