Thai elite visa

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, khunpa said:

Completely agree. For some reason many call the Elite Visa holdere “stupid”. But at the same time, the Elite Visa holders seem to be financially doing better.

The same people who call Thai Elite members 'stupid' are the same type of folk who'll call the owners of BMW's and Mercedes in Thailand Stupid while they ride around in a shagged out taxi driven my wired somchai... 

[Drax]

On 11/21/2019 at 6:20 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Not living in the UK and not paying into the 50% tax bracket is the greatest return the Elite Visa ever gave me (at the time I was not married and I'm still under 50).

 

Everyones needs are different, at the time it was the perfect solution - its saved me serious money on tax in another country. In use of its perks over the past 14 years its probably saved me money. 

^. It paid my visa after a month for the same reason. I think that’s the major perk. 

[Nordude]

Should I purchase the Easy Access Membership from the official site or one of the agents? I'm confused by all the different sites.

[ubonjoe]

42 minutes ago, Nordude said:

Should I purchase the Easy Access Membership from the official site or one of the agents?

The official site. https://www.thailandelite.com/?locate=en

Some of the sites you may find are not really agents in some cases.

The only agents are those listed here. https://www.thailandelite.com/agents?locate=en&popup=false

[sunnyboy2018]

On 11/20/2019 at 10:01 PM, UKresonant said:

From what I've read so far, it does not exclude you from anything, so you would still need reports etc (though some help may be available to help do them). 

It's like a super tourist visa, still have to out / in at least once every year  I think...with a limited concierge service tagged on.

The TM30 is the concern of hotels and landlords. The rest you read on this forum is confused people with poor paperwork spreading panic. Some times maliciously. In the last 4 years of travelling around Thailand and in and out of Thailand I have never seen a TM30. With your long term Elite Visa it wont be an issue and the is helpful

[Fairynuff]

On 11/23/2019 at 9:57 AM, Nordude said:

Should I purchase the Easy Access Membership from the official site or one of the agents? I'm confused by all the different sites.

I can’t see why going through an agent could be a better option than going direct.

[schlog]

Screenshot of the latest Elite Visa info email.......so clearly no need for tm30 for elite visa holders.

[Tayaout]

15 minutes ago, schlog said:

Screenshot of the latest Elite Visa info email.......so clearly no need for tm30 for elite visa holders.

Every foreigner has to be registered via a TM30 but you are not supposed to know it since it's the owner of the residence that has to file it for you. The infographic in your post refer to a TM28: a notification of address change.

 

You won't have any issue with a TM30 unless you stay somewhere where they don't do it. Then if you need immigration service they might fine you. Some Elite member reported he has been fined after his condo block was raided by Immigration. 

 

You should make sure the place you stay file a TM30, your wife register online and file it for you in 5 min or you can ignore it and pay the fine. 

Edited November 24, 2019 by Tayaout

[elviajero]

4 hours ago, schlog said:

Screenshot of the latest Elite Visa info email.......so clearly no need for tm30 for elite visa holders.

That has nothing to do with TM.30 reporting. They are referring to the the “alien” not having to report any change of address (TM.28).

[smutcakes]

It always gives me a wry smile when in visa threads people who cannot or do not want to pay for elite or don't want to leave deposit in the thai bank say its because they could be investing that money elsewhere as if they are Warren Buffet.

 

 

[jackdd]

5 hours ago, schlog said:

Screenshot of the latest Elite Visa info email.......so clearly no need for tm30 for elite visa holders.

As others pointed out already, this Immigration Bureau graphic is about TM28 (which isn't enforced anyway), not about TM30.

But Elite visa holders are not exempt from TM28 (if it were enforced...) because they have their own category, they don't fall under the "tourism, sports, business...." categories named in this graphic.

This is clearly just another case of Thailand Elite not knowing what they are talking about.

 

6 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

It always gives me a wry smile when in visa threads people who cannot or do not want to pay for elite or don't want to leave deposit in the thai bank say its because they could be investing that money elsewhere as if they are Warren Buffet.

It's always nice to hear when somebody else is happy.

[madmen]

9 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

It always gives me a wry smile when in visa threads people who cannot or do not want to pay for elite or don't want to leave deposit in the thai bank say its because they could be investing that money elsewhere as if they are Warren Buffet.

 

 

Especially the ones who won't put even 1 baht in a Thai bank where it's not safe and wil leave it in home country and watch their income dropping by 30 % due to exchange. , good move guys good move, oh well fools and their money lol

Edited November 24, 2019 by madmen

[ubonjoe]

Some off topic posts discussing Bitcoin have been removed.

[AussieBob18]

Am I right in stating that the Elite program gives a person a multi-entry Visa for 5 years (and up), but that the Elite Visa holder must still do 90 day reports, TM30 reports, must have Thai health insurance, and must apply for an extension every 5 years.

 

[HampiK]

5 minutes ago, AussieBob18 said:

Am I right in stating that the Elite program gives a person a multi-entry Visa for 5 years (and up), but that the Elite Visa holder must still do 90 day reports, TM30 reports, must have Thai health insurance, and must apply for an extension every 5 years.

 

You don't need Thai health Insurance.. and if you stay in country all the time you must apply for an extension every year (Every 5 year you have to become a new VISA sticker) ???? 

[elviajero]

47 minutes ago, AussieBob18 said:

Am I right in stating that the Elite program gives a person a multi-entry Visa for 5 years (and up),

Yes.

 

47 minutes ago, AussieBob18 said:

but that the Elite Visa holder must still do 90 day reports, TM30 reports,

Yes, yes.

 

47 minutes ago, AussieBob18 said:

must have Thai health insurance,

No.

 

47 minutes ago, AussieBob18 said:

and must apply for an extension every 5 years.

No. You can apply for a 1 year extension at the end of any 1 year stay. You can’t apply for an extension at the end of year 5.

[Ratt Thai]

17 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Quote

but that the Elite Visa holder must still do 90 day reports, TM30 reports,

Yes, yes.

Yes for the 90 day's , NO for the TM30 ( landlord, house owner, etc yes, but not the visa holder if he is not landlord, house owner... ) 
Even after my last re-entry, no TM30 was filed and my 90 day report went thru online without...

[Ratt Thai]

On 11/21/2019 at 5:00 PM, richard_smith237 said:

A foreigner cannot get a 5 year Thai Drivers license on a Thai Elite Visa because it is not a Non-Immigrant Visa. 

Strangely but the last entry stamp in my pasport say's "Non PE" as visa type... 

[elviajero]

18 minutes ago, Ratt Thai said:

Yes for the 90 day's , NO for the TM30 ( landlord, house owner, etc yes, but not the visa holder if he is not landlord, house owner... ) 
Even after my last re-entry, no TM30 was filed and my 90 day report went thru online without...

The point was that a TM.30 report is required even for TE members. Whether or not it’s complied with is another matter.

[Ratt Thai]

12 minutes ago, elviajero said:

The point was that a TM.30 report is required even for TE members. Whether or not it’s complied with is another matter.

 

36 minutes ago, Ratt Thai said:

but that the Elite Visa holder must still do 90 day reports, TM30 reports,

The TM30 report is not a burden on the shoulders of the TE visa holder, and it was not a requirement on my last 90 day reporting, as it was 6 months ago.

Also, the TM28 is no longer required for a TE visa holder...

So, arrive in Thailand with a new TM6 card suffice... the rest is upto the system... ( i am pretty sure that i can't do online reporting with an adres that is not registered with my last TM6 unless i do a TM28 officially, but who knows ? )

[4evermaat]

 

On 11/21/2019 at 5:27 AM, elviajero said:

It’s not a tourist visa and you don’t have to out/in once a year. You can apply for a 1 year extension of stay every year from immigration for 1,900 baht.

Not sure what bias you have for or against the ME non-immigrant visas, but in any case, the TE/PE visas are in fact Tourist category visas. 

 

 

This was actually proven several years ago in older Thai Elite threads also (That the PE/TE visas are long-stay Tourist visas).   Are you saying something has changed very recently?  

[jackdd]

Just now, 4evermaat said:

 

Not sure what bias you have for or against the ME non-immigrant visas, but in any case, the TE/PE visas are in fact Tourist category visas. 

 

This was actually proven several years ago in older Thai Elite threads also (That the PE/TE visas are long-stay Tourist visas).   Are you saying something has changed very recently?  

This is wrong, as explained here:

 

[elviajero]

1 minute ago, 4evermaat said:

Not sure what bias you have for or against the ME non-immigrant visas, but in any case, the TE/PE visas are in fact Tourist category visas. 

What?

 

1 minute ago, 4evermaat said:

I’ve explained that this is simply to explain that, like a tourist visa, you can’t work.

 

1 minute ago, 4evermaat said:

This was actually proven several years ago in older Thai Elite threads also (That the PE/TE visas are long-stay Tourist visas).   Are you saying something has changed very recently?  

It. Is. Not. A. Tourist visa. Entry for Tourism is limited to 90 days, by law.

 

It is a Privilege Entry visa issued under its own regulation, and under section 17 of the immigration act. And they do not call it a Tourist visa.
 

A tourist visa is category TR; it says so on the visa sticker. A PE visa sticker simply states Privilege Entry. And IO’s stamp members in using visa category (status) “PE”.

[4evermaat]

21 minutes ago, jackdd said:

This is wrong, as explained here:

 

 

 

The usage evidence all points to it being a Tourist category visa.   But instead of 60 days per entry, you get 365 days per entry. You also are not allowed to obtain a work permit with that visa.   I will need to confirm if the application specifically has an acknowledgment that you are not allowed to work (similar to Thai visa applications when you go to a consulate/embassy).

 

But let's pose the question another way, if TE/PE visa is not a tourist type visa, then what type of visa is it?  Is TE Visas in a category of its own?   "none / not specified / n/a"?????   

 

Edit:  it is a PE visa apparently.     Does this stand for Privileged Entry?

Edited November 24, 2019 by 4evermaat

[elviajero]

21 minutes ago, 4evermaat said:

Edit:  it is a PE visa apparently.     Does this stand for Privileged Entry?

Yes.

[Ratt Thai]

48 minutes ago, 4evermaat said:

Edit:  it is a PE visa apparently.     Does this stand for Privileged Entry?

Google translated: pay special attention to art: 1

As far as i can find, this is the latest version ?
Then it means ? 

Thailand Elite is a Privileged Entry Visa period.

 

Announcement of the Ministry of Interior

Subject: Special permission for certain classes of aliens to enter the Kingdom

                  

 

Which is expedient to allow foreigners who receive a Thailand Privilege Card to enter the Kingdom of Thailand as a special case

 

By virtue of Article 17 of the Immigration Act, 1979, the Minister of Interior With the approval of the Cabinet on 12 November 2012, hereby issues the announcement as follows:

 

Article 1: Foreigners who have received a Thailand Privilege Card from the date this announcement comes into force in Thailand Under the conditions and exempted, it is not necessary to comply with the Immigration Act 1979 in the case as specified in this announcement.

 

Article 2 Persons under Article 1 shall have the right to receive a Privilege Entry Visa from an embassy in a foreign country. Or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or from the Office of Immigration For use for five years with an unlimited number of times throughout the membership card, with the exception of visa fees.

 

Article 3 When the persons under Article 1 enter the Kingdom The immigration official shall check and authorize to stay in the Kingdom for one year every time. Traveling to the Kingdom on an unlimited number of times

 

Article 4 Permission to temporarily stay After the expiration of the permit under Article 3, the immigration authority shall have the power to grant permission to continue for one year at a time. By submitting an application in accordance with the form and paying fees as specified in the Ministerial Regulations

 

Article 5 [1] This notification shall come into force from the day following the date of its publication in the Government Gazette.

 

 

Announced on 22 February B.E. 2556

Charupong Rueangsuwan

Minister of the Interior

[Ratt Thai]

1 hour ago, 4evermaat said:

I will need to confirm if the application specifically has an acknowledgment that you are not allowed to work (similar to Thai visa applications when you go to a consulate/embassy).

There is no mention "prohibited employment" or any of such kind mentioned/stamped on this visa sticker. Thailand Elite states that you can't legally apply for a work permit... 

Then again, sometimes you are exempt of a work permit and you CAN legally work with a PE Visa

[elviajero]

11 minutes ago, Ratt Thai said:

There is no mention "prohibited employment" or any of such kind mentioned/stamped on this visa sticker. Thailand Elite states that you can't legally apply for a work permit... 

Then again, sometimes you are exempt of a work permit and you CAN legally work with a PE Visa

You can apply for a work permit with a PE visa, but it wouldn’t be issued until you get a Non B and the PE visa is cancelled.

 

There are no circumstances where you can legally work with a PE visa entry.

Edited November 24, 2019 by elviajero

[richard_smith237]

9 minutes ago, Ratt Thai said:

1 hour ago, 4evermaat said:

I will need to confirm if the application specifically has an acknowledgment that you are not allowed to work (similar to Thai visa applications when you go to a consulate/embassy).

There is no mention "prohibited employment" or any of such kind mentioned/stamped on this visa sticker. Thailand Elite states that you can't legally apply for a work permit... 

Then again, sometimes you are exempt of a work permit and you CAN legally work with a PE Visa

 

A foreigner needs a work permit to work legally in Thailand. 

 

To get a Work Permit a Thai Elite Member would need to exit Thailand and re-enter on a Non-Immigrant Type B Visa and then go through the work permit process.

 

I'm a Thai Elite Member and when I was also doing some work in Thailand I could not work on the Thai Elite Visa, I had to exit, get the Non-Imm Type B visa, then go through the WP process (at Chamchuri Square)

 

Thai Elite membership in no way permits the holder of a P.E (Privlidged Entry) or S.E. (Special Entry) Visa any 'special' working privileges, a Work Permit cannot be secured while holding any visa which comes with Thai Elite Membership. 

[Ratt Thai]

4 minutes ago, elviajero said:

You can apply for a work permit with a PE visa, but it wouldn’t be issued until you get a Non B and the PE visa is cancelled.

 

There are no circumstances where you can legally work with a PE visa.

From:https://duensingkippen.com/thailandbusinesslawblog/?p=266

The new Labor act:

On 27 March 2018 the Emergency Decree on Non-Thais’ Working Management (No.2) (2018) (“Decree No. 2”) was issued. Decree No. 2 amended Decree No. 1.

 

Decree No. 1 prohibits people who are not Thai citizens from engaging in specific occupations. Permission to do such work will not be granted. Other occupations are open to non-Thais; however, the work performed by anyone who is not a Thai citizen is strictly limited to the activities and conditions to conduct such provided in the permission granted. However,Decree No. 2 now provides for exceptions to the mandatory work permit application requirement as well as other revisions of note. The most significant changes under the Decree No. 2 are as follows:

A. The following non-Thais can carry out certain activities in Thailand without a work permit:

(1) a non-Thai who comes to Thailand on a short-term periodic basis to: hold or to attend a meeting, lecture, seminar, training, exhibition of art or culture, or sports competition; provide an opinion; inspect work of others; or, any other activities, as prescribed by the Council of Ministers.

(2) a non-Thai who enters into Thailand to: operate a business; make an investment; or who has knowledge, ability, or skills that are considered beneficial to the development of the country;

(3) a non-Thai legal representative (e.g. director) of an alien juristic person that is licensed to operate business under the Foreign Business Act (1999);